Azuran
Azuran, also called Followers of Azura, is the faith of the people of the realm of Azurien. The faith is led by the High Priest, chosen by the goddess Azura herself, who nominates the priests that preach the teachings of the faith to the populace. The goddess is often referred to as the lady of dusk and dawn, mother of roses and queen of the night sky.
Alongside the Statue typical holy places to pray are the big temple in Tel Aldnium, the smaller temples, and the wayshrines. The holy places usually contain a small water reservoir at its centre that is consecrated by a priest and are surrounded by rose bushes. Prays are usually silent and involve cleansing with the water. At sermon at the temples the priests recite Azura's Mantra.
A large sermon is hold at the nights of a new moon in front of the statue. The sermon will not take place at nights of lightning and thunder as these are the nights ruled by chaos.
See also: List of Temples, Wayshrines and Holy Places of the Azuran Faith
Cosmogony
People of the azuran faith believe a creation myth that has been told since the very beginning of the faith:
Once the world was grey, unformed and ruled by the primordial gods. Then the fire came. And with it came disparity. One of the gods claimed the fire as its own and put it in the sky. And so the light was born. Anger and envy spread amongst the others. And the others took away from the fire what they thought was theirs. And so the darkness came, bound to be the opposite of light. And they created, some to stand out, others, to be destructive. And so one created life and another one flawed it with death and disease. And the furtive one, almost forgotten, created his own incarnation. Born from fire with ashen skin, made to rule over the night and eager to see the fire fade.
Pillars of Faith
The Pillars of Faith are elemental aspects of the faith that have a wide influence on the daily life of the followers, even by law.
- Love -- Azura demands nothing more than love and devotion from her followers. Benevolence is therefore an important principle within the religious community. The free care of the ill in Azurien is also due to this belief.
- Fury -- When betrayed Azura can be exceedingly furious with excessive punishments. Azurians embraced that in harsh punishments for crimes. Even the lonian Rules of Acquisition recognize this azurian attitude (Rule 192). Even on the global stage azurians have been known for letting things escalate into a violent direction quickly.
- Life -- Azura seeks the eternal dawn at the end of the world and she is depicted as the mother of roses. Her followers belief in the importance of preserving any life that deserves it and an eternal life in Azura's blurred future. The azurian university just outside of Tel Aldnium is specialized in research of nature.
Priesthood
As official state religion of Azurien the High Priest also is the head of state, although it is more a ceremonial nature and his part of the high council is only advisory nature. If the High Priest dies, his body will be burned in the Shrine of the Eternal Flame and the priests gather together to wait for a vision of Azura in order to be told who the next high priest will be. There is usually atleast one priest at every city or village that holds a temple or shrine for Azura. Since there is no written codex of the faith, the priest are the main source for faithful living. Priesthood is withhold for men only.
Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy act as guards to the holy places and priests as well as the high priest. The leader of the Sisters is called Serja-Khani. The Sisters have no obligation to follow orders from priests, but tradtionally they respect the wishes of them. Because there are many travellers and priests within Azurien to visit the Statue or the temple at Tel Aldnium, they also deal with muggers prey on those between the cities. A few Sisters are sent to the temples of foreign nations to protect the priest and followers their. Sisterhood is withhold to women only. Abstinence is neither obligated to the sisters nor to the priests and relationships between them are welcome.
Azura's Mantra
Here in her Shrine
That once was forgotten
Here do we pray
That we might remember
By Night we reclaim
What by Day was stolen
Far from ourselves
She grows even near to us
Our Minds once were blinded
Now through her do we see
Our hands once were idle
Now through them does she speak
And when the world shall listen
And when the world shall see
And when the world remembers
That world shall cease to be
