Church of Elwynn (Archdiocese of Yaanek)

The Archdiocese of Yaanek, incorporated as the Church of Elwynn, and referred to as Church of Elwynn (Archdiocese of Yaanek) to differentiate it from the schismatic/heretical Church of Elwynn, was formed after the Schism of 1699, following Elwynnese authorities' Edict of Correction upon the church, which forced a monotheistic cosmology upon the Church of Elwynn in Elwynn, and seizure of holy texts. Dioceses of the Church of Elwynn outside Elwynn called for a synod in Shirekeep, during which they decided that an Archdiocese of Yaanek be formed to govern the Church outside Elwynn. The Archdiocese of Yaanek regards the Church of Elwynn (in Elwynn) as both heretical and schismatic. From the date of the Edict of Correction and onwards, the heretical/schismatic church's ordinations are considered invalid and unlawful.

The Archdiocese of Yaanek is a new diocese of the Church of Elwynn, so established and named to ensure that no existing diocese of the Church of Elwynn was given superiority. Mount Yaanek is considered the physical location of the resting spirit of the goddess Elwynn.

In 1707 AN, the archdiocese was deemed to have returned to obedience at the end of the schism. New clerics offering praise to the Highest Divinity were to be installed.

The following dioceses switched their allegiance to the Archdiocese of Yaanek:

Diocese	Elw	Former archdiocese	Founded	Transferred	Jurisdiction	Comments
Esterion	e. s. Esterion	Eliria	1624	1699	Batavia: Esterion and Frijfort; (nominal jurisdiction over the western parts of Amokolia)
Huyenkula	e. s. Eanqulion	Ardashirshahr	1500	1699	Hurmu Eesdeheito Lac Glacei Constancia Nouvelle Alexandrie Zeed Shireroth: Talenore
Kezan	e. s. Kezan	Ardashirshahr	1593	1699	Shireroth: Kezan and Hawshire-Dura
Krieksburgh	e. s. Kyrikysburion	Eliria	1638	1699	Batavia: Krieksburgh, 's-Koningenwaarde, Lugdunum, Glastonburg, Irrel, Doornenburgh, Brittenburgh, Noviomagus	Founded as the Diocese of Tuulersbýur (e. s. Tuulerion), and the Batavian islands off Keltia (Madison, Princess Fränzi-Ferdinanda, Faya Veronique)
Lindström	e. s. Lindystyrymion'	Eliria	1585	1699	Natopia: All except Arboria
Meridosa	e. s. Meridozion	Ardashirshahr	1589	1699	Natopia: Arboria, South East	In Arboria, total reorganization of the former TUC there into the CoE ranks
Portus Batavii	e. s. Portus Batavii	Eliria	1638	1699	Batavia: South and East	Founded as the Diocese of Hjalli (e. s. Hialion)
Relgannan	e. s. Relgannan	Ardashirshahr	1589	1699	Natopia: Arboria, North-East	In Arboria, total reorganization of the former TUC there into the CoE ranks
Scoglitto	e. s. Skoljitto e. s. Yskolidoon (alt. name)	Ardashirshahr	1638	1699	Tellia
Shirekeep	e. s. Kipuun	Ardashirshahr	1600	1699	Drak-Modan Sanama Shireroth (except Kezan, Talenore)
Thule†	e. s. Tuuleon	Eliria	1492	1699	Defunct as of 1711	Schismatic 1569–1600
Tirlar	e. s. Tirlarion	Ardashirshahr	1589	1699	Natopia: Arboria, West	Properties occupied by the Arboreal Guard in 1707 AN. Priests extradited to the Benacian Union in early 1708 AN.
Tylmarinnyn	e. s. Tylmarinnynion	Ardashirshahr	1589	1699	Natopia: Arboria, North/Central
Vinandy	e. s. Vinandinion	Eliria	1638	1699	Batavia: North-west
Wolfraven†	e. s. Ullraun	Eliria	1493	1699	Defunct as of 1711	Schismatic 1569–1600

History

Ancient Elw religion was a dualistic religion between two neither fully good nor fully evil powers, Elu and Aqar. Elu was the god of the Elw (and those west of them), and Aqar the god of the others. Elu is related to Hebrew El (the Elw would therefore be a brother people to the ancient Ashkenazis), and Aqar is related to a Semitic word for "the other".

The Treesian Unorthodox Church came to Elwynn through missionary Hereton, who established the church here in the 1300s. When Shireroth became independent from Tymaria the church in Eliria was elevated to cathedral, with the whole of then Shireroth as diocese. Elwynn was after all the only place in Shireroth where the TUC got a hold.

The Church spread well in Elwynn during the coming years. Churches were established all over the duchy, and the Church became associated with the ducal administration (as it helped with taxation, keeping of records, etc).

When the Babkhan Grand Vizier, Ardashir Khan, became baron, the Church of Elwynn faced a crisis. Babkha and Treesia were, at that time, locked into a long-running and bitter war. Treesia itself had been reduced to the status of an occupied territory, administered as "Babkhan Prinitica" (Prinitica being the contemporary name of Apollonia). The ecclesiastical hierarchy, faced with a victorious Ardashir at the end of the Elfinshi War and his successors after the War of Vengeance were confronted by a difficult decision. Baron Ardashir in particular had sought to appease the various native religious communities by granting concessions and favours to their priests in return for their political support. The most notable of these, "The Donations" of Eliria and Vijayanagara to the cult of B'Caw being a grand example to gain support from Shirekeep. This made it difficult for the Elwynnese clergy to remain in communion with their Treesian parent church. In exchange for administrative and local political power, the priesthood was obliged to remain loyal to the Baron.

Thus, the Schism of 1490 occurred, in 1490 AN, bringing about the independent Church of Elwynn. Eliria's bishopric was elevated to an archdiocese, with dioceses being set up in the new cities. A few years later, the archdiocese split, following the ancient Elw principle of the rule of two, with the Diocese of Ardashirshahr elevated. Traditionalist adherents of the Treesian Unorthodox Church stayed within its structures and, after the final passing of Treesian rule from the Fifth Isle, became eventually known as the so-called Remnant Church of Treesian Unorthodoxy.

Over time the Church took on more of the ancient dualistic tendencies and began to consider the gods of the Treesian pantheon, like those of the Cedrist religion to be distinct attributes of the dual nature of the divine. While keeping the Treesian liturgy, the actual theology became more dualistic, with Elwynn and Lest taking on the role and identity of Elu and Aqar respectively. Often, offshoots of the religion were eschatological, awaiting the union of Elwynn and Lest to bring about an end of the world as we know it.

The shift in theology brought the Free Elwynnese Church, which was at the beginning a pious but anti-liturgical movement in the Church (similar to pentacostalism in Nazarenism). However, as years passed by, the FEC became more mystical in its tendencies than the CoE. Of course, in Roqpin, the FEC camps are always a lot wilder than the CoE ones.

A major crisis for the Church came in the first independence era. The Church was too associated (guilt by association) with "Free Elwynn" to be accepted in the East, and its churches and organisation was taken over by the so-called Elwynnese Church of Treesian Unorthodoxy until reunification when almost all congregations voluntarily returned to the CoE (Communion of 1600). Some other congregations sided with the Remnant Church of Treesian Unorthodoxy, boosting that Church's dwindling numbers.

Finally, in 1692, the Remnant Church of Treesian Unorthodoxy and the Church of Elwynn, encouraged by the Princess of Elwynn, agreed to an end to their schism, and celebrated Communion on the first day of 1693 (Communion of 1693).

In 1699, the Congress of Chryse issued the Edict of Correction, which would heavily repress the Church's theology and political independence. As a result, the Schism of 1699 occurred.

Organization

Clergy and Hierarchy

Clergy are found in four categories:

Aspeq (Arch-Sagart): "Archbishop"
Saqar (Sagart): "Bishop"
Mysynyr (Missionary): "Priest"
Nisaq (Novice): "Novice"
Student

After five years of studying theology and unorthodoxy (triple bachelor's degree, Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Unorthodoxy, Bachelor of Liturgy), the graduate is brought into the clergy as a novice (Elw: nisaq). The period of novicehood is up to three years. Novices may not practise liturgy without supervision. Only when passing certain exams may they be brought further up the hierarchy as mysynyr ("missionary"). A missionary may practise liturgy unsupervised, but they usually head a congregation ("mission", enu mysynyrion) with a group of other missionaries. The congregation is geographical and is usually centred in one church (and sometimes with subordinate chapels).

