All across
Spira, most people worship the one true god, Yevon. His teachings have united the peoples of Spira for over a thousand years, helping them to cope with the havoc of
Sin. His teachings state that Spirans must atone for the misdeeds of their ancestors, & that only by doing so will they be rid of Sin forever & experience the peace of the Eternal Calm. The Church of Yevon bans the use of machina, & the persecution of those who do use such unholy devices. Yevonites also pray often, giving thanks to Yevon for the temporary Calms; they also sing the Hymn of the Fayth, a holy song of Yevon sung to sooth the souls of the dead as they pass into the Farplane.
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The truth is, though, that the idea of Yevon as a god is lie. A thousand years ago, a
Summoner named
Yu Yevon lived in Zanarkand, which was losing a war with Bevelle. Rather than risk destruction of his beloved city, Yu Yevon had all the surviving citizens turn themselves into Fayth and began a massive group summoning of the city, one that never slept. In order to protect himself, he gathered a multitude of
pyreflies & transformed them into an armor which became the monster known as Sin.
Yu Yevon gave this creature a set of very simple instructions: destroy any machina or settlement which grew larger than a small village in order to bring technical evolution to a halt, & retaliate to all hostility with extreme prejudice. However, the strain on summoning both Sin & maintaining his beloved Dream Zanarkand proved too much, even for his abilities. His humanity soon faded & Sin was left as a force relying solely on instinct & to comply with the instructions given to it upon creation. Sin’s first act as such was to destroy the real Zanarkand. The armies of Bevelle saw this destruction & retreated, bringing the first news of the great beast.
Shortly before creating Sin, Yu Yevon informed his daughter,
Yunalesca, of his plan & gave her a means of calming the creature. Yunalesca passed this knowledge on to the leaders of Bevelle, thus beginning the teachings of Yevon & the endless spiral of death that surrounds Spira. Every time a Summoner destroyed Sin, the
Aeon used for the Final Summoning would be possessed by Yu Yevon & used to rebuild Sin. Yu Yevon continued to use this process to renew Sin time & time again.
Portfolio: Atonement, Death, Lies, Rebirth, Secrets
Domains: Destruction, Healing, Law, Trickery
Cleric Training: Training to become a priest or a summoner of Yevon is conducted at one of several Yevonite temples scattered across Spira. Potential priest & summoners are typically chosen from a very early age, as one cannot wait for Sin to claim them. Elder priests take time to mentor each acolyte, so that they are all well-versed in Yevon’s sacred teachings & the church’s doctrine. To complete their training, acolytes must pass though the Cloister of Trials, a series of puzzle-locked rooms that test an applicant’s resolve, ingenuity, & faith.
Quests: The Church of Yevon sometimes sends newly ordained clergy to retrieve sacred or otherwise important items from areas devastated by Sin, if they have not been destroyed. They also send priests to assist those injured by Sin’s attacks, as well perform the Sending for those who cannot be saved. The most important quest commissioned by the church, though, is that of the Pilgrimage. All summoners are expected to attempt a quest to attain the Final Aeon, & use it to destroy Sin. Many fail, or quit, as the journey is rarely an easy one. Priests of Yevon sometimes accompany a summoner as one of their guardians on the Pilgrimage.
Prayers: A prayer to Yevon is typically a simple one. Little time is wasted on flowery language or circuitous phrasing. This worship often centers around Sin, & pleas for the Calm. Commonly heard prayers include “May Yevon protect us”, “Thank Yevon for the Calm”, “Yevon, please hear us, & deliver us from Sin”, & “Praise be to Yevon.” The Hymn of the Fayth is the most frequently-used prayer, & is sometimes sung during secular moments, such as while working or as a lullaby. Below are the lyrics:
- Japanese: Inore yo, Ebon-ju, Yume mi yo, inoriko. Hatenaku, sakaetamae.
- English: Pray to Yu Yevon, and dream, Fayth. Forever and ever, grant us prosperity.
Temples: Yevon has several temples
scattered across Spira, mostly in current or former centers of civilization. The outer design of a Yevonite temple can vary greatly, but the inner chambers usually follow a similar design scheme. The first room is the largest one, a central hall that is filled with statues of prominent High Summoners, prayer mats, & symbols of Yevon. Side doors lead to priests’ living quarters, private meditation rooms, & other facilities. The inner chambers are usually locked, as they are devoted to one of the Cloister of Trials. The cloister is always the only way to reach the innermost room, where the sarcophagus of the temple’s patron Aeon is stored. The temples of Yevon are listed below:
- Baaj (temple in ruins)
- Besaid
- Bevelle (capital city temple)
- Djose (semi-hidden temple)
- Kilika
- Macalania
- Remiem (lost temple)
Rites: The Yevonites have few defined ceremonies. In centuries past, more rites existed, but they were gradually dropped as Sin’s wrath took its toll on the people of Spira. The clergy of Yevon still officiate over weddings, trials, blitzball games, & other relatively-minor social events. The only major rite that they have remaining is the Sending ritual, which is performed by summoners (or priests) to usher the souls of the dead into the Farplane, so that they can leave the world of the living & find eternal rest.
Herald & Allies: Yevon seldom has reason to employ a herald. On the rare occasions when Yevon does call upon a herald (usually to declare a Calm has begun, after a summoner defeats Sin), it’s usually a 20th-level summoner, & is often a
Guado, although
Hume &
Ronso heralds are not unheard of. Allies are invariably
Aeons of some sort.
Relics: The seven
legendary weapons, the
Final Aeon.
Symbol: The Angelic Eye (
Yevonite Script, Letter A).
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff.