Aephism

Primary Deity: Aephis

Pronounced: Aefees

Type: Fallen Lesser God

Pseudonyms: The Rogue God, God of None, The Prisoner God, The Forgotten One

Ancient times
In the ancient days of creation, hundreds of years before the first men came to Eldham, Aephis was the god of the star, Aephir. He was known for being jealous and had a hot temper. He grew to admire another star deity, Ophelia, who was known for her incredible beauty. Ophelia rejected Aephis because of his aggression and impulsive nature, and in response he grew envious and dark, murdering her in a fit of anger.

For this he fell out of favour with the other gods and was banished to a prison within the bedrock layer, trapped between the material plane and the endless devouring void below. Tens of Hundred of years spent in solitude slowed Aephis’ temper and dulled his envy. He became patient and thoughtful. During this time, new players came and went from the world as ages passed. New gods were assigned to the star, Aephir and Aephis became the god of none, forgotten and wiped from mythology.

Over the years
Many travellers came and went from Eldham. Aephis’ prison was located directly beneath what is known by Aephists as Ophelia’s Grave, a small collection of hills. Aephis reached out to many of these travellers who came close enough to Ophelia’s Grave, and gave each the same bargain. “Build a City for me and build me a church. Make sacrifices for me and worship me. In return, I shall share knowledge, protection and good fortune with you. You shall have a God in your debt.” None of the travellers took this bargain.

Recently
This was until the prophet Seka (smurpy02), a new traveller to Eldham was crossing the ocean from some far land  and found himself at Ophelia’s grave. Aephis reached out to him and gave him the same bargain. He begged “I Hail From The Night Sky and Have Been Bound to This Place Between Light and Dark. I Cry From the Depths. Hear My Call. Answer my Plee. Claim your Debt”

Seka was curious and followed Aephis’ commands. He built a settlement on the nearby coast and built the first church to Aephis. In return, Aephis spoke more to Seka and taught him his stories, shared his knowledge and gifted him his wisdoms. Seka began building the city and its laws and traditions according to these rules, creating Aephism

The city of Aephira
Named for Aephis’ lost star, Aephira is a large walled city bordering the ocean beneath which Aephis lies. The city is shaped like a key as a symbol of the pursuit of Aephis’ freedom. The buildings are exclusively made of stone too, in solidarity with Aephis. Prisons and jail cells are banned. Instead criminals and heretics are exiled or killed.

Finally, in the north of the city at the top of the key stands the first church to Aephis. Inside are two statues, one of Aephir the Prisoner God and Ophelia, his Lost Love.

Within Aephism, Ophelia resembles regret, guilt and the sins of our past and what we’ve lost because of it. It is important to remember these things but not to let them dictate our lives.

The six wisdoms of Aehpis
Aephis spent much time meditating in his prison. He came to develop many philosophies which he shared with Seka on how to live life. These philosophies could be represented by six primary wisdoms.

Patience of Blood To be patient and thoughtful in all decisions in life. Apheists should learn to not act on emotion or impulse but to take time to debate all their options. It also teaches to not be quick to anger and to keep calm in all scenarios.

Forgiveness of Heart To be forgiving to others and not to judge someone on their actions but rather their purpose. It is also important to know the distinction between forgiveness and forgetting. A punishment should be appropriate to the crime. It should not show mercy but should not be unjustifiably cruel

Freedom of Body The most important value of humanity is to be free to do as you please. While laws are in place, they are not set in stone if your actions can be justified. They are more to prevent senseless cruelty which encroaches on the freedom and health of others.

Fortitude of Mind Aephists should train their minds to be strong against the cold and harsh realities of the world. The Mind is often weak and being able to dominate one’s mind is a great advantage.

Awareness of Self To be aware of your own sins and wrong doings and to learn from them. You should know yourself better than you know others before you can pass judgement. You should also strive to create a better perception of yourself by analysing your past failures

Focus of Ambition To keep focus and attention on both your personal and group goals. Your ambitions as an individual are important to keep focus on, however you are encouraged to put the ambitions of your group first. It is best to keep your personal and group ambitions aligned.