Here's my best effort at producing a digestible summary of my people's faith.

This faith is quite closely related to, but still distinct from, the Palkha faith.

The Gods & Demigods

• Shar is the foremost deity, and the only one worthy of much reverence. He is the god of wisdom, technology, persistence, warfare, pride and culture. Shar is responsible for giving mankind (specifically the Varic people) fire, which set mankind upon the path of civilization. Shar shattered The Black Sun during the Yuddhamitra (War for the Sun) and continues to prosecute the great cosmic war, the Yuddsvarga, against The Black Sun and his Ekam Krsna. Shar is primordial, having always existed.

• The Black Sun is the vile and evil deity, worthy only of contempt and destruction. He is the deity of treachery, subversion, sickness, cowardice and malice. The Black Sun is responsible for birthing the dragons who once terrorized mankind before they were killed by the Varics, and the Ekam Krsna. Having been shattered during the Yuddhamitra, the Ekam Krsna are presently scouring the cosmos for The Black Sun's fragments whilst the dark deity sponsors his various supplicants upon the Earth, encouraging them to destroy or weaken the Varic people.

• Vari was the first man, born atop Varipal in the Spines of Vari (Taurus Mountains) when the sun's light first struck it. All Varic people are descended from Vari and his sons Vara, Kar, Ura, Vuaz and he known only as The Betrayer. The Urapi are, of course, descended from Ura, who joined Vuaz in his migration away from the Varic Plateau but stopped before Vuaz did.

• The Palkha's descent from Vari is more complex. All Palkha are descended from Palkh, who may have been forged from Sacred Earth by Vari, or from Earth which was made Sacred by Vari.

• The Ekam Krsna (Black Ones) are The Black Sun's cosmic children, who fought on his side during the Yuddhamitra and, following his defeat, set about piecing him back together again.

• There are other deities, such as Baal, Kali and Topal. Though these deities sponsor particular activities, like marriage or trade, they're considered to be largely unworthy or reverence due to their complacency in the Yuddsvarga.

Core Understandings

• The Earth was created spontaneously when Shar and The Black Sun first came into conflict. Shar created the sun so that life might prosper upon the planet's surface.

• Everyone is, unavoidably by virtue of being alive, part of the Yuddsvarga, the great cosmic war. The Yuddsvarga has two theatres of action - the actual cosmic battle occurring among the stars, and the temporal war on Earth (also called the** Yuddthivi**).

  • The Urapi consider themselves and the Palkha the only peoples on Shar's side of the war; all others are either agents of The Black Sun or unaligned. Being unaligned is considered complicit in The Black Sun's evil, and is not a good look.

• Shar cannot prosecute the Yuddsvarga on his own. Though extremely powerful, his enemies are too numerous and he cannot be everywhere at once. He requires lieutenants if he is to triumph against The Black Sun.

• The dead may join Shar in the Yuddsvarga if their body is burned - this allows their soul to shirk their mortal coil and ascend into the heavens. Joining Shar is a great honour that comes with joy and privileges, such as feasting with Shar, but is also a duty as it means participating in a ceaseless war.

  • Urapi Branded are burned upon death to join the Yuddsvarga. Individuals receive a brand to commemorate great deeds, most of which are martial but some of which are logistical, architectural, artistic or cultural.

• The ultimate goal of all existence is to see Shar triumph in the Yuddsvarga and the Varic people in the Yuddthivi. When these wars are complete, nothing will stand in the way of a cosmic utopia.

• The Varic people require attachment to Sacred Earth in order to maintain physical and/or spiritual health. The entirety of the Varic Plateau (Anatolia) is comprised of Sacred Earth by default; other places may be made sacred through the burial of Varic people upon it.

  • The Palkha are descended of Palkh, having been made from his Sacred Earth flesh. They carry Sacred Earth in their very blood. Increasingly many Urapi carry Palkha blood, and thus Sacred Earth with it.
  • People may become Varic through carrying Varic blood, living upon Sacred Earth and living as Varic people do.

• Eternal Flames provides a window through which Shar can be consulted and his wisdom gained. They are a source of strength, health and knowledge. Eternal Flames are kept in all Urapi cities, though the largest burns in the capital of Turkum, atop the ziggurat there. Eternal Flames MUST be kept to maintain connection to Shar, and to honour his gift of fire to mankind.

Other Understandings and Rituals

• Followers should wherever possible make a kharubbal. A kharubbal is a pilgrimage to holy sites, the most important being Varipal but with Turkum and Palkh being of growing importance. One must have undertaken a kharubbal to be eligible for the Rites of Flame, a process of rigorous theological study. Those who have completed the Rites are given tattoos of red, orange and yellow flame and are eligible to serve in the Erda Tupar (Conclave of the Flame), the Urapi governing body.

  • Those who have undergone the kharubbal are termed kharubbites. Since the holy site of Varipal is in hostile territory, most visitors are warriors.

• The revered dead should be burnt, but the normal dead should be interred in the Earth as quickly as possible, and absolutely without embalming or other preservation. Just as the soil nourishes the man, the man should nourish the soil; in doing so he makes it Sacred Earth.

• Theocracies are a good form of governance, since literally everything should be interpreted as a part of the Yuddsvarga. Good theology is itself good governance.

• All international relations must be viewed through the lense of the Yuddthivi. It is unacceptable to ally with those aligned with The Black Sun, and alliances with those unaligned should be avoided unless against those followers of The Black Sun who could not otherwise be defeated.

• Births should be celebrated with the planting of trees upon Sacred Earth. The Branded dead ought to be burnt upon pyres made from the trees planted honouring their or their family's births.