Temoranity

Temoranity, also called Aurian Polytheism, is the ancient belief system of the Aurian culture, rooted in celestial cycles and the duality of consciousness. According to the mythos, all of reality is simply a dream in the mind of a mysterious demiurge called Kronis Temora, also often viewed as the primordial force of time. All the gods, spirits, and mortal beings of the universe are said to be fragments of Temora's consciousness, with the elder beings holding a greater portion of the raw power of creation than the rest.

Primordial Beings

When Temora fell asleep and began to dream, two great sentient forces emerged from oblivion. One was All-Watcher Aurin, the soul of the sun and the light of order; the primary deity that followers of the mythos revere. Aurin’s opposite force is Great Dreamer Kas, the soul of the void and the darkness of change. Neither are considered particularly good or evil, as it is generally seen as impossible for a primal being to have moral intent. While Aurin keeps watch over all of creation to make sure the dream does not disintegrate, Kas is itself dreaming within the dream, and the power of its dream bleeds through to introduce the concept of change to reality. While Aurin's gift to the world is higher thought, Kas' influence manifests as magic. Order and chaos, stasis and change, form and flow: the two primordial forces have a balance.

Life & Death

Very early in the process of creation, when Aurin and Kas were still the only beings in existence and struggled for dominance over the infant cosmos, they each grew to recognize a part of themself in the other. Kas looked into the blinding, unchanging light of Aurin and saw its reflection beneath the surface: Animas, the chaotic light of life. Aurin, meanwhile, gazed into the impenetrable, tumultuous darkness of Kas and saw its own reflection: þanas, the inherent order in the darkness of death and eternal stasis. The primordial beings, realizing they were more alike than different, set aside their differences and embraced their similarities. With the cosmos no longer at war with itself, the elder spirits and the world were finally able to form, and with them the dream began to grow.

The Moons

At some point during the creation of the world, shortly after Kas realized the nature of reality and decided to sleep and realize its full power as a dreamer, Aurin took two pieces of its light and created two powerful spirits: Kune and Selene, the moons. Kune and Selene, while providing structure and stability to the world through their cycles and extending Aurin's watchful gaze to the shadowed side of Sphaera, also ferry messages between Aurin and Kas. As the moons pass through their phases, their corresponding deities are seen as passing through various states of wakefulness; when they are completely in shadow, they are said to be "dreaming," and communing with Kas.

The Origin

During the night when both moons are dreaming, the galaxy is visible in the dark sky, and is referred to as the Origin: the turbulent boundary between the influences of Kas and Aurin, where the unified powers of both primordial beings drives creation and the place where the elder spirits were born. Mortals are said to pass through this region in the haze between waking and sleep, and those who learn to lucid dream -to bring the order and thought of Aurin into the chaotic potential of Kas- can influence reality by making a wish during the passage. It is also believed that the souls of the departed return to the dreamlike Origin upon death, looked after by þanas, and sleeping mortals passing through the Origin can commune with them.

Wild Spirits

The elder spirits are the four oldest divine beings which were brought into existence by the interplay of Aurin and Kas. Born of the raw power of creation roiling within the Origin, each of the four embodies and governs one of the four classical elements as a mix of each primordial spirit's two chief aspects, and with the exception of Aldur, all have a given domain of the world. The other wild spirits all descend from these four in some fashion. In modern times, technology is often seen as the harmony of all four elder spirits’ domains: the heat of fire boils water into steam, which is conducted through earthen pipes to drive mechanisms with air pressure.

Aldur the Forgemaster

Aldur is the oldest of the four elder spirits, and the only of the elders without domain over a specific section of the world (the other three claim earth, sea, and sky). Aldur is the spirit of fire, and more broadly of energy. Aldur existed before the world was brought into being and shaped by the other elder spirits; they were the first spirit born of the Origin, embodying the interplay of chaos and light. The myths of old describe Aldur as a wild, unpredictable spirit, though once the other three came into existence Aldur became more mellow. Aldur is called the Forgemaster because of a myth that says the fire deity helped to make the life that Tera treasures so dearly by placing the shaped earth into a celestial forge and imbuing the earthen figures with life. Because the soul is a kind of energy born from Aldur’s celestial forge in the Origin, when a mortal being dies, its soul returns to the Origin and its vital flame is absorbed back into the forge. Followers of the mythos pray to Aldur for protection, particularly during the winter, as well as guidance after death. The children of Aldur include Aldingar the Sky-forged, the spirit of lightning, thunder, and power, descended from both Aldur and Alha; Hæsja the Hearth Keeper, the kind and loving spirit of home and family; and the Aldrani, spirits of the flame, said to inhabit every candle, torch, and other tamed fire of civilization. To the Aurian people, candles are like pet gods, who help protect the household.

Tera the Gardener

(Not to be confused with the legendary, godlike mage known by many as "The Gardener.")
Tera is the second-eldest of the four: the spirit of the world itself, the living earth, and guardian of all life that exists upon it; embodying the interplay of order and darkness. Ancient myth tells that Tera cultivated a vast garden of living things within a special pocket of the Origin, and brought life to Sphaera from there. Gender is not an important concept in Aurian culture and it is especially inapplicable to nature spirits; however, Tera is viewed as a rather matronly figure characterized by an even temper and represents stability. Most followers of the mythos pray to Tera for providence and protection, especially those who make their livelihoods working with the land or stone. The divine children of Tera include the Maai, the spirits of mountains; and the Satoi, the spirits of farming -specifically called upon at harvest time.

Teþ the Secret-Keeper

Teþ is the third-eldest of the four: the spirit of the oceans, the rain, and all water in the world; embodying the interplay of chaos and darkness -the elder most like Kas. Unlike Kas, though, Teþ has substance, and that substance is both vital to life and can end it in moments. Teþ is a being of change: they take many forms, but their essential nature remains the same; temperamental yet not volatile, but most of all mysterious. Water is transparent by nature, but a vast volume of it obscures all within; such is Teþ, guardian of secrets. In the myths, Teþ was the void given form to rest upon the earth; the element of stable change needed for life to grow and adapt while retaining identity. Followers of the mythos pray to Teþ for protection while traveling by sea and during the monsoon season, and providence when fishing. It is said that Teþ and Alha, though opposites, get along very well, and Teþ helped Alha create the Katai. Teþ’s own children are the Ainai, the spirits of rivers and other bodies of freshwater. Though sometimes entirely separated from the ocean, all bodies of water are born of Teþ and all water will one day return to the sea.

Alha the Singer

Alha is the youngest of the elder spirits: the spirit of the sky, air, clouds, and song; embodying the interplay of light and order -the elder most like Aurin. In the ancient myths, Alha was the final piece needed to create life: the breath, without which the energy of the body could not be replenished and the mind could not form. Alha was the first being to discover the ordered chaos of music; hence their title of Singer. With the first song, a harmony produced of Alha’s own being, life in Tera’s garden began. Alha is a gentle and carefree spirit, and is representative of freedom, giving choice and will to every being with every breath. Those who follow the mythos pray to Alha for protection from weather, as well as inspiration for artistic endeavors. The children of Alha are the Katai, the spirits of storms, which were created with the help of Teþ.

Culture Spirits

There are few cultural spirits in the Temoran mythos, but those few are very important to the Aurian people and represent key concepts of everyday life. According to myth, these spirits were created by the combined will of mortals and the natural spirits, using the power of creation inherent to the Origin.

Hæsja the Hearth-Keeper

Hæsja is the spirit of the hearth, a child of Aldur who embodies the household fire and the love found among community and family. Hæsja is one of the most important spirits of the mythos as the guardian of the home, patron of domestic life, and spirit of hope and joy. Hæsja is kind, generous, and caring, and the followers of the mythos venerate her by sharing food, gifts, and stories with each other. The children of Hæsja are the Kuotyi: household spirits that protect the home and assist with chores when properly respected by being given a place at the hearth.

Lady Luck & the Sufferer

The spirits Valir and Karsymir are complementary beings: Valir is the spirit of good fortune and prosperity, while Karsymir is the spirit of grief and suffering. However, Karsymir is not an evil being. Both are venerated equally, because the Aurians acknowledge that there is a balance of good and bad in the world and misfortune serves as a process of learning and growth. Likewise, grief is a natural experience, a consequence of life and love, and it is important to experience its fullness. While followers of the mythos pray to Valir for good luck, when misfortune strikes, they pray to Karsymir to help them endure it.

Evil Spirits

In Temoran myth, there is a worldly domain claimed by no elder spirit: the Underworld, named Tor. Some versions of the mythos claim that Tor was initially meant to be the domain of Aldur, but all versions agree that the Underworld was taken over by evil spirits that manifested through belief as civilization grew on the surface. There are three major evil spirits that represent the worst aspects of life and society: Fear, Betrayal, and Wrath. The three feed off the consequences of each other's behaviors: the fearful create lies which lead to retribution, creating more fear. This cycle is the greatest threat to the stability of a family or community. The Aurians believe that breaking the cycle requires systematic shunning of these three vices, and thus the rejection of the spirits who embody them.

