People's Faiths

The often criminalized religions that come from the people, not the powers that be.

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The Beloved

The Beloved goes by many names in many countries. She is a goddess of love who is honored by many, often through simple superstitions when seeking a lover, a romance, or a sexual dalliance, but some worship her through a formal, secret, criminalized religion that honors her as the goddess of all forms of love, as the basis for true community, family, and a good life. She is seen as a figure of guidance and a goddess who demands only that followers love one another in the many ways love can exist. Her priestesses make lead the faith in secret and provide guidance, support, and community coordination. They perform the rites and lead other followers in their practices. Blue is a sacred color to the Beloved.

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Bronccourianism

A messianic religion worshiping a bringer of hope, the Bronccour, a figure in legend who was said to have been slain by soldier of a cruel tyrant. He died and was resurrected by those who loved him. He was the messiah of the Goddess of Hope, called Kehin Ireti in the language of the old Bronccourians, but called by many other names throughout the region of Ranu. She is the Last Hope, the Dark Goddess, the Bringer of Grace, and her messiah, the Bronccour (sometimes thought to mean "the branching heart"), was a bring of joy and kindness, a healer and a performer, someone who walked among the people in times of war and chaos, and it is said he slew the original deity of infernal chaos who violated the laws that protected mortals from Divine wrath. The Bronccour brought hope to the world, and this hope inspired a religion that gave people the strength to face adversity in the hardest of times, for those are the times when hope arrives. Bronccourians believe in miracles, in grace, and in aspiring to achieve something more. They believe that the oppressed and exploited will inevitably find a better world, and that the teachings of the Bronccour are the core to finding it. They believe in kindness as the ultimate virtue and compassion as the guide to their actions.

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Caerism

Caerism is the belief in a goddess of justice and fire known by different names in different cultures. The faith has its roots in mythological tales from past iterations of the world in which "evil" ruled the world and a figure of justice fought back, inspired an uprising that overthrew "evil", and the central figure - a figure chosen by the goddess - died to seal evil away. There are many variations of this, but the core components are that a man led a rebellion against an unjust order, was betrayed, died, and in his death, sealed the fate of the world's rulers. His name is long forgotten, and the name of the faith simple means "castle", suggesting this was some ancient bastion of justice long ago. The symbol of this faith is the swan, and those who truly follow it wear swan feathers, stand up against injustice, and are said to be willing to die fighting it. Most, however, tell a tale in which the central figure - usually called some local version of "the son of swans" - will come back and lead them to a just world, making it a messianic faith.

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Coleshi shamanism

Coleshi shamanism is not monolithic, as Coleshi describes many peoples from a huge area. Those who come from a Coleshi tribe or nation with a popular faith engage in ancestor worship that focuses on ancestors from before an event long in the past known as the Fall. This is believed to be when infernal and imperial magic came to the world, when powers of oppression and exploitation became reality, and when patriarchy arose. Those who can connect to ancestors from before it tap into a powerful source of magic and faith that remembers the ways things were before. They remember and believe in a world of equality and justice and love, and they practice this within their own culture. Their pre-Fall ancestors are their guides to this.

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Deljenjism

In Jedinstven, there is a goddess commonly worshiped known as Ona Koja Daje, She Who Gives. Those who follow her teachings believe in generosity as a core value. They engage in communal meals, work, and property, often going beyond even what the city itself practices, sharing things others might not. They are known for giving even when they have nothing to give. They have no formal structure, but there is a strong community who follow her and her teachings.

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Ipanism

Ipanism is a belief system from other parts of the world that focuses on a figure from variations of the world before this one. They believe there was once a figure who could wield light itself and shape it into works of wonder, awe, and inspiration, not via the many magicks that use this, but simply by innate power. This figure was sacrificed to unleash a beam of perfect light that inspired the whole world and ushered in an Age of Wonders. Followers of this faith believe that art is an act of religious devotion; that making things simply to inspire others is a means of fighting the cruelties of the world; and that everyone has an inner light of creativity that can be unlocked with the right inspiration.

