Okay, this is why the last two posts were so short. I’ve been building up to this one. It’s going to be a long post...
There are various religions in Imenia and Ausaia. I’m only going to focus on a few today, but they should be pretty long and developed.
Hyriam- The Faith of the Elements
Hyriam’s religion, both for humans and canines, is based on the four elements: fire, earth, water, and wind. There are four deities to represent each element: Pheolo, the god of earth; Iriela, the goddess of water; Yinurru, the god of wind; and Ahzuke, the goddess of fire. Originally humans, the people of Hyriam began to regard canines as sacred and capable of preforming magic, and eventually regarded the gods themselves as canine shapeshifters. All the gods also have sacred Laii, or temples, hidden somewhere in Hyriam, with incarnations to summon the gods. Pheolo of Earth is a painted dog shifter. His temple is underground, hidden in the thick jungle and could only be found by those with a true passion for the earth. He is calm and even-tempered, speaking with a low voice. He is also logical and prefers to think rationally (the only one to do so). Before Shunakra bestowed his powers to him, Pheolo lived as a scholar. His name means ‘sacred earth’ in Ancient Hyriek. Iriela is a swift fox shifter. She is kind and motherly, but can be very dangerous if angry. Unlike Ahzuke, it takes a lot to provoke her. Her temple is in a cave hidden among a cliff, and it is said that only those with a true love for water could navigate the rocks without falling. Before Shunakra bestowed her her powers, she lived as a naval merchant. Her name means ‘sacred water’ in Ancient Hyriek. Yinurru is a timber wolf shifter. He carries an apathetic and somewhat airy attitude. However, he can be moody and very blunt. He is somewhat of a daydreamer and does not usually listen to the other three. Before Shunakra bestowed him his powers, he lived as a Hyriek soldier. His name means ‘sacred wind speaker’ in Ancient Hyriek. Ahzuke is a jackal shifter. She lives in Ahzulai, an active volcano where she rests in dormancy. Ahzuke is confident, charismatic, creative, and loves her element. However, the others fear her somewhat. She has three children: Vhul and Chatar, her sons, and Sharishiel, her daughter. Before becoming a deity, she lived as an actress, and then as the leader in the town Shunakra lived in. Ahzuke’s name means ‘ruler of fire’ in Ancient Hyriek.
There is a fifth god, one that not many know about. His name is Shunakra. Shunakra is a Steimarian wolf shifter (ironic, since Hyriam itself is a tropical jungle). He represents light, darkness, and spirit, and is not as widely known as the other four. Shunakra was corrupt from the start–he was originally a Hyriek human who, desiring power, went to Ausaia in seek of the dragons. He made a deal with a Hydroth Dragon and got powers, although he was warned that he would have to share them unless he wanted to burn up, for humans weren’t supposed to be capable of that much power. So he did, finding the other four and making them all gods. He eventually grew to resent them as they grew a following while he stayed in the shadows, and according to legend (some canines debate whether or not this really happened), snapped and killed every human on Imenia using his three pawns: Ahzuke’s children, whom he reshaped out of her fire. Then he retreated into dormancy. His powers include crafting individuals out of elements, shapeshifting, and the use all four elements as well as light and darkness. He is so powerful that only the balance could defeat him. His name means ‘god of the elements’ in Ancient Hyriek.
When the humans still lived, each of the gods had priests following their path. The priests of Hyriam are a special case. Collectively, they are called Shunanhysi, though there are four categories–Pheonhysi, priests of earth; Irienhysi, priests of water; Yinunhysi, priests of wind; and Ahzunhysi, priests of fire. The priests all claim to have summoned the gods, and set out to employ the teachings of each god to the public. Many own Laii, their own temples, that act as churches that the public can go to (but only the sacred four, those mentioned previously, are the gateways to summoning the gods). They hold ceremonies, services, and other things. However, the ambition of most priests is to become an elemental–to wield the powers of the god they choose to follow. They think that their piety will grant them worthiness to be given powers. Many priests claim to have these powers, but none do. Some go to extreme lengths to prove themselves worthy of powers, such as jumping into a volcano claiming that Ahzuke will protect him or her, or jumping off a cliff in hopes that Yinurru will give him or her the ability to fly. Often, these have disastrous consequences.
The gods themselves are all patrons of different aspects of society. Pheolo is the patron of education and intellectuals. Schools everywhere have statues dedicated to the earth god, and are all located in rural jungle areas. Every day, before class starts, the students and teachers pray to Pheolo to help them along the way to a good education. Many intellectuals show a passion for the earth around them. Meanwhile, Iriela is the patron of trade. Much of Hyriek trade is naval, traveling on ships to neighboring kingdoms, even those inland (in which case they use rivers and estuaries). Ships and ports have statues of Iriela, and the sailors, merchants, and traders all hold a respect for Iriela and her gentle yet dangerous nature. Ahzuke is the patron of the arts. Plays have an intermission in which the audience and cast members sing a hymn of Ahzuke, while the fire goddess is often depicted in paintings and sculpture. Yinurru is the patron of war. While Hyriam rarely gets involved in wars, the weapons used are mostly bows and arrows, or light swords with patterns of clouds and the wind. Before a fight, the soldiers all pray to Yinurru for auspicious weather and a victorious battle.
