Chuen

A Chuen (Fengese: 泉, : quán, lit. springwater) is a public and religious bathhouse, use of which is mandated as part of the orthopraxy of Infernalism for purposes of ritual cleansing and more generally, standards of hygienic care as clarified by the faith. Closely associated with the historical bathing culture of the Fengese civilization from which Infernalism sprung from, chuens and its derivations are prevalent across the Pyrosphere, remaining popular as locations of communal gathering and leisure even as private facilities for have become commonplace in modern times. Alongside the fire-based sjun, the chuen is a key facility for cleansing rituals in Infernalism, their construction central to the architecture of any pyres.

Doctrinally, Infernalism mandates the "cleansing" of one's body with water daily, usually interpreted to be a requirement to bathe oneself every day. While there are few requirements for the water and consequently the location for these daily baths - water from rivers and rain were the norm in antiquity - stricter standards are demanded for the ritual cleanliness expected before (and sometimes during) prayers and the performance of Infernalist liturgy: "living water", that is clean water directly in natural bodies such as springs and groundwater wells, is called for. The chuen is the Infernalist means of standardizing and guaranteeing the ritual purity of hygienic facilities used for these purposes, built near or otherwise directly connected to naturally occurring sources of water. Given that clergy would be required to confirm and ensure the continued purity of a chuen, chuens are generally built-in as facilities within a pyre: many springs, lakes, and waterfalls around the Pyrosphere have been sanctified by association with chuens annexed into significant pyres.

There is a vast diversity of chuen designs from throughout the Pyrosphere, influenced by both local and Fengese architectural sensibilities, but their overall layout is fairly simple. Chuens are generally centered around a large and ritually significant main pool: these are required to be filled with water from a "natural source", constantly circulated for practical and ritual concerns over cleanliness, and deep enough to allow for the full immersion of a person during ceremonies. Further amenities range from cubicles for self-contemplation and private washing to rooms for steam-bathing and massaging, while some larger pyres may also have cloistered chuens reserved specifically for ritual use, such as with the ordainment of new clergy or the cleansing of dead bodies. Chuens are generally mixed sex and nude: Infernalism prescribes little of the bodily modesty seen in Hatar - spending time together naked is considered a form of platonic bonding between community members (especially among a clan), this Fengese idiosyncrasy reflected in Infernalist sensibilities surrounding bathing. For this reason, even with the advent of private baths, chuens still remain significant to the social life of an Infernalist community. Minor clergy, generally novitiates, traditionally reside over large crowds in chuens, leading prayers and preparing bathers for the liturgical activities that most often succeed such gatherings.