Antanjyl
25-01-2006, 10:15
OOC: All things written here should be taken with a grain of salt. The texts are old and obviously hold propaganda to make them look more factual. IC:
The Religion of the True Gods
Rashidi
"Children of Antanjyl! I bring forth the true nature of the Gods you revere, in the hopes that this knowledge will assist your survival in this most harshest of environments!"
-Prophet Rashidi-(Common Verse)
"And with this power your enemies will all suffer eternally, and from these tattered bodies, the nation of Antanjyl will slowly rise to untold glories. All people not with you are against you, and are unspeakably evil. Kill or Enslave them, for makes no difference, as they are not like you. Their impurities and foolishness have caused them to turn their backs on the sacred texts, and the only true Gods!"
-Prophet Rashidi(Rarely known Verse)-
The Religion of Rashidi is an enigma to those who do not follow it, and even to those followers not located in Antanjyl, however few they may currently be. The Gods in this religion are many and varied, and the demands they require of practitioners are only equal to that of the rewards the gods seem to promise. Among these gods are also demons, who themselves have become gods over the millennia that the cult has existed, and today the two are impossible to tell apart. Thankfully, the truest portions of this religion have not as of yet reached foreign ears, since doing so would almost assuredly bring forth the full wrath of the world upon the religion itself.
Rashidi's Founding
The Religion currently known as Rashidi has its bearings in Antanjyl's forests back in 5000 BC, thanks to a number of hallucinogens. The simple people of the time took these hallucinations to be caused by the Gods, and due to the rather same effects and visions caused, the religion slowly took form. Eventually, millennia later when they were overrun by marauders and the like from outside of these small forest groves, the religion was changed slightly be these outsiders. Eventually after a long and bitter conflict, the two groups of people began a long and thorough mixing process, eventually becoming one. The first man by the name of Rashidi appeared after a meteor smashed into one of Antanjyl's mountains. An old explorer on the outskirts was affected by the blast, and it was stated that almost all of his skin was burnt off.
The man changed his name to Rashidi and once he was able to walk again, made his way into the crater, eventually discovering the precursor to Antanjyl's slave pits. Within the depths he also reportedly discovered 'monsters which defied logic, and beings of unspeakable power which called out to him'. He reportedly barely managed to escape, and when he returned to tell the current tribal leaders, they considered his claims laughable, if not flatly insane. To prove this, they sent a large band of warriors to the location, led by Rashidi in the hopes of stopping his message from scaring the populace.
Out of everyone who went, roughly one hundred warriors, less than a dozen survived. They too spoke of horrific beings beneath the ground, and Rashidi was the only one among them untouched. The scars on the others seemed to form words, and Rashidi somehow read them out, eventually leading to the creation of the Rashidi scrolls. In an attempt to gleam more Prophecy, larger groups of 'settlers' were sent, and less than 10% returned each time, speaking the same thing.
The man known as Rashidi was reported to live at least 200 years, however scholars say it may have been due to faulty record keeping. His death was caused by a number of Christians which had come from the area of greater Europe. This took place in the year 1260 AD. It was also at this time that the being known as Galf was born. Though not entirely human, he was also spoke spoke of in the scrolls.
The Birth Of Galf
"Soon Heretics will come for my life, and will succeed. However, with my death a being from the depths itself will be born to human parents. This being is to take my place and hold your service from now unto eternity. Through him all things will be made possible, and peace between ourselves and the Lord of Pits will finally be maintained..."
-Rashidi-
The original Galf was reportedly a mutant, and paintings of the child are only in the Palace and most prestigious of Cathedrals. With deep red eyes and what appeared to be some sort of gray leathery texture to his skin, the child was quickly taken to the government to find out what was wrong. The cult at the time thanked the parents, before escorting them outside of Antanjyl's borders where they were never seen again. An old hidden tomb however, seems to suggest that they were killed and buried there, with accomodations of that of royal figures, perhaps so as not to bring on the Gods' wrath.
And so, the child known as Galf was raised by the tribal elders, in the hope that he would favor them all once he reached adulthood. However, he remained childlike in appearance for upwards of fourty years, and by that time they all died, seemingly mysteriously. One report has a tribal leader attacked by wolves in his own bedroom, his entire family torn apart, while another leader was killed by a strike of lightning while on a hunting trip, on a perfectly clear day. These mysterious deaths only cemented the fact that Galf was obviously something special, and upon what appeared to be the beings adulthood, he took the throne.
