Silymism

Silymism is a budding religion in Eldham's Onthukhan region. The religion is identified with a triangle with an illuminated dot in the centre symbolic of the Three Sisters unitedly drawing their power from the super-energy Silym, a.k.a. the Singular Entity, a formless god that operates through the Three Sisters. Even though Silym is the supreme being from whom the entire universe and the gods themselves originate, followers of the religion like to worship the primary deities Ashtar (Goddess of Death), Imu (Goddess of Creation), and Emreir (Goddess of Protection and Slayer of Evil) due to their close association with the human form.

Creation
The universe in the beginning was empty. Nothing existed except for a strange energy emanating from a single point from the core of the inky void. This energy would later be called by scholars as the Silym. In time, Silym would gain its own consciousness - a floating mass of formless energy - and finding a vast sea of nothing would create what is now the known universe, flooding the emptiness with gases, stars, planets, moons and various kinds of anomalies. In time Silym saw that by creating the universe, he had only littered the emptiness with mere lifeless forms. He noticed that parts of him had begun to corrupt and were gradually straying farther away from his centre. When this corruption reached the surface of the earth it took the form of Usars, immortal demons of mammoth proportions. These creatures of darkness battled against each other, relishing in the pain and suffering of others, without respite. They never fell, and their injuries were mended in a matter of moments. They felt no empathy, nor did they have any sense of kindness. They were devoid of virtue, always busy fighting and the world plunged in fruitless violence without a hint of it ever stopping. In a last ditch effort, Silym created the Three Sisters from his divine energy. He gave them names and duties and commanded them to ward off the Usar plague from earth. The Three Sisters took their blessings from Silym and left. When they reached Earth they saw what the Usars had done, Ashtar had in a fit of rage hurled a giant rock almost the size of a continent at earth. When the rock struck, it set the world aflame. The ocean swallowed all lands. For billions of years, the Earth simmered from the heat caused by the impact. Then one day when the planet had cooled down enough the second sister Imu flew to earth creating the gods. The first of the gods to be created were Kaymos and Gamon, one the overseer of all the rivers and the other the seas and the ocean. She ordered them to withdraw all the waters so life could grow on land. Then she created Kalos, the sun god and Eclecia, goddess of the moon. She decreed that the sun will be stationary and the earth will go around it, as the moon revolved around the earth. Next was created Uldartish, the god of thunder, rain and the clouds and his son Xixx, god of wind. Uldartish would disperse rain and thunder all over the earth and Xixx would move the clouds with wind. All the other gods were created after with Imu giving each of them their names and duties. The next stage of creation was the creation of mortal life on earth. Imu created seeds and spread them across the earth’s lands to create trees, crops and vegetation. Then she created the fowl and the fish and other land animals and designated them to live in the sky, water and the earth respectively. Mankind was created next from the bones of the Usars that had remained buried in the soil when the lands turned after the cataclysmic event of Great Impact that had destroyed earth and left it a smouldering rock for billions of years. With Imu's command, mankind sprang from the soil and when they were baffled at the sight of Imu standing before them, she told them that since all men and women descend from the first Usars who had "sinned and lived in sin" all their lives, they too are sinners and life for them is a punishment and that every time they die they would continue to be reborn and relive their predetermined destinies. The only way of breaking free from this endless cycle is by attaining Gnanur. The only way to attain Gnanur was by following the righteous Codes of Livelihood. Before leaving, Imu had instructed all the gods to conduct themselves dignity, avoid fighting among themselves, be righteous and treat mankind with compassion.

Founding
The existence of Silym and the Three Sisters was forgotten over time as the human population grew exponentially. It is not known how or when this great amnesia had set in but according to certain sources in the Girinada, one of the most indispensable works of Silymian philosophy that explores the true purpose of life, it is likely after the event of Kalos' gifting of fire to mankind that the minds of the shrewdest, most inventive people had been shrouded in a mist of ignorance. With mankind establishing cities, towns and countries, the growing lust for more territory and material possessions continued to hang over Eldham like a black pall concealing the truth. What followed was an epoch of darkness, of warring tribes at each others throats. It would not be until the awakening of Rathura Imugka that the religion would be rediscovered. Imugka was a hermit who loved to meditate and live off the bounty of the wilderness. It is said that the Three Sisters appeared to him during a meditative attempt to calm his mind after a hard day's work. In his mind they showed him the history of the formation of the entire universe and the creation of earth and mankind, so when he rose enlightened he declared that he would travel across the world and bring the light of Silym to all its children. Imugka would spend the rest of his life enlightening people across the world with his words. During his lifetime he gained five astute disciples who would carry his legacy after his death shortly before the founding of the Wandenreich. Of them, the first of the disciples, Kaedemon took a unique approach. According to him, the tradition of traveling-preaching was not going to bear fruit until everyone settled down, developed written pieces and formally introduced people to the Silym faith and its doctrines. His breakaway from the traditional mode of traveling-preaching would become the cornerstone of Silymism as an established faith. But his plans would be short-lived as he would die prematurely with no one to take over in this place.

