Solonism

Solonism is a monothestic religion created in the mid-west region of Eldham. The religion believes the Sun (Solon) is the creator and destroyer of worlds, and is to be both feared and praised.

Creation of Eldham-Rathnir
Eldham-Rathnir is known to be the Third World created by Solon; the first being Paxia, and the second Jagdas. Both predecessors were destroyed when Solon considered them irredeemable, Paxia becoming Jagdas, and Jagdas the Nether. To avert destroying the Eldham-Rathnir as well, Solon formed the Sunflower from the ashes of Jagdas to serve as guidance for all people.

The Phoenixes
The Phoenixes are mortals who have been deemed pure enough by Solon to reach the enlightened form, the Phoenix, and ascend to the Celestial Plane. The Phoenixes, selected by Solon, are granted the power to survive the ending of worlds-- when burned, they simply rise again from their ashes. Over the course of Jagdas and Paxia, 5 Phoenixes have been chosen.

Zelaqil
The First Mortal whom ascended. Born in a small Paxian town, Zelaqil was the first of Solon's faithful. Not much is known about him aside from his extreme ambitiousness.

Chandia
Born in Paxia, not much is known about her either. It's told she once starved herself to protect her village from famine and, when at death's door, she was ascended for her sacrifice. The truth behind this story is debatable.

Jugrad
The First Phoenix Born in Jagdas, Jugrad was a valiant knight of the Kaihyo Shogunate and Loyally defended the Shogun from rebel forces. His sword, the Netherbane, was rumored to be able to slice a mountain in half.

Murandel
Born in an unknown town in Jagdas, Murandel dedicated his life to travelling around Jagdas in a quest for knowledge and truth. When all he he saw was sin and misfortune on his journeys, Murandel isolated himself in a cave seeking purity. Living in the cave, he only consumed the fish from a nearby river and only spoke to a small, singular Sunflower outside the cave. After he ascended, Murandel assumed a mortal's body and, when they died, laid them beneath a Sunflower. That very sunflower grew and seeded until a valley of sunflowers emerged, where the city of Soliana is now located.

Vasquel
Born in the later period of Jagdas, Vasquel is arguably the least pure of the 5 angels. But what he lacked in purity, he made up in intellect; he invented cheese, alcohol, and many other useful items of the modern age.

Angelic Vessels
Angels often reincarnate themselves into mortals in Eldham. When an angel has chosen a vessel, the vessel is given the soul of the angel and their old personality is revoked. When the Angel decides they wish to leave (or if they are commanded to), the soul of the angel shall be removed and the vessel body will be thrown into lava as part of the cleansing ritual.

Pillars of Purity
Every time a Phoenix ascends, Solon whispered guidance into the sunflowers to make known Pillars of Purity to his followers. They are, in order:


 * 1) "Thou shall love all people, no matter race, culture, or religion."
 * 2) "Thou shall not lie, cheat, or steal."
 * 3) "Thou shall not slay without warrant."
 * 4) "Thou shall not burn a sunflower."
 * 5) "Thou shall not grief and destroy and lands."

Reincarnation
Solonists believe that after dying, all mortals are reincarnated with a new body. The only death that is permanent is by Solon's flames, which will consume all of Eldham-Rathnir in the end, except it's ashes. There is no way to avoid this death, except by being ascending as a Phoenix to the Celestial Plane.

Destruction of Eldham-Rathnir
It is told that, when Eldham-Rathnir has become overwhelmed by Evil, Solon will set it aflame. It is debated percisely when this will occur; all that is known is when the day comes, the Sun shall fall to the ground, every Sunflower will wilt, and the air will be scented of Smoke. Then at last all will be set alight, burning into Ash, which shall be reformed into the Fourth World.

Rituals
Most Solonist rituals include either fire or lava as the Solonists believe that the flame is the purifies and ends all.

The Cleansing Ritual
The Cleansing ritual is undertaken to relive one's body of impurity. In the ritual, the participant jumps into a pit of lava and is burned alive. It is believed that the lava, representing the flames of Solon, destroys the old (sometimes sinful) body and purifies the new. The Cleansing Ritual acts as a way to initiate new followers into the religions, but can also be used as a punishment for criminals.

The Guidance Ritual
The Guidance ritual is a ritual focused on interpreting omens from Sunflowers. The Ritual begins when a priest takes a drink of Holy Water, an alcoholic beverage, and stands in front of a Sunflower. The Priest, temporarily channeling the spirit of a Phoenix, shall read the Sunflower and shall speak their prophecy aloud, the meaning of which interpreted by onlookers.

