Elven Duotheism

Introduction

Elven duotheism, practiced by both High Elves and Dark Elves is a religion centered around the two elven goddesses Solcritoel and Volublectyth. According to their beliefs, their gods created them and then let them do their own thing as good parents do. They are still there to offer help and guidance, but don't require anything in return.

Structure

While the religion itself is quite personal in nature, the church that teaches it is actually one of the most rigid in its hierarchy. There are two Grand Altars in Elluin and in The Darklands. These are actually magnificent cathedrals dedicated to one of the goddesses. A large statue of a goddess stands in the center of each Grand Altar and the local head of the religion resides there. These "First Daughters" are responsible for communing with their goddess and relaying their message to the elven population. In the regular temples, priestesses tend to temple grounds and offer guidance to those who seek the goddesses. These priestesses can only do rituals allowed by their First Daughter.
Because elves live for a very long time, these positions rarely change and the First Daughters rarely innovate or reform the list of rituals.

Architecture

Even buildings in general are built to be beautiful, imposing or elegant and the same is true for their temples. Tall, narrow buildings, elongated towers and oversized doors represent the elegance of elven construction as well as it symbolizes their connection to the Sun and Moon goddesses. These temples are beautifully decorated with paintings and statues that showcase their extraordinary skills and devotion to the divine.
Some temples are dedicated to a particular goddess, but most aren't. Depending on which goddess is represented in the temple, its surroundings are different. Temples for Solcritoel are set within forests, orchards or awe inspiring gardens, while temples of Volublectyth are often placed on islands, pastures or busy city centers. They also often have various kinds of animals kept there, such as birds, horses and mostly in The Darklands, various kinds of spiders.

Equipment

Elven duotheism teaches love and acceptance, so its priestesses most often wear garbs that convey a similar message. Long, flowing dresses, flower crowns and charms that aim to better the moods of those visiting a temple or talking to a priestess. Every temple aims to provide a sense of comfort and safety, akin to one's home and the priestesses try to exude a motherly aura both in behavior and outfit, at least in the Elf Lands.
In The Darklands, this motherly feeling is often replaced by that of a loving wife. Their priestesses wear revealing clothes, which often causes misunderstandings with foreigners visiting their temples.

Behavior

Representatives of the goddesses differ greatly from the various human priests in their behavior. They seldom try to convert people and often accept followers of even hostile religions into their temples. They teach love, acceptance and forgiveness and encourage the faithful to do the same. Priestesses try to appear like a supporting family member, rather than the conduit of divine knowledge.
When faced with hostility, this behavior can change a bit. In Yi'riila, where The Church of Order forcefully captured the city and the Grand Altar of Volublectyth within it, elves took up arms in defense of their religion as a child protecting their mother. Other times, elves simply adopt a new religion, whilst maintaining their adoration of the two goddesses.

Rituals and Ceremonies

The most important role of the religion in elven culture comes from the many rituals that the priestesses are taught to perform. From simple blessings to marriage, these rituals vary greatly in terms of potency and the amount of people they affect. Someone might seek a temple's aid to grant them luck in the coming days or to inspire them for a new novel, or a village might visit a temple to ask for rain and bountiful harvest.
In almost all cases, a sacrifice needs to be made, depending on the goddess in question. Solcritoel demands specific plants to be used, either by eating them, making them into salves, or burning them, while Volublectyth prefers animal sacrifice. This usually involves killing said animal and using their organs or blood for a magical ritual.

Rules and Laws

The elven religion doesn't have specific rules for everyday life, but the religious hierarchy  is heavily regulated and transgressions against higher authority is severely punished.

Faith

While the elven faith acknowledges the existence of the gods of Order and Chaos, they consider them distant entities squabbling for dominance. Trutina however was created to offer a more peaceful world for life. The elven goddess of the Moon and Sun created animals and plants to inhabit this world, including Humans and other sentient creatures. According to Elven Duotheism, elves were created by Solcritoel and Volublectyth to be the most perfect creatures on Trutina. As the only creatures to be created by both goddesses, they are inherently superior to everything else on Trutina.
After creating life on Trutina, the two goddesses retreated to the sky to watch over the elves and offer help if necessary.

• Solcritoel - The Sun Goddess is the goddess of beauty, creativity and art. She represents the beauty of creation and gives life to plants. She is watching over all elves and provide inspiration to artists around the world. The Elvish word for the Sun also comes from her name: Sol.
• Volublectyth - The Moon Goddess is the goddess of pleasure, joy and happiness. Under her light, elves celebrate at night on special occasions. She gifted elfkind with darkvision and bestows happiness to her followers. She is predominantly worshipped by dark elves as their homeland is less joyful than Elluin. The Elvish word for the Moon also comes from her name: Vol.

Afterlife

The elves believe that their creators love them so much, that an elf can only die from natural causes when the goddesses decide which of them gets to live with them in the afterlife. As they love them equally, they can't decide for hundreds of years, granting them such a long life.
The afterlife of the elves is not surprisingly also focused around happiness and love. If an elf lived a good life, they can join one of the goddesses in the sky and spend the rest of time with them happily and loved. 
If an elf spent their life doing harm to other elves, they are reincarnated as a fruit tree, forced to produce food for elves for decades, to atone for their sins.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Deities

• Solcritoel
• Volublectyth

Location

Elf Lands

Related Species

• Elves