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Ascheinar's Cult

History

One of the big problems for the chaotic religions before the fourteenth century was that they were not organised, and the gods were not being represented among the people collectively. They had no proper structure or leadership, and as a result, their memberships were always small, and overshadowed by Arthea's major religions that used their strong ordered basis for strengthening their own structures.

While individual freedom and the lack of imposed order or structure is what the cult preaches, these beliefs were kept out of the mainstream of religious teaching by cults of Lawfulness, particularly Danethrae and Anbartae. The cults were clearly backed fully by their gods, and it was to stop these cults from dying out completely, and to provide proper representation for the people that followed these beliefs, that the poet and thinker Ascheinar (1218 to 1307) was lead to the decision that it was time for some concessions to be made to lawfulness, purely in the way the cults were organised and operated.

Ascheinar's Journeys

Ascheinar came from the region around the city of Kenduraic, in the northern stretches of the Empire, but studied at both Tarn and at Nareth. He was originally a follower of the Viluciae Cult that was firmly established in the northern Empire, but who had no representation in Nareth. Ascheinar sought for an alternative place to worship while he studied in the Empires former capital. He moved to the Cult of Ganarta, who seemed to have based much of their teaching on Elfish and gnomish scripture, and who, despite being a very small cult at the time, closely matched his own philosophy.

Ascheinar made a visit to Caldonacia in 1262, his reasons for going at the time were to help out with restructuring after the plague had killed so many people, but it has since been revealed that he had been requested to go by a high authority in the Empire's government. Although being a help during the troubled times, he was also expected to report back to the Emperor about the military might and organisation of the Caldonacians. He spent time in Clammerton, and moved westwards as far as Sandford, providing assistance to any that needed it, and working with religious leaders along the way. He worshipped at the cults of Drochammar, and Kendel in the east of Caldonacia, and at the cult of Renbethisch in Sandford. He was struck by the similarities of the teaching he heard, and he slowly realised how these cults would be much better served by working together.

He returned to the Empire in 1264, where he discussed his religious findings with the leaders of the Cult of Victarm, a cult local to Nareth, who at first were sceptical about the whole idea, but gradually warmed as Ascheinar spent time with them over the coming year. By 1268, the Victarm, Ganarta and Viluciae cults were in close discussions with each other, and they asked Ascheinar to travel north to Caldonacia once again, this time to make proposals to like-minded cults there to join in a fellowship. The Cult of Drochammar were reluctant to get involved, but with Kendel and Renbethisch cults, it was as though they had been expecting his arrival, and sent clerics south to the Empire at once. Ascheinar himself, however, travelled on to Ticetia where he went to drum up support for this new church fellowship.

At Eansville in 1269, he incorporated two local church groupings in his fellowship that had been competing with each other for hundreds of years. At first, they started just co-operating with each other, but both were struggling for membership, and were not doing well; eventually they joined the church fellowship. At Ireby, the Cult of Clomanae, which was very popular among the miners of the area, were keen to join, and sent some of their younger representatives with Ascheinar on his journey. At Cayner, the Cult of Clomanae was also represented, as was a cult with which they had already formed a loose association, the Cult of Sigmayne, who operated over much of south Ticetia. The Cult of Clomanae introduced Ascheinar to the Sigmayne church, and he was invited to meet with their leaders in Cellam as a result. He convinced the Cult of Sigmayne to consider the fellowship, and they sent representatives with him on his journey back to the Empire.

The return journey was a long one, passing back through Caldonacia, to meet once more with representatives from Gantara and Viluciae, but the route proved useful. Not only did he convince the clerics of both Sigmayne and Clomanae that they worshipped the same gods, but together they convinced Drochammer that joining the fellowship should at least be investigated.

In 1271 the church fellowship was officially formed in a meeting in Ascheinar's home town of Kenduraic. The gods seemed to be pleased with the work Ascheinar had done - the clerics continued to receive blessings from above, and the cults all seemed to fall into step behind Ascheinar, who had become a spokesperson for the group.

In 1275, Ascheinar began travelling once more, he covered much of the Empire, bringing other cults into his fellowship, and he began preaching directly to the people too. He moved northwards into Ticetia, visiting and preaching at many of the facilities of Sigmayne, before moving north to introduce more of the Ticetian churches to this new organisation. From this time onwards, he travelled the length and breadth of the lands, bringing other cults to the fellowship, and new people to the cults. He even visited Elfish cultures in 1288-1289, where he approached the hierarchy of Melas Uldonia; they were sympathetic to his cause, particularly with his ties to the Cult of Ganarta, who shared some of the same scripture as the elves. They initially joined the fellowship, but opted out when a single cult was proposed. Even with their close similarities, elves view their religions differently to humans and dwarves, and they felt they could serve their own people better by remaining separate.

Ascheinar's journeys became progressively fewer and shorter after 1295, where ill health and old age was catching up on him. He still preached, but remained mostly in the Empire. By 1302, he was old and frail (he was 84 years old), but still made one last journey to both Caldonacia and Ticetia, before returning to the Empire and visiting many of the fellowship churches along the south coast. In 1304 he retired from most of his duties, his only remaining position was as a figurehead for the fellowship's council. At Ascheinar's request in 1306, the cults finally became a single organisation. Ascheinar was made head of this new church despite his own protests about his age, and was first to fill the seat of Chancellor Very Reverend. His appointment was seen as his fitting reward for forty years work.

