Arosianism

= Arosianism = Arosianism is a religion centered on the worship of a Solar Deity, Aros. Originally a polytheistic tribal religion, many adherents now practice strict monotheism.

Henotheistic Arosianism is practiced primarily by the Church of Lumenese Arosianism, while Prophetic Arosianism is practiced by followers of Ali bin-Saifu al-Amilaki, The Prophet.

Church of Lumenese Arosianism
Lumenese Arosians accept the divinity of five gods: Aros, Feresi, Bahiri, Hoggoth, and Zenobi. This sect has its roots in early Axumite mysticism, and grew over time as oral traditions became codified into religious texts. The most important of these religious texts is the Song of Saifu, an ancient Epic detailing the founding of Axum and the creation of the Arosian pantheon. Axumites credit the original Arosian prophet, Saifu, with the founding of Axum, and believe him to be a divine avatar of Aros himself.

Lumenese Mythology
Aros is the giver of life, the creator of the universe. He represents warmth and growth, and is considered a bringer of justice. He is said to journey across the sky each day in a flaming barge, descending each night into the realm of Hoggoth to do battle against her wickedness.

Bahiri is a god of the seas, created out of the mud to exercise dominion over the lawless Bado. He is seen as the patron of fishermen, brewers and sailors, who often pour out a beer to him for luck before a long journey.

Feresi is a god of warfare, created when many animals were mistakenly combined together during the beginning of time. Seen as a shapeshifter, many Lumenese-Arosians embrace him as a patron of the natural world, and give thanks to him after a hunt in case he was one of the animals slaughtered.

Zenobi is the mother of the gods and goddess of the sky. Created from reeds, she helps carry Aros on his long journey through the sky, and watches over the world at night while Aros is battling Hoggoth.

Hoggoth is the goddess of the underworld and a bringer of death. She inhabits an area called Initoropi, leading some scholars to consider her merely an Arosian personification of the ancient goddess Entropy. Worship of Hoggoth is expressly forbidden by Lumenese-Arosians, and no churches offer sacrifice to her (at least, not publicly).

Practices
Lumenese Arosians perform a number of rituals. These include “greeting the sun” three times every morning, and conducting animal sacrifices at Altars to the gods. These rituals vary across cultures and geographic locations.

Prophetic Arosianism
Prophetic Arosians accept only the divinity of Aros, believing all other gods to be pagan idols. This sect centers on the teachings of Ali bin-Saifu al-Amilaki (Ali, son of Saifu the Amilaki), a peasant farmer who began spreading the word of Aros after seeing visions of the One God atop a mountain. Prophetic Arosians believe that theirs is the complete version of an ancient faith that was revealed by prophets in the past, including Saifu, but corrupted over time by men. They believe that the Song of Aros is the final revelation of Aros to humanity.

Prophetic Mythology:
Aros is the One God, the architect of all creation. There are no other gods; all other religions are merely imitations of the true faith. Adherence to the Five Pillars is essential to life after death, which Prophetic Arosians believe is an eternity spent in the light of Aros.

Hoggoth is a spirit of darkness, who refuses to worship Aros. She leads those who would reject Aros into the Bado, a realm of eternal darkness kept separate from Aros' light.

Practices:
Prophetic Arosians adhere to what they call "The Pillars," a series of five divine commandments found in the Song of Aros.


 * 1) There is only one God, Aros.
 * 2) Believers must pray to Aros in the direction of the sun, at sunrise and sunset.
 * 3) Believers must pay a charitable tithe called the Asir.
 * 4) Believers must spread the word of Aros.
 * 5) Believers are blessed when they keep the laws of Aros.

Prophetic Arosians also recite what they call the Prayer of Aros, the full text of which can be found in the Song of Aros.

Creation Myth
Arosianism teaches that the Universe began as an endless primordial ocean called the Bado. Aros created himself out of Bado by uttering his own name, at which time he pulled land up out of the ocean and began to order the universe. The full account of the universe's creation is found in the book Dealings of Aros.

Religious texts
Song of Saifu: The primary Lumenese Arosian text. Details the founding of Axum and the creation of the Lumenese Pantheon.

Song of Aros: The primary Prophetic Arosian text. Details the specifics of The Pillars and the Prayer of Aros. Also contains guidance intended for the Resibi (a word which means the Community of Arosians).

Dealings of Aros: An ancient text, broadly accepted by both sects, detailing the creation of the universe.