Under Galf, it was said that numerous slaves were taken from all over the world, mainly from places with large Christian Populations, along with other populations which displeased the populace and Gods in general. Using these slaves, numerous tunnels were built, and the slaves taken died by the thousands. At the time anyone born of a slave couple would remain a slave, unless they showed some special skill or quality which meant that the gods' had favored them, and in such a case they would be taken and raised by Emperor Galf himself. The tunnels were originally kept hidden from the world, and even the populace had no clear idea what they were there for.
Now it is common knowledge among the priesthood that the first Galf was trying to not only dig under the mountains to reach other settlements and help bring the Empire together, but he was also building downward, towards the Slave Pits. It is said that at one point they had actually reached it, and in a single night all slaves digging in the mines were killed by the thousand. The cultists down there however, were spared, however they too were marked, and many of the weak-willed ones were driven insane. Soon after this, the first Galf reportedly descended into the pits himself and disappeared, a large iron door placed there under guidance of the Gods themselves to keep any outsider filth form entering.
The Gods
"They are large and terrifying. Beings with the ability to wipe away entire cities in the span of a night! They are the Gods... The Gods are horrific beings, and at one point long ago turned on us. To keep them pleased we follow their will, and have since become one with their nemesis, the Lord of the Pits. He himself has sent me forth to tell you this, and it is for this reason that I must depart. When I return, I swear that the Gods will no longer harm you, my chosen people. Live long and with dignity until then, and keep our ways alive. I will return to you..."
-Galf-
The Gods of the Antanjylian religion are listed below. They only have brief summaries, along with histories. They are not considered creators, and at most some have certain mountains or other areas named after them due to having the credit of creating them. They merely take control of the elements associated with them.
Asmodee- Lord of Bane, Ironically Enemy of Berthe and Danika. Has a few temples created in his honor, and is said to feast on the souls of those who have died at his own leisure. The only way to prevent this from happening is to pray to him often, or kill enough people so that their souls will go with you, and be counted as offerings for the god. Many mass-murderers are responsible for following him. He is considered to be an enormous golem of flesh and bone, often pictured ripping apart men and women with four enormous clawed hands.
Basque - God of the Sea. A god with two personalities, calm and giving or vengeful and merciless. Most ships carry an alter of him, except for those of Slave Vessels, in case they be found out. His most primary of worshippers are those who rely on the sea. He is pictured as an enormous figure possessing features of both a horrific demon and a calm masked man in a robe.
Berthe - Goddess of Harvest. She is worshiped by Antanjyl's many farmers. She is often shown as a young blossoming woman holding a large basket of seeds on her back, and has numerous roses and other plants growing from her body.
Boreas - God of the Frigid North Wind. He is considered an evil deity whose goal is to wipe out all life in an eternal blizzard. He is responsible for all snow and ice, and the people in Antanjyl strive to live in the frozen environments just to spite him. He has no frequent worshippers, and is often depicted as a large ice covered man in armor holding an enormous pike, or sometimes a great white snake with covered in frost.
Dagba - God of beginnings and endings. He is a minor deity responsible for bringing the dead to the other side, and at some points even bringing the dead back to life, if stories are true. His worshippers are mainly among those who work in the grave digging profession, along with a few doctors. He is a hunchbacked creature with two eyes, one of fierce red, the other of a deep blue. He carries a scythe to cut down anything in the way of his mission.
Danika - Goddess of Fertility. She is responsible for bringing life to the world's creatures, and has a week-long holiday devoted to her. Her worshippers are usually parents wishing to have children. She is depicted as an exceptionally beautiful woman, usually nude and sometimes with child.
Demundza - King of the Netherworld and brother to Asmodee. He is responsible for making sure that all worthy souls are taken to his palace to eventually have all of their wishes fullfilled. He is usually considered rather kind, but at the same time throws those who are not worthy to his brother to be devoured for eternity. His worshippers were usually heads of villages, but most now follow him in the hopes of garnering a prosperous future.
Fellana - Goddess of Justice. She is usually associated with law enforcement and oaths. She is also responsible for making sure that the people on this earth follow their predetermined fate. Her worshippers are mainly in the Agency and other law-enforcement organizations. She is usually shown as a beautiful woman in robes holding a bloody sword.
