Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid

The Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid was the state religion for the Ïlýrhonid Tribe until 25026 AYM. It is mostly known through the writings in the Gaðërïŋ-Hýša, the main collection of Ïlýrhonidian documents, but is often mentioned indirectly in other sources like the Gaðërïŋ-Khërn-Hymlona, Gaðërïŋ-Khalúš, and Gaðërïŋ-Ýlëntuk.

The Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid is based around three main figures: Hyvam, Vëtam, and a species called the Zar-Isyer-Akwor. Its mythos concerns itself primarily with the creation of the Ïlýrhonid Tribe and the state of the outside world, and these stories were promulgated via regularly-occurring holidays and constellations within the Ïlýrhonidian Calendar.

History

Theories on its Emergence

The Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid was known even through to the earliest accounts in the Gaðërïŋ-Hýša and the Žötó-Ïdhatón. Its primary historical mystery lies in how it was incorporated into Ïlýrhonidian culture and society during the combination of the Žötó-Ýsïb, the formation of the Tribe, and its settlement into what is now the Yitdish Ruins. The cultural differences between families in such matters as languages, naming standards, and artstyles are simply not there in the Ïlýrhonidian religious history; instead, it seems that each family simultaneously accepted the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid over their familial, traditional religions.

The main theory on its emergence is simply that the circumstances at the time were so uncertain and filled with new circumstances that one had to reshape their religions. This is consistent with what is known to have happened; each family individually migrated to what is now the Yitdish Ruins, most likely spurred on by natural disasters, plagues, and/or religious fervor. Thus, in addition to enduring significant hardship, one was also exposed to communities one had never known existed until that point. To then live in a small space with these such communities from then on would have significantly changed one's general outlook on their own culture once thoroughly exposed to those of others.

However, of course, the main reason why we do not know how the religions of the individual families were settled so rapidly is due to the fact that the historical documents, most crucially the Žötó-Ïdhatón and, to a lesser extent, the Gaðërïŋ-Hýša, do not reach back this far or do not cover the religious natures of the people's history they recounted. This ties in to other mysteries regarding the Žötó-Ïdhatón; was there some force that deliberately destroyed some records, and if so, for what reason? Were the older tablets in the Žötó-Ïdhatón really written down at that time, or were they orally transmitted before being recorded? Are the Žötó-Ïdhatón even to be trusted?

A glaring possibility does lie in the speculation that the leaders of the Ïlýrhonid Tribe framed these early religions as the deceiving work of the Zar-Isyer-Akwor and other similarly malevolent creatures. This would provide a good reason for the destruction of early tablets, and would fit with the mystery about how about 98.8% of the literature in the Žötó-Ïdhatón is purely genealogy.

Role in the Ënúb-Hýšaï Period

The sources we have for the role of the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid in the Ënúb-Hýšaï, which lasted until 25187 AYM, are extremely piecemeal and only appear as past references from writers of the Arfarotï and Heta-Ýmor-Vëtam periods, and to a much lesser extent, some few sentences in the Žötó-Ïdhatón. However, even these are able to produce a substantial understanding of religion in this time period.

The Hyvamto-Re-Elironid was most likely at its most powerful state here; writings frequently call back to the time of ancient kings, most of whom are not listed in the Žötó-Ïdhatón. However, due to the frequency of their names, it is most likely that these kings were real and simply given a regnal name of some kind, which differed greatly with the treatment given to the kings in the later periods, who were not given any such title.

This power was derived from the influence of Hyvam, whose soul later kings were said to inherit. This inheritance came with his strength and his wisdom in leadership, represented by his skeleton and his teeth, which are said to have been stored in the Ëzó-Rhegarhifiŋ. The physical presence of the relics themselves would also have given the Hyvamto-Re-Elironid massive legitimacy in the eyes of the people. However, some time before the start of the Gaðërïŋ-Hýša, these relics were lost.

Conversely, Vëtam was said to have become the people, where each family was represented by one of Vëtam's teeth. The role of the families was thus shown through the role of the teeth; the families were to be producers and suppliers of resources (digestion) and simultaneously a vital component of tribal communication and discussion (Ïfon-Wë), specifically regarding tribal structure, lifestyle, and governance, represented by an Ibrófeneð brain's close proximity to the teeth.

Role in the Arfarotï Period

The Arfarotï Period, ranging from 25187 to 25032 AYM, is one of the most documented periods in Ibrófeneðian history due to its status as the 'golden age', a feat of the Žötó-Žimiara in particular. This golden age coincided with a decline in the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid, both in its importance as a mediator and source of tradition within the tribe, & protector and historian outside it, caused by the Hyvamto-Re-Elironid's inability to protect the tribe from the increased rate of natural disasters, and the Žötó-Žimiara's comparative success in that same endeavor. In addition to reducing trust in the Ïlýrhonid leadership, this also caused each family to rely more and more on their own strength. In the analogy described in the Ënúb-Hýšaï, it was said that Vëtam's teeth were diverging, which in the anatomy of an Ibrófeneð, causes damage to the brain and skeleton, bacteria buildup, and a potential shortage of nutrients. Indeed, this was beginning to occur in the Ïlýrhonid Tribe; as the public turned away from the central government, fewer and fewer people were becoming involved in their politics, corresponding to a decay in the skeleton and the brain. This then caused families to mostly hoard resources, causing further deterioration in buildings like the Ëzó-Rhažóval and the Ëzó-Rhegarhifiŋ.

