A'nuiism
"Shhhush now, little flower, the maiden whispered. She made way with her love arts and met many men. In her mind was the life of everflowing water, in her breast was the gasp of uncorrupted youth, between her legs the fiery swarm of love. Their bodies of earth, like musk filled ocean, he took her under."
Structure
A'nuisim is a belief in a multitude of humanoid spirits with supernatural powers. There is no overarching authority on the faith, as it is more of a permeating belief system amongst the settlers of the eastern shores of Oceos'lo'kai and the surrounding maritime regions. There are however, specialized individuals known as shamans, who regularly engage with spirits and the dead, and are often willing to perform their services for reasonable exchanges. Shamans who have practiced their arts for a long period of time are gradually referred to as Grand Shamans, who posess considerable magical powers.
Culture
Oceos'lo'kaiian belief system of many diverse gods, goddesses, and other hybrid mixtures of beliefs all across the spectrum.
Spirits are most often depicted as young maidens and brave warriors, recalling a variety of traits seemingly borrowed from other myths and legends around the world.
History
Early on in the Era of Light, many nomadic travelers found themselves lost in the space-time changing affects of the Mein'ong Jungle, flowing from one state of being to another for thousands of years. It was not until the Era of Dusk that these groups finally made their way to the coastlines on the eastern shores and the Eversoul Ocean.
These small communities began settling and trading through coastal networks, and all held a of mutual terror and awe of the Meino'ng Jungle and all the mysteries that lay within. These coastal communities would eventually grow into the great La'Taos Confederacy, bringing their culture and beliefs with them.
Mythology & Lore
A great myriad of spirits populate the folklore of this faith. These spirits are often represented in human form as characters in the many tales of the Oceos'lo'kaiian culture. The Great Jungle, otherwise known as the Meino'ng Jungle, and the Great Sea, otherwise known as the Eversoul Ocean are representative of the greater natural forces at work within the world.
The spirits manifest deep in the jungles, far out at sea, or within the dreams of people. They are each equally valued and respected for their contributions to the prosperity of the Oceos'lo'kaiians.
Divine Origins
Believed to be an offshoot of Meinongism, this belief system came about after the Oceos'lo'kaiians developed in the mindbending environment of the Meino'ng Jungle.
Cosmological Views
The world has always been a dream, and we are but the dancers of the dream. The Many Gods of the Great Jungle play within the dream with mortals. Man was born of the jungle, shaped and molded by her twisting vines and her piquant berries. He ate of many strange fruits and had many strange dreams within his dream. There, the spirits A'tomos and Dar'gan lay with the men and his women. There they learned the ancient love arts. From the womb of Woman was born a great multitude of spirits, spritely young children, fair maidens, brave warriors, and all the like. Their eyes glowed a concordance of colors and their hair flowed with emeralds, diamonds, nura crysts, and all the like. Adorning their bodies were shells of clothes and teeth of robes, from their hands pearls dripped like distant fine wine emroidering upon the brow. The Great Jungle had gifted them the power of the Light, and from the Light came a great Darkness, which was banished to the lair of the Mal'okai. Three kings bore witness upon the decimation of the World then, a great Sundering had collapsed the old worlds, and a new world was promised to Arr'lomos, who would go on to deflower the Women, and caused a great ruckus. The Secret became the Truth. The Truth became the Light. And the Light became the Spirits. The Four False Ones would go on beyond the Great Jungle and to the Endless Sands and Fury and lay with the Far Reach Lands and bear their children there instead. When the descendents of the unworthy settled in the Far Reach, the only survivors came upon the Eversoul, an expanse of walkless land which turned and cooed with the sigh of gulls, and the shrill piercings of the midnabird. Her sands filled with the salted loins of a great celebration. And the survivors loved and lit the great flames and feasted twelve long nights. This was in favor of the feasting of the sealanders, who bore gifts for the Distant Lands and brought with them strange things and many pleasant oddities. The spirits still reside within the Great Jungle, spread throughout the Great Eversoul. Go there to learn the nature of your soul, and the will of the spirits. In all your multitudes.
Worship
The Oceos'lo'kaiian calendar is filled with holidays and festivals dedicated to their many gods, in addition to their own personal gods. Every night upon an Oceos'lo'kaiian ship finds some new reason to drink and celebrate.
Shamans are consulted for more serious inquiries into matters of the divine and spiritual worlds.
Priesthood
Shamans guide the believers of this pantheon, aiding individuals with their advice, magical rites, and other performances. Shamans are individualistic people who spend most of their time away from the rest of society, often further developing their skills by communing with nature.
Political Influence & Intrigue
While this belief holds very little sway over political matters, many Oceos'lo'kai individuals, from great chieftains to common thieves, claim motivation for their acts come from the spirits.
We are all but dancers.
A shamanistic belief system in an afterlife of souls with otherworldly abilities, heroes, villains, and a lost ancient race under the sea. In all your multitudes.
Founding Date
7969
Type
Religious, Pantheon
Leader Title
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Related Ethnicities