Aetherianity

Summary
Aetherianity is a religion which is the continuation of the ancient Villager Lore in its orthadoxy in combination with canon additions in which the Testificate faith have faced and witnessed.

The many spoken traditions and lost books in which many are still to be uncovered known collectively as "Villager Lore" forms the basis of the "Old Testificate" which explains the creation of the world and all creatures within it before the arrival of the "Emen" a god which had, together with his hordes of minions, nearly wiped out of entirety of the Testificate species in a matter of weeks. Central to the faith is the belief that one day a messiah simply known as the Testificate King will descend upon the world and lead all Testificates to victory over the Marked One and bring the world to a state of Eternal Peace.

Central is the belief in 12 realms which one ascends or descends based off their deeds in life with all mortals who ascend to the 5th Aether being considered deities and worshipped.

History
(Re-writing)

Codex Aetherni
The Codex Aetherni is a compilation of religious texts, scripture and various books which can take various forms including stories, prophesies and sermons and histories among other works. The religious texts were compiled together by the Magisterium, the clergy, and put into the Codex Aetherni which is itself the foundational Holy Book of the faith. The first book of the Codex is known as the "Player's Book" which was written by kidnapped librarian Testificates who were forced to recount all ancient religious beliefs.

The Codex itself is divided into two sections known as the "Old Testificate" which encompasses various texts and unwritten history of the Testificates past that was lost - mostly stemming around Villager Lore while the "New Testificate" encompasses various expanding canon works revolving around Gonf and his teachings. The Codex Aetherni is a constantly evolving and expanding Codex as new mortals achieve ascendance through the faith and their works in life.

Seven Pillars of the Faith
These are the central pillars of the faith and guidelines that all followers of the faith are mandated to follow, however it is not expected that people strictly follow the pillars in a perfect manner as imperfection is expected of mortals but to keep in mind the goal of the faith is to reach perfection and ascension.

Unwavering Sacrifice
"The state is upheld by those willing to sacrifice all in order to maintain it, should there come a time where the people stop believing in the state, only then does it falter and erode." The first pillar is emphasised throughout the journey of Latternus in that it remains the most important. A state in which people are always willing to sacrifice everything for can never be conquered, but should the people's willingness to sacrifice falter, then and only then does the state begin to fade.

Unity
"Only united are we stronger and through unity in this world of harshness and conflict can we survive as one body made up of thousands." The second pillar is just as emphasised in which the state cannot survive while remaining broken apart into many different pieces. The people must be unified together through multiple different aspects for the state to survive in perpetuity as each piece that follows its own path, ideals and beliefs harms the unity of the faith and world.

Eternal Peace
"Only upon the unification of all beings under a single state, faith and creed through the olive branch or sword can there be Eternal Peace and a world without destruction." This pillar outlines the goal of the faith, to bring an everlasting peace across all the world in which all worldly conflict is brought to a final end once and for all through a unification of all peoples under a single creed. A worthy mortal peace and an immortal peace in the afterlife.

Justice
"For only when there is Justice in the world can all mortals be truly at peace." It is the belief that all actions require just a proportionate reaction. Every single person is expected to be just in the face of danger or peril no matter the situation. Without justice there can be no penitence.

Penitence
"Before there can be Forgiveness, Penitence must be served." Penitence forms the stepping block to Forgiveness, the pillar teaches the devout that those who are truly penitent for their actions against others or the state and faith should be given the opportunity for forgiveness, a second chance.

Forgiveness
"All shall be offered Forgiveness before the faith but not before Penitence is served." This pillar teaches the devout that all should be given a second chance and a path to redemption. The faith redeems by baptising those in the traditional way of the faith in which fire and water cleanses all former sins and crimes, starting a person anew, but one must be willing to accept Forgiveness and cannot be forced.

Death
"Death shall come one day unto us all, we must prepare ourselves in life and be worthy an opponent to face this final challenge, go courageously unto death." The final Pillar is Death and it teaches the devout that one must be willing to face death as it comes to all eventually. In combination with all other pillars, one who sacrifices their life for the state and others in combat is surely to achieve ascension and eternal peace as what we do in life, echoes in eternity.

