Peratolian Orkanan

Peratolian Orkanan Pastanan: Orcana Peratoliana
The iconic Peratolian roofless Exemplar Edvin Hall, Firanza, Casella, Anisora
Type	Dragaric Orkanan
Theology	Valantine theology
Scripture	The Scriptures
Polity	Vulgarian
Leaders
Congregations	???
Languages	Anisoran, Arvorian, Auresian, Livarian, Pastanan, Parnethian, other languages
Headquarters	Palazzo di Es. Herberto (Anisoran)
Canon	Valantine Canon
Origins	62nd century, Dragar Monopoly
Members	c.XX million
Other names	Reformed Valantine Orkanan

Peratolian Orkanan (Pastanan: Orcana Peratoliana; Lithurgical Stoldavic: XXX, Livarian: Ператолійський Орканан), also known as Reformed Valantine Orkanan, is an interventionist branch of Orkanan and is one of the main branches of the religion. Peratolian Orkanan is the main successor of Dragaric Orkanan that spread across northern Anaria Major and the Medio Sea under the Dragar Monopoly. With its roots in the late 6th millennium, Peratolianism remains the closest in terms of doctrine, organisation, and modes of worship to Dragaric Orkanan.

As an interventionist branch of Orkanan, Peratolian doctrine maintains the conventional monotheism of an omnipotent god known as Vind. Peratolians maintain that Vind has a Master Plan for Its creation, and has placed humankind on Gotha with the express purpose of assisting in carrying out the Master Plan. The Valantine Canon, established by the Dragar Monopoly after the fall of the Orkanan Realm of Stoldavia as a rival to the Skiöldavik Canon, records and stores all canonical texts of the Peratolian faith. While Peratolians largely venerate the same foundational texts as most other Orkanans - The Scriptures - a number of unique texts have been added to the Valantine Canon over the centuries.

Areas of major divergence from other Orkanan denominations include the spiritual emphasis placed on idols as subjects of worship, the veneration of children as manifestations of Vind's Creation, and elements of radicalism and militarisation of faith. Unlike many other Orkanan branches, Peratolian Orkanan has a militant and radical tendency that has manifested itself particularly acutely in western areas following centuries of existential religious warfare in Anaria Minor against the Izhaic sects, such as the Great Holy War (6810-6843).

Today there are dozens of Peratolian congregations, the main organisational unit of the Pertatolian faith. Each congregation is headed by its own leader, which traditionally under the vulgarian hierarchy means the secular royal or imperial ruler. The largest of these congregations are the Peratolian congregations of Arvor, Livaria and Anisora. The Peratolian Congregation of Pastana, in the modern-day Cadrian Republic, meanwhile, is the oldest Peratolian organisation in Anaria, which traces its roots right back to the Dragar Schism of 6234 which precipitated the breakup of the Dragar Monopoly.

The capital of Cadria, Valance, remains of huge importance to Peratolians. As the birthplace of Dragaric Orkanan and the capital of the Dragar Monopoly, the city remains one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Peratolians, even though only regional spiritual leadership reside there today. Such is the connection between the ancient city and Peratolian Orkanan that the religion is often referred to as Valantine Orkanan, the archaic name for the denomination used throughout the 7th millennium.

Etymology and terminology

The etymology of the Hallish word 'peratolian' is derived from the Pastanan preposition per ('through') and the verb tollo ('to raise, lift'). However, the latter root is believed to have come into the term from the Middle Pastanan meaning for tollo, 'to acknowledge or understand'. This has been taken to mean that Peratolians acknowledge, or understand, Vind through the Master Plan and the works people must accomplish to further its completion.

Theology

The Peratolian Congregations largely adhere to the doctrine and theology that is known as 'Reformed Valantine theology', which developed out of the pure Valantine theology developed during the late 6th millennium under the Dragar Monopoly. Taking many of its tenets and much of its doctrine from the Dragaric tradition of Orkanan, which in turn has its roots in the Fyrirhugun Orkanan theology of the Orkanan Realm of Stoldavia, Reformed Valantine theology encompasses the beliefs proscribed by the official Peratolian Congregations as they have been practised for the last few centuries.

