Aeranid Empire: Difference between revisions

There are mentions of 'kings' ([[Aeranir]]: {{Smallcaps|''{{term|rēner}}''}}) as the primier political figure in [[Telrhamir]] going back to the city's earliest history, however it is only after the Aeranid War, and the large increase of Telrhamir-controlled land, that the Kindgom period is considered to have begun by historians.

Aeranid religion distinguished broadly between two sets of gods; the Dim, or earthly gods ([[Aeranir]]: ''{{Smallcaps|{{term|dīment}}}}''), and the Rham, or celestial gods (''{{Smallcaps|{{term|rhament}}}}'').  Of the two, the Dim were much more frequently referred to and called upon in daily life and worship.  They are associated mostly with nature, natural phenomena, places, animals, and peoples.  The Rham however represented more abstract, cosmic forces, and were generally associated with heavenly bodies.  They were understood to dwell in the stars, and were mostly occupied with cosmic matters.

This split is theorised by some to suggest the syncretism of two or more separate, earlier traditions amongst the ancestors of the [[Aerans]].  As the theory goes, the Dim descend from the gods worshipped by [[Maro-Ephenian languages|Maro-Ephenians]] migrating into [[Iscaria]] from [[Eubora]], while the Rham descend from the religion of the earlier inhabitants of Iscaria.  As the two groups intermingled and merged, so too were their religions combined.  Critics of this theory point out that many of the basic beliefs and deities associated with the Rham are found in many other Maro-Ephenian cultures without the Dim/Rham distinction, suggesting these elements could not have originated in Iscaria.  Proponents argue that these Early-Iscaric beliefs may have been more widespread than previously assumed, that they may have spread throughout Maro-Ephenian cultures ''after'' initial contact, or that many of the beliefs of the Maro-Ephenians were reanalysed and grafted onto the Early-Iscaric religion.

The fundemental focus of Aeranid theology was the battle between the universal forces of creation and destruction.  Before the beginning of time, there was a massive battle between these two forces, with the Rham leading creation, which creation eventually won, casting all destruction out of the universe, however at a great loss of numbers.  King of the Rham, [[List of Aeranid theological terms#Ixor|Ixor]], gathered the remaining Rham, and made his court in the centre of the universe, ''[[List of Aeranid theological terms#Satercas|Satercas]]'' (''{{Smallcaps|{{term|satercās}}}}'').  From there they oversaw the creation of the universe as it is now known, and ruled over it.  For a time, the universe was an absolute celestial paradise, however as time went on, the Rham became more and more powerful, and the greatest among them, including Ixor, were crushed under their own gravity, and gave into gluttony and desire.  Through them destruction reentered the universe, and the remaining Rham again took up the battle against their former kings.  However, with their ranks depleted, they were pushed out of Satercas, and unable to put up more than a stalemate against Ixor.

Because of Ixor's influence, all creations must eventually decay in time.  This decay was seen as contrary to the fundemental force of life, ''aenun'' (''{{Smallcaps|{{term|aēnun}}}}''), and objects or beings resistant to time's decay were considered to have more ''aenun'' than those that decayed quickly.  Thus, under this concept, inanimate objects like rocks or trees are considered to be ''more alive'' than living things like wumbo and animals.  However, many of these resistant beings were not particularly creative.  These were considered ''eternal''.  The ideal was something that could create more than it was, or multiply itself, before it succumbed to time.  These things were considered ''cyclical'', or ''reproductive''.  Finally, things that easily succumbed to time were called ''temporary''.  This distinction was of the upmost important to Aeranid culture, and it can be found repeated across all aspects of Aeranid thought, including linguistics, where these distinctions gave rise to the names of the [[Aeranir#Gender|Aeranir grammatical genders]].

According to Aeranid legend, the first Aerans were nomadic cast-outs from nnearby tribes, wandering through the arid regions of northern Iscaria in search of a place to settle.  Arriving at a large mesa, their leader, [[Rhamanus]], climbed it, and at its top beseeched the gods to show them a place where they could make a home.  Their prayers were answered by Odesser, who told Rhamanus to build their city atop the mesa.  Odesser then carved the river [[Traedus]] into the land beneath it, so that the city could be sustained.  He told Rhamanus of the war in the center of the universe, and instructed them to use this city to cultivate wumbanity so that they would be ready when they were called upon to fight.  Rhamanus was made the first king of this new city, which they called '[[Telrhamir]],' meaning 'mesa of the celestial gods' ([[Aeranir]]: ''{{Smallcaps|{{term|tēlrhamir}}}}'').