Anomai

Anomai, also Aga Ma'i or Maism, is a religion founded and first spread in Jashnagar. Maism is considered both a spiritual and philosophical practice by its followers, and is concerned with the uplifting and transcendence of the individual and soul. Anomai states that the universe was created by a single god, whose presence maintains the universe and its function. This god and the universe are subject to the concept of Dam, an underlying and immutable force that permeates the core of all existence.

Maism postulates that life and the universe itself is impermanent, but not capable of a true end. In Maist doctrine, every action lingers in some form eternally, connected to Dam. Maists view the universe as cyclical, with death and endings only illusion. This view is justified by the principle that existence begets existence, and that once started cannot be stopped. As a result, Maists reject ideas of heaven or a hell, and view the afterlife as existence beyond current existence. Maist cosmology accepts the idea of additional universes, each with their own creator god, all connected through Dam.

Maist practitioners are concerned with the lingering of action and the direct effect of choices on the self and on others. Exemplifying higher virtue established by doctrine will not only be beneficial to the self and others, but is what separates one's soul and existence from mindless creation. Anomai followers believe that humans are special by virtue of sentient choice, and must better exercise that in accordance with the faith to align themselves with god. An individual will pay for their negative actions eternally because the ripples from which are never destroyed, nor is the individual. Likewise, they will also reap the rewards of positive action eternally as well. As the individual receives the results from their conduct, so too will others benefit or suffer from the actions of fellow man.

Maism has no singular established scriptural text, but is instead spread out among a series of poems and epics that define doctrine. It follows heavily from monastic tradition, with teaching stemming down from monastic lineages. Three primary lineages exist in Maism: Jai, Kali. and Nuren. Both the Jai and Kali lineages are broken up into numerous schools, while the Nuren lineage has remained largely intact. The religion is notable for having a religious state in Jashnagar.

History

Bankara Temple, a ruined Anomai temple from 25 BCE

The Anomai faith likely started as a temple sect in the lower Jash kingdoms sometime between 300 BCE and 140 BCE, originating from early Damic religious groups. While scholars believe the early ideals forming the basis of the faith were probably shared amongst multiple temples, Maist tradition states that the faith was organized and officiated at Kauloon Temple, by the legendary abbot Gana Rashin.

By around 100 BCE, Maist temples had cropped up in many coastal cities and gained a considerable lay following. Monks spread the faith southward to the Pa'ea peoples. There it gained easy traction among the chiefdoms. The Pa'ea further spread the religion to the islands of the Magnostrian Ocean. By 200 CE, temples could be found on all of Jashnagar's primary islands. Maist monks had begun to be employed by local rulers as elite military troops, bringing the faith directly into Jashnagari politics. By 600 CE it had become the dominant faith in the Jashnagari archipelago.

Kauloon Temple, the second most holy site in Anomai

During the late 12th century, an archipelago-wide religious conflict broke out between Maists and followers of other indigenous religions, termed the War of Flames. The Maist victory in the war firmly sealed Anomai as the primary faith in the region. Previously the abbot of Kauloon temple had acted as the de-facto leader of the Maist faith, with doctrinal authority over all temples. The War of Flames brought an end to this, with most temples becoming more organizationally independent. The importance of Kauloon temple waned, and the Bas'kan of Yuram overshadowed the Kauloon abbots due to a more central role in organizing Maist forces during the conflict.

The centuries following through to the 17th century saw an outward expansion of the religion. Anomai monks traveled throughout southeast Nori proselytizing. In addition, Maist forces launched many crusades to capture territory and spread the faith. Though numerous smaller crusades were launched, several large crusades, typically headed by the Bas'kan of Yuram, were organized against various polities in the region. The last great crusade was launched in 1644 by Rastan I against Sepura. Despite initial success, the last large crusading effort ultimately failed in 1647 after the Maists suffered a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Senengka.