Missionaries answer to their sagart (akin to a bishop, as the sagart heads a diocese). And sagarts answer to the archsagart. There are only two archsagarts in the Church.

Rules for clergy

Clergy are required to usually wear religious uniforms. They are supposed to uphold the highest morals and be worthy of the highest respect in whatever they do in their private and clergy lives.

Sexual relations outside a committed monogamous relationship are banned, as are displays of nudity outside the same relationship.

Intoxicants such as alcohol, caffeine and other drugs are banned.

None of these rules bind the congregants.

Ecumenicalism

After the fall of Treesia, the TUC lost most of its power. There are some communities in Alexandria that are still Treesianist, and in Treesia. The CoE are in communion with these -- in that the CoE recognises the rites of these churches. Given that the Free Church does not have rites, there are no exchange of recogntion of rites. Relations between the two churches are generally good and cooperative.

But as the Church has in the latter century depersonalised the gods, an acceptance that other gods may exist outside of the pantheon has been given credibility. The first the religion to do so was the Babkhan Orthodox Church, the Zurvanist church, where Elwynn is associated with Zurvan, and Lest with Ahriman. In the BOC, the Treesian gods are the same as in Zurvanism, just with different names. From CoE's point of view, it's similar but not quite. It is generally held that Zurvan is associated with one of the four major gods (which one, however, remains under theological debate).

The Froyalanist faith is quite similar to the CoE. For some, it would be seen as a natural evolution of the syncretic nature of the Elwynnist faith to also assimilate the Froyalanders' gods. However, given the very corporeal nature of the Froyalan gods, it is almost theologically impossible for the CoE to reconcile its objection of gods as physical beings with the Froyalanders' insistence that they very much are corporeal. As such, relations between these two churches were strained, and by the end of the Vanic rule, association with the Church of Elwynn had a slight suspicion about it. Church attendance dwindled and former faithfuls either joined the Dozan Bovic Church, the Zurvanist Orthodox Church, or irreligion.

Relations with the Umraist community are very difficult considering the conservatively and militantly monotheistic nature of that community in Alalehzamin. With the Amokolian Orthodox Church (Nazarene church) and with the Dozan Bovic Church, relations are more cooperative but only on a social/community level, never on a religious one. Though the apotheosis of Elijah in the Bovinism has leant support for his sainthood in the Church of Elwynn as well.

An Overview

The Story Of The Creation Of The World

In the beginning, there were (the female) Paragon and (the male) Universe. Universe was absorbed into Paragon and Paragon gave birth to the four Irdia (Gods of Beauty), Tineon (Fire), Uisceor (Water), Salio (Earth), and Gaotheoria (Wind, usually just called Gaother). These beings spent countless ages shaping the Earth and creating the seas and mountains and forests and such, after which Paragon had another set of children, the Faldia (Gods of Destiny). These were Laguna (Goddess of Love and Motherhood), Utas (God of Light And Truth), Aeon (God of Time), and Ilass (Goddess of Magick and Darkness). Laguna had five children, and these five children became the founders of five races, Men, Animals, Talking Dogs, Centaurs, and Microns. The Faldia gradually took power from the Irdia, being cleverer if not quite as strong, and under their rule, everyone lived in peace with many servants and retainers and subjects in the great many-towered city of Ennabruk in Tirbal, the Land of Might, which men call Heaven.

The Fall

Due to the evil influences of Lest (more on him later), Ilass grew evil and decided to usurp power from Aeon, who was currently king of Ennabruk. Plotting in secret, she, with Lest and many of the Elder Demons, launched a surprise attack on Ennabruk. The object was to capture Elwynn (again, more on her later). In the attack, the gods were caught totally off guard, and the weapons of Ilass and her demons blinded Laguna while Yetal, a servant of Utas who had turned traitor, killed his master. A voice then rang out prophecying that Utas should one day be resurrected and redeem the world, but that seemed scant consolation at the time. Luckily the gods managed to regroup and use their magic to journey to Kalaspier, a fortress on the very edge of Tirbal.

