“We have no need for great men and their towering
spires. We cast our lot with the outsider, the poet, and
the fool. In the end times, we will all be remembered
by the mad acts of the shunned and the outcast, not the
rigid perfection of the pillars of society.”
—The Visions of the Prophet Glorik Hillock
The Zhenkefan faith revolves around six sayings, called
“The Vintner’s Creed,” or just “The Creed.” The earliest
oracles of Zheenkeef handed down these maxims at the
founding of the vineyards. This was quite some time ago;
vineyards have maintained their form of worship longer
than nearly any other church. Perhaps this is because the
traditions are captured in six simple sayings, and do not
require a great deal of doctrine or dogma to be passed
from generation to generation.
Whatever the case, all Zhenkefans contemplate and
observe the Creed. It is supposed to be repeated daily, if the
Zhenkefan remembers, but weekly observance suffices. The
reason for the Creed is that the true worship of Zheenkeef
is difficult to grasp for those who do not possess profound
wisdom.
As her greatest apostles, oracles, and joyous brothers understand, Zheenkeef’s nature is highly mystical—for
what does it mean to be the source of inspiration, to be
the feelings below the surface that people rarely heed? The
wise understand that the strength, the inner glow one feels
when one has drunk too much wine, is Zheenkeef. There
are those who can harness that deep assurance, that happy
strength, without the aid of wine, but for most, accessing
it requires drink in copious amounts. Just as those truly
touched by the Mother of Madness can experience inspiration without the aid of wine, those who are wisest can
contemplate her without the Creed. But for most, wine and
these sayings are necessary.
The fruit of the vine is sweet. Drink deep!
Always the first invocation of the Zhenkefan, this is a
remembrance of Zheenkeef’s gift of wine to the mortal
races. It is also a rumination on the power of Zheenkeef—
through her gift of wine, she makes life sweeter for the
mortal races. A Zhenkefan seeks to savor the sweetness
of life, finding the joy and vibrancy in all things,
most find only in wine. There is only one terrible sin
among them: to refuse to drink from the cup of life.
Life
is filled with wonder and despair, and many try to avoid
the despair by living quiet lives of caution, and miss the
wonder as well. Wine should not be sipped moderately,
and neither should life. One must live to the fullest, and
savor life’s wonder and sadness.
There is no joy without suffering
This is the saying in which the Zhenkefan ponders savoring despair. Zheenkeef is a goddess with bright red hair,
but is also embodied in the grapevine. In the summer,
the grapevine yields the grapes that make wine, but in
the winter, the vines must be
pruned constantly, or they will
not produce their bounty in
the following year. In legend,
Zheenkeef is often joyous and
wild, like the vines in bloom,
but at other times she is dark and
sorrowful, like the vines of winter,
undergoing the pain of a thousand
cuts.
She is the patron of tragedy,
sometimes filled with delight, but at
other times overtaken by dark madness.
Many of the ingenious artists and inventors
for whom she is Inspiration suffer from similar tragedy.
All that there is will be undone
Everything changes, and everything will change,
regardless of the hopes and endeavors of the mortal
races. For this reason, it is folly to become attached to
societies, structures, or any other mortal work. They will
all be washed away in the end.
The Zhenkefans, therefore, do not become attached to their inventions or ideas.
They happily turn them over to others who wish to waste
their time building upon those works, just as Zheenkeef gave music to her daughter to look after. For this
reason, Zhenkefans are more interested in the works of
those on the fringes of society, unfettered by convention,
than they are in the lives and times of the powerful and
noteworthy.
Only that which you have not done is worthy
Since nothing lasts, repetition of labor or ideas is an
utter waste of one’s life. Each person should broaden their
experiences—visit new places and cultures, learn new
things, and partake in new activities. It is particularly
good when a Zhenkefan manages something mortals have
never done before. Thus, invention and creativity are truly
holy pursuits.
Inspiration’s voice is felt, not heard
Zheenkeef is the goddess of intuition, the gut feeling, the
well of emotions deep below the surface, and harder to
interpret than the love, loyalty, and courage other gods
represent. Zhenkefans heed their intuition and act on
it, for it is the voice of Zheenkeef. It is in intuition that
inspiration and invention can be found. Giving oneself
over to one’s intuition is likened, by most, to madness.
Those who crave control are slaves
People who would impose law and structure on others
are deluded. They are slaves to their beliefs, as much in
need of liberation as those they seek to control. The Zhenkefans actively undermine lawful beliefs, usually through
mockery or humor, sometimes through debate and argument, and in some rare cases, through violent overthrow.
They know those who impose laws are wrong, and that
the only sensible laws are those all people agree to abide
by. Some Zhenkefans are so
individualistic that they believe
all laws are wrong, but most
are more democratic. So long
as people agree to laws, they
are valid. These beliefs make
vocal Zhenkefans unpopular with
authoritarian governments. It is rare
for vineyards take an active hand in
politics, however (what could be more
boring and repetitive?), so most authorities ignore them.
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