View source for Faith in Andunor - A Cross-Section

<br>Upon the spine of the book reads 'In'iira Arab'afin', indicating the author.

=== Note 0: Introduction - Purpose and Author's Notes by In'iira Arab'afin ===
This treatise will examine the interplay of religion, morality, and social structure within the multicultural bastion that is Andunor. It should be noted, for reproduction's sake, that the available sample size, due to infighting, was small. However, conclusions, with that caveat, can still be drawn.

It is the author's hope that as time passes and the influx of new blood of all sorts continues, further research can be done, and addendums can be crafted. 

The author would like to thank all who took part in the interviews to craft this thesis, and those who supported her in her endeavours, specifically the Exemplars of the Erudite Arcanum, and members of House Xun'vir.

        Day 3, Month 7 (Flamerule (Summertide)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin        

=== Note 1: Chapter I - The Drow Perspective (Lolthite) by In'iira Arab'afin ===
It should not be overly necessary to examine this viewpoint in depth, given the preponderance of Lolthite Drow that make their home in Andunor. However, we will briefly overview it. Those of Lolth are nearly always Ilythiiri (Drow), and predominantly female. Given the Lolthite emphasis on chaos, xenophobia, and paranoia, it is not uncommon to find adherents to be standoffish and 

Lolth's doctrine, as orthodox, does not reflect on supremacy in the surface world, but it is specific to supremacy of the Ilythiiri race, and of the cities in which we dwell. Those who have been spoken to (author and House mates, primarily), recognize the need to defer this specific doctrine for the sake of a peaceful co-existance, and an ability to focus on more pressing issues.

Within the bounds of reform belief, those addressed find it more sensible to focus on self-improvement, cunning, and dominance via mercantile and military power, as opposed to outright battle within the city's peoples. They feel Andunor is best served as a-religious, mercantile-focused.

In closing, it is the belief of those adherents interviewed that while strict orthodoxy is not compatible with the spirit of Andunor, it is not incompatible in a looser sense, allowing for mercantile and trade endeavours, as well as military alliances with "lesser" races, especially to use them to vault oneself into prominance.

        Day 3, Month 7 (Flamerule (Summertide)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin        

=== Note 2: Chapter II - The Drow Perspective (Vhaeraunite) by In'iira Arab'afin ===
The Masked Lord is one of many schemes and shadows, and this is no less true in Andunor than in any other city. In Andunor, it could be said, the Lord of Shadows has more sway than he would in many fully-Drow cities. 

Interviewed members included Elizzyr (informal interview), High Priest of the religion here, and Hurz Hune (formally). On discussion, both feel that the multicultural aspect of the city is a boon, and only enables them to act more openly, and follow their Lord's will more freely.  

Both, and Tebryn Ssambra in absentia, have noted that faith is not divested from societal mores, and does in truth inform action, thought, belief, and social interactions.

In truth, it appears on examination that the faith of Vhaeraun is more able to be followed in what might be considered an "orthodox" style than that of the Queen, because of the tenets of unity and survival versus culling that the religion embraces. 

Additionally, because of the necessity of those of the Queen to scale back somewhat, those of Vhaeraun find that their goal of disrupting the Queen's teachings and clergy to be aided simply by environment.

Both stress that actually accepting other races and faiths should not be confused with tolerance - a working relationship that allows bilateral freedom to an extent without unnecessarily hampering the goals of either side is preferable to constantly having to battle over supremacy.

In closing, with respect to the faith, the belief of supremacy is paramount. The desire to reassert our racial place on the Surface is whole and hale, but can be subverted, at least temporarily, for the sake of self-advancement

        Day 19, Month 8 (Elasias (Highsun)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin       

=== Note 3: Chapter III - The Drow Perspective (Other) ===
Rare is the individual who worships -no- god. In the research for this work, only one such was found. Captain of the Dreadnought, and a stolid defender of the city, Belfryn is an anomaly in a people usually wholly devoted unto religion and sacred duty.

He is, however, not wholly unique. Many lose faith, and feel they would do best to rely solely upon their own wiles and strengths. Belfryn is one such. A fearsome, noted warrior, he captains his ship and lives his life with the same refrain - Take no prisoners, accept no excuses, leave none standing.

Like so many others, Belfryn stated that multiculturality is a boon to the city, if, and only if, it is implicitly understood that tolerance must be the word. Not acceptance, again, but an understanding of differences and willingness to work with them to a point.

        Day 20, Month 8 (Elasias (Highsun)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin        

=== Note 4: Chapter IV - The Human Perspective by In'iira Arab'afin ===
Andunor has historically been ambivalent, if not ourtight hostile, to humans. Most of those who find their homes here have lost their welcome on the surface for any number of reasons, but most often not adhering to accepted morals and mores.

One such human is Meldin, a blackguard of Cania, devout of Mephistopheles. Another is Siegfriedr, a follower of the Firelord, Kossuth. The two are radically different in behaviour and outlook, but both make the deeps their home. Meldin's primary focus is law, order, and the Way of things. He feels only law, and rigid adherence, advances civilization as a concept.  Siegfriedr, on the other hand, embraces the change and chaos that fire brings, believing primarily in the growth that all are capable of. For many years he has stood as a firm, unwavering protection of House Xun'viir, primarily its matron, and in that faith and form he finds purpose.

