The Cult of Namis
The Cult of Namis, the domestic faith in Achkaerin, is a faith that worships three Goddesses these being the Goddess Namis, the Goddess Kisara and the Goddess Xiaoyu, the three are sisters. The Three Goddesses (sometimes referred to as the Trinity) act as a counterbalance to a great evil the name of which is not recorded anywhere it is simply referred to as 'The Great Unspoken', it is believed that this evil will one day return and that only the 'gift of death' shall be able to save the nations on that day.
The Origin Story
In the Time of Beginnings The God Ezotl created the world and all things in it, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, the animals on the land, eight legs, six legs, four legs and two all life flowed from the Great Tree of Life fueled by the waters of the world. Some time after the world was created The Great Unspoken arrived in the world, where this Evil came from none could divine but come it did and though it was evil in nature the world knew not for The Great Unspoken's true colours remained concealed. The arrival of this Evil coincided with a moment of weakness on the part of the Creator for he was growing lonely.
There was a girl by the name of Vala, who devoutly worshiped Ezotl every day when the sunlight was at its newest and then again when it was at its highest before once more paying homage to her God as the sunlight died that day. The Great Unspoken could see the affection that the Creator had for Vala and he went to Ezotl and said
"Look my friend there is one as lonely as you. Should she not know that her Lord appreciates her faith? For not all below show the same loyalty to you as she."
"You know we cannot intervene on the plane below directly." The Creator answered, for this was his greatest tenet- the created must choose its own path.
"Then show her not as a God but a man." The Great Unspoken persisted "Should a God not have the right to experience that which those he created do?"
And so Ezotl met Vala, there would be many more meetings as The Great Unspoken had hoped for, because this presented the greatest opportunity for him to accomplish his own desires. For it is not easy to kill a God, yet when Ezotl walked the soil of Mundus the cloak of immortality did not go with him, The Great Unspoken observed this and when the time was right, when the Creator went to meet Vala, the girl whom he had come to adore, he marked the Creator with a mark of great darkness. When the time for Ezotl to leave Vala came he found he could not assume his powers, he knew what must have happened. As the life energy left him Ezotl cursed the Great Unspoken to no longer be able to walk or touch the World by his will alone.
Now as Ezotl slowly died he turned to Vala, who was carrying three souls at this time, with the last of his strength he instructed her to journey to the island of the blessed where she would find sanctuary, the people there a tribe of women students of life's rhythm held a belief in nine great creatures (now called Sacred Beasts), Okan the Basilisk, Rotorth the Griffin, Kovrien the Stag, Malzrucrid the Gorilla, Brerin the Chimaera, Aydel the Raith Cat, Evna the Fox, Yve the Phoenix and Fryseirth the Dragon - under their gaze and shield the children would be safe. And to Vala he entrusted a gift for each of the children.
In the time of Shadows the people of Mundus toiled under the yoke of slavery, forced to do the bidding of the Warlord Akhiy, a man of great power in both the human and mystical planes for he, of his own will, entered a contract with The Great Unspoken, allowing him to have at his command the demons of air and darkness. The people of Mundus would suffer greatly under the tyrant's rule. Akhiy was to be the hands and instrument of The Great Unspoken's will and through the darkest of rituals he would become the vessel for The Great Unspoken's spirit, thus enabling The Great Unspoken to walk upon the world once again and to enact his most evil of schemes, to bend the entirety of creation to his will by using the Miite'temar, a jewel, in combination with the Moon.
And then once again the light shone from seemingly nothingness the children of Ezotl came forth, Kisara of the Dragon's blood, Xiaoyu with Ocular Prowess and Namis keeper of the Nine Sacred Beasts, and on the plains of Tenagra and in the skies above the young Goddesses fought those that Akhiy sent against them. Though Akhiy was powerful, he was struck down by Xiaoyu, the Moon was destroyed by Kisara's beasts of the sky and Namis sealed The Great Unspoken and his demons away.
