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In this section, we touch upon some of the most fundamental aspects of Minarran religious forms and beliefs. These universal facets transcend the teachings of any one Power or group of Powers, but rather lay the foundations of spiritual thought for all Minarra.
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Written by the True Gods themselves and placed into mortal hands by their generous Avatars, the Astarith is the most sacred text in all of Minarra. Often called a "a history before history" by religious and laity alike, it is a divine chronicle of a world in erratic, often violent flux. The events within its pages have been lost to living memory for over 3000 years now, and for that reason—and many more besides!—the Astarith is the only scripture all Minarran faiths share in common.
The Astarith is composed of four separate sections, or Books. The divisions between them were chosen with great care, as each begins and ends at a critical cusp in Minarra's early history.
The First Book is the story of Creation. It opens with the battle of the Forgotten Gods and the Living Chaos of Daskaandolon left in its wake. The remains of war—Air, Earth, Fire, and Water—awoke through the scraps of divine sentience the Forgotten Gods had used to wield their weapons. It was Sephri, the Creator Goddess, who convinced the hostile Elements to cooperate in the forging of the world. The Book ends with a Minarra bursting with life, and possessing the natural balances it would need to perpetuate it.
The Second Book opens with a rude shock for the First Gods of Minarra. Uncreated, unbidden, even undreamed of by any Power then tending to the infant world, came the Dragons. Rising from the world itself, these primordial wyrms were Creation made manifest, majestic and irresistible and terrible in their willful might. To their rage and horror, the First Gods soon discovered that they were powerless to banish, destroy, or subjugate the First Wyrms—that is, not without obliterating their cherished Minarra in the process. The Gods had many plans for the world, but they would first have to deal with its defiant and unevictable tenants.
Thus the Gods created the Giants, destined to be called the Old Races in an age yet to be. Drawing their strength from the anger of the Gods, the Giants went to war. The battle raged across Minarra for a time beyond reckoning, yet long enough to tear at the very fabric of the world. Realizing their error, the Gods curbed the primal might of the Giants, and pondered what to do next. Some other form of sentience was required...a form too feeble to rend the tapestry of Creation, yet strong enough to make the Dragons know fear and perhaps even respect.
The Third Book introduces the newest weapons in the divine arsenal: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes—the New Races. At first, these spirits encased in mortal flesh kept to their suspicious, fearful selves, but they banded together soon enough when the Dragons rose to destroy these soft, fleshy insects that had infested their world. The New Races suffered terrible decimation, to be sure—but the helpless yet defiant survivors would not stand alone for long.
Just when they were needed most, the New Gods of the Minarran pantheon arrived from Beyond. These Powers would make it their task to protect and instruct the New Races until they could face the Dragons with confidence and hope. The gifts of technology, agriculture, faith, wizardry, ethics, and civilization itself were placed into the desperate hands of the New Races. Slowly, painfully, the New Races learned to bend Nature itself to their will, and mastered the arts that would ensure their survival.
The Fourth Book, by far the longest, describes in hideous detail the most horrific period of Minarra's existence. Realizing that the worms beneath their talons were becoming a dangerous swarm of angry hornets, the Dragons determined to see who the masters of Minarra truly were, once and for all. The conflict would be known to all future history as the War of Dominion.
To make a long and brutal story short, the War of Dominion ended in a bloody, exhausted stalemate. But something wondrous and unexpected had transpired, even in the midst of global carnage. As often happens in war, there were souls on both sides who couldn't help but respect and even admire the worthiest of their adversaries. In the waning days of the conflict, a few of these beings stayed their swords and their talons long enough to gaze with open eyes upon the other.
While Men and their kind learned of the proud heritage and innate dignity of the wyrms, the Dragons began to appreciate the unquenchable spirit and moral diversity of the New Races. In time, this moral awakening would shatter the monolithic structure of draconian society, and eventually lead to the evolution of the Dragons of [metallic] Good and [chromatic] Evil from their neutral forebears.
It also led to the ultimate conflict: the War of Souls.
Bound not by bloodlines but by ideals, mortals and dragons resumed their struggle for possession of the world. But unlike the previous conflict, the War of Souls ended in a "victory" of sorts: the forces of Evil, along with many elements of Chaos, were compelled to withdraw to dark and unpleasant places, yet never to be totally destroyed. Those few humans who found the strength to repent of their evil were transformed into the Isak, the last of the New Races to emerge.