Filarhh - The God of Suns. He is considered a deity which is a constant enemy of the Lord of the Pits, and as such has a mixed reputation in Antanjyl. Though the sun gives light and life, it also blinds those who arrogantly stare at it and can kill those through dehydration. His followers are few but varied, and he actually has a few temples in out of the way locations. He appears as an immense red armored being carrying a flaming axe.
Ishtalle - The Goddess of Battle, War, and Conquest. She glorifies War as a means towards obtaining what one wants, and has numerous monks in the military. Her creed is to take what you want by force despite what it means to others. Her primary worshippers are gladiators and soldiers, especially professional soldiers. She is represented as a demonic looking woman, with immense black wings and holding any number of weapons, along with one usually wrapped in her barbed tail.
Rungvie - God of destruction. A horrific being who moves across the world slaying all it encounters. He is said to be contained deep beneath Antanjyl, kept as a slave to the Lord of the Pits. It has no followers, and is said to resemble a cross between a spider and a dragon, and constantly on the move in it's single-minded quest to bring death to others.
Zephyros - God of the wind, freedom and the boundless skies. He is usually worshipped by pilots and drifters, along with any who wish to leave their lives behind in search for something more. He is usually depicted as a winged creature with six arms, holding numerous musical instruments or small weapons.
=~=~=~=~=
Galf - The Emperor is considered a god, a creature gifted with his appearance by none other than the Lord of the Pits. Due to this he has absolute loyalty in the religious population. His worshippers include all of the people of Antanjyl, with the exception of lunatic fringe groups(all known religions) which are constantly purged from the surrounding areas of Antanjyl.
The Lord of the Pits - The name of the being living beneath Antanjyl, he is said to be the spiritual father of the original Galf. At one point in history he was said to grant wishes for the blood of innocent victims, but such times eventually changed when the worth of people slowly became less. He is the God of Antanjyl and is said to be responsible for the mountains covering the nation, if not the continent. It is through his tunnels that Antanjyl's government originally built railways, after numerous renovations. None have ever seen the Lord since Galf's return, however he is almost assuredly still there. His worshipers include nearly everyone in Antanjyl. There are no depictions of him, however he is said to be "Awe-inspiring" and "without equal" in most texts.
-----------------------------------------------------------
OOC: If you have any questions on Antanjyl's religion!
The Religion of the True Gods
Rashidi
"Children of Antanjyl! I bring forth the true nature of the Gods you revere, in the hopes that this knowledge will assist your survival in this most harshest of environments!"
-Prophet Rashidi-(Common Verse)
"And with this power your enemies will all suffer eternally, and from these tattered bodies, the nation of Antanjyl will slowly rise to untold glories. All people not with you are against you, and are unspeakably evil. Kill or Enslave them, for makes no difference, as they are not like you. Their impurities and foolishness have caused them to turn their backs on the sacred texts, and the only true Gods!"
-Prophet Rashidi(Rarely known Verse)-
The Religion of Rashidi is an enigma to those who do not follow it, and even to those followers not located in Antanjyl, however few they may currently be. The Gods in this religion are many and varied, and the demands they require of practitioners are only equal to that of the rewards the gods seem to promise. Among these gods are also demons, who themselves have become gods over the millennia that the cult has existed, and today the two are impossible to tell apart. Thankfully, the truest portions of this religion have not as of yet reached foreign ears, since doing so would almost assuredly bring forth the full wrath of the world upon the religion itself.
Rashidi's Founding
The Religion currently known as Rashidi has its bearings in Antanjyl's forests back in 5000 BC, thanks to a number of hallucinogens. The simple people of the time took these hallucinations to be caused by the Gods, and due to the rather same effects and visions caused, the religion slowly took form. Eventually, millennia later when they were overrun by marauders and the like from outside of these small forest groves, the religion was changed slightly be these outsiders. Eventually after a long and bitter conflict, the two groups of people began a long and thorough mixing process, eventually becoming one. The first man by the name of Rashidi appeared after a meteor smashed into one of Antanjyl's mountains. An old explorer on the outskirts was affected by the blast, and it was stated that almost all of his skin was burnt off.
The man changed his name to Rashidi and once he was able to walk again, made his way into the crater, eventually discovering the precursor to Antanjyl's slave pits. Within the depths he also reportedly discovered 'monsters which defied logic, and beings of unspeakable power which called out to him'. He reportedly barely managed to escape, and when he returned to tell the current tribal leaders, they considered his claims laughable, if not flatly insane. To prove this, they sent a large band of warriors to the location, led by Rashidi in the hopes of stopping his message from scaring the populace.
Out of everyone who went, roughly one hundred warriors, less than a dozen survived. They too spoke of horrific beings beneath the ground, and Rashidi was the only one among them untouched. The scars on the others seemed to form words, and Rashidi somehow read them out, eventually leading to the creation of the Rashidi scrolls. In an attempt to gleam more Prophecy, larger groups of 'settlers' were sent, and less than 10% returned each time, speaking the same thing.
The man known as Rashidi was reported to live at least 200 years, however scholars say it may have been due to faulty record keeping. His death was caused by a number of Christians which had come from the area of greater Europe. This took place in the year 1260 AD. It was also at this time that the being known as Galf was born. Though not entirely human, he was also spoke spoke of in the scrolls.
The Birth Of Galf
"Soon Heretics will come for my life, and will succeed. However, with my death a being from the depths itself will be born to human parents. This being is to take my place and hold your service from now unto eternity. Through him all things will be made possible, and peace between ourselves and the Lord of Pits will finally be maintained..."
-Rashidi-
The original Galf was reportedly a mutant, and paintings of the child are only in the Palace and most prestigious of Cathedrals. With deep red eyes and what appeared to be some sort of gray leathery texture to his skin, the child was quickly taken to the government to find out what was wrong. The cult at the time thanked the parents, before escorting them outside of Antanjyl's borders where they were never seen again. An old hidden tomb however, seems to suggest that they were killed and buried there, with accomodations of that of royal figures, perhaps so as not to bring on the Gods' wrath.
And so, the child known as Galf was raised by the tribal elders, in the hope that he would favor them all once he reached adulthood. However, he remained childlike in appearance for upwards of fourty years, and by that time they all died, seemingly mysteriously. One report has a tribal leader attacked by wolves in his own bedroom, his entire family torn apart, while another leader was killed by a strike of lightning while on a hunting trip, on a perfectly clear day. These mysterious deaths only cemented the fact that Galf was obviously something special, and upon what appeared to be the beings adulthood, he took the throne.
Under Galf, it was said that numerous slaves were taken from all over the world, mainly from places with large Christian Populations, along with other populations which displeased the populace and Gods in general. Using these slaves, numerous tunnels were built, and the slaves taken died by the thousands. At the time anyone born of a slave couple would remain a slave, unless they showed some special skill or quality which meant that the gods' had favored them, and in such a case they would be taken and raised by Emperor Galf himself. The tunnels were originally kept hidden from the world, and even the populace had no clear idea what they were there for.
Now it is common knowledge among the priesthood that the first Galf was trying to not only dig under the mountains to reach other settlements and help bring the Empire together, but he was also building downward, towards the Slave Pits. It is said that at one point they had actually reached it, and in a single night all slaves digging in the mines were killed by the thousand. The cultists down there however, were spared, however they too were marked, and many of the weak-willed ones were driven insane. Soon after this, the first Galf reportedly descended into the pits himself and disappeared, a large iron door placed there under guidance of the Gods themselves to keep any outsider filth form entering.
The Gods
"They are large and terrifying. Beings with the ability to wipe away entire cities in the span of a night! They are the Gods... The Gods are horrific beings, and at one point long ago turned on us. To keep them pleased we follow their will, and have since become one with their nemesis, the Lord of the Pits. He himself has sent me forth to tell you this, and it is for this reason that I must depart. When I return, I swear that the Gods will no longer harm you, my chosen people. Live long and with dignity until then, and keep our ways alive. I will return to you..."
-Galf-
The Gods of the Antanjylian religion are listed below. They only have brief summaries, along with histories. They are not considered creators, and at most some have certain mountains or other areas named after them due to having the credit of creating them. They merely take control of the elements associated with them.
Asmodee- Lord of Bane, Ironically Enemy of Berthe and Danika. Has a few temples created in his honor, and is said to feast on the souls of those who have died at his own leisure. The only way to prevent this from happening is to pray to him often, or kill enough people so that their souls will go with you, and be counted as offerings for the god. Many mass-murderers are responsible for following him. He is considered to be an enormous golem of flesh and bone, often pictured ripping apart men and women with four enormous clawed hands.