When Ascheinar died in 1307, his funeral was enormous. Senior clerics from all the fellowship churches attended the ceremony in Kenduraic, which had been adopted as the home of the cult out of respect for Ascheinar. One of the members proposed a new name for the cult during the speeches and eulogies at the service, to honour the great man. There was universal agreement, and Ascheinar's Cult was born. The council still meets every two years in Kenduraic, with representatives from all over Arthea - but the originating cults are no longer represented separately. The chair at these meetings is still filled by the Chancellor Very Reverend, an elected role which is often called Ascheinar's Seat.

Ascheinar's Proposals

The concessions proposed by Ascheinar never impinged upon individual freedoms, and he never insisted that organisation be imposed upon their members, but he did take it as a personal challenge to bring strength to these cults. He did this by suggesting (quite eloquently in some cases) certain similar and co-ordinated actions to the cults he visited. He proved a popular man, his ability as a speaker soon showed through, and before long he found himself as guiding influence to over thirty minor cults with similar teachings from all of Arthea.

At first it seemed he had acted against the teachings of the cults when he brought them together in a loose association, but the surprise was finding so much similarity between their outlooks and teachings. The church was already proving popular with the people; their association had helped membership to be grown significantly, and the dogma of liberty, choice and responsibility was a refreshing change from the self-control taught by the other mainstream cults. Ascheinar was never disliked by the people he spoke to, and when the association was formed into a single cult, it was believed at the time that he was personally responsible for about a quarter of the membership, through the seminars and charismatic public speaking that he carried out.

Ascheinar's place in history is sealed; his cult, who named themselves after his death, had been given strong foundations through their unity. There are many theologians in the church who believe that Ascheinar was sent by the gods themselves to unify these churches, and provide strength to the fragmented religions. This belief is not universally held within the cult, but as a church with no published central beliefs, they allow individual clerics to decide on the moral implications of what they teach.

Teachings and Philosophy

The greater good is paramount. Whatever one does, one is free to act, but everyone should strive for the benefit of the majority. The individual is important; the individual's actions are their own responsibility, and are not as important as achieving the greater good. In any course of action, it is the end result that is important, the good that is done, not the manner in which it is done.

The greater good may only be achieved through individuals directing their own abilities for that purpose; the free peoples are too complex, too wide ranging in personality and ability for any single honour or behaviour code to be imposed successfully. Everyone's talents are different; this is what makes us an individual, hence the imposition of behaviour codes can inhibit the gods-given talent an individual could use to help others.

Each individual is free to follow their own conscience. Is is unholy and unfair, they teach, to impose ones beliefs upon another. If the truth of the gods whom the church worships is to be followed, then only through free will can it truly be experienced. It is a failure of the truth to insist another follows the worship patterns of the church, only through their own free choice must they take this path. The truths of the church, it is believed, will stand up to argument among the free minded, and through such debate can the truth be exposed and followers earned. The church does not grow through coercion, only through persuasion.

It is right that each person should be charitable and generous, and should use their personal gifts of talent and ability to support and aid other people. If people are truly free, there is no need for restrictions imposed through artificial laws, and no person should gain the right to dictate what others actions should be. To do so inhibits the individual - preventing them from using their skills to the benefit of all. The objective of achieving the greater good is so important that the methods used to secure it are secondary. Freedom is an axiom for a society without walls, but it should not block the way of benevolence.

The church teaches that free people should not be tied into doing only those thing that are within the confines of the laws of men. It is irrelevant whether what they do is lawful or unlawful, only that it is done in furthering the cause of good.

Festivals

With the collection of separate religions, Ascheinar's cult has more festivals than the other churches. Many festivals are local to particular countries, regions or even districts. The main festivals are covered here.

Alignments

In general, the cult's teachings are centred on the alignments of chaotic good and neutral good, the alignments of their authorised clerics. There are also many others within the church, of alignments ranging from chaotic neutral and neutral through to the above alignments, who teach the word of the church, but who do not hold the status of cleric. The views of these people may differ from those of the ordinary clerics. Only clerics of the cult gain the clerical spells that are available, but alongside these, there are many informal lay preachers in the cult who spread the word.

Membership

Membership of the cult is open to virtually anyone, provided they can show they conform, at least in part to the alignments of neutral good, chaotic good, chaotic neutral and neutral alignments. Clerics, however, are restricted to the alignments of neutral good and chaotic good. The church places little demand on its members, it believes that it has no right to dictate to them, and this is reflected it the tenets of the cult.

Holy Symbols

Because of its fragmented beginning the cult of Ascheinar has a great many holy symbols, mainly symbols of birds or beasts indicating freedom. When the cults amalgamated, there was a clear need for a single symbol, one which was different to all those used by the smaller cults who formed the original members of Ascheinar's cult. The leaders decided on using a capital A, inscribed within a circle. For the symbol to be suitable for spell casting and turning undead it must be made from silver or wood, and blessed by a cleric of appropriate level.

Cleric Weapon Choice

The weapons available to clerics of Ascheinar are as follows:

Club; Flail (footman's or horseman's); Mace (footman's or horseman's); Morning Star; Quarterstaff; Sling; War hammer.

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ArtheaWiki: Ascheinar's Cult (last edited 2014-05-31 20:37:47 by Neil)