The awe-inspiring Mazar Cultus, a Tower of Babel bringing the people of Urdhiin together in unity rather than in war. Its construction and the blessing it received from The Natural Gods was what brought an end to the period of warring territories, now centuries ago. Its existence even predates a unified language, when the inhabitants of the holy lands still spoke in syllables and wrote in pictures. In this day and age, the many tribes and peoples of Urdhiin commonly send their people on pilgrimage to this holy tower. They meet there and pray-- In one unified language, under the same deities, all for the spirit of the land, and all under the watchful eye of the distant empire of the Old King. The tribes of the region are as follows:
The wise monks of Altemplum, who in their hollow valley high above Cortezum and The Blasted Lands worship the rising sun.
The pale cave people of Lûnatus, who drink from the river at night and draw back to their caverns come day.
The dwellers of the gorge who live amongst those tall cliffs and hold competitions at Bahr Catasta.
The gravetenders of Tuakhdir, an unassuming and meditative tribe at peace with death.
The shadowed folk of the drowned Xenimaqîna, whose towers are slowly sinking into a lake.
The warmongers and generals of the layered city Keleha Kûr, who look outwards for their problems instead of inwards.
The zealots of the walled lake Êvarlímni, who are fiercely protective of their watery domain.
The artisans of the sanctum Ierómil, expert craftsmen and artists who keep to their own beautiful territory.
The mercantile people of the western lands, spread thin from the gorge to Urd Axa, worshiping the powerful forces of the geological hotspot Ew Urd Filí Haewa.
The quiet tribe at the foot of the mountain range Vouná Qaf who pray to the deities of peace, and the colossal tree of life.
The inquisitive scholars who have migrated to the desert sinkhole Qharisaqhar to study the uncovered findings there.
Those gated and judgmental few who drink the water of the eternal Pántas Avdan, which is believed to grant them spiritual favor in the eyes of the land.
The nomadic merchants of The Blasted Lands, hammered by the hard sun day after day.
The isolated tribe of Mahkyuca, a territory on no maps that is rumored to exist beyond the dark Umbral Glade, an El Dorado of verdancy thriving off spring water of Vouná Qaf
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
And the secular inhabitants of Eri Alsahva', who instead of deities worship technology, culture, and the essence of the common man.
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The hallowed Mazar Cultus has two ground level halls, one of which holds a ceremonial pool where offerings are tossed. No one knows how deep this pool is, but when something is cast down into those depths, it never resurfaces. If an offering is not heavy enough to sink below the surface where it may be claimed by the organs of the world, it is not seen as a sufficient sacrifice. If an offering is to be given to a specific Natural God, it is to be placed at their effigies directly. These six effigies line the sides of the vast gathering hall, where visiting envoys of the Urdkranío may venerate the deities in prayer. Sunlight filters in through huge open apertures, which open the gathering hall to the plains of Cortezum. High above the ground floor is the lair of the shrine sages, who tend to their matters in a network of chambers and studies.
Sages are inducted after a lengthy period of spiritual training. This training often starts during youth, when the tribes of the domain of the sun send their gifted children off to the temple. Here, they practice spiritual and metaphysical studies in the pursuit of coming closer to the Gods. After their induction, they may serve as a sage of the shrine for a lifetime without movement. The most gifted and pious sages of all, who can prove their faith physically, enter the upper echelons of the temple hierarchy. Possessing many ancient artifacts and hidden knowledges, these scholarly sages rarely leave their high chambers. Finally, at the head of the Mazar sit the Apostols. This private group controls the entire Ivory Shrine from their soaring tower.
Above all else, the shrine sages care for the Mazar and those who worship within its walls. Near the pinnacle of the temple, it is said that a sacred garden exists. It is unrestricted by walls or ceiling to receive the uninhibited glory of the Natural Gods. As such, the upper sages are tasked with tending these holiest of grounds.
The Natural Gods, though not known by one name, are recognized and revered all throughout the headland. As their existence predates the unified language, different tribes and regions know of them through various identifiers. Their existence is tightly wound to the land itself, having relationships with the splendorous creations of the world. They are as follows:
The First: Symbolic of the morning, creation, the earth, piety, and hard work. It is one of the two eldest, primordial deities.
The Second: Symbolic of the night, creation, the water, the stars, and luck. It is one of the eldest, primordial deities.
The Third: Symbolic of fertility, growth, abundance, and rebirth. It is said that knowledge of this deity first spread from the Vouná Qaf mountains, and it is connected to the mountains.
The Fourth: Symbolic of peace, devotion, family, love, and respect. This deity is associated with sands and the vast desert.
The Fifth: Symbolic of wisdom, the arts, healing, and writing. It also has an association to the sky and to birds.
The Sixth: Symbolic of judgment, power, competition, legality, and inescapable fate. Associated with the hardy turtle, as judgment may be slow but is always on its way.
And finally, The Seventh: Master of death, sleep, vanity, revenge, and secrets. It is an uncommonly known deity whose worship is strictly forbidden within the domain of Mazar Cultus.