Old Faith
Introduction
The Old Faith is the original Scovonian religion that is still practiced to this day on the islands, especially in the East.Whilst the religion itself isn't inherently chaotic, it is considered to be chaos worship as the Old Faith Pantheon includes Kaos and Sinistos and doesn't dismiss them as evil gods.
Structure
The Old Faith is entirely decentralized and has no religious hierarchy beyond a local level. Upon birth, a Scovonian can be given a mark by the gods which can range from an elaborate birthmark to an extra pair of fingers. People with the mark then go on to become shamans or druids. Shamans build and maintain shrines to a chosen deity or legendary warrior. This choice is made at the end of their initiation and it is usually based on the nature of their mark as it is believed that each type of mark is given by different gods. Shamans don't wield any political power and live near their original settlement, usually in a secluded location where they help in religious rituals and communions with the gods.Architecture
Similarly to the Kaolite Faith, there is no such thing as "Old Faith architecture". Their shrines and "temples" are usually located in picturesque locations and caves.Equipment
Shamans of the Old Faith often live in relative seclusion so their clothes are usually poorly maintained and decorated with pelts, bird skulls and religious items.Behavior
The Old Faith doesn't have a set of rules that its believers should follow in their daily lives, but it does have a plethora of tales and legends that are told by shamans that are ought to teach a 'proper' way of life. These are often stories about the gods and their deeds and often emphasize the importance of Scovonian values.Rituals and Ceremonies
While the religion is mostly very personal in nature, it also has grander ceremonies that unite the Scovonian people. Marriages, feasts, communal prayers all occur regularly, but the most notorious ritual is the Blot. During a Blot, a number of animals are sacrificed to the gods and the blood spilt is used to paint various things, such as people, weapons, buildings, or even the soil. This blood grants a blessing. Blots can be organized by villages or even families, but every few years, Jarls hold a Grand Blot, inviting the people of their realm for a gigantic event. After the Blot, the participants drink and feast until the next morning. Dealing with the dead is also a very important aspect of the faith. Most people are cremated on large pyres so their bodies can turn to dust and return to the air, while important people are sent on a voyage on the sea in a ship that is set ablaze. This way, the soul of the individual can return to chaos, where it could rest and maybe return one day.Rules and Laws
While there are no written laws that come from the religion, there are unwritten rules that the faithful must follow or face shunning. Defacing or damaging a shrine, murdering or injuring a shaman or spilling unnecessary blood during a Blot all count as disgraceful acts.Faith
The Old Faith is more like a collection of myths and legends, rather than an actual religion, but it has roughly the same gods as The Church of Order, albeit with slightly different names. In the Old Faith, there is no moral distinction in the worship of chaos and order, they are both viewed as equally important parts of the universe. Since the introduction of the Order in Scovony the legends surrounding the Order Gods started to gain an ever increasing popularity amongst the population, shifting the Old Faith slightly towards Order worship. A notable distinction between the Old Faith and most other religions is that the Old Faith depicts the gods as much more involved in mortal affairs. They often take human form and travel the lands, helping mortals and fighting monsters. Additionally, in the Old Faith, gods don't represent an aspect of the world or humans. They are merely very powerful entities. The structure of the universe also differs in the Old Faith. They believe that the universe is similar to a vast ocean filled with islands. The ocean is The Plane of Chaos and the sky is The Plane of Order. Trutina is the islands that exist between them. The order gods are like birds, ruling over the skies, while the chaos gods are like fish, roaming the waters. Neither can exist in the other's habitat for too long and both can travel between islands, but only the order gods can stay on land for a long time. These two realms have a much more important role in the workings of the world than the gods that hail from them. It is believed that the material that makes up living beings comes from dust, which comes from the air and thus, the Order. The animating spirit or soul however hails from the sea, or chaos. The order gods are in a never ending conflict with the chaos gods, both hunting the other, but incapable of capturing the other. In addition to the gods, commonly recognized by other religions, Old Faith legends often contain other mythical creatures and characters, most often as an explanation for the existence of various monsters. Each god has an animal form that comes from the metaphor of the ocean.Gods of the Sea (Chaos)
- Kutren (Manta Ray) - A warrior poet, who is most often seen at ports and shorelines practicing swordsmanship or painting. He gives his worshippers inspiration both in art and war. Additionally, he guides the souls of the Kraken's victims to the afterlife.
- Shigida (Sea Lion) - The ambitious daughter of Kutren and a stunningly beautiful woman. She always has a few schemes running in the world. She created the trolls and a few other creatures.
- Kantor (Whale) - A mysterious figure shrouded in mystery. This character has only one story about them, in which they are a described as a bored king with nothing to do.
Gods of the Sky (Order)
- Shemerno (Albatross) - The oldest god, he is a wandering old man who pranks people in elaborate and unexpected ways, often resulting in serious harm. He always does this in a human form, so seeing an albatross is considered to be a sign of good luck.
- Ella (Raven) - A beautiful woman wearing a cloak that hides her face. She visits dying men and lets them gaze upon her godly beauty before deciding whether they are worthy of the afterlife. She is also said to be a great dancer.
- Perviga (Eagle) - A huntress who is mostly concerned with monsters that inhabit Trutina. She has unparalleled eyesight and accuracy with the bow. Her blessings include calmness, confidence and martial prowess.
- Machina (Cuckoo) - The newest character in the Old Faith mythos, obviously inspired by The Church of Order, Machina is a clever trickster who has a pure heart. Her tricks are usually more subtle than those of Shemerno's, like planting a tree in an inconvenient location or causing fleeting love between people.
- Thinatr (Seagull) - A brave whaler who never leaves a hunt without being victorious. He grants determination and bravery in the face of danger. He is also the patron of fishermen and whalers.
- Ellor (Woodpecker) - The brother of Ella, he visits sick people and offers relief from pain. Usually, the appearance of a woodpecker during times of strife is considered a bad omen as Ellor is not helping people in his bird form.
Beasts of Legend
- Kraken - A gigantic sea monster created by Kutren and Shigida. When Ragnarok comes, Thinatr will fight and kill the beast to offer its flesh as food for those in the afterlife that would feed them for eternity. When a sailor is killed by the Kraken, they go to the afterlife as a reward for their sacrifice.
- Leviathan - Similarly to the Kraken, it was created by the gods, but the sea serpent was tossed into the sea as punishment. According to their beliefs, Ragnarok will begin when the Leviathan finds its own tail and bites on it. When he does so, he will start to eat himself, becoming shorter and shorter around The Darklands until it crushes the landmass with its body. Crushing the landmass will create a hole on the surface of Trutina and all water will flow into it, bringing the end of time and the beginning of the afterlife.
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