User Tools

Site Tools


gods:orus

Orus/Arakh

Called by many names, most often called “The Wellspring of Emotion,” and “The Flower Twins,” Orus embodies all things that originate from the heart.

“Only that which is felt is reality.”

Followers of Orus, or Orusians, believe that only that which is felt from within is right. Knowledge and logic are considered imperfections that stifles the glory of emotion.

History

Legends of Orus weave long and varied, but on Jaern is documented the myth of the Flower Twins.

Before the existence of life, the universe was an entropic place. Land, sea, air and space existed in both perfect balance and disorder for an eternity. All if this was perfect, yet without life, sentiment or reason.

In the face of eternity, a slim probability is merely an eventuality, and so all things may come to pass. It was one such eventuality that gave birth to the Flower Twins, the first god. They looked about at the perfection that non-life could offer, feeling dissatisfied as it felt incomplete. The duo conspired between themselves to solve this dilemma. As they spoke, the twins' messages carries across the land, swirling to take shape. Vast landscapes of forest and vibrantly flowered meadows, expansive deserts, and steep cliffs, all populated with living creatures, just as these Flower Twins described to one another.

Casting their gaze across the world, still they were dissatisfied with what they saw, and decided to argue their proposed solutions with one another. Their words clashed, rending the land, sea and clouds asunder. Rifts formed on the land spewing red hot magma, water took to the sky and fell in torrential downpours while the sky darkened and collided to the surface, bursting with light and booming thunder.

Once more, the fledgling twins looked upon the world they had created and were again displeased. They schemed a new creation, one that would cure their discontent. Thus, humans and all other races of Jaern came to be. Feeling joy at their accomplishment, they were perplexed by their lack of visible emotion, such that the Twins had shown. Generation by generation these creatures reproduced and grew to old age with no indication of joy, anger, fear, or any other expression. Seeking to cure this perceived shortcoming, the twins grew angry at their failure.

Careful contemplation of the problem revealed no answers to the twin amateur deities. Discarding their knowledge and aside, channeling their passions, and agreeing between themselves, the twins shed their individuality to join as one, the entity known today as Orus. Then shedding their physical coil, understanding what they sacrificed for their dear creations would allow them to experience emotion through their lives.

In the current day, Orus does not exist as a singular, definitive entity. Instead, Orus exists in the souls and spirits of all creatures. However, they can be called forth by followers who truly meditate on and heed their emotions.

Aspects

Orus appears most often when many of their followers appear together to call upon the fragments of them that exists in each of them. The palpability and power of their apparition rely on the size and profundity of devotion within the crowd searching for Orus. They can appear in many forms, any race, any gender. The demeanor of Orus's apparition will always be clearly distinguishable and will reflect that of the crowd present.

Cahyalians refer to Orus as Arakh, the Cahyalian-Paroli word for “heart”. The deity is often referred to as “the arakh”, and priests travel in roving nomadic groups across the world, seeking to enlighten it and spread the message of following one's arakh, free of the shackles the world would seek to bring.

Priesthood

Though Orusian temples tend to be disorganized, some of the more organized are referred to as Sanctums. Each priest is represented within the temple by a following of other priests and/or laypeople. These followers swear allegiance to the priest, and believe in what the priest says. The status of each priest is directly related to the number of people who have sworn them allegiance. The priest with the most followers within the Sanctum is called the Beacon.

Organization

The amount of organization within the priesthood is minimal. Each priest is obligated to put most of their efforts into furthering their Obsedo, or cause. The Beacon is the liaison between the priests and civilian employees of the temple. These employees are responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the Sanctum. Whenever there is a question of general interest or a decision on policy, the Beacon calls a general meeting of the priests. The topic is presented by the interested parties and a vote is held. Each priest’s vote is weighed by the number of their followers registered on the sanctum roll. While this system seems expedient, in practice it usually degenerates into a roaring colloquy, as groups of priests rambunctiously proclaim their viewpoints.

Becoming a Priest

The requirements of joining the priesthood are simple. A prospective follower of the Flower Twins must experience a devout emotion about anything, and be able to embody it to the members of the Sanctum. The lure of this sect is that initiates learn to use the innate powers of Orus within themselves to express what they fiercely experience.

“Learn yourself.” This is the creed taught to all initiates. Apprentices are organized into groups under the tutelage of a senior priest who encourages them to express their emotions openly and clearly. Often this leads to shouting or meditation sessions that later diverge into all sorts of diverse activities, often suggested by the senior priest. All activities performed under this objective allow the initiates to learn more about their own innate nature.

The time spent as an acolyte can vary widely from weeks to decades. An initiate remains an acolyte until they believe they knows themselves well enough to express an Obsedo, an object of zeal.

When an acolyte believes they are ready to become a true follower of the Flower Twins, they are lead into a chamber by their senior mentor. The Alcove of Blooms, a meditation chamber, is usually adorned with candles, fine fragrances and past objects of zeal left behind by temple members who have passed on from this life. This chamber is located in the center of the temple to allow the remaining congregation to summon the Flower Twins. It his in the Alcove of Blooms that the acolyte must attempt to enter the Valley of Flowers, a realm in which they are able to observe the true events that led to the creation of Orus and the world as they know it.

If the acolyte is able to enter the Valley of Flowers successfully and witness the full story, they will be granted a spell in whichever of the priesthood's groups that align best with their Obsedo, or object of zeal.

If not, the acolyte must exit the Alcove of Blooms and is cast back into apprenticeship to learn themselves more thoroughly, and must discover an entirely new Obsedo.

gods/orus.txt · Last modified: 2024/05/12 15:27 by quiddlesticks