Artic religions

The Artic religions, or Artisms, are s that deal with the concept of Arta, the divine order and truth that underlies everything. Artic religions differ by their understanding of what Arta is, how it acts on everything, and what is the best way to advance and protect Arta (if this is even possible or an issue). Though through the investigation of Arta an Artic religion generally claims to arrive at an explanation and system for all belief, Artic religions themselves do not necessarily comprise the entirety of followers' religious affiliations, and most are able to coexist polythetically with traditional folk religions, hero cults, and temporary prophecies.

Although the definitions are disputed, Artism is generally considered to not merely be 'philosophy dealing with Arta' (although practically all major examples arise from such origins), in that they actively prescribe ways to further Arta, both through general philosophies and rituals, and possess a 'tradition' in the form of organized practice that is able to advance the artism as a creed. Most scholars agree that these features make Artic religions fill a unique role in Artic societies.

The religions widely described as Artic are relatively closely related, and are often regarded as sharing actual historical genealogy. It is hypothesized that a belief system known as Proto-Artism was the precursor to modern Artic religions; the nature of Proto-Artism is divided between theories of it being ancient Pastism which was disseminated by the Ancient Tarsian Empire's expansion, and theories of it being a belief system shared by Pagerian-speaking peoples spread by their migrations. In any case the Artic religions have the most followers in the world; 4 billion of the world's 5.9 billion people are part of social systems that adhere to Artic religions, with Pastism the most populous faith of them, followed by Vattism, and then Anamnism.

The term 'Artic religions' was used since the 14th century in works on and  in Avelna, and by the 17th century became widely accepted especially in the context of a renewed extensive cultural interest in Carsan Pastism. The term 'Arta' itself is coined from the and Tanumanic word for the universal truth and order as revered in Pastism.

Pastism
Pastism is a religion originating in Ancient Tarsia, describing Arta as an active transcendent principle constantly shaping the world, and prescribing a lifestyle closely adhering to Arta which is virtuous, as well as participation on its side in an universal conflict against chaotic and evil forces. Pastism is widely regarded as the 'original Artic religion'; its current practice is continuous with the well-documented beliefs of Ancient Tarsia. The center of Pastism is the Tanuman, an expansive collection of mythologies, revelations and meditations. How the doctrines of Pastism formed are unclear, though it is certain it took place during Ancient Tarsia.

Pastism, with 2.4 billion adherents, is the religion of nearly the entire population of Carsa and Varasan; it also has significant populations in Vasarea, Outer Ausarea, and Hypocos.

Vattism
Aravatta, or Vattism, is a religion originating in Pytarus, with origins as fuzzy as Pastism. Its earliest recognized thinkers appeared in around the 6th century BCE. Aravatta emphasizes the nature of Arta as an immanent principle, and that it is an intuitive faculty of all men, which can be put to full, beneficial use via a virtuous lifestyle it prescribes.

With about 800 million adherents, Aravatta is followed by much of the population of the continent of Hypocos, with nearly all of Pytarus adherents. It has large communities in Roscia and Eremia; the practice of Aravatta is one of the most significant marks of Pytarene political and cultural influence.

Instructionism
Instructionism is widely followed in northern Vasarea. It was conceived by the philosopher Sophonymus in the 130s BCE, who refined and synthesized the earlier philosophies of Low Antiquity Vasarea. Instructionism describes Arta as the simultaneously transcendent and immanent Instruction, which can be uncovered by reason, that men must follow in order to accomplish self-actualization, and acts as the blueprint for an ideal form of everything that Instructionists will bring about, and thus make perfect (or recognize, depending on perspective) Instruction itself. Early Instructionism emphasized mathematics, geometry, and music as sources of Instruction, giving way to a major scientific and scholarly tradition that characterizes Vasarea to today.

Instructionism has about 300 million followers, concentrated in northern Vasarea, with sizeable communities in Eremia and Ausarea.

Anamnism
Anamnism is a Vasarean religion based around the remembrance of the life of its founder, the Lygene philosopher Cosmocles (244–191 BCE), in whose experiences and teachings Arta can be discovered through both exoteric and esoteric interpretations. Anamnism is rather loose in terms of organization, with a weak ecclesiarchy, as much of its practices center on personal conformity with Cosmoclean principles, and a personal-motivated drive towards that end. Modern intellectual changes however have produced a significant doctrinal shift in Anamnism where Cosmocles's tragedy was symptomatic of evils that the Anamnite must zealously work to purge from the world.

Anamnism is the third most-followed Artic religion, with around 500 million adherents, concentrated in southern Vasarea with significant communities in Eremia.

Conradianism
Conradianism was a sophisticated belief system promulgated by the Rudish mystic Conrad in the 7th century during the Rudish invasions. It presumably arose from the fusion of nebulous traditional beliefs of Rudish people with the developed theology of Instructionism and Anamnism, but introduced its own innovations through emphasis on the use of a rationally intelligible Arta to achieve a superhuman, transcendent state of existence. Conradianism developed many esoteric and occult practices of its own. Although practitioners were widely distributed, it never gained the status of a popular or state-sponsored religion (as Rudic rulers chose to co-opt the existing frameworks via cliobism rather than establishing their own), with the exception of large-scale adherence by Savarians in the 10th century. With persecution from the petitor-empires Conradianism died out and its systems were assimilated into fringe interpretations of Instructionism.

Simonianism
Simonianism was a school of thought originally associated with Simos of Tabesia. It acted as the state religion of the Mecessian Empire in the 1st-2nd centuries. It argued for the pervasive nature of Arta, with which all was one, and emphasized the use of logic to arrive at truth. Most of its Artic ideas, and social resources, were absorbed by Anamnism.

Tiritism
Tiritism was a school of thought taught by Tiritia of Sittes. Its arguments revolved around the impermanence of things and the way that detailed examination of their becoming eventually gave insight to Arta. Orders professing Tiritism were present on the western Vasarean coast for much of the 1st millennium, at times riding the current of peasant rebellions to attain further political influence, but generally did not leave a significant direct political legacy, and organized practice was eventually stamped out by authorities.

History
The Artic religions did not always enjoy the social and cultural primacy they are associated with today. The philosophical idea of universal order and Arta was always dealt with extensively in High Antiquity, but of rites and social prominence it was the genealogical religions who occupied most of the public mind, such as the cult of Selbanash spread widely by the Kassa civilization. The shift of an emphasis onto Arta was a uniquely Tarsian development; the hvarenas of the Tanuman have been suggested to be a co-option of the genealogical religion's canons into an early Pastic framework. The conquests of Isnarid Tarsia was marked by the imposition of such philosophy on other cultures, because the Tarsian social system was justified in terms of alignment with Arta, and thus a paradigmatic shift over to Artism became a cornerstone of its expansion. The primacy of Arta and related discourses in public roles was seen as a groundbreaking development in Ancient Tarsia and areas under its influence, even comparable to their idea of 'modernity'. Genealogical cults, rituals that existed for their own sake, and other practices were all relegated to secondary statuses, and recognized their continued existence as contingent on obedience to the wider Artic order. Hero cults were a compromise in which Tanumanic figures were no longer worshipped as antecedents but for their embodiment of Arta, part of a certain 'phenomenalist' strand in Ancient Tarsian philosophy that later resurrected into the 'dramatism' of Low Antiquity and Perozgarism.