Like in any other world, religion and philosophy play an important role in culture and customs of societies, both on a personal and public level. There's an obvious myriad of various belief systems worldwide, with each inhabited corner of the globe providing its own unique examples.
As a continent, Aporue is mostly dominated by a few particular monotheistic religions (subdivided into further groupings, such as churches), and by philosophical currents reminescent of those seen in various strands of European philosophy from roughly the 15th to the 18th century. Numerically, humans of the “present day” mostly favour monotheism, with more archaic beliefs or deistic/atheistic outlooks being rarer. Most species of beastpeoples also follow established monotheistic churches, but there's a higher number of them following traditional religions, compared to Aporue's human inhabitants. Some of these traditional religions are practiced by several species (including humans), but several are wholly unique to one particular beastfolk species. Philosophy in Aporue focuses both on religious and worldly topics (the latter include things as varies as natural sciences, mathematics, art and esthetics, statecraft and diplomacy, and so on).
History
The beginnings of the main Aporuean churches lie in Archontian times, the times of the Old Empire. Distraught about what they perceived as sloth, decadence and greed, a group of period philosophers – religious ones as well as early scholars – claimed to have been divinely contacted and influenced by The One, which they also named the Creator and the Maker. While by far not the first monotheistic religion in the world, the Faith of the Maker became the first major evangelically minded monotheistic faith of the known world.
For a long time, despite the occassional infighting and dynastic disputes, the empire's four corners reasonably flourished. The empire dabbled a lot in scholarly pursuits and the study of magic, developed primitive forms of advanced technology, built immense infrastructure throughout parts of three different continents, but was eventually brought down by changing geopolitics outside its borders and its own pile-up of internal problems. While the Old Empire was a cosmopolitan, varied, multicultural and multireligious place, it's variety not only made it one of the most powerful polities in history, but also brought about tensions and an inherent risk of instability.
In the waning centuries of the Old Empire, newer religious movements, often based as much on philosophy and naturalist scholarship as on rituals and transcendentalism, started to gain a lot of traction. Some just offered new avenues of worship or answers to people in troubled times, but there were also a few that focused on social criticism and charity. Among these was also a group of religious prophets who adopted the ideals of a particular monotheistic religion that had been previously at home only in a single region of the Empire. These prophets, male and female, came from varying social backgrounds, but they all shared their growing belief in the Creator/Maker and the divine inspiration he granted them. They were determined to disseminate the divine teachings and thus help redeem what they saw as a society mired in self-centeredness and hedonism.
Recognition of this faith came late in the empire's history, and even then, only in some parts of the Empire. By this point, the Empire was balkanising thoroughly and in general decline. Some parts of the Empire adopted the new faith as their state religion. After the disappearance of the Empire, many successor states eventually adopted the new religion. However, with relatively few voices to give it unity, the religion itself underwent some early disputes and schisms concerning dogma, teachings and practices. This split culminated when one of the additional leaders and missionaires from the Empire's southwest proclaimed himself a final prophet, the final major successor to the previous prophets. This split what was once a single religion into two increasingly diverging ones. Over the many centuries, the older and the newer branch further fractured into several new churches or schools of thought, with the occassional heresy in-between.
The Maker
The Maker (also referred to as the Creator, Worldshaper, Naturesmith, One, etc., or just God) is the central and only deity of the faith. Both of the major historical branches of the faith agree that there are no other deities in existence, but disagreements on specifics slowly mount as one studies these religions further.
The Maker, though often spoken of in masculine terms, is an amorphous and abstract entity, beyond any physical form or mundane understanding. He created the universe and everything in it, serves as its eternal guardian and is portrayed as strict and principled, but benevolent and understanding. Per traditional teachings, God is a constant overseer and protector of the mundane world, but makes his presence known or communicates with it either very infrequently or via indirect means (nature, people in need, etc.). The Maker doesn't perform supernatural acts blatantly and openly, and encourages his followers to instead make the best of even a hard situation. Their earthly existence is meant as a test of character and a rite of passage before they can ascend into the more pleasant corners of the afterlife.
To better humanity, the Maker gradually chose twelve different people, 8 men and 4 women, as his prophets. According to the faith's teachings, he placed his trust in these people because they represented certain ideals to strive for, or were souls seeking redemption for their own sins, mistakes and misgivings.
Worship of the Maker occurs as much in private (usually via prayers, both outside and inside) as it does in public, in purpose-built places of worship (various shrines, temples, chapels, churches, and other houses of God). Places of public worship are commonly decorated, outside and inside, with differing numbers and variations of religious symbols that are associated with the faith (see further section for details on symbols).
The Thirteen Prophets
The founders of the faith (shared by both of its major branchings), constitute twelve worldly prophets (8 male, 4 female) and a single supernatural prophet. The former represent emissaries of God among the people, while the latter represents the Maker's presence in the mundane world in a more direct manner.
The initial prophets were four and were later dubbed “The Four”, or popularly “The Crux”. They weren't just religious philosphers or hermits, but also naturalists and scholars. Not long after the original four started spreading the word of the Creator, they were gradually joined by eight more prophets. These were eventually dubbed “The Adherents”, and due to each of the first four prophets taking them in as their pupils, they are also referred to as “pupil of (name of Crux prophet)”. Each of these twelve people had a different personal backstory and somewhat differing worldview, but working together, they realised how much they share and how much more effective they are at preaching the faith.
These twelve people became the founders of this new religion. As they spread the faith throughout the Empire, often persecuted when they were perceived as threatening the established order, they slowly gathered further disciples and missionaires for their cause. In addition, already in the early years of the faith, the Maker told his chosen prophets that there is also a Thirteenth Prophet. Rather than a specific person, this is an abstract being who is meant to represent the Maker's very essence directly within his creations. The Maker explained that this is how he chooses to visit the mundane world, in order to walk among his children and observe their daily lives and decisions. The Thirteenth Prophet can take on several guises, usually of a member of one of the sapient species, of either of the two sexes. The commonest guise is that of the Needy Stranger, or of the Pilgrim - the Maker showing himself to his children as an ordinary person in need of their help.
1. Confid – Prophet of Faith (Piety) and Trust. One of The Crux, teacher of Dolat and Nikenos.
2. Ekkur – Prophetess of Compassion and Mercy. One of The Crux, teacher of Oxala and Sana.
3. Arkus – Prophet of Honest Labour and Diligence. One of The Crux, teacher of Mehan and Verden.
4. Gnos – Prophet of Wisdom and Learning. One of The Crux, teacher of Zoén and Ravé.
5. Oxala – Prophetess of True Love and Selflessness. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Ekkur.
6. Dolat – Prophet of Truth and Justice. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Confid.
7. Zoén – Prophet of Safeguarding Nature and Life. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Gnos.
8. Mehan – Prophet of Handicraft and Invention. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Arkus.
9. Ravé – Prophetess of Arts and Creativity. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Gnos.
10. Sana – Prophetess of Healing and Consolation. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Ekkur.
11. Verden – Prophet of Protection and Defence. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Arkus.
12. Nikenos – Prophet of Generosity and Charity. One of The Adherents, a pupil of Confid.
13. The Needy Stranger / The Pilgrim / The Maker’s Child – The ultimate prophet. The „Prophet for All Seasons“. Unnamed, unknown, of no distinct species, gender or any other characteristics, he or she is just one of many of the Maker’s children. And yet, he or she is the vessel of the Maker into the mundane world, a divine messenger and scout of the Maker, sent to observe and test the piety and goodness of the faithful. The Child comes in the guise of The Pilgrim, the Needy Stranger, a worldly, flesh-and-blood incarnation of the Creator, and can be just about any male or female suffering need, suffering despair, suffering injustice. How one treats the Pilgrim is a trial by the Maker. As the thirteenth commandment puts it: „The Maker might reside behind the face of any stranger.“ However, the Maker’s Child is a prophet or prophetess that will never openly reveal himself or herself while the world is in existence. Not until the ending of the universe itself, and that will only be announced by the Maker himself. On the final day of all creation, the Maker will make himself known to every living being and he will send his Child to guide the meek and virtuous to Paradise, and punish the sinful with a long wait for Absolution, or with outright Damnation.
