Faith of A'ru

The Faith of A’ru is the traditional religion of the Edofasians. Among the oldest ruins in Terra are Edofasian temples that acted as self sufficient communes. As time passed and concepts like agriculture were discovered. Edofasian families from these ancient temples would found villages and towns that would be the basis for the Clan system. The Faith of A’ru believes that the Gods are beings from beyond the stars that travel planet to planet, attempting to perfect Humanity whom they created. Our planet was another failure and we were set for destruction. However one God. A’ru. Took pity upon humanity and taught them the 36 Lessons (The first of two Holy Books in the faith) This knowledge was used by A’ru and two other Gods (Lugh and an unnamed God, all three usually being referred to as the Tribunal) to rebel against the other Gods for the sake of Humanity.(This event correlates with what the world calls Year Zero) Humanity was led by the Horator, a champion trained by A'ru himself. The rebellion was a success and the other gods withdrew from the world. However the Tribunal gods plotted against A’ru. Ripping out his heart. The Horator cursed them when he discovered this, their followers banished from Terra (the land of the North West continent where the Faithful believe Humanity was created) the Tribunal gods slayed the Horator. But he vowed to always return to defend his people.

The 36 Lessons Not all of the sermons are for masses of the faithful. Most of the time, just the lessons on how to treat one another and organize humanity are focused on by the Speakers of the Temple. The book begins with

“You can hear the words, so run away Come, Horator, unfold into a clear unknown, Stay quiet until you've slept in the yesterday, And say no elegies for the melting stone”

An excerpt from A'rus deceleration of Rebellion: “Let us now guide the hands of the Horator in war and its aftermath. For we go different, and in thunder. This is our destiny. The Horator needs me to understand. The sword is an impatient signature. Write no contracts on the dead.”

A'ru (now dead) speaks to the Horator in the afterlife “You alone, though you come again and again, can unmake him. Whether I allow it is within my wisdom.The temporal myth is man. Reach heaven by violence. This magic I give to you: the world you will save is only an intermittent hope and you must be the letter written in uncertainty.’

When confronting the Tribunal Gods, the Horator was disgusted when offered a chance to become King of Humanity and rebuked then by saying

'The moon does not recognize crowns or scepters,' they said, 'nor the representatives of kingdoms below, lion or serpent or mathematician. We are the graves of those that have migrated and become ancient countries. We seek no Queens or thrones. Your appearance is decidedly solar, which is to say a library of stolen ideas. We are neither tear nor sorrow. Our revolution succeeded in the manner that it was written.”

“You are the Hortator and unwelcome here.' was the response

As he died he said, 'I am not of the slaves that perish.What you have done here today is foul beyond measure and you will grow to regret it, for the lives of gods are not what mortals think and matters that weigh only years to mortals weigh on gods forever.”

Within the inner enclaves of the Faith, the belief in Apotheosis is held. The higher ranks believe that the Horator achieved a quasi, broken godhood by following the secret lessons of A'ru. These fragments are a small insight into that “process”

'Look at the majesty sideways and all you see is the Tower, which our ancestors made idols from. Look at its center and all you see is the begotten hole, second serpent, womb-ready for the Right Reaching, exact and without enchantment. Look at the secret triangular gate sideways and you see the secret Tower. 'The secret Tower within the Tower is the shape of the only name of God, I.’

The lesson in which the Rebellion against the gods was fought was very popular during colonial times:

For these were the days of Terra, when Edofasian and Cenaesii lived under the wise and benevolent rule of the Tribunal and their champion the Horator. The fledgling spirits of Men were strong in Old Times; Unafraid to war with Gods and their weapons; But the Gods only shot them down and broke their hearts Out of their fortresses they came with golden ballistae that walked and mighty machines and things that spat flame and things that made killing songs Their high priest was Arcus the Blighter. Under mountains and over them the war with the Gods raged, and then came the northern men to help Arcus. Leading the armies of the Edofasian was the slave that would not perish, the Horator. Men of Brass (a name for the Cenaesii Clan) destroyed the eleven gates of the Mourning Hold.