The Astarith closes with a Minarra in precarious yet hopeful balance, thanks to the wisdom and the promise of the Covenant. With the War of Souls a fresh and searing memory, all the races of Minarra raised their voices in prayer, begging for the True Gods to help them save their world from ruin. And the Gods did come, with one sublime purpose in mind: to bind themselves to all Creation in a sacred contract, unbreakable by God or Mortal.
After centuries of unspeakable slaughter, the forging of the Covenant was Minarra's sanest and proudest hour. Mortal and God and Dragon labored together to shape the Rules of Creation, guided by wisdom and driven by faith. When their work was done at last, each True God uttered a final blessing (or curse, depending on your outlook) for all the world, placed the original copies of the Astarith into mortal hands, and withdrew to the Cosmos. And here, at long last, the Minarra of History was born.
The tales of the Astarith, preserved with divine fidelity by the Malangthan, are acknowledged to be the literal truth by all parties concerned. But in the hands of these aloof and distant Powers, both the narrative and its characters have been purged of much of their inherent drama; what little remains is couched in largely abstract and purely descriptive terms. As a result, mortal readers are given free rein to impress their own ethical, religious, and even dramatic interpretations upon a relatively colorless text. Needless to say, debates over the "meaning" of the Astarith can be very heated indeed...
By the time Minarran clerics and monks are first ordained, they have read to the end of the Astarith's First Book but no farther. As the religious mature in judgment, wisdom, and faith, more and more of the text is opened to them: the Second Book around the 4th level of experience, the Third at about 7th level. It is only when a priest or monk rises to a minimum of 9th level (and formally ordained as a Grace or a Master) that the bitter tales of the Fourth Book are revealed.
The Gods have a sobering rationale for this peculiar censorship. The narrative of the Fourth Book is rife with prejudicial, even racist diatribes of the most inflammatory and hateful nature. If these bigoted viewpoints, largely unknown and unspoken for millennia, should ever return to modern consciousness, the terrible wars of those ancient days could reignite and threaten Minarra with extinction once more. With this very real threat clearly in mind, it is obvious why the Astarith's contents demand such delicate handling.
Istari (iss-TAR-ee) is the sacred written and spoken language of the True Gods of Minarra. Like real-world Chinese, written Istari is composed of thousands of ideograms, where each character represents a thought, object, or concept. All sacred writings, from treatises on theology to scrolls of clerical magic to the Astarith itself, are penned in Istari glyphs.
Written Istari can never be mastered by any measure of study or exercises in calligraphy, nor can its spoken form be acquired by mere exposure and repetition. The ability to comprehend the sacred language is a divine gift, a reflection of a mortal's devotion and state of grace.
Minarran clerics and monks begin their careers understanding the language, but the Knights of the Holy Orders are not so fortunate; they must wait until their service earns them the privilege at the 7th level of experience. The surest sign that a priest or Knight has offended his Power is his sudden inability to understand the sacred language.
The inks used to write Istari are as diverse as the True Gods themselves, and many Orders possess their own unique formulae. For example, the clerics of Phyrrus scribe their documents and spell scrolls with an ink of lampblack laced with silver dust, while the unholy treatises of the Ruby Legion are penned in an ink of red ocher mixed with blood. Yet despite this fact, clerical spell scrolls written by members of one faith can be safely employed by priests of any other.
Throughout the Guide, you will find Istari glyphs that translate into subject headings that follow them. Trivial though these references are, they would be strictly forbidden to any Minarran layman. Their appearance in the Guide is made possible only the patient efforts of our staff, and that they are available only to our Real World readers.
To the inhabitants of Minarra, both before and after the close of the Astarith, the Beyond is a nebulous realm of ultimate mystery. Far more is known about what has emerged from Beyond than what actually exists there.
What is known about the Beyond could fill a thimble. In the days of the Astarith, the term refers to a place from where many of the True Gods entered the Realm of Creation. The Forgotten Gods, whose war left behind the elemental debris used to shape the Cosmos, certainly came from Beyond, and obviously retreated there after their fighting was done.
