User:Mikal/Henai
Henai is a religion based around the God Polasi’Pur Polasi, creator and ruler of the universe, along with a small pantheon of lesser gods created by Polasi. Adherents to this faith are known as Pur'Iku
Contents |
[edit] Fundamental Beliefs
[edit] Creation Story
Pur'Iku believe that Polasi has eternally existed, and was at one time made up of two primary natures: Creation and Destruction. When Polasi would create his other nature would cause him to destroy this creation. This went on for time immemorial until Polasi created two beings, Oi and Senmak, and resisted destroying them. This would cause a fundamental shift in Polsasi, who then separated the destructive nature from himself, which then became Usasia.
Polsasi, free from his destructive nature, assigned Oi to be the Goddess of Fate, decreeing the events of the mortal universe, and gave Senmak the task to preserve order in the Universe. He would then create the rest of the Universe, and all life that would exist in it, and new gods for new tasks. On some planets he set certain species to be his chosen, who would be immortal and rule on his behalf in the mortal world. This went on for a time, until chaos returned and challenged the order of the universe, striking at the chosen species and placing death and illness and all other problems on them.
[edit] Personal actions
The focus of Henai is on how you act; with an emphasis on being good; helping others and in general not being a Dick. Actions tradtionally seen as "Good" (But not necessarily from the Book of Judgement or required to get into Mai) By Henai include:
- Basic Chivalry and Gentlemanly acts
- Helping others in pain or need
- Helping the poor and hungry
- giving to charity if you can, in accordance with the above two.
- Doing actions because you generally want to, not because it makes you're self look better.
- Not lying, or if you do lie, not harming others with the Lie
Actions prescribed in the Book of Judgement include:
- Helping others in pain or Need
- Not murdering, stealing or unduly harming others
- Undue hard is things like unprovoked (and depending on the context, provoked) violence, rape, ect.
- do not lie for personal gain
- fighting against a legitimate lord is forbidden.
- Judging others when you have faults is forbidden; unless you do acknowledge those faults and work to remedy them
[edit] Role of Society
[edit] Afterlife
Henai believe in a afterlife where the spirit goes after death and judgement by Oi, either Mai(A paradise like realm) Or Loi (A realm of general separation from Polasi, But not Torment). These locations Partially state where the spirit will be in the final battle.
[edit] Oi's Judgement
After a persons death; the spirit leaves the body and goes to the place between this world and the World of the Ensi; where they are judged by the Goddess Oi, where the actions are weighed against what is prescribed in the Book of Justice, and if the actions that violate it are found to be in greater weight then the actions that do not, they are sent to Loi, otherwise they enter Mai.
[edit] Mai
Mai is the realm of Polasi, and is analogous to Heaven. Traditional Imagery depicts it as a rolling green field cast in eternally day with mountains in the distance; based on the "Eternal Field" in the Henai Eschatology that Esakum invades at the end of time. The actual religious texts tend to be vague, describing it as a place of delight and pleasure; where death and pain does not exist and people are free.
Those in Mai will overwhelmingly fight for Polasi in the End days; befitting the nature that led them here, but many will choose to fight for Esakum. These will be returned to the world after the battle, as loi and the mortal world merge.
[edit] Eternal Mai
The Eternal Mai is the final state for those in Mai who side with Polasi and is an image of the world pre-Corruption.
Imagery of this realm tends to be the real world but brighter and primarily in the light; with corruption missing.
[edit] Loi
Loi is the realm opposite of Mai; and the realm of those who do not meet the standards. The spirits here are not punished; but they have no reward or goal, and Imagery of it tends to use shades of grey, showing a vast, mostly featureless plain shrouded in unending, sometimes physical darkness.
Those in Loi at the end of times are given no choice in who they fight for; as when Usasia makes the call to wage war they will gladly raise up out of their dark home to fight Polasi, and for their rejection in the face of a second chance their spirits will simply be destroyed at the end of the battle.
[edit] Naki-Loi
Naki Loi is the Eternal state for those who, after residing in Mai, still chose to fight Polasi. It is the mortal realm, but merged with the aspects of Loi. Death and life continue, in an endless cycle of rebirth; and those born into this era (new souls, not souls from before the battle) are judged based on actions; with those meeting the standard allowed into the Eternal Mai and those not continuing in the cycle permanently.
Imagery of this realm tend to be that of the Real world but with muted colors and the palpable darkness of Loi and a sense of misery at the separation from Polasi.
[edit] Structures
[edit] Civic Religion
The Civic organization of Henai is very hierarchical, with A single person at the top as the main intercessor between the gods and Society as a whole, and greater numbers of members as you do down the pyramid.
