#askreligion

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There are so many different reactions to divines among Gaia's religious groups. Even different sects of the same religion may feel differently about them. Most often they are feared or worshiped, but in some cases they are hated and shunned.

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Lore Masterpost

CONGREGATION OF MIDDAY, FAITH IN THE SUN

OVERVIEW

The Congregation of Midday is a religion that originated from the dark underground labyrinths of Lamai Nation. It was founded by humans who grew sickly from the lack of sunlight, so they began performing sun-worshiping rituals to heal themselves. Over time, these rituals expanded into a whole lifestyle and religious ideology.

Followers of this religion are called Middayists. The religion itself is sometimes called Middayism. Its symbol represents Luzkuro’s darkness on one side and Solahi’s light on the other.

While this religion began in southern Wokina, its followers have brought it to other regions over time. Middayist ideology is a hard sell in sunny regions, but has caught on in cold, dark regions such as the Shrieking Mountains and Waterwalk. Today, most Middayists can be found in Wokina and northern Noalen, but small populations exist on other continents as well. Followers are quite diverse in species, but it’s rare to see Middayist trolls, gorgons, cecaelia, or dworfs. It’s no coincidence that these species are sensitive to sunlight, and this religion requires rituals that are difficult for them to perform.

MIDDAYIST BELIEFS

-The sun is a goddess called Solahi. This goddess gave life to all things upon Gaia and beyond, and continues to foster life. She can be equally benevolent and wrathful.

-Darkness is a malevolent god called Luzkuro. He slowly drains life from everything he touches. He is an unholy harbinger of sickness and death.

-Gaia is not a sentient being. It is only a dead rock, but Solahi has allowed life to grow upon it.

-Sunlight is holy. Heat is nurturing. Fire is purifying. Darkness is an unholy substance that must be cleansed with light each day.

-Pyriads are holy daughters of Solahi, worthy of reverence and tribute. To harm a pyriad is a sin.

-Fungus is the “Mark of Luzkuro”, a signal that his unholy energy has infested an area. It must be cleansed from living spaces and should not be consumed for food until it has been purified by light and flame.

-The dead should be burned so that Luzkuro cannot claim them. The souls of the cremated will ascend to the Realm of Light, while the souls of those left to decay will sink into the Realm of Darkness.

-Sunlight is a gift from Solahi, which she offers out of love. Those who become greedy and take too much from her will be punished with sunburns. Those with sunburns are forbidden from receiving her gift again until the burn fades.

-Fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms (purified only) are sacred foods blessed by Solahi and should be consumed daily for good health. Garlic, coconut oil, oregano, ginger, cinnamon, citrus, onion, and chili peppers are also considered healthy by Middayist doctrine. Conversely, cheese, yogurt, beer, wine, and most fermented foods should be avoided because they are tainted by Luzkuro, and cannot be purified by Solahi’s holy flame.

-Cleanliness and holiness are one and the same. Keeping a clean person and environment is of utmost importance. Filthiness is a sin. Followers should wash themselves each day to please Solahi and keep Luzkuro away.

-Sleeping on the floor is an invitation for Luzkuro’s influence. Followers should sleep in cots, hammocks, or otherwise be elevated at least a hand’s length off the ground.

-Followers should show respect to their bodies by avoiding toxic substances such as alcohol and recreational drugs. Tattoos, piercings, and cosmetic surgeries are forbidden, as they offer unnecessary opportunities for infection.

MIDDAYIST RITUALS AND HOLIDAYS

MIDDAY WORSHIP: Followers congregate for an hour each day around noon to worship Solahi. They begin by stripping naked and going outside, so that the sunlight may directly touch their skin. They perform specific poses while they chant, ensuring that every inch of their skin is blessed by Solahi’s holy light. This segment of the ritual may last anywhere from 10-30 minutes, depending on how much sunlight is available that day.

Afterwards, followers put their clothes back on and begin the Feasting Ceremony, where they eat mushrooms, egg yolks, and fish. They believe that mushrooms are an unholy product of Luzkuro, but offer health benefits after being purified by Solahi. Middayists purify the mushrooms by cooking them over an open flame while they pray.