The Felines- Licarme and the Four Seasons
Similar to Hyriam, the main feline pantheon focuses on a theme with four parts: the seasons. Unlike Hyriam, however, these gods are not real: they were not crafted by dragon magic. Each season, a new god watches over the cats and seemingly judges them on their actions. The god of spring is Venectus, sometimes depicted as a joyful cub, other times a mellow healer. Either way, as spring usually means prosperity, Venectus is said to bring good fortune to all. He does not test unlike the other three, and often gives the gift of more rain, a larger prey supply, and cubs. The god of summer is Hyribos, a wiser and sometimes harsher individual depending on which kingdom. Kingdoms in snow-capped areas such as Nenisr often paint him as a wiser version of Venectus, while kingdoms in desert areas such as Lissabi depict him as the unforgiving sun who tests them all, and yet merciful enough to give them the ability to survive. Otorae is the goddess of autumn, and all around a calm individual. Usually she is portrayed with foresight, as she is the beacon of winter to come. Sometimes she is considered the crone of the group (other times it’s Aladura), while other times she is depicted as the wisest. Meanwhile, Aladura is the goddess of winter, and she and Hyribos often flip-flop on which one is the harsh one, depending on the kingdoms. In places like Lissabi, Aladura is pretty mellow, but in places like Nenisr, Aladura is harsh and unforgiving, yet merciful to those she chooses. The cats usually only pray to one god at a time during the corresponding season. For example, during summer, all prayers are made to Hyribos. The exact species of the deities are unknown; it varies from cat to cat.
The Ausaian kingdoms are different in that, while the Imenians only worship these four, the Ausaians worship hundreds, with the seasonal four being the main ones. Instead of one out of four being active during a certain season, it’s one-fourth of the hundreds. These gods are for various occasions, such as war, prosperity, good fortune, trees, etc. Some are only worshiped in a single kingdom, so it’s difficult to determine just how many there are.
Just like Hyriam, however, there is a fifth main god. One that is not as well known as the others, and that is Sabemi, goddess of strife. She is said to be the cause of plagues, of storms and terrible leaders and wars and suffering. And she revels in it. Sabemi is also said to be the one to bring on Licarme in the future, a doomsday in the form of a giant dormant volcano in Nenisr that will wipe out all of felinekind.
Unlike the other felines, the Irotelians of Imenia worship a single entity called the Rain God. While the seasonal pantheon’s species are unknown, it is definitely true that they are indeed felines. However, the Rain God is different. The Rain God can be anything from an elephant to a crocodile to a tapir, or even the tiniest of ants. Because the Rain God represents all life, Irotelians try to be kinder to the creatures they encounter. Iroteil is the kingdom that turns out the most pacifists and healers, and even some vegetarian cats. The Rain God’s main duty, however, is to drench the land every other season in a life-giving monsoon, which usually happens every spring and autumn. Usually, spring and autumn are referred to as the “wet seasons”, while summer and winter are called “the dry seasons”. The Rain God has no gender, and no title other than the Rain God, and it is considered rude and offensive to call the Rain God by any pronouns or any titles other than the Rain God’s own name. This can seem a little awkward to cats in other kingdoms, but Irotelians are used to it.
The Hyenas- The Mother Goddess
Like Iroteil, the hyenas of Imenia and Ausaia worship a single deity. This one is a huge hyena living in the stars, sometimes called the Mother, the Mother Goddess, the First Matriarch, the Great Matriarch, the Hyena Mother, or the Goddess. She is said to have given birth to the world, and in order to lessen her pain, all female hyenas have agreed to take on her pain in the form of their first birth. They regard this as their sacred duty, and because males are incapable of giving birth, the hyenas believe that they are incapable of experiencing such pain. Thus, males are believed to be weaker than females. This stereotype is spurned on by the fact that female spotted hyenas are bigger and more aggressive anyway.
Motherhood is sacred, and so are names. Thus, all hyenas are given two-part names. Take the name Mahk-Kvennah for an example. ‘Mahk’ would be considered the Given Name of any hyena, the equivalent of a first name. ‘Kvennah’ is the Family Name, or the Mother Name, the Given Name of the hyena’s mother. Thus, Mahk-Kvennah. Every hyena cub inherits his or her mother’s Given Name as their Family Name just as the females inherit her mother’s rank. For instance, Mahk-Kvennah’s two daughters were named Gorken-Mahk and Hila-Mahk, and Hila-Mahk’s daughter was named Sita-Hila. Calling a hyena, especially a higher-ranked one, by his or her Given Name is considered highly offensive, as if casting away that hyena’s mother as if she never existed.
Not all mothers are perfect, though, and a hyena with a single name usually means that that hyena either does not know his or her mother, or does not like his or her mother. Usually these hyenas are loners, though it can happen in a clan...although for a hyena in a clan to do this would be considered highly controversial, and he or she would be the subject of much scorn and disparage.
I have not touched upon every major religion in Imenia and Ausaia, for instance Lerussi’s Gods of Steel, or Meuseia’s Nine Queens. However, there are smatterings of cults across every region. One living near Cloudrunner Bay is a canine cult worshipping the “Storm Speakers”, mythical creatures with beautiful patterned coats and voices of thunder (these are felines. keep in mind that most canines in Vorunia have never seen a feline before). There are some in the Chiambe, some in various parts of Ausaia, just basically everywhere. They’re usually very small though, and very few are the crazy, sacrifice types.
