Blatikuski, The Prophet of Blati.

In the name of the Prophet, Blessed be his name, the avatar of Abbon Shabai, the everlasting light, fountain of wisdom and peace, comfort of the weak, saviour of our people and shield against the unbelievers, this temple was erected by our most pious Emperor Eutychius for his protection. May his teachings guide us in our lives.

— Inscription at the Main gate of Blati's Great Temple

Blatikuski (meaning the Prophet of Blati) also known as simply "The Prophet" is one of the most important figures in the History of Yeia. He is the reformer of the Ikarian religion, and the Blatians consider him as the avatar of the god Abbon Shabai himself, who descended to the Earth during the time of chaos after the Crorai adopted dark magic to guide humans into the light. As avatar, his cult is often mixed with the traditional one that the Ikarians/Blatians have developed over the course of centuries. His importance is so great that the Ikarians ceased to count the years from the foundation of the Empire and instead, began counting the years after the Prophet began his preaching.
His teachings contained in several books like " Teachings of the Prophet" or the "Perymenion" a collection of 300 quotes of the Prophet supposedly recorded during his preaching by his disciple St. Leo. Its idea of a reformed Ikarian faith, closer to what Abbon Shabai wants became the State Religion of the Ikarian Empire after the I Council of Blati in 145 AP. And in 229 AP, the Grand Duchy of Liwal became the first foreign state in adopting the new faith (prior to this they had already adopted the traditional Ikarian religion). Today, the Reformed Faith or Reformed Church as it is also called is, alongside Yemuism the most practised religion in Yeia.

History

The Prophet began proselytizing in the city of Blati and surrounding settlements. His ministry began at a time of religious turmoil. Two centuries earlier the Crorai abandoned most of the old believes of the Davidovian peoples and adopted dark magic and cult of the Davidovian gods of Death, Violence and Madness. With their believes they began to expand their kingdom and grew extraordinary wealthy because of the tributes paid by their neighbours. This rise in power worried the Ikarians that, at that time, from 120 BP onwards, suffered an economic crisis and had halted their expansion. Some argued that the position taken by the Crorai was correct, the Ikarians had offered a great part of the booty to the gods, and yet now the gods were punishing them with poverty.
There was a coup attempt by a sect called "The Black Sages" In 67 BP that was discovered and stopped at the last moment by emperor Aurelian II. Many philosophers and theologians try to find answers to this ordeal that they were suffering as well as new ways to appease the gods. This is the religious context in which the Prophet lived and preached.

"Do not be deceived by the allure of dark magic, for its promises are empty and its path leads to despair. Choose the brilliance of righteousness, and you shall find everlasting fulfilment."

— Blatikuski to the audience that was hearing him at the Rose Gardens, ca 32 AP

Quickly the Prophet and his teachings about a new way to appease the gods, of a renewed faith in their power and mercy, gain many followers and disciples. But in Blati also found some enemies, one priest for example, defied the Prophet by pointing at a field that suffered the draught of that summer. According to tradition the Prophet then raised his hand and clouds appeared and it began to rain and the wells of the town became filled. Then he said to the priest: Things like this will happen if you have faith, didn't Abbon Shabai give you wisdom and faith in his power? so the latter has been shown to you.
Five years later the Prophet, now famous across the Province of Blati for his wisdom and power, decided to travel to Ikaria , the imperial capital. Alongside the way, according to the book "Teachings of the Prophet" he performed 50 miracles. Once he reached the capital Blatikuski preached in the main squares and at the porticoes of the main temples, he began to be known as the Holy Man of Blati. The Emperor Aurelian V heard of him and his fame and demanded an audience with him in order to see if this man was indeed holy. He received the Prophet politely at his Court and asked a couple of questions about theology and about this new approach to the Ikarian faith and became marvelled. It is said that a one eyed general from the frontier mistrusted him and ironically demanded the Prophet to make him a new eye. Blatikuski smiled and put his hand on the general's shoulder and said: Take off your eye patch and blink. At first the general laughed but soon he noticed something strange and to his amaze he had a new eye!. The entire Court was astonished as well as the Emperor who demanded to talk to the Prophet in private.
He then asked him to reveal his identity and the Prophet with an smile answered: Since you're a child of Zerah, I shall reveal this to you, for I am the father of your divine ancestor, Him who had enlighten the earth since he exited the egg.
The emperor was astonished and afraid, yet somewhat mistrusted what has been revealed. Then he gave him his sceptre (that whoever touches it that is not the emperor is killed instantly by a thunderbolt) and to his surprise Blatikuski didn't die. Seeing this he bow himself in front of him and recognized his divine identity. However, the Prophet made him promised that he would not reveal what had just happened, because the time for this revelation hadn't come yet. A couple of years later a new High Priest, Macarius II, was chosen by Aurelian V, after Blatikuski refused. This Macarius was very corrupted and Blatikuski began openly criticizing him. He, in turn, send priests and theologians to undermine him.

