Marwanism is a polytheistic religion practiced across the universe, especially in Florathel. It is a bit of a stretch to call Marwanism a single cohesive religion, as its thousands of gods are not equally worshipped, and different sets of gods predominate in various places. It is by far the most populous religion in Florathel and the second most practiced religion in the entire universe. The largest concentrations of adherents are within the territory of the Theocracy of Yaztas and the Darari Kelnai, and most of the rest of the population is thinly scattered throughout the stars.
Marwanism has become increasingly diverse in its many variants as well as individual interpretations of the various key components of the religion. The variants usually all have a distinction between the true supreme beings, the Marwa, and various lesser deities. However, which gods are in the Marwa and which are not differs depending on who you ask, and there is no universally accepted grouping.
While many Marwanists believe that this religion was revealed to many different civilizations across all of time, the modern form of Marwanism evolved over roughly five thousand years between 45,000 and 50,000 CE in the region of space known as Yaztas. It was originally limited to this region until it slowly began to trickle outwards alongside both refugees from the oppressive policies there as well as, later, the Theocracy's conquests. It was at this point when large differences began to occur between various branches of the religion, forming the diversity we see today.
Origins and History
Modern Marwanism traces most of its teachings to a series of prophets known as the Hundred Lords. The first of them only described a few gods, and said that Artas herself initially created the universe. To most any modern Marwanist, this ancient form would be considered almost unrecognizable, although there are some that still adhere to it. As time went on, more gods were added, and the Hundred Lords’ lack of communication with each other led to wild inconsistencies in the various stories.
As time went on, more gods were added to the Marwa, and some new concepts such as the Karyads (spirits of individual celestial bodies) were added, and various details of the myths were fleshed out. During this time, the persecution of the Marwanists lessened somewhat with the fall of the Providence Union.
Shortly before the creation of the Theocracy of Yaztas, Marwanism was roughly in its modern form. Various refugee groups fleeing the Yaztas region, cut off from the original holy texts, gradually diverged from the main religion, forming several branches scattered throughout the galaxy.
The conquests of the Theocracy also spread the religion, and the Arnot Republic came to have a large population of adherents as well before its destruction. Today, Marwanism is the second largest religion in the entire universe, and the fastest growing. Relatively recently, because of the growing corruption of the Theocracy of Yaztas, many alternative religions such as Salacism and Reklan have grown in popularity, challenging Marwanism’s dominance.
Things Marwanism does not have
Marwanism has no fixed creed and no statement of faith. It has no set list of gods and no consistent chief god. Marwanism also notably lacks a hierarchy of priests, with worship being a mostly individual thing.
Temples and monasteries are not strictly necessary for Marwanist faith, and the introduction of other religions such as Saliacism, Aviranism, and others popularized the concept of temples even among Marwanists.
Marwanism, somewhat confusingly for outside observers, lacks a consensus on what happens to you after death. The two agreed-upon possibilities will be described later.
Most religions instruct the believer to do virtuous things, at least in theory, but Marwanism has explicit passages instructing the reader on how to achieve power and pleasure. In fact, there are several stories about bad things that happen when a believer neglects the two in favor of simple virtuousness.
For a religion supported by at least two major states, there is a surprising fraction of Marwanist text that supports ditching civilization and living in the interstellar wilderness if you don’t like what the state is doing. Finally, Marwanism does not require that its followers not follow one of the other Florathelian religions, such as Salacism.
The Marwanist Calendar
The Marwanist calendar is based primarily on the orbital period of the planet Artas (not the goddess). The year is split into 27 months, based on the orbital period of Alos, Artas' largest moon and the seat of government of the Theocracy of Yaztas. Artas is said to be the original site of the Holy Palace of the Marwa before it was moved into an alternate plane to avoid the searchings of mortal men, and that is why the planet was chosen to mark the system of time in the Marwanist calendar.
The Marwa: The Pantheon of Gods
The Marwa lacks a set membership among the various deities. However, this section will detail the various gods and goddesses most often considered a part of it.
WIP
Other Gods and Spirits
Creation Narrative
One thing which Marwanism is remarkably consistent about is the creation of the universe. Sociologists often make allegorical links between this tale and the Selagan Red Flag Revolution.
Eschatology
Death and the Afterlife - Option 1
There are three competing versions of the Marwanist afterlife. The most popular one, supported by roughly 55% of believers, simply says that once you die your soul will be taken by the messenger of the dead, Trita, to the afterlife to be literally reborn among the gods, after which you will live forever in paradise. Assuming of course that you lived a good life. Most people are closer to average, and Trita instead takes such people to various layers of a Punishment realm where they atone for their sins before rising to heaven.
Death and the Afterlife - Option 2
The second version posits that after you die, Trita will take you before the goddess of the dead, Lias. If your life is judged to be a good one, you will be allowed into the paradise of Naru. If you have led a life whose actions have caused more bad then good, Lias will devour you and you will cease to exist.
The End of Time
In Marwanism, the universe is eternal, endlessly destroying and reforming itself. However, predictions drawn from the various sayings of the Hundred Lords state that the next cycle of universal rebirth will begin by 200,000 CE and reforge the universe into a gleaming perfection.
Variants
Marwanist Myth
Holy Texts
The holy texts of Marwanism begun their compilation during the lifetime of the last of the Hundred Lords. However, after the death of the last of them, the then-small Marwanist community scrambled to find every myth that was recorded and place them in a single set of books.
The original copies of these books are found in the Great Temple at Artas, although they were not always housed here. During the Dominion of Khae and the Trezhath Republic's persecution of the early Marwanist community, they were hidden carefully on an uncharted rogue asteroid near the border of the Marakat Interstellar Union, but after the successful independence of the Theocracy of Yaztas they were restored to the temple.
Marwanism has five widely accepted holy texts, alongside the Book of Kafalun which is generally considered to be heretical by almost all Marwanists except the branch of Kafanism. The five holy books are referred to as the Marelsis Canon. Marwanists derive their practices from the actions of the gods and virtuous heroes as described in the Marelsis Canon alongside traditions of the actions of the Hundred Lords themselves, rather than there being explicit directions. These holy books have many interpretations, and they never specify how many gods are among the Marwa. Only Artas, Talkas, Tawir, and Lias are explicitly stated to be, helping give rise to the many interpretations of the books.
During the time of the hundred lords, the myths that compose the Marelsis Canon were not arranged in any order, and were simply told whenever the teller felt it necessary. The Canon was arranged in rough chronological order, and titled in reference to whatever topic was most important within the book.