Aeonic Way

The Æonic Way is a recently founded religion, most prominent in Tau Elpis. It is based around a collection of Boshaari and Mewei ideas and beliefs, fused together into a centralized faith system. In doing so, its followers seek to identify and worship demi-gods called Æons, and through spiritual, arcane and mundane knowledge, understand the true reality that hides behind the Universe itself.
Initially an offshoot of Fallanism, the Way posits that the Inheritor, central deity of the Chantry of the Void, is but one of several divine entities watching over the peoples of Tau Elpis and the universe as a whole, as was demonstrated during the Trials of the Great Jump.

Origins

The teachings of the Way were first disseminated in 78 SA by Boshaari priest Alyssa Devir on Aistanar. Her novel approach to the teachings of the Chantry of the Void earned her a few followers, and soon little shrines defected or were established to follow her teachings.
Beyond understanding the nature of divinity and reality, the WAy seeks to answer several questions raised by the Tau Elpis community - namely, it seeks to provide a holistic answer to the Dubious Coincidence Hypothesis, which asserts that the chances of stumbling upon a functional Yoni Ark programmed to jump to a system of perfectly terraformed planets are too minimal not to have been engineered by some higher power.
Whilst the Way is a recent religious movement, its philosophy is deeply rooted in Boshaari literature, Fallanism, and Mewei occultism. Thus, the Way draws from the tradition of occultism; for instance, in Boshaari antiquity, several wizards called 'warlocks' claimed to have made pacts with entities 'beyond the Veil'. Also it is worth noting that in ancient Mewei history, several records exist of wars with creatures matching Æonic characteristics. Nevertheless, the Way draws upon modern phenomenon such as Shade Manifestations and the existence of different frequencies within the Background Arcane Field, both of which followers investigate with scientific rigour.

Membership

Many join the cult in search of the ultimate truth behind the reality of the universe, thus becoming 'Wayfinders'. The Aeonic Way is in no way set in stone, and ten-yearly conclaves are held to ascert new discoveries in the fields of conventional sciences, metamagic or comparative mythology.
However, many other newcomers join simply to appreciate and understand a specific Æon. These might be Fallanists in search of greater understanding, followers of more esoteric cults, or occultists. in the Hestian Belt, many congregate around the Warden and their charge as a deity of hope There are many who join the cult not to understand deeper Dogma Transcendent Divinity Wayfinders postulate that the Universe emanates from a central divine figure, the Dreamer-in-Waiting. From this divine source, other entities called Archons are said to have coalesced, each with their own domains, attributes and ethos. The only entity currently regarded as an Archon is the Warden. From the Archons' energies, the Wayfinders assert the existence of further demigods, called Æons. Divine Emanation Most Wayfinders agree that divine power 'emanates' into the mortal realm, creating the Background Arcane Field as a vector through which to influence it.
In fact, it is through scrying this background energy that the existence of Æons is proposed and debated at Conclaves. Magisters often posit that each Æon's influence can be measured against the Background Arcane Field - a phenomenon they dub 'elemental affinity' and curiously reflected in areas of high Shade Manifestation activity. Summoning shades with the express purpose of understanding their arcanic makeup is an area of considerable interest to the Way, who uses the results as a way to discover, define or discard evidence of potential Æons.

Interference

Wayfinders assert that Æons generally do not meddle with mortal affairs, but occasionally watch over sentient life from their own 'dimension'. Nevertheless, they believe that, every now and then, an Æon might decide to interfere in the affairs of the sentient species of the Universe. Such interference is greatly sought - partly as it provides proof of an Æon's existence, but also because it is the hope of many Wayfinders to be acknowledged and found worthy by one of them.
Despite the occultist nature of the Way, followers use scientific studies and years of debate to define an Æon's existence. Strict criteria are used : an Æon must be documented in historical records, their effects must not have any other plausible cause, and a matching trace must be found in the Background Arcane Field. As of recent memory, the Way claims that seven Æons have been reliably identified in historical records and matched to a specific frequency in the Field.

