Anisanguity Religion

Working Title: Anisanguity ("One in Blood")

Creation Myth

Once long ago, chaos and darkness ruled. There was no world, there was no universe, there was nothing except unfocused forces without order.

Then from the chaos, Being created itself by an act of pure will. But just by existing, the Being was already at war with the forces of entropy which sought to destroy that Being. The Being resisted, and named itself Aoni, or I Am One. With great strength it fought the forces of decline and disorder.

But these entropic forces were also strong and they soon threatened to overpower Aoni. In a great feat of sacrifice and in a gush of blood, Aoni tore itself into two, destroying its own unity in order to create multiplicity. Aoni's blood was so pure that it flamed with a brilliant fire, and so was created the first Light. We can still see the bloodstain of Aoni's sacrifice in the night sky in the light of the Milky Way.

The two halves separated to form Sky and Earth, and from the pure drops of Aoni's blood sprung up all forms of life. From the split also came dualities, the first being light and dark. Then came male and female, plant and animal, heat and cold, good and evil.

Aoni also separated into male and female halves. The male half is known as E-asto (Sky) and the female, O-esta (Earth). From this came Love, as the two halves of Aoni recognize one another and continually yearn to be reunited once again.

We are all children of Aoni, as the blood which created the world also lives in us, and indeed in everything that has life. Aoni's blood is the life-force for us all, for without Aoni's sacrifice, the world would not be here. Aoni's enlightened children understand this and strive against the powers of disorder and entropy that would destroy the world.

The Pure Love of E-asto and O-esta

Sky and Earth, being originally halves of the same whole, long for one another but are fated to be always apart until the time of the Grand Reunification. However, the powers of chaos and entropy are strong, and so the two lovers know that they cannot unite until chaos is finally defeated. For now they must depend on their children to take up the fight for them and purify the world before they can join once again.

E-asto (Sky) is the source of air, fire and spirit. He is brilliant as the sun, powerful as lightning, exciting as the rushing wind. O-esta is the source of earth, water, and flesh. She is fertile as rich soil, beautiful as a meadow of wildflowers, and steadfast as stone. Blood is a combination of E-asto and O-esta with elements of both water and fire, and therefore holy.

Purification and Sacrifice

When humans die, they split in two just like Aoni did, into spirit and body. The body is then purified either by burying it in the warm motherly embrace of O-esta or by burning it in the leaping flames of E-asto. Likewise, the spirit must undergo purification, both in life and after death.

As children of the blood of Aoni, humans have within them the duality of chaos and order. It is through fighting the forces of entropy and championing order that they may purify the universe to bring about the Reunification.

The greatest form of spiritual purification is knowingly spilling one's own blood in an act of sacrifice and love, as Aoni did when the world was created. Other purifying acts include spilling the blood of an animal to feed one's family, spilling the blood of an enemy in the holy fight against entropy and disorder, and spilling the blood of a sacrifical animal blessed by the priests to fertilize the fields. Every priest of the religion routinely spills a small amount of his or her own blood to aid the prayers of the people.

It must be stressed that it is not enough to simply spill blood, but to do so with love and pure intent. A soldier who is merely crazed with destructive bloodlust will waste dozens of lives for no reason, but the enlightened warrior spills the blood of his or her enemies as an act of sacrifice for the good of his country and his loved ones.

Sacrifice and Hierarchy

To the Anisanguist, all enlightened people sacrifice as Aoni did to demonstrate their love for those around them and to more quickly usher in the time of the Grand Reunification, for it is through these many sacrifices that the world will eventually be purified. Purification and sacrifice come in many different forms.

Peasants sacrifice by fertilizing their fields with blessed blood to feed their families and the nation. Soldiers and knights sacrifice through spilling the blood of their enemies and thus protecting the people. Bureaucrats sacrifice personal glory by eschewing the battlefield to do necessary paperwork and ensure production is high. Traders also sacrifice personal glory to ensure the people are well fed.

Rulers and the Priesthood sacrifice the most. Rulers give of their personal time and freedom in order to protect and lead their people wisely. Priests sacrifice their time and freedom in the same way, in order to guide and purify the people.

Of course this does not include the many personal ways any human can lovingly give of themselves to better the lives of those around them. Any sacrifice done out of love, order, and duty brings this imperfect world closer to the ultimate purification, when finally chaos and entropy are forever defeated and E-asto and O-esta can be reunited as one.

The Realm of Eston

Eston was originally named after the aspects of Aoni, E-asto and O-esta. Literally, Eston means "children of Sky and Earth". Thus, the name Eston has the dual meaning of "the inhabitants of the country of Eston", and "humanity" or "the people". However, it is only in Eston (so far) that the entire story of Aoni's sacrifice is known, and from which a highly organized and ethical society has been built from the central ideas of order, love, sacrifice and chivalry.