Sukkenti Otan

Sukkenti Otan (Phoenix Faith)
Sukkenti Otan, also known as the Phoenix Faith, is a faith that originates from the Riryan (Elves) on the island of Nubyu, Vaurutir. It is the origin of all different sub-religions worshiped by the tribal riryan villages across Kylorne. Not every single rirya (Elf) will worship the Uren Sukkenti (Great Phoenix). The faith was created to follow the teachings of the first Rirya. The belief of Sukkenti Otan has been entirely passed down orally by the riryani peoples and it will continue to be. This faith has faced many problems due to their lack of sacred texts, but their religious sites make up for lacking of text.

Belief and Philosophy
Sukkenti Otan was the first Rirya. She brought her teachings to all of the young she would bring into the world. She taught them very simple rules of how to treat other beings and the fauna of the world. Sukkenti is to be viewed as the creator of the natural world around the riryan, but she would appoint sunyo (spirits) to watch over the natural world when she wasn’t there. The sunyo would help the flowers to bloom and the trees to sprout. They would bring the rains and raise mountains from the ground beneath them. Everything that naturally occurs in the world is the result of the sunyo and Sukkenti. Sukkenti, while being named the Phoenix, was a normal rirya. Sukkenti was not like the other riryan that came from her though. Sukkenti was double the size of the tallest rirya in existence now and she had the strength to build stars with her own hands. Sukkenti is the creator of everything to the riryan. One day though, Sukkenti disappeared and all that was left from her resting spot was a circle of flames. Her creations and young, the riryan, thought that their creator had finally burnt out, yet they believed she would return once more. This is how the creator of the riryan became known as the Sukkenti.

Sukkenti's Teachings
Sukkenti’s Teachings are the prime way to be perceived as holy in the Sukkenti Otan. The teachings of Sukkenti are meant to cause one to thrive in the world. If one is to abandon all of Sukkenti’s teachings then they are being led astray from their faith. Sukkenti did not believe that any one person would follow all of her teachings, but she hoped they would bring great prospects to the world.

Treat Nature With Respect
Sukkenti always taught her children to treat their surroundings with care. To respect the fauna around them. Respecting nature doesn’t mean you can’t take from it, but you must nurture it in return for stealing resources from the land. The prophets and ikeni (priests) of Skkenti praise those who nurture the lands and bring great prospect to their homes. Those that treat nature with respect are said to be those that receive the most benefits from the world around them.

Be Trustworthy
Sukkenti taught her creations to trust each other. Trust is a powerful bond that holds groups together. Without trust, Sukkenti said that the riryan would fall into the darkest of times. Those who can trust their friends and comrades are the ones that will thrive in their communities. Trust may be one of the most important teachings of Sukkenti.

Tolerate Others
Sukkenti did not teach to love all and to like all, but she taught to tolerate all. Toleration is the key to success and cooperation in the world. Those who can’t learn to tolerate are sure to be left alone forever. Sukkenti saw toleration as the best form of global cooperation and chose to teach it to her creations in hopes that they would better the world with tolerance.

Wisdom Is Strength
Sukkenti taught that physical strength is not the key to thrive. Instead, she taught that wisdom is the key to all situations. Any war, conflict, or problem can be solved with wisdom. Wisdom is the key to the future and the strengths from the past. Wisdom is what makes one thrive.

Peace
Sukkenti taught to remain at peace. Peace is the best choice that any person can make. War may and will come to people, but peace will always follow. Peace will lead the way to a shining future. Remaining in peace can make one thrive. Peace is what causes a person to grow.

Respect All Sacred Grounds
Sukkenti said to respect all sacred grounds. Even if the ground do not belong to riryan they must be respected. Sacred grounds are of importance to many different groups and should not be desecrated. The desecration of a sacred ground is irredeemable.

Sukkenti's Faults
Sukkenti’s Faults are what Sukkenti viewed as the corrupt ways of living. Those who fall into the clutches of the faults are seen as pure evil. Anybody caught practicing more than 2 faults can be convicted by an iken (priest). Any corrupt individual will be exiled from the normal riryanan (elven) society.

Lust
The act of lusting for another outside of marriage is considered to be tainted by Sukkenti. Sukkenti taught us to stay loyal to one’s partner(s). While polyamory is not viewed as tainted by the faith, cheating on one’s partners is. One can flirt with somebody outside of marriage, but to reproduce or sleep with another is. Lusting can get you exiled or shunned from society.

Murder
The act of murdering another sentient being is considered to be pure evil by Sukkenti. Sukkenti taught to choose peace in all situations, but some will not always listen. Murder is an irredeemable act that shall never be forgiven by the faith or Sukkenti. This act can end in execution.

Sexual Assault
The act of sexual assault against any being is viewed as evil by Sukkenti. Sexual assault is an act only committed by monsters and the truly atrocious. Anybody that commits this act is doomed to burn for eternity and be executed by burning or drowning. This act is truly irredeemable.

Greed
Greed is seen as impure by Sukkenti. Greed, while being largely harmless to the average being, is still not seen as the correct way of living according to Sukkenti. Sukkenti didn’t teach you to hold everything for yourself. To hold vast amounts of wealth for one’s personal gain at the expense of others is truly corrupt to Sukkenti.

Theft
The act of theft is not only a crime, but a corrupt act. Sukkenti viewed theft as a corrupt act, but not an irredeemable one. While Sukkenti viewed theft as corrupt, she saw that those who were usually in need committed the act. Seeing such, she took it upon herself to guide those that have committed theft back to the light.

Prayer & Meditation
The riryan, when in need, will travel to the nearest cathedral and whisper a prayer into the holy fires of Sukkenti. Praying is viewed as a form of meditation to the riryan (elves) and it is rude to interrupt one’s prayer. Prayer is not required to be secretive, but most prefer it to stay that way. The tradition of praying has been passed down for years by the elder riryan.

Some riryan will meditate near sources of water or fire. They will sit down with a candle and begin to think about their future and what is to come. This form of meditation is highly popular among the riryan and has remained one of the main ways to bring yourself close with Sukkenti’s Teachings.

There are often group prayer ceremonies in local cathedrals or churches. The largest ceremonies will be held on sacred grounds and any riryan is welcome to join in on the prayer. These ceremonies have many different styles or practices depending on the region you’re in.

There are no direct punishments for falling to Sukkenti’s faults, unless they faults of murder or sexual assault are committed. While not punishable, some ikeni (priests) will try their best to bring you back into the light and teach the lost.

Marriage
A marriage ceremony is often performed in a nature shrine to Sukkenti. The partners are to be wed, while surrounded by their family and friends. The partners are united by locking fingers and kissing above a holy shrine. As these partners exchange their oaths, they are to give each other a diamond and necklace. The diamond is to symbolize the bright and shining future ahead of the couple, while the necklace will remind them of the one(s) they are now linked to. A marriage is not “for life” in Sukkenti Otan. A couple can divorce and go their separate ways if they wish. The process of divorce is when an iken (priest) removes the necklace from the individual(s) being divorced from each other.

Death
Sukkenti believes that once the soul of a riryan moves on, it will either be sent to the core where it shall burn for eternity, or it shall roam the world as a sunyo (spirit). The bodies of riryan are to be buried in the lands where they lived, so they nurture the nature that nurtured them. Burials are led by an iken (priest) and are attended by friends and family.

Holidays
More info soon.