Pallisican religion

The Pallisican Religion, or Pallisicanism, is a religion, or way of life, which originates in the region of Passas, in Southwestern Keltia. Although a relatively new religion in contrast to other belief systems found around Micras, Pallisicanism is one of the notable religions of the modern era, insofar as the religion plays a central role in the political, economic, and social structures of the Realm of Passio-Corum, which spans across the world's Eastern hemisphere. The Pallisican religion is regarded as a fusion of diverse kralian, Hammish, and Pallisican belief systems, with no formal founder. The synthesis of the Pallisican religion is believed to have occurred between the years 400 and 550 WG.

Prominent themes represented in Pallisicanism include (but are not restricted to): an emphasis on the universal triality between the forces of Order, Chaos, and Mystery. The Pallisican religion maintains that everything in an existence is a reflection of the relationship between these three forces, which themselves represent the three components of God, which became the three forces in the first moments of the universe.

Today the religion maintains its strongest presence in Northern Corum and Southwestern Keltia, though adherents to the religion can also be found in Southern and Eastern Keltia, Eastern Eura, and Southern Corum. That said, Pallisicanism can be regarded as the predominant major religion of Micras’ Eastern hemisphere.

Beliefs

Triality of Oversouls

Today, the religion's most prominent beliefs relate to the relationship between the forces of Order, Chaos, and Mystery (or nature). These three forces, which are known within Pallisican traditions as the Oversouls represent the three components of God, which was dissolved into the three forces at the beginning of existence. This tradition maintains that the universe began when the singularity of God underwent its first and only change. This fundamental change of God marks the beginning of time, or Order. At the moment that time began to progress, the Pallisican religion maintains, God ceased to exist. With this cessation of the existence of God, or perfection, the force of Chaos was introduced into the universe. With the progression of time, in other words, came the development of chaos. So it is that according to the Pallisican religion, time, or Order, naturally leads to the development of Chaos. The more time occurs, the more chaos develops. Thus, the tendency of the universe – as it is defined by Order rather than by perfection – is towards Chaos; the universe becomes more chaotic over time. That said, the Pallisican religion maintains that this natural tendency of the universe can be reversed by an awareness of the third fundamental force of the universe: mystery. Mystery, Pallisicanism holds, is the force which compels the restructuring of Chaos into Order, and it is the medium through which that restructuring occurs. Indeed, the Pallisican religion teaches its adherents to gain an awareness and a mastery over the force of mystery, through science, philosophy, and industry, in order to become agents in the struggle against the universal force of Chaos. This is the basis for all Pallisican religious practices.

The Enlightened Ones

A small shrine honoring the Enlightened Ones overlooks a shallow creek.

The Pallisican religion maintains that among the populations of the beings who possess the intellect (humans, kralians, aead) to come to an awareness of mystery, there occasionally arise individuals who possess a deeper, truer understanding of the nature of the relationship between the Oversouls. These individuals, known as Enlightened Ones, are believed to be capable of expressing truths which speak to the nature of existence itself. Different belief systems within the Pallisican religion generally recognize different sets of Enlightened Ones, though certain individuals, such as Jetaln and Alezu, are recognized as Enlightened Ones by all Pallisican faiths.

Higher Paths

The various belief systems within the Pallisican religion, otherwise known as the Lesser Paths, can be categorized into three broad groups known as the Higher Paths. These are, the Gateway Path, the Sunlit Path, and the Rodinan Path. The first of these three Higher Paths, which originates in the region of Western Passas, teaches that the way to enlightenment - to a perfect awareness of the relationship between the Oversouls - is through a lifestyle based around military disciplines. The second of the Higher Paths, the Sunlit Path, is the most mystical of the three paths. This belief system, which originates in the region of modern Zimia, places significant emphasis on ideas surrounding resurrection, and upon the study of dreams and meditative states. The third of the Higher Paths, which has its origins in Eastern Passas, encourages its followers to reject traditional concepts of enlightenment, and to instead pursue forms of personal fulfillment.

Lower Paths

Each of the Higher Paths within the Pallisican religion can be divided into several subsets, known as the Lesser Paths. These Lesser Paths represent the specific belief systems of the religion's practitioners. Rather than identifying with anyone of the Higher Paths, practitioners of Pallisicanism tend to identify their beliefs and practices according to their preferred Lesser Path. The Lesser Paths, grouped according to the Higher Paths, are as follows:

Gateway Path

The Gateway Path is the favored religion of members of the Pallisican military. The Gateway Path, and in particular the Center Path, is the predominant religion amongst members of the New Zimian War League.

• Valléi Paßh (Valley Path): Teaches a message of spiritual warfare between the forces of good and evil.
• Centig Paßh (Center Path): Teaches that good and evil are complementary forces innate in all self-aware beings.

Sunlit Path

The most commonly practiced type of all Pallisican religions, the Sunilt Path enjoys widespread appeal amongst the nation's vocal working class. The Darkened Path in particular enjoys extremely widespread support throughout Passio-Corum.

A young practitioner of the Darkened Path participates for the first time in an annual pilgrimage to the city of Cannassas.

• Skyward Path: Teaches that enlightenment can only be attained one the individual's soul has attained union, or harmony, with the soul of Micras.
• Darkened Path: Teaches its followers to derive practical meaning from dreams.
• Flowing Path: Encourages the use of psychedelic herbs, plants, and fungi as a means of reaching enlightenment.

Humble Path

The least pronounced of the Pallisican religions, the Humble Path enjoys little more than a cult following in certain rural communities across the Pallisican sphere of influence. The Humble Path, as a result, has historically enjoyed little influence in the Houses of Pallisican Chelkra.

• Wide Path: Is unique for the reason being that it draws no distinction between man and kralian.
• Heart Path: Teaches of a spiritual link between the worlds of Micras and Indigo, and the races of man and aead.

Variant Paths

Variant Paths are religious belief systems which share characteristics in common with the Pallisican Religion, but which cannot formally be categorized under any of the existing Lower Paths. Variant Paths commonly emerge beyond the formal borders of the Greater Pallisican Trade Association.

• Stripping Path

Oversouls and the Atos System

Certain Lesser Paths, most notably the Darkened Path and the Heart Path, recognize astrological links between the Oversouls and the planets of the Atos System. Both of the aforementioned Lesser Path, for instance, recognize a link between Order and the planet Micras, and Chaos and the planet Indigo. Furthermore, both Lesser Paths draw a connection between Mystery with the planet Noctis. Beliefs regarding these astrological links serve to significantly influence the ritual practices of the Lesser Paths which harbor them.

The Inner World

A core tenant of Pallisican religious philosophy is the idea of the Inner World, a spiritual realm which exists within the souls of all practitioners of the religion. The Inner World, Pallisican teachings hold, is a realm which perfectly embodies the ideals of society and nature, and which is beyond the influences of the Oversouls. Indeed, the Inner World is regarded within the Pallisican faith as a realm governed by a type of Godly perfection, not unlike that which existed before the beginning of the universe. This realm, which is accessible only through dreams and meditative states, is regarded as the Realm of the Enlightened Ones; Pallisican tradition maintains that this realm can only be entered at will once a practitioner of the faith has come to an awareness and mastery over the force of Mystery. In addition, the Pallisican religion also teaches that the Inner World represents an alternative to the cycle of reincarnation. Once a person attains enlightenment, they may enter the Inner World at their discretion, and thus they may choose be freed from the cycle of reincarnation to which all practitioners of the Pallisican faith are subject until they understand for themselves the nature of the relationship between the Oversouls. The religion teaches that many Enlightened Ones have chosen to reside permanently in the Inner World, rather than continuing to be reincarnated, though some reject the promise of paradise in favor of the opportunity to continue teaching the non-enlightened.

Some Pallisicanist belief systems teach that Micras, and indeed the whole Atos System represent the Inner World of higher conscious beings, though such beliefs are officially rejected by most practitioners.

Politics

Governance

The Pallisican religion is indirectly, officially governed by the New Zimian Temple Court, an official agency of the Council of Courts, which serves to enforce religious and moral law within Pallisican society. That said, the religion is directly governed by the Houses of Pallisican Chelkra, the legislative body representing the New Zimian Temple Authority, which itself serves to unify the Higher Paths under a common banner.

Chief Moniker

The Chief Moniker is the figure-head and supreme governing authority of the Pallisican religion. Represented by the Crown of Passio-Corum, the Chief Moniker is regarded as the representative of the Host Spirit. Believed to have special access to the inhabitants of the Inner World, as well as access to the aead, the Chief Moniker embodies the connection between the spiritual realms described by the religion. Accordingly, the Chief Moniker alone is understood to possess the secret knowledge sufficient to govern the religion, and indeed, the Pallisican nation.