The most devout followers never miss a Midday Worship at their local church, but casual Middayists commonly attend just 2 or 3 of them a week, or simply perform the ritual at home. 

This ritual may be performed differently depending on the region. Followers in cold regions, for example, usually do not remove all of their clothes for sun worship; instead exposing their faces only. Vegetarian followers exclude fish from their feasting ritual, while carnivores exclude mushrooms. Vegans exclude both fish and egg yolks, and only eat mushrooms.

SOLAHI’S GREETING: Each morning at sunrise, Middayists greet Solahi by striking a match and saying a prayer. The flaming match is believed to purify Luzkuro’s dark energy that has taken hold during the night. Before eating or doing anything else, a Middayist’s first act of the day should be to wash themselves.

SOLAHI’S GOODBYE: Each evening at sunset, Middayists bid Solahi goodnight by singing a specific hymn and cleaning their sleeping area. Typically this is done by flipping their mattress and pillow, shaking out blankets, and sweeping the floor. Any mold or filth should be removed immediately, as sleeping among Luzkuro’s influence will bring an early death.

52 CLEANSINGS: On the last day of every week, Middayists clean their living space from top to bottom. Once their environment is clean, they finish the ritual by washing themselves with purified water (water which is boiled with herbs and then cooled). These weekly cleansings add up to 52 per year. Each successful cleansing pleases Solahi, while sloppy or missed cleansings give power to Luzkuro.

SEASONAL FASTING: A seasonal fast is done 4 times per year, on the first day of each new season. On these days, Middayists fast for 24 hours, drinking only clear liquids like water and broths. This ritual is said to cleanse the body from the inside. More devout followers are known to take laxatives to purge their bowels more thoroughly.

YEAR’S END: On the last day of the year, Middayists don pure white robes and congregate at their local church to honor Solahi with a large bonfire, where they burn cleansing herbs. The specific herbs may differ by region, but sage, lavender, and peppermint are common. Each Middayist writes down their sins, fears, and sources of stress on a paper card and throws it into the fire to cleanse their souls for the new year. The illiterate instead speak these things to the card.

The ceremony lasts from sunrise to sunset. During this time there is much dancing, singing, burning, and feasting upon sacred foods. At sunset, the big fire is finally extinguished with purified water.

CULTURE

Middayists are stereotyped as physically fit, health-conscious, and meticulously clean people. Some outsiders consider them to be neurotic, obsessive over their health, and obnoxious about their cleaning habits. Some Middayists look down upon non-Middayists, considering them filthy because they do not meet their religious standard of cleanliness. They can be seen as “stuck-up” for avoiding drugs, alcohol, and body modifications.

Cleanliness is a big theme in Middayist doctrine because this religion was born from the dark, damp, Lamaish labyrinths, where many species do not fare well. Mold, disease, and vitamin deficiencies are serious dangers in this underground environment, so humans and other susceptible peoples had to take great measures to survive here. By incorporating good health and cleaning into religious practices, they were able to thrive.

The Middayists’ strict diet and daily sun exposure protects them from vitamin D deficiency, while their rigorous cleaning protects them from dust and mold. Not all Middayists live in underground labyrinths like the Lamaish, but these practices are also helpful for those in wet, dreary climates.

Lamaish Middayists tend to take their religious practices more seriously, as they live in a less forgiving environment than most people. Followers outside this region are largely more casual about their rituals.

Many Middayist rituals and beliefs are incompatible with those of Vermists. As a result, there are many conflicts between the two groups. This conflict is most apparent in Lamai Nation, which has large populations of Middayists and Vermists living in close quarters.

SEE ALSO

Ask - Religion

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

There is no such thing as "too esoteric" in worldbuilding if you ask me! Half the charm of a world comes from the little details like this.

In cases where people sacrifice themselves to the dragons willingly, the temple Drogazama loads the sacrifice up with The Good Shit(tm) first, so that they won't feel any fear or pain. The sacrifice will enjoy a peaceful slumber while they're ripped apart by the dragons they worship, and this cocktail of drugs is also believed to help their souls navigate to the afterlife. Better yet, the dragons get to enjoy a relaxing high after they eat the sacrifice!

