EternalEmpire:Theology

Chingolun

Overview

Chingolun refers to the great body of the dominant Arqi faith, including the scriptures, liturgy, organizational hierarchy, and supporting myth. It comes from the word Chingol, meaning “a manifestation of divinity.”

The origins of the modern Chingolun are not entirely clear and subject to considerable dispute on account of the wide assimilation of Chingol doctrine. Linguistic and historical observations have led most scholars to declare that Chingolun theology first appeared in northwestern Provendo about 2,700 years ago among the Ganno-speaking Wondoz and Sireed in what is today the province of Renoga. This is not entirely true, as many of the precepts, stories, and deities of the early Chingolun predated the Great Ruin and this accounts for the presence of similar religions in other parts of the world. It was only in Provendo, however, that it came to prominence and much of the Provendo-specific beliefs form the core of the modern faith.

There is strong evidence that Chingolun was a Mystery Religion for the first several hundred years of its history, and it was not until approximately –400 AGA that it achieved popular notice under the influence of the Ostran philosopher-king Analector “Owlwise.” Over the next several centuries, the religion became more widespread with small communities known throughout western and northern Provendo, Quavaña, and in Siobia. Even so, it was not until the tail end of the Dandreen Empire, about –180 to –72 AGA, that the populations of these communities became significantly large and influential. It would still take many more years of war and cultural exchange for the Chingolun to become the dominant belief of the southern hemisphere.

Chingolun theology is extremely complex and is multifarious in its expression. Mainstream Chingolun is technically henotheistic, meaning the belief in and worship of multiple deities, one of whom is supreme. This transcendent, supreme god (“God-Most-High,” or in Arqi, “Zactoborion” – the Hyper-Divinity) exists independent of the universe, although He is not generally viewed as its creator. The Hyper-Divinity gave order and structure, providing the natural laws that govern all that exist, and created all forms of life. The Zactoborion is perfect in the most fundamental sense of the word, and all attempts to discuss His qualities and motives fail, since no entity in the imperfect universe can rightfully comprehend that perfection. Within the broad spectrum of Chingolun belief, opinions differ as to how often, if ever, the Zactoborion has directly intervened in the affairs of men, how likely He is to do so, or even if such an action is possible. Although He is professed to be unknowable and beyond human reckoning, many believe that the Hyper-Divinity has a definite and knowable plan for his creations; the nuances and implications of such a belief are the subject of considerable theological inquiry.

Beneath the Zactoborion exist many intermediate-level deities that express a far greater interest in the affairs of man. Consequently, they are thought to intervene in the physical world far more often and usually manifest in anthropomorphic forms. Beneath the level of divine, the Chingolun also recognizes the existence of, and occasionally venerates minor supernatural entities (collectively called “Ecrobori”) including demons (Arqi “Crindi”), spirits of the deceased (Arqi “Silpari”), and particularly holy humans (Arqi “Eñulari” – the Exemplars).

Cosmogony

The prevailing perspective is that the material universe was coexistent with the Hyper-Divinity. Indeed it is said to be an imperfect translation of the perfect, pure essence of the Zactoborion. All life, including humans, spirits, and deities are animated by the mating of this divine essence with matter, and because the universe is inherently imperfect and limited, each of these forms is faulty in some way. In this way it is explained how evil and suffering can originate from the utterly perfect Hyper-Divinity (but see Tylofostonism and the Thuderites).

Coexisting with the physical universe are an indeterminate number of progressively less corporeal and increasingly spiritual realms of existence, known collectively as the Spheres of Perception. The higher the sphere that something exists on, the closer it is to the perfection and unity of the Hyper-Divinity, and consequently more powerful and inscrutable to those existing in the other spheres. The soul, or the life-giving essence of the Zactoborion present in each living man, can be liberated from the bonds of this world and ascend to these higher existences. Usually, this can only be accomplished through death – and even then it is not guaranteed – but sometimes can be achieved through the intervention of the lesser deities or independently through particularly virtuous or “heroic” behavior – that is, coming closer to the perfection of the Hyper-Divinity.