Pantheism

Wayfinders often have their own reasons for following the Æonic Way. A few seek to discover the nature of Æons themselves, but many simply congregate around the worship of a specific Æon.
Despite the centralized nature of the Æonic Way, it is in reality made of many smaller cults and covens that happen to agree on key canon during ten-yearly Conclave meetings. Each cult or cover tends to favour one Æon above all others, whilst equally acknowledging the divinity of all Æons. Practicioners generally believe that their souls are claimed by a specific Æon the more knowledge is disclosed to them, and that they will join them if they are found worthy in the afterlife.
There is no actual list of accepted Æons - though recent Conclaves have sought to harmonize a common list. The seven entities below are the most agreed upon.

the Inheritor

Elemental affinity :	Celestial
Key dogma :	Order, Life, Light
Area of most influence :	Aistanar
Servants :	Æsimar (elemental and celestial)

The Inheritor is an Æon devoted to Order, Life and Light. She is often depicted as a red-haired Boshaari drow, and she wields Holy attributes and halos. She sees Boshaari, and most other sentient beings, as a force for good. Her servants, called Æsimar, are worshipped in shrines as celestial or elemental spirits. Her celestial domain is a lavish paradise, though her temperament is fickle, and her view of justice exacting.
This is the same Inheritor who is held as the holiest deity in Fallanism. Whilst Fallanists and the Chantry of the Void regard Wayfinders as heterics, the Way simply sees Fallanists Æonic followers whose worldview is narrowed by thousands of years of tradition, but nevertheless valid and compatible with wider Æonic doctrine.
Boshaari tend to believe most strongly in the Inheritor (or at least heed her teachings as part of their culture). Traditionally, gold and purple are colours attributed to the Inheritor.

the Archfæ

Elemental affinity :	Elemental
Key dogma :	Nature, Trickery
Area of most influence :	Aistanar, Nufano
Servants :	Seelie Court (Titania Unseelie Court (Oberon)

The Archfæ are a 'dual Æon' - a divine entity, sundered into two antagonistic halves. The Seelie Queen, Titania, is said to hide in places of natural beauty and hold a Fæ Court. However, the Unseelie King, Oberon, is often depicted as somber, treacherous, vain and vengeful.
There are many records of the Seelie being worshipped across Boshaari history, notably in the lore of ancient nations such as Esaree or Heavenfall. Plentiful as they are, they pale in comparison to the records of the Unseelie Wars waged by ancient Mewei spacefarers 10000 years ago against creatures matching fæ characteristics.
Wayfinders firmly believe that both the Seelie and Unseelie beings are identical species of Æonic servants. This belief persists even though the Boshaari and Mewei, two cultures who had not yet interacted, recorded encounters with these entities. For Wayfinders, this occurrence of two separate cultures encountering the same Æonic entities has served as the foundation for their universalist views as well as proof of Æonic influence across the Universe.
From their whimsical domain, the Feywild, Archfæ lord over domains of nature and treachery. Their traditional colour is given as a shade of leafy green. Several small Mewei cults have emerged, believing their World-Goddess to be a Seelie Fæ. Likewise, Wayfinders seem to believe the Unseelie to be none other than the Oberon

the Ravenlord

Elemental affinity :	Demonic
Key dogma :	War, Chaos
Area of most influence :	???
Servants :	Dæmons, Erinyæs

There is considerably little information about the Ravenlord, beyond their alleged distinctive mark on the Background Arcane Field. This Æonic entity of wanton destruction and chaos is mostly chronicled in Boshaari tales, most notably the Account of the Inheritor's Struggle at Kyrona Falls. Its domain is described as endless fiery, hellish ashlands.
In Fallanist faith, Erinyæs are often split into two types, one of which being dæmons - vengeful, powerful lingering spirits, often described as raven-like. There are no cults that openly specifically worship this deity (though it is the dream of a few Magisters to conjure up such creatures). Across Boshaari literature, the Raven is often used as a cautionary tale, that not all Æons are benevolent or even apathetic to sentient life.
The colour given to the Ravenlord is a crimson shade of red, and it is often depicted as a hulking brute - for if their existence is theoretically accepted by most Wayfinders, they have never been seen outside of fairy tales.

