Velism

Velism is a non-theistic teaching native to Edenheim, Valreach, were most widespread in its homeland and surrounding regions among people of various origins and were inherited by Eldham fugitives of Astyla fiefdoms in Abexillas who later formed the Kingdom of Artilon. Velism was not widely adopted by the masses but its ideas were firmly rooted in the political philosophy of Emperor Karl I the Restorer of Valreach and general ideology of the royal dynasty of Artilon.

The main idea of Velism is to deny the significance of worshiping Gods. Instead, the gods occupy the position of antagonists in the cosmic and universal order built by this religious dogma. The central theme of Velism is the cycle of life and the ascent of man to superhuman limits within this cycle. The gods are depicted as self-centered and capricious children who received the opportunity to rise and understand the essence of existence. However, they decided to satisfy their personal needs and weaknesses, thereby dooming thousands of people to servility and death due to their selfishness. Instead of worshiping such gods, Velism proposes studying the world, the gods, and oneself to gain spiritual and mystical experiences. As believed, obtaining those experiences allow one to understand the universe and ascend to levels beyond the divine.

“Chant of a young scholar”
Very few records have survived from the times before the World's End, but among the acolytes, there persists a song widely acknowledged by covens as the closest approximation to truth. In the heart of origin lands, the Founder did dwell,

Through tumultuous eras, his story we tell,

Knowledge and wisdom, his tapestry woven,

Questioning worship, his faith unshaken.

Disdain for the Church, its doctrines and deities,

Found fertile ground among persecuted mystics, his allies,

In the dawn of his works, his teachings took root,

A solitary creed, shaped by introspection and shared anguish, his pursuit.

Impending doom revealed, the divine authority weakened,

From the shadows emerged the Founder, his vision beckoned,

Skepticism met, yet resonance found,

Among the disillusioned, a new spiritual path unbound.

A fervent cadre of disciples, to him they rallied,

Faced with opposition, to uncharted lands they sailed,

The Founder's legacy safeguarded, amidst chaos and strife,

Enduring through devoted followers, a beacon of hope in a world rife.

Though original works elusive, his teachings remained,

A testament to the indomitable spirit, unchained,

Defying convention, a new destiny forged,

The Founder's legacy endured, by those who dared to be unsubdued.

Post-transition period
In the aftermath of a cataclysm that took the old world and fractured long-standing belief systems, a new doctrine emerged, born from the fusion of disparate cultures and ideologies. Velism rose to prominence as the prevailing creed among the inhabitants of the reborn world.

Velism originated from the teachings of the so-called Founder, brought forth by monks and mystics from Eldham. Through the merging of cultures with the native Artilites, Velism took shape, offering a philosophy that resonated deeply with the yearning for transcendence and accountability.

The integration of cultures proved instrumental in the adaptation to locals, with the newcomers becoming a core part of the burgeoning belief system. On the other hand, natives seamlessly integrated their traditions and spiritual rituals, enriching the tapestry of Velism with their unique perspectives and practices.

As the religion grew and spread, it reorganized into numerous local covens of mystics and scribes. The largest and most influential of these covens are known as Kodexes, while smaller groups of covens exist but do not attempt to spread their personal ideas about Voyage. The most influential and widespread Kodex currently is the Iron Kodex, based in the Kingdom of Artilon. The Iron Kodex provides scholars and masters of various intellectual trades throughout the kingdom as advisors, and also holds a seat on the royal council, though only one chosen member of the coven serves as the advisor to the king.

Belief system
In the Founder's teachings, Velism is grounded in the belief that mortals have the potential to surpass their immanent nature and attain transcendence, thereby implying the existence of undiscovered paths to divinity (the process of findig paths traditionally called The Voyage). The idea was presumably formulated by the Founder himself in the old times.

Initial hypothesis

 * 1) In the ways of nature, which are inherently quite flexible and flowing, there exists not one thing that is constant. Any god-alike with the desire to create something new can change the whole world, which implies...
 * 2) A hierarchy of gods does exist, as some divine entities are stronger than others; some divine warriors defeat others, and some omnipotent beings have power over others and can ignore their will, which implies...
 * 3) The traditional concept and definition of deity are violated, resulting in a paradox - some gods cannot be stronger than others as they are all omnipotent; otherwise, they cease to be gods by definition, which implies...
 * 4) A certain phenomenon may explain the scaling of these "False Deities," these powerful beings. For instance, the concept of Divine Ascendance, ascending to so-called divinity, is possible and likely exists in nature with an undefined peak point (due to the difference in might and the impossibility of determining the supreme, truly omnipotent being), which implies...
 * 5) Mortals or other entities potentially can achieve divinity through certain currently unknown paths.
 * 6) Mortals should find ways to surpass their immanent nature and finally ascend to transcendence.

The disciples of the founder, using the knowledge gained from this hypothesis and drawing upon their own experiences, were able to establish and clearly articulate six core principles or theses that formed the basis of Velist scripture.

Six postulates

 * 1) Life is movement, and stagnation is equivalent to death. The desire to live and flourish gives us life and we must choose whether to give future generations the opportunity to live on or cling to decay and become the embodiment of stagnation.
 * 2) Every human is equal to God, who is simply a human who climbed higher on the ladder to enlightenment but lost to their ambitions and abandoned conscience. We are responsible for our actions and must reject idolizing charlatans above ourselves.
 * 3) Embrace death and accept our mortality, for we are Children of Decay, and our spirit will not be broken by the end of our material shell. We are harbingers of the end of the Great Flow and the end for those who fancied themselves as Gods.
 * 4) All living beings are equally insignificant on the cosmic scale, and we must not disdain our neighbors for our differences. We are all Children of Decay, and our greatest goal is to experience life in the moment allotted to us.
 * 5) Do not desire material wealth, for it leads us away from the true meaning of our material life – our contribution and the Great Honor. The greatest Honor is to be greater than a moment, to remain in the memory of ancestors, and to advance them on the path to Elevation.
 * 6) Logic is the tool of a fool who clings to a world where everything is explainable and understandable. It is limited by our mortal guise and mind. Only by developing our minds and reaching Elevation can we understand the true nature of things, unrestricted by mortal concepts.

Practices and traditions
Development and growth of ways of Velism are linked with the Voyage principles. The Voyage principles serve as the foundation for the selection of practices within covens. These principles emphasize the importance of passing down knowledge and methods for achieving subjective spiritual experiences without relying on traditional scripture, gaining actual knowledge of Ascending and true nature, and mastering the god-like powers that one tries to acquire.

Key practices and traditions within this belief system include:


 * Asceticism and vows
 * Duels, debates, and gatherings of covens
 * Use of undefinied substances to lose self-awareness and connection with the material world, and to elevate one's consciousness and expand it
 * Visual art
 * Fortune telling

There are also secret rituals within this tradition that are not publicly disclosed, and are only known to select members. These rituals are believed to hold significant power and are considered sacred within the belief.