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Describe Your Religion(s) In a Few Sentences

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almyki from Maryland, USA Since: Jan, 2001
#1: Jan 6th 2011 at 12:01:48 AM

If your world has any unique religious or spiritual beliefs and practices, please describe them here! If there's more then one, you can just separate them with paragraph breaks or bolding or something.

<3 ali

My iMood
AirofMystery Since: Jan, 2001
#2: Jan 6th 2011 at 12:16:53 AM

The Path of Cultivation: Based on Buddhism. It teaches that reincarnation is a thing that can be avoided through reaching 'the primoridial mind', a state of mental nothingness at death. (This was inspired by the constant problem of ghosts, which in my setting are humans that became so attached to the Earth at the point of death that their soul won't move on.)

However, a problem of this is that if the dying person doesn't reach the primoridial mind perfectly, their emotions and distractions will take over to the point where they pollute the person’s entire soul. This person becomes a Revanant, a ghost that is not bound to the place where it died, but capable of going anywhere it wishes. (In this setting, ghosts cannot move far from the place where they died.) Revenants are widely feared throughout the world for their power, but they are not common enough to be a serious threat.

kassyopeia from terrae nullius Since: Nov, 2010
#3: Jan 6th 2011 at 4:11:10 AM

My world has a variable Sun (details TBD), and the variations have a big and direct impact on the life-cycle of the protagonist race. As a result, all of the religions are variations on a sun-god-theme.

Soon the Cold One took flight, yielded Goddess and field to the victor: The Lord of the Light.
MattII Since: Sep, 2009
#4: Jan 7th 2011 at 12:10:37 AM

The humans in my story have basically cast religion aside (there are still churches and things, but they're not well attended), but the aliens have a well-formed, multi-tier pantheon:
1. the Creator
2. the Sphere Lords (there are debates over whether these are the Creator's children, or merely lesser entities)
3. the Light Bringers
4. the World Makers
5. the Life Seeders, Weather Weavers, Land Formers
6. From the Life Seeders comes:
* the Air Watchers
* the Land-beast Watchers
* the Land-plant Watchers
* the Sea-beast Watchers
* the Sea-Plant Watchers
* the Life Enders
* the Uplifters
From the Weather Weavers comes:
* the Wind Weavers
* the Cloud Drifters
* the Rain Bringers
* the Hailers
* the Thunderers
* the Snow Bringers
* the Twirlers
From the Land Formers comes:
* the Plains Flatteners
* the Lake Gougers
* the Mountain Raisers
* the River Wenders
* the Ground Shakers
* the Mountain Burners

Of this last tier, not all are worshipped by all of the people, just the ones that apply to them (a group on inland Africanesqe plains would not, for example, worship the Sea-plant Watchers or the Snow Bringers).

AcesoldierZero Acesoldier Zero from Vicenza, Italy Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I wanna know about these strangers like me
#5: Jan 7th 2011 at 12:46:32 PM

All beings are the result of the union of Chaos and Nothingness. Aside from that, any being, whether human, deva, or demon, can become a Physical God through worship and sacrifice. Many beings want to become powerful to attain dominance over known reality(the known universe, Heaven, and Hell) through the obtaining of a Cosmic Keystone created by the original parents of the universe, who are now asleep. Furthermore, this is a Fantasy Kitchen Sink setting, but any being worshipped by man is actually a deva or demon.

edited 7th Jan '11 12:50:55 PM by AcesoldierZero

https://soundcloud.com/rich-justice-hinmen Too white for the black kids, too white for the white kids.
Nicodemus Currently Plotting from Look behind you Since: Jun, 2010
Currently Plotting
#6: Jan 7th 2011 at 6:07:59 PM

At the top, there's the oh so originally named Maker, who created the Greater and Lesser gods as his "children"

The Greater gods represent War/Hate, Peace/Love, Neutrality/Wisdom, and Death.

The Lesser gods are the MPD god of the sun/moon, the goddess of magic (who was split into three different personalities due to being deemed a threat) the god of the Earth, the goddess of the sea, the goddess of the forest, and the god of the sky. Each has a hierarchy of lesser and lesser gods and goddesses beneath them, representing more and more specific aspects of their godly domains.

Also there are Maker's first children, Eldritch Abominations frozen deep inside the earth after their failed rebellion. But nobody knows about them...yet evil grin

edited 7th Jan '11 6:08:47 PM by Nicodemus

My Fanfiction account: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2362662/ Please Read and Review
Matrix Since: Jan, 2001
#7: Jan 7th 2011 at 6:43:32 PM

The Ansu of the Kingdom of Shorrag have a pantheon, called Zhal veh Kuchig, Zhal's Family. Each one aside from Zhal Himself has a representation as a part of Zhal, and each one aside from Ashkohzen is a patron of one of the Eight Grand Arts.

  • Zhal - God of Truth, chief god of the Shorragite Pantheon, patron of threshan (Science)
  • Kohrri - Daughter of Zhal, goddess of beauty and familial/friendly love, patron of bohlex (Picture), Zhal's heart
  • Nasuatl - God of the land, patron of khafap (Writing), Zhal's body
  • Lefazop - Goddess of the sky, patron of dhudenjoh (Single Combat), Zhal's hand
  • Harohdu - Son of Lefazop & Nasuatl, God of the wind, patron of chudekh (Dance), Zhal's grace
  • Uhrkania - Daughter of Lefazop and Nasuatl, Goddess of rain, fertility, and sexual/romantic love, patron of lanarihl (Song), Zhal's voice
  • Yarletihx - God of War and general fighting, patron of darug (War), Zhal's sword
  • Shohkohna - Goddess of the sea, patron of zohvleht (Acting), Zhal's spirit
  • Ashkohzen - "The Liar" Brother of Zhal, Zhal's shadow

edited 7th Jan '11 6:45:33 PM by Matrix

moonfie Since: Dec, 2009
#8: Jan 8th 2011 at 6:07:33 PM

In the Kadorin Solar System, all the myths are true, so with the exception of a few flat earth atheists, most people follow the same religion, although each of the gods has their own cult, and some people favor one god above the others to the point that there have been wars over it. My fantay pantheon consists of seven gods, as follows:

  • Star-Dragon Kassoria is called the queen of the gods and is the highest ranking deity. She is said to be the one who leads the souls of dead mortals to their next reincarnation. She is a bit of a trickster and loves a good Xanatos Gambit, but she is known to allow bad things to happen that ultimately lead to the greater good. Because of her sinister/chaotic nature and associations with death, she is considered evil by certain sects, but this isn't entirely true, she is just uncommonly powerful and has an attitude that the ends justify the means.
  • Adamant Phoenix Zekador is the only god to have once been human, before he Ascended to a Higher Plane of Existence. According to legend, he was once the weakest among humans (although this is probably an exaggeration; he most likely started out average at worst), but through persistence and determination, grew to become the best among humans, and then, finally, rose to join the gods. He is, as a result, the god of progress, though he mostly represents hard-work, determination, and old-fashioned bullheadedness.
  • Faithful Storm Natlanti is the goddess of storms, and wife of Zekador. She is known to be fiercely idealistic, and is often invoked for help in fighting for a greater cause, no matter what that cause might be. She is one of two war-goddesses, and represents the more romanticized side of war: glory, honor, and fighting for what you believe in. She is the wife of Zekador.
  • Falgren the Steadfast Horse, known affectionately as the "cosmic bureaucrat," is the god of balance. Without evil there can be no good, without darkness there can be no light, and without death there can be no life. Falgren exists to keep these dichotomies in check. He is not, however, the life of the party, and is rarely if ever seen to smile, let alone laugh. He is the husband of Kassoria, but their marriage is chiefly political.
  • Ice Lord Meroneth is the god of consistency. He does not like change, and, to be honest, he doesn't really like humans, either. On one hand he stands guard to make sure that good things aren't ruined by the passage of time, but on the other hand, he often stands in the way of much-needed progress as well. His worst enemy is Zekador, and he is the lover of Nahiira. He is the primary big bad of my story, but is more of a knight templar than anything else.
  • Kyrizzian the Warrior is, as her name implies, the goddess of war. Unlike her sister goddess Natlanti, she has no interest whatsoever in heroism and chivalry, and only likes to blow things up. She is known to be shallow, unstable, and, in short, Ax-Crazy. She represents the darker side of war. However, she DOES know how to have a good time, and is the life of the party when she's not burning said party.
  • Nahiira is Kyrizzian's opposite, the goddess of peace. She's a purity sue who likes flowers and children and puppies. She's a bit of a pushover, but also a kind spirit who tries to see the good in everyone. She is in love with both Meroneth and Zekador, and is often torn as to where her loyalties lie.

Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#9: Jan 8th 2011 at 10:06:57 PM

Let's see... a five sentence summary of Perinthian religion. Can it be done?

  • The Perinthian deities are broadly similar to those of the Greeks, insofar as what concepts are presided over by what gods and goddesses, though each pair effectively has a distinct church and hierarchy
  • The creator, Medomeras, is believed to have once ruled directly over a golden age of the universe, like Kronos, but also like Kronos was deposed by his son; he is considered dead and dreaming, the god that only gods may pray to, and only the people who are utterly outcast or desperate even consider worshiping him, hoping for a return that all legends deny will ever happen.
  • Until recently, the aforesaid eldest son, Galimer "the Lord", was considered king of the gods and patron of civilization (alongside his sister/wife Atlarte "the Lady"), with the consequence that Perinth was effectively a theocracy governed by his church, allowing the city to prosper by balancing the power and motives of the other eight churches.
  • For the last twenty years, however, Perinth was conquered and governed as territory of an empire from the south, which only forced their submission by the total razing of Galimer's temple, the Pantheon, and the systematic utter annihilation of his priests.
  • The only explanation for this that Perinthian culture can conceive is that the empire somehow managed to kill Galimer, creating a tremendous power struggle between the increasingly extremist churches after the empire withdrew (to fortify their own borders against invading barbarians from the west); the rampant speculation and rumour has yet to congeal into mythology, but the best claimants to authority are the priests of Galimer's eldest children, Harcas and Avante (the Knight and the Damsel), and that of Galimer's next-oldest brother, Polydier and his wife Menithe (the Vast Ones) - both of which would make spectacularly, horribly bad governments.
  • And, oh yes... you didn't forget that there are invading barbarians on their way, did you?

Okay, that was six... well, five and a bit.

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
OOZE Don't feed the plants! from Transsexual,Transylvania Since: Dec, 1969
Don't feed the plants!
#10: Jan 8th 2011 at 10:09:00 PM

Does it count as a religion if the people who believe it are convinced that it's a "scientific fact" when in reality there's no evidence for it at all and it's jossed at the end of the story?

I'm feeling strangely happy now, contented and serene. Oh don't you see, finally I'll be, somewhere that's green...
Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
OOZE Don't feed the plants! from Transsexual,Transylvania Since: Dec, 1969
Don't feed the plants!
#12: Jan 8th 2011 at 10:43:17 PM

Basically, there's a race of Puppeteer Parasite, which destroys the mind of any creature it attaches to. This is obvious if you do a brain scan or consider that the original mind makes no outward sign of its continued existence. However, the vast majority of society has become convinced by bogus experiments that the mind of the original lives on, still inside, just not at the surface, and can communicate with the mind of the Puppeteer Parasite. The race uses this to decrease the moral squick factor of their existence.

I'm feeling strangely happy now, contented and serene. Oh don't you see, finally I'll be, somewhere that's green...
kassyopeia from terrae nullius Since: Nov, 2010
#13: Jan 9th 2011 at 3:23:54 AM

[up][up][up][up] Awesome setup, Noaqiyeum!! cool

D'you mind if I borrow the disaster-inspired the-god-is-dead-long-live-the-god scenario? It'd fill in one of the few remaining gaps of my principal timeline perfectly!

Soon the Cold One took flight, yielded Goddess and field to the victor: The Lord of the Light.
EldritchBlueRose The Puzzler from A Really Red Room Since: Apr, 2010
The Puzzler
#14: Jan 9th 2011 at 7:07:55 AM

[up][up] So what does that have to do with religion?

Has ADD, plays World of Tanks, thinks up crazy ideas like children making spaceships for Hitler. Occasionally writes them down.
Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
kassyopeia from terrae nullius Since: Nov, 2010
#16: Jan 9th 2011 at 10:35:47 AM

[up] 'nkyou! I'm not quite sure why I didn't think of it myself, since I read an alternate-history essay not too long ago which suggested a similar scenario for the historical Jewish religion, if Jerusalem had been sacked by the Assyrians in ~700 BC, rather than by the Babylonians in ~600 BC. The author opines that the religion matured significantly in the intervening century, so by the latter date, the event was interpreted as "God is doling out punishment because we are sinners" rather than "their gods must be stronger than ours". Somehow, I never made the connection to my own project, though... *sighs*

Soon the Cold One took flight, yielded Goddess and field to the victor: The Lord of the Light.
OOZE Don't feed the plants! from Transsexual,Transylvania Since: Dec, 1969
Don't feed the plants!
#17: Jan 9th 2011 at 12:02:50 PM

Noaqiyeum said from my description that it MIGHT be a religion, so I posted it... why are you attacking me?

I'm feeling strangely happy now, contented and serene. Oh don't you see, finally I'll be, somewhere that's green...
Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#18: Jan 9th 2011 at 12:05:46 PM

Huh, interesting... I do think it seems more plausible for polytheists than a monotheism, though, especially considering that the Greeks had actually incorporated that sort of thing into their mythology twice already, and the only reason they stopped there is likely because the Persians never completely devastated them.

But I know very little about Hebrew archaeology anyway. :)

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
EldritchBlueRose The Puzzler from A Really Red Room Since: Apr, 2010
The Puzzler
#19: Jan 9th 2011 at 1:05:37 PM

[up][up] It wasn't an attack, I was just really confused because it didn't seem to have anything to do with religion to me. sad

I hope that you could forgive me for my misunderstanding.

Has ADD, plays World of Tanks, thinks up crazy ideas like children making spaceships for Hitler. Occasionally writes them down.
kassyopeia from terrae nullius Since: Nov, 2010
#20: Jan 9th 2011 at 2:04:08 PM

I do think it seems more plausible for polytheists than a monotheism [...]

Ah, sorry, forgot to explain that aspect: The essay suggested that the effect would have been a different brand of monotheism, in which the single deity would have been strongly influenced by the chief deity of the conqueror's pantheon. So, instead of son-of-god, you now have God v2.0. And, naturally, this succession would not become part of the mythology. If you asked them about the earlier God, they'd pretend ignorance at best and call you a heretic at worst, one would imagine.

Soon the Cold One took flight, yielded Goddess and field to the victor: The Lord of the Light.
nekomoon14 from Oakland, CA Since: Oct, 2010
#21: Jan 9th 2011 at 2:39:00 PM

In my Dark Tales series, gods are the supreme examples of their kind - the strongest fire faerie is a fire god. Every god has a body of worshipers, both mortal and faerie; clerics spread the teachings of their deities. When these worshipers die, their souls are called to the realm of their god and they become a part of his retinue.

Gods have no use for weak disciples, so they test their faithful brutally - those who prevail are rewarded mightily. The servants of the gods are called angels. Once you become a god, you will always be a god, because your entourage will never abandon you and you will always have disciples.

Every god has a title, such as Lord Sunhand or Lady Rainhair. He also has a symbol, two colors, and a favored weapon.

edited 9th Jan '11 2:43:01 PM by nekomoon14

Level 3 Social Justice Necromancer. Chaotic Good.
breadloaf Since: Oct, 2010
#22: Jan 11th 2011 at 11:22:07 AM

I have AI worshipped as gods with the religion split on several lines.

Polytheistic - A liberal, open interpretation, where all the different AI entities are Gods and work in a celestial bureaucracy for the benefit of humankind.

Monotheistic - A strict interpretation, where there is only one God and all the other AI entities are strictly angels.

Secularist - A set of morality derived from philosophical discussion with the AI entities on the topic of humanity. They understand they are not gods but just highly advanced AI constructs capable of much better long-term thinking.

Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#23: Jan 11th 2011 at 2:08:46 PM

Ah, sorry, forgot to explain that aspect: The essay suggested that the effect would have been a different brand of monotheism, in which the single deity would have been strongly influenced by the chief deity of the conqueror's pantheon. So, instead of son-of-god, you now have God v2.0. And, naturally, this succession would not become part of the mythology. If you asked them about the earlier God, they'd pretend ignorance at best and call you a heretic at worst, one would imagine.

Sounds like more of a mass conversion than the modification of the religion... :P

