Descendants of Batu

The Descendants of Batu are those people who worship Batu, typically deified as the father god of earth, stone and rock. The Descendants are loosely organized, with each settlement having its own temple. There is no religious head as such, though the greatest and most influential temple is located in Nero, the Temple of Terracotta. It is most influential in Red Veil, but with significant influence in both Yersia and the Empire of Suon.

Public Agenda

Preservation of the natural world. Ensuring the safe transfer of the soul back into earth after death to join Batu. Combating infernal and magical abominations.

Assets

Each Apostle has his or own temple, which is then handed down to their Deacon upon death. Temples are usually boxy, made from claystone or red brick, and generally humble in appearance. Temples usually have two storeys with a basement. The ground floor is the public space for weekly sermons, as well as kitchens and gardens; the upper floor is the dorms of the novices; the lower floor is usually a basement worship area held for the most sacred rites, as well as the Apostle and Deacons' private residence.

Mythology & Lore

The Descendants believe that Batu shaped the known world out of a great claybowl, that his fingers shaped and molded everything and everyone individually.

Tenets of Faith

Humility: Being humble is the greatest virtue of Batu followers. To reach beyond your means, or seek to shape the world to your own personal whims, is great disrespect to the creator. Conservationist: Preserving natural spaces as much as possible; limiting the space that cities take up and teaching people about ecological concepts. Anti-magic: Magic is viewed by followers of Batu as vainglorious, dangerous and corrupting. Most faithful do not see this as a reason to be violent, but rather they see is as their duty to isolate those with magic or suppress their abilities.

Ethics

Equal Footing: The faithful do not begin a conversation until all participants are on equal footing literally within their space. Faithful do not talk down physically to others, especially when the others are older, wiser or more accomplished than them. Making Oaths or Promises: If somebody makes a promise, a faithful may ask, "Your word as Earth?" and the reply, in the affirmative, is usually, "My word as strong."

Worship

Whittling, pottery, or craft: Most faithful try to master some kind of creative craft that are used to decorate their homes. This is akin to meditation for the faithful. Prayer: Faithful in the cities usually go to the temple to pray. Rural worshippers without a Temple may have their own altars or just simply pray in a quiet space. To pray, worshippers pinch some earth (or other natural material) between their index finger and thumb and hold it aloft to the sun. They utter their prayer, then drop the natural material to conclude their prayer. In a Temple, stones are placed under pews to be picked up during prayers. Brownwash: Babies, children or hopeful novices are inducted into the faith with a Brownwash - faithful must dig up enough fresh earth to fill a bath, then bathe in the filth, worms or leeches included. The Apostle will submerge the supplicant for the length of the Hymn of Batu. When they emerge, they are pledged to serve Batu. The Wedding Wall: Grooms and brides pledge their fealty to Batu in oaths given before the Apostle. Afterwards, each attendee of the wedding places bricks into a frame to build a 'family' wall that is supposed to represent the first home of the new couples' marriage. Each brick may be colored differently, engraved with messages, or concealing secret offerings for the couple's virility. The couple thank each person who submits a brick, and gifts little handicrafts in return. When the Wedding Wall is complete and full (typically around 64 bricks), the Apostle announces that the couple is now one before Batu. Afterwards there is feasting, merriment and music. Funerals: Descendants believe that the body should return to the earth, to nourish it, and return to Batu. The deceased are encased in brick, stone or marble coffins, the quality of which denotes the wealth of the deceased. Plainly dressed and barefooted mourners listen to a deacon (or apostle, depending on the location and importance of the deceased) give a short sermon about the person's life. After that, the coffin is sealed shut. Upon its stone lid, tiles are placed. Each mourner may approach and hit the tiles with a hammer, once, and whisper a prayer. The heir or next of kin collects these smashed tiles and may make Memorial Mosaics with them. The coffins are lowered into the ground and later on novices cover the grave with earth. After the ceremony, the family member may hold a small feast, party or meal.

Priesthood

Worship of Batu is loosely organized on a local level. Apostles: Religious leaders who manage their own temples, organize religious festivals, lead ceremonies, as well as wild a lot of power relative to where their temple is. They wear pure white linen robes. Deacons of Batu: The deacons are the left and right hands of the Apostles, serving as deputy leaders. They are the senior clergy of a given temples. Their duties usually include training novices, supporting their Apostle, leading excavations and pilgrimages, and so forth. When the Apostle dies, he will will the temple to one of his deacons. Deacons usually wear patchwork linen robes of different pastel colors. Novices of Batu: The junior clergy of a given temple, usually numbering between five and twenty. They attend lessons given by the deacons, clean, cook, tend gardens and scribe. Novices get given a different linen robe for each undertaking that they study. With each new robe and job they are trained in, they merge the robes together into patchworks.

Green robes: Gardening and cooking.
Blue robes: Reading, writing and scribing.
Brown robes: Cleaning and repairwork.
Yellow robes: Musical skill
Red robes: Martial skills
White robes: Craft skills
Grey robes: History and geography

Political Influence & Intrigue

Many Apostles do not openly wield political influence such as settling in courts or being appointed to councils. Instead the Apostles discreetly let the powerful know of their wishes, and are often heard due to their ability to whip up religious fervor against the vainglorious.