Saphorism
Saphorism is the polytheistic ethnic religion of the Phoenic people. It is a complex eclectic religion sharing many elements with its fellow Rhysian religions Shassaii and Mazdana, and even Aenean religion. Worshipers of the Saphorist gods are called Saphorists, Saphorites, and sometimes Saphorans.
The central gods of Saphorism are those of the King's Myth: Ra, Vaisha, Ossur, Mishra, Casir. Long stort short, Saphorists believe that Ra emerged from the infinite chaos that preceded creation; he found the nascent world, and populated it with the first men. He was told of a prophecy that a male of his line would inherit the earth. This was meant to be Casir, but because of a birth mishap, Ossur was chosen instead: he took the throne and their sister, Vaisha. Casir then murdered Ossur and seized the throne. Vaisha resurrected Ossur as their son Mishra, who killed Casir and took back the throne.
Other important gods are Shahra (father of Vaisha, Ossur, and Casir), Ahsu (god of law and justice), and Quethe (god of wisdom).
Etymology
Saphorism is a neologism coined by Lucian theologians to encapsulate Phoenic religion. It's not a term you'll often hear Phoenics themselves using.
Deities
Saphorism has many gods. Here are some of the most important ones.
- Abakesh: an ancient chaos-serpent of the abyss, associated with corruption, mischief, and malfeasance.
- Ahsu: god of law and justice.
- Ashema, also known as Asmodeus: god of lust.
- Casir, also known as Zehir, Set, or Nihurimacha: god of the desert and darkness. A central figure of the King's Myth, which describes how he slew his brother Ossur and took the throne of Ogissia, only to be himself slain by Ossur-reborn, Mishra.
- Ebzu: god of fresh water and rivers. The (literal) son of Ra. Accidentally killed by his children early in the Saphorist creation myth.
- Jigzaba: god of hunger, feared even among the gods.
- Kilva: the Last Hero, god of domination, conquest, battle, and cities.
- Ku: god of the void and pre-creation. Father of Ra. A distant god, rarely worshiped.
- Mishra: the Son of Heaven and Prince of Light, son of Ossur and Vaisha, god of war and kingship.
- Nyssa: the Mother of Monsters, goddess of primordial chaos, the sea, and saltwater.
- Ossur: god of rebirth and kingship.
- Quethe: god of wisdom, science, technology, engineering, art, and magic.
- Ra: god of the sun, father of gods.
- Saldur: god of money
- Shahra, also known as Raha and Bahamut: god of storms, the air, the sky, fertility, creation, fatherhood, male vitality, power, destiny, and divine judgment.[1]
- Vaisha: the Queen of Heaven, Mother of the World, goddess of life, heaven, the underworld, magic, healing, women, motherhood, wifehood, femininity, fertility, and queenship.
- Yacha: god of desire, chief of the black gods, self-proclaimed "Lord of All Things" and "Lord of the Earth"
- Zakkar: god of nightmares and sleep.
Most popular deities
The most widely worshiped deities in Saphorism include (in no particular order) Ra, Vaisha, Mishra, Ossur, and Quethe.
Black gods
Main article: Black gods
The black gods are a group of dark gods who were freed from their prison in Lashanti by humans at the dawn of history. They are considered the cruelest and vilest gods in the cosmos. They are worshiped, but only out of fear. These are some of them:
- Ashema, Lord of Lust
- Jigzaba, god of hunger
- Saldur, god of money
- Yacha, chief of the black gods, the self-proclaimed "Lord of All Things," god of desire
- Zakkar, god of nightmares and sleep
Arushim
Main article: Arushim
The Arushim are a subgroup of gods who are the sons of Ahsu.
Myths
Zamora Heresy
King's Myth
Avhadra
Endnotes
- ↑ Take note that Raha himself claims he is Shahra. In Greyhawk, Exandria, and elsewhere, Raha is associated with law and justice; however, Shahra is more of a fertility-storm god. He's a distant and very masculine deity. Ahsu is the Phoenic god more associated with justice.
