Test1: Difference between revisions

From MassiveCraft Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(3 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Info religion
|image = Gdwsgdse.png
|pronunciation = Dra-konism
|origins = Unknown, presumed over 70.000 years ago
|deities = Regulus, Caius, Daiana, Triton, Nox, Marik, Severena, Aurora.
|subsects = N/A
|}}
==Origins==
==Origins==
For as long as the Void has been invading Aloria, there has been such a concept as Void Worship, which is the ancestor of Evolism. Void Worship was the pure concept of worshiping the theoretical benefits of the Void through the Void Gods, which are mysterious entities that exist almost entirely within the Void. Since the Elven period, however, something changed, and Void Worship itself was revealed to be largely a charade played by those dark gods to trick mortals into ending their own existence with false promises. That being said, the Void was always capable of granting powers that the Alorian Gods could not, and the Dragons would not. In the waning millennia of the Allorn Empire, Void Worship transformed from its old world-ending philosophy, into Evolism. Evolism as a Religion preaches the brokenness of the natural world and the flaws of creation by stagnant Gods (Dragons, most notably), and professing the need for evolution of the land, the people, and all forms of thought and action. Simpler put, Evolism holds that believers must seek to ascend to some higher form of being, with each God representing a slightly different way of doing so, but all combining to form a greater whole. Evolism has waned over the years in popularity, facing an immediate crash with the Allorn Empire's collapse, but a steady rise since. Another notable event was the inclusion of Ordial Entities who stand in opposition to the Malefica in the Beyond, and Void Entities that share Alorian God-Magic and Void combinations. As a result, even though some of the Gods are almost entirely Void-themed or designed, they can all use powers with Void, Ordial, or God Magic capacity, either because they derive this God Magic from other Religions (Catheron taking from Thirun), or because they stole it by killing a Pagan God (in the case of Int). It should be noted finally, that Evolism is illegal in the Regalian Empire, and in many other states, except the Dread Empire. While people in Regalia will not be executed for being Evolists, to spread the faith or to publicly worship or to act towards the wills of the Gods in contravention of Regalia's interests, is against the law. While there is no requirement for Regalian citizens to banish or kill Evolists, many Evolists who are known to the public are attacked by Unionist fanatics and purists, who consider Evolism nothing but Demon worship. Evolism is not inherently an evil Religion, and many of the Gods have extremely nuanced ideologies, but the threat from Evolism comes from its association with Spirits, Ordial Entities, and Arken, and the fact that many of the pious actions involve engaging in crimes.  
Draconism is the oldest [[Religion]] in the world, presumed to have existed in some form or another for nearly 100,000 years, though it is at the very least certain that the dogma has changed over successive generations. For example, the [[Maraya]] who have awoken from the Vaults, find Draconism  radically different from what they remember in their Civilization, and even different from the archeological studies they did of the third Civilization that preceded them. Draconism styles itself after the values and principles of the Dragons in that Era, themed or styled in itself after the [[Races]] that roam the world at that time. It is as such an ever changing Religion that shapes itself based on the followers, though the Dragon Gods are eternal and remain largely similar with only their Race and some subtext changing between successive generations. Draconism has followers all over the world, but is generally speaking one of the weaker religions, being outclassed in number of followers by the likes of [[Unionism]], [[Estelley]], [[Fornoss]], and some would argue even [[Evolism]]. Draconism has technically been a dead religion for 300 years, as the Dragons disappeared from the world in various ways, leaving behind their faithful who now worshiped in essence dead Gods. In the last few years however, Draconism has made a quick revival with many Temples being inhabited again, and the Dragons coming back alive in what is referred to as the Revival of Immortality.
===Gods and Goddesses===
===History===
Evolism has a strict set of Gods, though as centuries pass, sometimes Gods join or leave for a variety of reasons. Not all Gods are equally present in Aloria either, as each individual condition is different. It is important to note that Evolism definitionally excludes Exist Worship, and is not the same as Void Worship anymore, which would cause someone to worship the Arch-Void and thus want the destruction of all things. Evolists are fond of the world, they just want to make it (and themselves) better through the gifts of the Evolist Gods and the ideologies they represent.  
To understand why the Dragons "died", it is necessary to understand the grand theme running through Draconism, being The Immortal War. The Immortal War refers to the endless conflict between the Dragons and what they call The Infection, which means Ordial/Exist/Void Essences that creep into the world of [[Aloria]] and attach to living and non living things there. The Dragons see themselves as natural wardens of the order of the world, and seek to remove The Infection from the world as a result. The Immortal War is mostly fought between Dragons and the [[Arken]], at least historically speaking when they were still bound to Estel and Behesael. Each successive Void Invasion signals the failure of the Dragons to halt yet another end-times event, though after each cycle, the Dragons remain to restart civilization with new Races. Only the last (5th) Void Invasion was halted, when the Dragons performed the rite of the Denial of Immortality. In essence, Demons and Arken were immortal because the natural laws of Aloria allowed immortality. By denying immortality, the forces the Dragons fought could be killed, but they in turn were also killable. The Arken destroyed Estel and eventually Behesael in their betrayal, and the Dragons went out one way or another as the Immortal War essentially ended in a stalemate. The Dragons relented their efforts to kill the Arken, and contented themselves with the end of the Void Invasions, though recently, the Dragons seem to have come back from this decision, and have started reviving all over the world.
===Catheron, the Eclipse Witch===
==Draconic Nuance==
There is one topic worth discussing with regards to Draconism, compared to other religions: the (in)validity of other Religions through Dragons. It is pretty widely known that Dragons create both Races and Gods, but this fact does not make them Gods to other peoples and religions who do not observe them as such. Consider this metaphor: if you liked your team-leader, because he did good things for you and your goals align, your belief in your team-leader is not suddenly invalidated, because your team-leader was raised/taught by a different person. All Religions understand the mechanical purpose of Dragons in the world (conception, creation, ecosystems etc.), but reject their religious message or Dragons as Gods (except in some circumstances, like the Guided Cult of Unionism). Draconism is the only Religion without an afterlife, the faithful neither go to an afterlife nor to the Beyond, their souls are lifted up by Umbra and rejoin the Soul Rivers from which they are born, disappearing into nothingness and lending their life and memories back to the Dragons.
===Divine Mechanics===
All Religions provide 1 single Mechanic to their Believers that fits within the flair of their Religion. This Mechanic is lost if the individual stops believing in the Religion, or becomes a heretic, but can be regained. Afflicted can use this mechanic, but having the mechanic does not imply that they have blanket forgiveness from their Gods, just that there is more nuance to it than that.
* Draconism worshipers are able to use Persuasion Dice rolls on Gods both outside and inside of [[Divinium]] summonings which is normally not possible. Additionally they gain +2 to every Dice roll of Persuasion against a God, and their Persuasion Cap is raised by +2 when rolling against Gods.
 
==Gods and Goddesses==
Draconism has several Gods (gender indeterminate, though when humanoid, they do appear gendered), making it a polytheistic Religion. Unlike many other polytheistic religions, however, Draconism has a clear hierarchy and even a form of competitive rivalry between the so-called Dragon Thrones. Every Dragon Throne (a group of Dragons) contains a leader who is the representative God, and the lesser named Dragons. These lesser named Dragons are not strictly Gods, but they are treated with great reverence. Not all Draconism Gods are currently alive, during the process of the Denial of Immortality, most Dragons died in a non-traditional sense (which also made the Religion "dead" for nearly 300 years save for areas like the [[Sihai]] Lands), with not all of them having been revived recently. It is possible to worship multiple Dragons, but because the Dragon Gods often conflict with one another even when they have a Dragon King, most Draconism followers worship a single God that best fits their principles and beliefs.  
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Regulus, the Blue King Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:Cedragoin.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Untitled Artworkpride.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Regulus, the Dragon of Command, Hierarchy and Rulership.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' Regulus controls the Draconic Conclave and rules the Dragons.
Catheron is the personification of the Pride Arken who ascended to Godhood when he uplifted the Void Cultist Elves to Kathar, and inflicted the ultimate destruction on the Arch-Exist. In the power that he gained from this act, he murdered the Void God Onu, and absorbed all of his power to breach into the Void where this superior fragment of his identity remains a constant reflection from his mortal incarnations on Aloria. Catheron is simply put the Evolist God of all things Magical, Artifacts, and Power, but so much more beyond that. Catheron's preachings state that reality in Aloria is suffering and pain, and that the enforcers of reality (Dragons, and other Gods) are inflicting perpetual torture on the living through disease, death, entropy, divine laws, and decay. He raises up the idea that Magic is the ultimate solution to this inflicted torment, where the sufferer can reverse the roles and re-impose reality to assuage their suffering, while also ascending to the same plane as the inflicters. He exposes the perpetual hypocrisy of the world and Purists in relying on Magic and the Arcane to save the world from repeat calamity, often inflicted by the natural state of the world itself, only for them to turn against Magic afterward and claim it was the source of all problems after all. He preaches against the hypocrisy of those forces who would try to control and contain Magic by their own designs and demands that the world be made an Arcaneocracy, where Mages hold power. He is the personification of all self-indulgent vices: Pride, Greed, Lust, Wrath, and Vanity, and embodies the relish found in feeding these qualities.  
* '''Symbols:''' Thunder Storms, Rulership, Banners, Rain, Bodies of Water.
|-
* '''Role:''' Regulus acts as the King of Dragons, to mediate and command them.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Capricious, Cryptic, Regal, Sagely, Mediating, Attentive, Loyalty.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
* '''Temple:''' House of Dragons on Draackenrust Mountain in Anglia.
To Catheron, it is a virtue to satisfy the 6 Devotions of the Void, to be vain and self-centered, to be prideful and boastful, to be greedy and never take satisfaction with limited wealth or power, to show wrath to those who are deserving of punishment, and to have lust in partaking in debauchery without restraint. Furthermore, as he embodies the monumental power of Magic itself, it is virtuous in his eyes to become a Mage, to learn more Magic, and to become more powerful in the usage of the Arcane. Other forms of virtue are the acquisition of Artifacts, the defeat of those forces that would contain Magic (such as Aelrrigans and Lothar Knights), and generally raging against the hypocrisy of a world that has become dependent on Magic but must insist it is still the source of all problems.  
* '''Allies:''' Arkenborn, Urlan, Adal & Hagen faithful, Leyon faithful.
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Those who stand against the Regalian Empire and seek its downfall.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Regulus is celebrated through the act of mediation between aggrieved parties, or the Dragon-King trial in which blue Dragon-King flames are summoned, a trial is held between two parties holding their hand in the flame, with the flame burning them if they utter a lie. Another method of worship is by expanding the political reach of the Dragons or the Draconism faithful, who have to rebuild their religion.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
|}
Catheron's vices are the 6 Defects of the Void, in acedia causing a state of listlesness, in sloth causing a state of laziness, in sadness and self-pity, in hubris caused by detachment from reality, in gluttony to live to eat, and in slavery caused by a weak mind to be controlled by others. Note, slavery itself is not a sin, as the powerful can inflict their will on others through slavery but to be subjected, bound, or controlled by another to the point of loss of free agency and free will is a sin. Catheron is considered the judge of the Evolist afterlife who weeds weak souls from the strong ones to pass on.  
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
|-
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Caius, the Red Dying Dragon'''</center></span>
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
{|
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
[[File:Caiuodragon.png|220px|caption|left]]
All worshipers of Evolism are granted the gifts of Catheron. The first is the Law of Catheron's Reflection, which causes any Curse placed on an Evolist to also be mirrored back on the (non-Greater Entity) that made it. This does not make the Evolist immune to the Curse, it just means an identical Curse is placed on the Curser (that they cannot remove themselves). Secondly, Evolist worshipers are granted by Catheron, the ability to subtly influence people around them, by either heightening their 6 Devotions of the Void, or heightening the 6 Defects of the Void for their own purposes.  
|
* '''Name:''' Caius (Shalmanisar in Eronidas), Dragon of Love, Passion, and War.
* '''Domain:''' Caius commands the impulses of the living, violence, and fire.
* '''Symbols:''' Volcanoes, Battle, War, Destruction, Flames and Fire, and Magma.
* '''Role:''' Caius acts as the Dragon General, leading Dragon forces in War.
* '''Traits:''' Ill-tempered, Violent, Uncompromising, Brave, Passionate, Loving.
* '''Temple:''' Rock of Eternity Volcano (largest Volcano in the world) in Guldar.
* '''Allies:''' Ifrit faithful, Leif & Bard faithful, Gladiators, Lothar Knights, Purists.
* '''Enemies:''' Any Occult, Occult Sympathizers, Aelrrigan Knights, Centrists.
* '''Rituals:''' Caius is celebrated through the rituals of Mage-Burnings and Pyro-Branding. The former involves gathering magical scrolls, books, and artifacts, and burning them in a ritual fire, while the latter involves branding the Occult with painful scars that hurt when they use Magic. Less violent forms of worship involve the Flame-Dance, a ritual dance by torches in the moonlight, and the Burning Love Chalice, writing love letters and burning them.
|}
</center>
</tr></table>
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Daiana, the Gray Dreaming Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Dreamdragon.png|220px|caption|left]]
|
* '''Name:''' Daiana (Da'amu in Eronidas), Dragon of the Elements and Planet.
* '''Domain:''' Daiana's domain is the planet itself, she is the world.
* '''Symbols:''' Earth, Ancestor Spirits, Nature, Dreaming, Child-bearing.
* '''Role:''' Daiana is the rock upon which all living move through space.
* '''Traits:''' Shamanism, Maternal, Nurturing, Meditation, Grounding, Wisdom.
* '''Temple:''' Great Hall of Mother in Kezzeret Kashubasha (Eronidas State).
* '''Allies:''' Mana faithful, Mothers, Yanar, Narim, Dwarves, Elkonur faithful, Spirits.
* '''Enemies:''' Those who disrespect Spirits as not having a story to tell or live out.
* '''Rituals:''' Daiana is celebrated through the Harvest Ritual and Caring Ceremony, the former which involves celebrating harvest and sharing meals with others, the latter which involves bestowing both the blessing and responsibility of caring onto someone else by granting them a plant, a pet, or a child to take care of. Daiana is also invoked by priests to summon the Spirits or appearances of dead relatives to give consolation to the mourning living.  
|}
|}
===Morrlond, the Undefeated Depths===
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Triton, the Black Chain Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:Voiddragon.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:New canvas nn kjbl.ijkoigjkhgkssss.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Triton, Dragon of the Void, known as Triton in [[Evolism]].  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' Triton's Domain is power and control, specifically of the mind.  
Morrlond is superficially a God of the sea and of the unknown creatures and dark depths within, but he represents much more. He represents struggle and competition, over land and power, over wealth and influence, and competition over who is the strongest and who can lay claim to fame and glory. It is from Morrlond that Evolists gain their drive to push outward and compete with other Religions and peoples to show their innate superiority, and largely also so many other faiths consider Evolism to be a threat to their own flock. Morrlond endears in all the Evolist subjects a territorial ambition, not necessarily to spread the faith to non-believers, but to extend the reach by which the true believers can influence events and people to their will. Morrlond demands that his followers send emissaries to tournaments and public displays of skill, where they can show the physical and mental superiority of their flock. Morrlond competes with the other traditional sea Gods Xeradon, and Vyrë over control of Aloria's Oceans, while the Estelley Goddess Sinnavei is his one true love. Though, as she is a Goddess on land, and he is a God of the sea, they are destined only to meet on land in those few times when Catheron permits, by causing an Eclipse and allowing the two opposite bodies to meet in embrace. Morrlond's origins are very unclear, it is known that he was once a Spirit Sovereign of the Void, but how he managed to become an Evolist God is never clarified. It is believed that he somehow tricked or defeated a Void God of monsters, and as a result, inherited the parentage of the creatures of the deep.  
* '''Symbols:''' Revenge, Domination, Darkness in one's Soul, Dark Metal.
|-
* '''Role:''' Triton is the Dark second half of Caius's split soul, Void infected.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Vengeful, Cruel, Pragmatic, Powerful, Unforgiving, Unrelenting.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' Darkscale House of the High Father in the Osciird Princedoms (Daen).
Virtue for Morrlond is simply put, to win. Winning at practically anything from a simple chess game to an elaborate Imperial Tournament, only to unfurl the Evolist banner at the very end to shock the Nobles gathered in scandal. Morrlond's virtue is to strife to be stronger, better, faster, and better, not by taking these traits from others (as Apotheon might), but by cultivating them inside. This can sometimes include Magic, though Magic is often considered the realm of Catheron, and as a result, Morrlond's focus is more bodily. Virtue is seeking out the Champions and heroes of other faiths and societies, and defeating them or making them kneel to the superiority of Evolism. Perhaps the greatest virtue is causing others to convert to Evolism, purely out of awe at the winner.
* '''Allies:''' Evolism Faithful, Evintarian Unionists, Military & Martial people.
|-
* '''Enemies:''' The Apathetic & Inactive, Behesael faithful, Pacifists, Ithanians.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Triton is celebrated through the Metamorphic Baptism, involved in ritually immersing in a pool of Void-blessed Dragon Water, and assuming Void Mutations of Triton. Another ritual is the Retribution Rally, where they summon a banner of Revenge and call forth allies to sally forth and attack their enemy for vengeance. Finally, Triton accepts blood offerings either from the faithful or those vanquished in battle.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Morrlond's vice is letting others win, with very little nuance. It is wretched in the eyes of Morrlond, to think that the worshipers of Evolism no matter how small their community might be in foreign lands, has no impact on events locally or globally. The greatest sin of Morrlond, is to be so thoroughly uninformed of the ongoing of local and global events, that ignorance and inaction set in, and make Evolists and their Gods as a whole unfelt and irrelevant to the passage of time. Morrlond does not strictly punish failure, because trying is better than doing nothing, but he does punish self-pity in loss.
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
All worshipers of Evolism are granted the gifts of Morrlond. Morrlond's gifts mainly aim themselves at overcoming losses. Any Evolist who participates in an Event-Calendar noted Tournament that involves Combat Roleplay, and should lose, gains +2 Attack Stat (breaking cap up to 11) for the next Event-Calendar noted Tournament. This effect can stack (increasing the cap by 2 each time also), until they win, after which it is removed. Secondly, Morrlond allows all Evolists to breathe underwater, but does not grant them underwater Combat Roleplay Mechanics or Abilities.  
|}
|}
===Apotheon, the Forceful Harmony===
</center>
</tr></table>
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Nox, the Teal Unseen Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:Dueuaj.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Yyyyyy.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Nox (Madhyaratri in Slizzar & Allar), Dragon of mirrors and truth.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' Nox's domain is that of truth or lies, and wisdom in foresight.
Apotheon is a young Evolist God that was born from the collapsing chaos of the Allorn Empire and the anguish of that imperial demise. Even though modern sentiments to Elven diversification are settled, many still hold regard for a time when they were all one before ideologies divided them. Apotheon represents in his purest form this desire to re-unify, but rather than take any one ideology or form as superior, to absorb the good qualities of all the Elven peoples, to create the perfect being. He desires to combine the Teledden gift for Magic, the free will and creative mind of the Kathar, the Maquixtl bodily transformations, Isldar sharpness of consciousness and insight, the unrivaled martial skill of the Sihndar, the control over lesser beings of the Suvial, the physical prowess and beauty of the Fin'ullen, the attuned senses of the Gralathar, the self-control and discipline of the Lanlath, and the mental acuity of the Daresalar, to create something that the Dragons could never dream of. For this outcome, however, his subjects are rarely willing, either due to ideological dissent, or because the inherent process of being reduced to genetic matter and being absorbed to empower someone else, is violent and existentially horrific. Apotheon is not only a god for Elves, even non-Elves can attune their own body and mind to the perfect being by making use of Apotheon's gifts, as few can refute the perfected and honed skills and qualities of the Elves that are worthy of envy. Outside of the emphasis on creating the perfect being, Apotheon is also a patron of fine art, artificial beauty and the power of attraction.  
* '''Symbols:''' Mirrors, Snakes, Libraries, Sassrakkand, the Mind, Chrome.
|-
* '''Role:''' Nox acts as Spymaster for the Dragons, but also has his own agenda.  
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Deceitful, Calculated, Foresight, Thoughtful, Wise, All-Knowing.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' The Sassrakkand Pyramideon (only accessible to Slizzar and Archon).
To Apotheon, it is virtuous to seek out those with qualities to be envied, whether born beauty, trained physique, acquired skill, or attuned traits and in essence to consume or steal them into the worshiper's own being. Apotheon's greatest virtue is a chase to become perfection itself and to trample whoever gets in the way. One specifically geared towards Elves is working towards the concept of Pan-Elvism, the idea that all Elves should re-unite as one perfect people, taking with them all the skills and honed traits to complement each other's faults and talents. Finally, a great virtue of Apotheon is to produce things of beauty, whether that means art, a beautiful painting or statue, or a macabre cabinet filled with jars with the congealed essences of beautiful and skilled people, all beautifully labeled and organized.
* '''Allies:''' Inth faithful, Rand faithful, Juvin Faithful, Wadj & Yah Faithful.
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Justicars, Knights, Guards, The Afflicted, The Thralled & Mind-Controlled.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Nox's worship involves the mirrors in which his Dragonsoul was banished by the Dragons for transgressing by creating the Slizzar, which he was specifically forbidden from doing. His followers etch secrets and things they have learned from the Occult into mirrors, after which the messages melt into the reflection and disappear, sometimes causing an approving reflection of Nox to appear for only a split second.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Apotheon's vices are the destruction and ruination of beauty and perfection. Anyone who destroys art, destroying Elven legacy or ruins, or who disfigured for example a Sapphora Godborn. This also extends to the self, with Apotheon looking disfavorably upon sloth and laziness, upon the abuse of the body through meaningless opiates and indulgent over-eating, lethargy, and doing nothing.  
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
All worshipers of Evolism are granted the gifts of Apotheon. The first is to be able to manifest or have Apotheon's golden tail (or in other aesthetic) by which they are able to extract the essence of a person by drawing blood, or consuming them wholly by draining all the liquid from their body and leaving behind a husk. From there, they can choose to manifest parts of the extracted/absorbed person's appearance, skills (like being good at art or cooking, but never Proficiencies) and in essence fuse them into their being. Changes applied to appearance never count as a Disguise, and cannot imitate a person.
|}
|}
===Armas, the Golden Order===
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Marik, the Brown Etherforge Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:Yayh.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Untitled Artworkdesi.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Marik (Al-Asir in Qadir), Dragon of Tech, a [[Unionist]] God also.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' Marik's Domain are the Leylines and Leytech, all Draconic machines.  
Armas is simply put a Love God, and while the other Evolist Gods have complex narratives and nuances on the state of the world and their intentions, Armas is delightfully simple. Armas embodies the desire of even the most wretched and undesirable people in the world to have love, their deserving of affection and compassion, and their want for intimacy and passion. All Evolists in general have a thing for wanting to be attractive and desired by others for companionship or carnal pleasure, and Armas answers all of these. He is traditionally depicted in a state of higher awareness and tranquility because he has reached a state where he can love and desire for others equal to all, and himself, and is free of jealousy, envy, and fear of rejection. His compassionate lovemaking and embrace of endearment is equally as warm and endearing to all, and he is not held back by the limitations of ideology, beliefs, religion, history, or intention. It is said among Evolists, that this is why so many of them have a thing for enemies to lovers stories and experiences because they express in the simplest form where love can reach complete perfection in being as a single thought transferred from one soul to another without all the associated baggage. Armas himself is a shapeshifter but frequently appears as a physically fit Eronidas male, covered in the pathways of affection which those who are blessed to meet him say they feel the warmth of closeness even when far away from him. Armas walks among the mortals more than any other Evolist God, particularly bedding those that are otherwise rejected as unwanted or ugly, to grant children.
* '''Symbols:''' Technology, Forgery, Craftsmen, Bronze, Brass, and Desert Sands.
|-
* '''Role:''' Marik is the Architect of Dragon Weapons and Sites against the Occult.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Helpful, Reassuring, Resourceful, Quirky, Compassionate, Self-Sacrificing.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' Marik's Temple was destroyed by the Great Storm that ravished Ard-al Nur.
Virtues to Armas are simply put to show affection, intimacy, and share passion, preferably with as many partners as possible, preferably with as little drama as possible. In his virtues, it is said that a person who truly loves themselves, is capable of boundless and equal love and companionship for all, one who is free of envy and jealousy, and one who can continue the spread of that affection through their children. It should as such not come as a surprise, that a virtue for Armas is also to have offspring and to teach them the good loving qualities of life. While ostensibly his Godborn are created as protectors of Evolism and its followers, they are just as much protectors against loneliness and embody their father's qualities to those who suffer from loneliness or rejection.
* '''Allies:''' Qadir, Unionists, Automata & Artificial living Beings, Technicians.
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Machinist faithful, Body-Modders, War-fanatics & the Military.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Marik's history of making all the Draconic weapons to exterminate the Occult in history, versus his current reincarnation differ considerably. While in the past worship was the creation of more weapons, now it is the creation of tools to help people live easier and more comfortable lives, specifically to replace the shortcut need of Magic to solve societal and environmental problems, by making the solution tech instead.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Armas does not generally speaking have vices, but one often unspoken aspect about his gospel is that love can very quickly descend into obsession or idol-worship. A common problem arises, in that the people who lay with Armas to have Godborn, end up becoming obsessed with him to the point of non-function, causing many Godborn to first-hand witness their mother wither away as a sign of the dark side of love. A potential sin is also the uneven application of affection, because Mortals do not have infinite energy and infinite grace of mind, so a person should always approach polyamory, with a clear mind.
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Armas is the only Evolist God that does not grant gifts to the faithful, because he claims that his love itself to them, is a gift. Instead this section will discuss some miscellaneous thoughts. Armas Godborn, are considered the perfect pairing for Sapphora Godborn, with Sapphora being considered the Golden Beauty, and Armas the Golden Body. The "Golden Order" refers to a command from Armas to produce the penultimate being of love, a child born from an Armas and Sapphora Godborn pairing. Such a child gains a mix of Sapphora and Armas Godborn Traits (to be defined when Godborn Page is updated).  
|}
|}
===Ravaal, the Glacial March===
</center>
</tr></table>
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Umbra, the White Twilight Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:Monkeydragongod.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Odella for martyravaal.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Umbra, the Dragon of the Dead and the Soul Rivers of Draconism.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' The Soul Rivers, the passage between life and death in Aloria.  
Ravaal, sometimes also just called the Glacial, is an enigmatic entity that was born in the chaos and mass-death of the Archmage-Wars in the Allorn Empire many centuries before its collapse. She was born in the Beyond as a servant of the Malefica, held in the cold and lonely death of glacial entombment. For centuries she lay in waiting, plotting both against Dragons and her master, for her ulterior motive is to kill the Malefica for imprisoning and using her, while raging against death itself. While the Malefica hates life and wishes to create Undeath life for all living things, Ravaal hates the finality of death and wants to end the concept itself (and thus, the Malefica). She acted through her greatest Champion Frisit, the Ordial Dragon who possessed the frozen corpse of Aurora and deceived the Isldar for centuries until the revival of the Dragons revealed her web of deceit. The revelation caused a civil war among the Isldar, with those loyal to the Dragons becoming the Life Isldar, and those loyal to Ravaal and Frisit becoming the Death Isldar. In a stroke of irony, the Life Isldar inflict and enforce death because the Dragons ordain that death is a necessary component of life, while the Death isldar defy death and postpone it to preserve their life in whatever means necessary, whether this means technological or magical augmentation. Ravaal represents to Evolist worshipers, the desire to cheat and avoid the concept of mortality and to refuse to see an end in things, to resist the very concept of finality. Outside of these qualities, Ravaal is also a Goddess of class and grace, embodying the old Imperial qualities of Allorn Archmages.  
* '''Symbols:''' A white swirl, blackout tattoos, a furred instead of scaled Dragon.  
|-
* '''Role:''' Umbra maintains the Soul Rivers and the Dead-Living boundaries.  
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Deadly, Pestilent, Renewal, Memories, Capricious, Sardonic.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' Destroyed, re-inhabited by the Evolist Temple in Regalia' Wilderness.  
To Ravaal, virtue is to enforce the Glacial March, which is a common life philosophy against the concept of death itself. This can include vowing only to use non-lethal weapons, healing the sick and injured, or vowing to be a champion of ending death by saving those at risk of death or putting to eternal sleep those who inflict death. These acts always come with a twist: those "killed" with non-lethal weapons fall into an eternal glacial Cursed sleep, healing of the sick and injured is done by installing twisted death-metal machines in their body that literally force them to stay alive despite the pain or quality of life. Finally, forms of virtue for Ravaal are also ending Undead beings who are Deathrotting, or otherwise bound to the will of Malefica, for ruining the Malefica's work is the greatest loyalty to Ravaal.
* '''Allies:''' Eronidas, Those who hunt Undead and return Spirits to the Afterlife.  
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Undead, Geists, those who consort with the Ordial Scourge.  
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Umbra is an ambiguous Dragon who is neither motivated by rage and pain or banishment into the Void for his favor to what some would call cruelty. He is the agent of all diseases and sickness on Aloria, because his greatest beauty is death itself, a final act and a final chapter in someone's life. Rituals of Umbra involve speeding an inevitable death to conclusion, and putting the dying at ease with the inevitable.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Death itself is not strictly a sin, Ravaal worshipers are not disallowed from causing death as a whole, but must ensure that such a Death does not empower the Malefica, or is inflicted for no strong reason. To this effect, Ravaal aids worshipers in trapping their soul in soul-shards, to prevent the Malefica from getting its claws on them. Others vices are fear of death, and apathy to murder and death.
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
All worshipers of Evolism are granted the gifts of Ravaal. They can bless their weapons in the Glacial March, becoming ghostly and see-through. Any would-be lethal wounds they inflict will not kill, instead when if expire, they fall into a glacial coma, a Curse requiring 3 Mages with 7 Proficiency in Magic to break to awaken. Secondly, she grants Evolists the means to produce Soul-shards, which are small ice-like crystals in which they can capture the souls of those that they do end up killing, where they can choose to keep them, or let them pass on without the Malefica getting close.  
|}
|}
===Gahan, the Demon Emperor===
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Felicula, the Yellow Harmony Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:noimglong.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Untitled Artworkgahan.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Felicula is the Dragon of Festivity, Kindness, and Warmheartedness.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' Felicula's domain is entertainment and culture, as well as peace.
Gahan is an ancient Evolist God that existed once as a God in his own right among the Dewamenet Gods, of the Aska (what would in the modern era become [[Baskarr]]) It is said among the Baskarr faithful that Gahan betrayed the Asha Gods when the Dewamenet Empire fell, fleeing with cowardice into the Void, becoming a Void God. As the Dewamenet Empire fell, and Evolist propaganda took over, the true version of events became unprovable, with Evolists claiming that Gahan stole the Dewamenet afterlife. On his back, he carried the souls of millions of dead Asha, a prison of the Dewamenet Empire kept alive in the realm of the dead. When he entered the Void, he turned this prison into an army, and quickly set about conquering the hierarchies of the Spirit Dukes and Spirit Sovereigns, eventually becoming the Spirit Emperor of the Void, ruling over the chaos as the only constant. Now, all Spirit Sovereigns and Dukes fear and obey him while they war one another, and all Spirits of the Void invariably serve him, with his own Demon Legion being one of the most formidable. In many ways, he is considered a rival to the Malefica of the Beyond, in that both command Spirits to the utmost, however, they are also oppositions of each other's ideologies. Where the Malefica seeks to end all life and free will in undeath, Gahan seeks in a way to preserve, turning the willing and unwilling into Demons of his host and spreading his influence. Gahan as a Spirit is immensely dangerous, bereft of By-laws and with unclear motives, whenever his personal involvement is suspected, many stay well clear.  
* '''Symbols:''' The yellow Hadar Chrysanthemum, vines wrapped around amphoras.
|-
* '''Role:''' Felicula makes the world pleasant to live in by creating joy in shadow.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Shy, Endearing, Hospitable, Altruistic, Well-meaning, Naive.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' Felicula never had a Temple, as worship of her was in festivities.  
Because Gahan is in a way a Death-God and the doorway to the afterlife of Evolism, most of his virtues concern the proper passage of death. To Evolists, nothing is more humiliating or ruining to the power of one's soul than being denied a good death, and so it is virtuous to help other Evolist worshipers to a good end. This can include dying in battle in one final duel, being absorbed into one of Apotheon's greater perfections, or ascending into a Void Demon or being called back from the afterlife by an Evolist priest to protect a Temple or their flock. Another unexpected virtue for Gahan is solidarity. While many Evolism worshipers compete internally over power, they must always unite when external threats are posed, even if that sometimes means working with unsavory persons to resist external pressures.  
* '''Allies:''' Entertainers, Artists, Musicians, Bartenders, Party Hosts, Dancers.  
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Those who speak with sarcasm, cruelty, or inflict mental anguish.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Felicula's worship is engaged in through the many varied Draconism festivals, one for each month, and to show random gestures of kindness and gifts to others. Very common is the Draconist gift-giving ceremony, where on the 20th of December, Draconism Faithful gift each other personalized and thoughtful gifts of specifically small monetary value, but also joining events hosted by others and improving the entertainment value.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Gahan's vices concern his hatred for inflexible and unpragmatic cowardice in stagnancy. What this more specifically means is choosing to die or be humiliated unheroically, and not racing with every fiber of one's being against diminishment imposed by others. On the eve of his own demise, Gahan willed himself into a hostile world, and bent and broke it to his will, showing there is always a way for a will.
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
All worshipers of Evolism are granted the gifts of Gahan. While in a Spirit Duke summoning, Evolists can call upon the insight of Gahan to peer through potential lies and double-speak of a Spirit Duke, to uncover hidden intentions. This won't allow a worshiper to fully understand the scope of the summoning interaction, but ward against unexpected traps or misleading that the Spirit Duke may be using to deceive the summoner. This Mechanic must be actively called upon during a Spirit Duke negotiation but can be called upon any number of times, though only by the person negotiating.
|}
|}
===Ventra, the Elemental Vengeance===
</center>
</tr></table>
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Severena, the Green Stalwart Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:noimglong.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Ventra for mart3y.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Severena (Saaima in Sihai), Dragon of Protection and Transcendence.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' Protection of the world from danger, and the inner Eye and Soul.
Ventra is considered one of the more benign Evolist Gods, but one that is nonetheless capable of extreme cruelty and wroth to cast asunder whole kingdoms. Ventra is a timeless being that was once an Ordial entity called the Huntress, but broke free from the Malefica's control and joined forces with the Evolist Gods. Ventra's sole purpose once was to hunt the Undead as an affront to nature, but when she was exposed to Aloria, became so enraged by the pollution and destruction of the world that she in effect became a mistress of revenge for nature itself. She does not preach about the purity of nature in its Dragon-created form, for she is the creator of the Wylwarped woods, woods that were magically altered along with its denizens to become fantastical and incomprehensible. Rather, she despises the careless destruction and pollution of nature without sustainability, endless wood cutting and the building of brick and stone houses that deprive nature their home while factories pollute and choke out the air and rivers. She harnesses the four elements of Air, Water, Fire and Earth, and bends her Magic and arrows to strike down enemies of the natural world and fortify the creatures to fight back. Common sightings of her creation are the stag with burning antlers, the rock-throwing birds, the water-serpents that spit liquid toxins, and the cockatrice that shrieks with such shockwaves, that it ruptures ear drums. As a result of all of this, Ventra is often worshiped by nature-fanatics who both protect, and change nature to create their and its creatures's paradise, while also absorbing nature into their own being.
* '''Symbols:''' Air, Monasteries, High Mountain Towers, Clouds, Transcendence.
|-
* '''Role:''' Severena guides the protectors of the living across the world.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Contemplative, Insightful, Ascended, Detached, Piercing, Ethereal.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' The Beian Temples in Zhong where the Air Dragons Slumber and dream of Jade.
It should come as no surprise that Ventra's greatest virtue is the protection and expansion of the natural realm. This can include engaging in the harassment and destruction of construction sites that seek to supplant nature, or to reclaim built in areas by growing vast forests or swampland into them, thus allowing natural creatures to return. Another virtue of Ventra that stands in opposition to the many other Religion-based nature preservationists like Mana for Estelley and Gaia for Draconism, is that binding Magic in nature itself is a virtue for Ventra. In Ventra's eyes, nature was born incomplete and weak, denied the right to defend itself against the corruption of sentience. In her eyes, nature would fare a lot better with toxic spores, spikes and horns, while allowing worshipers to live in symbiosis in nature.
* '''Allies:''' Those who task themselves to save the world from chaos and calamity.
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Those who would cause chaos and damage the world and people in it.  
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Severena worship is done the Breath of Serenity, a solo or group excersize of speaking out evils and attachments, and letting go with breathing exercises. Another worship method is the Temple of Elevation where the faithful climb high mountains or tall towers with lanterns to seek enlightenment, and the vows of protection where those who have attained enlightenment and detachment from the mortal world, can become true world protectors.  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Ventra's sins are affronts to nature, and while she is no longer the Huntress, one of the greatest crimes in her preachings is to be Undead. To be Undead is a great vice, and one which causes other worshipers to hunt one to the ends of Aloria. Other vices in Ventra's teachings are the meaningless destruction of nature like leisure hunting, landscape planning for noble parks, and eradication or extinction of unique species and creatures. Ventra also harbors extreme hatred for those that cleanse nature that has been given the magical means to defend itself, thus undoing her and her faithful's work.
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
All worshipers of Evolism are granted the gifts of Ventra. Ventra allows Evolists to incorporate aspects of natural creatures, plantlife, or geology into their own body, for example by manifesting a bear's arms, a deer's antlers, a feline tail, rock plating, or floral patterns in their hair, all of these changes being purely aesthetic. Additionally, if they witness a person violating nature in opposition to Ventra's teachings, they can summon Ventra's bow and glowing arrows, to mark a person. From then on, until they repent to Ventra, any Evolist that meets them will know they are a sinner.  
|}
|}
===Int, the Thousand Eyes===
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Aurora, the Purple Creation Dragon'''</center></span>
{|
{|
|-
[[File:noimglong.png|220px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:New Canvasgvdddddddhbft.png|300px|caption|left]]
|
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
* '''Name:''' Aurora, the Dragon of Creation's penultimate design and intellect.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Domain:''' The Creation Dictat, that which creates all live on Aloria.  
Int is an ancient Void God as old as the Void Invasions themselves, and potentially the first entity of the Void that somehow crossed dimensions to teach the Seraph how to connect with the Void, causing some to thus claim that Int is the cause of all Void Invasions and the Tear in the Veil. Int is a knowledge God who hungers for knowledge and information, it controls the Wellspring of Knowledge, which is said to be a fount of knowledge so vast that to drink even a single drop, causes a person to go mad with knowing. It has gone by many names through the millennia: The Thousand Eye God, The Unknown One, Djjwa, Inthalis or Innalis, and the Worm, all drawn from the nightmares of cultures and peoples as his servants writhed and wormed their way into the mind and conscience of their victims to harvest memories and knowing for their master. Int is one of the most feared entities in the world because it uniquely out of all the Gods and Dragons in existence, has touched every civilization and every culture in some way and left behind instinctive fears towards the concept of the ear-burrowing worm by which it feeds on memories. Int's motivations are nebulous, as it has been found to act on small scales to encourage treason and chaos, but also on large scales to change the course of time and the direction of whole cultures. It is said inside Evolism, that Int is the architect of confusion and unknowing, and that many contradictions and false-leads of information that are sprinkled throughout history are his doing, yet despite all this power, it is always bound in the Void, only able to interact with Aloria through its disciples.  
* '''Symbols:''' The sprouting plant, the meteor and the meteor's impact crater.
|-
* '''Role:''' Aurora designs, creates and iterates on all living species on Aloria.  
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
* '''Traits:''' Frigid, Emotionless, Intuitive, Work-Obsessed, Isolationist, Free.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* '''Temple:''' The Moon-Vault Halls in Ellador, capital of the Life Isldar Elven State.
To spy, to gather information, and to be a broker of knowledge, these are all virtues for Int, but above all to whisper all secrets no matter how small, insignificant, meaningless, or dirty to Int's worms. Int's disciples are the unseen and unsuspected, masters of subterfuge and disguise and shapeshifting to avoid attention and to be considered pathetic and worthless, yet to hold their master's ear close by and be recruited to do its bidding. Int supposedly rewards its followers for great secrets and historical oddities they bring, as well as those who make conflict with Catheron, or the Pride Arken and his children and followers in other faiths. There are many tales in Evolist legend that involve Catheron stealing secrets and artifacts from Int and taunting it with them until Int seeks revenge.  
* '''Allies:''' Alchemists, Hunters, Urlan, Scholars, those in the sciences.  
|-
* '''Enemies:''' Death Isldar, Environmental destruction and eco-system destabilization.
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
* '''Rituals:''' Aurora worship is often done alone but can also be done together, in the Harvest of the Stars by wishing on the falling stars which are common in the skies, or the Hunting Rite of Passage where mentors take students on hunts to prove their natural selection ability and population control. Finally, the Transition Cave is where animal or people carcasses are laid to rest to turn into new lifeforms in insects and fungi.
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Int knows no true vices, except the concept of incompetence itself. To be a disciple of Int requires a great deal of subtlety, charisma, and flexibility that are rare qualities to find. Anyone who seeks Int's favor by becoming a disciple or "worm", and fails, can be sure to have their memories and mind painfully extrapolated, extracted, and consumed by the very being that they sought to serve as punishment for their failure. Int worship has perhaps the greatest threshold of skill requirement, leading to its servants being feared even among fellow Evolists who they are ostensibly positively disposed towards.
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Int rewards those who succeed and punishes failure. Through Int, Evolist followers can use non-generated Divinium to empower Artifacts in their ownership which unlocks extra tiers (Mechanics, and sometimes Abilities) on them each time it is performed (capped once per month), also Void-Corrupting it with the power of Int. If the Artifactspark is removed, or the Artifact is lost to the Evolist who owned it, the tier upgrades are removed and the Artifact is de-powered. Failing in this way also causes Int to place a semi-permanent Curse on the Evolist, that can only be removed with non-generated Divinium.
|}
|}
===Triton, the Envy Dragon===
</center>
</tr></table>
 
===Gaia, the Indigo Nature Dragon===
{|
{|
|-
|-
| rowspan="4" | [[File:New Cansssvasjnhgvjg.png|300px|caption|left]]
| rowspan="4" | [[File:New Canvadddsrtetgr.png|300px|caption|left]]
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Description
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
Triton is complicated, because he is both an Evolist God, and a Draconism God at once. They are one and the same entity, but for both religions, Triton behaves differently, administering a different belief system to each set of believers. Within Draconism, he is strongly backing the Draconic cause, while in Evolism, his actions are more unclear, and seemingly against the better interests of Dragons. This occurs because of the very nature of the Void to refract consciousness into multiple actors, a similar condition that affects the immortal Catheron and his mortal version in the Pride Arken. While all versions of the same entity share a common consciousness, refracted actors engage in different actions based on the things they know, and their experiences. Simpler put, both think the same, but both act differently as a result of that thought. In the case of Triton, this manifests in envy of the Dragons who hoard and act in secrecy. They deny mortals the tools of creating life, they deny mortals access to their secretive Dragon Sites, and they deny mortals the knowledge of knowledge and history telling since the beginning of Dragon awareness. Triton for Evolism embodies the envy and spite Evolists feel towards Gods of other Religions but particularly Dragons, and rage that it is only Gods and Dragons, who get to be immortal. As such, much of Triton's ideology also centers around his followers seeking pathways to immortality, whether that means literal immortality, or an approximation by extending life repeatedly. Triton remains a complicated God, because he sometimes acts against Evolism.  
Gaia is not a Dragon exactly, but a mortal Aelrrigan Knight named Iorwerth (depicted right) who was an Archon serving the Dragons, carrying the soul of the dead Dragon Gaia. For centuries, Iorwerth was forced to serve the Malefica, one of the greatest unseen enemies of the Dragons, forced to conjure up vast magical structures, mazes, and fortresses for the Malefica and its Shades to use to deal death on mortals in the living world. He was forced to do this because his lover Cadell's (depicted left) soul had been captured by the Malefica, who used him as a bargain to string Iorwerth along. Through the intervention of mortals in Regalia, Iorwerth and Cadell were able to break free from the Malefica's control, and return to Aloria. There he rekindled with the Dragons he once served, but also still held the power of Ordial god-hood. For this, the Dragons tasked him to ascend to their pantheon by being the (somewhat reluctant) host of Gaia's Dragon Soulspark, a Dragon who had perished many centuries ago during the Denial of Immortality. While many of Iorwerth's structures still serve the Malefica, all have become overgrown with lush vines and the Lillies of the Valley, Iorwerth and Cadell's favorite flower. In this, Gaia's powers manifest as the Dragon of Nature, the other half of Aurora's Craters of Creation. While she created the living beings that inhabited nature, it was Gaia who created the plants and trees and flowers that decorate all the realms. Thus, carrying life and death in his body and his love by his side, Iorwerth is the Draconic God of Nature, tranquility, absolution, and redemption in rebirth.
|-
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Virtues
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
Virtues to Triton, are uncovering the secrets and powers and tools that the Dragons hold hidden and secret from the world, and sharing them with fellow Evolists. Other Virtues are to convert Archon to so-called Darkscales by drifting them from Draconist ideology (or whatever other Religion they hold to), and turning them into Void-baptized holy warriors against the Exist, and notably Estelley as a Religion. Further virtues are Metamorphic Baptism, the act of accepting and spreading Triton-themed Void Mutations, and generally enhancing the body through mutations. And finally, Triton also rewards the offering of trinkets, trophies, or blood offerings, of the vanquished Estelley forces, such as Justice fanatics, Estelley priests, or other Exist-aligned forces.  
Virtue to Gaia (This God is both called Gaia and Iorwerth) is preserving balance of nature, in the give and take between the forces within an ecosystem, and preventing cascade collapse due to dying flora. From the smallest of maggots, to the largest of mammals, nature exists as the bedrock of life on Aloria. Iorwerth specifically adds to this, by making the act of redemption both in receiving and offering others the chance, a true virtue and to never give up in the face of even the most malicious of death-bound forces to return to a righted world and make amends.
|-
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Vices
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
| style="vertical-align:top;" |  
A vice to Triton, is intentional secrecy, a point that he frequently conflicts with Int on. While some information must be kept secret, Triton in general commands the faithful to spread any hidden information (deeplore) that they acquire among the faithful so that all may act on the best information provided and available. A sin is to withhold this information for personal benefit or just for personal pleasure, thus causing potential damage to one's fellow Evolism worshipers. Another sin, is blindly doing the bidding of Dragons. While working with them is permitted in some instances, one must always know why.  
Vices to Gaia, are the stupidity and naivety to outsmart forces greater in power than the self. In this, Iorwerth and Cadell's centuries-long imprisonment in the Beyond acts as a deterrent and a warning that evil forces are not interested in playing fair or honest, and that respecting duels or challenges of powerful entities is foolish. Iorwerth and Cadell express above all that it is a Vice to not seek help, to not ask for saving, and to foolhardy insist that the individual can overcome all trials and struggles alone. Gaia looks down on lone wolves who risk others with their own recklessness.
|-
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Mechanics
| style="font-weight:bold; width:75px; vertical-align:top;" | Radical
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
Triton grants his blessings to all Evolist worshipers. The Mechanics granted here however, are not yet done writing. They will be produced, when the Songaskian page has an update, as the Mechanics derive from Songaskian Mechanics, or combinations of them. Triton grants his blessings to all Evolist worshipers. The Mechanics granted here however, are not yet done writing. They will be produced, when the Songaskian page has an update, as the Mechanics derive from Songaskian Mechanics, or combinations of them. Triton grants his blessings to all Evolist worshipers.
Gaia's Radical is the Radical of Integration. This Radical proposes that the Occult can have the right to exist in the mortal world, but only insofar they are able to exist in a social ego system that is in harmony with their environment and the people around them. This vague concept proclaims that the Occult have a right to exist, but that to claim this right they must adapt and conform, concede, and compromise, and cannot hold onto selfish notions of complete autonomy. Failing this, Gaia's Radical proposes purging invasive Occult who disrupt social eco systems to preserve stability.
|}
|}
==Priesthood==
 
