Asharu Religion

Asharu (name of the Religion; believer singular and plural) is said to one of the oldest religion in Rathnir. It is largely based around the worship of Elder Spirits, Enlightenment, and it's embodiment, Ashuntash. Most of it's followers are located in the north of Haven and the south of Ummarnu. Thanks to its compatibility with other religions as well as its pacifist and humanistic nature, the followers of this religion have never been involved in any religious wars.

Cosmology and Believes
The Asharu belief system is made up of three core philosophies known as "The Three Divine Truths". It does not matter what or how many gods a person worships; they can identify as "Asharu" as long as they believe in these truths.

Spiritualism
The Asharu believe that every physical concept in the material world is inseparably connected to a soul in the world of Spirits. Everything, from the mountains breaking the horizon, to the powerful axes with which justice is dealt, possesses a mind of its own. The more powerful the object, the stronger and more dominant is it's spirit.

Every town has it's own patron deity, also known as an Elder Spirit. The Elder Spirits are said to be exceptionally powerful because they gain might through the belief and sacrifices of their worshipers. Examples of these are the Chicken God of Hapatmitas, the Grand Ghast of Paloro, and the Eyed Silvercod of Taranusha.

Ashuntash is the only universal god worshiped by every Asharu. His name translates to "Holder of 1.000.000 Names" or alternatively "Wearer of 1.000.000 Faces". He is the embodied concept of both spiritual and physical light.

Asharutash is often depicted as a mix between a Hawk and a Peacock covered in 1.000.000 feathers. Each feather is vermilion red with a golden sun and one of his names printed below it. The feathers are said to be indestructible but can still be plugged out in which case they are instantly replaced. Ashuntash will hand out these feathers to certain individuals during meditation.

Legalism
In the Asharu faith, "Light" is synonymous with "Law", while criminals often hide in the dark to cover up their evil doings. The Asharu give this a more spiritual meaning. The undead are seen as illogical, as they can just appear out of nothing. Light can stop them from appearing or even cause them the demanifest. Light is seen as the ultimate judge; all foul and corrupt beings to defy it must be destroyed.

The Stream of Destiny
Everything that exists is permanently trapped within a cycle of death and rebirth. When something physical dies, its soul fuses back with Ashuntash until it splits off and reincarnates into the world again. There is no escape, even the mightiest warrior will fall sick and wither away, even the most robust of swords will break under the heat of primordial magma, and even the most stable of empires will become tyrannical and be overthrown.

The Asharu also believe that, due to the corrupting influence of the void, the world will be completely overrun by undead and the planet will become uninhabitable at some point. In this event, also known as Gen-Gari, the sky will be filled with black clouds blocking out both the light of the sun and the moon and making it rain harming potions. The undead hordes will enter the world from its border and snuff out the lights of every city that has not fallen yet. In the end, Ashuntash will incarnate himself, destroying the planet in a brilliant beam of light while he evacuates the last surviving humans into a new cycle. According to the Asharu, Rathnir is the third incarnation of the universe. They claim that most people have lost their memory of the two previous worlds which only resurface as visions during dreams and meditation.

These philosophies have coined the Asharu way of life since its very beginning. The average Asharu lives a life in gratitude to Asharutash and in harmony with their environment. They build great, time-defying temples for their city patrons and put in much effort to uphold their traditions, even when times are harsh.

Popular Spirits
Ankar: Spirit of the moon. In old Asharu scriptures like "The Atlas of Cycles", it is portrayed as an antagonistic force created out of obsidian by the void. However, at the end of the second cycle, it was turned by the light of Ashuntash and vowed to torture the undead when Ashuntash was on the other side of the planet.

It is often assiciated with the Crescent Concordant, being seen as a guardian in their fight agains Soleannen heretics.

Urha: Elder Spirit of Taranusha and guardian of the "Eye of Ummarnu". He is often depicted as a whale-sized pufferfish with many eyes across his silvery skin. He is often called upon by navigators, especially those crossing the confusing labyrinth of rivers that scar the surface of Ummarnu.