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Madralism

Madralism is a tradition of witchcraft and matriarchal faith that mixes ancestor worship with honoring of a Mother Goddess and her family. There are some variations that put different deities as the primary Mother Goddess, but the commonality is that there is a head Mother and several daughters. The deities are Lubita, the Beloved Divine, Mother of Love; Crisalidaa, Mother of Transformation, of the Self; Mamintreagaa, the Goddess of Families, the Mother of Mothers; S-a Alaaturat, the Mother of the Community, the Sharing; Vatraa, the Hearth Mother, the Mother of the Home; Piatraamare, the Megalithic Goddess, Goddess of Equality; Nelegat, the Unbound, Goddess of Chaos; and Straamoshaa, the First, the Witch Goddess, the First Mother. They also worship Phryscara, Daughter of Shem, who is said to be a semi-Divine being who is the first woman to experience oppression, and Lilith, the woman who was scorned, first to experience patriarchal violence.

Regardless of which is Divinity or semi-Divine is considered primary, the faith of madralism is one that is rooted in resisting patriarchy, pracitcing witchcraft, and supporting the community, family, and those in need. They value community, love, protection, resistance, kindness, and self-worth. They have views of gender rooted in pre-Fall matriarchal cultures, and they have an understanding of gendered oppression that makes them targets of the powers-that-be. While they will sometimes call themselves madralists, most use other terms based on their culture, their primary Mother Goddess, or their personal beliefs. Madralist is considered an imperial term, and it is only used by them to reclaim it.

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Modrostism

A Jedinstveni faith, Modrostism is the belief in Mudrazhena, the Wisewoman, a goddess who teaches her followers to follow the hard but right path, not the easy one. The faith of Modrostism is one of respect for the wisdom of the experience of everyone, to listen to those who are subject to oppression, abuse, or exploitation about their travails, and to know wisdom from misinformation. The goddess and her followers teach the idea that learning requires learning how to learn, how to see through lies, and how to find truth amongst ignorance. She teaches her followers critical thinking and knowing that wisdom comes from unexpected places. The religion is popular and has no formal structure, but it is a deeply held set of beliefs for hundreds if not thousands of people.

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Ognjishte

The Goddess of Hearth and Home, Toplosrce in the language of Jedinstven, is one of the most ancient deities, honored via the laws of hospitality, which are sacred even to those who have never heard of her. She is honored around the world in various forms and versions, in different faiths, with slightly different rules, but ultimately every culture who has the concept of home has the concept of hospitality. In Ranu, she is seen as a protector, a giver, a provider, and a builder. Her power is in the hearth and the shared meals and the offerings to guests and the cleanings and the shared spaces and the sense of comfort, sanctuary, and relief a home brings. She is the familiarity of one's home and one's own space. Most who have a home honor her, those who have no home often yearn for her, and those who worship her truly believe she is a source of protection unlike any other. They have small altars to her in their homes (literaly on or in their hearths), and they make offerings of water, wine, salt, and bread. No guest is harmed under their roof, and no violation of their home is permitted.

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Rainbow Sprits

Many believe that the Rainbow Spirits are the source of all popular or celestial magic, the keepers of the afterlife, and the promise of empowerment in life and salvation in death. They take many forms, but the most common are the Rainbow Fish, Rainbow Goddess, and Rainbow Serpent.

The Rainbow Fish is the steward of "heaven" or the Celestial Realm, the protector, the one who grants salvation, the one who swims in the celeste waters and whom the angels serve. The Rainbow Serpent is the empowerer, the one who appears in dreams, who brings the rainbow, who is resistance to oppression. The Rainbow Woman is the protector of the Rainbow Bridge that leads to the afterlife. She shines her light upon all people and brings inspiration, wonder, awe, and art to the world. She is a warrior and creator.

From these three spirits all other celestial deities are said to derive, coming from their blood, tears, and light. The main deities worshiped as coming from them go by many different names. Their names in Jedinstven, where their worship is most common, are Crna, Goddess of Hope; Grimizna, God of Valor; Narandzhasta, God of Liberation and Resistance; Shafran, the Deity of Justice and Outrage; Smaragda, Goddess of Harmony; Safira, Goddess of Love; Lavanda, Goddess of Joy; and Kristala, Goddess of Art. Many say Cristalla is just the Rainbow Woman after she splits herself into her component parts (the seven other deities listed).

