Theiosism

Theiosism is a monotheistic religion practiced within Theios-Essukdal in the central continent of Alteniquia. Its sole and primary deity is Theios who is the God of the Universe and Father of Mankind. He is accompanied by a number of Angels, Servants, and Saints as well as the Four Prophets which are revered by the followers of Theios. The Holy Golden Seabird of the traditional Audalad Faith is also believed to be a divine messenger of Theios who helps to guide people and deliver his will. Theiosism itself has gone through multiple stages of evolution from early tribal polytheistic religion to an organized monotheistic one, and currently has effectively merged with the Sakrelist faith. The two religions came into communion when Patriarch LethalMuffin193 and Prophet-Descendent TheLastSven met at Theiotokos and discussed the Theological differences and similarities of their faiths. Eventually they came to a consensus and Theiotokos came into communion with the other Sakrelist Sanctums as the Sanctum of Theiotokos, holding jurisdiction over the Sakrelist faith across all of the old territory of Yimmu-Audal.

History
Theiosism originates with the tribal beliefs of the Lausarii people, a group living to the far north of Escharia who are related to the neighboring Niedene people. It began as a polytheistic religion centered around the Sun God þávjor (Thavyor), with a multitude of other Gods and Goddesses of other natural and spiritual domains. They believed in a great and vibrant spiritual world filled with the souls of their ancestors and many lesser animalistic spirits which was ruled over by these Gods. A great importance was set on preserving tradition and cultural practices, as well as an emphasis on family and the unity of the community. The Lausarii also had great respect for nature and life, attempting to protect it wherever possible. They lived humbly and took as little as was needed to survive and thrive as a people in order to preserve life and the world around them.

When the Lausarii settlement of Kjásthejm was destroyed by raiders from surrounding tribes the people of the settlement would take their traditions and beliefs with them across the world, fleeing from the destruction that befell their home. Some would go to the neighboring nation of Escharia, predominantly Kaiserslicht, others would flee to other Lausarii tribes to the south and west, and some were even sold into slavery and sent across Rathnir by their captors. One of these Lausarii in particular would make his way to the Empire of Yimmu-Audal, bringing the traditions of his people with him.

This Lausarii would be placed in the service of the Secretary of Cultural Affairs of Yimmu-Audal, and First Jagdasian Emperor StoryStudio. Under the service of StoryStudio, LethalMuffin193, the Lausarii slave, would work on infrastructure projects across the Empire of Yimmu-Audal, continuing to maintain the traditions of his people, until one fateful day. As the text The Epiphany records, the God Theios would reveal himself to the slave deep within the desert at the heart of Alteniquia, at a great mountain top, and would teach to him of the Prophet who in the eras past once ascended the same mountain that the slave stood upon. Thus, LethalMuffin193 put himself into the service of Theios and his Prophet, recording the will of Theios in multiple Holy Books and going on to spread the religion across the Empire which he now called home. His first act as the leader of this new religion would be to destroy all the icons to the false gods he once knew, and to erect, on the land he was graced with by the will of his Master, monuments to the Living God of the Sun. After these blasphemous objects were destroyed and new Holy Monuments built, he would then head back into the desert to begin construction on a temple that would sit atop the very mountain where the Lord revealed himself. This settlement would be know as Theiotokos.

Although Theiosism would be in many ways vastly different to the religion once practiced by the Lausarii people, it still had a lot of things in common with their old folk traditions, as well as with the religion of the Niedene which previously had great influence over the tribes. LethalMuffin was told that many of beings he once understood as gods, were in fact angels, fragments of Theios' divine power. Not only did many familiar faces continue into the new faith, so too did the extreme reverence of nature and living things remain, as all creatures were seen as creations or descendants of the divine Lord of the Universe, Theios. The religion would continue to stress the importance of family, as well as loyalty to a person's community and nation and the upholding of one's honour.

Then it seemed, by some act of providence that the faith would come into contact with one of great similarity, Sakrelism. Theiosism and Sakrelism were two faiths that had developed distinctly and independently from one another, but one day a very influential member of the Sakrelist faith, TheLastSven, journeyed to Theiotokos where he and LethalMuffin193 would discuss the many similarities between their religions, and determined that they had in fact been following the same God, who revealed the Prophet Inirion to LethalMuffin193. After this revelation, the two set out to merge their religions into one, with Theiotokos coming into communion with the other Sakrelist Sanctums, and LethalMuffin193 being allowed to maintain some of the minor differences in naming and Theology which made his branch of Sakrelism unique. The Sanctum of Theiotokos would then grow across the Empire of Yimmu-Audal as this was its jurisdiction, and started the construction of temples and monuments across the whole of the Empire. Eventually Theiosism would dominate the nation and become the state religion of Yimmu-Audal's successor state, Theios-Essukdal, which itself was named for the God of the Religion Theios in the native language of the Audaladae with the direct translation being something along the lines of "the many deserts of Theios."

Monotheism
As was stated previously, Theiosism and Sakrelism are a faith mostly one and the same, but the Theology of Theiosism differs in a few minor yet important ways. The theology and religious doctrine of Theiosism states firmly that there is a single God of Mankind, the God of the Sun and the Universe, as well as the Father of all humans, Theios. The Lord is believed to have directly created all human peoples in his image through the first human and Holy Mother of Mankind Hanach. He impregnated her with his divine light, meaning that all humans are a mixture of spiritual and physical and thus attributing divine heritage to all of mankind. The Lord Theios controls all aspects of the Universe through his glorious and incomprehensible power, in some cases delegating control to his angels and lesser servants. This monotheistic belief is strictly enforced, with the reverence or worship of any other Gods being seen as blasphemous, idolatrous, and sinful. However, the religion is not entirely incompatible with other faiths, as Theios told his Prophet Ataron the following:

"Many forms have I taken, many faces have I worn, and many names have I been called, but these are not my own. These forms are human creations, the names misunderstandings of the truth. My true form is unknowable, incomprehensible to the human mind, however, there are three aspects of my divinity which are unmistakable, three forms which are known to all and worshipped by many. These three visages of my being are merely fractions of my power, but true depictions nonetheless." - The Book of Truths

It is believed that the followers of other Sun deities do not follow false Gods, but instead have simply misunderstood Theios. Theiosism calls for ecumenicalism, or the unification of these faiths into a single religion devoted to the worship of Theios, this belief having been seen most prominently during the merging of Theiosism with Sakrelism. Similarly, those who are part of religions which have prime deities similar to one of the Angels are also seen as simply misguided and encouraged to adopt the faith while continuing to revere the Angels as was commanded by Theios himself:

'"Thou shalt honour the angels. No man shall dishonour the angels who are made of my power and in my image... pay to them their due tribute and revere them as you would the Lord, but not above the Lord." - The Sixteen Commandments.'

It is through this adaptability that Theiosism is able to gain momentum quickly, even with peoples from cultures and nations which would at first seem incompatible. It has evolved from an amalgamation of many different beliefs, and so it is readily capable of adapting to and adopting others into the greater Faith.

Theios and the Trinity
Theios is understood as the God of not only the Sun, but of the entire universe. The Sun is simply one of three divine visages, the Trinity. The first visage of the Trinity is the Sun, which represents Theios might and glory, as well as the scale of his power and place as the supreme ruler of the cosmos. The second visage is Light, which represents the gift of Life granted to man by Theios as well as his holy word. The third and final visage is Fire, which represents Theios' will and divine law, as well as his wrath/judgement delivered upon those who break this law or whom he considers sinful.

This trinity is said to encompass the only truly knowable forms of Theios, as they are his power materialized in our world. In general Theios' form cannot be know, in fact due to his shear power it is incomprehensible to the mortal mind. Because of this the Lord is limited in how he reveals himself to mortals, opting to appear to them simply by speaking through one of the visible visages of the Trinity. Since each of these forms are his power and being realized in our world, the followers of Theios worship the Fire, Light, and Sun. Thus temples and monuments to the Living God always include one of these motifs or they have a physical form of them, for example a bonfire at the foot of a monument, a window in the ceiling of a temple to allow worshipers a view of the sun at its height, or a lantern in areas which are host to darkness.

The Trinity was also represented in the old Triarchy of temples of Theios, with each one previously focusing on a particular motif. The Sanctum of Theiotokos was focused on the Sun, the Temple of Pyriad on the Light, and the Temple of Urnu-Arrak on the Flame, however the Triarchy was broken after Pyriad fell and Yimmu-Audal was split after the war with Escharia. The Temple of Theiotokos was then the only remaining of the Triarchy, and it had effectively maintained control over the entire jurisdiction in the old territory of Yimmu-Audal. Even after the breaking of the Triarchy, the motifs can still be seen in the temples and monuments of the faith, making each easily discernable. They may also use different colors in their architecture, but these can vary and are often simply artistic choices.

After the merging with Sakrelism the reverence of the fire took a far greater role than it had before, with Holy Fires or blessed fires being placed within temples and at monuments respectively. It is also of great importance that all temples and monuments be adequately, though respectfully lit. The belief in the Sun as his greatest visage remained, but the fire had transcended the Triarchic system to be a motif present in all monuments to the Living God. This was for good reason, as the holy fire and light were believed to make up the essence of human souls, with the sun being the origin of both. Even still, these artistic aspects of the faith still survive all the changes that Alteniquia has endured, and have remained a part of the foundation of the faith.

Creation
The Theiosism creation story is fairly similar to that of the Sakrelist one, being recorded in the Book of Truths written by the Prophet Ataron. It goes as follows:

''In the beginning there was nothing. A void in which darkness enveloped all of the universe. As Theios saw this a great sadness fell upon Him, and thus He declared "I witness the Darkness and say unto it let there be Light!" and in an instant His Almighty voice broke the silence of the void with an unimaginably potent power. With a single thought He sprinkled the night with millions of stars, and at the center of all He forged the Sun. It was a testament to His power, the most mighty visage of the Lord, and the greatest Beacon of His Will and Word in all the universe. But the world was still empty, and so Theios brought about the rock and the dirt and the water into existence and created a land of eternal day where there was no suffering or sadness and food was plentiful.''

''But this world was without true life except for nature in all its beauty and bountiful plants that so littered the surface of the world. Thus Theios once again gathered the water and earth together and created the first animals. He breathed the Light of Life into them and said "Spread forth and populate this world, for I see that you are good". And so these animals spread across the world and inhabited every place that life could prosper and grow, but just as the plants this new life was only guided by the instincts Theios ingrained within them. They were simple creatures pure of heart and soul but without a sense of self. The Lord was not satisfied with this and so built a creature to be the steward of all life, to be His children and the heirs of creation.''

''So He breathed once more the Light of Life into this creature and then gave her the Divine Spark of free will and sentience. He looked upon the first of Mankind and said "Rise my child and look upon creation. For this I have created for you to partake in and enjoy." And so she did as He commanded. Hanach, the Mother of Man, gazed upon and partook in the bounty of creation. She, being made in the image of the Lord, was as beautiful as the stars in the sky and the world she stood upon. Her very being a temple, the most graceful of all the Lord's creations, she lived at peace and oneness with the universe and her Almighty Creator. But as time marched forward she grew ever lonely in the world all by herself, and the despair of His Child saddened Theios. He decided then to place within her womb a seed from which humanity would emerge.''

''Humanity did emerge and began to spread about the whole of creation. The Mother of All graced with more children to nurture and raise for the glory and in the presence of God. However as Humanity continued to spread the Darkness began to lash out at the Lord who had banished it from creation. Its tendrils crept about the world and latched onto the unwitting Children of God. Many were seduced by the darkness and had allowed to fester in their hearts Darkness' anger and resentment towards the light of the Lord. The corruption continued spread across creation until darkness was within each and every one of Hanach's children. They then gathered one day and said to the Lord,''

''"Go! For we reject your presence o Creator!" And Theios responded: "I shall do as you ask, for Darkness has infested you and I may not remain here without my Light inflicting upon you great harm. But even now as I leave this world, I declare that I shall one day return to enlighten and show you the true path in preparation for the end of days when the world shall once again return to the Light that is paradise". After this the Lord took with Him His firstborn Child and left the world. For long He wept for His creation and Hanach for her children. However, the Lord made one final promise, "Even as you have accepted Darkness and made it a part of you, the Light still endures within your hearts and illuminates your souls. During the Day I shall reign supreme and you will walk the earth as before, but during the Night Darkness shall rule and all shall rest just as I have." And so He rested along with His one pure Child, separated from the world in His Heavenly Kingdom with all His servants of the Light. And the Heavens were abound with the sound of music as His Angelic Host sung for the redemption of Mankind.''

''But this redemption never came, and instead Humanity fell further into corruption and depravity. The world was wrought with destruction and plague, war and starvation. They fell into greater and greater corruption until one day the last remaining of the Lords followers finally died or forgot their Creator, and the world was left without Hope for Salvation from the Darkness. In their ignorance and hubris they replaced their Lord with false Idols and Gods for every task and domain Theios and His Angels once fulfilled. The Lord saw this and in His eternal mercy He promised to grace the world with Five Mortal Prophets who in His name would enlighten Mankind and show them the path of glorious salvation.''

- Book of Truths 1

Salvation and Sin
Theiosists believe that Darkness is simply the absence of Light. Thus the Darkness is the antithesis of Theios, who is the Light of the Universe, as it is without and in opposition to the Light of God. Humans were created as mortal beings with souls of Light, but darkness was taken into their souls through their free will and sentience granted to them by Theios. In being seduced by the Darkness the Souls of mortal beings were corrupted and made impure.

It is due to this fact that humanity needs purification. Since Theios is the Light of the Universe and the opposite of the Darkness any impure human who is in His presence would feel a fiery pain as His majesty and holiness would burn away the Darkness and Evil from their souls. His presence is so unimaginably powerful that the impure would endure great suffering and torment in both their body and mind. And so Theios hopes to make Humanity pure once more, as He is their creator and wishes to again be able to be in their presence without causing them great pain.

Therefore no such thing as Hell exists, rather all mortals ascend to Theios' Heavenly Kingdom which is a place filled solely with the glorious Light of God, and the impure suffer greatly within this place as His Light burns at the Darkness within their hearts. This Kingdom was created to contain the Light of Theios and all His servants, Angels, and the Mother of All after Humanity rejected and replaced it with the Darkness. When one looks to the sky and sees the Sun or at night the stars and the Moon they see this Kingdom. Just as the Sun is one of Theios' visages so too are all the stars physical manifestations of His servants and Angels within the mortal world, while during the day Theios reigns supreme over all the world and showers the land with the Light of the Heavens.

Theiosists believe that to be purified one must cleanse themselves of this darkness within and walk instead upon the path of the Light in service of the Lord. This is done through prayer, asceticism and striving to do good. If an individual strives to be pure of heart, mind, and body, and to be one with their creator then Theios will work in their hearts to gradually purify them so that when they are in the presence of His full glory they will not suffer as is the fate of the impure.

If someone decides to do the opposite and chooses to turn their back on Theios and strive towards the Darkness then the Lord's presence will be like an eternal fire and the guilt of their actions will be a torturous suffering that mercilessly gnaws upon their mind. However for those who for one reason or another did not get the chance in life to choose between the Darkness and the Light then Theios grants them this chance in death to make the choice for themselves.

For those who wish to be one with the Lord but are not pure enough to be within the presence of the Lord and not impure enough to deserve eternal suffering they are slowly purified within the Lord's Holy fire so that their souls might one day become pure enough to be within His presence. This state of purification before ascension is a very painful process but one which Theios, a merciful God, sees as necessary as it is another opportunity after death to allow His faithful children to become pure and live with Him in His Heavenly Kingdom instead of eternally suffering in His presence. However for those who similarly are in-between impurity and purity but do not wish to be with the Lord they are offered a chance to avoid the torment and suffering by choosing to be made to rest in a dreamful state of final death and unconscious existence.

The Angels
Theios is not the only powerful being within Theiosism, although he is the only God. Theios is accompanied by his servants or angels, which are individuals granted fragments of his power in order to more efficiently enforce his will across the universe. They are bound and fully subserviently to Theios, but they are not slaves in the traditional sense, instead they were gifted portions of his power in exchange for their undying loyalty and servitude. They perform their roles diligently and are respected by the Living God, as was his command for mortals to offer them tribute just as they do the Lord. Followers of Theios revere these angels and often choose to give tribute to one in particular as their patron angel. There are eight(ish) angels, each with their own domain and purpose, they are as follows:


 * Treiur - Angel of War and the Archangel of Theios. The Archangel is the right hand of the Lord, the first among all the Angels, and his duty is to bring strength to the followers of Theios and deliver victory to those who fight in his name. He constantly watches over Theios Earthly Kingdoms and protects them from any foe they might face. He is the Patron of Soldiers, Warriors, Guards, Watchmen, and Generals. He is represented by a chalice filled with blood, or a golden sword plunged into the earth. During the Red Heresy of Yimmu-Audal he was misrepresented as the "Blood God," with the sign of the Red Sun, meant to be a blessing in the wars to come, having been misconstrued by the so-called Prophet Nabiin as a sign of the One True God. Nabiin the Apostate lead his followers astray from the ancient worship of Theios into the worship of the Blood God, blinding them to the Sun God's light and truth.
 * Asria - Angel of Nature. Asria serves Theios across the physical world where she is the caretaker of plants, animals, and the earth alike. She protects nature and brings good health to those mortals who do the same. She acts as a mother of nature, representing and guiding both the beautiful, kind, and orderly aspects of nature, as well as the more ugly, cruel, primal and chaotic parts, guiding them each along a path of development and growth. She is the patron of farmers and herders, as well as gardeners, foresters, and explorers. Above all else she values those who treat plants and animals with the proper respect and reverence, and will protect any who devote themselves to defending the sanctity of nature. Asria is often represented by a tree with a halo of stars surrounding it.
 * Wullan - Angel of the Moon and Light. Wullan is Theios' light bearer, ensuring that the Lord's divine light shines over the world even in the darkest of night. He protects the world from the darkness and shines over the followers of Theios wherever they may go while the Lords visage has set. He is also known to help redeem sinners by giving them strength and conviction through his light to fight against their mortal sins, and helps to guard the graves and tombs of the dead from darkness and corruption. He is the patron of travelers, pilgrims, monks, lightkeepers, and cemetery caretakers. Wullan is often represented by a crescent Moon over a star cross, or sometimes just a moon.
 * Hanach - Mother of Mankind. Hanach was the first human created by Theios and would be the mother of the first generation of humans. She ascended to Theios' side in the Heavens above and serves as a sort of demi-angel. She is not quite divine like an angel would be, yet not quite mortal as a human would be, and is instead referred to as either and the first Saint Hanach or Mother Hanach. Her name can be spelled in a few different ways, including Hana, Hanach, Hanna, and Hanne. She is the patron of mothers, apothecaries, doctors, and nurses. She also protects the youth and children, born and unborn alike. Hanach is most often depicted as a olive skinned woman with fair dark hair. She is laced in fine cloth with the sun set behind her head and light emanating from her hands.
 * Garath - Angel of Water and knowledge. Garath serves Theios through the protection of water, which is believed to be one of the modes of life. He protects both the animals of the ocean and the people who live nearby, while being a keeper of divine knowledge and often a messenger of the Lord's will to his prophets and followers. When acting as a messenger he usually appears in the form of a Golden Bird of some kind that holds either a fine piece of cloth with a written message, or like the wind whispers words into the ears of Theios' followers. Garath is the patron of fishermen, sailors, writers, messengers, priests, librarians, and scholars. Garath is often represented as a tome over the sea, a blue cross with a scroll at its center, or more recently as the Holy Golden Seabird, the messenger of Theios featured in the flag of Theios-Essukdal.
 * Turin - Angel of Death and Justice. Similarly to Treiur, Turin is an Angel of War, however this comes in the form of justice or divine wrath. Instead of being the warrior angel, Turin is depicted as the judge. He deals out the wrath of Theios upon sinners, infidels, and blasphemers, leaving only death in his wake. At the gates of the afterlife the Prophet Temion brings the sinful and corrupted before Turin to face the wrath of God. Since he judges the actions of mortals and acts as the enforcer of the divine law, he is thus the patron of judges, lawyers, inquisitors, executioners, and kings. He is often represented by a silver sword soaked in blood, in contrast to the golden blade of Treiur, or he may also be represented by a skull with a golden halo crown.
 * Monath - Angel of Holy War and Penance. Monath is one of three Angels of War including Treiur and Turin, but he is seen as Theios' Holy Warrior against the darkness. Where Treiur brings strength to the followers of Theios, and Turin brings His wrath upon the sinful, Monath directly engages in war against the dark foes and malevolent forces that stand in opposition to Theios' Divine Light. He strikes at the heart of darkness, smites the unholy worshippers of darkness, and the daemons they serve. He is also a guardian against the Darkness for the Followers of Theios, protecting them at night from all sorts of undead and demonic creatures, he is thus often a patron of Holy Warriors, Witchhunters, Demonslayers, and Divine Champions. Monath is depicted in a few different ways, but most often as a large Mothoid Creature, and is believed to be an uncreated servant of Theios, unlike the other Angels who were directly made by and of the Lord. He is often represented by a pale white sword plunged into a black corrupted heart with light radiating out from its punctured center.
 * Reina - Angel of Hunting and the Wild. Reina serves alongside Asria as an Angel of nature, but her domain is that of the wild, protecting all people and creatures against great monsters and beasts. She is depicted as a great huntress, and acts as the guardian against the most vile and chaotic forms of nature, even more evil that which Asria protects. She hunts down these legendary creatures, putting a limit on their destructive power. She is thus, the Patron of hunters, guardsmen, and adventurers. It is believed that the Angel Reina is interpreted as the Legendary Huntress Ryn in many Caedan epics and stories, where she is immortalized through their oral tradition. It is also believed that Reina was once a mortal indirectly serving the Lord Theios who in death gave her a level of power similar to that of the Angels for her great service to the world. Due to this the Caeda have converted to Theiosism, but they still worship Reina to a level higher than any of the other Angels, to the point that they often reject the tribute of the other Angels and solely revere Reina.

The Four Prophets
There are four primary Prophets of the faith, which each prescribed themselves to a particular Angel's reverence and have become synonymous with the four Prophets of Sakrelism. They are the following:


 * Inirion (Forgemaster): Inirion is the first of the four Prophets and is usually referred to as The Forgemaster or The Smith, as he taught mankind how to forge, invent, and create all manner of new things. He also constructed the Sun Forge at the heart of the catacombs under modern day Theiotokos. He is thus venerated by craftsmen, smiths, artisans, and often times warriors due to him following the path of the Angel Treiur. He is known to have lead the first faithful settlers to the town of Theiotokos and participated in many wars for the defense of the faith. He also created a host of Holy Orders, including the Order of the Sanctifos, the Theiosian Templar, and the Sentinels of Theiotokos, each of which played a different role in these conflicts. After these conflicts he decided to turn Theiotokos not only into a religious site, but also a great tomb to the fallen holy warriors who had fought by his side, as well as his own disciples, many of whom would go on to become saints. To this day he is entombed beneath the ancient city of Theiotokos along side hundreds of others who were slowly added throughout the course of centuries, and in death it is said he leads the the Heavenly Armies of the Lord Theios as the right hand man of the Angel Treiur.
 * Temion (Arbiter): Temion is the second of the four Prophets and is known as The Arbiter or The Judge. He followed the path of the Angel Turin and had brought to the chaotic and lawless peoples of Rathnir law and order. He is believed to have founded the Kingdom of Sironia and wrote the holy text known as the Divine Law. It was through this Divine Law revealed to him by Theios and his Angel Turin that he brought order through strict laws and fair punishments. This religious law would be the base for much of the structure of the governments of Theiotokos and the future Duchy of Theiónikos, and would help to maintain peace where once there had been rampant crime, civil war, and succession crisis. He is known as the Arbiter as during his time he personally put down multiple heresies before they lead the followers of Theios astray, acting as the divine wrath of God on the mortal plain. He is thus revered by judges, lawyers, and executioners, as well as many of the faiths most zealous clergymen and warriors. In death he is believed to have been brought to the gates of the afterlife alongside Ataron where he brings the sinful before the Angel of Death to receive the judgement of the Lord Theios.
 * Asala (Custodian): Asala is the third of the four Prophets and is known as the Custodian or Stewardess. She had followed the way of Hana, the Mother of Man and thus taught to the true and faithful about the natural world, life in all forms, agriculture, domestication, and medicine. She showed her followers that the beauty of the natural world must be protected and that all followers of Theios should show kindness, mercy, and love to all living beings just as their Lord did. During her time she used her medicinal skills to care for the sick and injured, and also used her vast knowledge of nature to help in its conservation and protection. She lead her followers to help those in need and fought against natural disasters which threatened to destroy Mankind and nature. She is revered by all sorts of people from doctors, physicians, and nurses to farmers, gardeners, stewards, explorers, and cartographers. In death she is depicted as an almost angelic spirit that heals the sick and injured and helps mothers give birth to healthy children.
 * Ataron (Scholar): Ataron is the last of the four Prophets and is referred to as the scholar. He was a collector of books, scrolls, and all manner of artifacts, and followed the way of the Angel Garath. It is said he taught Mankind much about salvation and the afterlife, as well as how to approach and communicate with the Lord and his Angels. He had a hand in writing many sacred religious texts such as The Book of Truths, and created the clerical hierarchy as well as establishing a large portion of the modern faith's dogma and doctrine. It is believed that after his death Theios took him to wait at the gates to the afterlife alongside Temion in order to pick out those who can still yet be saved, their souls purified of what corruption remains from their mortal lives. Due to his place as divine knowledge keeper and the guardian of the gates he garners a great deal of reverence from scholars, scribes, priests, historians, archivists, archaeologists, and librarians. The Holy Order known as the Order of Ataron was formed after his death by his surviving disciples and students. It is an order devoted to the protection of knowledge and history, and continues to uphold his legacy and teachings to this day, with their archives being the home of hundreds of texts and scriptures from all different nations and faiths.

The Saints
Within the Theiosistic faith there are those true and faithful deemed so virtuous and pure that they are canonized as Saints. Usually Saints are canonized when they have done some great work in the name of the Lord, or became a martyr of some kind. They may also arise simply from being the most influential when it comes to their theology and education, or from being humble and virtuous servants of the Lord. Above all they each exemplify the ideals of the faith, and are held in high regard amongst its followers. There are many such Saintly figures, all of which originate in different places and who followed different paths, but the following ten are the most recognizable and highly revered among all:


 * Saint Sofia of Kjásthejm: Saint Sofia is arguable the most well know of the saints, sometimes being called the Sword of Temion and the Shield of Theiotokos. She was the first Lausarii to convert to Theiosism during the time of the Prophet Temion, and would thus put herself into his service. As a disciple of Temion Sofia followed the path of the Angel Turin, and made it her mission to route out crypto-pagans from conquered lands, especially in the Prophet's new Kingdom of Sironia, and to help the him put down heresies. She was known for her loyalty and the strict sense of honour from her cultural traditions, even being known as quite the zealot of her new faith. As a convert she knew what it was like to be a pagan, so although she was merciless in tracking them down she still showed mercy to those who would sincerely convert to the faith. Throughout her life she upheld the ideals of the faith, even remaining unmarried and a virgin until death since she devoted herself fully to an order of Holy Warriors known as the Order of the Sanctifos. She would die at the young age of thirty seven in battle against the warriors of the a historical heresy known as Monomorphism. Their armies threatened the Old Temple of Theiotokos, and so Saint Sofia brought the full force of the Sanctifos Order in the defense of the Temple, however she died before she could see her forces inflict a devastating defeat against the heretics killing more than half their warriors and executing their leader Akiros the Fallen. She was interred within the ancient catacombs beneath the Temple she died defending, along side the Prophet Inirion and many other Saints and Holy Warriors, and was canonized not long after. It is sometimes proposed that Saint Sofia herself may have been a Living Saint, with the Lord Himself flowing through her and giving strength to her soul at all times. Her sometimes supernatural or inexplicable abilities sometimes being seen as divine power gifted to her by Theios, although this is for the most part speculation, with such claims likely being due to her great renown and the myths which have formed around her life and times.
 * Saint Theodisi, Patriarch of Theiotokos: Saint Theodisi was a Patriarch of the Temple of Theiotokos during the time of Ataron. He was a great administrator and religious scholar, and disciple of the Prophet Ataron. He is known to have work on cataloging all the religious scripture, holy books, and texts, and creating large libraries and archives to house protect them. For his service to the faith Ataron had made him a Patriarch of Theiotokos, which allowed him to further archive texts from across the region and organize the many Libraries and Archives into a formal system. After the death of Ataron Saint Theodisi founded the Holy Order of Ataron, through which he and many of Ataron's other disciples and students helped to continue the Prophet's teachings and protect the holy texts of the faith. This order was used by Theodisi to further consolidate and centralize the Archive system, of which he would be the first Grand Archivist. His work to help protect and spread knowledge, as well as the creation of the highly influential Order of Ataron which helped to make information much more widely available to the members of the faith, all garnered him serious renown. Near the end of his life he stepped down from his position as the Grand Archivist and allowed his students to elect a new leader of he Order, but continued to administer the Eastern Temple as a Patriarch until the time of his death. Only a few years after he died he was canonized with his remains placed in the crypt below the Temple of Theiotokos.
 * Saint Eresu the Martyr: Saint Eresu was a Audaladae Priest during the time of Ataron some two hundred years ago. He lived within a small and isolated settlement of Theiosists on the fringes of the Empire Yimmu-Audal called Aeonisa. He is known to have been a dutiful and courageous man, always standing up for what he believed in and protecting his friends, family, and all his fellow Theiosists. He is best known for being a Martyr of the faith during the the Red Heresy which swept across the Audaladae Theiosists of Urnu-Arrak and the capital region. These new Blood Cultists lead by Nabiin the Apostate launched a brutal and merciless campaign against the Theiosists of Yimmu-Audal, committing mass atrocities and making human sacrifices in the name of their new blood god. Saint Eresu and his followers quickly began to evacuate the population as the Holy Orders from Theiotokos they had called to aid would not arrive in time to stop the onslaught of Nabiin's cultists. The warriors of the town organized defenses whilst Eresu helped the sick, injured, elderly, and children escape. Fortunately they managed to get the majority of the population to safety, however when Nabiin and his forces arrived they decimated the defenses and quickly overran the settlement, taking the Priest and any surviving warriors prisoner. The men who would not convert to the heresy were made into blood sacrifices to the perverted god of the heretics at the temple in old Urnu-Arrak, Eresu being given the bloodiest execution of them all for his undying faith in the Lord Theios. He was canonized about ten years later after his remains had been retrieved and placed in the crypt underneath Theiotokos.
 * Saint Karina, Archpriestess of Theiotokos: Saint Karina was the first Archpriestess of Theiotokos and was one of the disciples of the Prophet Inirion. She served under Patriarch Gregorios and was one of the greatest missionaries of the Theiosistic faith, helping to convert a large portion of the native Audaladae of the region as well as travelling across the world along side the armies of Inirion to help convert local populations they came across along their journey. Often times she was able to convert entire villages and even cities to the faith all at once. It is believed that Karina converted so many individuals to the faith that much of the traditions of the conversion ceremony were first taught by her to the Priests under her jurisdiction. She was said to have been an exceptionally pious and charismatic servant of the Lord, able to command crowds with her skill for oration, which is likely something she used as a missionary to convince large groups of people from foreign cultures and religions to convert to the faith. She was also one of the most renown liturgists and preachers of her day, with many of the Priests preferring to have her lead the rites whenever possible as she was able to so fill the followers of Theios with great conviction and faith through her words. She was canonized only months after her peaceful death in her sleep at the Temple at Theiotokos, and was subsequently buried in the crypt beneath. It remains one of the fastest canonizations due to her great renown and piety, as there was no doubt in the minds of the clergy that her deeds were so integral to the faith and that she herself was such a pious individual, all it took was the proper rites and creation of a burial site.
 * Saint Varisteos the Travelled: Saint Varisteos was a travelling missionary during the time of the Prophet Asala. He was known to have been a far travelled man, having explored much of Vastallos and Alteniquia. On his travels he brought with him Holy Texts that he gifted to the leaders of towns and cities that he stayed, slept, or resupplied at, helping to spread the faith on his explorations of the known world. He also brought with him maps and cartography equipment, with which he mapped out large portions of the continent previously unexplored, maps which he then gave to the clergy and religious scribes to recreate and distribute when he returned. Another object in the possession of the clergy is Varisteos' journal which he kept on him during all his journey and recorded his findings as well as coordinates to important locations, ruins, or natural sites which he found interesting. He is known to have been a soft spoken and quiet individual, usually keeping to himself and focusing on his writing or on improving his craft. He lived an ascetic life, and focused everyday to improving himself, expanding his knowledge, or that of the clergy. He was a pious individual, but his piety was not expressed in such a grandiose manner like some of his fellows, rather he was pious in his humility and wisdom. The maps, journals, and drawings he gave to the Eastern Temple served to greatly increase their knowledge and that of the native peoples who benefited greatly from the newfound geographical knowledge, and although he was not as influential a missionary as Karina his distribution of Holy Texts to foreign groups helped to lay the foundations for their future conversion, or even the integration of their faiths into Theiosism. He died whilst meditating at the Temple of Pyriad, but after the breaking of the Triarchy his remains were carefully moved to the Eastern Temple of Theiotokos. It took some forty years for him to be canonized within the faith, but he is nonetheless regarded as a great and influential Saint in his own right.


 * Saint Gregorios, Triarch of Theiotokos: Saint Gregorios was the Triarch of Theiotokos during the time of Inirion. He was the most loyal disciple of the Prophet so when he first founded the Temple of Theiotokos Gregorios was made the Patriarch. He diligently administered the temple and all of the lands devoted to Theios until eventually the first temples were established by Inirion in Audal and creating the first Triarchy of Pyriad in the south, old Urnu-Arrak in the East, and Theiotokos in the West. After the Triarchy was established Gregorios became the Triarch of the Western Temple of Theiotokos and continued to act dutifully in the name of the Lord Theios and the Prophet. He personally helped the Monks maintain and expand the Temple, wrote many works on the nature of his faith and of God, and held conversion ceremonies for many new members of the faith. He did not do anything that could necessarily be considered extraordinary, but through his virtuous actions even during the mundane activities of everyday life, as well as his devotion to maintaining the Temple and protecting all manner of scripture helped to establish a precedent for all future Triarchs and eventually the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Western Temple, and for this he is revered as being the father of the modern Temple and an example to all future Theiosists of how they should conduct themselves in their day to day lives. He was canonized some twenty years after his death, and his remains are still currently interred under the Temple of Theiotokos alongside the Prophet Inirion and the other saints.

'''
 * Saint Sostoreos of Audal: Saint Sostoreos
 * Saint Daria the Preserver: Saint Daria
 * Saint Takirukos of Gebel: Saint Takirukos
 * Saint Athanasia the Hallowed: Saint Athanasia'''

Prayer
Followers of Theios pray once at dawn and once at dusk. As the Sun rises and the Sun sets they pray to their Lord for salvation and protection in the day to come. They will then recount his commandments and read his Divine Law and The Living God. Then they call out to their Patron Angel and pray to Theios that he might send them to the earth to protect his followers. Then they shall praise the Prophets and the Saints, listing off their names with their respective deeds.