Ascendant entities may continue to ascend through these hierarchical spiritual spheres as they move closer and closer to perfection. No matter what deeds are accomplished or what patronage one finds, the soul can never reach the ultimate perfection and bliss of being with God-Most-High, except perhaps through His specific intervention. Whether such an event is likely or even possible has many theologians and sects at loggerheads even today.

Deities & Worship

To the extent that other religions can be made to comport with these beliefs, the Chingolun is highly syncretic. Over the centuries, hundreds of foreign gods and goddesses have been adapted into the Chingolun and certain ones have become wildly popular outside of their original cultures. Some cults actively favor a single deity or group of deities above another, but for the most part, worship is highly personal and invokes many powers. Individuals tend do to emphasize the worship of a favorite deity that they consider to be their patron, however; indeed, most families, social organizations, occupations, cities, military units, and even whole nations invoke patron deities. How one decides upon his or her patron is an intensely personal process and is never dealt with lightly, as it usually hinges upon deeply valued traditions or the intervention of the God or Goddess in a person’s life.

Forms of worship vary from deity to deity, but most have highly formalized liturgies or distinct rituals appropriate to that particular God or Goddess, particularly in the case of public worship, as in the temples or the holiday celebrations. The keeping of these forms is often entrusted to powerful individuals or church councils that have the power to punish deviation and blasphemy, albeit on a sacerdotal level only. In the past, certain high priestly offices, frequently tied to the secular power (like the Vicar of Tylofost) had power to punish religious undesirables through fines and humiliation, torture, and even death. Since the ascension of Ionomîs, these offices have been stripped of their secular power and an atmosphere of religious tolerance has prevailed. Certain forms of worship are forbidden by law in Arqualan, however, particularly human sacrifice and ritual torture, neither of which ever took hold in mainstream Arqi society and have been considered perverse blasphemies for millennia.

Those deities that have taken physical form on Pergo such as Ionomîs, Thuder, Mardalae, and Morcanus, naturally establish their own conventions on the forms of worship and supplication that their followers must adhere to. Most of these deities encourage respect and toleration of the other gods and their followers, and take great pains not to deny the existence of the “invisible” gods. Nevertheless, the deities individually tend to remain aloof from one another and confrontation and cooperation among them is equally rare. The main exceptions to this are the Gods and Goddesses of the Hangritic Pantheon, which not only deny the legitimacy of all other deities, but rebuke the Chingolun as a false religion. Accordingly, the Hangritic Gods and their followers are despised throughout most of the southern hemisphere.

Ecobori, Veneration, & Sorcery

The Ecobori, or subdivinities, not only lend themselves nicely to the Chingolun conception of the afterlife, but also offered a bridge between Chingol theology and antecedent religions that involved forms of ancestor worship and belief in angels, devils, and nature spirits.

Especially important to the average citizen of the Eternal Empire are the Silpari of ones friends and family. These deceased spirits are believed to have some degree of influence on the physical world even if they are not very powerful, and are frequently the target of prayers for small favors and good fortune. The belief that the spirits of dead ancestors and companions are actively involved in protecting a person from danger on a daily basis is also fairly common, and the pious make solemn, private offerings to their ethereal guardians frequently.

The intervention of the Crindi is often a more empirically verifiable matter. Although technically the Crindi consist of any servitor spirit that lack a completely free will, the term is more often applied to those malicious, or at least unscrupulous spirits that are the concern of sorcerers and summoners. These entities were either created by deities to act as their servants and messengers, or already existing spirits pressed into their service. Thus, most Crindi are associated with certain divinities, and the subject of which gods and goddesses a particular demon professes allegiance to is a matter of considerable study, as that information potentially strengthens a man’s control over the spirit.

