Coristhian Faith
The Coristhian Faith, also called the Faith of Many, is a major religion among the Fenris and Volian peoples.
The written works that are the foundations for the Faith have existed ever since the Fenris occupation of the Fenris Isles. The main texts of their faith are the Hrungnir Manuscripts, a collection of old myths and legends that were compiled together by the Fenris scholar, Hrungnir Gylbitr.
Texts
Main article: Hrungnir ManuscriptsThe written works that are the foundations for the Faith have existed ever since the Fenris occupation of the Fenris Isles. The main texts of their faith are the Hrungnir Manuscripts, a collection of old myths and legends that were compiled together by the Fenris scholar, Hrungnir Gylbitr.
Gods
The Gods of the Coristhian Faith are divided into two categories: the Coristhians and the Primes, with Morina as the chief deity of the whole pantheon and the Dragons as divine beings, but not ones that are worshiped.Morina
Morina is the supreme goddess of divinity, the Dragons, and creation. She is attributed with the creation of the Realms and Dragonkind, which led to her mothering the Primes with some Dragons. As the chief deity of the pantheon, she is above worship and dedication,Coristhians
The Coristhians are the deities mainly worshiped by the Fenris, and all are found in the Hrungnir Manuscripts. Kengr- Coristhian of lightning, winter, and royalty; he is a major deity that is primarily worshiped by the Vélǫkk Dynasty, and is the brother of Kvelda Kvelda- Coristhian of hunting, archery, and exploration; he is a deity most famous for the legends of him besting his brother Kengr Freydon- Coristhian of war, fire, and blacksmiths; he is a major god worshiped by soldiers and metal workers, father of Brjótr, and brother of Tvurgir Tvurgir- Coristhian of harvest, farming, and travelers; his most famous story is him preceding over his daughter Andiya's marriage to Lief Lief- Coristhian of rain; he is the husband of Andiya, brother of Leta, son of Hrina and Nauthmir, and a god known for his good looks and stalwart personality Leta- Coristhian of the seas and guidance; she is the sister of Lief, daughter of Nauthmir and Hrina, and lover of Freydon Andiya- Coristhian of harvest and the dead; she is the daughter of Tvurgir and Meida, wife of Lief, and a goddess known for guiding and protecting worthy souls to Tivarheima, the realm of the gods Meida- Coristhian of the dead; she is the mother of Andiya and wife of Tvurgir, known for unleashing an undead curse upon Bonisthia Brjótr- Coristhian of protection, justice, and military strategy; he is the son of Freydon and a master tactician Hrina- Coristhian of love, financial success, and marriage; she is the wife of Nauthmir, mother of Lief and Leta, and a goddess worshiped among the Indulging Knights Nauthmir - Coristhian of knowledge, wisdom, and scholars; he is the husband of Hrina, father of Lief and Leta, and the patron god of scholarsPrimes
The Primes are deities primarily not worshiped in public, and most are the parents of some Coristhians. Dyrekkja- Prime of rot, suicide, and death; she was the mother of Meida who rebelled against Morina and after her defeat, her body was transformed into the realm of the dead Sœri-Utna- Prime of warfare and smithing; she is the mother of Freydon and Tvurgir, and is known for forging the weapons of the gods Hvitr- Prime of nature and wildlife; he is the father of Nauthmir, Eivedr- Prime of healing and life; he is the father of Kengr and KveldaMythology & Lore
Stories and Myths
Creation of the Dragons and Birth of the Primes
The Dragons, beings of divine status, were the creations of Morina, each of them unique and with proper names given by their mother. They once roamed among the earth, but numerous passages in the Hrungnir Manuscripts show that they either returned to Morina's domain willingly or out of necessity."In the beginning, there was only one goddess, Morina, and the world, flourishing with life, but that of lacking mind. There was nothing on the earth, and in the earth that was divine, and this was sorrowing for the divine goddess. And so from her breath, Morina shaped the Dragons, each crafted by her words. From both divine bloods came the Primes and their ambitious wills to take command of the earth."
Birth of the Coristhians
The Coristhians were soon born from the Primes, and they grew like mortals, going from toddlers to children to adults. There were many endeavors that they were a part of at that time, but they harbored major pride and arrogance. As they grew up and faced many threats, their hubris faded and they matured."As the Primes enacted their wills, they found themselves wanting of consummation, and so, the Coristhians were born. As children, they were petty, even deeply angered at the sight of uncleanliness. But, as they grew, the once childish endeavors were no more in their minds, and the Coristhians sought to create order."
Birth of Man
The first man was formed from Morina's entrails and given the name Førrahold, meaning "first flesh". He was given the task of cultivating the land and creating things out of what he was given. Førrahold was never shy of asking for help from other beings, and they obliged, with the dragons Myrk-Fælinn and Rǫð-Ullinn aiding in creating the day night cycle, and Sœri-Utna introducing the art of smithing to him. However, Tunglevitr, a prized member of the Dragon Choir, grew jealous of the attention and care the rest of the gods showed Førrahold, so he devised a plan to ruin their works. He offered to sing a song for Førrahold that would make him work without effort. Førrahold obliged and listened to the melody that Tunglevitr created, but an element of the song seeped into his heart and instead made him rebellious. Whenever he talked with any of the gods, he would refuse their help, and his works from then on were never as well-made as when he had help from the gods. Nobody knew that Tunglevitr was responsible, and soon, the gods refused to help Førrahold. However, Morina made him the first woman, Førravif, to be his bride, and they had 40 sons, the youngest being named Førrhjarta. The gods began to speak with him and deemed him as treasured, due to his persistent willingness to converse with and listen to the gods. His brothers grew jealous and soon murdered him. However, Førrhjarta was given a special seat in Tivarheima, to the right of Morina.The War against Svartrangi
The War Against Dyrekkja
The Prime Dyrekkja, who harbored dominion over rot and suicide, was not the most attractive sight for the young prideful Coristhians, who couldn't set their eyes upon her horrid visage. Feeling alone and hated, she boiled with anger and concocted a plan to teach the Coristhians a lesson. First, she imprisoned her sister, Sœri-Utna, and forced her to create heavy, cursed masks for the children. Next, with the help from the dragon Tunglevitr, she lured them out of Tivarheima and into Féhirði, where Dyrekkja locked the masks onto them. Finally, they were blinded, had their memories erased with a touch of magic, and then were sent back home. When they returned, the children deities cried to their parents and stumbled around the Hall. During this chaos, the dragon Jǫrðyta entered the Hall, a rare occurrence, and revealed that Dyrekkja was responsible, as he was tending to the grape vines atop a hill when he witnessed the incident. The Prime of Rot fled from the Hall and amassed an army of remaining creatures from Svartrangi to fight back against the incoming gods. A massive battle ensued, which ended in her forces being slain. After her capture, Dyrekkja was forced to free the children from the masks, as well as swear upon Morina's feet that she would never touch a single soul again. Dyrekkja refused, but despite this, she was bestowed honor by Morina, proclaiming that her name shall live on. For her treachery, she was impaled upon a spear and left to rot for five days. Her body was then taken and reshaped into the Hall of the Dead, which now shares her name.The Harvest Wedding
The Andlát Curse and the Barnœska
The Dyseiðr is a section of the Hrungnir Manuscripts that prophesies of a future where the dead arise from the grave and terrorize the Fenris, but heroes are chosen by the Coristhians to save them. It first begins with Meida getting cursed by her on-and-off lover, a seer named Skyldr, after she wins an archery contest against him. The curse forces her to release the dead from their graves, creating the Andlát, undead creatures that are drawn to kill the living. As a counteraction, Morina tears out one of her ribs, grinds it into a fine dust, and sprinkles it into the mortal realm. This dust causes a small number of bodies to arise with their souls intact, creating the Barnœska, a group of immortals who were drawn to hunt the Andlát.Beings and Concepts
Dragons
Dragons as they're presented in the Coristhian Faith are divine entities that fathered the Primes with Morina as the mother. All of them are male, with individual names and particular domains they hold dominion over. Draconic imagery evokes masculinity, divinity, and strength. Unlike the Coristhians, they are above worship and dedication alongside Morina, and attempting to dedicate oneself to a Dragon is considered sacrilegious. However, their imagery is held in high regard and used in numerous cases. Myrk-Fælinn - Harbinger of the Night; associated with the moon and stars, introduced the concept of night to the world; his mark is purple with white specks Rǫð-Ullinn - Harbinger of the Day; associated with the sun and wind, introduced the concept of day to the world; his mark is orange with black specks Friðlæti - Leader of the Choir; associated with music and the arts, leads the chorus of dragons singing in Tivarheima; his mark is silver Ginnung - Warden of Svartrangi; associated with justice and law, he keeps traitors of the Gods imprisoned in the realm of Svartrangi; his mark is dark grey Tunglevitr - the Betrayer; the only Dragon who rebelled against Morina, he is currently imprisoned by Ginnung in Svartrangi; his mark is black Jǫrðyta - Sleeper of Féhirði; associated with nature and agriculture, he sleeps and guards the crops and creatures that reside in Féhirði; his mark is green Litlausr - the Pale Devourer; associated with disease and healing, he is said to devour the sicknesses of devout followers who passed away from diseases; his mark is pale greenish-white Varði - the Voice of Triumph; he sings of famous victorious heroes, and is a member of the Dragon Choir in Tivarheima; his mark is blue Ondeisla - the Voice of Woe; he sings of tragic heroes, and is a member of the Dragon Choir in Tivarheima; his mark is orange Gryttr - the Voice of the Unsung; he sings of heroes lost to history, and is a member of the Dragon Choir in Tivarheima; his mark is dark red Mikili and Mindri - the Night Brothers; they guide the two moons of Auvus across the night sky with their father, Myrk-Fælinn; their marks are bright greyVetulfr
Vetulfr, called the Greatwolf of Wisdom, is a wolf associated with Morina and is considered the wisest of all creatures within the realms. He is depicted as wearing a collar made from the bones of the foolish with a pendant made from the heart of Førrlækr, one of the 40 sons of Førrahold who sought out Vetulfr, only to be eviscerated for being ignorant and foolish. He is very aggressive towards those he sees as ignorant, but is kind and soft-spoken to those that are wise and willing to learn.Tenelokr/"The Black Song"
Tenelokr refers to the creeping corruption seeded in the very heart of humanity, first introduced by the song that Tunglevitr sang to Førrahold. It is debated as to if it was the music itself or the result of the music.Relics
There are various objects associated with the Faith that are found in the Hrungnir Manuscripts or were supposedly owned by notable members of the Faith.Seggsteinn/"Tablet of Absolution"
The Seggsteinn, also called the "Tablet of Absolution", is a stone tablet in Tivarheima that contains the name of every living person. Whenever one converts and dedicates themselves to a god of the Faith, their name is chiseled out, meaning they are absolved from a life in Dyrekkja.Cosmological Views
Auvus
The Coristhian Faith teaches that Auvus and the realm of the gods has always existed, and always will. The gods have always been, and always will, and so will the flora and fauna of the world.The Realms
There are numerous realms in the Faith's cosmology. Tivarheima - also called the Hall of the Gods, it is where the gods and their devout followers reside; it is ruled by Morina Svartrangi- also called the Pit, it was once the home of vile creatures that attempted to lay claim over the world; now, it is where traitors to the Gods are imprisoned; it is guarded by the dragon Ginnung Féhirði - also called the Eternal Garden, it is a haven for numerous divine plants and creatures adjacent to Tivarheima; it is owned by Tvurgir and protected by Jǫrðyta Dyrekkja - also called the Hall of the Unsworn, it is where those who do not dedicate themselves to a god go; the realm was formed from the corpse of the Prime of rot and suicide, who shares the same name; it is ruled by the Coristhian of the dead Meida Langfejǫrð - the Fenris name for Auvus; translates to "forefathers' soil"Tenets of Faith
Followers of the Coristhian Faith dedicate themselves to a singular deity for the rest of their lives, meaning they seek to imitate that deity and their values. However, the exact parameters of devotion differ from both the individual gods and the subculture they come from. Regardless, there are a few values that encompass the entirety of the faith's adherents, encapsulated in four major concepts.
Munuð
Munuð is the value of compassion towards others.Hreysti
Hreysti is the value of idealism, the drive to be a role model. It encompasses the idea of becoming an admirable person to mimic, which itself reflects onto the gods.Ethics
Followers of the Coristhian Faith believe that every human inherently acts selfishly without dedication to the Faith, be it in a more obvious (theft, arrogance, etc.) or subtle manner (adultery, being selfish in lust; murder, taking another's life into one's hands; etc.). So, when one joins the Faith and dedicates themselves to a god, they seek to act selflessly and for others and their deity.
Priesthood
Priests, or Teljathar as they're called in the Faith, differ from other types of religious leaders, as they do not keep theology or serve as ministers. Instead, they are witnesses to the divine oaths sworn by the people, swearing to keep record of the promises one has made to the gods. They are responsible for administering devotion tattoos, transmitting spoken oaths into written word, and bestowing special privileges upon individuals. Their duties are divinely appointed under an oath to the god of knowledge, poetry, and writing Nauthmir.
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