The Followers of Elemeer

The world is chaotic, unknowable, and dangerous. The Gods tried to warn us: "Only the strong shall survive", they said. It was not a call to action, but a warning. Constant change is necessary to survive this cruel world of ours, on a personal and social level. We must rise to meet the world as it is, and become the strongest not only physically, but emotionally and communally. We must not linger in comfort and familiarity, but travel to meet the world and understand it. By undertaking this exhausting journey in life, we can finally rest in death. This is the basic message of Elemeer.
For a Sonevan faith, and an Aquatic-based faith, Elemeer is surprisingly gentle. It sees no shame in life and calls for no punishment. Stagnation is weakness, but weakness punishes itself; mortals don't need to add misery to the world by punishing people for it. And while the community should not encourage weakness, it should not abandon those who are struggling. The community must be strong to provide as much mercy as it can for those who are a part of it, though it must also have the strength to abandon those who hold it back.
The supreme gods of Elemeer are the Elem or The Everything, and the Elemeer or The Universal Mission. The Elem is the soul of the universe. It is cruel but not without mercy, and it created the Elemeer was a way to become better than it. Elem tests us and torments us, but one must learn to love it in order to transcend it. The Elemeer, meanwhile, is that mission of transcendence and is often personified as a mysterious figure of constantly shifting form.
Many Gods exist as a combination of Elem and Elemeer. Bava, Spirit of the Sea is the most direct and perfect of these, though all deserve some worship. Alka the Spirit of the Currents is also incredibly important.

There are two main kinds of Elemeer being covered here: Surface Elemeer, for surface mortals, and Sea Elemeer, for aquatic species.

Structure

The ranks of Elemeer are as follows:

Rank	Duties
Holy Protector	Coordinating military defense of the faithful, and trade disputes
Pontiff	Government ritual and religious policy
Elder Priest	Greater community leadership, leading local priests
Priest	Local community leadership, advice, and ritual

It is worth noting that most religious activity occurs among the Priests and Elder Priests. Elder Priests in particular have the potential to be very widely respected and revered figures, while Pontiffs and Holy Protectors are more political positions.

Culture

Movement is Life

In Elemeer, a life lived in one place is a life lived in folly. Without travel, we do not grow. Pilgrimages are a critical part of any life event. Coming of age involves a grand tour; marriages require travel to be consecrated; funerals involve movement at least across town. Merchants are considered sacred and wise in Elemeer, as are explorers and sailors. Many surface Elemeer states encourage tours of duty with the military as a subsidized way to travel. Temples act as waystations, and every Elemeer house has a sacred duty to welcome travelers.
Beyond physical travel, 'mental travel' is encouraged. Wild dreaming is considered virtuous, as is lucid dreaming. Writing, as a way to inspire mental travel, is sacred. And learning new skills is sacred. People are encouraged to take on new skills and professions as they age, and mid-life apprenticeships are considered a sign of maturity and wisdom.
While on tour, one must be respectful and observant. To take from another's domain (such as fishing without aquatic race's permission or mining without prism permission) is an egregious sin. So is turning away someone asking for a place to stay. Those who violate guest rights or host rights are damnable creatures, cut off from the Elemeer. Also, eating squid is discouraged.

Species Preference: Born Apart, Move Together

Elemeer has a curious ideal system for surface species-relations (that does not always get implemented). Species typically are born apart from one another in semi-segregated communities, but are encouraged to move into mixed communities mid-childhood. Other species can visit these "children's towns" but cannot move there permanently without explicit permission. The idea is that every species community will be able to teach these kids species-specific food and medicine, but that new kinds of people will be normalized during the move.
This leads to a very species-fractured society, liable for competition between species-communities. Dryads and Humans tend to dominate society's priorities thanks to raw population power, but this is not always the case. Oftentimes these species-communities align with specific Lunar Pantheon patrons, who can cause moments of cross-species strife when they pit these groups against each other.

History

Aquatic Origins

Elemeer's aquatic origins are murky and poorly documented. The Cephapeople have short lifespans and must invest significant resources in keeping records for long spans of time, so what remnants of their ancient history remain today are mythologized and mixed together with local mythology. It seems likely that there was an ancient chain of charismatic spiritualists in the seas East of Sonev that improved on one another's ideas and slowly refined a religion over the generations that could fit all the reef-cultures equally.
But why were the seas East of Sonev so religious, when the rest of squidkind was loyal to the commandment "no Gods, no kings"? One theory blames their proximity to Runeva, the hyper-religious powerhouse of the surface nearby. According to this theory, the Runevans normalized the idea of organized religion and the mystics of the reefs took this idea and evolved it into something that worked for their society. Another theory pins the blame on the newly arrived Ruko, who brought a large group of foreign Cephapeople from Stildane, Suneka, and Ekraht. According to this theory, the sudden arrival of foreign cephapeople with foreign ideas, experiences, and a lot of foreign ghosts all created a crisis of ideas that the mystics were an answer to. Other theories locate the origin of Elemeer in a single charismatic originator or as a response to seismic activity. Like all things, the answer's probably some combination of the above.
Either way, by 1100 ME the Octoperson reef-cities and Squiddle nomads had both adopted formal priesthoods and a shared basic philosophy.

Amphibious Elemeer

Aquatic societies are not fond of international organization: the reef cities are isolated from each other, and the rest is primarily nomadic. Elemeer is not the only aquatic religion to have been made (though, as previously stated, they are quite rare), but it is special in that it survived and remained unified. So what made Elemeer special? Its amphibiousness seems to be the key. By having kingdoms on land keeping records and helping organize, Elemeer was able to become a lasting institution in a way that most aquatic faiths struggled to do.
Elemeer made this jump at the Kariza Isles, a small archipelago far off the East coast of Sonev. The Isles were an isolated land dependent on Cephapeople for trade and protection. The surrounding depths were full of Leviathans, and the Karizans, reef-folk, and squiddles had to work together to safely travel. After the kingdoms of the Karizas united to slay a rogue Leviathan that was threatening the nearby reef in 1110 ME, all who were involved were invited to bring their extended families to dine on its body in a great feast. A number of foreign squiddle and octopeople merchants that had helped slay this leviathan invited their community leaders to this feast, and it was a kind of accidental meeting of priests from across Sonev. A local Half-Dryad mystic by the name of Keteti the Curious met with these visiting priests and wrote everything they heard. Keteti had been deeply moved, and spoke with a newfound charismatic confidence to their fellow islanders.
Keteti joined with a Squiddle companion by the name of Dobru, to tour the great reefs and learn their secrets. Keteti's new magnetism attracted followers as they went, and Dobru used these followers for his own side project: creating very heavily armed warband to extract tribute wherever they went. Keteti was eventually killed by a different leviathan, but their message and writings survived. Their four apostles, Dobru, Amrin, Sura, and Nyamarja set out on their own pilgrimages to discover their own truths, and each spread Keteti's message in a different direction. Dobru united the reef-cities; Amrin went to the land of Majata; Sura went to the land of Rubava; and Nyamarja went to the land of Kabadi.

Elemeer arrived on the scene at a very auspicious time. Prior to the 1000s, Sonev was a milieu of proto-Ekaza religion. But the Empire of Runeva had been making moves to try and take control of the religion across the continent since the 700s, and pursued this domination much more aggressively after their civil war of 1060. Runeva even began trying to assert its religious dominance via military force in the early 1200s, setting off a domino effect of local religious crises. Western Sonev was also splintering off into Navana, sowing even greater continental chaos. Elemeer offered a great alternative that was willing to tolerate their old gods and closer connections to the aquatic trade network. 

Elemeer Spreads 

Elemeer jumped over to the Western oceans of Sonev in 1250, and even triggered a religious revolution in the largest and most militaristic of the aquatic empires there. For centuries, Elemeer spread rapidly across the seas while it struggled to consolidate itself into an organized religion on land. It was more a faith of merchants than kings during this time. Whenever a faith entered crisis, Elemeer would flow into the gaps, and gained significant ground in Western Sonev when Navana had a religious civil war in the late 1400s. 
But even as Elemeer spread far and wide, it was under constant attack and had few tools to defend its new converts. Runeva was a particularly daunting threat, as it crushed all attempts at organizing Elemeer in Eastern Sonev. The holy islands themselves even fell under siege, and were conquered by Runevan forces in 1648. Ultimately, it was up to the West Sonevan converts to create a formal hierarchy and defensive alliance: In the 1650s, the new Kingdom of Zirata held a massive priestly council, called the Diet of Harlyra, to hash out some kind of superstructure and defensive alliance for the Elemeer faithful. Dogma and doctrine was still left flexible, but the international Elemeer community agreed to a vast alliance for mutual defense and trade. 
Elemeer remains a diverse faith, and it still spreads across the seas.

Mythology & Lore

Mythology in Elemeer can be flexible, as it is more about the philosophical message than the specific tales of creation or triumph. Local areas often put their own spins on things or incorporate local deities into the pantheon.

Creation

From nothing came void, from void came darkness, from darkness came night, and from night came dawn. Dawn was the beginning of beginnings, and the world began. The world's essence, the Elem, simply created and acted for its own sake. But as it interacted within itself, it experienced sensations - hot, cold, pleasure, pain, rough, smooth. Elem's sensations became the pantheon. 
The Gods wandered the universe until they found our plane. There, they found a cosmic eggsack containing a thousand possible souls, forms of life. The Gods infused these eggs with their power and created the many species of the world. They took them under their wings, had them compete and fight to survive and prosper. No one knows how many species perished there, in those ancient days of primordial strife. But the world as we know it was made.

The Elemeer's Creation

In the early days of the world, three siblings known as the Araza (or "The First") wished to see beyond our feeble plane, to find the meaning of it all from on high. One was an Octopus, clever and wise; one was a Squid, nimble and sly; and one was a Cuttlefish, adaptable and expressive. They wove a rope a million tentacles long, and they flung it out of the ocean and into the sky. They climbed and climbed until they crawled into the heavens - only to find it an ocean all the more alien and strange. Above that ocean was air, then sky-ocean again. They climbed a thousand of these layers in what is known as the Ascending Sagas (a number of stories explaining many things about our world - how the cuttlefish bartered their voice for song, how the cephapeople slew giants and vexed Gods). 
Through their struggles, the Araza faced great trials and torments from Elem. But eventually they climbed their way to the Afterlife, from which they could see all the universe splayed out before them. It had no meaning or order, only beauty. Baza and Alka, greatest of the Gods, took pity on them and appealed to Elem to speak with them. Elem was moved by these displays and offered the Araza one last climb. This time, it was out of the universe entirely, into absolute peace of the beyond. The Elemeer had been made. The Araza's children became the Aquatic races.

Cosmological Views

The world is endless, shifting, and ultimately pointless. The grand design means nothing. The personal interactions, the sensations and feelings and memories, are incredibly important. The Afterlives are a mercy, but not a solution. Only escape is.
The General Pantheon is as follows:

• Elem and Elemeer: the universe and its escape
• Baza, the God of the Sea and the Heavens (which are another sea). Also the dead. Often wears a mask
• Alka, God of Currents, Winds, Change, and Direction. Messenger and Enabler of growth. Often associated with Halcyon
• Tunelo, Goddess of the Land and Earthly authority. Also Halcyon
• Ratsev, God of Coral, Growth, and Construction.
• Rohdsa, Goddess of Crustaceans and Snakes
• Taseva, God of light and guardian of travelers
• Sirit, Goddess of Deep Depths, Darkness, and Secrets
• Sonkoshi, Goddess of Poison, Volcanoes, and Punishment

The Lunar Pantheon is also revered as Gods, specifically patron Gods of the various land species. Elemeer is perhaps the most accepting of commonfolk using the Divine Contact. Lunar interference, factions, and infighting is accepted as a simple fact of life.

Tenets of Faith

• Become Strong in Every Way: Physical, mental, and emotional strength are great virtues; as is community strength
• Be Strong Enough to Persist, Be Strong Enough to Let Go: Stick true to your community and your family, but do not let your emotional attachments drag you down from spiritual success
• Never Stagnate: Travel, learn new things, go on pilgrimages. Only by pushing oneself can one grow
• Feel to the Fullest: The world must be accepted and experienced at its fullest to be transcended. Restrain no emotion, feel everything you can
• Seek the Transcendent: You have a duty to pursue wisdom. When the world gives you a sign, pursue it. Think deeply on the world and search for wisdom. 

Ethics

Morality in Elemeer is about intent above all. The world is beyond our control, and our actions can always be twisted to do harm. There is no justice in punishing someone for consequences if they intended well, as good intent demonstrates a willingness to grow and avoid such consequences when possible. In Elemeer-inspired legal codes, proving intent is always the first matter of business. Only if intent cannot be proven can consequences be used to convict. Accidents go unpunished, but good deeds driven by ill intent are shamed.
In addition to intent-based morality, Elemeer advocates for rehabilitative justice when possible. Punitive 'justice' simply adds to negativity and weakness to the world, while rehabilitating offenders increases the net positivity and strength. Not all Elemeer societies or states keep to these values, of course.

Worship

Individual Worship

Individual worship is seen as exercise as well as divine supplication. Instead of sacrificing animals, goods, or food, you are sacrificing your effort. Worship is seen as a way to curate strength and virtue, just as important to yourself as to the divine. It can take many forms, including actual physical exercise done in a thankful and ritualistic way. 
The prescribed worship routine is a session of challenging worship 2 or 3 times a week. Challenging worship can be physically, mentally, or spiritually challenging: a workout, an hour of meditation, memorizing a mantra, or moral contemplation of one's actions. The important thing is that it is something you want to become better at, or goes towards self improvement in some way. In between these days of challenging worship, one should have a day where one "Listens". Listening in this context means listening to the world by focusing on memory and sensation. An example would be putting on a blindfold and focusing entirely on a breeze or on a rough surface or on the heat of the sun. Another example might be lying down for half an hour and just reliving a memory as vividly as possible. Listening is just as important as Challenging Worship; it provides context, reflection, and grounding in reality, as well as opportunity for the Gods to send you a message. 

Community Worship

Communities frequently come together to strengthen their bond - often once a week or once every two weeks depending on the time availability of all involved. Ritual is exercise of the community, just as worship is the exercise of the individual. Rituals often focus on group movement and sensation over doctrine and dogma, though priests will typically have the community repeat a handful of relevant mantras or hymns. 
Many rituals, including important annual rituals, involve specially constructed temples when performed on the surface. They involve three dimensional placement of people and items, something much easier done underwater than on the surface. For this reason, Elemeer temples have specifically constructed ritual platforms and rafters, often equipped with pullies if a major festival is approaching.

Priesthood

The lower and lower-mid priesthood is the most important in Elemeer. Some are magicians, but many are simply wise folk who are beloved by their communities. Priests typically train several possible replacements, but communities need to accept the new priest before they can be confirmed. 
Surface priests often wear robes with blue ribbons or strings, to better catch the wind.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Elemeer is a very localized faith, and the most important actors operate on a local or regional level. That said, the upper-level leadership is extremely important in facilitating the population movement that Elemeer thrives on. 
The priests and temples play important roles as teachers, doctors, inn-keepers, and community pillars. Not every priest is a healer or a teacher, though. Sometimes secular teachers and doctors just ply their trade with the temple as a middleman. 
Perhaps the greatest influence of Elemeer on the global stage is their influence on free trade and movement. The upper leadership fights all barriers to migration, commerce, and travel. They oppose state border enforcement (with blockades against the Empire of Runeva being a notable exception), tariffs, and xenophobic laws. The local temples provide safe harbor for travelers, assist local merchants, and help upkeep the roads and docks.

Sects

There aren't much in the way of sects in Elemeer, but the way the faith manifests on land and underwater are very different. The closest thing to a sect is Border Elemeer, the way that the faith stratifies and militarizes when nearby the Empire of Runeva - and to a lesser extent with the Navana faith. A lot of the cuddlier aspects of Elemeer dry up in proximity to such conflict, and the "strength above all" elements become more violent than inspiring.
In terms of Holy Orders, several exist:

• There are the Messengers of Alka, a holy order in the seas of Izekra and Ekraht that serve as the vanguard of the faith. They evangelize along the currents and protect their messengers with violent force. This order is overwhelmingly aquatic, but a small humanoid version exists. 
• Then there are the Wandering Sages, an order of mystics, mages, and warriors that wander established Elemeer lands. They bounce from temple to temple in small groups, helping out communities and rooting out enemies of the faith. Wandering Sages have been known to gather adventuring groups around themselves to work as elite contractors, and many recruit from the disillusioned expeditionaries of Asalay to bolster their ranks. There are several chapters of the Wandering Sages, but the largest is based in the central Sonevan kingdom of Zirata. There is a mercenary element to them - they receive commendations from priests as they go, and can turn these commendations in for money whenever they check into headquarters. Big problems solved can mean a big payout, for some. The Lunar Gods Haru, Emesh, and Wimbo are all very supportive of this group and have been known to help fund and equip them.  

The Strong Survive

Founding Date

1120 ME

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Demonym

Elemeer

Permeated Organizations

• Federation of Alasha
• Kingdom of Orpora

Deities

• Halcyon
• The Masked One

Related Historical Events

• 1120 ME
  Elemeer's Spread

Aquatic Species, for reference:

• Octopeople, keepers of the reefs
• Squiddle, ocean nomads
• Cuttlefolk, adaptable travelers