Druidism

Kiltic Paganism

Druidism (/ˈdɹuː ɪd ˌɪzəm/ Kiltic: Draoitheachas), also known as Kiltic Paganism, encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals and mythology originating in ancient Érevon before the fifteenth century BCS, which were adhered to in the form of public religion and private cult practices well into the Sanctist era. There was enough regional and chronological variety among practitioners of Druidism to allow discussion of Kiltic religions or cults in the plural, although the shared similarities were substantial and numerous, and helped define the Kiltoi as a people.

Because of its strict oral tradition and active opposition to codified texts, current understanding of Kiltic Paganism is fragmentary at best, coming to us primarily from foreign sources. The first indigenous written texts do not appear until well into the second century, only to be interrupted by the fall of the Empire. As a result, most of the written record comes to us from the Sanctist scholars who maintained the ancient historical knowledge of mankind through the Savage Age, and must therefore be read through the prism of their understanding.

The Érevish thought of themselves as highly religious, attributing their success as a world power to the collective piety of the Kiltic people, resulting in good relations with the gods. This beneficial connection was more dependent upon widespread prayer and correct ritual practice than upon faith or dogma. In Kiltic culture religious practice was seen as a source of social order. As a result, the state religion was imposed upon conquered peoples as the Empire expanded.

Religious practice was a part of daily life for ordinary Érevonians. Each home contained a shrine to the family’s patron deities, which was the focal point of prayers and offerings. Neighborhood shrines filled the cities, and the countryside was dotted with holy places, magical springs and sacred groves.

There was a priestly caste, known as Draoithe (Druids - hence the name), who were held in high esteem. Their role in ancient Kiltic society encompassed far more than merely that of priest, but in religious matters they were concerned with divine worship, the performance of public and private sacrifice and the interpretation of religious questions. They were also sorcerers, with supernatural powers and capable cursing, healing and divination.

The religious clergy also included skilled poets known as the Déantór Dáin, who were collectively responsible for lorekeeping, versecraft and the memorization of the entire canon of Kiltic religious history and culture in the form of epic poems. The Déantór Dáin were inspired artists with magical powers, whose eulogy could guarantee immortality and whose satire could bring low a king.

Druidism was polytheistic. Most ancient Kiltic peoples recognized a common pantheon of major gods and goddesses, along with a wide variety of lesser gods and goddesses, as well as demigods, heroes and other mystical beings. The worship of these deities occurred throughout the ancient Kiltic world for over fifteen hundred years, eventually extending across southern Heremonia from ancient Érevon to the Nolverian Peninsula.

Etymology:

"Druidism" is the Pantellurian translation for the Kiltic word Draoitheachas (/'drē xɑs/), which is itself an eponymous exonym used since the 16th century to describe the ancient Kiltic religion for the purposes of research and study, derived from the Old Kiltic word draoi, meaning   Proto-Kiltic druí  Unltimately "oak knowledge" use the wikipedia entymology of "druid"Note: Need to finish this thenrecreate

Cosmology:

The ancient Kiltoi divide the universe into three parts: the Heavens, the World and the Netherworld. from origin myths and the

Theology:

Need to write a brief overview of Druidic theology.Heading:

Deities:

It would be impossible to count the full pantheon of Kiltic gods, goddesses, demigods and mystical creatures who have been worshiped or feared over the millennia, let alone to name them all. But despite the shear quantity of deities involved, a fairly large number of major gods and goddesses nevertheless achieved an elevated degree of broad common acceptance which persisted over many centuries. Among the more prominent Kiltic deities are:

The Primordeals:

Anorda
She is the first goddess, called the "Womb of the Universe." Uncreated and eternal, she exists outside of time, and provided the essence from which Omna and Anuna originated.
Anuna
She is the daughter of Anorda and Mother Goddess of the world.
Omna
He is the first god, son of Anorda. He is creator of the world, mankind, and the underworld. He is Lord of the Underworld.

The Old Gods:

Dagodáir
He is the All-Father God, son of Anuna and Omna. He is the husband of Teagla on Mount Áitna and the husband of the Corraván in the world. He is one of the three warrior gods of skill (Along with Liodán and Lugg). He is the father of Adarcean, Bridíl, Liodán, Lugg, Tarnauain and Véineas.
The Corraván
She is the Triple-Goddess of Lifetimes, encompassing Birth, Destiny and Death. She manifests herself as three sisters, Bás, Breith and Cinnúnt. She is wife in the world of Dagodáir, and mother of Adarcean.
• Bás
She is the Goddess of Death. One of the three sisters who are the Corraván, she is the daughter of Omna and Anuna.
• Breith
She is the Goddess of Birth. The second of the sisters of the Corraván, she is also the daughter of Omna and Anuna.
• Cinnúnt
She is the Goddess of Destiny. The third sister of the Corraván, she too is the daughter of Omna and Anuna.
The Pronsaí gan Tír
They are Róin, Nevord and Erimach, the three giant children of Omna and Anuna known as "the Landless Princes." They were exiled to live in the sea for the crime of murdering their father.
• Róin
Róin is the God of Division, one of the Giant sons of Anuna and Omna. He is the father of the Neander.
• Nevord
He is the God of Discord. Another giant son of Anuna and Omna, Nevord is the father of the Fear Bolg.
• Erimach
Erimach is the God of Rebellion. The third giant son of Anuna and Omna, he slew his father to release his siblings and himself from captivity, resulting in the creation of the world. He is the father of the Fomori.
Teagla
She is Goddess of the Home and Family and keeper of the Eternal Flame. She is associated with marriage, family, home and hearth, healing and conception. She established the home of the gods on Mount Áitna and is sometimes portrayed as Queen of Mount Áitna. She is the eldest daughter of Omna and Anuna, wife of Dagodáir on Mount Áitna and mother of Ceardaí and Véineas.
Torre
Torre is God of the Sea. He is the son of Omna and Anuna and the father of Neiptiún.

The Young Gods:

Adarcean
Adarcean is the God of Wild Things, Lord of the Forests and Wild Places. He is the son of Dagodáir and the Corraván.

Festival Days:

Consistent with their view of time and the universe, the ancient Érevish observed eight major festivals throughout the year, representing the spokes of the Wheel of Time.

The Impact of Sanctism:

It was inevitable that the conversion to Sanctism would have a profound impact upon the socio-religious influence of Druidism within Kiltic society from the second century onward. As early as the third century, the Druidic class had already been relegated to an ignominiously irrelevant status in the religious affairs of the Kiltic populous.

PART OF A SERIES ON

The Ancient Kiltic Religion

The Triscelion
^{Emblem of the Ancient Kiltic Religion}

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Origin:

c. 16th century BCS
Érevon

Demonym:

Pagan/Pagans

Organization Type:

Religious/Organized Religion

Classification:

Animism, Polytheism

Principal Deities:

Dagodáir
^{("The All-Father")}
Teagla
^{("Goddess of Home and Family")}
The Corraván
^{("The Phantom Queen")}
Lugg
^{("God of the Sun")}
Torre
^{("God of the Sea")}
Liodán
^{("God of Language")}
Toirnachadh
^{("God of Thunder")}
Cogeach 
^{("God of War")}

Scripture:

Oral Tradition

Theology:

Shamanistic Animism