Hararism

Sketch of a Hararist temple located in Sanzhuai, c. 1743, built in a style typical of early Atloehyoszo Dynasty architecture

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Hararism is a duotheistic religion practised in south Cymlun that is generally believed by scholars to be an amalgamation of various southern Cymluni traditions and beliefs linked through various shared philosophies, specific practices, cosmology, textual resources, and sacred sites.

Beliefs

Pantheon

The Hararist pantheon is often characterised as a roster of legendary figures, of warriors, artisans, princes and kings, priests and miracle makers of times past, who - according to Hararist beliefs - have ascended to heaven to live in eternal paradise after a life of magnificent servitude to the people and adherence to Hararist philosophy.

Gods

The twin Gods of Hararism are Hatla Toyo and Shiszkan Toyo, collectively referred to as the un-created deities. Hatla Toyo and Shiszkan Toyo are depicted in scripture as being two eternal opposites, locked in a never ending dance as they compete for dominance over the material world. Hatla Toyo represents light, warmth, colour, peace, life and femininity, and Shiszkan Toyo represents darkness, cold, colourlessness, war, death and masculinity. When one of these aspects dominate a society and time, it is said that their respective God has attained temporary dominance. Though Shiszkan Toyo is affiliated with concepts that would be percieved as evil in the west, in Hararism both Gods are beyond such concepts, being neither good nor evil, with dilemmas of morality being a purely mortal affair. Where the two gods fight forever for the dominance of their aspects, maintaining the balance of the universe in the process, mortals must respect this balance and try to find their own in the human battle of maintaining the balance of good and evil, which are believed to be incapable of existing without one-another.

Yasz

The Pinwheel Yasz, a common symbol of Hararism

Yasz are the earthly agents or manifestations of the gods and deceased heroes, commonly manifesting in scripture as portals of light or spinning wheels of fire.

Morality

Hararist philosophy teaches the co-existence of good and evil as being integral to the divine balance of the world. Though individuals are taught to practice both in equal measure, Hararism makes an important distinction between productive and non-productive practices, with productive evil actions, in the right circumstances, often being seen as beneficial to society, and inversely, non-productive good actions are frequently seen as thoughtless and wasteful.

Some examples of productive evils include:

• Waging war to liberate people from unrighteous rule, or to allow a people to expand to prosperous new lands.
• Taxing a society so that it may all benefit from the spending of the wealth accumulated.
• Hiding a terrible truth through lies and obscurantism.
• Self-sacrifice in the name of a greater good.
• Ridding the world of those the greater society suffers at the hand of.

Examples of non-productive goods include:

• Letting a person or group of people who are not a benefit to society continue living.
• Charity to those who do not need it.
• Aid to those who can help themselves.
• Staying peaceful when threatened with conquest.
• Accumulating large amounts of wealth, only to store it away to never be used.
• Heroic and daring actions that only do harm to others or one's self.

Major denominations

Yashurism

Descended from the religions of the Ylow Yashurs.

Three Yasz

Descended from the religions of the Kryshur ethnic group of southern Cymlun.

Kennyrism

Descended from the religions of the Kennyr ethnic group of south-southwestern Cymlun.

Shiriism

Allegedly descended from the Yashur Shirian Tribe who migrated to the far southern reaches of the continent during the reign of the First Empire of Yashurhiel. Has a more verifiably historical association with the mysticism of the late ruling class of the Empire of Senshesej and Warrior-Princedom of Shirihiel that succeeded it around 1400 CE.

Zohurism

Main article: Zohurism

Normally considered a separate religion, much of Zohurism's scripture, cosmology and beliefs draw from Hararism. Zohurism follows the life philosophy of Warrior-Prince Lymazhu Zohur, founder of the nation of Karrahiel (now modern-day Gashaorhiel). Zohurist faith focuses heavily on the life philosophy of martial pursuit, war and survival of the strongest, and was first practiced primarily by the warrior classes and nobility of Karrahiel, with the Karrahieli peasants remaining faithful to their regional Hararist beliefs. In modern times it is a religion that is often adopted by soldiers, rebels and zealots of any class, as well as the marginal descendants of the former Karrahieli ruling and warrior classes. Its most radical followers maintain the belief that the Zohurs are an eternally prosecuted minority threatened from all sides by heretics and heathens, and places a key focus on a trinity of land, faith and culture, and that Zohurs will only be free when they have a land to call their own free of all other cultures and faiths.