From: Loren Miller (Loren.Miller@marketing.wharton.upenn.edu)
Date: Mon 11 Dec 1995 - 21:15:34 EET
Post most furor, here are most of the changes I've put into my
working copy of the Carmanian Orthodoxy creed. Note that I've adopted
Nick's take on foreign religions wholesale, though I may edit out a
"Pah!" here and there.
HISTORY
When the evil Godlearners were beginning their conquest of the west,
General Syranthir Forefront gathered together his people, a hundred
hundreds of warriors, advisors, and nobles, and led them on the
Eastfaring quest, out of the hell that Fronela had become, finally
finding refuge in a cold land east of the Sweet Sea. The ten-thousand
settled there, in the rich lands of the Oronin River Valley.
THEOLOGY
The Good God is Supreme among all the gods. He is named Idovanus by
the Magi. The Red Goddess, his favorite and best-beloved child,
transmits his blessing to us. Shah Karmanos, who walked the Bridge of
Swords to Paradise, was the last and greatest prophet of the Good God
and the father of our land.
There are many other spirits and gods of the land, which may be
worshipped by man. It is wrong for the Magi of the Good God to give
these lesser deities worship, though it is wholly acceptable for
lesser priests and members of their congregations to do so.
TAP
Tap is the gods' death and may not be used lightly. Upon penalty of
death for both instructor and student none may learn or teach Tap,
excepting only the Magi, and it may only be used by order of a
Karmanos on enemies and foreigners.
HIERARCHY
The Leaders of our Church are the Hierophant and the House of the
Magi: The One Hundred Ancient and Respected Vizirs. The Magi convey
the Hierophant's divine prophecies to the holy church and to the
lesser priests of the many gods. When one of the Magi dies then if a
suitable candidate is available within the House of the Magi he will
be raised to Magian status. If no suitable internal candidate is
available then the Good God will reveal a vizir among the people, a
vizir with the soul of a Magian, and the Magi will acclaim him as one
of theirs. This is how it has always happened in the past, and how it
shall always happen.
The lesser priests offer obeisance to the EthTelsen, the one-hundred
lesser gods that we as righteous Carmanians may worship.
IMPORTANT PROPHETS, SAINTS & GODS
Malkion the Lawgiver
Malkion was the first prophet. He brought the word of the Good God to
the people and showed them how to survive during the great darkness.
He taught how the duties of the people of each clan should be split
into the three classes: protector, guide, and leader. He taught the
Solace of the Body and hinted at the Sword Bridge.
Saint Xemela
Xemela, the Black Lady, mother of Hrestol. She took Death upon herself
during the Dark Ages in order to save her people from the despair that
came with the Longest Night.
Prince Hrestol
Hrestol was a prophet of the Good God who taught the Joy of the Heart.
Humakt
Humakt was the perfect warrior. He showed that Death could serve Life,
and Horror could serve Honor, to bring the glory of the Good God to
the whole world.
Arkat Gbajibane
Arkat was a demi-god, the son of Humakt. His greatest deed was to free
the world from Gbaji the Deceiver. This perfect warrior realized that
in the war against the Deceiver it is laudable to honor both Darkness
and Light, to use both cruelty and honor, to combine chivalry and
atrocity. Instead of denying the darkness within, he drew power from
it and destroyed the Deceiver.
Talor, the Laughing Warrior
Talor, the Laughing Warrior, smote the Tarjinian Bull and laid a
righteous curse upon the vile Telmori people, revealing them for the
brute beasts that they were. He battled darkness and brought light. He
was a prophet who taught the Song of Battle by which our hazars may
achieve strength through joy.
The Eastfarers, the Holy Seven.
Syranthir and his Six Boon Companions led the ten-thousand eastwards
out of hell, finally arriving in the Oronin River Valley.
Karmanos, the Last Prophet, the First Shah, The Lion of Brass
Karmanos founded Carmania and the Karmanos caste is named after him.
He taught us how to walk the Bridge of Swords to paradise. His mystery
cult is no more, but he inspires every ruler still.
- --
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Loren Miller <http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren>
Life at the water's edge is the real life for men and women, and penguins
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