Kysan

Asking a nelin for a favour is as fruitless as wishing upon a star. Instead, like any other relationship, a show of respect might be repaid with respect in return.

— Local terrelni

The Spirits of the Living World

Garyiala's native folk religion revolves around spirits called nelin. Many centuries ago, humans and nelin lived side by side, but a great divide made the spirits retreat from the mortals’ settlements, which were becoming bigger and ever bigger. Nelin settled in their invisible form in nature and now only rarely make themselves visible to mortals.
There are believed to be at least a thousand different types of nelin, both good and bad, kind hearts and tricksters. There are nelin associated with the sun and moons, forest, mountains, rivers and roads, specific plants and stones, with natural phenomena such as sunlight, the four winds and thunder, and more obscure concepts such as fortune, wisdom, and those who have died an unjust death.

Intimate Worship and Cultural Events

Nelin are worshipped at household and public shrines. Worship is a personal affair and it depends solely on the practitioner when they bring an offering to a specific nelin. As Kysan does not have a central authority, public shrines are tended to by terrelni, individuals who have dedicated their whole life to Kysan. They often also lead festivals and larger offerings. Anybody can become a terrelni, though care of shrines is often passed down the family.
Where and when Kysan originated is unknown, and many aspects of Kysan have become ingrained in Garyialan culture. Non-practitioners and adherents of other religions often partake in Kysan traditions and festivities. For example, Longest Light and Longest Night are celebrated on the day of the summer solstice and winter solstice respectively.

Famous Legends

Most, if not all, Garyialans have grown up listening to Kysan legends. Most famous are the legends of the Burnt Falcon and the Crystal Heron taming chaos and making the land livable, of the Elden Tree binding the three earthly realms of sky, land and water, and the Three Shards of Heaven preventing chaos from rising again.
The Three Shards of Heaven are the most typical symbol used in the Kysan religion. The shards can be found carved into rocks, trees, gates and sculpture, often guiding travelers to shrines of nelin.

by Me