The Guiding Light

The Guiding Light is the predominant faith among the Tiravela Elves, which mostly inhabit the nation of Tirel, located in the easternmost parts of The Conflux Sea.
It is also known as "The Creed of Tiriel", named after the mysterious Elven figure which led the Tiravela to their new homeland, following the events of The Burning of the First Tree (see: The Elven Strain).
Also often referred to as "Jesaia", which roughly translates to Savior, The Guiding Light is viewed by the followers of the creed as an ascended version of Tiriel, their light guarding and guiding the faithful on their way even long after their death.
Despite being a faith which finds its roots in the history and struggles of The Tiravela Elves, The Guiding Light is practiced by a wide variety of people from other Strains and nations as well. Temples and Monasteries dedicated to The Guiding Light can be found as far north as Griselderyn and as far west as Kathachushan, founded by wandering preachers and pilgrims, and often maintained by the local converted populace.
The Faith is generally focused on adventure, charitable living, personal integrity, redemption and the community of the faithful.

Quick Summary:

The Creed of Tiriel tells the story of how The Jesaia led The Tiravela out of The Devoj Wilderness by performing countless miracles: parting The Emerald Sea, taming the Storms of The Stormsoul Peaks, subjugating the wilderness of Yambuku and even calling upon the stars, creating a bridge of light for the faithful to cross The Conflux Sea.
From there, the Tiravela would settle Tirel, a land which at the time was hostile and untamed, inhabited by the accursed remnants of an ancient civilization, the name of which is now all but lost to time. It would take many decades to drive the accursed back far enough to where the Tiravela could properly establish themselves, and even longer for them to learn how to counteract The Shade (see: Tirel ).
Tirel would continue to be led by The Jesaia until their death, when they would finally be laid to rest in a secret location, unknown to all but their most devoted followers at the time. As most stories go, those followers took this secret to the grave, though this would not prevent people from claiming that they had "found" The Saviors Grave in the many centuries since then. Some legends claim that, with the death of The Jesaia, the lands of Tirel were infused with their divine will, which finally forced back The Shade. The ones believing this usually also claim that, should The Jesaia’s grave ever be found and defiled, The Shade would reclaim Tirel once again, superstition… probably.

Core Beliefs:

The Creed of Tiriel is malleable and capable of adjusting to the needs and preferences of most people like few others. Its most fundamental message, one of charity, humility, integrity and belief in the fundamental good in each and every person is one which resonates with many. The faithful generally also don’t denounce or even discourage the practice of other religions, favoring the importance of their core ideals above strict adherence to tradition or dogma: What matters is that they get to the destination, not how they choose to get there.

The Light Within:

The First and most fundamental principle of The Guiding Light: each and every person holds within them a light, The Argia. It’s not an actual light of course, more like a metaphysical manifestation of that person's wants, needs, beliefs, ideals and attachments, something that other people might refer to as The Soul.
At birth, The Argia is bright but small, a pure, but weak light. Only through our lived experience as we age, experience joy and hardship, love and loss, the beginnings and ends of relationships does The Argia grow, become more powerful and complex.
Our experiences are what shape The Argia: Those who experience great love and belonging from their early years are nurtured into great beacons of light, while those who predominantly experience tragedy, sorrow, hatred and rejection have their light smothered beneath the ashes of those who came before them. However, even the smallest ember can ignite into a great flame if nurtured properly. No one is beyond redemption, so long as they truly want it.
With all this it is important to remember that the brightest lights can often be blinding, and even a fire set up to provide warmth and shelter can cause great harm if not properly managed and maintained. The maintenance of one's Argia is not a “one-and-done” situation but a continuous effort. Neither is “absolute purity” particularly desirable, for in the absence of darkness, light loses all meaning. There is little virtue in faith untested or purity in the absence of struggle, for both of those have little to do with the lived experience of most people. Without this, how can one expect to reach those of lesser fortune?

