The Great Beings
The multiple sets of hands at the very top of the page represent the Great Beings, a set of mysterious entities believed to be the origin of all things, the Architects of Reality.
While the Brothers of the Forge may be responsible for the life on Muri-Nui, and the Elemental Lords are responsible for the elemental presence of Muri-Nui, it is believed to be the Great Beings who created the island itself, it is the Great Beings who created the Elemental Lords, and it is even the Great Beings who created Ekimu and Makuta. Extremely little is actually known about the Great Beings, as they remain extremely distant from the world they supposedly created. Some believe that they have since moved on to create other islands, leaving Muri-Nui in the capable hands of The Brothers and The Lords.
Worship of The Great Beings (often referred to as The Architects in the west) had been frowned upon for nearly all of Matoran history, with any homage clearly violating the once revered concept of the Hierarchy of Worship. Persecution mainly came from followers of the Church of Virtues and Brothers of the Forge due to Great Being cultists being largely viewed as amoral, with no unified doctrine ever fully forming around the Great Beings. Despite the hostility toward those who would venerate the Great Beings, cults surrounding them have always existed scattered around the island, shrouded in secrecy, especially in the sprawling tunnels of Onu-Wahi. Those not part of the faith often view the. Great Beings with disdain: distant grandparents that never found time for the plights of Matoran. In the past, those who did worship the Great Beings always did so from a place of faithful ambition, wishing to reconnect with those they view at the very top of deific ladder. Ever since the end of the Toaltic Age of Strife (and the subsequent shattering of the Three Virtue’s hegomony), worship of The Great Beings has become far less taboo, and has even grown to be somewhat of the central religion of Onu-Wahi. Elite academics gravitate toward the cult as a way to further focus on science (with very little religious worship actually going on), as pursuit of knowledge of the universe is seen to coincide with pursuing knowledge about the mysterious Great Beings themselves. Despite its growing prevalence, it is still by far the smallest religion on the island, with the least centralized doctrine, and very little efforts to proselytize on behalf of its members. Those not of the faith would still give a matoran an odd look if they were to openly admit to following the Great Beings, but rarely more beyond that.
Of all the deities worshipped on the island of Muri-Nui, the Great Beings are far and away the most distant (with their existence being flat out denied at some points throughout Matoran history). That said, there are still those who look up at the stars at night, or to the sea at sunset, and can not help but wonder what more is out there, who more is out there. Some even hold to the preposterous claim that a Great Being walks among the matron even now.
Hey folks, been nearly three years, but I had some spare time today I decided to finally finish off this post. I make another topic covering the regions and cultures of the island at some point, so let me know if that’s something literally anyone would be interested in, lol.