Codes of Livelihood

 * 1) Be kind and respect all men and women irrespective of their religion even if you do not agree with their ideologies.
 * 2) Slay or harm not any man or woman unless in defence of your own or for protection of another’s body.
 * 3) Refrain from false accusations, lying and hurting someone through words.
 * 4) Insult not the gods.
 * 5) Have deep respect for the faiths and beliefs of others. Harbour no ill will against them.
 * 6) You shall not steal or damage another’s property.
 * 7) Help those in need. Be charitable to the poor and generous to your friends and institutions doing good.
 * 8) You shall only take one man or woman as your wife or husband at a time, for the duration of which, you shall not engage in a romantic affair with another man or woman.
 * 9) Meditate and calm the mind, be free from sin.
 * 10) For princes and princesses, kings and queens: avoid war and genocide. Try to resolve conflicts with words not swords.
 * 11) Renounce materialism, live a life of purity outside the lavishness of modern life.
 * 12) Be honest with yourself and others.

Purification
One needs to be accepted into the Silymian fold in order to become followers of the faith. Instead of baptization which is common in most other faiths like the Quincy and Soleannen, the ritual cleansing process in Silymism is that of a deep meditation (in the open field or under a tree if it is sunny) followed by supplication to Kalos and his wife Eclecia for their divine guidance. This process ensures that you are purified body, soul and mind and are freed from sin.

Monasticism
There are many ways to break the cycle of Gnanur. One of them is by committing yourself to a monastic life, stripped of all worldly desires. The Silymian Monastic Fraternity constitutes a decentralised body of various monasteries across Onthukhan. If one chooses to enroll themselves into a monastery they must forego all worldly desires, respect the world and all the children of Silym, commit themselves to a vegetarian diet, not indulge in potions, refrain from intoxication of any form of liquor and devote themselves to academia: the study of Silymist faith and various literatures, sciences and histories from across the world.

Hermitage
If one becomes a hermit then one is essentially vowing to leave behind civilisation to settle in the gentle and caring lap of nature. By secluding oneself to a life of isolation in the wilderness, one foregoes all material cravings. The hermit only takes as much as he needs to survive. For every animal he kills, every crop or bush he harvests for food, he mutters a prayer of gratitude to Wasu for providing for him the means of his sustenance. In doing so, the hermit transforms the untamed forest into his home that shelters him for the care he provides it.

Beliefs
There being multiple deities in Silymism means that individual choice plays a big role in whom one chooses to devote themselves to. People of the Silym faith are free to worship any god or goddess of their choice. Although most people prefer to worship the Three Sisters as they are the primary deities. In most cases, the person's occupation is a determiner of whom they worship. Farmers and shepherds may prefer Faydea over the Three Sisters as their professional success and livelihood demands good harvest and fertility. Fisherfolk who live off the bounty of the seas and rivers would worship Kaymos and Gamon for good catch. Scholars and historians would seek the divine blessing of Phaeneid whereas scribes, poets, bards, musicians and artists would invoke Cecelia for inspiration.

In Silymism, every individual has free will. Independence and individual choice, which finds voice in the Creation Tale, are officially recognised by the faith, though 'not all paths lead to deliverance'. However, it is also important that one should know that the consequences of one's actions is ones own doing, a metaphorical axe to the foot. There may be several paths to glory, but only a handful of paths to righteousness and only a singular path to attain Gnanur. The temple encourages every follower to abide by the twelve-fold Codes of Livelihood in order to be liberated from the clutches of the vicious cycle of rebirth and repetition after death. Once 'set free', the soul is liberated with the divine energy of Silym, from which the entire universe was made.

Festivals
Followers of the Silym faith relish in festivities that are organised by the temple quite frequently. Festivals are a form of celebration observed to mark a historic occasion or honour the gods for performing their duties and looking after the people of all the lands of Eldham. The dates of festivals are proclaimed in advance on public notice boards. There are a lot of festivals in Silymism but some of the primary ones are:

Hartdaken
Hartdaken, the Festival of Harvest and Catch, is a one day festival marked once in every two months in reverence of Faydea, the goddess of fertility, harvest and spring and Kaymos and Gamon, the gods of the rivers and the seas and ocean respectively. On this day farmers, shepherds and fisherfolk of Silym faith take part in grand feasts organised on public grounds, where all kinds of food and beverages are made available. The festival begins after a priest chants a short mantra to call upon the gods, asking for their permission to commence the festival and to bless the people. Before the merrymaking begins, all fisherfolk, farmers and shepherds are led into the temple where they sacrifice a part of their harvest or catch in the Holy Fire of Silym.