With the battle over the Goddesses restored the Moon, entrusted the people with the future and bestowed upon them the gifts to guard the world and the guidance to make it blossom through the Seven Tenets:
1) Pay homage to no God other than the Trinity
2) Blessed are the students of life's rhythm, for they are the instruments of the Trinity's will.
3) All things are connected to each other the air, the land, the sea, the animals and the flowers, this is the principle of life's rhythm.
4) Answer the helpless cries for help, for they are the most in need.
5) Treat those around you with fairly and equally, so that they may do the same to you.
6) Defend that which you own and that to which you belong with all your heart and strength and courage - by all you hold dear stand your ground, for those that do will be the ones the Goddess's shall call to their sides when the time of Rebirth comes.
7) Care for Mundus, for you are the caretakers of the creation entrusted with its future.
The Trinity at a Glance
Namis - Regarded as the most senior Goddess as she is the eldest of the three. Namis is the Goddess of Life, Death, Love and Family. She is viewed as the Mistress of the Sacred Beasts. She is sometimes referred to as the 'Life Giver'
Kisara - Kisara is the second child of the three, she is the Goddess of Nature, Sea, Sky and War. She is very closely associated with dragon's as she was able to summon these legendary creatures, this earned her the name 'Dragonblood'.
Xiaoyu - The youngest of the three. Xiaoyu is the Goddess of Prophecy, Wisdom, Justice and Time. The Five Khyii (Ocular Prowess) are believed to have come from her, she's otherwise known as the 'All Seeing'.
The Offices of the Faith And Structure
Like all other aspects of the Cult, worship falls under the purview of the High Priestess. Worship itself is full of ritual with many aspects such as the sealing ceremony, the cleansing of a soul, spiritual healing and others being involved. There's no formalized worshiping time with the exception of religious festivals that commemorate important historical occasions to the faith.
As implied the High Priestess sits at the top of the tree in terms of the faith, she serves from the time she is called to the roll to the time of her death, she is supported by the three Alha - these are in simplest terms three monks each has a title respective of the three Goddess's and a role thereof - the Alha of Namis is called the 'Guardian of the Faithful' with the responsibility for challenging those within the faith that act contrary to its practices and doctrine, the Alha of Kisara is called the 'Teacher of Maiden's' he is the head of the Maiden Sister Order (explained below) he has responsibility for training the members of that order, the Alha of Xiaoyu is called 'Chronicler of the Cult' and has responsibility for documenting and maintaining the history of the Cult. Alongside these three Alha there is a further support to the High Priestess in the role of the Oracle, like the High Priestess this is a female role and a lifetime role, the Oracle as one may guess from the name is believed to be able to foresee the future she is otherwise known as the 'Keeper of the Khyii' - the five ocular prowess powers granted to the Goddess Xiaoyu, it is believed that when chosen an Oracle is in turn granted some of that power.
When either the High Priestess or the Oracle pass away the three Alha (and the High Priestess/Oracle if one is alive) assemble either at Luna Isle (the home of the High Priestess) if the Oracle has died or at a monastery if the High Priestess has died, this is because Luna Isle is sacred ground and none may tread the inner sanctum there without the consent of the High Priestess. This meeting can last many days or only a few hours as they must choose the next person to hold the vacant office, there is much ceremony and formality about the process.
In addition both the High Priestess and Oracle have a 'Gatekeeper' this is a person who shares their journey and helps them in their role.
There is one further leadership position in the Cult - the Queen of Songs, this is a position passed down from mother to daughter. The post is as one may surmise based in song specifically the most sacred songs of the Cult those that are almost ritual in their words, only the Queen of Songs is permitted to sing these songs as a result the Queen of Songs tends to become on a day to day basis the busiest member of the Cult Leadership. As this is an inherited position it works similar to a monarchy until the point where there is no daughter to pass the title to at which point the remainder of the Cult Leadership pass the title to another family.
Beneath the leadership of the Cult there is the regular Priesthood which is the week in week out worship leaders for although there is no formalized worship time this does prevent the Priests and Priestess's preaching, they simply determine the schedule within their respective temples as people may choose to walk in and out at any time. Most Temples do have good congregations on Sundays as most choose to attend on that day.
