Ohmnism is a monotheistic religion based upon the word of Ohm as passed to mankind through the life and teachings of Ohm’s divine servants. Versions of Ohmnian faith have spread across the world, making it the predominant religion. These teachings were initially recorded in ancient Egyptian and the collected writings are called the Book of Truth or the Book of Ohm. Though there are many denominations of the Ohmnian faith there are some universal beliefs that define the Church.
Ohm
Ohm is the Creator, the Supreme Architect, the Demiurge who existed before all things. Ohm created the universe and all living things. Ohm laid out how humanity should live through a concept called Mayaht.
The Four Pillars of Enlightenment
Mayaht represents the ethical and moral principle that every person of faith is expected to follow throughout their daily lives. They are expected to act with honor and truth in matters that involve family, the community, the nation, the environment, and Ohm.
To the Ohmnian mind, Mayaht binds all things together in unity: the afterlife, the natural world, the state, and the individual are all seen as parts of the wider universe generated by Mayaht. To achieve this a person is instructed to follow the Four Pillars of Enlightenment:
- Honor Ohm in your Thoughts
- Honor Ohm in your Voice
- Honor Ohm in your Heart
- Honor Ohm in your Actions
The Halls of Judgement and the Journey to Paradise
Ohm offers the prospect of eternal life to even the most humble of followers. Adherence to Mayaht is the dominant factor in determining a person's suitability. To the Ohmnian faithful, death is a temporary interruption of life, not a complete cessation. Eternal life can be ensured by diligently following the tenets of Ohm.
The Deliverer
Around 2700 BCE a dark time of Egypt’s history was ushered in, a time of The Priest Pharaohs whose armies conquered the surrounding cultures to provide slaves and sacrifices to create the pyramids and necropolises. It was said that the Priest Pharaohs could summon up demons and devils and through their dark arts make the dead to rise and serve them.
Approximately 1600 BCE a woman was born in the city of Memphis, the home of the Ohmnian faith in Egypt. Her family were slaves, but were devout followers of Ohm. Through the power of Ohm she led a rebellion against the Priest Pharaohs.
The Elders of the Faith encouraged her to be their General and to help lead her people to freedom from the Priest Pharaohs and their dark god. The rebellion gained momentum and the cities quickly fell. The Priest Pharaohs’ followers could not stand up to the holy power wielded by the Deliverer, power that seemed to be growing stronger with every battle.
She defeated the last of the Priest Pharaohs and their remaining armies at the Pyramid of Djoser. She gathered her army and blessed them with the power of Ohm. She ultimately defeated the Priest Pharaohs but died in the final battle.
The Djed Pillar
The Djed Pillar has been a symbol of the faith since antiquity. The faithful keep a representation of the Djed Pillar upon them and most churches have a large version of the Djed Pillar on the altar.
Benedictions
Benedictions are Hymns, Sermons, or Chants from the Book of Ohm. Some Benedictions are missing from the Book of Truth, rumored to have been lost when the Library of Alexandria burned.
Funerary Practices
For Ohmnians, the most important element of the funeral is the mummification of the body. In modern times the funeral ceremony has been simplified. Mummification can be as simple as wrapping the deceased in a cloth shroud, though many of the wealthy still have ornate tombs built and their bodies go through the ancient mummification process prior to being interred in a stone sarcophagus. Ohmnians believe that only by following these rites can the deceased make the journey through Amenthes, the Underworld, to Aaru, eternal paradise.
Major Denominations of the Church of Ohm
There are many denominations of the Ohmnian faith, of these, the Church of the Deliverer is the most evangelical. Its followers believe in the literal teachings of the faith that many other denominations consider metaphorical.
The Canonical Church of Ohm
The Church of Ohm is based out of Cairo, Egypt, where it has sat since before the time of the Deliverer. Though its reach and power may have ebbed and surged over time, its rich traditions have remained constant and the basis for all of its many offshoots. It follows a strict hierarchy of Clergy who act as intermediaries for Ohm and humanity. They advise and absolve the sins of everyone from the lowliest peasants to rulers around the world. The Canonical Church is followed throughout the Confederation of European States, Imperial Russia, the British Dominion, the Mediterranean, and Northern Africa.
The Protectorate Church of Ohm
The Franco-Spanish Theocracy follows the Protectorate Church of Ohm. There are two paths that garner the power of this church - Service and Judgment. Service to the Church and its leaders, to strengthen the power of the Church. Judgment of the thoughts and actions of the people, including and especially the church’s own faithful, to ensure that the church’s - and thus Ohm’s - best interests are served.
Multiple Reformation Churches
In America, numerous reformation churches have developed. They espouse watered down versions of either the Canonical or Protectorate Churches. Different ones can be found across the Federated States, League, and the Republic of Texas.
The Church of the Deliverer
A small, but growing sect has arisen in the rural west. What the Church of the Deliverer sees that the orthodox church does not is that the Devourer, fought by the Deliverer, is a real thing to be opposed. Demons are real, the Devourer doesn’t just exist, it Wants, and so it Acts, as it can, through the weak minds of humanity. This core belief defines the true focus of the Church of the Deliverer - opposing the Devourer.
