The Ancient Wind & Ninism

“As the Wind had brought me, so too had They brought this uprising.” Wisdom of Ninos 18:13

Greater Divinity, Deity of Divine Breath, Primordial Will. The Ancient Wind is a unique figure in Cahyalic Religion. Due to Dahabi imperialism, worship of the 14 was brought to nearly all corners of Cahyali, but in the lands of the Oxis Alliance, a peculiar faith had sprung up in the ashes of the fallen empire. Ninism is the sole monotheistic faith in Cahyali that reveres a higher divinity that created the world and breathed life into it. This Ancient Wind is the divine ruler of all things, and it is believed that They once took mortal form as the prophet Ninos. The faith was outlawed under Dahabu rule but grew to become the predominant religion in Arenti and Shinneok.

Ninism all but rejects standard Cahyalic views on gods and divinity. Instead of the existence of 14 individual gods, it is believed that there are 14 aspects to divinity: life, death, light, dark, fate, land, sea, emotion, justice, change, knowledge, mind, body, and soul. These are manifestations of the Ancient Wind's will on this world and for Ninite priests who are able to perform divine magic, they draw power from the Greater Divinity through one of these aspects. Each one of the great saints is seen as the patron of one of these aspects.

For thousands of years, the Oxis was subjected to a brutal occupation by the Dahabi Empire where they had their culture and practices solely erased as their occupiers forced their religion on the populace. Out of this oppression, arose a warrior who would challenge the Great Conqueror. Ninos was equal parts revolutionary and teacher who’s military mind and wisdom was able to turn the disparate clans in the Oxis into a united front against their oppressors.

To followers of faith, Ninos is ‘wind made flesh’, the divinity of the Primordial Will made manifest. He was made to free the Oxis and ultimately the world from Dahabi occupation which was fulfilled on the Day of Solar Wrath. Ninites claim that Ninos was the only person in history who was able to use divine magics from all aspects of divinity which many use to explain why his rebellion was able to put up a fight in face of overwhelming force.

The central religious text of the Ninite religion is a collection of teachings that was compiled by St. Thoth in decades following Ninos’ execution. The Book is split into 3 sections: Ninos’ Wisdom, Druid’s Wisdom, and Dahabu’s Wisdom. Ninos’ Wisdom is focused on the life of Ninos and what he had taught during the Oxian Uprising. The Druid’s and Dahabu’s Wisdom is stated to be Thoth’s study of the theological heritage of Ninos’ teaching. Druid’s wisdom was written during his mission in Vervand and Dahabu’s Wisdom came from his study of the Orthodoxy of the 14.

What was once relegated to underground religious communities has now become one of the most organized religions in Cahyali. The Ninite Church has a well defined dogma and hierarchy where regional variations have been replaced with official canon. The Church is predominant in Shinneok and Arenti as well as being a minority religion in Vervand. Ninites rarely proselytize outside of the Oxis as they revile Dahabu's policy of forced conversion.

Structure The Church follows a strict hierarchy and districting. Within each country where Ninism is practiced, the lands of the faithful are divided into many Councils who administrate and lead the faithful. Each Council is further divided into Sanctuaries whose authority is centered at a Cathedral.

• Ninos: He is considered the founder and eternal leader of the church from where he rules over it from his divine realm.
• Hierophant: The mortal head of the Ninite Church who is to act as Ninos’ emissary and representative here on earth. They reign from Macutan City. They are elected by a High Council and reign until their death.
• Archpontiff: They are the leaders of their council and would be their representative when a High Council is called. When running their councils, they act as first among equals and do not have explicitly more authority than the rest of the pontiffs.
• Pontiff: They make up the remainder of their local Council and each hold authority in their respective sanctuaries. The seats of their power are the Cathedrals.
• Vicar: The lieutenants of pontiffs who handle much of the administrative tasks of their sanctuaries. Pontiffs often name one of their vicars as their successor but anyone could be chosen.
• Priest: These are the rank and file clergy of the Ninite church who run their parishes and act as the spiritual leaders of their communities.

The 14 Great Saints are the people whose holiness and reverence is exceeded only by Ninos and the Ancient Wind. These are the followers and friends of Ninos whom he held in highest regard. Each of the Great Saints have an associated priestly order where upon being fully initiated, they are bestowed power from one aspect of divinity.

He was said to be a deserter of old Dahabu, who fled into the lands of the Oxis with a unit of fellow deserters. They went into the mountains of the Oxis where they built a community for anyone who sought to flee Dahabu. Peregrinus is among the most revered figures in the church with only Ninos being held in higher regard. He is known for his sacrifice, buying his people precious time to escape, when the great conqueror came to his village.

She was a Shinnean hunter that wandered the outskirts and the woods of the Oxis. A dissident from the beginning, she always flippantly objected to any order that Dahabu tried to impose. The hunter was known to disappear as swiftly as she arrived for she always made certain to encourage disobedience amongst the people. After the razing of Piccolucia, she’d pledged herself to making sure that the resistance stayed alive.

The one who penned the Book of Three Wisdoms