The Birth of Mandorallen

In Kalaspier, things seemed hopeless, and the gods prepared for the worst. Aeon fell into a deep slump over what he saw as his lack of preparedness and share of guilt in the death of Utas and Laguna's blinding. In despair, he gave the Bow of Time, the source of his power, to Utas' lover Amariaa, and bound himself to Laguna's service as god of beggars. But when the gods continued to press him for aid, saying that he was their only hope to retake their city, Aeon secluded himself into deep meditation and incantation. When he came out, he had been vastly weakened, but beside him was Mandorallen, The Champion of Tirbal, clad in diamond armor and waving a banner with streaks of lightning. He gathered together all the remaining supporters of divine order in the Universe and attacked the demons in Ennabruk. At last he triumphed, with the help of the lore-god Carding, and he cast Lest and Ilass into the PRH. However, upon learning that Man and the other races (with the exceptions of the Microns) had been, if not complicit, at least not particularly helpful in the fight against the demons, he banished them to Tirlar, the Middle Plane, which men call Earth, and charged the god Mordicc to take their lives from them after a paltry span of a few score years. But Laguna interceded and got from Mandorallen a concession that if they had been protectors of the world and benefactors of the good for their time on Earth, they could be brought by the ferryman Jestun to Heaven, although if they had been evil, they too would be consigned to the PRH.

The Orchid Cycle

After the birth of the Faldia, Paragon gave birth to one more set of gods - the two twins, Elwynn and ‎‎Lest. At the moment of their birth, a prophecy was proclaimed (which is one of the only parts I've managed to translate into Treesian of the BoO, so I'll write it here thus)

A sekel 'kmeka i'e-Tirbal zkhal

Imeh i'au-kmeka pol Ifreann

qANDAN a caroten o-sekel

Rakat i-mianthrop kme~a kleen

That is, if the two were ever to grow up, marry, and have a child, that child would be ANDAN, a being of pure power that would inevitably result in the complete destruction of the world. Luckily, it seemed unlikely that this would ever happen. From the get-go, the two could not have been more different, not only in looks - Elwynn was white with white hair and dressed only in white gowns, whereas Lest was black with black hair and black eyes and wore only black robes - but in personality as well - Elwynn was purely good and selfless, whereas Lest was the most despicable creature any of the gods, including those who had done battle with the Elder Demons in the Time before Time, had ever laid eyes on. But, by the perversity of the Universe, they did indeed fall in love, and thus had to be separated. Elwynn was given to Utas' care, whereas Lest was placed under the guardianship of Ilass, and both gods were informed NEVER to let them meet. But they did - twice - once at the Battle of Ennabruk, where Aeon snatched Elwynn away just in time, and once at the Second Battle of Ennabruk, when Carding, to prevent her from running off to Lest, turned her into a white orchid flower, and then to prevent Lest from going to find her, turned him into a similar black flower. Thus they are the two Orchids - gods of good and evil. They have had many adventures, which culminated in the following:

Elwynn currently resides in Mount Yaanek, a volcano in Hyperborea, and will answer the question of anyone who comes to her oracle (the oracle still exists, and answered a question as recently as yesterday)

Lest, in an incident much too complex to recount here, lost his orchid form and, in an attempt to take over Treesia, incarnated into the form of a human. After being kicked out by the current Ard-Baron, this human has been wandering the world ever since, doing evil deeds and stirring up trouble wherever he goes. You may be interested or amused to know that the name of this human incarnation of pure evil is Thomas Hubert.

It is prophesied that eventually the two will meet, ANDAN will be born, and the Universe will be destroyed.