To the most scholarly of Minarra's mortals, however, the term has another, less spiritual connotation. Cryptic and tantalizing clues, buried deep in the pages of the Astarith, suggest that other inhabited worlds may well exist beyond Minarra. It is interesting to note that the only True Gods that even hint at this intriguing possibility are the Draconihm, the Powers of Dragonkind.
This period, lasting some 1200 years by best estimates, refers to the period between the creation of humans (the first of the New Races) and the forging of the Covenant at the conclusion of the Astarith. Beyond the narrative contained within that most sacred of scriptures, precious little survives save disjointed bits of legend and a tiny handful of [AD&D-ish] artifacts and relics. The few surviving fragments of written records are the rarest and most jealously guarded legacies in all Minarra.
Separately, the Holy Circles are a symbolic representation of the various divine Houses and other groups within the Minarran pantheon. Though each Circle is a self-contained symbol, they are often bound together within a single representation: the Great Circle, a grand device that represents the whole of the True Gods and their relative places in the Cosmos.
There are four Holy Circles: one for the Houses of Light, Shadow, and Darkness respectively, and one for the Powers of Nature and the Elements. The Circle of the Powers of Nature (also known as the First Gods) are bordered by the other three, with the whole itself bound within another ring to form the Great Circle.
The Covenant requires that the Great Circle be tooled into the cover of each new copy of the Astarith. The individual Circles are often found as decoration on scriptures and temples devoted to a specific Power or House.
In any Minarran temple beyond a certain size, you will find the Atrium, a circular chamber with a domed ceiling and an impressive depiction of the Great Circle set into the floor. As sacred as the temple's innermost sanctum, in some ways even more so, the Atrium is a living expression of the Covenant.
When an Atrium is sanctified, the chamber is dedicated not to a single True God or a House, but to the entire pantheon. From that day forward, any mortal being may enter and offer their devotions to any True God they choose. Thus, a cleric of Vetch the Crimelord may visit an Atrium attached to a temple of Serenyi the Justicer, with no disgrace or dishonor to the True Gods or to their mortal followers. Worship in an Atrium can go far beyond private devotions; entire formal rites with a dozen or more participants can and do occur.
The Atrium is also Minarra's original "neutral territory". Any beings foolish enough to shed blood or otherwise bring discord to the sacred chamber do so at the risk of their lives and their souls. Peaceable conduct is expected from all who enter, a fact that makes an Atrium an ideal meeting place for political rivals, generals of warring states, and others of mutually hostile bent.
The host temples of an Atrium are responsible for providing food and lodging for their "guests". One lucky Adept attached to the host temple will bear the title of mihra'syn (Istari for "innkeeper"), while Acolytes perform the manual labor.
An Atrium may be constructed of any quality building material and, aside from the requisite inlay of the Great Circle upon the floor, may be decorated as the architects and priests see fit. All Atriums have a number of private meditation chambers off the main hall, and most have a small hostel attached to them as well.
This day is without question the holiest of all, and the only one common to all Minarran faiths. It was on a New Year's Eve some 3,500 years ago that the True Gods came to Minarra to help negotiate the terms of the Covenant and to place the finished Astarith into mortal hands. (This seminal event, in fact, is the basis of the secular calendar on the continent of Arquia.)
Formal services begin at dusk and continue until midnight. Most churches usually reserve the ordination of new Adepts and the investiture of new Graces for this special time, as well as the fulfillment of their most sacred rites. After midnight, however, many of the religious of Minarra leave their temples to join the laity in a joyous celebration that lasts until dawn.
On Minarra, one's understanding of these words can often draw a hard, clear line between the wise and the foolish, the educated and the ignorant, and the religious from the layman.
The terms of the Covenant are painfully clear: for mortal kind, the possession of free will is an absolute, its expression inviolable. No God, and certainly no mortal, can usurp the will or predetermine the terms of existence for another. No matter what authority is invoked to compel submission, the individual always possesses the god-given right to say "No!"
In such an atmosphere, the words "destiny" and "fate" can never carry a sense of the immutable. To say that one was "destined" for greatness or "fated" to fall from grace is an exercise in lazy self-delusion. At worst, such thinking is a profound expression of personal, social, and moral surrender.
"Prophecy" is another loaded word. Minarra has its share of soothsayers, to be sure, but their pronouncements are even more worthless than on most worlds. No being, be it mortal or True God, has a clear window to the future. Even Chauquin, the Lord of Time, is limited to a best-guess scenario, based upon his flawless memory of the Past and absolute mastery of the Present. But the Future? That's anyone's guess!
Even before the Age of Mists came to a close, philosophers and prelates throughout Minarra began to give serious thought to the relevance, and even the existence, of the ideal of "true" neutrality.
Independently of each other, the great philosophers of the Four Continents came to the conclusion that no mortal being can truly transcend moral and ethical concerns. To be neutral in all things, at all times, is to surrender the ability to feel and to act with any sort of purpose, conscience, or conviction. The concept of True Neutrality is, therefore, nothing more than an intellectual and spiritual abstract, and not a viable way of life.
In game terms, this prohibits any PC, NPC, or sentient monster from having true neutrality as an alignment. The closest one could come would be a neutral character with clear and persistent tendencies towards good, evil, law, or chaos.
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| Cleric | Acolyte | Adept |
[Knights Commander] [Eminence] [Grace of the Cloister] |
Serenity Harmony Cruelty |
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| Monk | Initiate | Brother/Sister |
[Abbot/Abbess] |
[Abbot/Abbess] |
NOTES:
Adept: on the continent of Dass, this title also refers to a University graduate.
Grace: this term began as a corruption of the phrase "Graced of the True Gods" used in the days of the Astarith, and has persisted throughout the world ever since. Most Graces are administrators over church districts or advisors to the Heads of Order, but not necessarily so; some Graces are still active adventurers or holders of specialized offices.
When addressing a Grace, the words "His," "Her," or "Your" usually precede the title.
Knights Commander: a Grace who holds this office has the sobering responsibility of seeing to the spiritual and material needs of the entire Knightly arm of their Order. Knights Commanders are selected not only for their piety and clerical experience, but for their strategic and logistical skill as well. (In their youth, many who have assumed this position were either members of adventuring parties or chaplains to Knightly contingents.) When the need arises, they are expected to accompany their Knights into the field, while the finest of them actually command their armies in person. In such cases, the ranking Marshal serves as would a real-world chief of staff.
In most Orders, a Knight who is openly disrespectful or insubordinate to the Commander will also face charges of sacrilege when brought to trial. Commanders are charged by their True Gods and Heads of Order to preserve the spiritual vigor and martial discipline of their Knights; conversely, the Commanders are held liable for their low morale, poor discipline, or major lapses of piety. The office carries great prestige, but its holders are subjected to the most intense scrutiny. It is not a job for the arrogant, the squeamish, or the incompetent.
Eminence: this title is restricted to the continent of Arquia, and is a grudging concession to political reality. Of all the Four Continents, only Arquia is divided among strong ethnic and nationalistic lines, and therefore governed by powerful and cohesive nation states. An Eminence is a Grace who is also the leader of a national church, and one who is expected (by the laity at least) to serve the national interest as much as its own. As can be imagined, the most successful of Arquian Eminences are part diplomat, part priest, and part politician.
Grace of the Cloister: this title refers to a Grace assigned to a Minarran monastery as a spiritual guide and liaison to the Order proper.
Master: on the continent of Dass, this title also refers to a certified University instructor.
Serenity, Harmony, or Cruelty: these titles usually refer to the Head of Order for a Power of the House of Light, Shadow, or Darkness respectively. For example, the Head of Order of Arzamark's faithful would be called "the Serenity of the Scroll". The authority of these titles is continental in scope.
Note that a priest may hold any of these titles without actually being the Head of Order. Some priests are elevated to the rank under circumstances where any lesser reward or recognition would be scandalous. Those venerable elders who retire as Heads of Order are permitted to retain their titles, as a testament to a lifetime of faithful service.
The Heads of Order of those faiths that serve the First Gods have their own unique titles.
Grand Master: this title refers to the highest-ranking monk of his or her Order. These individuals are answerable only to their True Gods and Heads of Order. As with the Heads of Order, retired Grand Masters retain their titles for as long as they live.
Abbott or Abbess: this title refers to a Master or Grand Master elected to govern one of Minarra's far-flung monasteries.
The Astarith
Istari
[The] Beyond
The Age of Mists