Awenism
Awenism is the main belief that the earth and nature is sacred, and is worthy of worship itself. It is the oldest religion in Ka'a' and centers around the worship of Awen, a supreme goddess. The symbol of Awenism is the Anlewa, an eight-pointed star within a circle with a multicolored ten-pointed start inside it (the ten-pointed milticolored star represents nature, the eight-pointed sat represents Awen and the circle represents the unity of the two). Awenism is followed by many of the people of Ka'a', including the Sapiens, Foxlings and Comanches.
Structure
Awenism mainly centers around Wali and their priests. Each sect of Awenism has their own Wali and priests, with maybe a few Awenyddion as well.
Public Agenda
Awenism seeks to make a utopian society full of love, knowledge and understanding. The worship of Awen is said to bring about this change.
History
This religion has existed since before the time of the Overlords, and is the main religion for most of the Dawnguard.
Mythology & Lore
According to Awenist mythology, the cosmos started with the birth of Awen.
Awen was born in a world of darkness. She was scared and alone. So she made herself a home, the universe. The she made the planets and stars through a big explosion, known as the Big-Bang. Then she formed the Awenydd (Angels) and the Nü (Spirits).
She formed the first people (the Comanches and Elves) from earth and clay, and brought them to life with her blood and breath. She then sent an animal (a red turtle, to be exact) into the primal waters to find bits of sand and mud with which to build habitable land. It was on this land, the continent of Ka'a', that she placed the first people. This red turtle became one of the Guardians a few centuries later.
Awen made the Guardians, twelve animals set to protect the world of Ka'a'. These twelve were the Red-Turtle (Aoo, their leader), the Fox (Reynar), the Hummingbird (Ghibli), the Monkey (Rangi), the Snake (Apof), the Goat (Bapvuv), the Lion (Taslan), the Crocodile (Suube), the Fish (Zmats), the Bear (Urs), the Elephant (Jumbe) and the Dragon (Zmen). From these twelve came six Great-Spirits: the Grey-Wolf (Vṛukayek), Gecko (Kaṭussō), Toad (Mænḍiyā), Bison (Mīharak), Tiger (Koṭhi) and Stallion (Aśvayāyi).
With her Guardians and Great-Spirits, Awen made the rest of the races, including the Foxlings and various Beasts.
Her creation complete, Awen was happy. But then darkness came.
A creature of darkness, a parasite, known as the "Beast" came to Ka'a'. It was later said in certain legends that he was the first incarnation of the Red-Wizard. He claimed that he was the true creator of the cosmos, and that people should worship him instead of Awen, whom he called a "lying she-demon." He had 18 heads, each head with the power and wisdom of a Guardian and a Great-Spirit. He created languages and sciences, and made people hate each other because of their differences. Eventually he caused mankind to start sinning and living lives of evil. Awen was enraged.
She assembled her armies of Awenydd. Her Nü had betrayed her and joined the side of the Beast. With her Guardians and Great-Spirits she rode out into the skies, where she fought the Beast in a brutal and bloody battle. After seven days and nights, she won. Her victory secured, she trapped the Beast in the Underrealm, where he resides today. And, disappointed at her creation, she left Ka'a' forever and disconnected herself from mankind. Now her love and light was gone.
But that is what the religion of Awenism seeks to change.
Divine Origins
It is believed that Awenism has been around since 2 million BC.
Cosmological Views
According to Awenism, the cosmos was made by Awen upon her birth. It also states that Awen caused the Big-Bang.
Tenets of Faith
The main idea in Awenism is that people can have 'personal knowledge' or oneness with Awen in their lives. In order to be one with Awen, you have to destroy your idea of yourself, or your ego. This is known as Fanaa (Annihilation). Apart from saying prayers that vary according to different orders, you should be humble, considerate, and only act in order to control your desires.
After Fanaa is achieved, you are reborn to live with, live for, live through and live by Awen in Baquaa (Permanency). This is the state where you have achieved the divine love of Awen, and come ever closer to a unity with Awen. You should now strive to be one with Awen. If you can achieve this, you can pass through the Stages and become a Wali.
Ethics
Apart from the Stages, you must follow the four Duties:
A. Your Duty to Self: describes the self as the center of the universe, with a call to learn about one's inner nature. Admonishes the reader to develop every faculty in a balanced way, establish one's autonomy, and to devote oneself to the service of one's own true will.
B. Your Duty to Others: An admonishment to eliminate the illusion of separateness between oneself and all others, to fight when necessary, to avoid interfering with the will of others, to enlighten others when needed, and to worship the divine nature of all other beings.
C. Your Duty to Mankind: States that the law of Awen should be the sole basis of conduct. That the laws of the land should have the aim of securing the greatest liberty for all individuals. Crime is a violation of one's true will.