The 3 Spirits of the Mesa: The 3 brother spirits named Zung, Ö, and Demnek, are seen as the guardians of the holy mesa territories. Demnek represents the lands east of the great barrier, Zung represents the mainland west of the barrier and Ö represents the lands of the Kaahiru paninsula, as well as some surrounding islands. The spirits are seen as shapeshifters, changing their form at will to trick each other, as well as unknowing travelers.

Places of Pilgrimage

 * Ruins of old Taranusha
 * The grand temple of Hapatmitas
 * The great barrier

Holidays

 * Vak-Ankar
 * First Full Moon in the new year.
 * Dedicated to the Moonspirit Ankar, for shining his dimmed light even at night, weakening the undead and making them cry and moan in pain.
 * People build small shrines out of Bone, where they thank Ankar all night long.
 * Vak-Tara
 * First Saturday of July
 * Dedicated to the founding of the first Asharu city-state, Taranusha and their migration to the south of Ummarnu
 * People say PRAISE WILUSA when they see each other. There is a big feast at the Eye of Uldarash, where the ruins of Taranusha are being honored.
 * Vak-Moloch
 * Solar Eclipse
 * People are to remove their armor, climb onto their houses and pray for the sun to come back
 * CACTUS FESTIVAL
 * 1st of August
 * All people have to wear hollowed out cactuses on their head.
 * Fun sports like cactus-parkour and cactus-stacking are being played.
 * Tel-Ashon
 * 11th of October
 * Dedicated to the founding of Uldarash, the first Asharu nation
 * The current Bal is to walk down the main street of his capital, if the people like him, they will shower him with gold, if they don't they will throw coal at him.
 * Tel-Morod
 * 4th of November
 * Dedicated to the loss of the Great Golden War
 * People are to feast at the Great Barrier.
 * To lighten the mood, after the feast is over, the drunken guests will try to throw each other off the wall with sticks, the last one to survive up there is awarded one diamond.

Origins
The religion was a part of oral tradition in the Talawa Empire since its founding. After the migration to the south, Asharu became the official religion of Uldarash.

Titles and Hierarchy

 * 1) Bal
 * 2) Translates to "leader"
 * 3) Is awarded to the ruler of the largest Asharu nation. Should more than half of all Gylok refuse to accept him, the second-largest ruler is chosen.
 * 4) Is the de jure leader of the Asharu religion.
 * 5) Can appoint a new Gylok, should an old one die or retire.
 * 6) Can call all Asharu believers to help an Asharu nation being attacked.
 * 7) Can veto the decision of the Gylok to demote a Gylok.
 * 8) Can instantly decide any theological debate.
 * 9) Gylok
 * 10) Translates to "Explorer of Faith".
 * 11) Is awarded to one person in every city or region, should their be no big population center there.He is either appointed directly by the Bal, or the local regent.
 * 12) Must have either contributed to the building of a great temple or the writing of a holy text.
 * 13) Rules directly over all Kredu in his area.
 * 14) Can demote other Gyloks if more than half of the total Gyloks are supporting it.
 * 15) Wears a ceremonial dead bush, called "Yigg" on his head, to symbolize death and rebirth.
 * 16) Kredu
 * 17) Translates to "Logic Smith"
 * 18) To become a Kredu, you must vow to protect the Names of Ashuntash with all your earthly and unearthly possessions.
 * 19) You are entitled to get one set of enchanted iron armor, as well as a diamond axe.
 * 20) An important artifact for all Kredu to wear in their off hand is a ceremonial feather. It is meant to symbolize the feathers of Ashuntash himself, therfore it is engraved with one of his 1.000.000 names.

Literature
The main book of the Asharu religion is the Alash-Numa, which is concerned with the soul, cosmic laws, pain, and self-torture. There is another book in the works, detailing the epic history of how the first two worlds before Rathnir ended and what the fate of the current one is.

Artifacts
The only Asharu artifact is currently the "Tel-Takota", a hoe made of netherite. It is said to have been wielded by the great Bamboo Smith Hrej, a character in the Alash-Pryma. It is currently in the possession of Kazi-Myre, the Gylok of Paloro.