Al Kuliya
Doctrines
The sacred history of Al Kuliya aligned with that of Kada until a heavenly cataclysm occurred, as described by prophets, fragmenting the gods into pieces. In the aftermath, the positive energies of the six deities coalesced into a single entity: Kuliya (literally meaning Completeness or Totality in the language of the first Kuliyans). The negative energies of the gods were then scattered across the world. Kuliya, seeking to eliminate evil, is engaged in a constant spiritual battle against these energies, over which it is believed it will eventually triumph. Al Kuliya places emphasis on the concept of humanity’s free will. It is therefore the responsibility of a Kuliyan to spiritually assist Kuliya in Their battle against evil by behaving in a moral fashion. While the exact definition of moral behavior is subject to debate, the dominant opinion of those of the faith is that a moral action is one that provides the greatest benefit to one’s community. As a result, cultures in which Al Kuliya is the dominant religion tend to exhibit communal tendencies, where personal sacrifice is viewed as sacred.Sacred Texts and Artifacts
In the teachings of Kuliya, all knowledge of the world is granted by Their grace and must be treated as holy. As such, all temples have worship rooms filled with scrolls and codices (for the more modern studies) on biology, geography, geology, agriculture, crafting, arcane studies, and most importantly the teachings of Kuliya. The Kuliyan Texts is a combination of Kaddite lore and documentation of the fall of the old gods and their rebirth as Kuliya (the all-god). These scrolls are treated with the utmost reverence and relevant texts are read on worship days. The general shape language of holy Kuliyan objects or buildings features rounded or organic forms. Designs based around floral motifs are especially common on both smaller personal objects and grander displays. Holy buildings often feature a domed central room where worship primarily takes place. If a sacred object is broken, it is carefully repaired with golden materials, so as to recreate the object with more glory than before. Generally, direct depictions of Kuliya are avoided, as the common belief is that Their form is impossible to properly capture. In earlier times, and in places with higher Kadite populations, Kuliya is occasionally depicted as a chimeric beast, combining elements of the old gods. More commonly, They are represented through a decorated circle, often featuring complex organic motifs or mended fractures.Acts of Worship
The average Kuliyan attends worship services on a weekly basis, at the end of each week. As part of the service, a tithe is paid to the temple priests, either in the form of money, goods, or services. The resources are then partially given to the upper levels of the religious authority for distribution, while the rest is used to support the temple itself. After the rites of service are performed, community events typically take place in and around the temples. Temples are often elaborate structures with a focus on bringing life into a space. Major temples are supplied with water, either via local bodies of water, or via wells, and are filled with a wide variety of plants, serving decorative, sustaining, or medicinal purposes. These gardens are carefully attended to by the temple monks, people who devote their lives to Kuliya and maintaining Their gifts. Temples thus serve as both a religious center and a place of healing and learning, where scholars and pilgrims alike gather. Though one day is designated for communal temple worship, Kuliyans are encouraged to practice their faith in their everyday lives by serving their community and celebrating Kuliya.Festivals
There are three major festivals in the Al Kuliya religion: the Day of Completeness, Solutaris, and Summer's End.Day of Completeness
This celebration is held at the start of the new year, starting on the last night of the previous year and continuing until sunrise on the next day. During the night is when the War of Kada occurs and Kuliyans stay up until sunrise to celebrate the rise of Kuliya. Special food and sweets are sold to citizens coming to engage in the festivities. Children use this day to travel to their community temple or gather at a neighbor's house where they participate in carols or help clean up for the upcoming year. Afterward, they are rewarded with gifts or more sweet treats. Parades are held that depict the story of the unification of Kuliya. Parades start with people dressed as monsters and floats depicting natural disasters such as floods, volcano eruptions, and massive storms, which represent the chaos the world was in. Then, the Kuliyans representing the six gods from the Kada religion reenact their sacrifice, breaking apart and coming back together to form the true god, Kuliya. Kuliya is typically depicted with symbolic figures and other representations.Solutaris