D. Your Duty to All Other Beings and Things: states that the law of Awen should be applied to all problems and used to decide every ethical question. Natural resources can be used by man, but this should not be done wantonly, or the breach of the law will be avenged in the afterlife.
Worship
There is no specific order of worship, although a follower of Awenism must always start his or her day with the morning-prayer:
"Grant O Goddess, thy protection.
And in protection, strength.
And in strength, understanding.
And in understanding, knowledge.
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice.
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it.
And in the love of it, the love of all existences.
And in the love of all existences, the love of Goddess and all Goodness."
There are also worship-festivals held on the 30th of April, 21st and 22nd of December, 1st and 2nd of February, 20th and 21st of March, 21st and 22nd of June, 1st and 2nd of August and the 21st and 22nd of September. In each worship-festival, the following Templaric prayer is said:
"Hon Tsad, c'hwi haig ai zo en Nenyiv. Ra vo santelaet hoc'h anvi. Ra zeuio hio rouantelezh. Ra vo graet hio youl wair ain douar evel ein nenyiv. Roit dimp hiziv bara hor bevanys. Dtistaolit dimp hon dleou evel m'hor bo ivez distaolet d'hon dt'leourion. Ha n'hon lezit ket da vont gant an temptadur, met hon dieubit eus ain droug est Awen."
Worship is followed by the word "Aio" ("Peace") being said three times at the setting of the moon and rising of the early sun.
Priesthood
The Stages of Awenism are as follows: the Bachelor-Student Stage (this stage focuses on education and includes the practice of celibacy. The student must acquire knowledge of science, philosophy, scriptures and logic, practicing self-discipline, working to earn patience and honor and learning to live a life of righteousness, morals and duties), the Household-Stage (this stage refers to the individual's outside life, with the duties of maintaining a household, raising a family, educating one's children, and leading a family-centered and open-minded social life. This Stage is considered the most important of all Stages in sociological context, as beings in this stage not only pursue a virtuous life, they produce food and wealth that sustain people in other stages of life, as well as their offspring that continue life. This Stage also represents one where the most intense physical, emotional, occupational, social and material attachments exist in a person's life), the Retirement-Stage (the Stage where a person hands over household responsibilities to the next generation, takes an advisory role and gradually withdraws from the world. This is a transition phase from a householder's life with its greater emphasis on wealth, security, pleasure and pursuits to one with greater emphasis on spiritual liberation) and the Final-Stage (this Stage is marked by renunciation of material desires and prejudices, represented by a state of disinterest and detachment from material life, generally without any meaningful property or home (Ascetic), and more focus on love, peace and simple spiritual life. This is the final Stage to be unified with Awen).
A person who has crossed the various 'Stages' and achieved this sort of mystic union with Awen is called a Wali (a saint or "friend" of Awen) and the state is termed Wilayat (Friendship/Union). Wali are treated with great respect, and it is said that One-Eyed Barnabas once aspired to become a Wali in his youth, but he hardly had time or energy to complete the Stages since it normally takes a person 20 years to become a Wali. In recorded history, there have been 2 million Wali in Ka'a'.
Although the number of Wali has since decreased due to the population's conversion to Titanism, 33% of the population of Abra-Comanches and Foxlings are said to be Wali, or have almost achieved Wilayat.
Once you have achieved true Wilayat, you can join Awen in the afterlife after death.
Granted Divine Powers
There are prophets called "Awenyddion", ("inspired people" when consulted upon any doubtful event, they roar out violently, are rendered beside themselves, and appear to become possessed by a spirit or Awenydd. They do not deliver the answer to what is required in a connected manner; but the person who skillfully observes them will find, after many preambles, and many nugatory and incoherent ornamented speeches, the desired explanation conveyed in some turn of a word: they are then roused from their ecstasy, as from a deep sleep, and by violence compelled to return to their proper senses. After having answered the questions, they do not recover till violently shaken by other people; nor can they remember the replies they have given. If consulted a second or third time upon the same point, they will make use of expressions totally different; perhaps they speak by the means of fanatic and ignorant spirits. These gifts are usually conferred upon them in dreams: some seem to have sweet milk or honey poured on their lips; others fancy that a written schedule is applied to their mouths and on awaking they publicly declare that they have received this gift.
In recorded history, there have been 1194 Awenyddion seen in Ka'a', a few of them being earlier incarnations of the Prophet.
Political Influence & Intrigue
Awenism has influenced politics slightly, and is most notable for becoming the main religion selected by the Overlords when they first came to Ka'a'.
"Efallai yi bydd yir Awenydd gyda thi est tu" ("May the Awenydd be with thee")
Type
Education, Magic
Capital
Alternative Names
Awenistry
Demonym
Awenist(s)
Economic System
Gift economy
Location
Manufactured Items
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
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