Hjørdist Gustafism

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Hjørdist Gustafism
Scripture	Nori’s Sagas
Polity	Episcopal
Governance	Fylkir, Arch-Gothir and Hlustendaráð
Fylkir	Olav I
Arch-Gothir	Gaëtane Jaubert-Frida
Language	Ulvrikian
Headquarters	Caenfjord
Founder	Hjørdist Frida
Origin	1770 Batkong, Federation of the Southern Coast
Branched from	Orthodox Gustafistism Ulvriktru

Hjørdist Gustafism, or officially as Imperial Ulvriktru and sometimes called the Eastern Ulvriktru is the second largest branch of Gustafistic Ulvriktru. It is the oldest form of Ulvriktru still present throughout the world, with its foundation of it being dating back to Nori's travels across the Ulvrikian world and has previously played a dominant role in the Ulvriktru history. While officially, the head of faith was never universally recognized as the Fylkir historically but the customs and traditions have been spread across and adapted to the other branches of Ulvriktru. The Hjørdist temple consists have nine sjálfstæðr supreme temples, including the Côtois Temples (Formally the Lapérousian Temples) and the Western Hjørdist Temples. The official head of the branch is the Fylkir, belonging to the Norgsveltian Monarch currently Olav I but the defacto head of the branch is the Arch-Gothir Gaëtane Jaubert-Frida. Jaubert-Frida, being a cadet branch of the Frida Dynasty and closely tied to them. Formally the Frida Dynasty being in charge of it but after the Sauvageon Wars, the head of the faith was placed in the care of Queen Hjørdist Frida's sister and established a cadet branch as well the other forced reforms. The branch has only 40 million followers, far cry from their once dominant position in Ulvriktru and the capital of the faith, Caenfjord maintains a special-city status in the Federation.

The core belief of Imperial Ulvriktru are found in the Aðalherr declaration. The declaration teaches that the warrior spirit is strongest when it is together, the family structure is headed by the mother, families submit to their Jarlène and Jarlène unquestionably without question to the Frida Dynasty in particular to the Queen. In addition to enforcement of hierarchy, the declaration enforces that the Nori's Sagas are infallibly in nature and that all other Sagas outside of Nori's Sagas. Other Sagas or attempts to change Nori's Sagas should be destroyed and the creators of them to be burned. As well the Imperial Ulvriktru enforces a literal understanding of the Nori's Sagas.

Imperial Ulvriktru maintains Vörder, or honor ancestors literally translated. Vörder are figures considered to be important for either historical or religious reasons, that been deemed worthy enough by the Arch-Gothir to forever remembered and have their names curved into rune pillars that are placed at Caenfjord. While Vörder, are not worshipped, they are however honored and veneration. Majority of Vörder figures are warriors who won great battles or individuals who contributed greatly to society as a whole. Examples being doctors, teachers, scholars and other forms of sapient aid.

Historically, Imperial Ulvriktru was brought under Orthodox Gustafistism Ulvriktru during the Sauvageon Wars. Resulting in the Queen Hjørd changing the head of the faith to her sister, in order to prevent further influence from Norgsveldet in Lapérousian affairs.

In the modern day, the temples have been placed under heavy criticism for its strictness on gender roles (examples being enforcing gender segregation in society), doctrine against ordaining men, and strict hierarchical nature of the religion. Gender roles in particular, have been a extreme issue for the temple and Hjørdist communities as a whole. As Hjørdist doctrine, enforces that men in general have little self-agency, lacking the ability for leadership roles and that they need to be protected by their women in their family against non-family women. Raising issue being the domineering nature of women upbring in Hjørdist society often approve of aggression in life, which for single or non-familial men can be threatening example being the term Maltrouvant. The doctrine enforces that men should always travel with a escort and be almost-completely covered, as to not distract or bring about trouble to them. While spousal or familial violence towards married men and sons is strictly banned under punishment of death. The aggressive nature of women up-bring in Hjørdist customs has resulted in upticks of familial violence. When the Monarcho-Socialists took charge of the Federation in 1920, and later on the Gun-Point Reforms of the 1938. There has been a significant changes, with the doctrine of gender segregation being heavily reduced in strictness and limited promotion of men agency. Regardless, both Hjørdist majority nations the Federation and Kaldrbuth have laws to protect men. Kaldrbuth in particular having a nation-wide ban on men traveling alone at night while the Federation, seven petite-nations that are majority Hjørdist have limited bans on men traveling alone at night in major cities.

History

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Structure

The Imperial Ulvriktru temples follows a hierarchical form of religious governance, called Gothirskaldal polity, which give Gothirskald formal jurisdictions of governance within the temples. There are three levels of clergy within Imperial Ulvriktru, the Gothirskaldal composed of Gothirskalds who hold jurisdiction over a geographic area or region, and manage local gothirs assigned to temples, the highest level of clergy is the Arch-Gothir which hold ultimate authority of religious matters within the Imperial Ulvriktru, with only the Fylkir able to counter her authority. The Arch-Gothir is passed through the Frida dynasty, and later on in the 1700s by the Jaubert-Frida dynasty. The Arch-Gothir assigns Gothirskalds to regions, and Gothirskalds assign gothirs to temples. Gothirskalds assist with management and carrying out orders from the Arch-Gothir. While gothir manage day to day functions in addition to their religious duties.

Doctrine

Hjørdist Gustafism has developed over the centuries, reflecting on the Nori’s Sagas, formal definition of what is a heretical belief within the Hjørdistic interpretation, (Hjørdistic) orthodox beliefs through the Arch-Gothir and theological debates by scholars. The branch believes the superiority of Freya and Hel as goddess over Thor. As well interpretation of Odin being more feminine but not a woman in nature as opposed to other Ulvriktru interpretations.

The Hjørdist Gustafism branch focus heavily on Freya, goddess of fertility/life giving and Hel, the goddess of death and ruler of the dead, proclaiming the superiority over deities. The Novi's Sages consists of different sect of stories compared to orthodox sect of Novi's Sages, with a bigger focus women roles in the sages rather than men within the stories. The branch places a heavily empathizes on matriarchal culture and traditions, and believed by the branch to be handed down since the time of the first Queen of Lapérouse. The Hjørdistic Novi's Sages and Traditions are collectively called the "Uvlantor's Deposit." Named after the first dynasty of Lapérouse. Interpretation of the Uvlantor's Deposit is the responsibility of the Arch-Gothir and a advisory board of High-Gothirs.

Divinity of Freya & Hel

The Hjørdistic temple holds the Freya & Hel over the other deities save for Odin. Putting forward the that only the deities of life giving and death should be emphasized in worship, as all is born and all will die. This heavily reflects from sermons, culture and in the architecture. Example being having Garmr sitting on top of the temple rather than Thor's hammer or Odin's spear, Garmr being a important servant of Hel in the form of a dog. Sermons tend to place a heavy focus on the circle of life, both on the beginning and on the end of life equally.

Funerals

Funerals in Hjørdistic branch differents from the Orthodox branch. Funerals still features a burning pyre, however it features war chants and shield bashing for women. Men funerals have soft singing hymns as opposed to war chants, instead of shield bashes they feature soft dances around the burning pyre. Additionally, the outfits for the funerals different with men wearing light black robes and women wearing special chainmail shirts on top of dark blue robes with fur on top of it. Placing heavy focus on treating men with a gentle nature as opposed to the more aggressive and militant nature of women's funerals.

Social and Cultural Issues

Physical Abuse towards Men

Abuse towards men, particularly towards husbands and sons has been historically noted for being common even more so for husbands. Primary abuse is physical in a nature, rather than mental or emotional. As abuse of the mental or emotional is considered to be a sin, as believing men should be respected for their intelligence and at the minimum being listened to. However physical abuse, is less protected until recently in modern times. It should be noted that abuse, comes less in a direct beatings and more in forms of slapping or hitting with a stick directly towards the chest. Previously in history, it was difficult to prevent the more intense beating until in 1790, where Shieldbands acted as a prompt law enforcement officers for abuse towards men. Acting on behalf of Arch-Gothir and with religious authority to punish those who abuse mentally or take the physical abuse too far and abusing children. In the modern day, abuse has been mostly curtailed including slapping and illegal in all Hjørdistic countries.