Artemism

Artemism is a polytheistic religion based on the teachings of the Mother as read from the Artem. Adherents to Artemism are known as Artemists.

Artemism began in Ogaeunlund, where it quickly spread throughout the Westerwood, Phronwood and, as many say, Dreywood. Artemism is Albrind's largest religion, and it has a greater influence in Western Albrind and Belorner than it does in Shahrazad, where it is slowly growing.

Creation Story
When time began, four great beings were born. Out of the fires of the Earth, they rose. Three brothers of the scale, serpents of the sky, and one sister of the feather, the rebirthed bird of flame. They all existed for the purpose of creation and protection, crafting the human race from the very clay of the ground. This first race was perfect. Unflawed, made in the image of their creators. But the brothers were unlike their children, hating and loathing each other. They began to quarrel and used the world as their battleground. Trees smouldered. Mountains evaporated. Their own creations fell into despair. The Earth became diseased; the perfect race dying, caught between the battles, until they were no more. Everything turned into ash.

That was when the sister, the phoenix, intervened, sealing her brothers away into the fire mountains of the world where they would forever sleep. Quiet. Still. Hibernating for all eternity. All but for her lay silent, the sister, who now as the last great being decided to create once more. Out of the ash she reborned nature, the landscape of everything. Resurrecting the oceans and the animals. Then, like before, she took up the clay from the ground and crafted for herself a pot.

The Scaphium
The Scaphium is the pot of life. All who drank from its glory would live forever, and from this pot she broke off two pieces. The first piece she mixed with the elements, creating The Protectors, the keepers of the world. Fire, water, ice, wood, rock, wind, lightning, light and dark. She gave them a drink from the Scaphium and they became permanent. Immortal. The second piece she mixed with her own flesh, creating humans, the second race of their kind. These creatures were flawed. The sister, with her single power alone, could not create the race that once was. After she was done, her title was discarded. The sister became The Mother. The source of all life. In death, everything of hers would return to her, to live in harmony and happiness, acting as energy for the world she oversees. An eternal energy, working in peace with the eternal being.

The Mother
The Mother is depicted as a long, towering woman, with brown hair that floats around her. She is naked and holds the Scaphium, her symbol, with two evens cracks at its top. The Mother is a phoenix, a bird of flame, and those who claim to have seen her often describe this form. Her three brothers were dragons and are sealed within volcanoes so nobody but her can reach them. She wishes for them to sleep forever.

The Protectors
Elements that have taken physical form. The following are the most majorly recognized protectors:

Water: Maris (F) She is a giant sea turtle said to hold an island on her back. The island is rumored to be the resting place of the Scaphium. Many a sailor has died trying to search for her.

Fire: Ignis (M) He is a tiger covered in flames. Very wise.

Wind: Ventus (F) She is a hummingbird, a messenger for The Mother.

Ice: Gelu (M) He is a snow rabbit said to be the size of a foot. He is very small, but wherever he goes snowstorms follow.

Wood: Nemus (M) He is a deer with a human face. A very pure and silent being. Green life grows where he treads.

Rock: Silex (F) She is a wolf, massive in size. Her gaze can turn people to stone. A very scornful spirit.

Lightning: Perc (M) He is a ram with a golden fleece. The fleece itself it said to be impenetrable armour. Perc is short-tempered and easily offended.

Light: Aduro (M) He is a winged horse, the bringer of rainbows and the northern lights. People pray to him for luck.

Dark: Atruim (M) He is a winged serpent. His venom is supposed to the most poisonous thing in existence.

The Artem
People who believe and follow the Mother read from a book called the Artem, said to be written and passed down by the Mother herself. It holds within it all the teachings and stories of the religion.

Helios
Helios is the primary place of worship. Often at the front of the building there is a statue of The Mother or a specific Protector. Protectors can be prayed to as individuals and as such there is often a Helios specifically for one.

Afterlife
That everything returns to the Mother and lives forever in peace, acting as energy for the world.