Finally there is the Maiden Sister Order, these are believed to be the descendants of the 'students of life's rhythm' from the Origin Story. They are few in number and occupy the Gowu Monastery, they are partly the honour guard of the High Priestess and Oracle but they are also viewed as missionaries as they are known to travel across Mundus on faith journey's. They are trained in the old ways such as the sword, the bow, horse riding and hunting. They are trained this way because it is believed that when the time of Rebirth comes that the Great Unspoken will render powerless the powerful and be thwarted by his disregarding of experience. The Maiden Sisters train according to the Rhythm of Life, a program of understanding the world around them through the natural elements that make up that world.
Current Cult LeadershipHigh Priestess:
Alexis MinetteAlha of Namis:
Robert BridgesAlha of Kisara:
Jin FumaAlha of Xiaoyu:
William NielsenOracle:
Temari FumaGatekeeper of the High Priestess:
Elvira HillsGatekeeper of the Oracle:
Aki Fuma
The Five Khyii
The Five Khyii are the five types of 'Ocular Prowess' otherwise known as gifts relating to sight, they are associated with the Goddess Xiaoyu but are believed to be embodied by the Oracle. They are as follows:
Khyii Lyret - Otherwise known as the Eye of Truth, according to legend the Goddess Xiaoyu used the power of this eye to determine the reasoning behind a persons words or actions. It is also believed that when the Goddesses return that this eye will be used to weigh the worth of a persons deeds throughout their life.
Khyii Jhu - The Angel's Eye. According to the legends the Goddess Xiaoyu helped her sister the Goddess Namis tame the Sacred Beasts with this eye and then used its power to seal the Beasts inside her sister. It is generally believed that this eye in terms of the mystical aspect is the most powerful.
Khyii Siu - The Eye of Time. In legend the Goddess Xiaoyu used this eye to see into the past, throughout the present and into the future, for believers this is the eye that allows her to make all her prophecies as well as manipulate time itself.
Khyii Liaisnen - The Eye of the Warrior. According to the Origin Story this is the eye that Xiaoyu used in that battle. In terms of destructive force suggested in legends this is the most powerful of the five.
Khyii Rehvie - The Eye of Nature. According to legend the Goddess Xiaoyu used this eye to help her sister the Goddess Kisara communicate with nature, resulting in Kisara's ability to summon dragon's and the rest of her beasts.
Ceremonies
Anointing Ceremony: Every member of the Priesthood will go through this at least once in their career - in truth it is only once for the vast majority of the Priesthood. In the Christian faith this would be regarded as the equivalent of an Ordination. During the ceremony the person being anointed is asked a series of questions to which there are a set of answers which forms a covenant, this is sealed in blood before the person presiding over the ceremony anoints the forehead of the person with, what is probably best described as face paint, the shape of a
Triquetra.
Sealing Ceremony: This ceremony forms part of the Anointing Ceremony but only occurs when the ceremony is for the High Priestess, it takes place between the promises being sealed and the actual act of anointing, the ceremony takes on historical significance as it is symbolic of how the nine Sacred Beasts were sealed inside Namis with the help of her sisters. In their Anointing Ceremony the High Priestess to be, wears a robe of the Priesthood but also an under layer, usually white in color to symbolize purity, this under layer consists of clothing that reveals the arms, midriff, legs and neck area of the High Priestess to be. She lies upon a stone altar and the Alha carry out a ritual for each of the nine beasts in turn that culminates with the mark of that beast being placed on the High Priestess to be, the seal of Okan the Basilisk is first and is coiled around the left arm, second is the seal of Rotorth the Griffin which is positioned on the right arm, third is the seal of Kovrien the Stag which is placed just below the neck and above the breasts. Fourth is the seal of Malzrucrid the Gorilla it is located on the lower right leg, fifth is the seal of Brerin the Chimaera this is placed on the left thigh, sixth comes the seal of Aydel the Raith Cat which goes on the lower left leg, seventh is the seal of Evna the Fox which is placed on the right thigh. Eighth is the seal of Yve the Phoenix this goes on the exposed back of the High Priestess to be. Finally the sealing ends with the placement of the seal belonging to Fryseirth the Dragon which is located on the exposed midriff.
