Tichva

Tichva (Originally from Babaran "Tikhsva", later ⲧⲏⲭϥⲁ (Romanized: Thichfa) via Girbetese) is the ethnic religion of the Babaro-Girbetese peoples. It is an ancient, pantheistic and monlatric religion, though it has elements of polytheism and animisim, the prevalence of which varies between groups. It encompasses the religion, philosophy, and many foundational social mores of much of the Babaro-Girbetese diaspora, who view Tichva as a concord between themselves and Machakla (sometimes simply "Ma"), which is viewed as the living essence of the universal soul, and is both transcendent and immanent in all of the body of creation, which itself is Machakla. Machakla speaks through the Fareštas, worldly incarnations of her will which seek to bring knowledge and prosperity through their teachings, who often act through prophetic figures known as Silis. It is a vast range of beliefs and practices, composed of a wide body of texts, theological and cultural schools of thought, and forms of social organization. Its chief text is the Kithlat, a collections of holy texts assembled around the fourth century CE, which is further supplemented by other oral traditions later codified over the centuries, including the Akvats, which are worldly laws for individuals and communities, and Tujots, which are writings of recognized Silis, respected Achvits (priests) and other scholars of the faith produced following the fall of . Much of the religion's liturgical development beyond the Kithlat and First Akvat occurred following the breakdown of the old Babaran homeland surrounding the city of Jatt, and spread of the diaspora throughout the Old World, and eventually Girbeta.

Within Tichva is a multitude of religious traditions, the preeminent form of the faith, Gachbadathana, has been extant since around the 10th Century CE. This set of traditions teaches that the contents of the Kithlat was bestowed by eight Fareštas upon eight craftsmen of various trades in the village of Avraj (believed to reside in modern-day NATION) over the course of 45 days, thus making the Kithlat immutable and divine in nature. These craftsmen, called the Izgesigezts, or Chosen Sons, became prophetic figures considered archetypes for the core virtues and practices of the Babaro-Girbetese peoples in both their religious and day-to-day lives. Furthermore, the Gachbadathana tradition teaches the importance of community and the need to foster cooperation between peoples in order for individuals to live a spiritually whole existence. As such, tradition stresses that while not all may serve the cause of Machakla, those who do must serve all as they would with one another.

Over the years, especially among Girbetese communities of Oceanic Majula and the South Seas, numerous further offshoots were forged, including Humanistic branches of the faith, which often feature nontheism. Today, the largest branches of the faith are Orthodox (Gachbadathana) Tichva, Conservative Tichva, and Modernist Tichva (including Liberated Tichva). The largest divides between these groups come in the form of differences on proselytizing and conversion of persons outside of the traditional Babaro-Girbetese Diaspora, the authority of Gachbadathana Traditions and the presence of an overarching religious hierarchy, the role of the Achvit in religious and community life, and the significance of Avrachism in social, political, and spiritual discourse. Orthodox communities stress the immutability and divinity of the Kithlat and other core texts, as well as the primacy of autocephalous religious structures which oversee their respective nation's adherents. Conservative branches tend to disdain highly organized and codified religious structures, instead viewing each congregation as an independent entity which, while sharing similar backgrounds, beliefs, and rituals, are ultimately required to adapt to the specific needs of each community within traditionally-set lines of conduct. Modernists, however, see traditional law less as restrictions set on individuals from a religious standpoint and instead as cultural touchstones which are universally applicable, and often do not require nearly as much devotion to ritual as their Orthodox and Conservative counterparts. As such, the Achvit is typically the preeminent authority on the faith and observance of canon law and interpretation of the Kithlat in most cases, save for in the Orthodox Community, which conform to a more universal dogma set by the Great Synod, a gathering of the heads of the National Tumlas, which occurs every eight years in NATION.

Theology

Tichvaist theology is based around the pursuit of the three Great Works of the Fareštas: Harmony, Knowledge, and Righteousness, which are to be undertaken in three paths in relation to the practitioner: within, without, and beyond, which are meant to encourage efforts towards the Great Works in one's self, one's community, and the world at large, respectively. In the Gachbadathana Tradition, The Great Works are not meant to be completed so much as undertaken throughout one's life, believing that they are crucial to maintaining the health of the body of Machakla, synonymous with the whole of the universe, portions seen and unseen.

Practices

The Great Works

• Harmony with Self, Community, and World
• Knowledge of Self, Community, and World
• Righteousness to Self, Community, and World

The Nine Precepts

Tichvaists observe nine moral precepts or duties which are considered core tenets of the practitioner's life inside and out of their practice of the faith. They include:

1. Observing truthfulness and veracity of thought, word, and deed, and detestation of falsehood.
2. Providing unconditional protection, support, and mutual aid to other Tichvaists.
3. Recognizing the immutable truth of the Kithlat and renouncing all invalid creeds and idolatry in public and in secret.
4. Celebrating and defending the universal oneness of all peoples in acceptance of Machakla's eternal and universal wisdom and love.
5. Contemplating and seeking out the Great Works in all aspects of life.
6. Combating idleness, waste, and self-pollution in all aspects of life.
7. Safeguarding the sacred spark of life imbued within all beings, and avoiding the needless taking of lives or bringing of harm to others.
8. Respecting the personal agency of individuals over themselves and their property, providing that they do not act in violation of the Precepts and Scripture.
9. Ensuring the practice of a just and pious life in accordance with the Precepts and Scripture in all aspects of life, and promoting these essential mores in public and in secret.

Zarvat

The practice of Zavrat (Babaran, literally "prudence, caution") is a custom of concealing or obfuscating religious doctrine, often observed among more conservative or esoteric branches of the faith, and in areas where Tichvaists and Babaro-Girbetese persons face persecution. This is utilized to protect outsiders and the uninitiated from access to sacred wisdom which could be misunderstood by those unready or unwilling to receive the teachings therein. In areas where Tichvaists are a vulnerable population, Zavrat states that it is not considered a sin to violate the First Precept in order to keep one's self, family, and community safe from harm. As such, some areas may actually contain higher populations of Tichvaists and Babaro-Girbetese persons than are actually recorded in official census information, as they may declare themselves to practice Alydianism or OTHER RELIGION, secretly meshing Tichvaist beliefs with these more accepted faiths, sometimes developing communities which vary radically between national lines.