Ecleciola
Ecleciola is the Festival of Lunar Blessing. It is a one night festival observed once every four monthsin reverence of Eclecia, the goddess of the moon, marked bymeditation, prayer and feasting in celebration of her wedding anniversary with Kalos and in appreciation of her blessed light that trims the verdant plains with gentle rays, illumining the way for the explorer, or traveler.

Maitrigorti
The Festival of Kindness, Maitrigorti, is celebrated for two days beginning from the end of the year till the first night of the new year. During the eve of Maitrigorti people offer the poor, mendicants, traveling-priests (irrespective of their religions and beliefs) food and water in plenty. At night people invite their neighbours to a dinner feast where both parties contribute in obtaining ingredients and the preparation of delicious meals. At the dinner table, people discuss various things and partake in merrymaking and the ritual practice of exchange of gifts.

Shristi
Shristi, Festival of Creation, is solely devoted to the mysterious Singular Entity Silym from which everything in the known universe was made. It is a one day festival where people take up a deep meditation ritual to connect with the sole source of everything. This day is meant to be spent in peace. No animal slaughter should take place. The fisherfolk take a break from fishing and the farmers will wait for the celebration to be over before harvesting their crops. Wars are discouraged for the duration of this festival.

Traditions
Strictly speaking, the people of the Silymian faith have historically been stargazers. Rathura Imugka, the hermit and the founder of Silymism and the first traveler-preacher had relied on the position of the stars to navigate the seas of Eldham. In the later years, many followers had turned this method of navigation into an empirical discipline that is now known as astronomy. The most famous astronomer from the Silymian fold was Akarudakt, who is most known for charting the stars and the constellations in his famous book titled 'Space: A Map of the Night Sky'. Many scholars of the Silymian faith are also brewmasters, scribes, poets, loremasters and historians. There are others who are more invested in studying cultures and other religions around the world.

Mendicant Priests, Monks & Preachers
Unlike other religions, Silymism does not have a process of canonization. However, it can be said that many people have reached a 'saint-like' status through their devotion to the gods, their display of foresight and scholarly abilities. They are recognised by the temple as individuals of great capacity and their stories have become central to the teachings of Silymism. None of these individuals are warriors, some of them are of humble or low birth. But all of them have made significant contribution to spreading the words of Silym.

Mendicant Priests
Lyconalia — The first of the mendicants, Lyconalia gave herself to mendicancy willingly. According to the Legend of the Wilderness, Lyconalia was born a twin to Penelope of the Imagur tribe. The Imagur tribe settled the south-west region of the A.W.E, far south of the Encan and were practitioners of an esoteric religion that considered the birth of twins to be taboo — a curse upon the whole tribe. When Lyconalia and her twin sister Lydia were born, the chieftain of the tribe ordered Penelope’s husband Omommwo to consign the children to the forest to rid the tribe of the supposed curse. After numerous failed attempts to placate the chieftain by appealing to his sense of reason, Omommwo and Penelope were forced to abandon the children in the forest. One of the sisters, Lydia, died of starvation and disease, but Lyconalia managed to survive. It is here that multiple sources differ in their account of her miraculous survival. The Legend of the Wilderness, which is considered to be the primary source by many scholars, says that Wasu, hearing the child cry, had himself come to rescue in the form of a she-wolf, nourishing the little girl child with her milk. As Lyconalia aged with the passing years, Wasu taught her the ways of the forest so she could survive on her own, often keeping a watchful eye for her wellbeing. When civilisation finally caught up and the forests were cut down to build roads and buildings, Lyconalia was unable to adapt to the sweeping changes around her. Torn from her home, she began to question her true identity, split between the forest-dwelling human parented by a wolf and a woman who is supposed to live in the bosom of civilisation with her family. That was until she met Keyendrrik, one of the followers of Rathura Imugka, who taught her the Silymistic way of life and the world. Keyendrrik encouraged her to forgo all desire of belonging since the human soul that attains Gnanur is ultimately reunited with Silym. It is with Silym that one belongs and the Three Sisters are his guiding voice. Thus, Lyconalia became a mendicant, living off the bare minimum of both the forest and what civilisation could offer, finding herself to be in a state of ‘harmonic inbetweenness’, like the Holy Triangle, where Silym’s flame sits in the centre.