Basque - God of the Sea. A god with two personalities, calm and giving or vengeful and merciless. Most ships carry an alter of him, except for those of Slave Vessels, in case they be found out. His most primary of worshippers are those who rely on the sea. He is pictured as an enormous figure possessing features of both a horrific demon and a calm masked man in a robe.
Berthe - Goddess of Harvest. She is worshiped by Antanjyl's many farmers. She is often shown as a young blossoming woman holding a large basket of seeds on her back, and has numerous roses and other plants growing from her body.
Boreas - God of the Frigid North Wind. He is considered an evil deity whose goal is to wipe out all life in an eternal blizzard. He is responsible for all snow and ice, and the people in Antanjyl strive to live in the frozen environments just to spite him. He has no frequent worshippers, and is often depicted as a large ice covered man in armor holding an enormous pike, or sometimes a great white snake with covered in frost.
Dagba - God of beginnings and endings. He is a minor deity responsible for bringing the dead to the other side, and at some points even bringing the dead back to life, if stories are true. His worshippers are mainly among those who work in the grave digging profession, along with a few doctors. He is a hunchbacked creature with two eyes, one of fierce red, the other of a deep blue. He carries a scythe to cut down anything in the way of his mission.
Danika - Goddess of Fertility. She is responsible for bringing life to the world's creatures, and has a week-long holiday devoted to her. Her worshippers are usually parents wishing to have children. She is depicted as an exceptionally beautiful woman, usually nude and sometimes with child.
Demundza - King of the Netherworld and brother to Asmodee. He is responsible for making sure that all worthy souls are taken to his palace to eventually have all of their wishes fullfilled. He is usually considered rather kind, but at the same time throws those who are not worthy to his brother to be devoured for eternity. His worshippers were usually heads of villages, but most now follow him in the hopes of garnering a prosperous future.
Fellana - Goddess of Justice. She is usually associated with law enforcement and oaths. She is also responsible for making sure that the people on this earth follow their predetermined fate. Her worshippers are mainly in the Agency and other law-enforcement organizations. She is usually shown as a beautiful woman in robes holding a bloody sword.
Filarhh - The God of Suns. He is considered a deity which is a constant enemy of the Lord of the Pits, and as such has a mixed reputation in Antanjyl. Though the sun gives light and life, it also blinds those who arrogantly stare at it and can kill those through dehydration. His followers are few but varied, and he actually has a few temples in out of the way locations. He appears as an immense red armored being carrying a flaming axe.
Ishtalle - The Goddess of Battle, War, and Conquest. She glorifies War as a means towards obtaining what one wants, and has numerous monks in the military. Her creed is to take what you want by force despite what it means to others. Her primary worshippers are gladiators and soldiers, especially professional soldiers. She is represented as a demonic looking woman, with immense black wings and holding any number of weapons, along with one usually wrapped in her barbed tail.
Rungvie - God of destruction. A horrific being who moves across the world slaying all it encounters. He is said to be contained deep beneath Antanjyl, kept as a slave to the Lord of the Pits. It has no followers, and is said to resemble a cross between a spider and a dragon, and constantly on the move in it's single-minded quest to bring death to others.
Zephyros - God of the wind, freedom and the boundless skies. He is usually worshipped by pilots and drifters, along with any who wish to leave their lives behind in search for something more. He is usually depicted as a winged creature with six arms, holding numerous musical instruments or small weapons.
=~=~=~=~=
Galf - The Emperor is considered a god, a creature gifted with his appearance by none other than the Lord of the Pits. Due to this he has absolute loyalty in the religious population. His worshippers include all of the people of Antanjyl, with the exception of lunatic fringe groups(all known religions) which are constantly purged from the surrounding areas of Antanjyl.
The Lord of the Pits - The name of the being living beneath Antanjyl, he is said to be the spiritual father of the original Galf. At one point in history he was said to grant wishes for the blood of innocent victims, but such times eventually changed when the worth of people slowly became less. He is the God of Antanjyl and is said to be responsible for the mountains covering the nation, if not the continent. It is through his tunnels that Antanjyl's government originally built railways, after numerous renovations. None have ever seen the Lord since Galf's return, however he is almost assuredly still there. His worshipers include nearly everyone in Antanjyl. There are no depictions of him, however he is said to be "Awe-inspiring" and "without equal" in most texts.
-----------------------------------------------------------
OOC: If you have any questions on Antanjyl's religion!