Rob,
*** Which material did Sazamshigzanaazi come from or is it your own creation? ***
Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.
I genned it up last year.
Hmmm, ok, creative thinking cap on.
Sazamshigzanaazi (Based in Vland 1717) A [AF2K] Vland-1
Membership: tens of billions.
The religion's Cx is AF2K: Highly homogeneous, Extremely accepted, Not strange, and Extremely symbolic.
Requires knowledge of Vland (of course). The higher, the better.
No special Arts held in esteem.
No special general skill held in esteem.
Core leaders are Functionaries in a Vilani bureau.
Craftsmen are employed fulltime for working on custom temples and fixtures. High craftsmanship is a point of pride in Sazamshigzanaazi.
Rogues are typically employed in rehab programs as problem-solvers for the community.
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In service, hospitality
to needs, appropriate
for all Vilani persons
- Argunek Shugilii aphorism no. 12 (baasa bilanilekane, "all Vilani persons"), oldest wording, "Vilani Haiku" style (original meter not translated).
On Rituals and Ritual Objects. Allegories rule and are typically clear. Novices learn with everyday objects, such as tables, bowls, or jars. A temple is a house for a master priest and the symbols of the religion, and typically rests next to an open market, square, forum, or landing field. Portable altars are brought outside the temple daily, on which blessed food is made available to all on a scheduled price based on SOC (one meal is typically SOC x SOC credits; each meal of each day varies and is of high quality).
Priests' garb usually includes a traditional lightweight, short-sleeved coat, typically with striking abstract patterns and complementing colors. "Earth" tones are common, but not mandatory. A member of the religion can tell the rank of a priest, but the indications are typically unclear to others.
The best ritual objects are the ones which were made with extreme care, and typically from single elements such as wood, crystal, or superdense. Experimentalists strive to master monomoluecular design, and some elevate this inaccessible art to the highest place. However there is a strong current of appreciation for simplicity and effort. Think Shakers with design, who are also French when it comes to food.
Origin and Purpose. It's descended from some "community care" program started by a corporation in the dim past, tenuously retro-connected to the Bureaux from Ziru Sirka days.
Doxis and Praxis. Their attitudes are Vilani to the core. Being at least a thousand years old and "corporate", their doctrinal positions and spiritual leadership has changed directions many times, ranging from asceticism to mysticism to social pragmatism. Today they are best classified as "gourmet shugilii eclectic benevolence" -- there's a significant number who dedicate a lot of spare time in Vilani soup kitchens, but there are also others who cater to the rich. This sort of bifurcation has caused sectarian violence in the past.
Traditions and Writings. Their holy books form a continuum of tradition, with the
Argunek Shugilii allegedly being the oldest extant treatise. Its highly archaic and poetic Vilani seems garbled in places, but the Path To The Fully Developed Palate is apparently part of this problem and process. The Eye of the Underworld (
Ganzir) in this religion's context seems to be based on aesthetic examination. Some denominations define this as
judgement, others as
criticism, and yet others
appreciation.
Subsequent books which follow the
Argunek add subtle -- and not so subtle, as in the case of the
Lagsiir Canticles -- layers to the canon. Perhaps none are wholly accepted as canonical, including passages in the
Argunek, which most agree has been superseded in places by later works, themselves likely flawed in some way. Interpretive councils are also considered fallible, and from there we get into the weeds.
Obligations. At least today, their religious obligations are primarily met in meeting the needs of society in general. "Laborare orare est" - work [feeding the hungry typically] is prayer.
The symbolic meaning of feeding is also frequently extended to training and education. Commercially-sponsored trade schools and universities are run by them. They also have hospice care facilities. Less common are "information" kiosks similar to the Travellers' Aid Society -- usually when a group tends to favor information dispersal, they simply join the TAS labor force or encourage members to join the Scouts. In the other direction, the
Lagsiir Canticles' Outer Cycle are a popular channel for meditation, even by nonbelieving Vilani.
Research is typically not a part of their information itch, with the exception of materials research in connection with craftsmanship.
Relationship to Larger Vilani Society. Despite the group's claims, historians doubt this religion was ever tied up with any government, much less the Ziru Sirka. However, the religion itself is colored by popular Vilani culture.
