Creed of Atonement

The Creed of Atonement is a religion based on the spiritual teachings of Auhlya Reanudar in 20-25 AD. The main religious text is the Creed of Atonement, hence the name, which is often shortened to just the Creed. It outlines the main principles by which to live a good life, as well as a series of stories and anecdotes taken from Auhlya's life and added onto over time by scholars and disciples. The common thread among Creed interpretations is that humanity is inherently flawed and evil and therefore must atone; the Creed was written by a freedom fighter in response to the contemporary Abruzzan occupation of Manquilla, where a number of atrocities occurred, in an effort to outline ways of living that might avoid such tragedies in the future.

## Onomastic Creed

The Onomastic Creed is the most popular denomination of the Creed, popular in Devois, Meziavela, Solerro, and Joyamar. It holds that the writings of the Creed are to be interpreted through a literary lens, and therefore are subject to debate and relative to context. Onomasts believe that all sections and arguments of the Creed are theoretically important, because they serve as a useful historical document and demonstrate the power and specificity of language. They are the driving force behind the translation of the Creed into different languages.

The most referenced sections of the Creed by the Onomasts are:

1. The gifting and inheritance of names is a gesture of respect to your ancestors and your community.
2. Stories are passed down as an indication of the morals and needs of each generation in their time.
3. Truth must be spoken aloud with words that accurately describe it, and failure to be clear and specific leads to social disorder and the obfuscation of sin.

## Sanctified Creed

The Sanctified Creed is the Imperial sect of the Creed, and is the official religion of Meziavela and the most popular denomination in Throchmorden, Widartal, Liath, and Banhust. The Sanctified Creed argues that the Creed was divinely inspired and therefore introduces an incontrovertible element to its teachings. The Sanctified Creed does not assert that there is a singular deity or divine being, but rather, that divine truth itself spoke through Auhlya and that the universe itself has holy energy. This is extended to explain magic as the physical manifestation of this.

Sanctified interpretation of the Creed is dictated by the needs of the Meziavelan monarch, and is thus used as a tool in the expansion of the Empire. Its most commonly referenced passages include:

1. The need for complete unity of struggling peoples, as with divergence comes disharmony and tragedy.
2. All people can be educated, and it is the duty of humankind to teach and improve one's neighbours.
3. Without aid, humans will inevitably descend into barbarism, violence, and hatred.

## Co-Operative Creed

The Co-Operative Creed is the oldest interpretation of the Creed, and the most fluid. It posits that the Creed should be interpreted by common agreement within a community as to which tenets are useful and to be obeyed by the group. Where Onomastic prioritises the stories, and Sanctified prioritises the divine, Co-Operative prioritises the people.

Co-Operatives place the most important on passages elaborating the importance of social cohesion, such as:

1. Children have a duty to their parents, and parents to their children, to bring honour and stability to their family.
2. Traditions are ways to connect people to their community and their ancestors.
3. People isolated from their family and community lose sight of morality, therefore social expectation is required for accountability and good behaviour.

## Cultural Touchstones

The Creed is aesthetically and structurally based on Christianity, and draws on the real-world effects of Christianity and the beliefs and justifications associated with it. However, its ideology is more inspired by Confucianism.

## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism