The Tsumi's current religion, which is enforced and regulated strongly to have no dissidents or heretics, is the Saweyan Pantheon. A polytheistic belief that mostly reveres the goddess of all, Saweya, Mistress of all above and below.
The common belief tells the tale of Saweya, who was always ever-present. Early on, she was the goddess of the twin suns, though she grew as far more people believed her influence to be in everything. A dogma was written, an early draft some of the more fanatical elements of the pantheon followed, namely, Saweyan was the only goddess, that had given life to all and now watched it ensue, both in luck and pain, although this draft was eventually scrapped. A majority of their followers refused to believe that Saweya also was responsible for illness, bad fortune, death and any of the negative connotations. It conflicted heavily with the idea of Saweya granting unconditional love and life.
This was how the polytheistic nature formed. Several of the believers have gathered and claim they have heard Saweya's voice, stating that she was not the only one. Other gods were present, but she was their ruler as well. And so, these priests began creating their religion.
In the beginning, there was Saweya. She granted life to all and watched over the planet. Aiding with the farm harvest, being at the side of those ill and dying, embracing all in her light. Rich or poor, grey or red, male or female, straight, gay, or bisexual. However, misfortune struck as it always does, bad harvests still occurred, and wars regularly broke out. And with this, the priests as mentioned earlier began writing her dogma, focused on the voices they heard locked in a massive temple dedicated to the god-queen herself.
The story starts traditionally, with Saweya being the benevolent but naive goddess meeting another Tsumi, Ywach, the god of war, who promises her help with ruling the kingdom she brought to life. Admitting to how much strain it is to order her land from the heavens, she agrees with the Tsumi. He promises Saweya that suffering is natural and that her kingdom would only grow more powerful due to it. She agreed to his offer and watched how the first wars began to tear the Tsumi apart. While she hated to see their pain, she couldn't deny how much the progressed. Working closely together with Saweya, Ywach decided to attempt for her hand. Ywach succeeded, becoming known as the god-king of the pantheon.
The two of them ruled their kingdom from the heavens together, though as the Tsumi population grew, the wars intensified. And soon, Ywach decided there was an overpopulation. War would solve it, but wouldn't wouldn't keep it regulated. This is how the minor gods came into play. Both children from Ywach and Saweya, as well as deities that originated much like Ywach, used the god-queen's naivete to their advantage.
It is now believed that the gods are incredibly advanced beings that live at the very center of the galaxy. That watch all and exert their influence from beyond. Though the dogma has iterated that Saweya was on Teryan, the Tsumi home planet, at the very beginning. And several stories have convinced believers that the gods sometimes walk amongst them, every Tsumi is born and indoctrinated into this religion.
With the extinction event that drove the remaining Tsumi from Teryan, some more radical elements have begun preaching self-chastising. That the Strain was a punishment from Saweya herself. Deterring the Tsumi from playing gods themselves. Some have seen it as a righteous punishment, even amongst the survivors, there are those that indulge in self-flagellation, ritualistic scarring. And the less savoury desire to make others atone for this sin. While most Tsumi don't agree to this radicalization, self mutilation always had a place in the Saweyan church. Even though little put it into actual practice.
What a Tsumi understands under sin, a major crime against not only their fellow believes, but against their very belief. The only word in Tsumi language that is used to reference to these crimes also directly translates to 'shame'. These sins come in a variety, the most capital one being weakness. Others, sinning directly against Saweya or Ywhach, consist of dishonour in combat, raising your hand against anyone unprovoked, backstabbing, treason, murder without a proper duel, etc. It leaves little to the imagination what a Tsumi hates and what is shameful in their society.
The Sin-burdened are most comparable to angels. The Saweyan church explains these so called 'Sin-burdened' as fallen warriors and sacrifices. Martyrs that shouldered the crimes and burdens of their peers. Before treading into Stetark's fire. Their body falling apart. Yet their spirit remained. These spirits remained in Stetark's fire, because they were stained with a sin of another, not their own. And thus, he nor Danmadan could influence them. After a large conglomeration of these souls were trapped in Stetark's inferno, Ywach decided to free them. Creating the Sin-burdened.
These take the form of Tsumi with large, fiery and skeletal wings, able to bellow fire, bleeding liquid magma. A passage in their dogma describes them as following; “Large, blazing lights in the sky. Those that absolved us of our sin and dishonour came from the skies. Their wings, burning brilliant as Saweya's light. Their eyes, bright as the morning sun after a night of grievous battle. Their skin, black upon black, cracked shells with Stetark's inferno reflected in those cracks. With each breath, was a gust of flame. One panicked, one struck, but they were not harmed by the mere mortal's blow. Liquid fire poured from their veins as they forgave their assailaint. They only told us they came to collect our dead and guide them to Ywach for judgement.”
IQ created this article on 2018/08/21 15:31.
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