The Light Without:

The Second fundamental principle of The Guiding Light: Joy is infectious, and a single flickering flame can ignite countless others. As such, it is not only an expectation, but a duty for those with the means to go out into the world and let their inner light shine. They must illuminate the path wherever they may find themselves, so that those of lesser fortune may find their way to redemption, if they so wish it.
In short, Altruism is paramount. It is through acts of good and kindness, both big and small, that we can let our inner light shine to the outside, for what purpose is there in light kept to oneself? What might seem insignificant to oneself could be the single glimmer of hope in the life of another, that might guide them towards a better path and a new life.

Afterlife:

The Guiding Light actually has no canonized principles on life after death, and its followers usually adapt the traditions and ideas of whatever place they find themselves in. This leads to some wildly different theories:
Some claim that the souls of the dead are the stars which illuminate the night sky, while others say that Tiriel shepherds the Souls of the dead to a place without suffering. In some communities the belief of reincarnation reigns supreme, and others again claim that there is no afterlife, stating instead that it is only our actions here and now that truly matter.

Followers and Worship:

The previously mentioned tolerance is what has allowed The Guiding Light to spread as far as it has, though it is also the source of the fracturing of traditions over the millenia. Besides its core beliefs, a community in Kathachushan, Griselderyn or Zagesi might have little to nothing in common with one in Tirel. This doesn’t mean that members of those different communities would have problems with each other, just that, to the uninitiated at least, the two seem like they might as well practice a different faith.
While there might be some particularly influential individuals, local saints or even wordly leaders that follow The Guiding Light, there is no such thing as a central authority, such as a high priest or priestess. Communities of the faithful are generally locally organized, though there is of course a lot of exchange and correspondence between them, facilitated first and foremost through Norazon, more commonly known as “The Great Pilgrimage”.

Norazon, The Great Pilgrimage:

The Norazon is a pilgrimage which every able-bodied follower of The Guiding Light is expected to undertake during their life, a journey to acquire worldliness, experience, discover who they are and carry their inner light into the world. Pilgrims usually start from their place of birth and travel to one or several communities of the faithful in lands far away. On the way they are supposed to help the people they encounter and learn of their ways and teachings, often spending years, if not decades on the road and immersed in different cultures and ways of life.
As it should be, for what truly matters here is the journey itself, not the destination. Most that undertake The Norazon return home after a few years, enriched by their experiences out in the world, bringing back stories, teaching and technologies from faraway lands. Others choose to remain with one of the communities they visit during their pilgrimage or even found a new one, to further spread the teachings of The Guiding Light.
Finally there are those who never settle down, those who’s pilgrimage never ends. These individuals are often referred to as Ibatarias, or “Those Who Wander” and their reasons for doing so can be manifold. They may simply prefer the “Vagabond Lifestyle” to settled life, or be driven by a hunger for adventure and discovery, or simply believe that their work out in the world is not yet done.
Their desire to do good in the world wherever they may go often causes pilgrims of The Guiding Light to involve themselves with things they really have no business sticking their noses into. Many struggles for independence and revolts against cruel or unpopular overlords were aided by followers of The Guiding Light around the world. This has garnered them a reputation as troublemakers and ner-do-wells among the ruling classes of more authoritarian polities, a stigma most of them wear like a badge of honor.

Tenets:

Be the Light: In a world full of suffering and sorrow, it falls to those fortunate enough to carry a mighty gleam within them to make the lives of those less fortunate a little brighter. So be the light, burn bright, and carry the fire of hope into the night.
Light the Way: Be the light which shines the way for those of lesser fortune. Lead by example, for we cannot expect those who have only lived in darkness to return to the light on their own.
Shelter the Embers: Judge not another for their past, for you do not know the sorrows which were inflicted upon them. Be instead the gentle hands which shield the fading embers of their heart, for they may one day burn as bright as your own. Be they so willing, none are beyond redemption.

Titles & Aliases:

Tiriel
The Jesaia
The Savior