This festival is held at varying times of the year, starting when the winter weather finally lifts up and the snows begin to melt, making way for warm spring weather. This holiday lasts about a week and is dedicated to the community and every citizen is expected to participate in the clean-up and repairs that encompass this festival. After a long winter, Kuliyans help each other with repairs to houses and buildings. They also clean and clear up the brush and burn anything that is deemed unnecessary to clear up space for the year's harvest season. Throughout the whole festival, Kuliyans are expected to engage in daily prayer and fasting, which they can break later when the festival ends with a feast.Summer's End
Summer's End occurs right before harvest begins, allowing a few days of rest before working to harvest their food and grain. Kuliyans use this time to celebrate their hard work during the previous season with decorative lanterns, painting murals and street art, wearing flowers, decorating buildings with flowers, and holding small firework shows at night. Kuliyans can rest or have fun during this time before they must go back to work to harvest all of their crops.Denominations
Al Kuliya is derived from the Kada religion, and as such their main mythos aligns to an extent. The main myth of Al Kuliya, and that which separates it from Kada, is The Cataclysm where the Kaddite Gods brought war that shattered them all and later formed a single god, Kuliya. Within the Al Kuliya religion, there is a common debate over whether this war is literal or metaphorical. Some sects also believe this story is a prophecy of a god's war yet to come while others argue that this war has already happened and Kuliya has already risen from the splinters of the 6 Kaddite gods. Although Kuliyans all worship the same singular god, they are mainly divided into three groups over the details of The Cataclysm and the War of Kada and what it means for them as followers of the religion.Hierarchy
In the Al Kuliya religion, the chain of command from lowest to highest is listed out like so: apprentices, temple monks, temple leaders, regional councils, and the high Kuliyan council. Messengers don't have a predetermined position as they are well respected but can be ordered by any monk to assist temple needs. They are also typically field researchers and their job is to deliver correspondences or trade books and goods. Apprentices are monks in training and typically do menial labor. The Temple Monks look after temples, teach classes, do research, and offer spiritual guidance to others. At each temple, one monk is assigned to be a Temple Leader, their job is to care for monks and citizens of the area. Regional Councils oversee a region's activities while the High Kuliyan Council is the highest order of monks, who oversee all Kuliyan teachings. They meet once every year to discuss the reach of their religion and any new discoveries made that may impact them, among other things. Marriage is a less common concept as Kuliyans tend to hold the community in greater value than dedicating themselves to one person. Lower classes tend to lead more commune-style lives and children born in the community are often raised by the entire community. Those in the upper classes tend to be more independent and separated from the community as they dedicate themselves to higher callings.Criticisms
The practice of tithing is often criticized by outsiders as a limiting factor in the mobility of community members. According to teachings, the money collected is expected to be allocated back towards communities with the most need. However, a large degree of trust is placed in the temple leaders and council members who handle the money collected; embezzlement—though illegal—is not uncommon. Al Kuliya’s practice of “unity,” though often good-hearted, often results in the rejection of outsiders. Most Kuliyan Council members preach a total shunning of those who are not Kuliyan. Kuliyans, accordingly, are frequently prone to a sense of superiority. Many of the learned folk in the temples of Tel Rialis reject these ideas, but those who voice dissenting opinions too loud quickly find themselves removed from their posts. While the council lacks official power beyond firing their clergy members, obduracy against the official stance of the Kuliyan Council may escalate to a trial in front of the leader of the kingdom, with dire consequences. Personal neglect is another common criticism of Kuliyan culture, especially from Kadites. There is an emphasis on self-sacrifice for the needs of the larger community in the teachings. As such, asking for assistance on a personal matter is generally frowned upon and people who are seen as frequent "burdens" may be looked down upon—or even shunned. Those in continual mental or physical distress often try to hide their personal needs for the sake of saving face in front of others.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
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