Notable “church fathers” and common saints
Hahke of Oronta – One of the early major philosophers of the new religion, laid the foundations of the faith's moral and scientific philosophy. (Augustin of Hippo equivalent, basically.)
Scribo of Zaranda – The first great chronicler of the Faith’s history and developments. The term for scribe was eventually derived from his name, via popular use.
St. Arbogast -
St. Borek -
St. Hervil -
St. Unis -
St. Varda -
Symbols
There are plenty of varying religious symbols in the faith, depicting basic as well as more complex concepts. Much like in real world history, a lot of the typical stylings for these symbols depend on the particular church or movement that uses them. Among the more basic symbols, there are different symbols for just the Maker, just the Prophets, or for both.
One of the most widespread, widely seen religious symbols of Aporue, is a simple, regular four-pointed star. Called simply the Holy Star, it represents The Maker, and its four points represent The Crux, i.e. the Maker's first four prophets. In most cases, this symbol is further divided on the inside to create geometrical shapes that bring the references up to the number twelve, or the number thirteen (i.e. to more complete depictions of the roster of prophets). Holy Star symbols are a common element of religious architecture and religious items, constructed or drawn from materials as varied as wood, metals, glass, ink, and much more. A recurring and iconic element of Aporuean religious architecture are elevated parts of a place of worship - usually in the form of a steeple or spire - that carries a larger Holy Star symbol at its top.
Tenets and dogmas
Some overall tenets and dogmas of the faith (briefly paraphrased, in no particular order, with commentary):
- There is One God, he is the Creator and Maker, do not worship anyone or anything else. The prophets, fathers and saints of the Faith are not deities, and should only be worshipped as holy (but mortal) men and women.
- Treat your fellow man with kindness, fairness and honesty, regardless of age, gender and cultural/natural background. The Creator is ever vigilant of how you treat others and how you think of them.
- Honest hard work, physical or mental, is part of worshipping the Maker, not just religious rituals, prayer, etc. Idleness is a mortal sin. (This was a major tenet in reaction to what the prophets saw as unbridled hedonism.)
- Humans and beastfolk are equals, enslavement and slavery is a mortal sin. (One of the reasons this religion proved so successful with evangelising from early on.)
- Help the needy and the less fortunate, look after the poor, the orphaned, the old, sick and dying, etc., etc.
- Treat all of creation with respect, as it is the Maker's work, but do not worship his work. Creation is a part of the Maker himself, including everyone alive.
- Do not frown upon science and learned matters, because faith and knowledge must go hand in hand. (This, along with the “be hard-working” teachings, is what eventually helps kickstart a new scientific and industrial revolution many centuries later. With the churches' support, no less.)
- Magic is not necessarily all evil, but magic is easily abusable and one should avoid sinning by relying on even the simplest forms of magic. The Creator gave his children the gift of free will, but warned them of temptations. One such temptation was abuse of magic, which among other things led to the banishing of God's children from Paradise, or to the fall of the Old Empire and other “societies that started to fester in decadence”.
- According to the creation myth, the earliest peoples lived in a paradise, but the Creator banished them after they were tempted to reshape the world with magic, immitating God. That day, the spiritual and earthly realms were split into two, with Paradise now reserved only to those who would work hard to reach it. And by work hard, God was being literal (according to the prophets): Ergo, work hard, pray hard, avoid hedonism, gain reacceptance of your souls into Paradise. With the catch that bodies cannot follow, for they have been tainted by worldliness and hedonism when they defied God with that old sinning in Paradise. Only souls can return. According to the Faith, those who try to rebuild Paradise on earth, often only via physical pleasure and abundance, are doomed to fail.
- Some churchly fathers and other philosophers have argued that any sort of fun equals sinful hedonism. However, this is no one's official doctrine or dogma, save for those few fringe radicals.
Churches and their organisational structures
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