Ilueism

Monotheistic
Lead Deity: Akhmahl, God of the Sands of Time
State Religion of: Daahken Dresnid Horde, Awalan Caliphate, Acstan Khanate, Badiran Khanate, Aklahan Khanate, Argenis

Beliefs

To believe in Akhmahl is to believe in the ever changing circumstances of one's situation. Even though dunes of sand may appear the same, they never have the same grains of sand atop them every day. Regardless of what happens, time goes on, and so too must one if they are to survive or thrive.

Founding

In the late 600s AR Khan Reijann Khogal of the Daahken clan was facing relentless raids from other Dresnid clans. It is said he witnessed a cruel end to many of his elder family members, and so when he became the clan leader at the age of 18, he decided it was a time for change.

In the true fashion of his ancestral nomads, Khan Reijann upturned his home and led the Daahken tribe on a migration eastward. Faced with traveling through the Cursed Coast or through equally chaotic and tumultuous lands of the Apolonians or the Lammetrians even further beyond (who were more likely to kill or enslave any Dresnids they came across), Khan Reijann picked the third option of crossing the Dan Verig Mountains directly.

While taking his clan through the mountains, Khan Reijann Khogal received a vision of his destiny. In his vision, the God Akhmahl spoke to Khan Reijann and told him of the luxurious lands to the east and the bloated Morosian Empire which occupied them, stagnant and unchanging. Khan Reijann and his family suffered many hardships and struggles in his crossing of the Dan Verig Mountains but finally exited the range after multiple years of travel. Reijann gave thanks to Akhmahl for having survived the journey, and so began to preach this new faith wherever he went.

History

After crossing the Dan Verig Mountains, the Daahken tribe settled just north of Monha, in the town of Nadhour. From there, they set up a supply line back to Dresnid territory, using the secret passage which they created. In no time, a multitude of clans and families poured fourth, all thanking Akhmahl. Some of the men and women crossing also reported visions from Akhmahl, and these people were treated as prophets.
In the ensuing century, the Daahken Dresnids spread about eastern Barakon. Where they went, Ilueism went too. After the death of Reijann Khogal in 744 AR, the fervor for Ilueism slowly diminished. Only part of the inner rankings of the Dresnid invaders involved the worship or spread of Ilueism, and evidently few foreigners really took to the faith. Indeed, the Dresnids consider Ilueism like their own property, and it spread only as far as the Dresnid hordes ventured.
The ensuing lack of religious representation in their conquests led to the break-away state of the Awalan Caliphate. Styling themselves after the Zahretian caliphate of centuries past, the Awalans instigated Ilueism throughout their realm, and especially on the Balan people who lived in the territory they came to control.
*Ilueism is believed to be a deviant from both the Dresnid Pantheon and the monotheistic religion Nabuelism founded in Podrusa.

Enforcement

As the Daahkens conquered their way across Barakon, the fear they put into their subjects and those who lay in their path made some to believe taking on the faith of Ilueism would prevent them from harm. This only worked some of the time. Other people converted, believing too that the times ought to change, and that Akhmahl may favor them too. Ilueism eventually became a religion for those who strove for independence. Overall, no enforcement aside from the Daahken pillaging served to convert people to this religion.
This changed, however with the Awalan Caliphate which put Ilueism at the forefront of the government's focus. They encouraged conversion through excessive tax on heretics and non-believers, as well as a law prescribing the "freedom of pillaging" wherein the Dresnid overlords were allowed to loot whole towns and villages if the entire population was not of the Ilueism belief. Temples and Churches were later installed throughout this realm after the chaos of the 700s calmed down and allowed efficient efforts to rebuild.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion