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loominggaia · 3 months ago

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SERPENTISM, FAITH IN DRAGONS

HISTORY

Serpentism is a religion that was founded by a tribe of gorgons. It originated from the continent of Wokina, more specifically from the Jungle of Scales. This jungle is notoriously infested by dragons, most of which are carnivorous and hostile towards peoples. The native gorgons of this region struggled to adapt to this environment, and at one point were nearly driven to extinction due to the constant dragon attacks. It seemed there was nowhere to run or hide, no way to defend themselves from these vicious beasts.

Finally, these gorgons became desperate enough to hide underground. They built civilizations below the surface, and their cold-blooded species adapted well to this dark, damp new environment. Without the threat of dragons, these gorgon societies were able to thrive. Their populations grew, and so too did the size of their underground labyrinths.

Over time, foreign powers visited the Jungle of Scales and tried to reap its rich bounty of resources. None succeeded, however, as their camps were quickly decimated by the dragons. Trying to colonize this land from the outside proved to be more trouble than it was worth, as swarms of bloodthirsty dragons descended on every person who stepped off a foreign ship.

The native gorgons took notice of this and began to view these dragons not as their enemies, but as their protectors. These beasts kept colonizers away and allowed the gorgons to thrive unchallenged, until their civilizations eventually became a Great Kingdom called Lamai Nation.

By this time, the gorgons’ reverence of the dragons had spawned a whole religion. They worshiped the dragons as guardian deities and shaped their whole way of life around serving them. This religion is known as Serpentism, and its followers are called Serpentists.

The Serpentist holy symbol resembles a snake, the most common “dragon” in Lamai Nation. The vast majority of Serpentists are gorgons, and it is rare for other species to follow this religion. It is most popular in Lamai Nation, but Serpentist temples exist in some foreign regions as well, particularly in Matuzu Kingdom.

SERPENTIST BELIEFS

-Mother Gaia is the creator of all things. She takes the form of a great cosmic dragon called Maa Drakatowa.

-Maa Drakatowa created dragons specifically to protect Her chosen people, the Serpentists, from heretics (non-believers).

-All reptiles are considered dragons and are equally sacred, from small snakes to massive shield dragons.

-Gorgons have dragon blood within them, and so they are closest to Maa Drakatowa. Their dragon blood makes them inherently holier than lesser peoples, which gives them a responsibility to lead these peoples. Medusas are the holiest people of all, and their holiness is evident by the “dragons” sprouting from their heads.

-Anyone may follow Serpentist doctrine, but only gorgons can ascend to priesthood.

-Nymphs are benevolent spirits and should be respected.

-All dragons are sacred and must be respected. To intentionally harm a dragon is a great sin punishable by ritual sacrifice.

-If a dead dragon is found, it must be given a proper funeral at a temple and then it may be consumed. No part may go to waste. If an injured dragon is found, it must be rehabilitated and released if possible. If release is not possible, the dragon should become a ward of a temple.

-Sacrifices should be made regularly to local dragons in the form of live meat.

-Gorgons must only marry within their species. Females are permitted two husbands, but males are permitted just one wife.

-A gorgon’s highest purpose is to multiply themselves. A successful society should be shaped by females, who hold the most reproductive power.

-Pinback poison (a psychoactive drug) is a sacred substance that should be used for religious purposes only, and must not be abused for recreation or other means.

STRUCTURE

Serpentist houses of worship are called Dragon Temples. These temples are managed by several ranks of holy authorities. Some of these roles are sex-specific, but all of them may only be filled by gorgons, because doctrine states that non-gorgons may not hold power in holy rituals.

At the head of this religion is a leader called a Drakka. Traditionally, the Drakka is always a medusa. Serpentists believe that Maa Drakatowa’s power is so great that Her voice would kill a person just by speaking to them directly. The Drakka is blessed so that they can survive her mighty voice, and She uses them as a vessel to deliver messages to all Serpentists. The Drakka’s responsibility is to direct Serpentist doctrine in the direction they see fit. Drakka must remain celibate, meaning it is forbidden for them to bear offspring.

The Drakka is chosen by a council of priests called the Serprima. This is a female-only role. They choose the parents who will birth the next Drakka and then raise this child in a special temple. It’s their responsibility to mold this child into their new spiritual leader. The Serprima are always raising several potential Drakka at a time, and those who are not chosen as the leader usually become Serprima. Like the Drakka, they must take a vow of celibacy, which ensures that they can not choose their own children for the role.

Beneath the Serprima are the Sermenor. Each temple is managed by at least one Sermenor, though large temples may have multiple. They have expert knowledge of all reptilian creatures, so they are responsible for handling dead or injured dragons. This role tends to be female-dominated, but males can be Sermenor as well.

The Sermenor manage the Serhumil, the lowest class of Serpentist priests. Each temple is staffed by many Serhumil, who live and work there. The Serhumil spend their days maintaining temples, studying their religion, and preaching to the community. This rank is split fairly evenly between the sexes.

Each temple contains at least one Drogazama, a spiritual healer who specializes in the use of psychoactive drugs. The Drogazama prepares all drugs that will be used during ceremonies and oversees their use, ensuring that they are consumed safely. This role may be filled by males or females.

Each temple also contains several Iwakuwak, flashy performers who are trained to dance in a specific way. These dances are used for many purposes, including entertainment, casting spells, communicating with spirits, and drumming up energy for ceremonies. Small temples may only have two or three Iwakuwak, but the largest can employ several hundred. This role may be filled by males or females. It is considered a glamorous position in Lamaish culture, but it takes years of intense training to achieve.

DRAGON TEMPLES

Serpentist worship and attend ceremonies at Dragon Temples. It’s not uncommon for random Serpentists in the community to volunteer at their local temples, making repairs, cleaning, or doing other chores in return for spiritual favor. Some Dragon Temples are so large and elaborate that they are nearly towns in themselves, so they require a lot of hands to maintain them.

Serpentist doctrine forbids the capture and domestication of dragons, unless a dragon is injured and cannot be released. Doctrine also claims that any wild reptile that wanders into a Dragon Temple may not be removed, as it is a blessing from Maa Drakatowa, and to reject it is to reject Her gift.

For this reason, many Dragon Temples contain domesticated reptiles which are cared for by the priest classes. Temples even have dedicated ��Reptoriums”-- special rooms where dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of snakes dwell, as snakes are a common pest in the Lamaish Labyrinths. By having a dedicated room for them, priests can remove intrusive snakes from undesirable areas while still technically keeping them within the temple and obeying their doctrine. Followers can pay tribute to Maa Drakatowa by feeding them, which incentivizes the snakes to stay.

The Reptorium may be populated by different species of snakes, some harmless and others potentially harmful, but all quickly become accustomed to interacting with peoples. Attacks are rare.

Serpentist doctrine forbids the killing of reptiles, but permits followers to consume those which die of natural causes. These Reptoriums act as free-range farms where snakes die of old age and are then harvested. They are used for many purposes, including food to sustain the priests.

SERPENTIST RITUALS AND HOLIDAYS

There are no dedicated holidays in the Serpentist religion. Rather, followers visit Dragon Temples to celebrate dynamic events in their communities, such as weddings, funerals, and more. Because of this, Dragon Temples are active all day, every day, and are considered crucial pillars of Serpentist communities.

WEDDING: Serpentist weddings are only valid if they are performed at a Dragon Temple and officiated by a Sermenor. During a traditional Serpentist wedding, a bride marries two grooms. One husband, called the “tatalo”, is responsible for impregnating her and providing for the family. The other husband, called the “ziqit”, is responsible for raising her children and handling domestic chores.

All three parties invite their friends and family to this special occasion, but attention is very much focused on the bride. She wears an elaborate dragon feather headdress, usually passed down from her ancestors, while the grooms dress in more plain attire. The temple’s Drogazama prepares a mixture containing psychoactive pinback poison and the venom of both husbands, which the bride must drink while her female relatives dance and chant around her.

The rest of the ceremony consists of dancing, feasting, and watching the bride interact with spirits under the influence of drugs. The grooms accept gifts from their families, and a Sermenor performs a blessing of fertility upon the tatalo, ensuring that he gives his wife many children. This is done by stripping him naked or near-naked and painting his body with a colorful herbal paste. He then performs a ritual dance for his wife and ziqit.

FUNERAL: There are two types of Serpentist funerals: sacrificial and cannibalistic. Which one takes place is decided in the dead’s will, but in some cases it’s decided by their closest female relative. In the absence of these things, the temple’s Sermenors will decide, and they typically default to sacrificial funerals.

In a sacrificial funeral, the dead’s body is fed to dragons. These dragons may dwell within the temple, or the body may be transported into the wilderness and placed upon a sacrificial platform, where wild dragons have come to expect food.

Cannibalistic funerals are less common and highly taboo outside Lamai Nation, but some Lamaish people still prefer them. During this ceremony, the dead’s body is cooked and consumed by their relatives. The inedible portions, such as the skin and bones, are given to a craftsman to be turned into goods. Sometimes this craftsman is a member of the family, or a professional may be hired. Either way, the finished goods are later returned to the family as mementos of their loved one.

BIRTH CEREMONY: Serpentists rarely give birth at home or in a hospital. Rather, they prefer to do so at their local Dragon Temple, where they are tended by the Sermenor and Serhumil. It is customary for friends, family, and community to attend as well.

The temple’s Drogazama administers drugs to ease the mother’s pain during the birthing process, while the Iwakuwak perform dances of encouragement and healing. The Sermenor blesses the mother and children, and administers medical attention if necessary.

RITUAL SACRIFICE: Doctrine requires every Dragon Temple to offer living sacrifices to dragons on a regular basis. When and where these sacrifices occur is up to the temple’s head Sermenor, but they are usually announced well ahead of time so that followers can plan to attend.

Sermenors must choose who or what to sacrifice, and while this is usually an animal, it may also be a person or multiple people at once. Lamai Nation is a Serpentist theocracy, meaning this religion controls its government. It is legal and not uncommon for Sermenors to take inmates out of local prisons and use them as sacrifices in these rituals.

In some cases the sacrifice is fed to the Dragon Temple’s own Reptorium beasts, but more commonly they are taken to platforms outside, where wild dragons have come to expect food. The sacrifice’s limbs are bound together and they are covered with holy Serpentist symbols, painted in blood. A special chant is performed to summon dragons, and then the attendees take shelter in a caged area while wild dragons feast upon the sacrifice.

FETE OF COURAGE: This ritual is specific to the Lamaish people. The Lamaish spend most of their time underground, as the jungle above them is extremely dangerous. Only their bravest citizens dare to venture topside to gather resources, and they only do so in coordinated groups. These adventurers are known as the Kurajak, and their outings are planned ahead of time at the local Dragon Temple. Most Kurajak are male, and all are adults.

When the day of the outing comes, the Kurajak’s family gathers at the local Dragon Temple to perform a Fete of Courage for them. This celebration involves much feasting, dancing, and singing to honor the Kurajak’s bravery. Their families smear them with herbal pastes for good luck before saying goodbye. These pastes not only camouflage them against the jungle foliage, but also mask their scent, making it harder for predators to track them.

Their families wait for them at the temple. If they don’t return by sunset, they are assumed dead and a funeral is held. If they do return, a celebration happens instead. It’s not unusual for both a funeral and celebration to occur, as some of the Kurajak survive the trip and others do not.

The Kurajak show off the spoils they gathered from the jungle, and are required to donate some of it to the temple. Then the temple’s Drogazama gives them sedative drugs and performs a scarification ritual, marking the left side of their chest with an arrow-shaped symbol. They gain a new mark with each topside venture they survive. Experienced Kurajak can earn hundreds of scars throughout their lifetime. They are considered marks of honor in Lamaish culture.

CULTURE

Serpentism is the most popular religion in Lamai Nation, and in fact Lamai Nation’s politics are completely intertwined with its doctrine. Many aspects of this doctrine are criticized by non-believers, citing its gorgon-supremacist scriptures in particular.

This religion was founded by gorgons, for gorgons, and unapologetically so. Its current Drakka, Chua Lamai, is not only a religious leader but the Great Ruler of Lamai Nation as well.

There are three major religions operating in Lamai Nation: Serpentism, Vermism, and Middayism, but Serpentism is the biggest and most influential of them.

Serpentists are stereotyped for being bigoted against non-gorgons, intolerant of other faiths, misandristic, abusing psychoactive drugs, and being cannibalistic. More positively, they are also stereotyped for being highly resourceful, hard-working, community-oriented, and respectful of nature.

As with any religion, some Serpentists are more devout than others. Many practice their faith more casually and only attend the occasional ceremony, while others attend their local Dragon Temple almost every day.

Either way, Dragon Temples are so integral to this religion that Serpentists cannot really practice their faith without them. Because of this, followers tend to be generous with their donations and volunteer hours to their temple. The average Serpentist is highly dedicated to their community and eager to lend a helping hand where they’re needed.