Symbol of Xaewoon Blue, a 12-pointed star, signifying Eternal Companion

Xaewoon /zeɪ'wuːn, Yammoe: zaɪ'wuːn/ (Jabi for “right path”) is a nontheistic religion based on the Sacred Game of Roads. It originated in Tarnaria and had been exported into the Central Continent several times throughout history.

It postulates that humans and animals are on a path to Mamkoon (Jabi for “homeland”), with Eternal Companion being a strong focus of the theology.

Xaewoon has two main interpretations known as green stron and blue stron. Unlike other religions on the Continent, Xaewoon does not elevate humans over other animals in that regard, and all living creatures are considered to be equally bound by the theology. It also does not discriminate against ethos, nationality or language, although most believers who practice Xaewoon tend to speak Jabi.

It is one of the three major religions on the Continent, along with Rahkahnja and Davinia.

Believers view life as a journey to Mamkoon, the homeland of all. Life provides many paths, and the goal of the traveler is to find the right path, the Xaewoon. Eternal Companion is the protector of the faithful and the guide in times of trouble.

Unlike other religions on the Continent, Xaewoon does not elevate humans over other animals in that regard, and all living creatures are considered to be equally bound by the theology. It also does not discriminate against ethos, nationality or language, although most believers who practice Xaewoon tend to speak Jabi.

There are two major interpretations, the green stron and the blue stron (Jabi for “song”). They are frequently denoted as Xaewoon Green and Xaewoon Blue. They differ in how they view Mamkoon, which, in turn, created quite differing and ultimately incompatible theologies: the green stron postulates that Mamkoon is an actual physical location that one must reach within one's lifetime; the blue stron regards Mamkoon as a metaphor.

Xaewoon canon is passed down from generation to generation in oral form, through songs and through playing the Sacred Game of Roads. There is no formal prohibition of the written word, but books are rare. Green stron followers tend to be less accepting of the written word.

Conflicts between the adherents of the two strons are firmly prohibited, and the choice of a stron is considered to be an important stepping stone to adulthood. An individual must choose a stron when they turn 12 years of age. Once the choice is made, a person cannot change their allegiance unless they go through a very difficult and time-consuming ritual of Iyando (Jabi for “wandering”), which is the process of ultimate repentance and the admission that one had made a mistake in their earlier choice. It involves a year-long religious journey with an elder who is a believer of the branch one wants to switch to. Such an elder would be part of the Ienana (Jabi for “devoted”), effectively monks who have dedicated their lives to helping others with their faith. The elder would also use the time to test the seriousness and the devotion of the neophyte. Iyando cannot be undone.

While conflicts between strons do not exist, conflicts within strons do.

According to the green stron, Mamkoon is a physical location that one must reach within one's lifetime.

Within this stron there is a division into light green and dark green. Light green adherents believe that Mamkoon is a single physical location for everyone, whereas dark green followers consider Mamkoon to be personal. So, according to a light green Xaewoon believer there would be a location that all other green stron followers should travel to. Dark green believers would search for a location that is specific for their personal religious journey, which makes the dark green interpretation very close to the blue stron, if not in form, than in spirit.

Throughout history light green has proven to be a more violent version of the faith. Light green devotees were the majority during the second revolution, but with the turn of the third revolution the dynamics began to change, and today dark green is pretty much the norm.

The Kareden who have founded the Kingdom of Mamkoon were the followers of the light green version of Xaewoon.

While the basic theology between all strons is the same, Cangon, the skycat, is completely missing from Xaewoon Green. Instead, the light green interpretation introduced the Great Hornet, a visionary who had led believers to Mamkoon once before, and will return to lead them into the new era. Eventually, the Great Hornet was incorporated into dark green songs as well, and today is an essential element of Xaewoon Green theology.

Blue stron regards Mamkoon as a metaphor. There is no physical location that is the Mamkoon. Instead, Mamkoon is something akin to non-existing, which is understood to be the perfect harmony. Mamkoon can and should be found during one's lifetime. Failure to do so means that the person would be re-born and would need to go through an even more difficult life. The cycle would repeat until Mamkoon is found.

Xaewoon Blue has a more complicated theology than Xaewoon Green, with an extra emphasis on Eternal Companion. The path is considered to be written in the skies, therefore blue stron followers study the star patterns and at times might require to make complicated journeys, because their path is set on the sky map, without much regard to the terrain one must actually traverse.

Xaewoon Blue devotees also worship the skycat, Cangon, who is believed to be a friend of Eternal Companion, but an unintentional menace to creatures on earth, like a kitten who drops a cup on the floor. Misfortunes, sickness and lack of luck mean that “Cangon is playful” (marmanee Cangon). The phrase is frequently added to the end of a sentence when it's intention is to complain about something. Appeasing Cangon, making him sleepy or distracted is the purpose of the many Xaewoon Blue rituals.

While both strons have especially devoted believers, the Ienana (singular and plural forms are the same), Xaewoon Blue have a more decentralized and a more numerous Ienana. Ienana are also bound by a more strict code of conduct and are treated with more reverence.

Green stron Ienana are more organized, more formalized and are frequently part of the government. A simple way to describe the difference is that Ienana in Xaewoon Blue are more like monks and Ienana in Xaewoon Green are more like priests, although this comparison is a simplification.