Ariadne (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
demonicbeauty) wrote2017-05-16 08:00 pm
demonicbeauty) wrote2017-05-16 08:00 pm
Entry tags:
OC Realm Religion
There are a variety of religions practiced in Ariadne's home realm. Overall, there is a heavy emphasis on the feminine divine, although it is not exclusive. Some gods are represented in multiple religions. Other gods go by different names under different faiths. By and large, the realm acknowledges that the gods of other faiths exist. Rather than arguing that point, religious tension stems primarily from the argument about which gods are have contributed the most to the world and are, therefore, most worthy of worship.
Below is a summary of some of the major religions of the realm. While these are the biggest of faiths, they are not exclusive.
Mudorism
By far the most widely-practiced religion in the realm, Mudorism is favored primarily by the Elves and all who live within their principalities. It is rumored to have started in Valeria and, indeed, part of the dogma states that Valeria was the first mortal kingdom in all of existence. The holiest of shrines in Mudorism are all located in Valeria. There is also a large missionary presence in the realm. The missionaries not only spread the word of the faith, but also bring schooling and charity to many lands. Missionaries are distinguished for their long hair, worn in braids, and their flowing robes in primary colors.
Mudorism centers on the worship of three nameless goddesses who represent three distinct virtues that Elves cherish: Courage to do what is right, hunger to learn what there is to know, and restraint not to act out of malice. The goddesses are worshiped as equally important. A balance between their respective virtues is seen as necessary to achieve inner peace. Temples to the goddesses are solemn, quiet shrines of marble and precious metal. Worshipers sing hymns and read holy texts. They light tapers and lanterns to express their devotion.
Each goddess of Mudorism is said to have an angel who walks through the mortal realms, delivering messages to the faithful. These angels go by the names Ament, Nale, and Valerie. Additionally, there are a number of minor gods and goddesses, said to be descended from the primary three. Some examples include Phi, the god of sleep, Melody, the goddess of dreams, Aefie, the goddess of love, Rowan, the goddess of sorrows, Kallista, the goddess of beauty, and Enjy, the god of travelers.
Ariadne is largely a practitioner of Mudorism. If one can be a practitioner without actually doing much...practicing. She believes in the virtues. That counts, right?
Worship of the Cycles
The Darucs, an island-dwelling race of the realm, follow the Worship of the Cycles, which consists of two goddesses: Hopa, goddess of life, and Seska, goddess of death. They are revered as two sides of the same coin, both inevitable and both unending. They live in a remote realm, apart from mortal beings, but speak to their followers through two avatars, who live in the royal palaces of the faithful.
Unlike most other religions in the realm, there is no separation between the religious and secular lives of worshipers. Faithful Darucs all undergo a ritual at the age of fifteen, binding themselves to the goddesses. In this ritual, the young Daruc picks from among ten different symbols, identified with the goddesses. This symbol is branded on the Daruc's forehead, granting them powers associated with the divine. Symbols are usually chosen out of a personal affinity for whatever power is associated.
Although primarily a Daruc faith, there are followers from other races in the realm particularly Humans. Curiously, Elves--though they may respect the faith--almost never take part in worship. It is believed that the Elf constitution is too delicate to undergo the ritual.
Dragian
Dragian is a religion primarily practiced in secret, mostly by the demonoid races of the realm. Dragian relies on the belief that a God of Light and a Goddess of Darkness are forever at war, kept at bay only by the machinations of their son, the God of Justice. Within the religion itself, there are three different sects, one primarily worshiping each of the deities. Although seemingly at war with one another, all sects agree that they cannot exist without the others.
Given how xenophobic most humanoids are about demonoids, it is a highly-misunderstood religion. Many often assume that its followers are evil and hope to plunge the world into chaos and darkness. There are only three temples to the Dragian faith in the realm, one for each of the deities, hidden on an island just at the realm's borders.
Galaxian
The Galaxian faith is one that reveres forces of nature. Its primary pantheon consists of four sister goddesses: Sun, Moon, Rainbow, and Wind. Followers revel in the natural world and, as such, construct their lives to be as open to it as possible. Galaxian homes have bright, solariums, gardens filled with flowers, and reflecting pools buried in the earth. Galaxians tend to wear clothing that flatters the natural form of mortal bodies. Weddings are sometimes conducted in the nude. On the whole, it's a rather small faith, primarily followed by Humans.
Yakutism
Perhaps one of the smallest, but mightiest faiths, Yakutism is a religion devoted to luck and probability. It is almost exclusively practiced by Humans and tends to pop up primarily in kingdoms with a sizable portion of the economy dedicated to gambling. There are no grand temples or houses of worship in Yakutism. Instead, any follower can build a shrine to the goddess of luck--Yakut--by bringing together some of her symbols at a crossroad.
