There have always been gods along the Yashdar River, but the most important codification of them all came with the philosopher and prophet Darama, somewhere around the year 1500 BC. To Darama, all the gods were worthy—but they took names and aspects from Abbat, the Eternal Soul, whose world this is and whose plans the other qulud or deities only understand a small part of. Sometimes they are portions of Abbat; sometimes they are individual beings, kings and queens, under His protection. Abbat has sixty-three names, it is said. And prayer is best done by and with the flames of the soul itself, the izfa, from which the term Izfaism—Iqshud il-Izfa, "words of the Holy Flame"—is derived.
Followers of Izfaism are Siras (Sirraa—singular Sira), "listeners" to the Words. They are not evangelical, as a general rule; their worship is their own, and it is right for them. Still, some have turned to missionary work, particularly in the islands to the east. Siras are marked apart from others by their use of a simple belt and covering of the head (sometimes a veil, sometimes more of a skullcap).
There is one name, one qul, who is most dangerous of them all, and is rarely given prayer. This is Laqqaw, "the burning one"—the spirit of dark fire, fire corrupted by ash and fear, burning brightly and granting powers…but only in an attempt to create a mockery of the world of Abbat. Laqqaw appears to those she seduces as the person they wish they could be, burning bright in the flames, and whispers secrets to their hearts of abilities and knowledge that are not the part of humans to hold. And so they are taken by her, and so she uses them to remake the world in her image. Her danger lies in how she seeks humans out, in a way no qul has done for aeons, since Darama spoke the words of the flames to the people of the world.
There are five primary texts associated with Izfaism in its current form, bound together as the Ayyal, the "all-singing". This dates back to the reign of King Xaza I, which started in 1350 BC. The Book of Flint speaks of the rituals that go into the invitation of the names and servants of Abbat to the worship (sometimes for different things). The Book of Flickering describes the creed of Izfaism, the major prayers, and the history of the Yashdar Basin up to that point (not, admittedly, very long). The Book of Blaze describes the blessings to be used in specific ceremonies, and invocations to the eight most potent names of Abbat to watch over the day and the world. The Book of Ash describes the sins of the world, the nature of the dead (and the yet-to-be-born) and the soul, and the means by which the troubles of the world (including the nameless demons) are to be put aside. And the Book of Embers, at the last, is a selection of question-and-answer segments from various philosophers, including moral laws, hymns, and myths, including thirty-two verses by Darama himself (and interpretations of these); the prophet, said to be a modest man, insisted that any who recounted his doctrine put words about him at the last, and the word of God first.
The Ayyal is something of a central text for believers; the government of Yashdar uses the five books as the basis for philosophical essay questions on government exams.
The most important name of God is, naturally, Abbat, the Eternal Spirit who made the cosmos and to which the cosmos returns. The most important tenet in Izfaism is 'ayda sa' la'—all are one—and in this Abbat becomes the source of all good and unity in the cosmos at the same time. In this way also, the various Names of Abbat are deemed to be aspects of Him appearing to the people of the Yashdar Basin; other religions, such as they are, do not recognize the holiness and truth of this union, nor do they practice the Five Tenets.
Some other important names of God:
Wayiq is god-as-creator-and-caretaker, an old man who carries the world in a sack on his back. He is often invoked as a chronicler of stories.
Atrab of the golden eyes is god-as-inspiration, a kindly woman with a diadem upon her head. She is invoked for creativity, as well as praised for beautiful works.
Umash is god-as-rebuilder, a strong craftsman at work, seeking to make good from the chaos born of deviation from God. He is invoked for righteousness and strength in practice.
Yiddir is god-as-joy, a radiant young woman with bangles around her arms and legs, who sees to the cycles of nature (and fertility) and the peace of sleep in the night. She is invoked for that peace, and for prosperity of farm and family.
Uyyam is god-as-pleasure, a beautiful young man who inspires terrible passion in others for the world and for each other. He is prayed to (often in conjunction with Yiddir) for success in romance, for the gift of wine, and for devotion.
Nidir is god-as-guide, an older woman portrayed as near-shadow who leads the uninitiated from the river of doubt to the source in the mountains of truth. She is prayed to for wisdom and connection to the divine—and for her connection to Izfa.
Riqa' is god-as-avenger, a man with a moon-pale face dressed in blue-black armour—the aspect who punishes the wicked in the night. He is prayed to for mercy…and for justice.
If Abbat is the eternal spirit, then Izfa is the eternal flame—god-as-spirit, the very soul inherent in all human beings, as well as the source and centre of those souls, and the name given to the religion itself. When depicted other than as that fire, she is a dancing maiden born of smoke and light; she is given prayer, it is said, simply by joy itself. (But contemplation by one of her fires will also do nicely.)
Few pray to Adzu, who is god-as-death. Adzu takes the souls of those who are lost to the world, severed by consequences of the life they lived, positive and negative alike. But Adzu is an important element nonetheless; those who pray to him pray for kindness and understanding as they leave their old life behind, and go on to seek the Sixty-Fourth Name of God…for Adzu, quiet and patient Adzu, is the Sixty-Third Name, the last spoken, the last seen, before the universe is wrought anew.