This is one of the major religions of Jedinstven and of the oppressed throughout the world (going by different names, though always themed with rainbows). It is rooted in resisting oppression and exploitation, and those who believe in it believe one must actively live up to this.

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Sacred Hunt

The Sacred Hunt is a variation of the Cycle of the Hunt that developed during the Fall. It is the view of hunting as sustainable and necessary for survival, but never to excess, never without intention and understanding. It is represented by solidarity and empathy with the prey, and thus, the spirits of the Sacred Hunt are deer:

• The Black Stag: death, the hunter
• The Blue Doe: the prey, respect
• The Dappled Pricket: joyful youth
• The Silver Brocket: birth and rebirth
• The White Fawn: innocent youth
• The Red Hart: vitality, life, adulthood
• The Brown Hind: parenthood and maturity
• The Old Buck: wisdom, elder
• The Golden Calfe: adolescence and understanding

Those who worship the Sacred Hunt or live by it believe in its representation of a cycle of life, death, and rebirth, as a way of life in general - being part of the Hunt, respecting their prey, never killing unnecessarily using every part of their prey, and letting the young and innocent live. It is about cultivation and harmony. It is about feeding a community. Some believe the Hunt is embodied in a goddess called Ea Care Vaneaza, who appears as a child, but this is not universal.

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Shepherdism

Shepherdists worship a Divine Shepherdess (Pastirica the old language) whose life is an instruction manual for them. The Shepherdess was an enslaved shepherdess who lived by thirteen virtues that allowed her to resist oppression, tyranny, and abuse, to support her fellow shepherds (and sheep), and gave inspiration and power to others to find better lives. Shepherdists try to live up to the thirteen virtues as best they can as a sacrament to their goddess:

• Charity : generosity, sharing with others, self-sacrificing in giving to others, altruism.
• Constance : dependability, reliability, diligence and hard work, trustworthiness, honesty.
• Forgiveness : forgiveness, understanding, redemption.
• Humility : being humble, being innocent, being earnest.
• Kindness : choosing the gentler option, being helpful, being supportive.
• Mercy : forgiving, alleviating pain, choosing to help instead of hurt.
• Patience : waiting for what is deserved or needed without complaint.
• Piety or Principle : belief, devotion, diligence in practice of a belief - this can be religious (piety) or not (principle).
• Prudence : cautiousness, judiciousness, wisdom, knowing when to act, knowing how to save for adversity.
• Resilience : getting back up, defiance of oppression, strength inner and outer, healing and protecting.
• Sanctuary : protection of others, protection of those in need, being a protector and provider.
• Service : serving others, doing for others not oneself, being useful.
• Sincerity : honesty, being true to oneself and others, truth, a lack of manipulation or masks.

They are much oppressed and criminalized outside of Vsemy or Jedinstven.

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Zajednishtvo

The most prominent religion in Jedinstven, this is the worship of Ona Koja Spaja, She Who Brings [Us] Together, a goddess of community and love. She is considered the embodiment of the people of Jedinstven, the manifestation of what is in their hearts when they unite and share and work together for their own freedom, support, and civic need. She is the subject of a beautiful statue in the heart of the city, and it is there that the followers of Zajednishtvo gather every month to bring things for others to take and use if they need, where they share vast community meals, and where they go to vote and debate the needs and direction of the city.

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Zatenenny

Zatenenny are a nation in Vesturia, Smeshan, and Vsemy who are horribly oppressed. Born under the shadow, they carry hope in their hearts that can never be broken, and they believe this power - the shadow of hope - is a source of strength that must be shared with the world. This power is seen as both spiritual and practical, and they engage in acts that they believe will spread that hope. They are the core nation in Vsemy but a minority elsewhere. They wear all black and believe that kindness and resistance to tyranny are the most important values to uphold.

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Zhrtva

Believrs in Zhrtva believe in self-sacrifice to help and serve other oppressed, exploited, or abused people. See Celestial Faithful for details.