The seals are done using what amounts to face paint so they only stay in place until washed off in terms of symbolism however it is believed the sealing is demonstrative of the High Priestess giving her life control up to the Goddess Namis.
Discernment Ceremony: This forms part of the Anointing Ceremony for Alha and Gatekeepers in the course of this ceremony the person is required to account for themselves and submit to the judgement of the presider (usually the High Priestess) this part of the ceremony is usually carried out in metaphorical language as the means of determining the true nature of the individual. It is in Honor of the Goddess Kisara who is believed to have used such a technique to gain the trust of her beasts of the sky.
Transference Ceremony: Part of the Anointing Ceremony for the Oracle, the Oracle enters the temple blindfolded and escorted by her Gatekeeper (this being for reasons of safety) upon the altar are five pieces of jewelry each with one of the Khyii inscribed on it in some way - a bracelet for the Khyii Lyret, a ring for the Khyii Jhu, a tiara for the Khyii Siu, earrings for the Khyii Liaisnen and a necklace for the Khyii Rehvie, the virtue of the Oracle is tested as the Presider (usually the High Priestess) reads five of Xiaoyu's prophecies and in turn the Oracle grants the explanation, after each explanation the Presider adorns the Oracle with a piece of jewelry in the order Lyret, Liaisnen, Rehvie, Jhu, Siu. When the Siu tiara is presented the blindfold is removed prior to the tiara being placed on the Oracles head.
Blessing Ceremony: Similar to a Christian Baptism, a person (or his parents/God parents) make promises to honor the Goddess's and their teachings, the head of the person is then anointed with water. The family of the person (usually the parents) take a blood oath to ensure the proper guidance this isn't normally done unless it is a young child being given the Blessing. The congregation witnessing the ceremony is always to swear such an oath.
Purification Ceremony: The purification ceremony is a ceremony of forgiveness in the context of the faith it is often done prior to other ceremonies such as the Anointing Ceremony but now forms a traditional part of the build up to Achkaerinese Royal Weddings, Coronations and other such events. In the ceremony the person seeking purification fully immerses them self in water while a Priest or Priestess and potentially even a Maiden Sister sings for forgiveness.
Wedding: A wedding in the Cult of Namis sees a lot of symbolism and ritual from the beginning to the end. The Groom enters first and then the Bride, however walking ahead of each of them is a torch bearer carrying a lit flame, when they reach the altar the torch bearers stand at opposite ends by two candles when the Bride and Groom declare their intent to marry each other (and they are legally able to do so) the two candles are used to light two further candles that are contained in a specially designed display in the shape of a double helix, one flame appears to burn red the other appears to burn blue.
There are promises exchanged, again blood is used to display the solemness of the vows, this is done using a knife tied around the Bride's waist which is then symbolically handed to the Groom. In same sex marriages one party simply hands the knife to the other. The Priest in charge of the wedding then declares them to be man and wife and they leave the temple together.
Funeral: In the Cult of Namis a funeral is a more celebratory affair there is no strictly set structure more of a framework. The entire affair takes place over the course of a feast (which lasts as long as it lasts) The feast opens with the host bidding all welcome and then the floor is handed over to a 'Bard' (usually a family member of the dead person) who sings the traditional funeral lament, then the floor is opened to the rest of the family to speak - in short they tell the deeds of the dead person, following this others are invited to add their verses and so on until no one can think of anything more to add. To date the longest such story was the story for the Empress Djana Azurewind. Once the song has been sung the feasting continues as the body of the deceased is brought out, wrapped up in cloth, placed on a wooden barge, the barge is set alight by the family and then pushed out into the ocean - this symbolizes the idea of life not only coming from water but ending with water.
Fellowship Ceremony: This is the term used for other formal ceremonies (usually occurring annually) these not necessarily being obviously religious but occasions such as Memorial Day (OOC- Remembrance Day) where the festival of Remembrance takes place with the Cult playing a major role. In the course of the ceremony the people are invited to reaffirm their faith.