Evolists have both the concept of a Lay Priest, and an Ordained Priest. A Lay Priest is called a Herad-Icon. Herad-Icons do not have official ordained recognition but usually focus strongly on a single God of the pantheon, and try to embody every aspect and virtue of that God, while largely ignoring the others. This does not mean that they do not worship the other Gods also, after all, one cannot be part of a Religion and pick and choose which Gods to acknowledge. It means that the common folk would not reach out to a Herad-Icon of Armas, to learn about Catheron, and vice versa. Sometimes however, Herad-Icons may have more in-depth understanding or a better way of words about specific gods, than Ordained Priests might, so they are still useful if a faithful wants to please a very specific God, and an Ordained Priest is not very helpful. Ordained Priests are called Dian-Icon, and have formal training from other Dian-Icons in the preachings of the Gods. One becomes a Dian-Icon by traveling the Grand Temples of the Gods, and learning the teachings from the Dian-Icons there, collecting a form of medals for each passage. When all 9 medals are acquired, they are fashioned into a long chain worn over the shoulders, and the Dian-Icon is ordained to the Gods. Dian-Icons don't hold public sermons like Unionist priests would, but are generally available to be approached about religious matters, while also acting like piety police among the faithful. They are in essence watchers for the Vices as they are recorded, and are meant to address the faithful when they fall into these Vices. Dian-Icons also maintain Evolist Temples, and many of them are also warriors because many of their beliefs are protected by combat.
==Magic Policy==
Magic, or more specifically how to treat Magic (that is not Dragon Magic), varies for each of the Dragons, and subsequently as their faithful as they are bound to choose one of the Dragons as their Patron. The Dragon policies are called "The Radicals" for example the Radical of Destruction or the Radical of Apathy. Each Dragon has a context and nuance for why they feel that particular way, which is explained below. It is possible to apply multiple Radicals at once.
* '''Regulus, the Radical of Symbiosis:''' Regulus was born and lived most of his life as a mortal Ailor, and spent many years warming up to the presence of Occult. Notable in his history, is his intense friendship with a Pride Arkenborn, who softened him to the value of the Occult to fight an indeterminate "evil". As such, Regulus's Radical is that of Symbiosis, the idea that the Occult can also be recruited in the fight against the bad types of Magic, or the bad types of Magic users. Regulus fervently believes in the right of the Occult to live their life un-harassed by demands to convert to Dragon Magic or be rid of their Magic, as well as free from the fear of being killed for being Occult, but only for a narrow band of Occult who agree that casual, indifferent, or whimsical use of Magic is extremely dangerous. Regulus seeks to recruit Occult of Void, Exist, or Ordial alignment, who will aid in the fight against the Death Cults, Evolist Gods, Undead, Arken, and their ilk. Finally, Regulus and his followers determine those who are irredeemably "evil" for their vile Magic usage, declaring them Anathema and handing the matter off to Caius and his faithful for the hunt.
* '''Caius, the Radical of Fire:''' Caius has suffered for 80,000 years, as the Void itself is tearing him apart. When the Void opened, Dragons being curious, sent Caius in to try and understand what it was. This event caused Caius's soul and body to split in two (the other half being Ifrit). He has been infected with a slow rotting corruption from within that will eventually overtake him, and so the urgency of his fight against the Occult is a desperation to end the infection before it ends him. His Radical of Fire, insists that the bad type of infection (Magic, Afflicted) must be burned out with fire and sword without mercy. Umbra believes that Caius's condition is made worse by casual Magic usage (such as just doing magic for the sake of it, or to impress others without urgent need), and so while Caius does not demand all Magical people be exterminated for being Magical, he demands they be made to suffer for casual Magic and abuse of Magic for selfish reasons with fire so they learn not to add to the suffering of Caius. Caius and his followers also wait for Regulus to determine who is Anathema in the law of Draconism, and seek out to utterly destroy those that have been labeled irredeemable to help Caius in his suffering.
* '''Daiana, the Radical of Peace:''' Daiana is the world itself, and as such, her policies are only really understood indirectly from the Dreamborn that wander the world that are manifested from her Dreamspark, the thing with which she creates Gods and other matters of reality on Aloria. Daiana is a Dragon uniquely positively disposed to Spirits, and their will to live on Aloria even if they come from another dimension. Daiana dreams of a world without death, which sometimes puts her at odds with Umbra who insists on the need for the life and death cycle. While Spirits cannot truly feel the same way mortals do on Aloria, Daiana is the Spirit mother who seeks to embrace all of them and create a world in which Spirits and the living can exist in harmony, as Spirits in her eyes are always fated to exist for a specific reason, just like her Dreamborn. The exception, however, is what her faithful call the "Hollows", which are Spirits that have vile or ruinous intentions on the world. Daiana and her followers seek out the destruction or banishment of these Hollows, as they believe them to be corruptive to other Spirits who would otherwise have curious or benign intentions to living on Aloria.
* '''Triton, the Radical of Power:''' Triton is both a split personality of Caius that exists in his own body, but also an entirely different person. It is believed that Triton is perhaps the only entity to have been omniscient since the dawn of Dragon times, as all other Dragons have either died, faded from reality, become unaware of the world, or projected into a different reality. Triton to some is called the "Dark Dragon", because he has no anti-Occult stance whatsoever, in fact he wants them all used, even Vampires. Triton's stance of Radical of Power implicates his followers with seeking to bend the Occult to their will, ostensibly to eradicate other Occult who are resilient to their power or are too wretched to be bent into service. Triton essentially weaponizes the Occult against other Occult, both to gather power, but also to bring about an easier destruction of the Occult, specifically by making the casualties other Occult, and not the Mundane or Draconist worshipers.  
* '''Nox, the Radical of Illusion:''' Nox much like Daiana has a policy that isn't strictly anti-Occult but aimed at the Occult integration in some way. Nox acknowledges that while other Dragons are mostly focused on the Occult infection of the world, Draconism or Dragons as a whole have many other enemies, including Gods, mortals and even the natural forces of the world. Nox seeks to harvest the Occult for information, knowledge, and sometimes even dark powers short of becoming Afflicted so that they can be weaponized against the threats the other Dragons ignore or aren't aware of. This can also include defending the Draconist cause against incursions from the outside, those who would usurp the powers of the Draconic. Some might even say, that it could involve shutting down Dragon Sites and regulating who get access to them, because sometimes, the enemy is within the Draconist's own cause whether through naivity or having fallen under the wrong influences.
* '''Marik, the Radical of Illumination:''' Marik is a product of a reborn tragedy, a Dragon whose soul was once used to commit the revenge of a Death God unto the ancestors of the Qadir. Much of his current life is in a mission to heal the damage this has done, and to mend the rifts that have come about between people of different origins, cultures, or beliefs. Marik as the patron of the Songaskians, straddles a difficult position in which he is a Dragon God to the Songaskians, but a Unionist God to the Qadir. The Songaskians do not directly contradict this reality, but the Qadir have not yet surpassed their historical trauma, and refuse to acknowledge that Marik is also a Dragon. Marik himself has always dodged the question or the matter, and resides in his home in Al-Alus, surrounded by the Qadir. His avoidant attitude extends to his Radical of Illumination, believing that whatever issue exists with the Occult, is only secondary to healing the historical trauma and damage that was inflicted on the world by the war between the Dragons and the Occult over the past 70,000 years, by helping Mundane and Occult alike heal from their history and the crimes committed against their ancestors.
* '''Umbra, the Radical of Demise:''' Umbra's Radical of Demise underpins the absolute necessity for death to continue the cycle of life, and to prevent death from taking place elsewhere. What this means is that Umbrists believe in the inevitability of the fated end, that all thousands of premonitions of the future always lead to one outcome, being a death, and that a death must be made but that they have the choice whose life to take. This evaluation is usually based on the circumstances of the death. For example, if a Purist were to try and kill an Occult and that would result in a riot which would cause even more death, then the Umbrist would instead prevent the Occult's death, and kill the Lothar instead, because they believe that if they do not, that fate will exact another unforeseen death elsewhere. Umbra and his followers are utilitarians at heart, and as such will always seek to exact a clean and painless death to prevent more violence and more undue death that was not foretold in the threads of future visions. This can as mentioned sometimes involve taking the side of the Occult, but often also results in them killing Occult who will inevitably become Demonically possessed, or limit-break and take half a city with them.
* '''Felicula, the Radical of Love:''' Felucila's Radical of Love, is often ridiculed by the faithful of the other Dragons as inanely naive. Her Radical insists that if the Occult were just embraced, cherished, loved, and be made friends with, that the Immortal War will end by itself, and that most if not all the vileness and grief that comes from the Occult, is based by the sociopolitical conditions in which they live, in constant persecution, ridicule, and fearing for their life. While some element of this is certainly very true, Felicula worshipers sometimes neglect the reality that some people just suck, and that some entities are just irredeemably evil. Felicula and her followers will always keep trying to convince those who were led astray by the ruinous powers, that they are welcome and cherished, and through that convince them to turn away from sinful Occult behavior.
* '''Severena, the Radical of Inward:''' Severena believes that the world, reality as it existed even before the Dragons, created flaws inherent in existence. As a result, Dragons are flawed, and subsequently, mortals they create are flawed. Furthering from that thought, she believes that one cannot truly look at the Occult and claim it to be filth that defiles the world, because the world is already filled with filth in violence, untimely death, suffering, hunger, and anguish, even without Magic. She claims that it is not possible for a Draconist to truly stand against the vilest of Occult that have tasked it upon themselves to inflict suffering, if the non-Occult do not first reach a higher understanding in themselves, and rid themselves of earthly attachments and have a clean mind. The Radical of Inward insists that the faithful must reach a higher level of transcendent detachment from personal anchors such as greed, pride, vanity, lust, and so forth, and then reach out into the world during this journey, to become protectors of the world.
* '''Aurora, the Radical of Focus:''' Aurora does not care. This is a simple view, the Radical of Focus insists that there are far more important natural functions of the world, such as the continuation of life itself and the perpetuation of new animal species. Aurora quite literally does not have time to spend a second thought about the Occult, and as such she and her followers completely ignore the hypothetical Immortal War or the war between the Dragons and the Occult, to instead focus on maintaining the base functions of the world in the absence of other divine figures to steer them. Note, this does not mean that the Life Isldar are pacifists and simply lay down to the Death Isldar attacking them, they can take a very harsh and hostile stance against the Occult, but only ever do so when the threat manifests in geo politics. Aurora and her worshipers otherwise reject the urgency of destroying unworthy or sinful Occult, even at the cost of Caius's suffering.
==Priestly Activities==
Draconist priesthood once lacked a formal structure, relying instead on Draconic oversight and the command of their directly chosen Matrons. However, as the millennia wore on and religious belief continued after the disappearance of Dragons, a priesthood came to be. With the modern-day resurgence of Draconism, the priests have multiplied alongside. Unlike the Matrons who directly serve one Dragon, the priests serve all Dragons simultaneously and preach in all their names.
 
===Celestial Festivals===
Draconist festivals are drawn up according to the twelve months of the year, placed exactly in the middle. These festivals are open to the non-faithful as well, in the search to entice new converts. The twelve monthly festivals are:
* '''Wildcard Festival (January 15)''': Taking place at the heart of winter, this celebration is an invitation for the priests of the community to celebrate the important events of the previous year in broader retrospective of all that has come to pass. This Festival specifically also celebrates Regulus and the Blue Dragons.
* '''Before-Spring (February 15)''': Amidst the clearing of the frost, this Draconist festival sees the creation of garland, bouquets, and other arrangements to show respect for nature. Nature-walks, protests of industrialization, and celebrations of the natural world via communal learning are commonly held during this time. This Festival specifically also celebrates Aurora and the Purple Dragons.
* '''Storyteller’s Festival (March 15)''': This festival is a celebration of the power of stories, and their importance in preserving oral history, especially when so much knowledge of the Dragons has been lost. Worshippers usually gather in someone’s home, or around a large stage, and take turns telling their favorite story. The tales are usually non-fiction, but fictional stories are allowed and encouraged, as long as they have some moral lesson or point.
* ''' All-Faith Tournament (April 15)''': This festival features ritualistic fighting between groups (or pairs) of warriors in the name of the Dragons. It is common for Draconists to invite fighters from other faiths, and include them in the battle, primarily to show the grace of the Dragons, but also to show off the martial prowess of the Archon and Draconists who participate. Ritualistic Dragon-Magic is used to prevent anyone from outright dying in the arena, and this Festival (unofficially) celebrates Triton and his might.
* '''Cycles of Creation (May 15)''': This festival is the Draconist version of a “Love Festival” common in many other cultures and religions. During the day, Draconists gather and encourage others to spend time with their loved ones, specifically handing out flower-wreathes to single individuals, encouraging others to talk to them. While the day celebrates platonic and romantic love, by the evening Draconists are encouraged to spend time with their romantic partner(s), and the festival is seen as a particularly holy and important time to procreate and make love, as a celebration of life. This Festival historically used to celebrate Caius and the Red Dragons, but doesn’t anymore.
* '''Introspection Trials (June 15)''': This festival is less of a festival and more of a series of quests that Draconists task one another with, based on their perceived failures and weaknesses. Draconists are encouraged to devise a “mission” for another Draconist to try and complete, specifically with the intent of helping them get over something they struggle with, or learn something new, or improve and better themselves in some way. Succeeding in this task obligates the Draconist who did the quest to treat the quest-giver in some way (dinner, drink, a gift, etc), and the opposite if the Draconist fails (as consolation, the quest-giver treats them to something nice). Outright refusal to partake is looked down upon, and obligates all other Draconists to devise an even more convoluted quest. This Festival specifically also celebrates Severena and the Green Dragons.
* '''Harmony Jubilee (July 15)''': This the largest and most bombastic of all of the Draconist Festivals, an all-day celebration including a large feast, dances, and loud music and song.  Most importantly, the Jubilee has hospitality extended to enemies of the faithful during this time, meaning they will not be attacked or chased out, so long as they do not harm someone first, or callously insult the Draconists hosting the festival. It is for this reason that the Jubilee (in Regalia, at least) is usually held in the countryside, to prevent any arrests being made. This Festival specifically also celebrates Felicula and the Yellow Dragons.
* '''Festival of Service (August 15)''': This festival has no defined structure, but is a celebration that encourages the faithful to remain humble, and offer their aid to others. For the entire day, Draconists travel in groups and offer their help, free of charge or expectation of repayment, to anyone who might need it. This can range from helping someone clean up their store, to building a home, to offering relationship advice, or trying to track down a lost pet, as long as the request does not obligate the Draconists to do something violent or offensive to their morals. This Festival specifically also celebrates Marik and the Brown Dragons.
* '''Mourning Festival (September 15)''': It is common for this festival to feature processions in the streets of towns and cities where Draconists carry candles to graveyards of other religions, to offer their condolences to remember the dead and honor their memory, no matter their religion or culture or citizenship. This Festival specifically also celebrates Umbra and the White Dragons.
* '''Harvest Ritual (October 15)''': This festival celebrates the harvest via a large potluck, where everyone contributes some ingredient or dish. The feast is a large public gathering, where non-Draconists are welcome to bring their own food and dishes. It also features lots of colors, as it is common to have dyed chalk that is smeared across people’s skin and clothes to mark them as worshippers of a particular Dragon. This Festival specifically also celebrates Daiana and the Gray Dragons.
* '''The Eternal Vigil (November 15)''': This festival is a solemn vigil in remembrance of the Archon who gave their lives historically, and even now, to protect and champion the cause of the Dragons. It is a festival that reflects on the suffering of the Archon, and even of the Dragons, at the hands of demonic forces. This Festival specifically also celebrates (or mourns) Caius and the Red Dragons.
* '''Gift-Giving and Sharing Ceremony (December 15)''': On this day, Draconists traditionally give each other personalized and thoughtful gifts of little monetary value. Usually, Draconists will choose a small number of people who they felt helped them the most throughout the year, and offer them gifts, with the expectation that everyone should get something. During this time, Draconists also partake in the ritual of sharing and absolution, wherein Draconists can reveal secrets or things they have kept hidden, that they regret or feel shame about, with the promise that by sharing at this ceremony, they will not be completely shunned or abandoned. To reveal a secret at this festival is a sacred act, and while it will not absolve them of all possible sins, it does ensure that the other Draconists will work to help them through it, and repent (if needed). This Festival specifically used to celebrate Nox, but, after his sin and banishment, it no longer does (publicly, anyways). Nox worshippers and Slizzar still hold this festival as a celebration of him and his wisdom.
===Rising===
The act of Rising is one of the more complicated rituals a Draconist priest can perform, and is a harmless event performed in the name of Daiana meant to give closure to a member of the living through the calling forth the target of their communion. It should be stated clearly that this ritual is not a Summoning or Evoking, and the entity that appears is only a visual construct from the memories of the participating party. This form can be the appearance of dead relatives, close friends, or those who were sadly taken too soon from a partner that they loved. The act of Rising is meant to provide closure, and priests as channelers of the ritual and also emotional guides, speak through their “puppet,” being granted temporary access to relevant memories shared between these two figures, or which might be useful in providing the living subject closure. Rising is seen as sacred among Draconists, while also being something that a priest does not perform lightly. An individual usually has to have a real emotional block in their mindset regarding a lost loved one for a priest to consider a Rising.
 
==Trivia==
To be Expanded.
{{Religion}}
{{Accreditation
|Artists =
|Writers = MonMarty
|Processors = FireFan96
}}
[[category:Religion]]

Latest revision as of 06:52, 30 April 2024

Test1
Gdwsgdse.png
Religion
Pronunciation Dra-konism
Origins Unknown, presumed over 70.000 years ago
Deities
Regulus, Caius, Daiana, Triton, Nox, Marik, Severena, Aurora.
Subsects
N/A

Origins

Draconism is the oldest Religion in the world, presumed to have existed in some form or another for nearly 100,000 years, though it is at the very least certain that the dogma has changed over successive generations. For example, the Maraya who have awoken from the Vaults, find Draconism radically different from what they remember in their Civilization, and even different from the archeological studies they did of the third Civilization that preceded them. Draconism styles itself after the values and principles of the Dragons in that Era, themed or styled in itself after the Races that roam the world at that time. It is as such an ever changing Religion that shapes itself based on the followers, though the Dragon Gods are eternal and remain largely similar with only their Race and some subtext changing between successive generations. Draconism has followers all over the world, but is generally speaking one of the weaker religions, being outclassed in number of followers by the likes of Unionism, Estelley, Fornoss, and some would argue even Evolism. Draconism has technically been a dead religion for 300 years, as the Dragons disappeared from the world in various ways, leaving behind their faithful who now worshiped in essence dead Gods. In the last few years however, Draconism has made a quick revival with many Temples being inhabited again, and the Dragons coming back alive in what is referred to as the Revival of Immortality.

History

To understand why the Dragons "died", it is necessary to understand the grand theme running through Draconism, being The Immortal War. The Immortal War refers to the endless conflict between the Dragons and what they call The Infection, which means Ordial/Exist/Void Essences that creep into the world of Aloria and attach to living and non living things there. The Dragons see themselves as natural wardens of the order of the world, and seek to remove The Infection from the world as a result. The Immortal War is mostly fought between Dragons and the Arken, at least historically speaking when they were still bound to Estel and Behesael. Each successive Void Invasion signals the failure of the Dragons to halt yet another end-times event, though after each cycle, the Dragons remain to restart civilization with new Races. Only the last (5th) Void Invasion was halted, when the Dragons performed the rite of the Denial of Immortality. In essence, Demons and Arken were immortal because the natural laws of Aloria allowed immortality. By denying immortality, the forces the Dragons fought could be killed, but they in turn were also killable. The Arken destroyed Estel and eventually Behesael in their betrayal, and the Dragons went out one way or another as the Immortal War essentially ended in a stalemate. The Dragons relented their efforts to kill the Arken, and contented themselves with the end of the Void Invasions, though recently, the Dragons seem to have come back from this decision, and have started reviving all over the world.

Draconic Nuance

There is one topic worth discussing with regards to Draconism, compared to other religions: the (in)validity of other Religions through Dragons. It is pretty widely known that Dragons create both Races and Gods, but this fact does not make them Gods to other peoples and religions who do not observe them as such. Consider this metaphor: if you liked your team-leader, because he did good things for you and your goals align, your belief in your team-leader is not suddenly invalidated, because your team-leader was raised/taught by a different person. All Religions understand the mechanical purpose of Dragons in the world (conception, creation, ecosystems etc.), but reject their religious message or Dragons as Gods (except in some circumstances, like the Guided Cult of Unionism). Draconism is the only Religion without an afterlife, the faithful neither go to an afterlife nor to the Beyond, their souls are lifted up by Umbra and rejoin the Soul Rivers from which they are born, disappearing into nothingness and lending their life and memories back to the Dragons.

Divine Mechanics

All Religions provide 1 single Mechanic to their Believers that fits within the flair of their Religion. This Mechanic is lost if the individual stops believing in the Religion, or becomes a heretic, but can be regained. Afflicted can use this mechanic, but having the mechanic does not imply that they have blanket forgiveness from their Gods, just that there is more nuance to it than that.

  • Draconism worshipers are able to use Persuasion Dice rolls on Gods both outside and inside of Divinium summonings which is normally not possible. Additionally they gain +2 to every Dice roll of Persuasion against a God, and their Persuasion Cap is raised by +2 when rolling against Gods.

Gods and Goddesses

Draconism has several Gods (gender indeterminate, though when humanoid, they do appear gendered), making it a polytheistic Religion. Unlike many other polytheistic religions, however, Draconism has a clear hierarchy and even a form of competitive rivalry between the so-called Dragon Thrones. Every Dragon Throne (a group of Dragons) contains a leader who is the representative God, and the lesser named Dragons. These lesser named Dragons are not strictly Gods, but they are treated with great reverence. Not all Draconism Gods are currently alive, during the process of the Denial of Immortality, most Dragons died in a non-traditional sense (which also made the Religion "dead" for nearly 300 years save for areas like the Sihai Lands), with not all of them having been revived recently. It is possible to worship multiple Dragons, but because the Dragon Gods often conflict with one another even when they have a Dragon King, most Draconism followers worship a single God that best fits their principles and beliefs.

Regulus, the Blue King Dragon
caption
  • Name: Regulus, the Dragon of Command, Hierarchy and Rulership.
  • Domain: Regulus controls the Draconic Conclave and rules the Dragons.
  • Symbols: Thunder Storms, Rulership, Banners, Rain, Bodies of Water.
  • Role: Regulus acts as the King of Dragons, to mediate and command them.
  • Traits: Capricious, Cryptic, Regal, Sagely, Mediating, Attentive, Loyalty.
  • Temple: House of Dragons on Draackenrust Mountain in Anglia.
  • Allies: Arkenborn, Urlan, Adal & Hagen faithful, Leyon faithful.
  • Enemies: Those who stand against the Regalian Empire and seek its downfall.
  • Rituals: Regulus is celebrated through the act of mediation between aggrieved parties, or the Dragon-King trial in which blue Dragon-King flames are summoned, a trial is held between two parties holding their hand in the flame, with the flame burning them if they utter a lie. Another method of worship is by expanding the political reach of the Dragons or the Draconism faithful, who have to rebuild their religion.
Caius, the Red Dying Dragon
caption
  • Name: Caius (Shalmanisar in Eronidas), Dragon of Love, Passion, and War.
  • Domain: Caius commands the impulses of the living, violence, and fire.
  • Symbols: Volcanoes, Battle, War, Destruction, Flames and Fire, and Magma.
  • Role: Caius acts as the Dragon General, leading Dragon forces in War.
  • Traits: Ill-tempered, Violent, Uncompromising, Brave, Passionate, Loving.
  • Temple: Rock of Eternity Volcano (largest Volcano in the world) in Guldar.
  • Allies: Ifrit faithful, Leif & Bard faithful, Gladiators, Lothar Knights, Purists.
  • Enemies: Any Occult, Occult Sympathizers, Aelrrigan Knights, Centrists.
  • Rituals: Caius is celebrated through the rituals of Mage-Burnings and Pyro-Branding. The former involves gathering magical scrolls, books, and artifacts, and burning them in a ritual fire, while the latter involves branding the Occult with painful scars that hurt when they use Magic. Less violent forms of worship involve the Flame-Dance, a ritual dance by torches in the moonlight, and the Burning Love Chalice, writing love letters and burning them.
Daiana, the Gray Dreaming Dragon
caption
  • Name: Daiana (Da'amu in Eronidas), Dragon of the Elements and Planet.
  • Domain: Daiana's domain is the planet itself, she is the world.
  • Symbols: Earth, Ancestor Spirits, Nature, Dreaming, Child-bearing.
  • Role: Daiana is the rock upon which all living move through space.
  • Traits: Shamanism, Maternal, Nurturing, Meditation, Grounding, Wisdom.
  • Temple: Great Hall of Mother in Kezzeret Kashubasha (Eronidas State).
  • Allies: Mana faithful, Mothers, Yanar, Narim, Dwarves, Elkonur faithful, Spirits.
  • Enemies: Those who disrespect Spirits as not having a story to tell or live out.
  • Rituals: Daiana is celebrated through the Harvest Ritual and Caring Ceremony, the former which involves celebrating harvest and sharing meals with others, the latter which involves bestowing both the blessing and responsibility of caring onto someone else by granting them a plant, a pet, or a child to take care of. Daiana is also invoked by priests to summon the Spirits or appearances of dead relatives to give consolation to the mourning living.
Triton, the Black Chain Dragon
caption
  • Name: Triton, Dragon of the Void, known as Triton in Evolism.
  • Domain: Triton's Domain is power and control, specifically of the mind.
  • Symbols: Revenge, Domination, Darkness in one's Soul, Dark Metal.
  • Role: Triton is the Dark second half of Caius's split soul, Void infected.
  • Traits: Vengeful, Cruel, Pragmatic, Powerful, Unforgiving, Unrelenting.
  • Temple: Darkscale House of the High Father in the Osciird Princedoms (Daen).
  • Allies: Evolism Faithful, Evintarian Unionists, Military & Martial people.
  • Enemies: The Apathetic & Inactive, Behesael faithful, Pacifists, Ithanians.
  • Rituals: Triton is celebrated through the Metamorphic Baptism, involved in ritually immersing in a pool of Void-blessed Dragon Water, and assuming Void Mutations of Triton. Another ritual is the Retribution Rally, where they summon a banner of Revenge and call forth allies to sally forth and attack their enemy for vengeance. Finally, Triton accepts blood offerings either from the faithful or those vanquished in battle.
Nox, the Teal Unseen Dragon
caption
  • Name: Nox (Madhyaratri in Slizzar & Allar), Dragon of mirrors and truth.
  • Domain: Nox's domain is that of truth or lies, and wisdom in foresight.
  • Symbols: Mirrors, Snakes, Libraries, Sassrakkand, the Mind, Chrome.
  • Role: Nox acts as Spymaster for the Dragons, but also has his own agenda.
  • Traits: Deceitful, Calculated, Foresight, Thoughtful, Wise, All-Knowing.
  • Temple: The Sassrakkand Pyramideon (only accessible to Slizzar and Archon).
  • Allies: Inth faithful, Rand faithful, Juvin Faithful, Wadj & Yah Faithful.
  • Enemies: Justicars, Knights, Guards, The Afflicted, The Thralled & Mind-Controlled.
  • Rituals: Nox's worship involves the mirrors in which his Dragonsoul was banished by the Dragons for transgressing by creating the Slizzar, which he was specifically forbidden from doing. His followers etch secrets and things they have learned from the Occult into mirrors, after which the messages melt into the reflection and disappear, sometimes causing an approving reflection of Nox to appear for only a split second.
Marik, the Brown Etherforge Dragon
caption
  • Name: Marik (Al-Asir in Qadir), Dragon of Tech, a Unionist God also.
  • Domain: Marik's Domain are the Leylines and Leytech, all Draconic machines.
  • Symbols: Technology, Forgery, Craftsmen, Bronze, Brass, and Desert Sands.
  • Role: Marik is the Architect of Dragon Weapons and Sites against the Occult.
  • Traits: Helpful, Reassuring, Resourceful, Quirky, Compassionate, Self-Sacrificing.
  • Temple: Marik's Temple was destroyed by the Great Storm that ravished Ard-al Nur.
  • Allies: Qadir, Unionists, Automata & Artificial living Beings, Technicians.
  • Enemies: Machinist faithful, Body-Modders, War-fanatics & the Military.
  • Rituals: Marik's history of making all the Draconic weapons to exterminate the Occult in history, versus his current reincarnation differ considerably. While in the past worship was the creation of more weapons, now it is the creation of tools to help people live easier and more comfortable lives, specifically to replace the shortcut need of Magic to solve societal and environmental problems, by making the solution tech instead.
Umbra, the White Twilight Dragon
caption
  • Name: Umbra, the Dragon of the Dead and the Soul Rivers of Draconism.
  • Domain: The Soul Rivers, the passage between life and death in Aloria.
  • Symbols: A white swirl, blackout tattoos, a furred instead of scaled Dragon.
  • Role: Umbra maintains the Soul Rivers and the Dead-Living boundaries.
  • Traits: Deadly, Pestilent, Renewal, Memories, Capricious, Sardonic.
  • Temple: Destroyed, re-inhabited by the Evolist Temple in Regalia' Wilderness.
  • Allies: Eronidas, Those who hunt Undead and return Spirits to the Afterlife.
  • Enemies: Undead, Geists, those who consort with the Ordial Scourge.
  • Rituals: Umbra is an ambiguous Dragon who is neither motivated by rage and pain or banishment into the Void for his favor to what some would call cruelty. He is the agent of all diseases and sickness on Aloria, because his greatest beauty is death itself, a final act and a final chapter in someone's life. Rituals of Umbra involve speeding an inevitable death to conclusion, and putting the dying at ease with the inevitable.
Felicula, the Yellow Harmony Dragon
caption
  • Name: Felicula is the Dragon of Festivity, Kindness, and Warmheartedness.
  • Domain: Felicula's domain is entertainment and culture, as well as peace.
  • Symbols: The yellow Hadar Chrysanthemum, vines wrapped around amphoras.
  • Role: Felicula makes the world pleasant to live in by creating joy in shadow.
  • Traits: Shy, Endearing, Hospitable, Altruistic, Well-meaning, Naive.
  • Temple: Felicula never had a Temple, as worship of her was in festivities.
  • Allies: Entertainers, Artists, Musicians, Bartenders, Party Hosts, Dancers.
  • Enemies: Those who speak with sarcasm, cruelty, or inflict mental anguish.
  • Rituals: Felicula's worship is engaged in through the many varied Draconism festivals, one for each month, and to show random gestures of kindness and gifts to others. Very common is the Draconist gift-giving ceremony, where on the 20th of December, Draconism Faithful gift each other personalized and thoughtful gifts of specifically small monetary value, but also joining events hosted by others and improving the entertainment value.
Severena, the Green Stalwart Dragon
caption
  • Name: Severena (Saaima in Sihai), Dragon of Protection and Transcendence.
  • Domain: Protection of the world from danger, and the inner Eye and Soul.
  • Symbols: Air, Monasteries, High Mountain Towers, Clouds, Transcendence.
  • Role: Severena guides the protectors of the living across the world.
  • Traits: Contemplative, Insightful, Ascended, Detached, Piercing, Ethereal.
  • Temple: The Beian Temples in Zhong where the Air Dragons Slumber and dream of Jade.
  • Allies: Those who task themselves to save the world from chaos and calamity.
  • Enemies: Those who would cause chaos and damage the world and people in it.
  • Rituals: Severena worship is done the Breath of Serenity, a solo or group excersize of speaking out evils and attachments, and letting go with breathing exercises. Another worship method is the Temple of Elevation where the faithful climb high mountains or tall towers with lanterns to seek enlightenment, and the vows of protection where those who have attained enlightenment and detachment from the mortal world, can become true world protectors.
Aurora, the Purple Creation Dragon
caption
  • Name: Aurora, the Dragon of Creation's penultimate design and intellect.
  • Domain: The Creation Dictat, that which creates all live on Aloria.
  • Symbols: The sprouting plant, the meteor and the meteor's impact crater.
  • Role: Aurora designs, creates and iterates on all living species on Aloria.
  • Traits: Frigid, Emotionless, Intuitive, Work-Obsessed, Isolationist, Free.
  • Temple: The Moon-Vault Halls in Ellador, capital of the Life Isldar Elven State.
  • Allies: Alchemists, Hunters, Urlan, Scholars, those in the sciences.
  • Enemies: Death Isldar, Environmental destruction and eco-system destabilization.
  • Rituals: Aurora worship is often done alone but can also be done together, in the Harvest of the Stars by wishing on the falling stars which are common in the skies, or the Hunting Rite of Passage where mentors take students on hunts to prove their natural selection ability and population control. Finally, the Transition Cave is where animal or people carcasses are laid to rest to turn into new lifeforms in insects and fungi.

Gaia, the Indigo Nature Dragon

caption
 Description

Gaia is not a Dragon exactly, but a mortal Aelrrigan Knight named Iorwerth (depicted right) who was an Archon serving the Dragons, carrying the soul of the dead Dragon Gaia. For centuries, Iorwerth was forced to serve the Malefica, one of the greatest unseen enemies of the Dragons, forced to conjure up vast magical structures, mazes, and fortresses for the Malefica and its Shades to use to deal death on mortals in the living world. He was forced to do this because his lover Cadell's (depicted left) soul had been captured by the Malefica, who used him as a bargain to string Iorwerth along. Through the intervention of mortals in Regalia, Iorwerth and Cadell were able to break free from the Malefica's control, and return to Aloria. There he rekindled with the Dragons he once served, but also still held the power of Ordial god-hood. For this, the Dragons tasked him to ascend to their pantheon by being the (somewhat reluctant) host of Gaia's Dragon Soulspark, a Dragon who had perished many centuries ago during the Denial of Immortality. While many of Iorwerth's structures still serve the Malefica, all have become overgrown with lush vines and the Lillies of the Valley, Iorwerth and Cadell's favorite flower. In this, Gaia's powers manifest as the Dragon of Nature, the other half of Aurora's Craters of Creation. While she created the living beings that inhabited nature, it was Gaia who created the plants and trees and flowers that decorate all the realms. Thus, carrying life and death in his body and his love by his side, Iorwerth is the Draconic God of Nature, tranquility, absolution, and redemption in rebirth.

Virtues

Virtue to Gaia (This God is both called Gaia and Iorwerth) is preserving balance of nature, in the give and take between the forces within an ecosystem, and preventing cascade collapse due to dying flora. From the smallest of maggots, to the largest of mammals, nature exists as the bedrock of life on Aloria. Iorwerth specifically adds to this, by making the act of redemption both in receiving and offering others the chance, a true virtue and to never give up in the face of even the most malicious of death-bound forces to return to a righted world and make amends.

Vices

Vices to Gaia, are the stupidity and naivety to outsmart forces greater in power than the self. In this, Iorwerth and Cadell's centuries-long imprisonment in the Beyond acts as a deterrent and a warning that evil forces are not interested in playing fair or honest, and that respecting duels or challenges of powerful entities is foolish. Iorwerth and Cadell express above all that it is a Vice to not seek help, to not ask for saving, and to foolhardy insist that the individual can overcome all trials and struggles alone. Gaia looks down on lone wolves who risk others with their own recklessness.

Radical

Gaia's Radical is the Radical of Integration. This Radical proposes that the Occult can have the right to exist in the mortal world, but only insofar they are able to exist in a social ego system that is in harmony with their environment and the people around them. This vague concept proclaims that the Occult have a right to exist, but that to claim this right they must adapt and conform, concede, and compromise, and cannot hold onto selfish notions of complete autonomy. Failing this, Gaia's Radical proposes purging invasive Occult who disrupt social eco systems to preserve stability.

Magic Policy

Magic, or more specifically how to treat Magic (that is not Dragon Magic), varies for each of the Dragons, and subsequently as their faithful as they are bound to choose one of the Dragons as their Patron. The Dragon policies are called "The Radicals" for example the Radical of Destruction or the Radical of Apathy. Each Dragon has a context and nuance for why they feel that particular way, which is explained below. It is possible to apply multiple Radicals at once.