Non-doctrinal literature on these entities abounds, and it is widely accepted that certain of their number are amenable to contact and employment by men. A particularly forceful or wise sorcerer can bind these wily creatures to his will, but never without some element of risk. Demons are usually very reluctant to be commanded by humans and endeavor whenever they can to inflict misfortune upon the summoner and any others within reach. In fact, many accept the degradation of appearing in the physical world in exchange for the opportunity to abduct or destroy a hapless sorcerer. Once subdued, however, the demon’s prodigious powers may be called upon to help the sorcerer in both subtle and overt ways. Due to the inherent limitations to the physical world, the effects of demons are rarely all that was hoped, and they can only be bound to this plane of existence for a short time, so for most purposes, their risk greatly outweighs their utility. As a result, the profession of sorcery is looked down upon in public, and sorcerers are lampooned and ridiculed more often than they are praised, and public authorities closely monitor their activities. Even sorcerers that are employed by the various cults or the military are under a degree of suspicion, and receive less prestige than most of their colleagues – as the old saying goes, “the dignified man leaves mistresses and magicians at the door.” As a result, most sorcery is practiced in secret by incompetent dabblers, each a potential disaster to the public.

The last major branch of the Ecobori is the Eñulari – the Exemplars, the Saints. The concept is a relatively recent innovation of the Chingolun, and not everyone accepts the theology behind it. A Saint is someone who has transcended to a higher-level existence while still living; whether the Saint is currently still alive in the physical world is immaterial. The doctrine was introduced by the teachings of Ionomîs the Divine during the Arqi Civil War, citing nineteen of his followers as the virtuous ideals to which every human should strive. Conferral of the title of Eñularo does not suggest perfection or infallibility, but instead is a recognition of especially righteous and heroic actions or the exemplification of a particular virtue. The Illuminarch has stressed that they attained this transcendence and power via the righteousness of their behavior, and his own godly blessing was unnecessary. Elevation to the ranks of the Eñulari has some obvious perks besides spiritual enlightenment and religious admiration. Most Saints were said to be possessed of unusual and varied gifts, including superhuman resilience, the ability to speak and understand tongues, prophesy, heal grievous wounds and diseases, control demons, command the weather, communicate with their minds, and blind their enemies.

The most famous of the Eñulari are undoubtedly the founders of the Sea Knight Orders, all but two of whom are officially elevated to this status. Most recognized Exemplars are not, however, war heroes. Currently, there are no living Saints, the last being Saint Pactra Capel, martyred by Glarax raiders in 1436 AGA (see St. Pactra’s Crusade). Like the Crindi, the Eñulari are often associated with a particular deity, most of which having been devoted followers of Ionomîs.

Although indistinguishable by outsiders, prayers, rituals, and celebrations for the Ecobori are not worship, and such an activity would be considered sacrilegious. To the extent they are celebrated at all, it is considered veneration. These entities, however worthy and powerful they might be, are not divine and thus do not warrant the higher respect of worship.

Scripture

As a mystery cult, the Chingolun was passed on orally for centuries before it was ever written down. Consequently, there is some dispute over which of the scriptures were actually divinely inspired and which contain innovations, deceptions, and mistakes in translation. Nonetheless, there are nine volumes of holy scripture that are accepted as the core of the faith by the majority of adherents.

· Olimaca, one of the original books commissioned by King Analector, Olimaca is also one of the largest. This volume concerns itself with the so-called “Hard Doctrines” of the Chingolun, that is, those tenets of the faith that must be held if one is to be a member of the religion. It is told in narrative format, and rampant with metaphor, as its text is taken almost directly from the original mysteries. The symbolism, combined with its deep, almost lyrical prose, makes Olimaca simultaneously the most difficult of the scriptures and one of the most popular.

· Toluda, Arqi for compact, recounts the tale of the original cult’s founding by Yuli (Tulset in Arqi), God of Gates. The “compact” referred to in the title is the promise by Yuli to teach the cult members the secrets of the universe if they honor him above all the other gods of their people. There is a great deal of quasi-historical information about the formative years of the early cult, including its organization and the tribulations the followers suffered.

· I & II Litis explicity lay out the laws (hence the name) that true followers of the Chingolun must adhere to, and the benefits of such a virtuous life are extolled in detail. Many of the conventions have been abandoned (particularly those emphasizing the worship of Tulset and the avoidance of public worship), but these two volumes are still among the most important to the modern faith.

· Loquadi, or “Sayings,” is the wisdom of Analector, elucidating on the specific application of the above-mentioned laws. It deals intensively with the “ethics of uncertainty” and is praised for its work at harmonizing the seeming contradictions of early Chingolun theology.

· Tecla, Procupio, & Sinnoreth Known commonly by the names of their authors, these three volumes chronicle Chingolun communities suffering persecution. Tecla is attributed to the community in Ostra after that kingdom’s subjugation by Dandreen, while Procupio and Sinnoreth both deal with native Dandrit followers. These stories are not only of interest due to their quasi-historical nature, but also because they lay out the ideal of what a Chingolun community’s beliefs, rituals, and organization should be. Of the three, Sinnoreth is arguably the most important because so much of the story deals with the failed Chingolun revolt of –230 - -228 AGA and its charismatic leader, the prophet Yuron (Utido in Arqi). The persecutors’ mass recognition of Yuron’s otherworldly power and righteousness upon his death is the conversion literature par excellence of the religion. Although there are many other chronicles of Chingolun communities during this time, these three are the most relevant and highly regarded. In addition to their message of perseverance in times of distress and the heroic struggle of Yuron, they provide insight into the transition from a mystery cult to a proselyte religion.

· Grameda, is a later volume, but highly esoteric, relating various didactic (and exciting) stories of the gods and their relationships, and also featuring considerable detail on ritual divination, healing, and magical lore. Some consider Grameda suspect for the latter, but if any potent sorceries are really explained in it, they are very well obscured.

Tylofostonism

Overview

Within the broad religious category of Chingolun, there are numerous denominations that express distinct views on some theological points, both major and minor. Although their positions can be controversial, these are not the heterodox ascetic communities on the fringes of civilization, nor the secretive mystery cults, but more-or-less mainstream sects with beliefs and traditions that deviate slightly, yet significantly, from the Olimacan creed. In the Eternal Empire, the largest and most powerful of these sects is Tylofostonism.

Jento Tylofost was a Chingolun priest, born ca. 57 AGA in Anota on the shores of the Sea of Holinos. His mother was a Dandrit native and his father an Arqi military officer of some station in the local garrison. Little is known of his youth, but probably sometime before his 16th year, he was initiated into the Cult of Arcanudo, a Chingolic sect his father belonged to, popular amongst soldiers and aristocracy of Arqualan. From here, he plunged deeply into the Chingolun, zealously searching for answers to mysteries and resolutions of apparent contradictions. A contemporary described him as “profoundly inquisitive… he sought to subject even the Gods to the scrutiny of analysis.” He zealously searched for whatever scraps of ancient records and texts he could find, traveled to the jungles of Renoga to inspect abandoned early Chingol Cult temples, and learned Ganno so that he could make superior translations of the original scriptures in Arqi. Tylofost’s contributions went far beyond a rediscovery of the faith’s origins, however; his reinterpretation of the scripture and his critical, Arqi-centered approach to theology signaled an important shift in the beliefs and practice of the Chingolun.

At 23, he was selected to be a priest at the Temple of Arqiva Undaunted in nearby Noa Bycula. This was a civic shrine dedicated to the personification of the Arqi civilization as well as a school for surgeons and physicians. Consequently, it was a position of significant stature, and his ten years of distinguished service caught the eyes of several Monitari and other religious figures. He already had a large following among the rank and file, who affectionately named him Dodex, or instructor, a sign that his activities went far beyond simply organizing ritual celebrations. At the age of 30, Massalino unabashedly declared him “the most learned and holy cleric in the Empire”. By this time, he had been presenting his unusual interpretation of the religious mysteries to anyone who would listen. While this was not as invidious as one might imagine considering the inherent diversity of religious thought within the Chingolun, his more radical claims and activities began to draw fire from priests both within and without of the Eternal Empire. Regardless, Tylofost’s erudite and sophisticated conception of the universe, his undeniable piety towards the Gods, and his skilled oratory combined with the sensibilities of his distinctly Arqi worldview gained him the support of some very powerful partisans within Arqualan. By his death in 146 AGA, the “Tylofoston School” was the most dynamic and influential sect in the empire.

Tylofostonism became not only the de facto Arqi belief, but by the middle of the 4th century AGA, it was the de jure state religion. Its political influence grew so that by the 600s, other religious practices were restricted, marginalized, and ultimately suppressed, and the Tylofoston church became a virtual organ of the state. In fact, in 829, Emperor Vanlin VI made himself the Vicar of Tylofost, the high cleric of the Tylofoston community, and the title resided with the emperors until Ionomîs returned the office to the priesthood in 1159. It remains the dominant Chingolun sect in the empire and, despite its universal message, maintains a strong historical and spiritual connection to Arqualan and its empire. In fact, the appearance and reign of the Illuminarch Ionomîs is considered to be the confirmation of the sect’s truth and the first realization of its promise.

Cosmogony

Tylofost’s scrutiny of the Chingol scriptures led him to a very nuanced view of the Hyper-Divinity and the nature of the universe. He argued that the common view of the universe as a distinct thing, yet an imperfect reflection of the Zactoborion was logically inconsistent. He rejected also the belief of many that the Hyper-Divinity was both omnipotent and willful, both because the scriptures and oral traditions dispute it, and he argued that we would witness frequent breakdowns and reversals in the law of nature. The position of Tylofostonism is that the Hyper-Divinity is highly impersonal, bound to obey the constraints of his universe and his own character. Theirs is a Zactoborion who either has little inclination to personally intervene in the mundane events of the world, except through the principles that He used to organize the universe and create life within it. To the Tylofosti, the timeless Zactoborion has already seen the course of the universe and is content that His plan is perfectly fulfilled. Nevertheless, His compassion for creation led Him to bid the lesser Gods and Goddesses to incarnate, so that they could guide and protect mortals and assuage them in their times of woe.

Furthermore, he argued that the perfect essence of the Hyper-Divinity, even though impregnated in an imperfect, impure universe could not be corrupted in and of itself, and therefore could not be the cause of evil and misery in the world. The Tylofoston view held that evil, just as well as virtuous behavior, was controlled through free will and that free will is the factor that motivates and directs the perfect and immutable soul. It was through the application of reason and conscience, both quantities that derived from the Hyper-Divinity, that one led a virtuous life and attained higher levels of spiritual perfection.

Tylofoston views on the various Spheres of Perception are also highly developed when compared to most other Chingolun persuasions. Gone are the wild, unimaginable domains beyond the laws of the universe, replaced with ordered and constrained worlds amenable to Tylofost’s teachings. Also developed was the belief in Spheres of Perception inferior to the material world, where those who live unvirtuous or evil lives are translated to. These are still orderly and “natural” worlds, but with more hardship and privation, while the higher Spheres are progressively more blissful, fecund, and fulfilling. These inferior spheres amount to hells of sorts, while the superior ones are analogous to heavenly paradises. If a person is wicked enough, his hell is so terrible and restrictive that it is no longer possible for him to atone for his wrongdoings and choose righteousness of his own accord, and only the divine grace of the Hyper-Divinity or one of His lieutenants is sufficient to save him. Similarly, the more righteous one is, the easier it is to become yet moreso and ultimately achieve reunion with God-Most-High.

Ritual and Worship

As one might expect, the Tylofosti focus on the traditional Arqi deities, but they are no less inclusive than the bulk of the Chingolun, and they readily adapt foreign deities and heroes to pay homage to. Chief among the Tylofosti deities are Arqiva, the personification of Arqi culture, values, language, and accomplishments; Senteniel, a deity associated with the sea and commerce, god of storms and patron of mariners, Zylen, goddess of the home and protector of families; and of course the God-Emperor Ionomîs, the divine wisdom and advocate of mankind. Other important deities include Ecospor, a goddess of fertility, crops, and healing; Arcanudo, the divine archivist and helper of the dead; Herpion, the warrior god; and Tulset, god of gates, transitions, diplomacy, and deception. (It should be noted that while Tulset is important and respected among the Arqi, his personality is much darker than his foreign incarnations. Although he never directly lies, he is often misleading and stingy with the truth. This was one of the reasons that Tylofost took issue with many of the original Chingol doctrines.)

