**Descriptions of the following faiths entail how followers believe the world was created and how the world developed over the course of history. However, it is important to note that scientific evidence does not always support the events claimed to have happened**
Aktunism
Aktunism, like Alconism, has its roots in Alphaesianism, in that Aktunist followers believe Alphaesianist events to be true. However, they disagree with the teachings of Alconism. Aktunism emerged from the Red Desert around the 100s or 200s CE based on stories having supposedly taken place in the very early years of the Common Era.
Accordingly, the Prophet Kuutan was expelled from his village in Southeast Canticula for refusing to take part in traditions adhering to a local polytheistic religion. He journeyed North into the Chokian Mountains, where the Angel Kamwa appeared to him and gave him a command: to journey across the land and gather 119 followers, and then to journey with these followers to the middle of the Red Desert where stood the Towering Rock. He was commanded to have himself and his followers arrive there and wait at its Southwestern tip until it was struck by the last rays of the Sun of the Winter Solstice.
Kuutan did as he was commanded, gathering 119 followers and going into the Desert. And when he arrived at the Towering Rock, he and his followers gathered to the Southwestern tip and watched the Sun sink below the horizon.
Nothing happened. A few of the 119 followers began losing faith and made to turn back.Just at that moment, however, the Seventeen Spirits of Aktu suddenly appeared amidst a dazzling array of lights and colors upon the rock. These Spirits commanded that Kuutan and his 119 followers build a thousand ships and set them into Lake Mara by the next Winter Solstice.
Kuutan and the followers obeyed, gathering numerous followers and laborers from the villages and countries throughout the land. And over the year that followed, they built tirelessly the Thousand Ships and set them into the Lake.
When the next Winter Solstice arrived, the Seventeen Spirits met them along the West Shore of Lake Mara. They bid that Kuutan, and the followers and laborers board the ships. The Seventeen Spirits then summoned the many and numerous Spirits of Good from across the land to board these ships as well. When the Thousand Ships set out, the Seventeen Spirits made a River in the Earth to lead the ships from Lake Mara out into the Great Ocean to the South so that they would sail to the Holy City of Edom to join the Holy Company of Alphus and live an everlasting life of salvation.
The said River became known as the River of Passing, and was never seen again by humankind. The Seventeen Spirits of Aktu came to the awareness that there was a secret 120th follower, having witnessed all of the events surrounding the Prophet Kuutan and the followers, but never boarded the Thousand Ships. This follower was named Jakab; and the Seventeen Spirits commanded him to travel from village to village, from country to country, and tell of the story of Kuutan, and to tell all who were willing to listen that any person who finds again the River of Passing shall be allowed to board a Holy Ship to the City of Edom. Any person who does not wish to risk their life in such a quest to find the River shall, for once in their lifetime, make a pilgrimage to the Towering Rock and interpret from the signs of the Seventeen Spirits of Aktu a Command to complete an important life task, whatever that may be for each individual.
In the distant past, such a Command of the Towering Rock gave justification for king or commander to partake in a quest that defeated a formidable enemy or attained glory, for example. In modern times, people have interpreted for themselves Towering Rock Commands to carry out projects such as starting a new business, or establishing a charity program.
Aktunism is practiced mostly in the Red Desert Region. However, there are Aktunist Temples and Chapters located in many places throughout Circlaria and even Ancondria, making this faith the second most popular to Alconism.