Summary of the key points of Treesian Theology

-The basic fabric of the Universe was created by a power totally beyond mortal comprehension. It is not even worth our time to try and communicate with or analyze this entity (or entities, since it defies classification as singular or plural) and the Church generally does not do so, lumping it under the label "the Powers Undreamed"

-The Powers Undreamed can never be viewed or understood completely, but their relationship to the Universe or to any individual can be viewed as a pantheon of gods. These gods may or may not be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, depending on what aspects of the Powers Undreamed are captured by them.

-The Treesian Unorthodox faith is one such system of gods, and the one that has been used in the divine relation to Treesia since time immemorial. It does not claim to be more correct or better than any other faith, except for certain people.

-Our missionary efforts are merely so that people abroad can gain knowledge of the Treesian faith and thus convert to it if they feel it would lead to a more productive relationship to the Divine than any other. There is no reason to try and convince or argue with people who are already happy with the faith they have.

-The Treesian deities are not omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, or immortal, but they are much closer to these qualities than any human can hope to be. Gods are generally much more in tune with the Good than man, but can forfeit this harmony through free choice, as Ilass and others have indeed done.

-The gods generally act independently of one another, but Paragon on the Crystal Throne is mother of them all, and Mandorel is their king and ruler.

-The gods love mankind and all of Creation, and are dedicated to preserving and improving it. Their goals for the world are many, but often center around love and beauty.

-The gods have as an act of mercy allowed people's souls to return to Tirbal after they die. However, those who are so foul that the gods are unable to tolerate their presence are either condemned to wander Tirlar as ghosts or in extreme cases thrown down to Ifreann. This happens very rarely.

-The world will eventually be destroyed by ANDAN, who will be the child of the two Kwendia. At this point, all beings will join with the Powers Undreamed in the void that encircles the Universe.

-The gods have an interest in each personal human life, and do what they can to improve it and make it more virtuous. Their modus operandi is guidance, not punishment, except in extreme cases when the offender must be removed from Tirlar immediately. Since the gods are not omniscient, it is sometimes necessary to use prayer to remind them of certain situations that need fixing. However, the most important use of prayer is to attune the prayer to the Universe.

-The gods, not being vain, do not demand prayers of thanksgiving and worship. We nevertheless pray to them of our own free will to show our appreciation for their work. "Buttering up" the gods to try and get something doesn't work, so don't even try it.

-The relationship with the gods is not one of master-slave, but of teacher-student or parent-child, or at best, friend-friend. The gods do not want worship nearly as much as they want for the world and your life to work out, and the best form of worship is to do good deeds and live well and wisely.

-The gods do not do miracles except when necessary. They can't be everywhere, and the bad serves to accentuate the good and to bring the beauty of contrast into the world. When the situation is very dire, however, or when they wish to prove something, a miracle or two is not out of the question.

Treesian Liturgy

The order of the service is thus:

1. The Prayer of the Creation
2. The Prayer of the Many Gods
3. The Prayer of the World
4. Silent meditation
5. Invocation of the god being honored
6. Sermon
7. Rituals
8. Prayer for Guidance
9. The Prayer of the Departed
10. Ritual feast

The Prayer of the Creation

The Prayer of the Creation was written before the time of Halberd by an Ardeaspag on Khas. It thanks the gods for creating the world, states the various perfections of the creation, and provides a grounding by identifying our place in the world. Although there was originally a tune to it, it was long since lost.

Remember beauty!

When the world was first created

The unfathomable Powers

Looked at it with love and longing

With the love of the Eternals

And the love became incarnate

It became the Gods of Beauty

Tineon the Lord of Fire

Uisceor the Lord of Water

Salio of Earth the mistress

Gaother of Wind the ruler

And their myriad of servants

And they looked upon creation

And they shaped it and they smoothed it

Like a careful master sculptor

Giving rise to each perfection

To the sunset o'er the ocean

To the wind among the treetops

To the grasses of the meadow

To the gentle streams that nourish

To the mountains, tall and mighty

To the countless stars of Leaigh

That like snowflakes fill the heavens

All of these, and many others

Were the Irdia's perfections

May their work endure forever

May no flaws or stains deform it

And may humankind, who shares it

And for whom its wonders sparkle

May we marvel at it, know it

May we love and understand it

And give thanks for it together

With this blessed recitation

Remember beauty!