The Wind

The Wind is both a religious and philosophical belief common among the rathari that live in Aquanius, specifically among the ysh'nan in Y'bome. The oral histories are expected to be kept by all, but it is known that far too many exist. Instead the religion is led by an Assaem who in turn has the Assarm-Raak to serve as lore-keepers and story-tellers.

The first oral histories are said to date back to the very creation of the rathari. The Breath is said to have given life to the birds that soared among the clouds (jundari), those who live in the valleys (rathari), and those who live among the rocks and snow. These oral histories soon became more codified religious practice over the decades, specifically among the rathari who live among the peaks of Y'bome.

The Breath is the giver of all life. With each breath we take we take in her holiness and expel our sins. The words that we speak should only glorify her gift to us.

The Bough was the first of her children. Upon the winds the Breath gathered the dust and formed the world. To glorify this gift her child brought forth the plants and trees so that she may touch and dance in the wind.

The Fire was her first born son and he hated his mother. He seeks to devour her and consume all. He is the destroyer and blasphemer. Fire can never be mastered, but it can be tamed by his elder sister. A devout should always keep fire near rock and soil so that it can never consume the wind. Breath loves her child, as she loves all, and will always grant him the wind he needs to survive.

The Beast is the youngest child of the wind. He gives his glory as the animals who tread upon the world, swim in the seas, and fly in the skies. The most gloriously of these are those gifted with flight, but he cares for all of his creations. Each he has made with a purpose.

The head of the religion and ultimate authority of the true oral histories. The Assarm is voted upon by all true members of The Wind and serves until death. There is only one Assarm and upon their death rain must fall upon the holy land before a new Assarm can be elected.

The Assarm-Raak serve as the lore-keepers and functionaries of The Wind. Once selected they serve The Wind until their death - most of them serving more than one Asaarm in their lifetime. By convention a rathari must memorize the ninety-nine (99) histories before they can be raised into the Assarm-Raak, but the Assarm has sole discretion for those raised that this requirement is moot.

The Southern Doctrine is the worship of The Wind among the huis'nan in G'huis. It is far larger in numbers as well as reach, but has changed from the orthodoxy. The Southern Doctrine still holds the wind as the sole creator of its people, but it puts the wind as equals with the gods who created other mortals. The orthodoxy holds that no life would have meaning without the breath of the wind. This point has isolated the orthodoxy and allowed the Southern Doctrine to thrive. In Y82 AH the Southern Doctrine met in convention and created their own Assaem along with the Assarm-Raak. The orthodox in Y'bome immediately moved to have the Southern Doctrine cast as heresy.

The Breath and Bough is a religion that split from the orthodox of The Wind. Their beliefs differs in that followers of the Breath and Bough believe more than the breath of life was used to create the rathari. The sap of the trees and the loam of the earth was used to create the bodies into which the life of the wind was poured. They reject the belief that they began life as birds as the lower half of their bodies more resemble a long-taloned feline. There is little animosity between these two religions as the Breath and Bough still worships The Wind as supreme.