Naturalism
The Naturalist faith is one that exists primarily among the forest elves and gnomes. This faith believes in the full consciousness of the planet as being a singular, non-sentient living creature that shares with all of those upon it. The planet thus must be treated with respect and support to provide for everyone, and occasionally the creatures must be culled in order to maintain its life as well as the lives of the inhabitants. Very few humans or other races follow this doctrine, and the constant use of resources by most civilizations has occasionally led to brutal conflict between Naturalists and other religions.
Structure
There is no formal organizational structure to the Naturalist faith. There exists no priests, no clerics, and no paladins. Occasionally druids assemble in circles and groups to act as spiritual watchers, keeping an eye on the balance of nature. These circles of druids will occasionally consult secular leaders and influential others in order to muster resources required to bring nature back into balance or to protect elements of the earth from over-exploitation. The circles are typically entirely egalitarian, selecting their spokesperson based on merit and popular vote from among the other druids.
Public Agenda
Naturalists believe that the resources of the world should be protected and used with caution. This includes everything from trees to animals to the very fabric of magic and reality. They recognize that sentient creatures do have a place in the balance of the world, but they are quick to condemn any state or organization that threatens to exhaust or overuse a natural resource.
Tenets of Faith
The primary tenet of concern is what happens to the spirits of the sentient when they depart. Naturalist followers believe that all spirits and souls are granted from the heart of the earth. When a creature dies and its body is buried or decays, a soul is spread out to the rest of the world, consumed by and energizing other creatures and the world itself. In time, a soul can be reformed and returned to a new life, but it has taken many changes after being passed around through the rest of creation and the planet as a whole.
The Living Earth
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Demonym
Naturalist
Permeated Organizations
Related Ethnicities
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