Before the ritual, the sacrifice is honored with a party and a feast at their local temple. Basically they're treated like royalty for a day.

Meanwhile, unwilling sacrifices are literally just bound in rope and thrown onto a feeding altar, 100% sober and conscious. It's an incredibly brutal way to die, reserved only for the most heinous members of society. We're talking serial killers, child molesters, kpop stans, etc.

These sacrifices are not celebrated. Instead, they are whipped, beaten, and humiliated before the ritual to cause pain and also open bloody wounds that will attract the dragons faster.

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Lore Masterpost

*everyone suddenly gets naked and does yoga*

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

This is highly debated by historians. The short answer is: no one really knows.

There are some things to consider about this situation:

The Divine of Hate we know today may not be the same one that Arjuk encountered (if he encountered one at all). Sometimes there are multiple divines with the same or similar titles, or one divine may have multiple titles. There are two known "Divines of Love", for example: Azizala and Karenza. But there may be even more Divines of Love, known only to obscure cultures.

The World Athenaeum has not registered every single divine on Gaia. They know there are plenty more hiding out there who don't wish to be identified.

I will also mention that throughout history, Disgrace has been blamed for a lot of shit that he didn't even do. When a government or entity causes some terrible calamity, it's very easy to blame the Divine of Hate instead of taking responsibility for it. It's not like Disgrace is going to defend himself and deny it, he doesn't care. He'll happily take credit for all the fuckups and disasters on Gaia.

Is it possible that Arjuk was slain by Disgrace? Absolutely. But as of now, we just don't know for sure!

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Lore Masterpost

Good question! I think if you're the type of cruel, ruthless person the cult is looking for, you'll just kinda end up there without trying. The Cult of the Crescent has agents everywhere, hiding in plain sight, but they tend to congregate wherever nasty business is happening.

Wherever there is misery and suffering, the Crescent is never far away. Crime dens, riots, disaster zones, slaving and trafficking operations, battlefields, prisons...places like this attract bloodthirsty individuals and Crescent cultists. When the two meet, recruitments happen.

The cult likes to prey on angry, desperate people who have nothing left to lose. People who have no qualms about hurting others and making the world a worse place, people who have lost all hope in life itself. The cult empowers these people to take their anger out on the world and make everyone around them suffer.

Everyone is welcome to join the cult, no matter their species, age, sex, or any other circumstance. There is no discrimination here! But not all who join will thrive; many are filtered out by their own conscience as the cult pushes them to commit worse and worse atrocities.

However, one who takes that first step in may not simply back out, because initiation requires committing an act of terrorism in the Divine of Hate's name. Now you are an enemy of regular society. No kingdom will accept you, but the cult will...so long as you keep terrorizing society. If you refuse, the cult will terrorize you.

The bottom line is, it's best not to engage with these guys at all. If someone reveals themselves as a Crescent cultist, don't even fight, just get the hell away from them. Even the most elite of these guys are just slaves, forced to serve the Divine of Hate.

Everyone who has ever joined this cult regrets it, but they have no power to leave. They gave that up the moment they betrayed society.

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Thankfully the Barhatian royal family liked Skel (or as much as a master can "like" their slave...) so I think his medical care was on par with the nobles! I'm sure he was totally knocked out for the procedure and doesn't remember it.

Now, the recovery on the other hand...that's a pain he'll never forget, as much as he'd like to.

razzek From what I've read, circumcision is entirely a religious practice irl and has never had anything to do with keeping clean. But it is interesting to see how and why it might be a thing in a world completely without our religious hangups (but with plenty of it’s own no doubt).

I always assumed it was one of those cases where it originally had some practical purpose, but religious institutions were just like "because God said so" because it was easier to instill practices into people that way.

Like not eating pork, for example. The reason given is "don't eat it because God said so", but I think the practical reason was that pork is infested with parasites moreso than other meats, and food sanitation was too primitive in those days to prevent illness from it. Best to just teach everyone to avoid it all together, thus creating a healthier population of followers.

I have zero proof of this, of course. It's just a personal theory, but I believe in it so strongly that I just automatically assumed this was the case for circumcision and a bunch of other cultural traditions too!