The Marriage Ritual
Monogamous Marriage, the legal union between two people, is of pivotal significance in the Faith. Solonists believe that marriage is a merger of Souls and is an expression of purity. The First part of the Ritual is the Ceremony. In it, none, excepting the Priest and the engaged couple, may speak, and a Sunflower must be present. The vows spoken between the spouses often mirror the following: "I, [name], promise to love, cherish, honor, and defend you. I swear on the Sun above I shall be faithful to you and only you till I am taken by Solons holy flames."

The Second part of the ritual is the merging of Souls. The Two newly-weds are moved into separate rooms each with a trapdoor over lava with (preferable loud) music playing. The priest shall count down, and both newly-weds shall leap into the lava; burning together. After this, the priests declares the souls unified. If one or both do not leap into the flames, the marriage is voided and those unburnt are humiliated.

Hierarchy
The Sunflower Church, founded by High Pontifex Rai Solonéc, and currently headed by Jegalo Cientuno II is the organization which represents all mainstream Solonists. The Pontifex Maxima holds the ultimate authority over the church, assisted by the Pontifex Minima, a position which currently remains vacant. Directly subordinate the the Pontifex are the Protectiva Merida, Protectiva Desina, and the Protectiva Primas. The Protectiva Primas are individuals who oversee all clergy within a region, and are overseen by the Protectiva Desinas, or the Archbishops who are responsible for the clergy within an entire nation.

The Anointed Knights of Jugrad
The Anointed Knights of Jugrad are a Solonist Holy Order of Knights who's goal is to protect the Solonists of the world. They are headed by the Protectiva Merida, and are based upon the third Phoenix, Jugrad, the patron of all knights.

Soliana
The Grand Church of Soliana is managed by Archbishop Laurry. The Church is currently the primary centre of the faith, and the home-base of the Anointed Knights of Murandel.

Amarillo
The nation of Amarillo is home to two Solonist churches. Puerto Cathedral, located in the Puerto Amarillo. It was constructed by Juniper Kyani and Jegalo Cientuno I, and is currently operated directly by Pontifex Jegalo II. The second church was constructed by Salazar Van Den Green, and managed by Sherlox Leocedes. It was originally intended for the extinct religion of Noetheism before being converted to Solonism. These two buildings, of which are within few meters of eachother, are unnamed and seemingly abandoned, the smaller of which has been griefed; likely from an explosion. The larger of the churches is built in a dome shape, with the main characteristic sacrificial lava pit being notably missing. Attached, is an empty building, the only of the three which is named, albeit simply; "Solonist Convent".

Portavel
The Church of Portavel, located in the Zamotz Union's Province of Portavel, is managed by High priest SlimIcee. The building was primarily constructed from Blackstone, as well as featuring a glassed lava floor and a number of ornate diamond blocks. A sunflower sits at the epicenter of the churches altar, a nod to the origins of Solonism. The building features a three story plan encompassing a small netherwart farm, lookout, and main congregational area. The church has been refurnished as a Cubist temple, however it still contains original texts written by High priest SlimIcee, including: "Solon's Solem Sign", the "Treatise on the First of the Solonic Commandments", and "Meta Mumblings".

Zirbenburg
"The Solonist Abbey of Saint Murandel's Dormition in Zirbenburg", is located in Zirbenburg, Sethris, and is managed by priest Paffacubes; often regarded as one of the most ornate and beautiful of the Solonist Churches. It currently holds a copy of SlimIcee's works of "Solon's Solemn Sign, and other poems in praise of Solon" atop the main lectern of the church. The building follows the Zirbenburg model of architecture, with its main material comprised of red sandstone and stone bricks. A number of sunflowers line the Western portion of the congregational room, and Solonist banners adorn the Northern face. The building sits to the east of the main hall, in the Lower Ring district.

History
Although Solonist legends claim that Solon had revealed himself in Paxia and Jagdas it was not until he made contact with the tribes of Old Soliana that the earliest forms of Solonism would be birthed in the Third World. These tribes, known altogether as the Solianen would unite under the common religion of Solonism. Solon's chosen race however, would be the elven Soleri people who grew heavily dependent on their god. It was not until Rai Solonéc, the first Pontifex of Solonism that the religion would begin to grow as one of the major Eldham religions.

The nomadic Solianen people under Rai would eventually settle the city Soliana around the area of modern-day Austonia. In this city the first Eldhamite Solonist temple was created. Due to tensions between the Soliana and the neighboring cities of Shadowspeak and Austonia, Soliana was paid 30K by Shadowspeak to move its location. The Solianen migrants moved west, eventually settling in west Phoenia in what they believed was "Valley of Sunflowers" where Murandel had lived and died. The new Soliana became the holy land of the Solonist religion, its Great Temple being built in the cave in which Murandel had lived.