  • Regulus, the Radical of Symbiosis: Regulus was born and lived most of his life as a mortal Ailor, and spent many years warming up to the presence of Occult. Notable in his history, is his intense friendship with a Pride Arkenborn, who softened him to the value of the Occult to fight an indeterminate "evil". As such, Regulus's Radical is that of Symbiosis, the idea that the Occult can also be recruited in the fight against the bad types of Magic, or the bad types of Magic users. Regulus fervently believes in the right of the Occult to live their life un-harassed by demands to convert to Dragon Magic or be rid of their Magic, as well as free from the fear of being killed for being Occult, but only for a narrow band of Occult who agree that casual, indifferent, or whimsical use of Magic is extremely dangerous. Regulus seeks to recruit Occult of Void, Exist, or Ordial alignment, who will aid in the fight against the Death Cults, Evolist Gods, Undead, Arken, and their ilk. Finally, Regulus and his followers determine those who are irredeemably "evil" for their vile Magic usage, declaring them Anathema and handing the matter off to Caius and his faithful for the hunt.
  • Caius, the Radical of Fire: Caius has suffered for 80,000 years, as the Void itself is tearing him apart. When the Void opened, Dragons being curious, sent Caius in to try and understand what it was. This event caused Caius's soul and body to split in two (the other half being Ifrit). He has been infected with a slow rotting corruption from within that will eventually overtake him, and so the urgency of his fight against the Occult is a desperation to end the infection before it ends him. His Radical of Fire, insists that the bad type of infection (Magic, Afflicted) must be burned out with fire and sword without mercy. Umbra believes that Caius's condition is made worse by casual Magic usage (such as just doing magic for the sake of it, or to impress others without urgent need), and so while Caius does not demand all Magical people be exterminated for being Magical, he demands they be made to suffer for casual Magic and abuse of Magic for selfish reasons with fire so they learn not to add to the suffering of Caius. Caius and his followers also wait for Regulus to determine who is Anathema in the law of Draconism, and seek out to utterly destroy those that have been labeled irredeemable to help Caius in his suffering.
  • Daiana, the Radical of Peace: Daiana is the world itself, and as such, her policies are only really understood indirectly from the Dreamborn that wander the world that are manifested from her Dreamspark, the thing with which she creates Gods and other matters of reality on Aloria. Daiana is a Dragon uniquely positively disposed to Spirits, and their will to live on Aloria even if they come from another dimension. Daiana dreams of a world without death, which sometimes puts her at odds with Umbra who insists on the need for the life and death cycle. While Spirits cannot truly feel the same way mortals do on Aloria, Daiana is the Spirit mother who seeks to embrace all of them and create a world in which Spirits and the living can exist in harmony, as Spirits in her eyes are always fated to exist for a specific reason, just like her Dreamborn. The exception, however, is what her faithful call the "Hollows", which are Spirits that have vile or ruinous intentions on the world. Daiana and her followers seek out the destruction or banishment of these Hollows, as they believe them to be corruptive to other Spirits who would otherwise have curious or benign intentions to living on Aloria.
  • Triton, the Radical of Power: Triton is both a split personality of Caius that exists in his own body, but also an entirely different person. It is believed that Triton is perhaps the only entity to have been omniscient since the dawn of Dragon times, as all other Dragons have either died, faded from reality, become unaware of the world, or projected into a different reality. Triton to some is called the "Dark Dragon", because he has no anti-Occult stance whatsoever, in fact he wants them all used, even Vampires. Triton's stance of Radical of Power implicates his followers with seeking to bend the Occult to their will, ostensibly to eradicate other Occult who are resilient to their power or are too wretched to be bent into service. Triton essentially weaponizes the Occult against other Occult, both to gather power, but also to bring about an easier destruction of the Occult, specifically by making the casualties other Occult, and not the Mundane or Draconist worshipers.
  • Nox, the Radical of Illusion: Nox much like Daiana has a policy that isn't strictly anti-Occult but aimed at the Occult integration in some way. Nox acknowledges that while other Dragons are mostly focused on the Occult infection of the world, Draconism or Dragons as a whole have many other enemies, including Gods, mortals and even the natural forces of the world. Nox seeks to harvest the Occult for information, knowledge, and sometimes even dark powers short of becoming Afflicted so that they can be weaponized against the threats the other Dragons ignore or aren't aware of. This can also include defending the Draconist cause against incursions from the outside, those who would usurp the powers of the Draconic. Some might even say, that it could involve shutting down Dragon Sites and regulating who get access to them, because sometimes, the enemy is within the Draconist's own cause whether through naivity or having fallen under the wrong influences.
  • Marik, the Radical of Illumination: Marik is a product of a reborn tragedy, a Dragon whose soul was once used to commit the revenge of a Death God unto the ancestors of the Qadir. Much of his current life is in a mission to heal the damage this has done, and to mend the rifts that have come about between people of different origins, cultures, or beliefs. Marik as the patron of the Songaskians, straddles a difficult position in which he is a Dragon God to the Songaskians, but a Unionist God to the Qadir. The Songaskians do not directly contradict this reality, but the Qadir have not yet surpassed their historical trauma, and refuse to acknowledge that Marik is also a Dragon. Marik himself has always dodged the question or the matter, and resides in his home in Al-Alus, surrounded by the Qadir. His avoidant attitude extends to his Radical of Illumination, believing that whatever issue exists with the Occult, is only secondary to healing the historical trauma and damage that was inflicted on the world by the war between the Dragons and the Occult over the past 70,000 years, by helping Mundane and Occult alike heal from their history and the crimes committed against their ancestors.
  • Umbra, the Radical of Demise: Umbra's Radical of Demise underpins the absolute necessity for death to continue the cycle of life, and to prevent death from taking place elsewhere. What this means is that Umbrists believe in the inevitability of the fated end, that all thousands of premonitions of the future always lead to one outcome, being a death, and that a death must be made but that they have the choice whose life to take. This evaluation is usually based on the circumstances of the death. For example, if a Purist were to try and kill an Occult and that would result in a riot which would cause even more death, then the Umbrist would instead prevent the Occult's death, and kill the Lothar instead, because they believe that if they do not, that fate will exact another unforeseen death elsewhere. Umbra and his followers are utilitarians at heart, and as such will always seek to exact a clean and painless death to prevent more violence and more undue death that was not foretold in the threads of future visions. This can as mentioned sometimes involve taking the side of the Occult, but often also results in them killing Occult who will inevitably become Demonically possessed, or limit-break and take half a city with them.
  • Felicula, the Radical of Love: Felucila's Radical of Love, is often ridiculed by the faithful of the other Dragons as inanely naive. Her Radical insists that if the Occult were just embraced, cherished, loved, and be made friends with, that the Immortal War will end by itself, and that most if not all the vileness and grief that comes from the Occult, is based by the sociopolitical conditions in which they live, in constant persecution, ridicule, and fearing for their life. While some element of this is certainly very true, Felicula worshipers sometimes neglect the reality that some people just suck, and that some entities are just irredeemably evil. Felicula and her followers will always keep trying to convince those who were led astray by the ruinous powers, that they are welcome and cherished, and through that convince them to turn away from sinful Occult behavior.
  • Severena, the Radical of Inward: Severena believes that the world, reality as it existed even before the Dragons, created flaws inherent in existence. As a result, Dragons are flawed, and subsequently, mortals they create are flawed. Furthering from that thought, she believes that one cannot truly look at the Occult and claim it to be filth that defiles the world, because the world is already filled with filth in violence, untimely death, suffering, hunger, and anguish, even without Magic. She claims that it is not possible for a Draconist to truly stand against the vilest of Occult that have tasked it upon themselves to inflict suffering, if the non-Occult do not first reach a higher understanding in themselves, and rid themselves of earthly attachments and have a clean mind. The Radical of Inward insists that the faithful must reach a higher level of transcendent detachment from personal anchors such as greed, pride, vanity, lust, and so forth, and then reach out into the world during this journey, to become protectors of the world.
  • Aurora, the Radical of Focus: Aurora does not care. This is a simple view, the Radical of Focus insists that there are far more important natural functions of the world, such as the continuation of life itself and the perpetuation of new animal species. Aurora quite literally does not have time to spend a second thought about the Occult, and as such she and her followers completely ignore the hypothetical Immortal War or the war between the Dragons and the Occult, to instead focus on maintaining the base functions of the world in the absence of other divine figures to steer them. Note, this does not mean that the Life Isldar are pacifists and simply lay down to the Death Isldar attacking them, they can take a very harsh and hostile stance against the Occult, but only ever do so when the threat manifests in geo politics. Aurora and her worshipers otherwise reject the urgency of destroying unworthy or sinful Occult, even at the cost of Caius's suffering.

Priestly Activities

Draconist priesthood once lacked a formal structure, relying instead on Draconic oversight and the command of their directly chosen Matrons. However, as the millennia wore on and religious belief continued after the disappearance of Dragons, a priesthood came to be. With the modern-day resurgence of Draconism, the priests have multiplied alongside. Unlike the Matrons who directly serve one Dragon, the priests serve all Dragons simultaneously and preach in all their names.

Celestial Festivals

Draconist festivals are drawn up according to the twelve months of the year, placed exactly in the middle. These festivals are open to the non-faithful as well, in the search to entice new converts. The twelve monthly festivals are:

  • Wildcard Festival (January 15): Taking place at the heart of winter, this celebration is an invitation for the priests of the community to celebrate the important events of the previous year in broader retrospective of all that has come to pass. This Festival specifically also celebrates Regulus and the Blue Dragons.
  • Before-Spring (February 15): Amidst the clearing of the frost, this Draconist festival sees the creation of garland, bouquets, and other arrangements to show respect for nature. Nature-walks, protests of industrialization, and celebrations of the natural world via communal learning are commonly held during this time. This Festival specifically also celebrates Aurora and the Purple Dragons.
  • Storyteller’s Festival (March 15): This festival is a celebration of the power of stories, and their importance in preserving oral history, especially when so much knowledge of the Dragons has been lost. Worshippers usually gather in someone’s home, or around a large stage, and take turns telling their favorite story. The tales are usually non-fiction, but fictional stories are allowed and encouraged, as long as they have some moral lesson or point.
  • All-Faith Tournament (April 15): This festival features ritualistic fighting between groups (or pairs) of warriors in the name of the Dragons. It is common for Draconists to invite fighters from other faiths, and include them in the battle, primarily to show the grace of the Dragons, but also to show off the martial prowess of the Archon and Draconists who participate. Ritualistic Dragon-Magic is used to prevent anyone from outright dying in the arena, and this Festival (unofficially) celebrates Triton and his might.
  • Cycles of Creation (May 15): This festival is the Draconist version of a “Love Festival” common in many other cultures and religions. During the day, Draconists gather and encourage others to spend time with their loved ones, specifically handing out flower-wreathes to single individuals, encouraging others to talk to them. While the day celebrates platonic and romantic love, by the evening Draconists are encouraged to spend time with their romantic partner(s), and the festival is seen as a particularly holy and important time to procreate and make love, as a celebration of life. This Festival historically used to celebrate Caius and the Red Dragons, but doesn’t anymore.
  • Introspection Trials (June 15): This festival is less of a festival and more of a series of quests that Draconists task one another with, based on their perceived failures and weaknesses. Draconists are encouraged to devise a “mission” for another Draconist to try and complete, specifically with the intent of helping them get over something they struggle with, or learn something new, or improve and better themselves in some way. Succeeding in this task obligates the Draconist who did the quest to treat the quest-giver in some way (dinner, drink, a gift, etc), and the opposite if the Draconist fails (as consolation, the quest-giver treats them to something nice). Outright refusal to partake is looked down upon, and obligates all other Draconists to devise an even more convoluted quest. This Festival specifically also celebrates Severena and the Green Dragons.
  • Harmony Jubilee (July 15): This the largest and most bombastic of all of the Draconist Festivals, an all-day celebration including a large feast, dances, and loud music and song. Most importantly, the Jubilee has hospitality extended to enemies of the faithful during this time, meaning they will not be attacked or chased out, so long as they do not harm someone first, or callously insult the Draconists hosting the festival. It is for this reason that the Jubilee (in Regalia, at least) is usually held in the countryside, to prevent any arrests being made. This Festival specifically also celebrates Felicula and the Yellow Dragons.
  • Festival of Service (August 15): This festival has no defined structure, but is a celebration that encourages the faithful to remain humble, and offer their aid to others. For the entire day, Draconists travel in groups and offer their help, free of charge or expectation of repayment, to anyone who might need it. This can range from helping someone clean up their store, to building a home, to offering relationship advice, or trying to track down a lost pet, as long as the request does not obligate the Draconists to do something violent or offensive to their morals. This Festival specifically also celebrates Marik and the Brown Dragons.
  • Mourning Festival (September 15): It is common for this festival to feature processions in the streets of towns and cities where Draconists carry candles to graveyards of other religions, to offer their condolences to remember the dead and honor their memory, no matter their religion or culture or citizenship. This Festival specifically also celebrates Umbra and the White Dragons.
  • Harvest Ritual (October 15): This festival celebrates the harvest via a large potluck, where everyone contributes some ingredient or dish. The feast is a large public gathering, where non-Draconists are welcome to bring their own food and dishes. It also features lots of colors, as it is common to have dyed chalk that is smeared across people’s skin and clothes to mark them as worshippers of a particular Dragon. This Festival specifically also celebrates Daiana and the Gray Dragons.
  • The Eternal Vigil (November 15): This festival is a solemn vigil in remembrance of the Archon who gave their lives historically, and even now, to protect and champion the cause of the Dragons. It is a festival that reflects on the suffering of the Archon, and even of the Dragons, at the hands of demonic forces. This Festival specifically also celebrates (or mourns) Caius and the Red Dragons.
  • Gift-Giving and Sharing Ceremony (December 15): On this day, Draconists traditionally give each other personalized and thoughtful gifts of little monetary value. Usually, Draconists will choose a small number of people who they felt helped them the most throughout the year, and offer them gifts, with the expectation that everyone should get something. During this time, Draconists also partake in the ritual of sharing and absolution, wherein Draconists can reveal secrets or things they have kept hidden, that they regret or feel shame about, with the promise that by sharing at this ceremony, they will not be completely shunned or abandoned. To reveal a secret at this festival is a sacred act, and while it will not absolve them of all possible sins, it does ensure that the other Draconists will work to help them through it, and repent (if needed). This Festival specifically used to celebrate Nox, but, after his sin and banishment, it no longer does (publicly, anyways). Nox worshippers and Slizzar still hold this festival as a celebration of him and his wisdom.

Rising

The act of Rising is one of the more complicated rituals a Draconist priest can perform, and is a harmless event performed in the name of Daiana meant to give closure to a member of the living through the calling forth the target of their communion. It should be stated clearly that this ritual is not a Summoning or Evoking, and the entity that appears is only a visual construct from the memories of the participating party. This form can be the appearance of dead relatives, close friends, or those who were sadly taken too soon from a partner that they loved. The act of Rising is meant to provide closure, and priests as channelers of the ritual and also emotional guides, speak through their “puppet,” being granted temporary access to relevant memories shared between these two figures, or which might be useful in providing the living subject closure. Rising is seen as sacred among Draconists, while also being something that a priest does not perform lightly. An individual usually has to have a real emotional block in their mindset regarding a lost loved one for a priest to consider a Rising.

Trivia

To be Expanded.

• Unionism • Draconism • Estelley • Fornoss • Evolism • Baskarr • Pagan Cults •
• Main Page •
Accreditation
Writers MonMarty
Processors FireFan96
Last Editor OkaDoka on 04/30/2024.
» Read more

Retrieved from "https://wiki.massivecraft.com/index.php?title=Test1&oldid=50134"