Speech from Her Above
The Speech from Her Above (also known as the Short Book or The Revelation) is the foundational document of the Temple of Nuwa. Nuwan canon holds that the goddess Nuwa appeared to her prophet, revealing to him the true nature of heaven. Divinely inspired, he transcribed every word Nuwa spoke to him onto vellum parchment, and once he was finished he had six pages of divine speech. Structured as a single chapter, the text is written entirely as a direct quote from the goddess herself.
The text describes the goddess' relation to heaven compared to old Voranthene beliefs, and asserts her as an overdeity, the supreme creator and ruler of all that is. It lays out basic rules for the social order of Voranth, and crucially states that Voranth is a sacred land that must not be divided, for they knew her first. Though Nuwan canon includes much more than The Revelation, it holds a privileged place among it as it is considered to be the direct word of the goddess, and thus is not allowed to be changed or translated, only replicated.
As the Temple of Nuwa has passed through the centuries, many learned abbots have written further religious texts, some which have become accepted as parts of the general Nuwan canon. Often close-readings of the original Speech from Her Above, or explanatory theses relating old Voranthene mythology to a cosmology that holds Nuwa above all else, these texts have often caused cracks beneath the surface of Nuwan unity. However, as the Short Book demands that no Nuwan call another Nuwan a heretic, these schisms have always been smoothed over.
Historical Details
History
Before Nuwa's prophet emerged, the goddess was considered a divinity among others in the Voranthene conception of the heavens. At the time, the Voranthene adhered to an imperial cult that held the twin emperors above the gods themselves, for it was the emperors that ruled over all civilization. Nuwa's Prophet upended this order, gathering a great throng of faithful followers that preached that Nuwa ruled over all, even the emperors. Though imperial forces eventually captured and executed the prophet (On the day later commemorated as Martyr's Day which would become the foundation of the Nuwan calendar), it was too late. His death galvanized the Nuwans, who overthrew the emperors.
Since then, Voranth has been dominated by the Temple of Nuwa, and many of the provinces of Voranth have become directly controlled by High Abbots. The emperors were reinstated, as the Short Book demanded, but Voranth was forever changed. The rest of the population gradually converted to the Nuwan faith, and the temple sought to spread its word beyond its borders. Missionaries have spread along Voranth's trade routes, most notably converting the Runberi who themselves have gone to great lengths to spread the faith.
Interesting document! I’d be down to hear more about the prophet himself, it would be very interesting I think. Nice work!