Reverence and Tribute
Reverence is granted to the Lord Theios, to the Angels, to the Prophets, and to the Saints in that order. The Lord is offered tribute and prayed to before the subsequent three, with different offerings for each. The Lord is offered all manner of items as tribute, gemstones, gold, iron, meat, plants, fruit, and any other valuable items. At least one of these items will be thrown into a fire so that they will be received by their Lord and as a sign that remaining devoted is more important than material possessions. For the Angels the offerings are specific to each one,


 * Treiur: Cooked meat from an animal slain by a ceremonial golden sword (This is the same way that meat should be offered to Theios).
 * Asria: Plants or Flowers (Preferably a Poppy or a Dandelion but tulips will do fine). The earth shall return to the Lord which created it.
 * Wullan: A lantern and an Oxeye Daisy. The Light shall be given back to Theios that it can be gifted once more to Mankind.
 * Hana: A Golden Crown. The Mother and Queen of Man must be recognized by the followers of Theios.
 * Garath: A book and a splash bottle of water. A feather and some gold nuggets are also sufficient. The gift of knowledge and life of water shall return to he who granted them, or the feather of the Golden Messenger be sanctified by the Holy Flame.
 * Turin: A lamb which will be killed by a special sacrificial iron sword. The blood of the innocent must be spilled as payment for sin.
 * Monath: A piece of flesh from a corrupted creature slain by a sacrificial diamond blade. The flesh of the corrupted shall burn by the Holy Flame of the Lord.
 * Reina: A pile of bones from a beast slain by a sacrificial iron axe or sword. The bones of the vile and beastly shall be cleansed and sat above the Lord's Heavenly Throne.

The Saints shall be given tribute through the sacrificing of food. Followers of Theios shall take a food item and give it to the Saints as tribute, then they shall fast until the sun has set before they eat, but only on the days that they should give tribute to the Saints.

Holy Days and Events
There are a few holy days which are recognized by the followers of Theios and during which different rituals and celebrations are held.


 * Summer Solstice: When the Sun is at its height and the days are longest, the followers of Theios will have a celebration upon the dawning of the Summer Solstice. They will perform great rituals and pay tributes to the Lord, while also burning massive Pires and constructing great works of art in the name of the Living God, as well as holding great Church assemblies across the Triarchy.
 * Winter Solstice: During the Lowest point of the Sun and the longest day of winter, the followers of Theios will go out and set bonfires across the land to bring warmth and light to the Earth, praying for salvation and the protection of the Lord through the harsh winter. They will make sacrifices and give tribute to Theios that he might bless them during harsh times.
 * Moon's Height/Full Moon: When the Moon is at its fullest in the sky the followers of Theios pay tribute to his Angel Wullan that he might continue to protect them during the darkest of nights. They host greats feasts and celebrations to the Angel throughout the night and into the dawn.
 * Moon's Retreat/New Moon: When the moon has disappeared from the sky the followers of Theios make sacrifices to the Lord and give tribute to the Angel Wullan that he shall return by the next dusk. They keep their lights on throughout the entire night and wash their door and window frames with holy water to protect against the darkness.
 * Prophet's Day: This is the day when the Prophet Inirion returned from the mountain after Theios spoke to him. Celebrations are held and the Prophet's words are exalted to the highest degree, then the followers of Theios shall pray to their Lord for knowledge and salvation.
 * Saints' Day: On Saints' Day the followers of Theios celebrate each of the Saints, creating artworks in their image and praising Theios for blessing the world with the most holy lives and deeds of the Saints. They shall fast until the night then feast in their names.
 * Mother's Day: On this day the Mother of Mankind, celebrating the divine birth of humanity and praying for the protection of the youth and the blessing of the mothers which raise them.
 * Aesternalia: Once an old Lausarii holiday celebrating the Nature Goddess Æstúrna, this holiday now celebrates the Angel Asria. It focuses on the natural world, plants, animals, and usually takes up the first week or two of Spring.

Overview
The Theiosistic Sanctum of Theiotokos was once organized into three jurisdictions, the Southern Temple of Pyriad, the Western Temple of Theiotokos, and the Eastern or Capital Temple of Urnu-Arrak. These three Temples created the Triarchy, over which one of three Triarchs ruled over their jurisdictions and acted as the supreme spiritual authorities of Theiosism. However after the breaking of the Triarchy the Temples of Urnu-Arrak and Pyriad were no longer in operation, and so the only reigning Triarch was in Theiotokos. Due to this unfortunate situation the role of the Triarch was slowly diminished until the Ecumenical Patriarch and Patriarchs adopted most of their duties. In modern times the Sanctum of Theiotokos has a Hierarchy of the Clergy separated into two groupings, the first being the Greater Hierarchy, which consists of the most Supreme Authority the Ecumenical Patriarch, along with the Patriarchs of individual Patriarchates which somewhat align with the old Triarchic system. The second group is the Lesser Hierarchy, which consists of the Archpriest, Priests and Monks of individual temples.

Greater Hierarchy
The Greater Hierarchy is the executive authority of the Sanctum of Theiotokos. It is ruled over first by the Ecumenical Patriarch, who acts as a sort of Religious Head of the region and the Supreme Authority on religious matters within the Theiosistic Faith. He is the first among equal Patriarchs, usually ruling from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Theiotokos, however in times of crisis or reform this seat of power may be changed or relocated. It is ruled over secondly by the Patriarchs, each the religious authority of a Patriarchate, and who are supposed to handle a great deal of Administration and act as the diligent hands of the Ecumenical Patriarch, offering advice and bringing attention to important theological ideas and concerns. They serve on the Ecumene Council to represent their Patriarchates, and as members of this Council they are able to vote on certain matters of dogma and doctrine, and can help with other important aspects of the Faith. The positions and titles, including the archaic titles of Grand Triarch and Triarch, are as follows:


 * 1) Grand Triarch/Ecumenical Patriarch (Full title): His Most Divine All-Holiness the Beatified Grand Triarch of the Western Temple and Ecumenical Patriarch of Theiotokos (name). [Grand Triarch is no longer a term used by the faith, but for historical reasons remains apart of the Ecumenical Patriarch's official title]
 * 2) Ecumenical Patriarch (Full title): His Most Divine All-Holiness the Beatified Ecumenical Patriarch of Theiotokos (name). [Used synonymously with title 1.]
 * 3) Triarch (Full title): His Holiness the Beatified Grand Triarch of the Temple of (jurisdiction) (name). [No longer in use]
 * 4) Patriarch (Full title): His Beatitude Father (name), Patriarch of (location).

Lesser Hierarchy
The Lesser Hierarchy is the administrative authority of the Sanctum of Theiotokos. They deal with the more menial tasks and maintain Temple grounds for the followers of Theios, while also dealing with the collection of artifacts and scriptures, as well as the writing of more copies of the divine works of the prophet and the Lord. They are scribes, ministers, gardeners, builders, and all sorts of hard working individuals who wish to prove their devotion to Theios. The positions of the Lesser Hierarchy are not as strict, with great levels of variation between Temples and Patriarchates, however, they retain the basic duties and hold similar titles. The first and highest position of the Lesser hierarchy, before becoming a Patriarch, is the Archpriest. There is only a single Archpriest per Patriarchate and they act as the lesser executive authority and right hand of the Patriarch, organizing events and servants of their Temples, while dealing with the general administration. Second are the Priests. These are the spiritual leaders that deal directly with followers of Theios and do the most hands on work when it comes to administration. They each rule over a single temple, monument, or other religious site. Finally are the Monks. Monks do the hard labour of maintaining Temple grounds, copying down texts, and building or repairing Temples/monuments. The positions and titles are as follows:


 * 1) Archpriest (Full title): His Most Divine Eminence Father (name), Archpriest of (location/jurisdiction).
 * 2) Priest (Full title): His Grace Father (name), Priest of (location).
 * 3) Monk (Full title): Brother/Sister (name), servant of (location/jurisdiction).

Holy Orders and Organizations

 * Order of the Sanctifos:
 * Order of the Theiosian Templar:
 * Order of the Sentinels:
 * Order of Ataron:
 * Order of the Custodian:
 * Order of the Inquisition:
 * Order of the Golden Hand:

Holy Sites
There are three main Holy Sites of Theiosism which correspond to one of the three Churches or Patriarchates. These three Sites create what is known as the Triarchy, which is the absolute rule of the Three Triarchs over the Orthodox Theiosistic Church.

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Theiotokos: Declared the Holy Land of Theiosism by the Ecumenical Patriarch himself, Theiotokos is a settlement founded far in the deserts northwest of Yimmu-Audal proper. It is home to the Historic Western Temple of Theiosism and is ruled by the current Ecumenical Patriarch LethalMuffin193. The settlement itself contains a grand cathedral to Theios along with a small town focused on metal and textile production. This Patriarchate was the last surviving of the three Temples of the Triarchy, and is now the primary seat of power for the Theiosistic faith within Alteniquia, presiding over the newly formed Patriarchates and hosting the Ecumene Council.

Patriarchate of Urnu-Arrak: Urnu-Arrak was the Capital of the Empire of Yimmu-Audal and is considered a Holy City by the followers of the faith. It is where the Patriarch's home was located as well as the location of multiple monuments and shrines. It was the seat of Imperial and home to the Capital Temple of Theiosism which was ruled over by the Triarch and Emperor of Yimmu-Audal before the breaking of the Triarchy and Escharia's Conquest of the Empire. As the primary rulers of the Empire they held a large degree of influence, and so where given a position within the Triarchy that they might help to limit the power of the clergy and help create better religious relations between the Imperial Government. It was also done in the hopes of one day converting an Emperor and subsequently the Empire to the faith. The city of Urnu-Arrak itself is host to grand and beautiful architecture, as well as a massive populations living within the vibrant city scape. It is the main seat of power in the Duchy of Yimmu-Audal and even Alteniquia, as well as once being the home of the High Council of Theios-Essukdal. Most of the Clergy of the Capital Temple are also temporal leaders, predominantly from this aristocratic council.

Patriarchate of Pyriad: Pyriad was an ancient Audaladae settlement that worshipped Theios in times past. During the Red Heresy it and many other southern settlements were lost and forgotten to time, with their populations slowly dwindling until fading to none. The city was once home to the large Southern Temple of Theios, with the Triarch of Pyriad presiding over the region, but it was left unkept for many years until the restoration of the town at the birth of the Kingdom of Theios-Essukdal. It is now under the rule of a new Patriarch and has been reclaimed in the name of the faith and the nation. The settlement itself is known for its vast and intricate architecture, and is seen as quite a mysterious place hidden within the dunes. It was made at the heart of an oasis in the southern most regions of Yimmu-Audal, and is one of the scarce regions where vegetation grows free in the harsh deserts of the surrounding continent.

Holy City of Amos: The city of Amos was considered a Holy site due to the great hospitality shown to the Patriarch both during his time building roads, as well as during his Great Pilgrimage. It was the part of the Capital Region of Yimmu-Audal and was the home to a small Theiosistic Temple which of course fell under the jurisdiction of the Triarch of the Eastern Temple, which at the time was the Emperor of Yimmu-Audal. The Temple of Amos was host to shrines and other monuments to Theios, and was the northern neighbor of the Capital City and Capital Temple Urnu-Arrak. The city and temple's architectural style was also similar to Urnu-Arrak, with a great many beautiful buildings and monuments dotted about the old town. The temple there fell alongside the city which had been slowly degenerating for some time due to its population dying off or fleeing for other settlements. When the time finally came that the city was completely void of population it and the temple were then formally disbanded by the Triarch of the Western Temple and Ecumenical Patriarch LethalMuffin193.

Holy Texts
The Holy texts of Theiosism are organized into a compilation comprising many separate texts, know as the Sylioi Ileios. Within this compilation there are many different books and scriptures, more than can be truly counted, however, the most prominent are The Book of Truths, the 16 Commandments, The Epiphany, the Divine Law, and The Living God. These are each very influential and important books in the Sylioi Ileios and are often displayed in temples or at shrine for visitors and pilgrims to read. There is a library containing all these books and more in Theiotokos, with the scribes of the Church working hard to produce more copies for the use of the Followers of Theios.