The crusades had a lasting impact on politics in the Jashnagari archipelago. Religious unity, typically under the banner of Yuram paved the way for greater cooperation between Jashnagari polities that were otherwise separated by culture. When King Ilo'gnara unified Jashnagar in 1728, he declared the Bas'kan the official head of the faith, and in return, the Bas'kan anointed he and his heirs the rightful rulers of Jashnagar, creating a religiously sanctioned monarchy. Even after the overthrow of the Jashnagari monarchy in 1913, the Bas'kan would eventually be seated as ultimate leader of Jashnagar, creating the modern religious state.

Adherents of the faith continue to use missionary work as the primary form of conversion and as a result Anomai is a growing religion. Meanwhile, the Jashnagari military still hosts a "crusader" title for their armed forces, typically engaged in humanitarian aid where possible.

Beliefs

Anomai is made up of a variety of beliefs and doctrinal traditions, many of which have been added or expounded upon through time and encoded into monastic heritage. Anomai does not have a single scriptural text, but instead has its doctrine outlined by various poems, epics, and writings, which have changed in number over time. In 1366, Bas'kan Naramel I officiated the full list of works that would serve as the base guide to the faith. While the various orders of the faith have additional works that demonstrate their philosophy, the primary list has not changed since 1366.

God

Maism holds that the universe was created by a single god. This god maintains the universe by presence, but is not omnipotent. Maists view god or Mai, not as a sentient force as humans would understand it, but a transcendental power that is responsible for all higher concepts present within the universe. God is responsible for and the representation of the virtue and intellect that separates humanity from all other forms of creation.

This separation is termed Rasa, and it is the primary goal of Maists to cultivate as much Rasa as possible, since Rasa creates the most positive lasting ripples in Dam. For Maists, the physical world is full of suffering and disorder. This can only be alleviated by humanity exhibiting Rasa. The term has no direct Lorian translation, but can best be described as meaning "virtue" or "duty".

Dam

Dam is a key concept in Damic religions, though there are differences in its interpretation and meaning among them. In Anomai, Dam is an omnipresent, immutable, eternal energy that sits at the core of all existence. Dam is deeply linked with physical creation, but extends inconceivably beyond it. It is describe as the "everywhen" and is considered the past, present, future, all three at once, and yet beyond any. For Maists, Dam has no beginning and will have no end.

The eternal nature of Dam sets the groundwork for the cyclical nature of existence in Maist view. Because Dam will never end, it inherently carries the prints of everything that was and will be with it. These prints are called Damic ripples, and creating positive ripples becomes the ultimate focus behind Maism, as all Damic ripples will forever be felt through Dam. Dam has been explained to non-Maist audiences as being similar to the idea of time and space, but this has been considered a simplistic and potentially misleading view.

Aremasa

The relationship between Rasa, Mai, and Dam is called Aremasa and sits at the roots of Maist doctrine. Though Aremasa and the nature of it have been a topic of intense meditation throughout the history of the religion, it has been broken down into a fundamental explanation: "Dam exists because it exists. If it did not exist, then it would not exist. Mai exists because it is Dam that beings who can experience Mai exists. Because Mai exists, and because beings who can experience Mai exist, then Rasa exists. Because Rasa exists, then Mai exists for beings to experience."

Professor Sylvain Pecheur of the University of Dinsmarque has explained Aremasa as follows: "In Anomai, Dam exists regardless of any factor. It is the true independent phenomena, and directly impacts everything. Mai, or God, exists because of Dam, and gives rise to beings that are able to experience the ripples created in Dam. Rasa is the transcendence of God, as well as the ripples seen as positive. Without God, Maists would not be able to interpret the ripples they create in Dam. If God, or humans, did not exist, Dam would still be directly impacted by itself, but there would be nothing around to interpret the ripples and therefor steer them toward a certain path.

This ability of ripple translation and steering is what marks humanity as distinct from the rest of creation, and that distinction is Rasa. God is best viewed as the lens in which humans feel their direct impact on Dam, and Rasa is best viewed as those impacts considered inherently good by Maists. Aremasa is not supposed to be simple, and Maist monks have contemplated on it for millennia."

Sevra

Relief of a Sevra, most likely Moru, fit with legendary club and two female companions.

In Maism, individuals who exhibit exceptional amounts of Rasa or exemplify a specific kind of Rasa are called Sevra.