Uneism

Overview

Uneism is a monotheistic religion that began around the time of the Second Great War. It is based on a single god and savior being, known as Scale, who is said to be returning to the world at the end of days. Light and dark are central themes and thus the practice of light and void magic are very important to the religious ceremonies and worship. Scale is said to be the one to unite and balance opposite essences. Some scholars believe that the savior is actually one of the gods worshipped in the Tekel rather than a separate entity, although this stance is widely rejected by those who practice the religion and is seen as Tekel trying to assimilate them.

Divine Origins

Uneism rose to prominence between 405 and 420, around the time of the Second Great War, although the practitioners claim that the religion is much older. According to them, the origins of the religion can be traced back to the year 100. They state that once the initial essences were broken and the six spread to the world, Scale gave them their holy book and asked that human offer assistance in keeping the world balanced while he attempted to return the essences to their proper state. 
The order that essence magic tends toward reinforces their belief that all things were once one and existed in balance with each other. Within the original source, all six essences were held together and kept stable. 
Ritual specific to the religion developed over the centuries following its recognition. Due to the persecution faced by those who practice it, many of the rituals have been modified in order to be conducted alone or with a small group of fellow practitioners. They require only a few implement or none at all. The most common is the Book of Scale, which has been transcribed repeatedly over the centuries.

Cosmological Views

Creation

Scale held the elements in unity with one another, but a chaotic counter god, Meksiehgd, caused them to split, pulling each of them from the central essence until the entire collection of essences were seen for the first time as separate pieces off the world. Scale killed Meksieghd after all essences were split and has been trying to gather them back to unity ever since

End times

All essences will be brought together under Scale and a new universe, a better one, will be born from the condensation of magic

Tenets of Faith

The basic principles of Uneism are as follows: 

1. Remember that all things in the world exist because their opposing force does as well
2. The natural order of the world should determine the best course of action
3. Do not intervene in the natural order 
4. Control desire so as not to cause an unnatural fluctuation or destruction in the natural order 
5. Scale is the ultimate balancing force and his teachings should be followed in all things 

Ethics

Uneism ethics are primarily focused on improving the self first and then extending that into the world. They strive to attain a balance within themselves that then translates into a balance in the world around them. Performing good actions is not what makes a person good. Instead, it is their ability to act justly. 
Obtaining and maintaining harmony with others and the wider world is paramount. In this way, actions such as murder, theft, and the like are considered wrong because they cause disruption in the community and with the self.

Worship

Holidays

Equinoxes are the most important holidays as the balance between night and day is said to mirror the balance of light and void. The traditional day set for the anniversary of the final split is the winter solstice as void is said to be the last essence that Scale held before all were split.

Regular worship

Magic practice in light and void is central to worship. Individual prayer is also highly encouraged. Copies of the book said to have been written by Scale is also regularly read by practitioners, in particular the Book of Scale, which is the first of these and the most dense. Many practitioners keep a copy somewhere in their homes. As there are very few mass gatherings of followers, individuals are encouraged to develop their own rites within the bounds of Scale's teachings. The most common are prayer, reading, and the practice of essence magic when possible. 

Death

A soul and body are believed to be in balance with one another. When the soul leaves, the body must exchange its components as payment for splitting from the soul. This is why they believe bodies decompose. Scale will give the soul the task of guiding the family. In this way, the dead never actually leave their families and instead act as shepherds. Balance is incredibly important for practitioners of this religion. Funerals are very private affairs and the family members are the only ones who handle the body. They place one piece of dark cloth and one piece of white cloth in each hand to symbolize light and void before placing a metal ring under the tongue. The body is wrapped in a light cloth as with Tekel and the deceased is buried. Sadness at the funeral itself is meant to be matched by a much more lavish celebration of life afterward, which can include friends of the deceased as well. This joy is meant to act as a balance for the sadness that comes from losing a loved one.

Priesthood

Due to the discrimination they face, there is no centralized authority. Individual worship is prized over large gatherings. At times, some small groups will band together and elect a leader from among them. This is not an official position within Uneism itself. The leader's job is to protect the group from being found out.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Followed mostly by those within Yzel, there is little political influence granted from following Uneism. Most who practice it are seen as disruptions, heretics, or simply misguided souls, depending on the particular interpretation that those around them subscribe to. Few within the upper echelons of society will openly admit to practicing the religion as it is more common for Yzelian citizens to follow Tekel.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Deities

• Scale