Church of Tsukiyo
Tsukiyo’s church is decentralized, united more by common traditions than by any ruling authority. Priests work alone or in small groups to attend to a larger region’s needs. This is because Tsukiyo’s goals are generally modest in scope, with little interest in glory, crusades, or the wholesale defeat of evil. Instead, the church promotes tasks such as education, purification, and introspection.
Many of Tsukiyo’s followers embrace a wandering lifestyle that lets them travel the land, much as their patron patrols the sky. This attracts a large number of wilderness enthusiasts who seek a stronger moral compass than many nature divinities provide. In practice, Tsukiyans regularly adopt natural wonders as sacred sites, such as Kasai’s Tree of Souls, which runs with healing sap. The faith also plays a central role in Minkai politics; Tsukiyo is believed to have created the Jade Throne, a physical representation of rulership and divine right that emphasizes his role as Prince of the Moon and thus a ruler of Heaven itself. He likewise encourages emperors to embrace peace and contemplation as they issue edicts that affect diverse populations.
Because Tsukiyo’s priests regularly defend and foster those who think differently than their neighbors, his church functions as a haven for those who would otherwise be belittled or demonized for their mental differences: the neurodivergent; those with mental illness, epilepsy, or learning disabilities; and even those censured for using the wrong hand to write. His faithful include many such individuals, who perceive Tsukiyo’s idiosyncrasies, self-conscious behavior, and purposeful isolation as a reflection of their own experiences. Whether they find strength in his example, his stories, or his magic, such worshippers are far better equipped to recognize others like themselves and know what kind of support to provide. Although the church has only an informal hierarchy, it encourages this same mental diversity in its communities’ leadership roles.
Worship and ceremonies are events for self-reflection, healing, and inclusion, so they tend to be upbeat, with soft music. Each community’s version of a ritual is slightly different, for every congregation revises its traditions as needed to ensure a welcoming environment for all members. As a result, sudden sounds and lights are very rare, and special effects such as fireworks are virtually unheard of in Tsukiyan ceremonies. Jade, which represents both harmony and purity, appears frequently in rituals, and it is common to bury the dead with a jade token, or with a green-painted talisman if the valuable stone is outside an individual’s means.
Tsukiyo’s numerous rural shrines are more likely to appear without a conjoined shrine to Shizuru. Although most often built in forests, these shrines appear anywhere that is sufficiently underdeveloped, providing seclusion without being inaccessible to an able traveler. They often serve as havens for priests and travelers, and are especially common in the Forest of Spirits and Wall of Heaven.
Priests also take a role in mortuary practices, both ensuring the proper treatment of bodies and watching over the dead. Tsukiyo’s faithful regularly patrol cemeteries, tending to the grounds as they watch for signs of supernatural disturbance. Whether it’s the vengeful ghost of a loved one or the haunted mausoleum of a late ruler, a priest of Tsukiyo is typically responsible for calming the disturbance.
Tsukiyo’s priests travel regularly and rarely stay in the same community for more than a few months unless a patient requires ongoing assistance. Each priest travels a large circuit of communities that overlap both the circuits of other Tsukiyans and more secluded regions with few inhabitants. The latter serve as retreats; Tsukiyo’s priests regularly withdraw to wooded refuges to meditate and recharge. Each settlement typically knows where the nearest such refuge is, in the event of an emergency.
Although many of his priests are clerics or champions, Tsukiyo sponsors a large number of oracles—particularly among those who already have a preexisting affliction. A modest number of druids and rangers also serve the church and fulfill some priestly duties. Because Tsukiyo returned from the dead, the many-lived samsarans are especially well represented among his followers.
Tsukiyo’s worshippers sometimes adventure to protect the dead and quell restless spirits. They also help companions come to terms with the underestimated shock of adventuring, lending a sympathetic ear and calming words to those who would otherwise cope with the horrors of dungeoneering in unhealthy ways.
Many of Tsukiyo’s followers embrace a wandering lifestyle that lets them travel the land, much as their patron patrols the sky. This attracts a large number of wilderness enthusiasts who seek a stronger moral compass than many nature divinities provide. In practice, Tsukiyans regularly adopt natural wonders as sacred sites, such as Kasai’s Tree of Souls, which runs with healing sap. The faith also plays a central role in Minkai politics; Tsukiyo is believed to have created the Jade Throne, a physical representation of rulership and divine right that emphasizes his role as Prince of the Moon and thus a ruler of Heaven itself. He likewise encourages emperors to embrace peace and contemplation as they issue edicts that affect diverse populations.
Because Tsukiyo’s priests regularly defend and foster those who think differently than their neighbors, his church functions as a haven for those who would otherwise be belittled or demonized for their mental differences: the neurodivergent; those with mental illness, epilepsy, or learning disabilities; and even those censured for using the wrong hand to write. His faithful include many such individuals, who perceive Tsukiyo’s idiosyncrasies, self-conscious behavior, and purposeful isolation as a reflection of their own experiences. Whether they find strength in his example, his stories, or his magic, such worshippers are far better equipped to recognize others like themselves and know what kind of support to provide. Although the church has only an informal hierarchy, it encourages this same mental diversity in its communities’ leadership roles.
Worship and ceremonies are events for self-reflection, healing, and inclusion, so they tend to be upbeat, with soft music. Each community’s version of a ritual is slightly different, for every congregation revises its traditions as needed to ensure a welcoming environment for all members. As a result, sudden sounds and lights are very rare, and special effects such as fireworks are virtually unheard of in Tsukiyan ceremonies. Jade, which represents both harmony and purity, appears frequently in rituals, and it is common to bury the dead with a jade token, or with a green-painted talisman if the valuable stone is outside an individual’s means.