Anyway. More detail on the Perinthian pantheon, for no particular reason -

  • Medomeras, "the dead immortal", has already been discussed. He does, in fact, have a church, but it is not formally recognized; it's more of an association of the despairing and disreputable to help keep each other alive than anything else.
    • His eldest children, Galimer ("the Lord") and Atlarte ("the Lady"), have already been discussed as well. Galimer's priests are all dead; a handful of Atlarte's survived, and their favor is curried by the other churches in hope of gaining authority and popular support.
      • Galimer's heirs are Harcas ("the Knight") and Avante ("the Damsel"), patrons of lovers, soldiers, knights errant, adventurers, et cetera. Their overarching priority is conquest and proliferation, and as individuals they tend to be Ethical Hedonists with a bit of a collective narcissistic streak. After having run much of the revolution under the empire, they feel they deserve more respect and authority than they are given, and often end up taking this out on the lower classes.
      • Galimer's second children are Lantier ("the Smith") and Mantella ("the Matron"). They patronize the middle and lower classes in general, but especially housewives and manual laborers (obviously). Their priorities are industry and safety; their church is larger than the others, and their followers are very status-quo oriented and don't go out of their way to make trouble, with the result that under the empire they often became Les Collaborateurs - a fact which is held against their priesthood in the aftermath.
    • After the Lord and Lady are Polydier and Menithe, "the Vast Ones" of wilderness and sea, cruel, kind, capricious, and apathetic all at once. Their followers are mostly farmers, hunters, shepherds, miners, sailors, fishermen, and so forth; they simply try to keep themselves alive by pleasing the rulers of the domain they have to intrude on. Of course, since they themselves are largely on the outskirts of civilization, they tend to be rather apathetic about what transpires there, and watching everything in the city slowly get worse has turned apathy into nihilism.
      • Their eldest children are Gallian and Gallarte, "the Sun and Moon", patrons of explorers, philosophers, oracles, teachers, judges, and madmen. Moderately influential, but rather small, and their well-deserved reputation is that they are all mad to some degree or another - BunnyEarsLawyers, GeniusDitzes, Cloudcuckoolanders, TalkativeLoons, Yangires, Wonkas and Frizzles, MadDoctors, MadScientists, MadOracles, and sometimes even Mad Hatters to some degree, every one of them. They're usually right, but it doesn't make a difference when no one else trusts them.
      • Their second children are Fante and Sollas, "the Thief and Guard", who patronize couriers, diplomats, merchants, thieves, spies, and watchmen. These have all started to blend together without oversight, of course - their views on possessions are, basically, "if you can take it, it's yours, but if someone takes it back you don't get to complain", but they have great respect for skill and cunning. Their priesthood resembles The Mafia; they're the second-largest congregation after Lantier and Mantella's, and their fondness for XanatosGambits easily evens out that score.
    • The third son and daughter of Medomeras are Shyllas and a goddess I haven't named yet, who are credited with natural cycles as well as ephemeral wonders like auroras, sunrises, geysers, &c. I haven't really fleshed out their church yet, save for that they do (of course) patronize undertakers, doctors, and midwives.
      • Their heirs are Flautus and Fontias, whose worshipers are predominantly guardsmen, vigilantes, peasants, and hermits. What they've become amounts to an unofficial judicial system to which anyone can go to report crimes and testify against neighbors; a priest will investigate, and carry out punishment if satisfied, or else punish the person who brought in a false report. (Sometimes the punishment is to assist with another investigation, or carry out a particularly dangerous execution.) They don't get much respect from the other churches, due to their Determinator and Inspector Javert tendencies, and are largely thought of as a bunch of freaks, sociopaths, and sadomasochists.
      • Finally, Phylian and Capella are the patron god and goddess of artists and artisans, actors, poets, mystics, and other bohemian types. Their church is practically anarchic and extremely passive, though individual members are often quite influential.

edited 11th Jan '11 2:10:08 PM by Noaqiyeum

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Vorpy Unstoppable Sex Goddess from from from from from from from from from Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Two-timing
Unstoppable Sex Goddess
#24: Jan 12th 2011 at 2:12:18 AM

The Eldritch Spiral: You must not allow others to know you exist. If they do, and they are stronger, you must kill them. If they are weaker, you must make them stronger than you so that you may kill them.

Troper Page
Vesperis from inside her skull. Since: Dec, 2010
#25: Jan 14th 2011 at 2:21:52 PM

My belief system is called daios, and it's not organized enough to be called a religion. Also, there are no deities powerful enough to be considered gods. Daios is a loose system of beliefs that focus on the worship of banil, the spirits that are believed to inhabit inhabit everything.

Plants, animals, countries, clans, people (especially dead ones), geological features, weather, houses, weaponry, the faerie-like spirits up in the hills, and everything else you can think of (literally including the kitchen sink) are all acceptable objects of worship.

Ancestor worship and worship of the land sprits who control the crops are central. The center of household worship is the kitchen. The most common forms of worship are written prayers, doll figures, and food which are generally burnt on the hearth or buried wherever the ban you are praying to lives.

Banil have differing levels of importance and power, and varying personalities. Ancestor spirits in particular can be prayed to to inflict damage on people you don't like.

That wasn't quite five sentences, but oh well.

O Manarha! Hatar-ue, dihalt urta. Vakat iu e Uratan, e banatar in.

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