The Akh’Barad faith is practiced differently in many different sects that treat the gods somewhat different. Of these, Akh'Barad Turu is the most common sect, though even it has more than half a dozen variations. The sect of Fah’Barad Hai is the most militant, while the Akh’Mashnazahd’Barad sect claims to worship in the manner closest to the origins of the Akh’Barad.
Akh’Barad Turu
The Akh'Barad Turu, which roughly translates to the “Universal People of the Sand,” is the most common and widespread form of the faith. It’s a term used more by religious scholars and observers than the worshippers themselves, who simply call themselves the Akh’Barad. In this form of the religion, the entire pantheon is worshipped equally. While some consider Akh’Mashnazahd to be the most powerful deity of the pantheon, most consider Fah, the Sun God, to be the most powerful of the gods, but the point isn’t particularly relevant. All of the gods are worshipped together, all are given special deference on their feast days and holidays, and the entire pantheon is collectively respected. Individual tribes and villages may adopt one of the gods as their particular patron, but they nevertheless will have shrines or temples for the other gods and will continue to pay homage and respect to all of the other gods on their feast days. When a village or tribe has adopted a particular god as their patron, their faith is known as the Akh’Barad ni’Fa, or Akh’Barad ni’Akh’Mashnazahd, or the like, meaning “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Fa,” or “…Under the Protection of Akh’Mashnazahd,” and so forth.
Akh’Barad ni’Fa
Akh’Barad ni’Fa literally translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Fa.” It is an Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Fah as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’Akh’Mashnazahd
Akh’Barad ni’Akh’Mashnazahd literally translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Akh’Mashnazahd.” It is an Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Akh’Mashnazahd as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’Tabesh
Akh’Barad ni’Tabesh literally translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Tabesh.” An Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Tabesh as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’DagDishe
Akh’Barad ni’DagDishe translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Dag’Dishe.” It is an Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Dag’Dishe as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’BagDishe
Akh’Barad ni’BagDishe translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Bag’Dishe.” It is an Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Bag’Dishe as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’PagDishe
Akh’Barad ni’PagDishe translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Pag’Dishe.” It is an Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Dag’Pishe as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’Vak’Shana
Akh’Barad ni’Vak’Shana translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Vak’Shana.” An Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Vak’Shana as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Barad ni’Jemar
Akh’Barad ni’Jemar translates to “People of the Sand Under the Protection of Jemar Hez’Azkabah.” It is an Akh'Barad Turu sect that recognizes and worships the entire pantheon of Akh’Barad gods, but who have adopted Jemar Hez’Azkabah as their personal patron and protector for their village or community.
Akh’Mashnazahd’Barad
Though Fah, God of the Sun and Fire, has achieved dominance as the most powerful deity in the Akh’Barad pantheon, there was a time when Akh’Mashnazahd, the Prince of Sand, held sway. There are still some areas of the faith that consider him to be the most powerful. While most of the tribes who live on or near the great sandy dunes of the Maghana Deserts would be considered of the Akh'Barad Turu faith with Akh’Mashnazahd as their particular patron (Akh’Barad ni’Akh’Mashnazahd), there are some tribes who still worship an older faith with Akh’Mashnazahd as the most powerful god, the only Greater God, with Fah and the other gods as Lesser Gods. This sect is known as the Akh’Mashnazahd’Barad. Fah’s most devout supporters believe that practitioners of the Akh’Mashnazahd’Barad sect are heretics.
Urgdard uk Laba Dishe
The sect known as the Urgdard uk Laba Dishe (“the balance of the Brothers Dishe”), or sometimes for short the Laba Dishe (“the Brothers Dishe”) or simply the Urgdard (“the Balance”) usually operates as a peaceful sect within communities of the Akh'Barad Turu, generally openly and unmolested. Unlike the sects of Akh’Barad ni’DagDishe, Akh’Barad ni’BagDishe, and Akh’Barad ni’PagDishe, the worshippers of Urgdard uk Laba Dishe venerate the three triplet sons of Tabesh together as a trinity. Dag’Dishe represents strength, loyalty, honor, hard work, physical prowess, and attention to the task at hand. Bag’Dishe represents knowledge, education, prudence, and striving for improvement. Pag’Dishe represents the enjoying the pleasures and joys of life, appreciating the fruits of one’s labors, remembering to “smell the flowers.” Taken as a whole, the sect is about finding balance in all things in life.
Tabesh’Barad
The Tabesh’Barad, or the People of Tabesh, are a sect who have placed the goddess Tabesh at the head of the Akh’Barad pantheon. This goes beyond those Akh'Barad Turu communities that have adopted Tabesh as their patron and protector. In the Tabesh’Barad sect, the religious practice is matriarchal, and the goddess Tabesh is seen as providing wisdom and guidance, particularly for government officials. While many rulers and warlords recognize Tabesh and Jemar Hez’Azkabah as having a special role among the gods for political leadership, only in a few purely matriarchal Akh’Barad cultures is the Tabesh’Barad sect the primary faith. Even so, many larger cities will have all-female monasteries devoted to the Tabesh’Barad sect, and some of their novitiates will often serve as handmaidens for the Maharaja’s or Warlords’ wives. Some of the more patriarchal-dominated and misogynistic areas of the Akh'Barad Turu have discouraged and suppressed the Tabesh’Barad, and even outright banned the sect.
Fah’Barad
While a majority of the Akh’Barad worship as part of the broader Akh'Barad Turu faith, believing in the balance of all of the gods, many believe Fah rather than Akh’Mashnazahd to be the most preeminent of the gods. This is not necessarily inconsistent with Akh'Barad Turu teachings, providing that proper respect and worship of the other gods is provided on their feast days. But those who follow the Fah’Barad sect believe that Fah is the only Greater God and all of the others are Lesser Gods. In communities where they have taken control, they may tolerate other sects to varying degrees providing that proper respect is granted to Fah and that only those who are part of the Fah’Barad sect can hold positions of political power. But among the more militant and monotheistic Fah’Barad Hai offshoot sect, Fah is considered to be the only god, and the others are considered to be mere demigods, like celestials or saints. In these communities, open worship of the other gods is forbidden; prayers to those gods are permitted only as a plea for them to intercede with Fah. The Fah’Barad Hai will either convert the temples of other gods to be a temple to Fah or will completely destroy them unless they are no more than a small shrine, and they will slay without trial any high-ranking priest of any of the other gods who does not convert to becoming a priest of Fah. It is an incredibly patriarchal cult, and priestesses of Tabesh are particularly vulnerable, as are any worshippers of the Tabesh’Barad sect.
Fah’Barad Hai
Fah’Barad Hai is a militant and monotheistic offshoot of the Fah’Barad sect. In this sect, adherents believe that Fah is the only god, and the other gods of the Akh’Barad pantheon are no more than mere demigods, like celestials or saints. In these communities, open worship of the other gods is forbidden; prayers to those gods are permitted only as a plea for them to intercede with Fah. The Fah’Barad Hai will either convert the temples of other gods to be a temple to Fah or will completely destroy them unless they are no more than a small shrine, and they will slay without trial any high-ranking priest of any of the other gods who does not convert to becoming a priest of Fah. It is an incredibly patriarchal cult, and priestesses of Tabesh are particularly vulnerable, as are any worshippers of the Tabesh’Barad sect.