As no single administration or bureaucracy exists to enforce a single interpretation or orthodoxy on the various Peratolian Congregations, there remain a number of differences and divergences amongst the various Congregations - although the vast majority of the theology and doctrine is shared.

Main principles

See also: Orkanan mythology

The nature of Creation

The story of Ex. Depellorrion judging the best example of human creation to be his own son - and children more generally - is an important story in the Peratolian tradition that reinforces the hierarchy of Creation.

Like many other branches of Interventionist Orkanan, according to the Peratolian tradition, Creation is the fundamental nature of Vind. Vind is the Creator (as It is referred to in some Orkanan branches) and is the progenitor of everything and the architect of the Master Plan. The Master Plan is the telos of the universe, it defines all things, and its completion is the raison d'être of humanity. Peratolian Orkanan doctrine and theology maintain that human creation and the imitation of Vind's Creation is paramount to the completion of the Master Plan and as such is an intrinsically holy exercise.

'Creation' as defined by the Peratolian tradition comes in four principal forms: natural, familial, ethereal, and physical. Natural Creation is defined as the natural world and the wonders that Vind Itself created: this most obviously includes the natural environment of Gotha, but also the other worlds that were created alongside Gotha (the realm of humanity), Samman (the gathering place for souls after death), Sike (Hell), and the greater universe. Natural Creation, as the first and most fundamental of the four categories, is unavailable to humanity - although humans have the sacred role of custodians of this natural Creation, and explains the environmentalist tendency in most Orkanan denominations.

Familial Creation is the second type of Creation and is defined as the creation of life. As humans are able to produce children independently, from their own bodies, humans are considered co-Creators alongside Vind. The creation of a life is held in Peratolian Orkanan as the purest form of Creation available to humans. Elaborate ceremonies to celebrate a birth are a cornerstone of Peratolian Orkanan, which culminate in the veneration of the child (Pastanan: Veneratio Infantis), where the child is essentially worshipped - as a manifestation of Creation and a boon to the furtherance of the Master Plan - as are the parents - as Creators and contributors to the Master Plan. Certain strands of the Peratolian tradition place a special emphasis on the mother while sidelining the role of the father. Followers of this branch, known as Giulites (after Giulia of Martegna), have traditionally been persecuted and their doctrines suppressed as heretical. Matriarchal Giulite communities continue to exist to this day, however.

The third form of Creation is what is referred to by Valatine theologists as 'ethereal creation' - that which cannot be seen or touched, but can be heard or thought about. This form of creation exists in the cognitive realm and includes the spreading of new ideas, the composing of poems or songs, or more fundamental and personal processes like comforting someone in need or enduring hardship as a community. 'Ethereal creation' is also the process through which a Peratolian comprehends The Scriptures on an individual basis. Using the 'mind's eye', Peratolians are encouraged to imagine the fables and stories that make up The Scriptures in their imagination. This process leads to the fourth and final form of Creation: the physical.

Physical Creation is that which humans can make themselves in holy imitation of both Vind's and humankind's own Creation. This includes the making of holy idols (of central importance to Peratolians as an imitation of the higher forms of Creation), the building of shrines, or more seemingly secular or personal projects such as writing a poem or constructing a building as a community. Idols hold a specific importance in Peratolian Orkanan as a means of imitating Vind in microcosm. The Pastanan word for idol, simulacrum, literally means a 'likeness' or 'image', and comes from the verb simulo - 'to imitate'.

The latter three forms of Creation, familial, ethereal and physical, are viewed by Valantine theology as the sacred tasks of humanity. According to the Orkanan creation myth 'The Long History of the World, after creating humans, Vind 'delegated' Creation to humanity and as such humans became co-creators alongside the omnipotent Creator. Valantine theology and Peratolians thus believe that Creation, in its principal three human forms, is the sacred task and perpetual divine mission of human society; it is the fulfilment of the Master Plan.

Exemplars

Main article: Exemplars

Organisation and leadership

Peratolian Orkanan has traditionally been organised according to the vulgarian polity system, which means that secular and religious rulers are one and the same. Vulgarian (Pastanan: Vulgarianus), from the Pastanan auctoritas vulgo, meaning 'authority from the commons', is the hierarchical doctrine that reconciles the traditional bottom-up structure of Orkanan societies with the need for moral, spiritual, and political leadership. As such, the Orkanan leader draws his or her authority (auctoritas) to rule directly from the people they rule, but their right to rule is as a result of Vind having chosen them as the naturally appointed guide of their subjects.

The highest authority and leader of a Peratolian congregation is therefore traditionally the royal or imperial ruler of a state or region, known as the Principal of the Congregation. They are also commonly known by the title 'Wayfinder' (not to be confused with the subordinate title 'Wayhand', the leader of an Orkanan stift). There exists no higher worldly authority than the Wayfinder and as such all Principals of their respective congregations are considered equals. No central bureaucracy or administration exists for the collected congregations of Peratolian Orkanan. However, by tradition, 'conclaves' are held yearly in various Peratolian cities throughout Anaria and beyond, which bring together Peratolian wayfinders, wayhands, and other religious leaders to discuss doctrine, theology, and wider social issues affecting Peratolians today.

Peratolian congregations

Congregation of Arvor

The United Orkanan Congregation of Arvor (Объединенная Оркананская конгрегация Арвора) is the established Orkanan religious organisation of Arvor. Its origins are found in the seventieth century, when the Dakhani arrived in Medovenia, where the preeminent faith had great influence on the newly arrived community as they put down roots in their adopted homeland and began anew.

The Congregation is known for its simple aesthetic and focus on the message of the faith. The clergy do not wear elaborate vestments, their temples are clean and well-lit but comfortable and inviting, having only some ornamentation. The Congregation receives no support or guidance from the People's Government but is protected by the First Guarantee of the Bill of Guarantees of the Common Charter.

Worship and practices

Idols

The lifesize idol of Ex. Semund by the 69th century Casellan sculptor Dario D'Ercozza, currently housed in Ex. Arnald Hall in Pena.

The creation and veneration of idols (Pastanan: simulacra) is a fundamental tenet of Peratolian Orkanan. The creation of an idol, which can take numerous forms including a sculpture, painting, fresco, and even a book, is considered an inherently holy exercise - one which not only contributes to the Master Plan but allows the creator to imitate Vind's Creation in microcosm. The subject and composition of idols can vary hugely, with popular themes like portraits of exemplars and scenes and characters from the The Scriptures nevertheless remaining the most prevalent.

With the Peratolian doctrine on the nature of creation placing an emphasis on imitation, an artist or writer is believed to comprehend and understand their part in Vind's Master Plan through their own creative contributions to society. As a consequence, not only are the idols venerated themselves, but the creators are held in very high regard within Peratolian society as devout and holy persons worthy of imitation themselves. Many of the most famous idol makers, such as Benedetto, have been canonised into exemplars, with their works especially praised.

Idols have traditionally been held to have miraculous properties. Praying to the idols is said to provide not only guidance to a devotee, but the religious inspiration needed to contribute to the Master Plan, whether that be by going on pilgrimage, creating an idol themselves, or something more simple like enduring a time of hardship. Some idols have been held to perform miracles such as healing, with couples' prayers for children especially connected to certain idols. The most miraculous idols are those that are said to 'appear' at a shrine, with no known provenance or creator. These idols are held in especial regard by many Peratolians, although the clergy are often suspicious of such idols and remove them.

While the open and unapologetic idolatry of Peratolian Orkanan may seen strange to some, the power of idols is widely accepted by Peratolians, and even by some of other Orkanan denominations. For example, Giuliano Dallona-Randson, a Mellanhand Orkanan, famously wrote of his experiences travelling through Anisora and his discovery of the power of Peratolian idols:

I once stood at a shrine and gazed upon an idol of Exemplar Arnald, thinking of the child-like faith of the people praying before it. Some old men and women knelt nearby, bowing down to the earth and praying, eyes fixed determinately on the idol. I in turn stared at the sacred features of Exemplar Arnald, and little by little the secrets of its marvellous power became clear to me. This was not just a painted wooden statue. For centuries upon centuries it had absorbed the passions, woe, hope, and wisdom of those who came before it. The idol was filled with the energy of all these prayers, all these people. It had become a crossroad between the unknowable Vind and the simple folk to whom I belonged. Thinking on this, I looked back upon the old men and women knelt in the dust. And I, too, began to see the animated features of the great Exemplar - and I saw how he looked with compassion and mercy upon these simple folk. I sank to my knees and meekly prayed to him.^a

Pilgrims and worshippers at idol shrines often spend time praying for guidance from exemplars, contemplating the act of creation, the artist's skill, the lessons and wisdom one can draw from the subject and composition of the piece, as well as one's own place in the Master Plan. This form of prayer is widespread and deeply personal, although priests often provide worshippers assistance and guidance in interpreting a particular idol, or explaining its provenance and history - an important part of appreciating the significance of the work and its place within the Master Plan. As a result of this distinctly visual tradition, Peratolian worshippers pray with their eyes open, gazing at the idol and the world around them.

Idol shrines

A Peratolian wayside shrine (cella) in rural Casella, with an idol of Ex. Camilla nursing an infant inside.

Idols are omnipresent in Peratolian society. At a private level, every Peratolian household maintains its own domestic shrine, called a Domacella in Pastanan, where collections of idols are deposited and collected. Curation of one's own 'domacella' is of huge religious significance and is seen as an equally spiritual process as the creation of the idols themselves. As a consequence, many of the richest Peratolian families and stims maintain vast collections that function more like private museums. Opening these museums to the public on certain festival days is an important act in a wealthy Peratolian's contribution to the Master Plan, as it allows others to worship the idols and contemplate their own role in the Master Plan.

As well as private, domestic shrines, idols have an omnipresence in public life. A public shrine, known as a Cella in Pastanan, is a common feature of both town and countryside.¹ The shrine is normally a small house for a specific idol, normally a sculpture or painting, and come in various styles, reflecting the change in fashions and styles throughout the centuries - for innovation is as important to the Master Plan as imitation. More significant shrines will often include numerous idols, some deposited over many centuries by travelling artists, wealthy benefactors, or even humble peasants. Many of the larger shrines are known for their 'cluttered' appearance, reflecting the form of 'laissez-faire curation' that was popular in the 75th century. This theory of curation held that each offering was a natural contribution to the Master Plan and should not be removed. While some shrines still adhere to this eccentric concept, most curate their collections with care, removing idols that are no longer venerated for the purely practical need for space.

Idols are also common in larger centres of worship, such as Halls, both open air and roofed. These buildings bring the congregational faithful to worship together and often idols form a central part of a service, known as the 'praising of the idol' (Pastanan: collaudandum simulacri). Such is the nature of Peratolian services that worshippers are free to walk around a Hall during the service, walking from idol to idol.

Idols can also be placed in the open, in sacred groves or hilltop passes that are considered holy. During the 7th millennium there was a strong tradition of depositing idols in sacred groves as offerings to Sno and Rå spirits. For the former, idols were deposited to protect a certain location from the unwanted attentions of evil Sno spirits and acted as talismans to ward off the wandering spirits - this practice, while not accepted by Valantine theology, is still practised in the countryside, where superstitions still retain a significant hold. For the Rå spirits, idols were sometimes placed as direct offerings to the benevolent spirits. Indeed, this latter tradition is often inverted, with some claiming to have seen Rå spirits protecting established shrines and idols.

