An asari religious tradition; more accurately a conglomeration of various belief systems with common themes and representations. The goddess Athame is representative of all asari, and thus takes on aspects of maiden, matron, and Matriarch; in some traditions She inhabits all three stages simultaneously, while in others She undergoes a cyclical metamorphosis from one to another. Regarded as the ultimate source of all wisdom, Athame is directly credited with instructing primitive asari in mathematics and medicine, while her followers Lucen and Janiri passed on her knowledge of astronomy and agriculture respectively. Athame is also credited with defending the asari homeworld, Thessia, from various malevolent entities.
Many pre-existing asari religions were absorbed by the worship of Athame during her rise, with other deities variously forming pantheons headed by Athame, or being identified with aspects of Athame herself, among them Ajrakila (Athame Rala), Jina Mas (Athame Tylani), and Artava - who gives her name to the Artarva Project. While this is a common practice for religions of all species, the emphasis on a plurality of aspects and respect granted to individualistic expressions of faith can also be seen as a prelude to the mainstream modern asari religion of siari.
During the Reaper War, evidence arose linking Athame worship with Prothean intervention in primitive asari culture. It’s now generally accepted that a Prothean presence on ancient Thessia extended beyond passive observation into direct contact.
The fifth planet in the Parnitha System, a ringed gas giant with an extensive collection of moons, is named for Athame.