Thelleyn Doctrine

“There was nature before the Eye opened. Trees grew tall before the Fair Sister ever stirred. Our lady reveres a power greater and older than she, and so too must we. It is a fool who believes himself greater than nature, and folly has its price.” —Woodwarden Hillace, “The Fair Sister Speaks”

The Thellynites believe the lesson of the White Hart is easy to understand, though perhaps difficult to fully accept. As the mortal races grow in power, one might assume it eclipses that of anything else in the world. The Three Sisters gained power on their Journey to the East too, yet still saw forces greater than themselves. So too must mortals learn to respect the Earth, which came before Thellyne, and set her upon the riverbank of her birth. Nature is more powerful than mortals will ever be, so the Thellynites seek to follow its laws, as follows:
Silence
Thellynites learn to be still, listen deeply, and observe, rather than to act. All the best things in the world are so subtle that if you traipsed and trammeled through life, you’d miss it all. The Thellynites sanctify celebrations with silence, and their religious ceremonies involve more listening than speaking. They are an observant people, like the Sister they serve. Natural Cycles Even the most powerful mortal will die someday, his flesh consumed by the worms and turned to dirt. If we believe we are above the cycles of nature, we are fools, and will be destroyed. There is more power in the little animal that knows its place, than in a great wizard who believes he can break the natural order. This doctrine ensures Thellynites oppose anyone who would twist nature by, for example, changing animals and plants, raising the undead, or living forever. Caution The woods teach dangerous lessons. Assume you are safe, and the woods send a bear to eat you. Trust the firm ground beneath you, and the woods send quicksand. A Thellynite must always show caution and never assume he knows his surroundings, even if he’s been there a thousand times. Respect Thellynites demand respect for the ancient places of the Earth: woods, ancient caves, stony mountains, and other grand, natural places. They oppose those who disrespect or mar these places, whether for selfish gain or to win some advantage for their people.
The key to the doctrine is the premise that the natural cycle is innately good. Thellynites believe that left to its own, the natural world would grow into perfection and goodness. However, evil forces both mortal and unnatural, undermine the natural cycle. Thus, Thellynites oppose them.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion