Elder God
The Golam person lives in a continuity between the visible living world and the invisible spiritual world. Daily life is subject to both material hazards and issues and spiritual ones that arise from Spiritual order, Natural laws and conflict between them and the order of men. To control and avoid spiritual hazards and issues Golam observe a variety of acts ( superstitions):
Traditionally, the Elder God represented this connection and the Communion presented one living in the God and the God living in you, and providing spiritual protection and communication with the visible and invisible worlds. Prayer and worship is the avenue to the God and divine protection and guidance. Worship tamed the Elder Gods and allowed them to relent and permit human construction, harvest and farming. This strengthened both sides.
They are concerned with fortunate and unfortunate numbers which open one to threat from supernatural agents and forces or bring good fortune and deter malign influences.
They make small offerings and prayers of forgiveness for offense to spirits that may retaliate with misfortune.
Golam do not eat in darkness - because they believe they may ingest demons or poison.
On recovery from illness or injury, break an egg over your head to make a fresh start.
Itches: an itchy hand means good luck and money coming to you. Itchy feet says you should leave that place for a time.
The land is life and prosperity and so is worshipped. Ancestors bridge and communicate across from the living to the spiritual and back again.
Traditionally, the Elder God represented this connection and the Communion presented one living in the God and the God living in you, and providing spiritual protection and communication with the visible and invisible worlds. Prayer and worship is the avenue to the God and divine protection and guidance. Worship tamed the Elder Gods and allowed them to relent and permit human construction, harvest and farming. This strengthened both sides.
Structure
Each Elder God controls a territory, it's dominion and all plants, animals and lesser spirits within are it's subjects. On their own the Elder Gods seek to make a healthy productive territory with plenty of food and a stable environment in accord with natural laws. They will mobilize and attack major disruptions, magical or mechanical, and will impose limits on flood, fire or other natural disaster.
Disbandment
The open practice of worship of the Elder Gods is banned in Imperial territories and provinces. In the wilds and Frontier they are still worshipped openly. Many Golam clan Fins secretly still worship the Elder Gods.
Mythology & Lore
The Elder Gods predated the arrival of humans. Elder Gods are a sort of fungal entity that cover miles (kilometers) of territory. They formed a network connection of creatures, plants and spirits tending and defending their territories. They protected the land from the worst effects of Warp Storms and ensured prosperity and bounty to followers and all life within their domains. Corrupted Elder Gods demanded war, bloodshed, conquest and gluttonous feeding on slaughter. Several tribes might make peace to destroy a Corrupted Elder God.
Tenets of Faith
Followers undergo Communion, connecting to and becoming part of the Elder God. Anything which has joined Communion is part of the awareness of the Elder God. The Golam Nobility reserves Communion for themselves at coming of age generally, distributing tokens - bits of carved wood or bone imbued with the Essence of the Elder God and connected to the Communion for the general population. For Commoners, they are allowed Communion as a Last Rite.
The Elder Gods dwell in cavern kingdoms under the ground. Their minds are distributed and awareness is in each part - each part of the Communion and in Tokens, as well as a mesh of roots across their territory. The followers live eternally as part of the Communion in a sort of dream like state with occasional full waking. They may have a physical manifestation in the Caverns of the Gods or in the lands above formed by the Elder God. The Elder God is light and all of the life of the Land, it is memory, protection and promise. The Gods are jealous and protective but humans can communicate truces and contacts between the dead of different Gods and regions. Without this the Gods are prone to fight over trespasses and control of borders.
During the Imperial conquest and Crusades the Elder Gods brought forth legions of the dead to defend homes, lands and followers. This show of presumed Necromancy terrified the Imperials and they responded with fire and magics, burning lands and destroying the dead, the living and the God Mounds which were centers of worship and offering. Where defeated, the Gods withdrew deep under ground and lay hidden and sleeping, awaiting a time to throw off the oppressors.
Malice, wicked deeds and evil against the Clan and subordinates or disrespectful misuse of the Land, plants or creatures are sins that weigh against you in life and the afterlife. A bad person might be neglected, erased from the lines and forgotten or entombed in isolation in the God's kingdom. They may also work to redeem themselves in service. Corrupted are much feared, as Corruption can spread to the Elder Gods, causing them to become destructive, malicious, violently aggressive, poisoning the land and using animates and magics to control, dominate or destroy all that they can reach. Corrupted Gods are much feared and are likely the main source of Imperial Myths and fears of the Elder Gods .
The Elder Gods dwell in cavern kingdoms under the ground. Their minds are distributed and awareness is in each part - each part of the Communion and in Tokens, as well as a mesh of roots across their territory. The followers live eternally as part of the Communion in a sort of dream like state with occasional full waking. They may have a physical manifestation in the Caverns of the Gods or in the lands above formed by the Elder God. The Elder God is light and all of the life of the Land, it is memory, protection and promise. The Gods are jealous and protective but humans can communicate truces and contacts between the dead of different Gods and regions. Without this the Gods are prone to fight over trespasses and control of borders.
During the Imperial conquest and Crusades the Elder Gods brought forth legions of the dead to defend homes, lands and followers. This show of presumed Necromancy terrified the Imperials and they responded with fire and magics, burning lands and destroying the dead, the living and the God Mounds which were centers of worship and offering. Where defeated, the Gods withdrew deep under ground and lay hidden and sleeping, awaiting a time to throw off the oppressors.
Malice, wicked deeds and evil against the Clan and subordinates or disrespectful misuse of the Land, plants or creatures are sins that weigh against you in life and the afterlife. A bad person might be neglected, erased from the lines and forgotten or entombed in isolation in the God's kingdom. They may also work to redeem themselves in service. Corrupted are much feared, as Corruption can spread to the Elder Gods, causing them to become destructive, malicious, violently aggressive, poisoning the land and using animates and magics to control, dominate or destroy all that they can reach. Corrupted Gods are much feared and are likely the main source of Imperial Myths and fears of the Elder Gods .
Worship
At home, one travels to the God Mound for the major rituals and offerings if one is of noble family. Commoners are only allowed for major occasions.
Daily worship and offerings include sprinkling drink on the Token, setting the token on food, blood or other offerings and directing ancestor recitation to the Token as the local manifestation of the God's awareness. Song, music, dance or incense may be offered.
Worship is in the forms of prayer and offering. Sacrifices, offerings of waste and the bodies of the dead are laid at the Mound. The Mound is usually overseen by a noble ancestor that rests within and will pull offerings into the Mound to feed the God. Ancestors are also worshipped and made offerings at the Mound, since all live on within the God. Prayers and offerings are made to seek favor and magical influences. Favor must be built with offerings and pleasing service and memorial for the dead.
The Dead in turn intercede with the God, which has a poor understanding of mortal human concerns. The living owe duty, devotion and respect. They are expected to show duty to Clan and the Land, respect for the land, the Clan and those under them, and wisdom and benevolence toward Clan and subordinates. Respecting one's body- a gift of life made from the parents, and respecting parental support and nurture in youth returned to the elderly and deceased. Good rulership is rewarded. Poor behavior results in withheld favor, bad luck and general misfortune, poor crops, and weak livestock.
Those who have Communion have higher levels of Virtue accumulated or credited in worship and are much more likely to be granted favors.
Daily worship and offerings include sprinkling drink on the Token, setting the token on food, blood or other offerings and directing ancestor recitation to the Token as the local manifestation of the God's awareness. Song, music, dance or incense may be offered.
Worship is in the forms of prayer and offering. Sacrifices, offerings of waste and the bodies of the dead are laid at the Mound. The Mound is usually overseen by a noble ancestor that rests within and will pull offerings into the Mound to feed the God. Ancestors are also worshipped and made offerings at the Mound, since all live on within the God. Prayers and offerings are made to seek favor and magical influences. Favor must be built with offerings and pleasing service and memorial for the dead.
The Dead in turn intercede with the God, which has a poor understanding of mortal human concerns. The living owe duty, devotion and respect. They are expected to show duty to Clan and the Land, respect for the land, the Clan and those under them, and wisdom and benevolence toward Clan and subordinates. Respecting one's body- a gift of life made from the parents, and respecting parental support and nurture in youth returned to the elderly and deceased. Good rulership is rewarded. Poor behavior results in withheld favor, bad luck and general misfortune, poor crops, and weak livestock.
Those who have Communion have higher levels of Virtue accumulated or credited in worship and are much more likely to be granted favors.
Priesthood
There is no official church or hierarchy. Each Clan and family has their own rituals and ways. The Eldest Noble family members oversee all worship and service, then devolve duty down to lower clan members. The eldest is most firmly connected to the God and ancestors. Nobles of any rank are expected to perform Last Rites for commoners. If no nobles are available, a prayer may be directed to a passed Noble to perform the Last Rites via the Token. Someone with Communion or a Token, as a vessel of Communion is needed.
Granted Divine Powers
Any worshiper may ask for favors. The chance is low unless one has accumulated virtue in offerings, respects and prayer. It is also much more likely within the God's home territory. In the realm of another God such favors are likely to be blocked. The favor may be simple- delivery of some desired and needed object from the stores of the God's kingdom, blessings on crops or delivery of favorable weather. Ancestral treasures might be delivered "on loan". Consultation with the dead, local spirits or magic lore. The God can heal but not restore life, though it may provide an animate body for a dead person to inhabit. The Gods possess Dragon Line Magics that they wield at legendary proficiency anywhere within it's territory or in proximity to Tokens or those in Communion.
Those with Communion may also practice Landsense, sharing with the Elder God awareness of the territory and it's condition.
* Within the Land they possess sure sense of direction and with focus are aware of details of the landscape within 100 meters - food, water, shelters, hazards and living persons or animals.
** Passage: on focus the land smooths and plants bend out of the way allowing passage as if on a road. This only works for so long as concentration is maintained and the doesn't effect water, mud, snow, buildings or other changes laid over the land. This passage window is only a 3 meter diameter around the one with Communion.
*** Unnatural: on focus the Landsense can detect unnatural things with 100 meter radius: undead, camps, constructions ( maintained current ones. Older ruined or abandoned structures are returning to nature and so only faintly detectable on perception roll), mines or logging. The sense is lost with any heavy activity as focus is needed to maintain the ability
**** Defense: by application of spirit, plants bend to make shelter or barriers interfering with threats. The earth and stones shift to create barriers providing cover or shelter +1 per success on spirit roll. This power lasts one scene.
***** Spirit Guide: the Landsense allows one specific nature/ terrain spirit to be communicated with and one service requested. Small ones are easily swayed or commanded. Larger, more powerful ones will demand some service, favor or offering in return.
Political Influence & Intrigue
Neighboring Gods tend to rivalry and battles for control and influence. These are moderated by human intercession and clan influences. Stable borders with neutral zones and peaceful relations are the result of wise leadership. Avarice and conflict are generally looked down up- especially on losers, while victory and success gets favor to a small degree. Grudges and feuds are not uncommon both between clans and between their respective Gods.
Sects
Skinchangers and Beastfolk barbarians of the wilds follow an older way. The Elder Gods are still territorial and linked to local tribes, but lack Nation concepts and so are much less tolerant of others outside of their own Communion. All tribe members have Communion on adulthood. Individual tokens are taken on raids outside of home territory but are usually strung up on branches at the God Mound. Foreign tokens are smashed and boiled and then offered to the God Mound. The most recent dead Elder serves as the keeper of the God Mound until replaced by the next elder to die. This elder is also the voice of the God and the Eldest Council of the Dead.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
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