Abolishment during the Heta-Ýmor-Vëtam

Main Article: Abolishment of the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid

The Abolishment of the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid was the definite end of the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid as a functioning religion. It was the outcome of the first three Yarpalïŋ-Ýmïlýrhonid, which signaled the end of the Arfarotï Period and the start of the Heta-Ýmor-Vëtam, or First Dark Age. The name of this period reflects the changes made in the culture of the Ïlýrhonid Tribe; the term Vëtam, a name referring to the act of sacrifice, and later the notion of a governed people, now referred to the original division of the body of Vëtam. Rather, instead of the First Dark Age, the literal translation would be the First Age of Division; however, the sentiments occurring in this time period were more akin to that of a general period of misfortune, despair, and hopelessness.

The Division referred to in the title was the departure of four families: the Ýlëntuk, Farïnýð, Ürïstúd, and Khólteð Families. This sudden chain of departures was made possible only through three factors: a growing distrust in the central government, a reliance on one's own familial brethren, and the assurance of safety outside the Ïlýrhonid territory. The first two were simultaneously fulfilled in the Arfarotï Period, but the third was only fulfilled in the beginning years of the Heta-Ýmor-Vëtam. The main roadblock preventing this fulfillment was the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid itself, which, through its heavy emphasis on the supposed presence of the Zar-Isyer-Akwor outside of the walls of the Tribe, also relied in return on the fear it created to maintain this tenet despite its invalidity. Thus, to assure safety past the walls of the Tribe, the fear instilled by the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid would have to be overcome, and if the Zar-Isyer-Akwor were proven to be not real, this defeat of such a crucial tenet would essentially kill the religion outright.

Hayïdic Expedition

Main Article: Hayïdic Expedition

The Hayïdic Expedition, lasting from 2 Heta-Eimarae to 11 Suta-Eimarae, 25032 AYM, was the first of the Yarpalïŋó-Ýmïlýrhonid and thus the first major threat to the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid. Led by Hayïd, it was created in response to the collapsing of a section of the Ïlýrhonid Tribe's walls, with the promise that this group would bear the responsibility of guarding the hole in the wall during its repairs. A total of over 4,000 people took part, of whom about 2,700 were actually assigned to the Expedition's promised purpose. The rest secretly made the trek away from the Tribe's vicinity and into the Amoŋot Desert, which they did by following the southern edge of the Nuzowli Mountain Range. About 800-900 of them died, mostly by starvation, which the Ïlýrhonid government used as evidence for the existence of the Zar-Isyer-Akwor, especially since, in the Tribe, the abundance of food made it such that almost no one had starved to death. This was compounded by the use of a return messenger, comprising 144 Ibrófeneðs, that carried the group's findings, with the rest opting to reside in one of the three cities built during the Expedition: Óm-hayïd, Tý-hayïd, and Yuževhït.

The government also used the divergence of Hayïd and the 1,600 so members from the Expedition's original purpose as an example of the mental hijacking of Zar-Isyer-Akwor and a betrayal of the tribe's safety. Of those that did not trek out into the Desert, but were made to guard the walls of the Tribe, all of them disappeared in the months of the Expedition, leading many to claim that the government actually caused them to die by some means. Despite this, the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid largely survived the Hayïdic Expedition's influence, and the high casualties caused the next Yarpalïŋ-Ýmïlýrhonid to be delayed until 25027 AYM.

Wýðúric Expedition

Main Article: Wýðúric Expedition

The Wýðúric Expedition, lasting from 25 Anta-Eimarae, 25027 AYM to 6 Yota-Eimarae, 25026 AYM, was the second of the Yarpalïŋó-Ýmïlýrhonid and is often cited as the first true catalyst of the Heta-Ýmor-Vëtam, the Ýmïlýrhonid Movement, and the decline of the Kavamïŋ-Ïlýrhonid. However, in respect to such aspects as the grand reduction of the party size, use of signal structures to track movements, and even the maneuvering through the Kairn River System instead of the westward passage were all implemented in response to the disastrous results of the Hayïdic Expedition. Organized by Wýðúr with the advice of Ikheðep, the latter being a participant in and a noted survivor of the Hayïdic Expedition, this expedition featured just 650 people and used the wood gathered from the Volain Forest to create Wëbëlup-Wýðúr, long poles made to be planted into the desert ground and act as markers for where they were. Notably, they set up a rudimentary camp at what became Güðün, but explored as far north as Óvarhën. The Wëbëlup-Wýðúr were the basis for many other cities, founded in the wake of the successful return of the group, like Óvarhën as well as Vërðïm and Lómóhüd, such that, by the time of the Khýnýšic Expedition only 3 months later, these such cities had become populated places in their own right.