The Universe of Agia

“Mother, what makes the Tewyblis and the Glux move across the sky?” - A curious girl.
“By our Faith in Irath. She was the one who created the Glux.” - The mother.
“Then what about the Tewyblis?” - The girl.
“That is the creation of Rathias. She tried to corrupt Irath’s creations by making the Tewyblis shade the Glux. Luckily, she failed, so we can enjoy Irath’s warmth whenever the Glux is shining.” - The mother.

Most scholars agree that Agia is the centre of the universe. This is backed by the Church of Irath, which also supports this model with passages from the Book of Irath. Even the Church of Rathias supports this model, though they do not completely agree upon the reasons behind the creations of the two goddesses.

Type

Metaphysical, Astral

The Five Celestial Planets

Agia

Tewyblis
Glux
Arin
Kupataum

The Five Celestial Bodies

The universe has five discovered celestial bodies. Three of them are the most prominent and most mentioned, and it is only those who study the night sky that recognise the two more celestial bodies. The two churches try to cancel any publications that even hint at the two more celestial bodies since they are not mentioned in the two respective religious books.

This is also why my articles and this book are not on their approved list, so read it at your discretion in case you want to avoid being castigated.

— Aewydim Scibodaeth

Agia

Agia is considered the first celestial body in the universe, and all the other celestial bodies orbit Agia. There are different beliefs as to how Agia was created:

The Lasfydd or Irathism: Irath started cutting a part of her long hair and spun it together to make another orb. The orb became smaller than the Glux but larger than the Tewyblis. She had become short-haired, but it was a sacrifice well worth it, and she knew it would grow out, eventually. The orb was not of Light nor Dark, but from the life which Light had given her. The orb became Agia, a world for life.

Rathias watched as Irath created Agia. She was curious of what this new creation was going to be, since it felt more neutral than both the Glux and the Tewyblis. Rathias did not want to interrupt Irath in this creation, for she wanted to know what it was going to be. However, Rathias could not contain her need to influence this new orb. She distracted Irath by hurling small dust orbs at the Glux, and the moment Irath looked away from Agia, Rathias cut some of her hair and sewed it into Agia.

Lesfydd or Rathianic: Irath had decided to make a secondary orb, this time from her golden hair. And she made the Glux turn around the new orb she now called Agia. Rathias saw this and knew she had to make the darkness have its influence on this peculiar orb as well. Trying to restore balance and order in the chaos Irath had created, Rathias sewed some part of her dark hair into the orb.

Irath was angry at her sister for trying to influence the works she had made and tried to stop Rathias from what she felt was destroying her works. But the order Rathias had tried to maintain could not be undone, and Irath knew she would have to keep creating for the light to win over the darkness.

Tynelusium: After the Light and Dark had created their two representatives, Irath and Rathias, dust from their creations had gathered around the universe. The Dark and Light watched as the dust started to gather into a sphere. But the sphere seemed to lack any properties of Dark and Light, hence they knew it was time to balance their powers on this new sphere.

Saithonian/Satlonian: Oranth and Hethna decided to make a world from Maulyosh’s flesh and blood. They made the rivers and seas from his blood and the land of his flesh. Oranth had decided to stay in the sky to keep Maulyosh’s light from destroying the world they had created, while Hethna continued to create and develop the lands.

Tewyblis

Tewyblis is the second celestial body. It is considered to be a cold and moist place and has that same effect on the ground of Agia during the night. Tewyblis changes its shape every night, and a discovery has been made by a Rathianic monk named Hrodgar Bagron.

This discovery concerns the effect that Tewyblis has on the oceans. He believes that when the Tewyblis is above the oceans, its rays attract the water to it and cause the phenomenon called tidal waves. He also believes this is caused on the other side of Agia by the reflection of the Tewyblis’ rays of light on the night sky.

The Irathian Church does not approve of this theory completely, since it proves that Rathias’ creation has more effect on Agia than they want the people to believe. However, none has a better explanation for the otherwise precise arrival of the tides, which happens around every sixth hour.

There are different beliefs about how the Tewyblis was created and for what purpose:

The Lasfydd or Irathism: Rathias wanted to prove her powers were equal if not better than Irath’s. Rathias wanted to create another orb, just as powerful as the Glux. She took a portion of the dark dust in the universe and pressed it together to shape an orb she called Tewyblis. But since the orb was made by cold and barren dust, it could not provide any warmth nor any beauty which the Glux had. Tired of having made the orb, she wanted to retreat to her realm, the Rathies’les, but not before making the Tewyblis the gateway to her realm. She called the gateway for Porthint’Glux.

Lesfydd or Rathianic: Rathias noticed how the Glux kept the orb lit half of the time, and knew she too had to create a similar object to maintain balance. If one orb of light had to circulate the new orb, so should an orb of darkness. She gathered some dark dust and pressured it into an orb. She called it Tewyblis and knew this was to be the gateway to her realm.

