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by Syrduria. . 87 reads.

Religion in Syrduria

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Depiction of St. Yanos

Religion in Syrduria


Syrduria is a dominantly Iskrenist state, and was the second kingdom to convert to the faith after Riddenheim. The Iskrenist church has since maintained an extremely entrenched position within Syrduria, with all other faiths being outlawed. Artyanism is a small (and the only) exception, as practitioners of the Artyanist faith are allowed to worship their god in private, though in exchange they must pay high taxes and live in enclosed communities. All other faiths are expressly forbidden, and, if one does not renounce their heathen beliefs, death remains a most common punishment. Iskrenism has served a vital role in the history of Syrduria, being used as a tool during the building of the kingdom and the years thereafter.

History of Iskrenism in Syrduria


Prior to the Syrdurian Invasion of Kostua and the subsequent forty-year war that followed, the Syrdurians lived in the northeastern edges of the Westreach Mountains and worshipped their own polytheistic faith. Little is known about this religion as the primary sources on this are mostly Kostuan records, with the exception of a few Syrdurian standing stones that were recorded and translated. Supposedly the Syrdurians believed in a grand pantheon of deities, with a supreme god at the very top, who ruled over the skies and created most of the world. Not much else is known about this faith, but the Syrdurians still carried it with them when they invaded the Kostuans.

Before the arrival of the Syrdurians, the land around the Argae, corresponding to modern Syrduria (including the Hallish lands) was known as the Dominion of Argaea, with its capital in Andolis. Thanks to its close proximity to Riddenheim, Iskrenism had already become a fairly popular religion in the Dominion, and in the century before The Fall, this rose massively, thanks to the help of missionaries who wished to convert the people. Almost all of the Iskrenists within Argaea were Radekites, conforming to the doctrine established by Radek and the Kostuan Empire.

The Syrdurian invasion and the ensuing Syrdurian Wars (27 ATF-67 ATF) upended Iskrenism massively, as Radekitism fell out of favour with the local populace. The Syrdurians, meanwhile, who practiced their own faith, were averse to Iskrenism, and originally suppressed the religion. However, the Valkenite church in Riddenheim, having recently supplanted the Radekites, sent a delegation of missionaries to reinforce Iskrenism (and Valkenite doctrine) in the region. This delegation, headed by the Riddenheimic priest Zelik, and formed up of eighteen other missionaries, was sent southward with the express goal of converting Syrduria to Iskrenism. Their first appearance was in 61 ATF, shortly after the Battle of Lotus Creek, where they asked to receive an audience from the Grand Chieftain Tormyn. He obliged, but was uninterested in their beliefs, and dismissed Zelik and his missionaries shortly after.

Of Zelik's eighteen missionaries, only four survived the mission. Some were captured by the Kostuans and put to death for their non-Radekite beliefs, others were killed by Syrdurians angry at their preaching. Zelik himself was driven from Wyvern's Rest by a mob sometime in 71 ATF, and spent the rest of his days in a small nearby village, where he preached to the townsfolk and eventually converted many of them. One of these townsfolk was Yanos, born in 70 ATF, a poor Syrdurian tribesmen who was taught to read, write and preach by Zelik. By the time he was an adult, Yanos was an ardent Iskrenist and travelled with Zelik to Wyvern's Rest to demand another audience with King Tormyn. This mission failed and the two were banished from the city by the guard and on their way back, the two were ambushed by Syrdurian soldiers. Yanos escaped but Zelik was captured and after refusing to renounce his beliefs and swear never to preach again, he was drowned in the Argae River (91 ATF), aged around sixty. Yanos regarded him as a martyr and swore never to stop preaching the word of Iskren.

Travelling through the land, often hiding his identity, Yanos continued preaching the word of The Greatest and of Iskren. Along his travels, he gained a number of disciples and companions, among them Léna the Maiden (later St. Léna) and Samil (later St. Samil). Another wave of Valkenite missionaries also arrived in the late 90s ATF and slowly but surely, Iskrenism in Syrduria became more popular and more followed by the common people. Eventually it grew to such an extent that it could no longer be ignored and in 134 ATF, the King of Syrduria, Arnyld the Pious, intrigued by Yanos' teachings, decided to convene a council at Almasyn to discuss the matter. Yanos was invited to attend, along with many of his disciples and over the course of two weeks a fierce debate broke out between the Iskrenists and the Syrdurian pagans. Eventually, Yanos' fiery speeches won over Arnyld who decided to officially convert to Iskrenism. Undergoing the process of conversion later that week, most of Syrduria's upper class soon followed, along with some of the pagan priests. The 1st Council of Almasyn (134 ATF, or 884 G.A) was commemorated in Syrdurian history and festivals.

The 1st Council of Almasyn had cemented Iskrenism as the official faith of the burgeoning Kingdom of Syrduria, but for Yanos and his disciples there were many steps that still had to be taken. Importantly, the relationship between the Riddenheimic church and the newly found Syrdurian church was still vague, and it was unsure whether the Syrdurians would fully accept the Riddenheimic Church as their religious authority. As a result, King Arnyld called for a second council at Almasyn to further discuss the matter. The 2nd Council of Almasyn (137 ATF, or 887 G.A) aimed to achieve an orthodox consensus within the Syrdurian Church. After much campaigning on behalf of the Riddish representatives, and on behalf of Yanos himself, who sought to bring Syrduria under the Riddish Church, King Arnyld settled in favour of keeping in communion with the Riddish Church, and accepting the Archpriest as the ultimate religious authority in Syrduria.

Syrduria

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