Arqi rituals tend to reflect their conservative values, and are usually modest and restrained, but highly thorough. “It behooves man,” writes Tylofost, “to be respectful and gracious toward the gods, but be neither servile nor infantile.” Tylofosti are expected to honor the gods and goddesses for their contributions to their well-being and to commemorate divine intervention whenever it is experienced, but to avoid both excessive pleading for their assistance or attributing every event either to their favor or displeasure. As always, the form of worship depends upon the particular deity, but mostly takes the form of brief prayers and some symbolic offering, usually something innocuous like lighting a candle or sprinkling perfumed water. Animal sacrifices and large, public feats are sometimes performed, but are generally rare as they are considered wasteful. It is believed that what is most pleasing to the gods is to utilize one’s good fortune to assist others, dedicate generous or merciful acts to their name, and generally honor them by giving others a good turn.

Scripture

In addition to the core books of the Chingolun faith (in the Tylofoston translations, of course), the Tylofosti recognize these additional scriptures as canonical:

· Ponix Scupero, the Great Compendium, is a huge, multi-volume study of the finer points of Chingol theology, including subjects such as the afterlife, virtue, and the relationship between gods and men.

· Contrapido, or Meditations, is Tylofost’s famous treatise on the nature of the Hyper-Divinity, reason, and conscience.

· Analeton, this great heroic epic by Sentimo Dolominio tells the story of the traditional Arqi gods and the legendary history of their civilization between the time of the Great Ruin and the Dandrit ages.

Thuderites

Overview

The Thuderites are a Chingolun sect dedicated to the worship and study of Thuder the Deviser, God of Invention and the Practical Application of Knowledge. While Thuder is celerbrated and praised by many throughout Arqualan, owing to his status as a powerful ally of Ionomîs, Thuderite devotion goes far beyond this. Thuderism is essentially a mystery cult; while maintaining a visible and open outer layer, to enter the inner circle entails deep immersion into the Technical Mysteries and indeed the very secrets of creation.

Devotees of the cult must of necessity possess profoundly analytical minds, curiosity, and well-grounded rationality as they study the all-encompassing knowledge of the ancients and the development of wondrous devices. Yet even more important than this formulation of the novel is their role as stewards of the caches of relic technology and the databanks of knowledge that survived Great Ruin. Thuderite monasteries and temples are often founded nearby such storehouses of antiquity and more closely resemble fabulous fortresses and factories than holy buildings. Unlike the more mundane industrial buildings in the empire, however, Thuderite installations are astonishingly vast and clean, with soaring towers and gleaming white facades, reminiscent of the sublime glory of the ancients’ palaces.

Alongside the quest to reclaim and transcend the glory of the ancients exists a serious ethical aspect. Thuderites hold that the source of evil is acting on inaccurate or incomplete knowledge, leading a person to act without consideration of the consequences, or developing a flawed morality. They devote much of their time to studying and debating the merits and dangers of a new discovery, attempting to sort out the moral ramifications of introducing it into the world at large and recommending caution and introspection in the adoption of certain technologies. Rarely, a discovery will be deemed too dangerous or of no redeeming moral value, and further development will be forbidden. These circumstances aside, the free proliferation of information is regarded as important as its initial discovery by most mainstream Thuderites.

From the standpoint of many outsiders, the secrecy of the Thuderite rites and the impenetrability of its organization breed suspicion. Initiation to the inner structure of the Cult require bonds of loyalty that eclipse even family ties and connections to society at large, contributing to all manner of accusations. Some believe their secrecy hides sinister perversions and debasement of true religious thought, descending into superstition, sacrilege, and even witchcraft. Others charge them with disloyalty to Arqualan, or paint them as haters of the human race. Unfortunately, these misunderstandings are compounded by devotees found hoarding esoteric technologies and hiding their findings; whether this is done out of jealousy and greed or legitimate concern for their impact is immaterial to most individuals.

Scripture

· Zelsenwrac is the name of a text that no one has ever seen in its complete form, and indeed, may never be completed. Less holy scripture than the ultimate goal of Thuderism, it comprises all the knowledge of the physical universe as well as architectural and engineering principles and designs. Although it is not strictly correct to refer to anything other than the complete work as Zelsenwrac, many novices and outsiders use the term to signify the enormous libraries and data cores of the Cult. There are those Thuderites who believe that Thuder himself is the manifestation of Zelsenwrac, simultaneously the finished product and the evolving knowledge, but this is a topic too esoteric for most.