Now, it's very possible that I'm just full of shit and there is no practical reason for some of these traditions at all. They could have all kinds of origins. I'm a smoothbrain who knows next to nothing about history, religion, or...anything to be honest. So take my opinions with the most microscopic grain of salt.

This does get me thinking about the origins of different religious traditions in Looming Gaia! Maybe not all of them have to originate from practicality.

I saw a post somewhere, maybe here on Tumblr, about a family who traditionally sliced off the top couple inches of a ham before putting it in the oven. No one knew why, it's just the way grandma always did it, so mom copied her, and grandaughter copied mom. One day the granddaughter asks the grandma why they did this, and the grandma was like "Oh, these giant hams never fit in my old oven so I had to cut off a few inches. I have no idea why your mom does it!" (I may be botching some details here, bear with me...)

So, even though there was no practical reason to cut the ham like that anymore, it's just one of those things that got passed down through the generations out of habit or miscommunication or whatever.

My point is, I think the same thing could apply to religious/cultural traditions in worldbuilding! Thank you for helping me think about this in a whole new way!

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

I think they're all agnostic, with a small handful of exceptions. Those exceptions being...

Evan: Evan was once a practicing Lindist, only because he was raised in a Lindist household and he knew nothing different. As he grew older and exposed himself to more worldly ideas, he began to find cracks in his religion and eventually fell out of it. He now vaguely claims himself to be "spiritual", not a Lindist but still having faith in Gaia as an intelligent and loving maker. He continues to worship Her in his own way, not in the way Lindist doctrine demands. He also still observes the minor gods from Lindist scripture, which are all really just elements of Gaia by different names (water, fire, land, air, etc.)

Lukas: Lukas considers himself an atheist. However, in the context of Looming Gaia, the word "atheist" can encompass several very different belief systems. In Lukas' case, he doesn't believe that Gaia is a sentient being who does anything deliberately. Everything She creates is just a byproduct of Her survival, and She lacks the capacity to care for these creations or anything else living upon her. Lukas views Allkind as parasites living on Her back. He believes that his maker basically shat him out by accident and regards him like a dog regards a tapeworm.

Lukas looks down on anyone who believes otherwise, and he hates the concept of organized religion in general. He believes that religious doctrine, in all its forms, only does harm and makes the world a worse place for Allkind.

Glenvar: Glenvar is the most religious member of the crew, surprisingly enough. Though it seems he treats everything in life like a joke, his faith is the one thing he takes very seriously. He's a devout Sylvanist who compromises his faith for nothing. He'll skip work to goof off without a second thought , but he wouldn't dream of skipping a prayer ritual. It's too important to him. He communes with his gods daily and finds comfort in them.

This annoys his crewmen at times, because he makes them participate in these rituals whenever the opportunity arises. If it's prayer time (sunrise and sunset) and they happen to be standing near one of his shrines, they better get on their knees and join him. If they don't, he'll kick them in the shins to drop them, then trap them in a headlock and force them to pray with him, because he takes great offense when they "disrespect" his gods. If his crew is eating meat, they better throw a piece of it in the fire first or he'll grab it off their plate and do it for them. If they hunt an animal, he'll make them say a prayer and dress its corpse in flowers right after they kill it. And so on...

Most of his crewmen just go along with it, because it's way less trouble than fighting with him about it. Lukas, on the other hand...Lukas and Glenvar have had some earth-shattering fights over religion. They argue about it pretty much daily. These dumb arguments have become background noise to the rest of the crew, it's as natural as birdsong to them at this point.

Elska: Elska's tribe had its own set of beliefs about the world as well as their own unique creation theory. This religion is so small and obscure that it doesn't even have a name, but it's what Elska has always believed and continues to have faith in today.

In short, she believes that Gaia is a huge cosmic centaur who shaped Elska's tribe in Her image, forging them from stone and bone (This is why her tribe is called the People of Stone and Bone). When her people die, they join Her in the cosmos with all their ancestors, where they run free among the stars for all eternity.

Elska isn't pushy about her religion like Glenvar is. She mostly keeps her faith and rituals to herself. Leaving her mountain actually made her start questioning this faith and gave her a new perspective on it as a whole. She still believes in it, but she looks at it differently than she used to.

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