Akuanism: Difference between revisions

}}Akuanism is a religion which originated in [[Borea]]. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Akuanist'', although adherents rarely use that term themselves preferring to calling themselves cultists or follower of the way. There is no central authority in control of Akuanism and much diversity exists among practitioners.

Akuanism is polytheistic and revolves around the worship of spirits known as Brandisen and the Vodkaniate. The Brandisen in the Akuanist tradition are supernatural entities believed to inhabit all things. Including manufactured and sapient-created objects or places. Example being the sapient-made lake of Ny'amberock which host over dozen spirits in it's shrine. Vodkaniate is reserved for incredible powerful spirits or gods, example being the religion namesake Akua who protects her children (''sapients''), adventurers, explorers and the Goddess who taught the sapients to worship.

The link between the Spirits and the natural world has led to Akuanism being considered animistic and pantheistic. The religion is staffed by priests and priestess, known as ''[[brewmasters]]'', who oversee offerings of food and beer or ale to cultists. This is done to cultivate harmony between the cultist and Akua and to solicit the Akua's blessing, as Akua loves her temples to be more akin to a Tavern or a community center than a traditional religious building. Other common rituals include drunkard revelry, rites of passage, celebratory debauchery and seasonal festivals.

The goddess Akua is deeply intwined with many of the creation myths to the point she's known as the goddess of life. Nearly all stories of the creation of sapients have the goddess as the main character or is told from only from her perspective. Usually the stories make use of Akua's thinking machines to create a harem of the first Urthians or Akua accidentally creating Urthians by some other means. Akua became the name-sake of the religion mostly by miscommunication and misinterpretation as adventurers go forth to explore established shrines to the goddess where ever they roamed. Making Akua's shrines and myths the most widespread across all of Akuanism all together. While majority of shrines in Akuanism isn't for Akua, she does have the most shrines directly worshiping her. The shrines of other spirits to be supplied religious paraphernalia such as amulets, coins, incense and prayer sheets to earn favor or give respects the spirit. Akuanism does not emphasize specific moral codes although it places a major conceptual focus on family/friendships and community, largely by practices such as bar craws and "adventuring."

Akuanism has doesn't have an official specific doctrinal book rather it has a collection of stories and myths, with a widely diverse range of local and regional forms with their own myths.

'''Akua''' is considered to be above all other spirits and consider to be the primary goddess that protects sapient life. The goddess is known to be extremely petty to those who attempt to take attention away from her in her "holy" places. As a result, it's considered to be deep insult to say names of other Vodkaniate (but not Brandisen) in her shrine. Usually resulting in being cursed with bad luck until one performs the necessary cleansing ritual. While she's the creator of life for the Urthians, almost uniformly in all (early) myths where she was called mother. She reacts negatively, often pointing at Freyrmama as a more suitable "mother" figure for children. As a result, majority of creation myths or stories about motherhood often cite both Akua and Freyrmama as mother to the Urthians. With several stories of creating making use both Freyrmama and Akua as joint creators as a married couple.