Ṣūlism - Official religion of Deims Kir (WIP)

Overview

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Ṣūlism is the principal religion in Deims Kir, a nation in the equatorial region of Land's End, on the continent of Magnaterra. Its adherents are known as Ṣūlists, and they hold the belief that the world is governed by a bitheistic set of deities (a pair, who work together to balance the forces of the world) although they recognise that other religions hold different beliefs - a concept which is known as Poly-altruism in many scholars' analysis of the faith.

One of the main principles is pacifism, and another devotion to light (in both forms of the sun and the stars, as part of the heavens), as well as anything which makes use of those lights in a way which 'preserves' it - a definition which will be set out in a more detailed section of this text. The place of worship is akin to a temple, albeit with a more minimalist design or pretence, to allow the most light to enter the building as possible. In keeping with this theme of minimalism, many of the more zealous supporters of Ṣūlism often wear simple, flowing robes - which range across a monochromatic spectrum - as part of their daily attire.

Although the majority of the religion was unified in the early stages, there was a schism between the three currently extant portions of the religion in the late 6th century CE, wherein the leaders of the three major religious divisions disagreed upon a major element of the scripture, which was at the time a non-finalised version of the Ṣūlaskrita. these leaders took each a portion of the old religion's followers (those who supported the respective leader) to form their own sect, based on their divergent ideas and views on the scriptures.

History

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Having been one of the earliest religions present in Deims Kir, Ṣūlism possesses a long history, from the fist pantheons of the ancient Kirians to the modern forms of the elaborate temples which are present in many of the large cities of Deims Kir today.

The Ṣūlist faith began as a collection of animist pantheons which all shared the fact that they perceived every object, whether animate or not, to possess a spirit and mind of it's own, and that because of this they should be respected and treated as highly as man or any other regarded entity, for they were though to have governed all natural processes and angering them could have detrimental effects to someone's life or perhaps their survival. many of these smaller systems of belief all centred around important elements of life such as the supposed primordial elements; Fire, Water, Earth, Air and Light. These elements varied in prominence across the various branches of what was ultimately seen as a diverging pantheon by believer at the time.

However, these systems were not to last. As years passed, each of these smaller groups came to be overtaken by one - the pantheon of light. This belief held that light was blessed and holy - and that it should therefore be revered, although they did not worship said light because there was a lack of need for it (and a lack of technology to visualise it); thus, they theorised that light is omnipresent and all-encompassing, a central tenet to the early Ṣūlist religion.

After many of the lesser 'cults' (as they were seen in the view of the early Ṣūlists) had either been converted to their faith or fallen out of use entirely, a need was seen to spread the one true faith to yet undiscovered parts of the world, so, therefore, there would be a need for apostles and missionaries. However, much of the faith was still decentralised and out of the control of any authority present in the early Kirian states, so centralisation and the beginnings of an administration were made the main focus as one of the first major actions of the Ṣūlist denomination as a whole.

As a result, the first dioceses and areal divisions of the Ṣūlist followers were drawn up by who was to become the first head of the religion.

[TBC]

Deities

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There are three important deities which are worshipped in the Ṣūlist faith. One of these is Bhalīsūla, who resides over the realm of the sun, and is worshipped through mediums like candles, mirrors and principally by the sect of the sun. They re commonly depicted, like each of the other Ṣūlist deities, through a symbol rather than an anthropomorphic or zoomorphic form.

Bhalīsūla is commonly regarded as the bringer of day[light] and therefore life within much of the Ṣūlist following. He is known as the Primogentor and Progenitor of all other deities within the faith - and in that regard the most important and central one to the religion.

Scripture

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stuff

Myths

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stuff

Worship

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stuff