Keitism

All Veiamic people worship the same pantheon of gods. The majority of people only think about the gods on holidays or if they seek a blessing or favour, and leave tending to the gods in the hands of druid circles.  Traditionally, druid circles operated independently, but around 700 years ago, a system of organizing them emerged.
The main thing that distinguishes Keitism from the old religion in general is that Keitists are part of a larger organization, and look to an archdruid as the ultimate source of wisdom that is filtered through the rings of the circle.  They refer to the Book of Ainokeinen, a collection of essays and poetry, as a source of wisdom.

Structure

Keitism is divided into Circles. At the top is the archdruid, who is considered the wisest of all and a direct intermediary between humans and Vatokäi. The first archdruid was Ainokeinen's apprentice, and his apprentice after that, to the present day.
Below the archdruid is the Deep Circle, a group of 9 druids considered the wisest. They are the highest court, and the most trusted group of philosophers. Members are known as deep druids, and they remain in the circle until their deaths. Only when a deep druid dies does a new opening on the circle become available. To become a member, a prospective druid must have their name put forward, and the remaining members of the circle choose among themselves who will be invited to join. The decision must be unanimous.
Below the Deep Circle are the grand circles. Grand circles don't have a set number of membership, but somewhere between 10 - 20 is the norm. Grand circles are typically named things like "Circle of the Oak" or "Circle of the Deep Wood." Members live spread among communities, where they serve as the highest local authority. Grand circles come together for meetings a few times a year.
Each member of a grand circle also heads a local circle, which consists of around 5 - 10 local members who live in close proximity and serve the day to day needs of their community. At the same level, there are also independent circles, which are within the jurisdiction of the nearest grand circle but do not have a grand circle member among them. Some of these are from very small communities, while others are intentionally isolated to focus on self reflection and study rather than serving communities.

Divine Origins

Keitism began around 700 years ago with the druid Ainokeinen.  Traditional Veiamic belief holds that the gods are largely separate from humans, and other than a basic respect for nature, the only time humans need to concern themselves with the gods is if they are looking for a particular favour. 
Ainokeinen believed that humans owed a debt to the gods for the bounty of nature, and that is was their obligation to live more in line with them.  Ainokeinen's writings about ways to revere nature, rituals to pay respect after using nature, and what animals were appropriate to eat and how to respectfully prepare them, make up a large section of the Book of Ainokeinen.  The rest of his writings involved wisdom about life in general, such as family dynamics and values.
Ainokeinen's teachings initially spread only locally, and he was seen as the most wise druid of his circle.  However, it happened that Ainokeinen lived in the region where the first printing press was invented.  Near the end of his life, his followers collected his writings and published them into the first Books of Ainokeinen.
Druids who espoused the Book of Ainokeinen advocated for literacy (as literacy and education were important values Ainokeinen wrote about) and used his book in free schools throughout the region.  This helped the teachings spread.  Ainokeinen chose a successor from his circle just before his death, who was entrusted with understanding and interpreting the writings he left behind.   His teachings began to be called keitism, with 'keit' meaning 'one', indicating an aspiration for unity with the gods. 
As Keitism caught on and began to be accepted wisdom in other druid circles, they began to look to Ainokeinen's circle for guidance, and the organization of circles began.  The current Archdruid is the direct successor of Ainokeinen, heading the original circle, which is now known as the Deep Circle.

Tenets of Faith

Keitism is concerned with the teachings of Ainokeinen.  The Book of Ainokeinen is quite dense, but over the years, subsequent Archdruids have consolidated 9 blessed traits and 9 grave sins that are considered the core of Keitism.

9 Blessed Acts

1. Use only what you need from nature, and no more
2. Follow the dietary guidelines (including types of foods and methods of slaughter)
3. Make offerings at shrines
4. Worship all 9 gods in equal amounts
5. Care for the dead
6. Care for the sick and elderly
7. Demonstrate the Four Principles: Filial piety, mercy, integrity, forgiveness
8. Celebrate each of the 9 festivals in honour of the Greater Gods
9. Educate your children

9 Grave Sins

1. Murder
2. Rape
3. Thievery
4. Adultery
5. Lying
6. Taking more than your share
7. Striking another outside of defence
8. Turning a blind eye to suffering
9. Catching another human's Lua

Priesthood

The druids of Keitism evolved out of the druids of the Old Religion. Druid circles in the Old Religion are self-governed and have no higher authority, but within Keitism, they are arranged in a hierarchy of circles that look to the archdruid as the leader.
In order to become a druid, a current member of a local circle must agree to take you on as an apprentice. A druid may only have one apprentice at a time; they cannot take another until the current one is either accepted as a fully-fledged member of a circle, or decides to leave. Every member of a circle must unanimously agree to accept a new member.
Though solitary druids exist in the Old Religion, they are not accepted in Keitism.

Founding Date

1 AK

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

Keitist Church, Church of Iemeina

Demonym

Keitist

Permeated Organizations

• Kingdom of Kaleina
• Vaansiam

Related Ethnicities

• Taalites