Ademarism

Ademarism is a panentheistic religion which originated in Gliat Shea in western Yasteria nearly 4,000 years ago. It is practiced most prominently in the Asendavian Empire, where it is the state religion. It is also practiced in Talusi, Hausberg, Vaklori, and many other nations. It is centered on the belief in and worship of the God-on-Urth, the creator of the universe; and Ademar, a man so powerful and wise that he was able to comprehend the construct of the universe and ascend into godhood alongside the God-on-Urth. As of 2021, there are over 900 million Ademarists worldwide.

Creation

Traditionally, the God-on-Urth is recognized as the creator of the universe. It's believed that before creating the universe, the God-on-Urth existed without form in its own separate, timeless, and shapeless plane of existence. The universe was only created when the God-on-Urth manifested a physical form, destroying his former plane of existence and forming our own at the same time. In our universe, he took multiple distinct forms. When he manifested, his physical form became the universe and everything in it, also forming time. Stars, planets, and everything else in the universe were willed into existence by him, considered separate yet fundamentally still a part of him. Once the universe's foundations were laid, it's believed that he then formed the heavens, which are considered to be in this plane of existence yet on a different layer. In this heavenly layer, known as Iphelaris, the God-on-Urth molded part of his universal consciousness into a body. In this new form, the God-on-Urth separated parts of his very being and created the first angels, the first distinct beings in the universe that were truly separate from the God-on-Urth. For eons, the universe existed like this, with the physical layer of our plane devoid of anything save for the planets, stars, and the God-on-Urth's true form. Only in the heavenly layer was there life, in the form of the angels and the God-on-Urth's physical form. Eventually though, the God-on-Urth tired of the perfect existence of Iphelaris, and he sought to create something new.

In the physical layer, the God-on-Urth manifested our star system. On Urth he created life as we know it. He separated yet more of his very being and created the first humans. From there, he took different aspects of himself and formed the other species of Urth accordingly. Unlike the angel's, who were seen as perfect, immortal beings, with no wants, needs, or feelings, Urth's life was flawed. Humans and the other species had limited lifespans; they had wants and needs; they fought, murdered, and stole from each other; and they had emotions both negative and positive. The angels, seeing themselves as superior, wished to rule over the life on Urth, but the God-on-Urth refused. Although all-powerful, creation had left the God-on-Urth's physical form drained, as he had taken different aspects of his physical form to create life. Seeking to restore his physical form's power, the God-on-Urth attempted to bring some of the angels back into his being. Having already been refused the right to rule over the Urth, the angels fought against this reassimilation. Although during the battle over half of the angels perished, they slew the God-on-Urth's physical form, with his physical form's essence being stolen by the angels, unable to return to his true form.

Although his physical form may have fallen, the God-on-Urth's true form was unharmed and took action. With a large deal of his essence having either been used to create life, and much more stolen by the angels, the God-on-Urth used his true form to seal off Iphelaris from the rest of creation. With the angels now in control of Iphelaris, they soon discovered that they were sealed in by the God-on-Urth's remaining power and unable to leave and conquer the Urth, so the place which had once been their home was now effectively their prison. With the angels now sealed, the God-on-Urth began the long wait, where However, one thing the angels discovered during their time in Iphelaris was that the essences of mortals would arrive in Iphelaris when they died. The angels would consume these essences in order to increase their power, and during this time, Teirhetal became the High King of the Angels. For many thousands of years, the angels waited in Iphelaris, growing stronger as they assimilated the essences of dead mortals, all the while preventing the God-on-Urth from regaining any of his power. In 31 BA, however, a child named Ademar was born into a minor noble family that ruled the Barony of Kavarsai.

Ademar of House Uktavas was born the fourth son of Baron Kazimieras, a minor noble in Gliat Shea. Being the fourth son of a baron, Ademar was not destined for much. At the age of 17, he left his home to travel across Gliat Shea. Early on in his travels, Ademar joined a military order dedicated to spreading the word of the God-on-Urth.