Temples & Shrines
Tsukiyo’s conventional temples appear in settlements where his beloved Shizuru’s houses of worship appear. The two faiths construct structures that abut one another, allowing for both the practical and symbolic intersection of the deities’ resources. There are no firm standards for these conjoined temples, though in practice Tsukiyo’s tend to be somewhat smaller, and Shizuru’s often occupy whichever side enjoys the most direct access to sunlight throughout the year. These temples typically feature a central courtyard, atrium, or skylight to admit moonlight and allow astronomers a sheltered place to track the moon’s passage across the sky. Even more common are dim, quiet rooms where visitors and priests alike can retreat to hold conversations or seek peace.Tsukiyo’s numerous rural shrines are more likely to appear without a conjoined shrine to Shizuru. Although most often built in forests, these shrines appear anywhere that is sufficiently underdeveloped, providing seclusion without being inaccessible to an able traveler. They often serve as havens for priests and travelers, and are especially common in the Forest of Spirits and Wall of Heaven.
Clothing
Tsukiyo’s followers favor green and white for their clothing, with more expensive outfits incorporating silver or jade accessories. The exact style and cut are largely up to individual choice, so clothing ranges from formal robes to utilitarian garb. These outfits typically include multiple layers in different shades, with several places where the wearer can tie back part of a jacket, cape, or other outer garment to display the lighter colors beneath. Tsukiyans often adjust their outfits over the course of a month to evoke the phases of the moon.A Priest’s Role
Tsukiyo’s priests serve a wide range of functions. Though all priests are expected to fulfill these tasks as needed, it’s typical for them to favor a smaller set of responsibilities as befits their passions and abilities. The most common responsibility is counseling; priests provide spiritual and psychological support to troubled individuals—particularly those labeled by society as insane. Where madness stems from possession or a curse, a priest endeavors to cleanse the affliction. Where psychological abnormalities are intrinsic to the person, a priest instead provides assistance, teaching the community to respect and even celebrate that person’s identity, using spiritual concepts to explain their idiosyncrasies more easily. However, Tsukiyo’s faithful defer to the desires of those they counsel and seek more serious treatment for those who wish it, especially in the case of mental issues that are causing or aggravating internal suffering.Priests also take a role in mortuary practices, both ensuring the proper treatment of bodies and watching over the dead. Tsukiyo’s faithful regularly patrol cemeteries, tending to the grounds as they watch for signs of supernatural disturbance. Whether it’s the vengeful ghost of a loved one or the haunted mausoleum of a late ruler, a priest of Tsukiyo is typically responsible for calming the disturbance.
Tsukiyo’s priests travel regularly and rarely stay in the same community for more than a few months unless a patient requires ongoing assistance. Each priest travels a large circuit of communities that overlap both the circuits of other Tsukiyans and more secluded regions with few inhabitants. The latter serve as retreats; Tsukiyo’s priests regularly withdraw to wooded refuges to meditate and recharge. Each settlement typically knows where the nearest such refuge is, in the event of an emergency.
Although many of his priests are clerics or champions, Tsukiyo sponsors a large number of oracles—particularly among those who already have a preexisting affliction. A modest number of druids and rangers also serve the church and fulfill some priestly duties. Because Tsukiyo returned from the dead, the many-lived samsarans are especially well represented among his followers.
Adventurers
Thanks to their tendency to travel, devout Tsukiyans easily fall into the adventuring life as an extension of their duties or out of a desire to assist misunderstood innocents. This is especially true of mentally divergent worshippers fleeing the intolerant communities of their youth in search of acceptance, often finding this love and support in an adventuring group. Tsukiyans’ empathy makes them natural envoys, particularly to maligned cultures or when dealing with outcasts from traditionally hostile groups.Tsukiyo’s worshippers sometimes adventure to protect the dead and quell restless spirits. They also help companions come to terms with the underestimated shock of adventuring, lending a sympathetic ear and calming words to those who would otherwise cope with the horrors of dungeoneering in unhealthy ways.
Tsukiyo’s Champion Code
The champions of Tsukiyo are patient teachers and wardens. They tend not to settle in any one community, either wandering from town to town or living a reclusive existence away from noteworthy settlements. However, these champions are rarely far from communities in need, and they readily answer the call to shield a victim or destroy an undead menace. Their tenets include the following affirmations.- I am the voice for those who go unheard, be they spirits who cannot speak or those whom society has judged as broken or insane. I shall open the doors for others to listen to the voiceless when I can, and when I cannot, I will speak in the words of the voiceless, not my own.
- I am the eyes for those who cannot understand the truths of others who are not like them. I shall teach others how to accept, support, and celebrate those who think and speak differently than they do.
- I am the guide for mortal minds and souls. I shall offer kindness and aid to the lost, the frightened, the confused, and the dead. I shall calm restless spirits, and I shall banish violent ones with what compassion I can provide without endangering others.
- A different perspective can bring both fulfillment and pain. I do not judge those who wish to remain as they are, no matter what disadvantages it may bring them, nor do I judge those who suffer and wish to be changed.
- There is no shame in madness, and so I do not make madness shameful by imposing it on my enemies as a punishment. Though darkness and attacks on the mind are tools I may use to vanquish the unjust, my actions will never force lasting insanity upon my foes.
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