Phasma the Spectre

Phasma is the oldest and most powerful of the three: the spirit of fear, regret, nightmares, and ghosts. Born of the most ancient emotion ingrained in all life, Phasma is not always the villain of the story -some fears are sensible and necessary. Phasma emerged from the Origin soon after Alha granted thought to all life, but their worst attributes manifested during the rise of civilization. The presence of Phasma pervades the Origin, periodically manipulating the dreams of mortals into nightmares. Phasma is the patron of ghosts -the dead whose dream echoes bleed through from the Origin to the mortal world. To reject Phasma is to acknowledge the presence of fear and carry on regardless: to be courageous.

Sepha the Traitor

Sepha is the spirit of lies, betrayal, and the wronged. Sepha is a seductive spirit, starting out small and harmless but quickly growing out of control. Lies collect like snow into drifts, bringing greater and greater consequences until they are impossible to avoid. Betraying another to save oneself is sorely tempting, but deeply wrong. To reject Sepha, one must accept honesty as a difficult but necessary action in order to build and maintain trust with others.

Orkha the Avenger

Orkha is the spirit of wrath, retribution, and destruction. Orkha is the most difficult spirit to resist: when one is wronged, one's greatest wish is usually for justice, but this is only retribution and not justice. Wrath creates fear of consequence in others, which leads to more lies and betrayal, and inevitably more anger. Revenge is the most appealing and most destructive part of the cycle of wrongs, which is why it is vital to reject Orkha by embracing forgiveness.

Author's Note

It should be noted that this theological system, like all others, is a construct of the peoples of Sphaera, and does not reflect the literal cosmology of this universe.

Contents

Primordial Beings

Life & Death
The Moons
The Origin

Wild Spirits

Aldur the Forgemaster
Tera the Gardener
Teþ the Keeper of Secrets
Alha the Singer

Culture Spirits

Hæsja the Hearth-Tender
Lady Luck & the Sufferer

Evil Spirits

Phasma the Spectre
Sepha the Traitor
Orkha the Avenger

Myths

Cycle of Life

Variations

Aurinity

Spirits Quick Reference

Primordial Spirits

Kronis Temora the Origin
Demiurge of Time and Existence
All-Watcher Aurin
Primordial Spirit of the Sun, Light, Order, and Civilization
Great Dreamer Kas
Primordial Spirit of the Void, Darkness, Chaos, and Magic
Animas, Reflection of Kas
Primordial Spirit of Life
þanas, Reflection of Aurin
Primordial Spirit of Death
Kune
Spirit of the Big Moon and Keeper of the Seasons
Selene
Spirit of the Little Moon and Keeper of the Tides

Elder Spirits

Aldur the Forgemaster
Elder Spirit of Fire and Energy
Tera the Gardener
Elder Spirit of Earth, Life, and the World
Teþ the Keeper of Secrets
Elder Spirit of Water and the Ocean
Alha the Singer
Elder Spirit of Air and the Sky

Wild Spirits

Aldingar the Sky-Forged
Spirit of Storms, Thunder, Lightning, and Power
Aldrani, Children of Aldur
Spirits of Flame
Maai the Earth-bones
Spirits of Mountains
Satoi, Children of Tera
Spirits of Agriculture and the Harvest
Ainai, Children of Teþ
Spirits of RIvers, Lakes, and Streams
Katai, Children of Alha
Spirits of Storms

Cultural Spirits

Hæsja the Hearth-Tender
Spirit of the Hearth, Family, and Domestic Life
Kuotyi (Housewights)
Helpful House Spirits
Valir the Lady Luck
Spirit of Fortune, Prosperity, and Victory
Karsymir the Sufferer
Spirit of Pain, Grief, and Endurance

Evil Spirits

Phasma the Spectre
Evil Spirit of Fear and Ghosts
Sepha the Traitor
Evil Spirit of Lies and Betrayal
Orkha the Avenger
Evil Spirit of Wrath and Destruction

Myths

Cycle of Life

According to the creation myth, life was created by the cooperation of the four elder spirits. Tera and Teþ shaped the form of life, and Aldur and Alha invented the spirit: Aldur created the soul, and Alha created the mind. Upon death, almost all the parts of a person are recycled: the body returns to the earth and water, the soul returns to the celestial forge, and the mind returns to the sky. The part of a person that remains in the Origin dream space after death is an echo, a facsimile of the person's being based on the memories they left in the dream space. Some, however, have a strong enough influence over the dream that their echoes bleed through to the mortal world, creating ghosts.

Variations

Aurinity

There is a branch of the mythos, far removed from the mainstream ideas, which believes in only one deity: Aurin, specifically a version of Aurin that is syncreted with Kronis Temora as the dreaming creator of all things. According to this sect, Aurin is a lucid dreamer, able not only to create the universe through unconscious dreaming but to impose conscious will on the dream. Aurin in this form is the conscious light of order against the unconscious force of chaos inherent to dreaming; the identity that displaces formless, thoughtless oblivion.