While Irath tried to remove Rathias’ hair from Agia, Rathias in the meantime took the Tewynblis and made it orbit around Agia as well. Irath was furious that Rathias once more had tried to influence her works, and she tried to blow the Tewynblis from its course over the sky but only made it smooth and able to fake the light from her Glux.

She confronted Rathias, telling her to remove her orb from Agia and put it somewhere else in the universe, but Rathias told her no, and explained that it was Irath who disrupted the balance and she, Rathias, needed to uphold the balance. Had Irath not been greedy, Rathias would not have needed to stop her. Irath became furious and returned to Agia, where she cried from frustration and anger and left once there was no place for her on Agia.

Tynelusium: Light and Dark each created their sphere. The dark made one from the dark dust and forced it together to shape the Tewyblis. Imperfect by the dust and the lack of warmth, it remained barren and cold, yet somewhat visible in the night sky.

Saithonian/Satlonian: One day when Has Orin travelled to the underworld to bring the warmth and light which Maulyosh brought, he brought his new wife on this journey. Ob Nath saw the love the two shared and felt envious of it. Only seeing the souls of the dead, he could not see any possibilities to get such love himself. He felt his brother had all that he lacked. He visited the upside-down lake where the souls would arrive, but saw the reflection of the Maulyosh in it. Because of the underworld, it was not golden and warm, but silvery and cold.

Being the god of water and the underworld, Ob Nath could take the reflection out of the water. He helped it sustain its shape with water and wanted to show his father his creation. Oranth was not fond of a second orb, yet he could see the potential of one during the night to help light up whenever it was dark. He ordered Ob Nath to make another ship that could carry the second orb so that when Maulyosh was in the underworld, the second orb would be on the surface to help bring light.

Ob Nath worked all night to create another boat, still feeling the lack of the same acknowledgement his brother had. A young soul came by. She was a curious one who would not leave Ob Nath alone until he had explained everything about making boats to her. But after presenting the boat to his father, his father immediately discovered that the boat lacked one to steer it. The young soul approached Ob Nath and Oranth and told them she could do it since her father had been a skilled sailor.

Oranth thought for a while, then concluded that she was not of godhood, but could be it since she was not mortal either. He sent a message to Setsan, the goddess of Love and Fate, to ask if it was possible to make the young soul a goddess.

Setsan looked carefully at the young soul and asked for her name. Atshun was her name, and Setsan looked at the thread of fate. Hers was broken since she had passed to the underworld, yet a small glittering straw could be seen. Love for her brother, Ob Nath, could make her a goddess. This she told Oranth and Ob Nath. Oranth ordered Ob Nath to be married to Atshun, but he was not fond of this marriage, since he could not sense the love in himself.

Over time Atshun proved that she had the patience to wait for him to love her, and slowly his love for her grew. With their combined love, she started to glow and her thread of fate glowed silvery, not as golden as the other gods. Ob Nath took Atshun on several trips around the underworld, sailing under the night sky of the surface to collect the souls of the dead. And one day, he told her to sail the ship with the orb. He had named the ship and the orb after her. Since then has Atshun sailed the night sky with the orb Atshun, carrying the cold light across the sky.

Glux

For further reading about the Glux

The Glux is the third celestial body, and most think of it as an orb of fire. In all religions I know currently, it is believed that the Glux orbits Agia, right after the Tewyblis. The Glux provides light to Agia and the universe and is often connected to divinity.

Sometimes the Tewyblis is shadowing the Glux, and this is seen as an omen in all religions. To the Irathians, this is seen as a bad omen, while it is a good omen to the Rathianic believers. In the Saithonian belief, it is considered a family meeting between Has Orinth, his wife Sunra, Ob Nath, and his wife Atshun. This is considered a blessing for all families that get a child in the year where this meeting happens.

There are different beliefs about how the Tewyblis was created and for what purpose:

The Lasfydd or Irathism: Irath saw the emptiness of the universe and she felt only loneliness. The task which Light had bestowed upon her was still in her mind, and she knew she could combine this task with her ideas of making the universe less lonely.

Irath took a smaller part of Light from every distant orb and created one glowing orb that was larger than any other orb in the universe. She felt the warmth of the new orb she had created, and its Light shone even more brightly, which kept the Dark at a distance. She called the new orb Glux, and within it, she made a gateway, the Porthint’Glux, to her realm of Light, Irath’las.

Lesfydd or Rathianic: Irath was born from the greed and hubris that light held in its core, and she wanted to bring the light to the darker corner of the universe. She took a part of the light from the faraway orbs of light and created one large. She called it the Glux, the light and the realm for her residence.

Seeing the imbalance this created, the darkness felt injustice and chaos surrounding the once peaceful universe, and from the feeling of order and righteousness, it created the being, Rathias.

Rathias tried to confront Irath, telling her to stop creating more light in the universe and disrupt the balance which had been held for such a long time, but Irath refused, saying the universe needed more than just light and darkness. Rathias turned away from Irath. Seeing her sister so corrupt and greedy caused her heart to pain.

Tynelusium: The Light sent a ray of light that collided into a giant orb of fire, which became known as the Glux. It was too hot to be close to Agia, so it was placed at a distance. Having the Tewyblis in the middle helped Agia maintain a natural temperature.

With their combined might, they made the two orbs orbit the dusty orb, which slowly started to grow life. Irath and Rathias were placed on Agia to guide nature and whatever would come with the balance of the universe.

Saithonian/Satlonian: Maulyosh was the first known god, but his body, which was made from flesh, could not withstand the power of light and flames that were inside him. He knew his life would not last long and so he wished for someone to take over. The day when the light burst through his flesh, he saw two people rising from his very flesh. He named the man Oranth and the woman Hethna. His flesh then tore apart, killing him in the process, but the light and flames inside were still there.

Centuries passed until one day the Maulyosh slipped the grip of Oranth and fell to the land. It became the desert She’rai, gold and hot, sand and thorny plants were the only things to see for miles. Has Orin knew they had to control the Maulyosh better, so he asked his sister, Setsan, to create a thread strong enough that even Maulyosh could not burn it. Being the goddess of fate, she knew the truth to his word and spun a fine, but strong thread to tie the Maulyosh. Has Orin, despite being burned in the process, tied the thread around it, and he knew it had to be carried over the sky for it not to fall again. Every day he carried Maulyosh, he received serious burns, which his mother healed.

Seeing the struggles of their son, they decided to gift him a boat that could sail the Maulyosh across the sky. So they visited their other son, Ob Nath, for he was the god of water. He agreed only if the Maulyosh would travel to the underworld half of the time, for it was dreary, cold and dark. Being the god of Death, Oranth knew he did not want the souls to suffer, so he agreed. A finely crafted boat was presented to Has Orin by his brother, and he immediately tied the Maulyosh to the boat.

Arim

Arim is the fourth celestial body and a planet. While it may look like the brightest star in the night sky, it does not follow the starry background. It is clearest when twilight happens and is seemingly the first star to rise in the sky. It has been several centuries since it was discovered, but the churches of both Rathias and Irath have tried to cancel any notions that this might be a celestial body since it would be the same as admitting that Irath, Rathias, the Light, and the Dark did not create the entire universe as we know it.

It was the ancient people of Namten Diwu who first used the word ‘planet’ about Arim, and that is why the planet is named after one of those ancient gods in this area of Agia. The gods of Namtem Diwu are no longer worshipped and therefore not considered being a threat to the Church of Irath and the Church of Rathias. But the two churches still dislike when this planet is brought up. There might be a fear that the ancient gods might be worshipped once again, should the church approve this.

Arim is known as Arith in the Saithon pantheon. He is the son of Hethna and Oranth, who got very sick. To save him, they placed him amongst the stars where he still sleeps. Most scholars believe that Arim and Arith might be the same god. The Satlonians might have brought this god into their pantheon when they were occupying Namtem Diwu and the surrounding islands.

The planet Arim is believed to be a warm place but sleep-inducing. That is why no living person can live there because of the haze that keeps Arith asleep, which would otherwise kill a mortal.

Kupataum

Kupataum is the fifth celestial body and also a planet. It is not as bright in the night sky as Arim, but is still very visible when it shows. It is less common to see Kupataum than Arim approximately once a year.

Kupataum is also a god from Namtem Diwu and has been added to the Saithonian pantheon under the name Khepata. Khepata is the twin sister of Arith, who promised her parents, Hethna and Oranth, to keep watch over Arith when he awakens. She travelled to the far distance of the system to travel with him across the sky.

The planet Kupataum is considered to be cold and wet since Khepata cries every night over the fate of her twin brother and her.

Outer Universe

Past the five celestial bodies, the part that holds the distant lights we call stars has its place. Some scholars believe the outer universe to be a spheric vault where the celestial bodies are within. On the walls of this vault are the zodiacs, one of which is of the known Urud the Owl and Iriane. The other zodiacs are other known Illendriths, but only fourteen of the Illendriths have a spot in the night sky. These are the zodiacs which are also connected to the fourteen months in the Eferdris, the Irathian calendar. That is why every child is born to an Illendrith saint and takes its middle name.

Quite confusing when a boy is named after a female saint. To avoid confusion, the male equivalent of Iriane, for instance, would be Irien.

— Aewydim Scibodaeth

Besides the fourteen zodiacs, there are a further 35 constellations, some are used for navigational purposes.
Considering that Light and Dark in both Irathism, Rathianic, and Tynelusium are considered entities as well, most believe they reside in the outer universe. Though they only have a small spot in the stories, and therefore the information about them is very limited.

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Further Reading