Shrine Guardians

See also: Holy Shrines Covenant

For much of the 73-75th centuries it had become traditional for devout and zealous young people to dedicate themselves for a period of time, from as little as a few days to many years, to the protection of holy idols and their shrines. Although priests and other devoted Orkanans often tend to shrines, this tradition of 'shrine guardians' (Pastanan: praesides cellae) is peculiar to Peratolian Orkanan and is tied up with the militant tendencies of the faith.

Originating during the Great Holy War (6810-6843) in Anaria Minor between Orkanan and Izhaic forces, many devoted Orkanans rallied around idols and shrines to protect them from the marauding Izhaic armies. With the religiously fuelled conflict resulting in widespread sacrilege and iconoclasm on both sides, the 'shrine guardians' came to embody the devotion and discipline of a true Orkanan. The guardians were not simply guards, but active worshippers of the idols they protected, using their time of devoted service and vigil for contemplation of the idol and of their part in the Master Plan. Most during this period of religious turmoil and warfare regarded the defence of Orkanan Anaria as a divine mission set by Vind and a cornerstone of the Master Plan.

With the religious destruction and warfare that dominated Anaria Minor from the 69th to 75th century largely passed, 'shrine guardians' have become a less important part of Peratolian culture and society - but they nevertheless remain active players in the Holy Shrines Covenant which protects Orkanan shrines in Anaria Minor to this day. In modern times, especially devout young people will not only go on pilgrimage, as is common for the 'coming of age' process, but dedicate many months to a particular idol or shrine - protecting it, worshipping it, and tending to the shrine. Those who have performed this sacred task are especially respected in traditional Peratolian society and are often given honorifics by their local communities, following traditions that originated from the Great Holy War (6810-6843) through to the Pan-Anarian War (7498-7552).

Pilgrimage

Onwards children, the joy of Vind
Your pilgrimage has only just begun
What role will you play, the stim asks?
What happiness will you bring?

The world and Vind are new to you
Their wonders yet to be seen.
Let us raise our voices in hopeful thanks,
For the Master Plan is richer with thee.

We take this journey together, children,
For you do not yet know the Way.
But soon you shall and by your light
Will guide your own children someday.

Onwards children, the joy of Vind,
Your pilgrimage has only just begun;
We stand with pride together now,
Fulfilling the Master Plan as one.

A traditional Anisoran Peratolian hymn,
translated into Hallish

Pilgrimage has retained a central role in Peratolian Orkanan for centuries, though its importance is beginning to wain in the modern age. Traditionally, performing acts of pilgrimage has been deemed a holy exercise that contributes to Vind's Master Plan in a meaningful way. During a pilgrimage, the worshipper is encouraged to use that time to contemplate their role or potential role in the Master Plan, and as such is a deeply introspective and personal process.

Throughout much of the last thousand years, pilgrimage was also an important part of a young person's coming of age process and the transition from child/adolescent into a fully-formed member of an Orkanan community, who is subsequently ready to play an active role in the community's own contribution to the Master Plan.

Peratolian pilgrimages traditionally journey to particularly sacred Halls (temples) or shrines, normally to worship sacred idols or visit other holy locations, such as the birthplace of an exemplar. Many of the most prestigious pilgrimage locations, however, remain outside of the Peratolian world, including the capital of the Orkanan Realm of Stoldavia, Skiöldavik, in modern-day Vittmark.

History

Fyrirhugun Reform

See also: Fyrirhugun Orkanan

See also

• Dragaric Orkanan
• The Scriptures
• Holy Shrines Covenant
• Unitarianism

Notes

¹ These public shrines and altars share much in common with Sadarene 'aldare' shrines, with many religious historians arguing that the Orkanan practice of setting up small shrines like this is a direct inheritance of Sadarisnism as it was practised before the conversion to Orkanan.

References

^a Dallona-Randson, G. (7554) Meum Iter: Investigatio Animi Orcani, Larzo. p.271-272. (Hallish: My Journey: The Discovery of the Orkanan Soul).