Muen
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A muen (Hieremes: 門; Northern Pwo: men, literally "gate") is a type of religious order and association in Pyranism, dedicated towards the exercise of Comradery. The muen is conceptually a simple 'fellowship' of people choosing to cooperate and benefit each other in the test of Abban that is worldly life. Within a muen, members assist each other not only in everyday life, but also in spiritual learning and achievement.
Muen seem to have manifested early in the history of Pyranism as very close friendships in sizeable groups of believers, but proper and longer-lasting orders emerged later and from non-religious roots. After the Pyranist conversion of Serrinea the local Pyranist culture's independent evolution caused a divergence in muen culture in Lestria and Ascesia. Today, muen usually take forms of secret societies in Lestria and are commonly regarded as in opposition to or rivalrous with local authorities, while in Ascesia they are broader, more openly embraced, and more politically significant communities.
Culture
Membership in a muen is considered a protracted commitment to Comradery, mandating a devotion to comrades in the same muen comparable to what would be demanded in the family. A sense of identification and union with the muen is also required. Mutual assistance as an aspect of life thus comes naturally from the formation of identity as a muen member. This aid, the most common exercise of Comradery, takes many forms, ranging from favours in everyday life, to extensive care and support, to assistance in critical moments and dangers, but should reflect a consistency with demonstration of a righteous character. It is also on this basis that muen interact with other groups, whether it be other muen, governments, or corporations.
Muen also conduct Pyranist worship and ritual as one. Special types of rites particular to such sodalities are practiced, with notable differences from rites for other purposes such as in familial or stately contexts. Although not standardised across sects, such rites typically involve appeals to patron deities, group reading of scriptures and recitation of mantras, and miozet-based magical activities. Designated sheng may be used by muen for such events.
Within muen, distinct affinities and particular interpretations of Pyranist theology have often emerged. While a muen may be clearly affiliated to a particular branch of Pyranism, they almost always have a distinguishing and unique philosophy, often the result of prolonged development of the groups' secluded culture over long periods of time.
Depending on region as well as customs of particular muen, membership may or may not be exclusive, and attitudes on participation in other muen range from welcomed to forbidden. In central Lestria, muen are rather exclusive with most codes proscribing membership in other societies, while in the secret societies on the West Lestrian coast membership in multiple muen are an occasional occurrence, not formally denounced but frequently subject of suspicion and frowned upon. This may also depend on the doctrines of the compared muen; contact with Abbanite sects for example are practically prohibited across muen of other doctrines.
Similarly, muen also vary in their secretiveness. Whereas in West Lestria involvement is usually clandestine, in central Lestria they may be openly used to signify association with such powerful groups to show authority, and in Ascesia identity with a muen is a basic element of everyday life. However, all muen have an initiatory culture, though in larger ones where they become basic community units or in those with more expansive activities the 'unitiated but still associated' are accorded a status where they still receive the organisation's care (though sometimes to a different extent).
The organisation of muen vary greatly from sect to sect, however common characteristics include a head or elder (often known as 'gate-hand' 掌門 changmen), who is respected greatly by all members for great religious understanding and long membership, and whose decisions are typically unopposed, as well as several secondary leaders. However, this is largely administrative; keeping in line with Pyranism's tradition of a low-profile or even non-existent elevated clergy, all members of a muen are regarded as equals, though those commonly accepted to be wiser are given precedence in important roles in some rituals. It is also common for muen members to swear loyalty to each other in blood oaths establishing them in sibling-like relationships (a blood brother culture known in Pwo as ganching and in Vasnian as sawgand-peḳht); this may either be an affection extended to all members of the muen, or stronger developments of fellow members as formations of sub-units inside the fraternity.
While not an universal feature, muen often cultivate an unique martial arts tradition serving as an uniform way for members to train and better their characters, as well as a means of self-defense. The majority of notable West Lestrian martial arts disciplines find origins in muen, and muen today still practice unique martial arts for religious and practical purposes. Unique disciplines are also created by muen in other fields such as music, art, literature, and religious study.
Muen culture by region
West Lestria
Central and Southern Lestria
Muen of the Lestrian Neutral Zone exercise functional political control comparable to and even surpassing many recognised states. In these areas, their political influence is substantial, either formally constituting governments of local city-states or being significant factors in their decision-making. Muen in these regions thus take the role of a political elite, often described as forming a social class in themselves. This system is known as Punkoy.
Punkoy muen are also rather closely-affiliated with their counterparts in West Lestria, which has been expressed in a political partnership that in turn manifests in the Punkoy states' hostility to the Baygil Empire. Since the beginning of colonialism in Lestria, the Punkoy system has also become a factor in Great Power politics in the region, with many muen becoming important local allies and protectors of colonial and corporate interests. In estate-controlled central Lestria however, Punkoy dominance has been eroded with the establishment of Vaestic political infrastructure that has replaced their influence.