Mass
Mass is generally held on Sunday, the holiest day as is the day of the ascension of Gonf. It is traditionally performed by an Abbot or higher, but if none can attend then it can be held by a Laybrother. It can also be done in a variety of ways such as traditionally within a Temple or even a circle of people in a forest.

Clergy are instructed to say mass in an engaging and short form way. The church has endeavored over centuries on how to best capture the attention of the people. Clergy frequently interact with their people using examples that are personal to the locals or asking someone to confess and be rid of their guilt in front of everyone. It is recommended that when telling a story it is done so with the intent of instigating interest to know more instead of running the risk of boring the audience with a long and poorly told tale. Climactic tales of heroism, bravery and sacrifice are oftentimes the ones best told.

Prayer
Universal payer of Latternus Sacramentum "The faith grants me the power to pass Justice,

Through Justice comes Penitence,

From Penitence comes Forgiveness,

Through Forgiveness may I rest peacefully in Death,

From I, your faithful servant" Prayer is a direct communication with the ascended, some prayers can be simple utterances and silent thoughts, while others are sung or highly ritualised. The purpose of praying ranges from requesting help to beginning for enlightenment and insight from specific ascendants.

Confession
Confession is a sacred and strictly confidential practice between one person and a clergymen. Clergy often encourage people to confess their sins and crimes in public, but the more common is done privately. Confession can either be done on a purpose-made confessionary in a temple or by asking a clergyman to talk in a secluded spot. The clergyman listens to a person's sins and provides advice on how to redeem themselves and be forgiven.

Baptism
Baptism is the primary sacramentum which is bestowed upon converts to the faith and those who receive a second chance at forgiveness. With Baptism, whatever a person's crime against the state, sins against their god or gods, or all else is forgiven and they are made anew and washed clean using fire and water.

Inquisition
An Inquisition may be called by a council meeting of the faith’s leaders, Bishops and other clergymen, in order to combat the spread of heresy and maintain religious orthodoxy within the faith as well as eliminate threats to the faith and state which threaten the unity of the faith and or state. In the case of Inquisition, ecclesiastical courts are set up to identify and punish heretics by means of investigations, trials, and various punishments no matter the person's social rank or political rank.

Holy figures
Ascendants and Saints are a unique form of worship within the faith in which it is the veneration of mortals from the past or near past which exhibited extraordinary virtues pertaining to the faith which forms the entire basis of the faith - the idea that mortals can achieve greatness in life and ascend upon their death after a lifetime of service, good works, and virtues.

Ascendents
Those who have achieved Ascendance are those who have achieved perfection as pertaining to the values of the faith in their lifetime and have thus transcended existence and in essence become a god which can be worshipped and to which Temples are built for and to which passages and space in the Codex Aetherni is left open for entire writings and histories. Those who have Ascended have displayed extraordinary loyalty and sacrifice to the state to be recognized by God or the Gods to join them in the afterlife and warden over the mortals.

Sainthood
Those who achieve Sainthood are those that have also achieved extraordinary piety and have followed the pillars of the faith to an extraordinary degree - but have not achieved the level of devoutness which is required for apotheosis that the Ascendants have achieved.

Sainthood is generally achieved by a grand form of heroism in battle or sacrifice in battle to achieve victory, their martyrdom in spreading the faith or through their valued and immense service to the state while following the pillars and faith. Those that achieve Sainthood receive altars within a larger Temple pertaining to the Ascendant they most closely resemble. Saints are also generally prayed to as a lesser form of worship as compared to Ascendants. Saints will also have a new pillar formed after them.

Prophecies
One of the central writings of the faith comes from the Old Testificate portion of the Codex Aetherni the writing is a prophecy which details the arrival of what is described as the "Marked Ones" or humans and other creatures which first invaded the lands along with the arrival of a singular god (Emen) which had unleashed indescribable amounts of suffering and destruction upon the Testificates leading to the near wiping out of the people. The prophecy itself tells the story that one day when all or nearly all the pieces of the Old Testificate (Villager Lore) is collected, a savior-messiah will arrive, to be known as the Testificate King, and this savior will lead the Testificates on a crusade to defeat the god who had brought their civilization to destruction and finally bring peace to the world.