Meldin shows an unusual distaste for Andunor in general, stating it should be "razed to the ground". While he would favour one over-ruling religion (provided it enforced absolute law and order), he recognizes the improbability of that.  The innate chaos of drow, obviously, would present a problem, and he is not ignorant of this fact. The latter, however, again stresses tolerance, working within the established perameters of a multi-racial and multi-theological society, to benefit the whole's mercantile and military stability.

As shown, the faith adhered to, if applied to the overall experiences of life and used as a metric of behaviour, can lead to wholly different outlooks even given race.

        Day 24, Month 8 (Elasias (Highsun)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin       

=== Note 5: Chapter V - The Kobold Perspective by In'iira Arab'afin ===
Kobolds are generally thought of as weak, cowardly creatures whose ties to kith and kin are second only to their faith. The tribal structure forms the vast majority of Koboldkind's social identity, and indeed in Andunor that is not changed.

Two vastly different outlooks come from Yinthraz and Snax'con - the former a mercantile agent, the latter the All-Watcher of a tribe, something akin to a Matron or Queen in the common parlance. One could assume that not only religion but social status, and possibly even gender, plays into this. Snax'con has the responsibility of all of her people on her shoulders, though Yinthraz takes their people's wellbeing as a whole into account.

Yinthraz primarily follows Tiamat, and Snax'con Io. Both are draconic deities with whom Kobolds as a whole find a racial, familial tie. Avarice and acquisition mark Tiamat, and Yinthraz exemplifies those traits in his market works. Io, like Snax'con, is the overwatcher, the parental figure and protector. She takes these traits equally seriously, and steps out of the expectations of "Kobold" to be willing to fight for what she believes in, and especially the wellbeing of her tribe. She has done so even against threats such as vampires, for the good of Andunor, as she feels Andunor's peace can only benefit her people.  Yinthraz, on the other hand, exemplifies the cunning of his Goddess, less-willing to fight, but just as willing to work in shadow to end threats.

Both hold their faiths up as driving forces in their actions, beliefs, and stances. Both feel that multiculturalism, and multitheologism, are a benefit to Andunor if, and only if, tolerance is asserted. Neither are willing to suffer to see another race prosper at their expense.

        Day 24, Month 8 (Elasias (Highsun)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin    

=== Note 6: Chapter VI - The Vampire Perspective by In'iira Arab'afin ===
Many creatures inhabit the Deeps, and few inspire such fear as the undead vampires. While they are generally as varied in beliefs as any race, their status as top-tier hunters and consumers of sentient beings cannot be forgotten. 

Two interviewed, Valisia and Alteric, have decidedly differing views, for the most part. Valisia is arguably a more militant, willing, eager killer. While she holds no particular deity as paramount, there are several she follows - Talos, Beshaba, Tempus, gods of war, ferocity and destruction, and the tenets of Cyric while she states most emphatically she does not actually follow Cyric. Alteric claims Velsharoon as his own, studying the arcane and focusing on the intellectual and physiological trichotomy of life, death, and undeath.

While both diverge on topics of faith and action, both circle around to arrive at the same conclusions - faith can only carry one so far, and can only do so much for a civilization. Andunor, as we currently know it (The year is 164), has one of two ways it can go - it can resolve itself to accept multicultural and multitheological citizenry, or it can fall to infighting and the surface or illithid threats because of the infighting. There is not, that they can see, another result.

Alteric feels there is little chance of the former. Valisia is content to wait and see which path the city chooses, as she is secure in her own ability to not only survive, but prosper, regardless of the path chosen.

        Day 25, Month 8 (Elasias (Highsun)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin    

=== Note 7: Chapter VII - Summation and Author's Perspective by In'iira Arab'afin ===
While the sample size for these interviews and the conclusions drawn from them are arguably small and not, statistically, a true overview, it does serve a few purposes to draw from them.

Firstly, it shows that while there are exceptions, and these must be accounted for, very often faith is a driving force in the choices beings make, what they consider important, and how their mental processes work. It informs every decision, from clothing worn to allies made, to how one comports oneself with friend or foe alike. It cannot be stressed enough that learning, understanding, and coexistance is paramount to any city that is not wholly dominated by one race -and- one religion.

Secondly, it is an honest and evolving view of the city we, as Andunorians, call home. An insight into who we walk beside, who we fight with, who we can or cannot rely on, and why.  

In the author's view, as a priestess of Lolth, and an inhabitant of Andunor, cooperation and tolerance (to an extent) is an absolute necessity. While Lolth does teach the superiority of Ilythiiri, it cannot be overstated that in a city wherein Ilythiiri are a minority, that must be tempered with a patience, a caution, and an understanding that we are not, typically, taught. We must take it upon ourselves to learn and evolve, to survive, to prosper, and to -display- the superiority that we tout ourselves as possessing. This is not solely our territory, either. We must learn to reach out and teach others to bridge gaps, to focus on our true enemies, to strengthen ourselves and become the feared antithesis we are supposed to be, race immaterial.

        Day 25, Month 8 (Elasias (Highsun)), 164 AR

        In'iira Arab'afin 

[[Category:160-169 AR]]
[[Category:Andunor]]
[[Category:Faith & Religion]]
[[Category:Science & Nature]]