At the top of the Organization is the High Bishop, who acts as the intercessor between The Henai Community as a whole and the Gods, especially Polasi. This is a position for life (If circumstances permit) and is the Final authority on theological issues.
Below this is the Council of Bishops, who represent various Henai Communities and advise the High Bishop when the Gods are not required.
Below this is the Various orders of the God's, who acts on behalf of the various god's and are the basic civic organization.
[edit] Pantheon
- Polasi': Creator God, head of Pantheon
- Oi': Goddess of Fate and Judgement
- Maoi': Goddess of Truth and Tradition, Patron Deity of Courts
- Senmak': God of Order, Patron Deity of Government
- Seci' and Lofi: Brother Gods of Law and Crime/Discord
- Pokali: Goddess of War and Patron Deity of Military
- Onji: God of the Sea and Patron Deity of Fishing/Boating
- Lieah: God of Art and Smithing, Patron Deity of Smiths and Culture activity
- Esani: God of Foreign/Non Henai peoples, Patron Deity of Hospitality and Missionaries
[edit] Holy Texts
The Henai community recognizes 4 texts as completely authoritative (and a handful that are accepted by some groups; including:
- The Unsaer Aksi Usa (Book of Creation) which tells the story of creation and fall into the current state
- The Unsaer Aksi Polakia (Book of Legends) Which details stories of great figures of the Community and mythical figures.
- The Unsaer Aksi Qita (Book of Justice) which lays out the laws and regulations that the henai community/species in general must follow to enter Mai. The regulations are different for Henai and Non-Henai.
- TheUnsaer Aksi Uko (Book of Judgement) details the eschatology of the Religion, along with some variations that have survived through history.
[edit] Eschatology
In the future, at a date known only to Polasi and Usasia, when the world is in most dire need the Vivastero'Ensas, The Holy king, shall appear and unite the world(s) and begin a Golden Age. Then, the final and greatest Agent of Usasia shall arise, Esakum, who will usurp the Vivastero'Ensas. The Henai shall face severe persecution in these days as Esakum acts to his nature and chaos and Darkness permeate the World, and the remaining population shall stratify between the two groups.
Soon Esakum will declare open war on Polasi'Pur Polasi and usurp his title as Universal King, and the most severe age of Persecution shall begin, while war in the Holy realm wages, and eventually Usasia shall rise the Army in Loi and those in Mai who choose to side with it, taking Esakum and his army and invading the Personal realm of Polasi, instigating the Final Battle against the remaining forces in Mai, Henai and Polsasi himself.
But as decreed by Oi and Accepted by Polasi, Usasia shall fail, and Esakum will be beaten by Polsasi, who shall cast judgement on Esakum and the Army of Loi: Destruction in Uko, while the traitors of Mai shall be returned back to the Mortal realm, without the blessing or influence of Polsasi.
Those who fought in the name of Polasi shall join Polasi in the Eternal Mai, a recreation of the world before usasias corruption of the chosen races.
[edit] History
Henai was created in its current form in 2009, although adherents believe that the faith has always existed, and was first given to people by Maoi, the goddess of Tradition and Truth.
[edit] Relation with Other Religions
Henai considers itself the only true religion, but does not deny others have any good in them. Because at it's core the religion is concerned with Orthopraxy, not orthodoxy; it does not deny that those who are not of the community the ability to Enter Mai, and any who meet the standards in the Book of Justice can enter, even if they deny the gods exist at all.
[edit] Variants
Like most religions; there is not full agreement on all the things of Henai. The general divisions can be summed up into three Categories; all three of which are held to be equally acceptable and based more on preference:
- Traditional: where the gods and chaos and all that is believed to be true, the original form.
- Fundamentalist: A group that attempts to state Henai is the only path to Mai; despite there being almost no support for the position. Most view them as walking close to Night.
- Reformist: Tradition holds that although Polasi and Usasia are real and had a role in the universe; that the laws and judgement are real; the rest is symbolic or merely stories.
- Traditional Reformist' Maintains that other gods and some of the stories are true, and is the oldest of the two main branches.
- Modern Reformist is a position closer to atheistic Henai; holding that Polasi is real, but does little more and simply admits those who meet the standards he gave into Mai.
- Atheistic Henai is the branch that declares the gods don't exist at all, but still consider themselves a part of the religious community and follow the laws prescribed because they are good teachings.
[edit] Terms
- Polasi: Creator God: name of the Main deity of religion
- Polasi'Pur Polasi: Creator God the Creator, God the Creator, variations of these.
- Pur'Iku: The Blessed, term for followers of religion
- Usasia: The name given to the semi-Personal force that is Chaos/Destruction