The Divine
Some religious scholars, in attempting to reconcile the varied beliefs and divine beings in the realm have created a religion that basically amounts to "Yes, and..." Under this particular faith, all of the gods and goddesses of all religions exist, and all of them are saints, avatars, or apostles of a greater being still, known as the Divine. This is, perhaps, the closest that the realm comes to monotheism. The religion is primarily practiced by Humans.
Below is a summary of some of the major religions of the realm. While these are the biggest of faiths, they are not exclusive.
Mudorism
By far the most widely-practiced religion in the realm, Mudorism is favored primarily by the Elves and all who live within their principalities. It is rumored to have started in Valeria and, indeed, part of the dogma states that Valeria was the first mortal kingdom in all of existence. The holiest of shrines in Mudorism are all located in Valeria. There is also a large missionary presence in the realm. The missionaries not only spread the word of the faith, but also bring schooling and charity to many lands. Missionaries are distinguished for their long hair, worn in braids, and their flowing robes in primary colors.
Mudorism centers on the worship of three nameless goddesses who represent three distinct virtues that Elves cherish: Courage to do what is right, hunger to learn what there is to know, and restraint not to act out of malice. The goddesses are worshiped as equally important. A balance between their respective virtues is seen as necessary to achieve inner peace. Temples to the goddesses are solemn, quiet shrines of marble and precious metal. Worshipers sing hymns and read holy texts. They light tapers and lanterns to express their devotion.
Each goddess of Mudorism is said to have an angel who walks through the mortal realms, delivering messages to the faithful. These angels go by the names Ament, Nale, and Valerie. Additionally, there are a number of minor gods and goddesses, said to be descended from the primary three. Some examples include Phi, the god of sleep, Melody, the goddess of dreams, Aefie, the goddess of love, Rowan, the goddess of sorrows, Kallista, the goddess of beauty, and Enjy, the god of travelers.
Ariadne is largely a practitioner of Mudorism. If one can be a practitioner without actually doing much...practicing. She believes in the virtues. That counts, right?
Worship of the Cycles
The Darucs, an island-dwelling race of the realm, follow the Worship of the Cycles, which consists of two goddesses: Hopa, goddess of life, and Seska, goddess of death. They are revered as two sides of the same coin, both inevitable and both unending. They live in a remote realm, apart from mortal beings, but speak to their followers through two avatars, who live in the royal palaces of the faithful.
Unlike most other religions in the realm, there is no separation between the religious and secular lives of worshipers. Faithful Darucs all undergo a ritual at the age of fifteen, binding themselves to the goddesses. In this ritual, the young Daruc picks from among ten different symbols, identified with the goddesses. This symbol is branded on the Daruc's forehead, granting them powers associated with the divine. Symbols are usually chosen out of a personal affinity for whatever power is associated.
Although primarily a Daruc faith, there are followers from other races in the realm particularly Humans. Curiously, Elves--though they may respect the faith--almost never take part in worship. It is believed that the Elf constitution is too delicate to undergo the ritual.
Dragian
Dragian is a religion primarily practiced in secret, mostly by the demonoid races of the realm. Dragian relies on the belief that a God of Light and a Goddess of Darkness are forever at war, kept at bay only by the machinations of their son, the God of Justice. Within the religion itself, there are three different sects, one primarily worshiping each of the deities. Although seemingly at war with one another, all sects agree that they cannot exist without the others.
Given how xenophobic most humanoids are about demonoids, it is a highly-misunderstood religion. Many often assume that its followers are evil and hope to plunge the world into chaos and darkness. There are only three temples to the Dragian faith in the realm, one for each of the deities, hidden on an island just at the realm's borders.
Galaxian
The Galaxian faith is one that reveres forces of nature. Its primary pantheon consists of four sister goddesses: Sun, Moon, Rainbow, and Wind. Followers revel in the natural world and, as such, construct their lives to be as open to it as possible. Galaxian homes have bright, solariums, gardens filled with flowers, and reflecting pools buried in the earth. Galaxians tend to wear clothing that flatters the natural form of mortal bodies. Weddings are sometimes conducted in the nude. On the whole, it's a rather small faith, primarily followed by Humans.
Yakutism
Perhaps one of the smallest, but mightiest faiths, Yakutism is a religion devoted to luck and probability. It is almost exclusively practiced by Humans and tends to pop up primarily in kingdoms with a sizable portion of the economy dedicated to gambling. There are no grand temples or houses of worship in Yakutism. Instead, any follower can build a shrine to the goddess of luck--Yakut--by bringing together some of her symbols at a crossroad.
The Divine
Some religious scholars, in attempting to reconcile the varied beliefs and divine beings in the realm have created a religion that basically amounts to "Yes, and..." Under this particular faith, all of the gods and goddesses of all religions exist, and all of them are saints, avatars, or apostles of a greater being still, known as the Divine. This is, perhaps, the closest that the realm comes to monotheism. The religion is primarily practiced by Humans.