Circle of the Old Gods
Mythology & Lore
The Ageless Wood/Plains, a place where a person returns to hunt freely and participate in friendly battles forever. A person gets a choice when they die, if they would like to stay on Aralyon as a Spirit and help others from evil and relay prophecies to the Tribes' Priests if needed, or to continue on to the Wood. If remaining as a Spirit, they stay as one until the world ends.
Tenets of Faith
- Respect nature all around you.
- Avoid fights where possible, but never flee.
- Be self-sufficient, but know that not everything can be done alone.
- Preserve honor even in battle.
Worship
There aren't very strict places of worship for the Old Gods, as there are few temples, and not even every Tribe has one in its city. Mostly people simply worship at personal shrines they have built out in a natural area. Gathering in congregation is only ever during holy events.
Holidays: Fest of Strength: multiple arenas built for friendly sparring and fights to prove honor and in some Tribes, to win prizes.
Celebration of the Hunt: a day in which many able bodied people hunt a single beast amidst the woods or hills and bring back to feast together.
When prophecy is given to Priests through Spirits, the receiver is struck blind until the message is over.
Priesthood
The Priests and High Priests of the Vider Chieftain are the main religious leaders for the Circle of the Old Gods. They do the majority of the organizing of religious events or meetings on holy days. Healers are the minor leaders in charge of temples and medicine.
Every five years, the High Priest takes on people looking to be Healers and trains them in that art and how to be pious. After two and a half years, the apprentices brew themselves a mixture of meditation, and drink it in order to commune personally with the Spirits for the first time. Whomever wishes to continue their path after this event becomes a Healer. When a High Priest dies or retires, the most senior Priest of the two under the High Priest succeeds them. In order to fulfill the second Priest spot, the normally two and half year process becomes a full five years, and at the end, before new apprentices are brought in, one of the already training apprentices is chosen by the Old Gods during their meditation. The remaining become Healers.
The Priests and High Priests wear grey and green robes emblazoned with the symbol of their favored god in order to set them apart from Healers, who wear plain grey robes.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
Tribal Religion
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Ethnicities
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