Akuanism

Akuanism
Belief	Pantheism ; Animism
Deity	Akua; other gods are acknowledged but not named; variety of "lesser" spirits.
Region(s)	Borea;
Founded	Early 600
Origin	Borean Cultural Traditions;
Denominations	Akuanism

Akuanism is a religion which originated in Nystatiszna and in Central Borea. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners Akuanist, although adherents rarely use that term themselves preferring to calling themselves cultists or member of the cult of Akua. There is no central authority in control of Akuanism and much diversity exists among practitioners.

Akuanism is polytheistic and revolves around the worship of Akua the spirit or Goddess that watches over intelligence life and inhabits taverns. Spirits in Akuainst tradition are supernatural entities believed to inhabit all things. The link between the Spirits and the natural world has led to Akuanism being considered animistic and pantheistic. The latter are staffed by priests, 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.

This isn't to say that Akua is solo worshiped in Akuanism. As a majority of shrines are for other spirits than Akua. These 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. Akua does acknowledge the exist of other gods/goddess but refuses to name them, as she is a petty goddess. 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.

During the Naylorbrookisza control of the Nystatiszna (1900 to 1944), Nystatiszna's nationalist leadership attempted to separate Akuanism from other religions that it syncretism.

Beliefs

Akua

Akua is considered to be above all other spirits and consider to be the primary goddess that "protects" sapient life. While it's known that there are other gods or goddess that protect intelligence life, Akuanism by tradition has leave these names are not allowed to be said allowed in Akua's temples. The goddess is known to be extremely petty to those who attempt to take attention away from her in her "holy" places.

Spirits

Spirits are anything to-do with supernatural creatures or phenomena that are venerated in Akuanism. Spirits can be elements of a landscape, forces of nature, and supernatural creatures. It's also widely considered that if a person has done a great enough deed they can become a spirit known as a Saint.

In Akuanist Tradition, spirits are not separate from nature, but are apart of nature itself, with each spirit with its own good and evil characteristics.

History

Syncretism with Asatru

When Asatru was introduced from viking traders from Eyjarian in the early 700s. Early Akuanist scholars theorized that both religions are true and the gods referenced by Akua are the same ones the Asatru worship. They theorizing that where Akua was more involved in Borea, the gods referred in the Asatru hold domain else where. It should be noted, that these early theologians never traveled to Concord and thus never visited a real Asatru temple. Relaying on stories brought by merchants and traveling priests to help fill the narrative they was trying to understand. The regionalized and highly diverse nature of Akuanism interacted in several ways.

Shrines (non-Akuan) along the southern western coast included religious imagery of Asatru origin. Example including Gammeltre shrine which has a curved imagine of Thor into it's largest branch and still has prayer sheets offered only in Eyjarian. It should be noted that the language in the prayer sheets have not updated to modern Eyjarian language customs.

Shines (both Akua and non-Akuan) make use of extensive use of Asatru symbolism.

Shines (of Akua) have select prayers that are still held in old Eyjarian, these prayers are only held twice a year and considered to be some of the more archaic in nature.

Holy Book of Akua (WIP)

In the beginning the land laid bare, hopeless and sober. Thy Akua flew down on a lighting bolt, to breathe life into the empty world. Wielding knowledge of thy heavens Akua made heaven on Urth, with thinking machines that did all the labors and a kegs of wine that never empty. Akua had hair that was as blue as the sea and flowed like a river down to her waist. Her gaze is the same as an iceberg.

Akua grew bored of her harem and wine, her desire to create exotic tastes. Her desires lead her to an alchemist lab where she made vodka from potatoes and with corn she made the first moonshine bottle. She tasted her works and slept, the thinking machine carried her to her resting spot. Her drunkard ramblings told the thinking machines to create her a harem. The thinking machines spent much time in the alchemist labs while Akua rested fulfilling her drunk desires. Creating the first Urthians.