Why is his majesty still looking for me? Hasn't he realized that I've come to correct not only monarchs and priest but also to correct the common people?, all that should be said, it has been said.

In this context happen the most famous miracle of Blatikuski called "The shortest of days". A certain Cornelius, a famous theologian and public speaker had heard the Prophet speaking as if he was the God of the Sun and demanded a public apology. Blatikuski invited him and his disciples to a picnic and White Mountain. After having lunch Cornelius insisted in Blatikuski to apologize for a supposed blasphemy. At that moment, the eyes of the Prophet glowed, he raised his hand and suddenly the sun went down and it was as dark as the full night . Cornelius and his followers were terrified by this event and seeing their faces of absolute fear the Prophet kindly smile, moved his hand down and the sun returned. This phenomenon was said to have been witnessed in all the Ikarian Empire aside from the distant island of Vatia. Tradition says that Cornelius and his followers became disciples of the Prophet.
2 years after this famous event Cornelius was tired of the accusations of the Prophet and decided to assasinate him. One day Blatikuski was on its way to the Gardens of Peace where a crown went to receive him crying "Blessed are you the one sent by the gods" when suddenly an assassin disguised as a merchant stroke the Prophet in his back with a daga while shouting "You're are not the Sun God!, death to the false prophet!". The crowd was in shock, people run towards the merchant in order to kill him or to stop stabbing Blatikuski when suddenly his disciples noticed that his body was missing and where the prophet had fallen there was only his tunic and a pool of liquid gold ( The gods bleed gold in Davidovian mythology), that was the definite proof of Blatikuski divinity. A voice was heard : "Next week come to see me at White Mountain". Also, according to tradition the assassin turned to ashes where the clothes and the liquid gold were found.
The next day the disciples and the crowd that had witnessed the "murder" at the gardens of peace travelled to White Mountain, it took them 6 days to arrive at that cited place. At the seventh day, at sunrise when everyone was having breakfast a sun beam touched a nearby promontory and there, according to legend, the Prophet appeared with sun beams over his head, almost like fire, he greeted everyone from that place and, as he was approaching the crowd, his appearance changed, and took the true form of Abbon Shabai himself, still with the sun beams over his head and his honey-coloured eyes. He then said to the crowd:

Now you all are witness to what happened a week ago, so now you're witness of what happened today. Now you know who I am. I watched everyone of you since the moment you were born, like Claudius the miller over there, Cornelia the basket weaver with his golden hair, all of you, as I watched humans since I and my beloved wife created you. My teachings has been delivered to you, as once I shared my knowledge with the elves, now I share my knowledge to you, follow what I've said and the dark creatures that want to destroy this world will be defeated.

And after saying this, the light of the sun engulfed him and disappeared. During the following decades his disciples (now a hundred) would preach their master's teachings throughout the Empire and beyond. Aurelian V declared publicly what had happened in that private conversation and built the first shrine to the Prophet in the Gardens of Peace and placed the tunic and the liquid gold now solidified in the Great Temple of Ikaria alongside many other relics of the Gods. And, as it has been said, almost a century later, the Reformed Faith, as it became to be known, became the official faith of the Ikarian Empire.

