Vitalism
The Church of the Divine Vital Essence (or simply, The Church) is the largest and most organized religion of Selestya, and the predominant religion of the Commonwealth. Vitalists draw energy from and honour Life, or Mother Nature, named Ngana (Torgish) or Vitalia (Southron). The Church is at present politically active and powerful, though originally much less powerful than its rival in the Life sphere, the Keltic church. Since the decline of the Torgish Empire, though, the Vitalist Church has surged in popularity and power, eclipsing the Keltic religion, and pretty much fully replacing it in the southern part of Selestya.
Structure
The Vitalist Church is largely a matriarchal religion, though not exclusively so. It has a structured hierarchy, ruled by the Gaia, or mother, who is reincarnated from generation to generation, and is the head and representative of Life. Shortly after the ascension of a new Gaia (at the death of the previous), the child Gaia is promoted and a new child is sought (who presumably has been the recipient of the outgoing Gaia's soul). The new child Gaia-to-be, once selected, is brought back to the holy city in Girvan and is instructed in her duties (largely ceremonial) by the "Council of Nine" -- nine na-Gaia (literally sister of the Mother, or Aunt).
There are several other na-Gaia, each responsible for an Environ (district or dicocese), usually a country-sized region (Environs: Girvan (primary), the father (Issur), the children (Streffen, Hardovi and Merryl), the Elvish city-states, Camellotte, Passau and Pryvalia, Whiston and Wootton, and a token presence for the former Torgish Empire). Below the na-Gaia (Holy) are the Elder Brothers and Elder Sisters (Reverend) of the Church, with then just Brothers and Sisters (Blessed), following in rank below this. Elders are generally responsible for cities or regions (parish), and Brothers and Sisters in charge of a single church. Itinerant priests are called clerics, though the common nomenclature will often be Brother or Sister as well.
In terms of physical presence, from bottom to top, most hamlets will at least have a shrine, if not a small church, serviced by an intinerant Sister or Brother for the region, who can be anticipated to appear at least once a month - with the largest town and/or church in the area being their residence. Mid- and larger-sized towns will have a full temple and a full time Sister/Brother servicing the community, a quite likely acolytes to tend day to day needs (and nearby smaller congragations). Cities will likely have a larger church or cathedral, with an Elder and several Siblings overseeing the parish. The largest cities, city-states and capitols will have a Na-Gaia overseeing the Environ. These Na-Gaia report to the Council of Nine, though in theory they're all the same rank.
Culture
The average Vitalist believer has more than likely grown up in the religion, and tend to attend services on a schedule relative to their level of devotion and belief (like anywhere else, really). The Church isn't arsed about attendance, as a whole, as they know they're the main game in town, and sooner or later everyone is going to come round, for healing and blessing if nothing else. Again, in theory, blessings and healing are supposed to be given out freely, but you know, an offering is always appreciated.
There are probably more colourful oaths from those of a Vitalist persuasion than in other religions, simply by virtue of so many people identifying with and being familiar with this religion and the stories and parables of the gods, and the Gaia herself. "By the Four," is a common one and certinaly not exclusive to Vitalism (four being a significant number in the entire cosmology of Selestya) and it's not always clear which Four we're tlaking about. "Vedar's Balls" is supposed to refer to the gambling tools of the luck god, but there's really no hiding the meaning of "Rosa's" or (for the particularly daring) "Gaia's Tits." Testicles and breasts are as good to swear by (or express about) as anywhere else, one supposes. Also, given some of the lore around Navit Rosa, or the scandlaous Navit Vedar, chances are they don't mind the oaths so much.
Mythology & Lore
Vitalism as a religion holds dear the sanctity of life and its preservation -- ideally of any race or religion, though many Vitalists fall short of this lofty ideal. Vitalists worship many gods, but ideally hold no one god as any more sacred than another. The true object of worship is the force of Life itself, and this is where the divine power comes from. Of course, many worshippers have a favoured god and seek to emulate him or her, and this is where domains come in handy. The Vitalist holy symbol is the ankh.
The gods are represented in the temples, cathedrals and churches by statues, and called by their title Navit (child of Life) and Vitalist name (Navit Rosa, Navit Vedar, etc.) much like saints, though in the smaller, poorer churches, only their icons will represent them. These are the gods worshipped by the Vitalist church, and their respective domains.
Cosmological Views
Vitalism is open to members of any race, as are all the religions. It should be noted that no religion or god is race-specific in Selestya. The various human races make up the bulk of Vitalists, again primarily in the central-southern regions of Selestya, though there are those among the giant and even faerie races (largely the Dwarves and the Aes Sidhe) that have joined the faith.
The Vitalist believes that his soul enters the Shadow lands on his death, where his accumulated works will determine his place in the afterlife.
Priesthood
Vitalist clerics, then, have the domains available to them of all the gods (not just one) worshipped. Some domains are forbidden them however. Spells from domains chaos, death, destruction, evil, law, from the PH, and beastmaster, celerity, domination, madness, and pestilence domains from the DOF cannot be used by Vitalist clerics, even if it falls under a god’s description. On the other hand, the prestige domains community, creation, divination, exorcism, glory, inquisition, mind, mysticism, and summoning are available -- even to new characters. Also, clerics cannot destroy the undead by turning. Their turning attempts will only ever turn undead.
Granted Divine Powers
| God | Patronage | Clerical Domains |
|---|---|---|
| N. Cupertino | Wind, sky, music, knowledge | Air, mind, knowledge, summon (air) |
| N. Forge | Smithies, metal, craftsmen | Strength, creation |
| N. Midas | Wealth, gems, merchants | Mind, travel, luck |
| N. Helen | Home, hearth, children | Good, healing, protection |
| N. Nikolas | Village, festival, health, wine | Good, protection, community, creation |
| N. Vulcan | Mountains, gems, caves | Earth, strength, summon (earth) |
| N. Paollo | Sun, fire, agriculture | Fire, sun, glory, summon (fire) |
| N. Salacia | Oceans, storms, weather | Water, summon (water) |
| N. Paz | Peace, commonsense, health | Good, healing, exorcism |
| N. Andros | War, honour, valiance | Strength, war, glory |
| N. Rosa | Love, charm, wit, all arts | Creation, community, knowledge |
| N. Tusk | Law, justice, mercy | Law*, mysticism, inquisition, exorcism |
| N. Magus | Magic | Divination, magic, mind, summoning |
| N. Amber | Forests, creatures, the Kelts | Animal, plant, beastmaster* |
| N. Raffa | Dreams, visions, divination | Divination, madness*, knowledge |
| N. Orion | Winter, archery, hunting | Travel, destruction*, beastmaster* |
| N. Vedar | Luck, gamblers, helpless | Luck, travel, trickery, chaos* |
| N. Moran | Rivers, streams, lakes | Water, divination |
| N. Ildana | Combat, glory | War |
| N. Lunari | Moon, travel, night | Travel, celerity* |
Sects
There are military orders within the Vitalist church, most notably the Hounds of Andros, which set itself up at the behest (supposedly) of the god Andros to watchdog the church. They are called, varyingly, Androsians, Hounds, paladins and wardens - wardens being rank. The Hounds often find themselves at odds with the political church.
The paladins and others that make up this and other smaller orders (another of note are the Justicars, followers of Artura), are more concerned with the protection of life and defence of the helpless than war.
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