Augrism
by Marco Dalmonte English translation by Gary DaviesWorshipped in: Darokin, Minrothad, Hule, Thyatis, Bellissaria, Ierendi, Isle of Dawn
Augrism is the name of the cult and the philosophy that worships the Twelve Watchers, the patron Immortals of the arts and crafts, born in the IV century AC in the Republic of Darokin and later spread in the islands of Minrothad and Ierendi, in the Empire of Thyatis and even in Hule, Sind and in far-off Bellissaria. Augrism takes its name from its founder Wildeye Auger, a dwarven cleric of Kagyar who had the extraordinary vision of a group of twelve Immortals that protect and inspire all the craftsmen in the world. Auger left the dwarven cult of Kagyar in order to found Augrism, the cult of the Twelve Watchers, and from that moment his church has spread in many regions of the Known World and beyond, thanks to the strong push to proselytism and work given by the Immortal.
Augrism is an extremely localised practice and deprived of a national or international superstructure: each city has its own Master Builder (title reserved for the patriarch of the cult, usually the highest ranked cleric) that administer the activities of the church and organise the activities for helping the faithful in the exercise of their work. “Work is the salvation of the spirit, the perfection that approaches Immortality.” This is the maxim of Augrism, which preaches to its followers a constant engagement in the laborious activity as a way to perfection and earthly justice. The clerics of the Twelve Watchers not so much interested in the morals of the followers, as in their work, which are the meter of assessment for measuring the virtue of a person. The philosophy of Augrism teaches that the Twelve always watch over craftsmen, but rarely interfere or give inspiration and perseverance when the faithful neither need or deserve it. For this Augrism urges the true followers to carry out their own crafts with the maximum commitment, and only in that way can they guarantee the attention and the support of the Twelve Watchers. The members of this faith can be excommunicated by the Master Builder if they aren’t able to remain within the parameters required by their own guild or by the church. Moreover the cult demand a payment of 10% of the annual profits of the followers in order to support the work of their clerics, which travel among the communities in order to help with their powers all the faithful in difficulty. The clerics of this religion always wear simple clothes of dull colours, and tend to constantly shave their own heads, carrying with themselves the symbol of the Immortal, a locket with two eyes and faceless.