Teachings

I'm a torch, yes, a torch, and those who enter the cave shall see the exit of it through me. For I have enlightened people since the beginning of times. The glory of light and the dangers of darkness are not strange to me. And to those who ask me, how do you know all these things? I answer, every day since I was born I come from the East, done my job in the North, and went to rest in the West.

The teachings of the prophet do not imply that the Ikarian religion became monotheistic, on the contrary, despite his relevance as an Avatar of Abbon Shabai and the prominence he has now in the Blatian Pantheon, the Prophet focused part of his teachings in worshiping the other gods correctly and piously as they were as important as him in order to achieve enlightenment and peace with the gods and also a place of honour alongside the deities.
The Prophet put a lot on emphasis in how to worship and also the role of worship the gods with true faith in order to avoid the temptations of the forces of evil (like what happens to the Crorai). He taught that through worship (prayers and libations) and good deeds mankind can achieve the full protection of the gods and through them, once they have shown their piety, they will be able to know how to avoid evil and dark magic.
Blatikuski also emphasized the formation and study of the clergy and its role as servants of the community. He once said:

Only through scripture you'll come to know me, those who worship the monarch of the skies and his progeny can't be blessed, and can be worthy if they haven't study the holy books with faith and by heart. Only those educated this way will be worthy of be called leader and guide of the believers. (...) And to those who worship at the altar (aka: The priest) I say this, only the king of the gods and the Emperor wear crowns and have power over this our land, in the beginning of times, since King Davidion, I appointed you as my emissaries and servant to my beloved people

Believers should pray at least once a day at a temple and two at home, one when one wakes up and another when one goes to sleep. Observing these rules guarantees peace between mankind and the gods and also the reinforcement of the alliance between humans and the deities against the forces of darkness.

Appearance

There is no portrait of the Prophet made during his preaching. Yet many accounts suggest he was a handsome blond young man. This is also interesting because sometimes Abbon Shabai is also represented as having that hair colour, and because of these two reasons he is always depicted that way. When Abbon Shabai is represented both in statues of paintings he has his chest nude (as the heroes of mythology) and only covered by a toga. On the other hand, when the Prophet is represented by these means he is often represented dressed as a philosopher with a tunic and a toga. Both representations, of the god is his "true form" or as "The Prophet" hold the sceptre with the eight pointed sun, his traditional symbol.

The Prophet and the goddess of memory Alara holding the Perymenion and a torch symbolizing faith and enlightment. by Callyxtus

Later representations of Abbon Shabai and the Prophet in Ikarian and Blatian art represent them wearing purple boots, something associated with kingship (and that distinguishes them from the Oronai version of Abbon Shabai who wears golden sandals or is barefoot).

Divine Classification

Avatar of Abbon Shabai

Religions

• Reformed Church

Church/Cult

Ikarian Religion

The Prophet in other religions

• Blatikuski is not worshiped in the Seris religion because the Seris believed that if Abbon Shabai was to sent a message to mankind, why would it be a monopoly of one single people?. But in Yemuism there are two ways of understanding this figure. One is the same as the mainstream view of the traditional Seris religion, the other however, sees Blatikuski as an predecessor of Yemmu, and only consider him a Holy man and not as the Avatar of Abbon Shabai himself. They based this believe on a on a supposed phrase from the Perymenion that says: "Some will come that will teach you as I did". The Blatians said that the Prophet is referring to his disciples spreading his message while the Yemmuist believe that he is talking about Yemmu as a kind of fulfiller of this new, renovated faith in the Davidovian gods.


• The vast majority of the Oronai also, don't worship the Prophet because of the same reasons as the Seris, but in recent decades, the number of oronai believers in the Reformed church has grown considerably.


• The appearance of the Prophet in the Grand Duchy of Liwal takes some influence in the old nord gods worshiped by the Liwalis before the influence of the Ikarian Empire reached them.

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