the Azalea

Elemental affinity :	Undying
Key dogma :	Life, Death, Order
Area of most influence :	???
Servants :	Æsimar (historical)

The Azalea is amongst the most enigmatic of all Æons. She is often depicted as a horned Boshaari, small and slender, holding scales in one hand and a scythe in the other. Her existence is deduced from occult teachings of the Inheritor, which describe her as having power over life processes themselves. Ancient Fallanists believed that the Azalea was a very powerful Æsimar, subservient to the Inheritor only, who recorded the deaths of all living creatures.
The ancient Boshaari called her Iovia, and assigned to her all ancestor Æsimar, thus making her the Æsimar of ancestor worship itself. The name currently accepted comes from the ancient Mewei practice, amongst assassins of a World-Goddess of Death, to leave behind azalea flowers. Her colour is a pale, whiteish purple.

the Whisperers

Elemental affinity :	Infernal
Key dogma :	Order, War, Death
Area of most influence :	Venture (allegedly)
Servants :	Devils, Erinyæs

The Whisperers are an interesting type of Æon, believed 'a thousand time sundered' by the Inheritor, and thus individually fairly weak. The Way describes them as incredibly rigid in their traditions, bound to their oaths, and organized in strict hierarchies - importantly so, for their ambition to rule and penchant for tyranny is barely curved even in their sundered state, and a Whisperer-made-Whole would be a nightmare for all civilizations it might care to influence.
The name 'Whisperer' comes from a similarly-named concept that exists in both Boshaari and Mewei culture. A 'whisperer' is someone (or something) that grants great power, behind the scenes, to eminent rules or politicians - often in exchange for unreasonable authority over their charge.
Independently of the Aeonic Way, there is a cult of Hiderid businesspeople worshipping the 'Unseen Lobbyist'. Most assume that its identity is that of the Masked Beak, but Wayfinders seek to investigate whether the object of their worship might be tangible - and whether it might be a Whisperer. Their colour is teal - not vibrant but scale, like the stench of corruption.

the Harmony

Elemental affinity :	Abyssal
Key dogma :	Knowledge, Arcana
Area of most influence :	Higher-learning academies; the Arkblazer Order
Servants :	???

The Harmony is an Æon often described as a wispy, cowled Mewei (though the Mewei portray her with cat ears). She is said to have hidden in the deepest depths of the Boshaari homeworld. She is often portrayed as one of the patron Æsimar of the Arkblazer Order. She is often portrayed as an upstart, flirtatious Æon, enamoured with mysteries and magic. A similar entity, the 'First Matriarch', was recorded as being worshipped by early Mewei academies and universities, before the dawn of the Unseelie Wars. Her colour is a deep aquamarine blue.

the Warden

Elemental affinity :	Prismatic
Key dogma :	Knowledge, Arcana
Area of most influence :	???
Servants :	???

Of all the Æons, the Warden is by far the most enigmatic. Their presence is attested in Mewei, Zaalan, and Boshaari cultures - and references to their energy is hinted at across multiple ruins on Nufano. Though their appearance always differs in species or gender, their powers are unevoquably similar (and not shared by any other Æon) : the ability to weave the Background Arcane Field anew. At such, their trace in the Field is not so much one frequency as the entire background spectrum.
it is strongly believed that the Embassy Ark itself may have been programmed by the Warden. This Æon thus could be a strong part of the mystery behind the Dubious Coincidence Hypothesis; most Wayfinders believe the Warden to have taken to the peoples of the Pyxis Globula, and to have guided them to the Embassy Ark in their greatest time of need. In addition, several origin myths (including the holiest Fallanist text) refer to the Warden as an entity called Aemula - the source of the Inheritor's powers. Thus, many Wayfinder come to regard the Warden as an Archon, a 'first amongst equal' greater deity closer to the Dreamer-in-Waiting than most other demi-gods here described. Their colour is bright and slightly pink.

Type

Religious, Cult