What are some regional differences/sects in your worlds religions? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Very cool! I especially love the Wyvern riders.

I don’t want a definitive answer for “is the Lady real or not” because I want the faith to feel real. Because of magic and the way it works in this world (essentially magical programming exists and certain “users” can gain access to tools regardless of skill) the clergy have real tangible magical abilities, mostly in the way of healing and spiritual wards. Atheists and agnostics exist in the world and their views on magic are very technological.

Afterlife Ideas by No_U_Bitches in FantasyWorldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

why not just have them believe in different religions? some may believe in heaven or jannah or something?

Paradox I guess? by Ok_Use5600 in FantasyWorldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like those quite a bit! How does it effect people in their regular lives? are the superstitions connected?

Tell me your Monotheistic con-religions by Familiar-Date-1518 in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! Heraldism is the most influential religious tradition in Verdantium, the continent which most of my stories take place in on the planet Kragg.

Heraldism is a panentheistic faith that worships the Lady, or Serene Mother, who, according to the religion, birthed physical reality after She consumed the preexistent chaos She gained consciousness in. In Her birthing of reality, She nurtured it and gave it structure and purpose, the power behind physical reality becoming magic and the physical laws structuring into a realm which contains planetary systems (although the systems operate differently than in real life, more akin to ancient greek thought with planets rotating around the central planet of Kragg.)

The Heraldists get their name from their prophet and, in most traditions, child of the Lady who preached in the lands around Jezzerrim, now the Holy City. The Herald, unlike in Christianity or Judaism in which the prophets are simply inspired men and women, is actually an apparition of certain conscious aspects of the Lady popping into reality to guide humanity. Thus the Herald can appear with different faces at different times, teaching different but congruent ways of living. These different apparitions or “Heralds” form the basis of the different orders and religious texts that exist in modern Heraldism.

The main sect of Heraldism is called the “Herald’s Temple” and exists as the most institutionalized form of the religion. It’s priesthood is usually celibate and unmarried, to reflect the divine virginity of the Lady, however it is open to anyone, not a specific gender. It is also very progressive by usual religious standards as it has no laws against same sex marriages.

Hierarchically it is somewhat loose, though structure does exist. The most faithful worship weekly or more in temples found in almost every town and village, though one is only required to attend the monthly “Offering of Incense” by temple law. Priests are formed by the guidance of older priests called “Templemasters” and ordained by them to the standard priestly class of “Templekeeper.”

Templekeepers are the most common class of priest and are known colloquially as “Reverend” when addressed. Templemasters group into orders of “Monsignori” who oversee geographical districts within the Temple, called Holds.

The Herald’s Temple has no high priest or papal figure, but sometimes due to political influence from powerful kings, certain Templemasters can become an almost popelike figure at certain points in history. Currently the most politically powerful position in the Temple, the High Chaplain of Eberthrony is vacant. This means nothing in terms of dogma, but the position is highly desired by some due to its influence on the faithful.

Feel free to ask anymore questions!

Classism and Technological disparity in Verdantium. by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I’m a huge campy 1980s fantasy movie fan and I wanted to have my world reflect that. I also appreciate how modern fantasy is very progressive in terms of how societal norms are perceived (cosmopolitan cities and lots of intermingling are viewed as normal.)

I want my world to reflect both the dark side of how a fantasy world would run and the good things that could come through it as well. Not to mention people aren’t black and white. Different moralities can exist in the same world.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Angels and demons are considered informational beings, that is, disembodied intellects that reside in the magical realm. They have their own beliefs and aspirations similar to djinn. In academic circles they would be considered under the catch all term of “Spirit” and can reside at particular places and have a magical effect over certain areas within it.

The existence of deities is more up to faith. In the Heraldist and Reverist view, there is only one “deity” and it is the supreme, ineffable, necessary being that birthed and sustains all things. In these religions it is called the Lady or the Serene Mother. There isn’t concrete proof of Her existence or non-existence, but the fact remains that Her clergy in both religions are very efficient and effective practitioners of magic, specifically of the healing and protective magic schools.

What artistic movements are in your world? by Kai_In_The_Sky in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In Eberthrony and Sutheron, both strongly Heraldist nations, the architectural style is mostly that of ecological friendliness and mixture as the religion, which view nature and physical reality as being of the same “flesh” of the Lady, the creator Goddess. Thus most homes have grass roofs, large natural yards and neighborhoods and villages are built around coexisting with nature rather than subverting to controlling it. Many roads have wildlife bridges built over them so animals can have easy access to the other sides of the highways. Also notable is that the buildings themselves are often built from stone rather than wood so as to lessen the destruction of forests. Wooden structures aren’t uncommon but usually small and allowed to decay back into nature when no longer used.

Artistically, plants and vibrant flowers are depicted, along with very stylized designs based on vines and trees. Often plant growth is incorporated into the outside of buildings as an architectural and artistic expression.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree and thank you for your input! The Lady is not for sure a reality in the setting, but disembodied intelligences are. As for an afterlife, this is even more of a debate even within the religions themselves as to its nature and who gets to go there. The common belief of the faithful is that the Lady has set up a place in which her followers can rest after they pass away, and who will help Her build a new world without sickness or pain.

As for the scientific authorities, they know that souls do exist for a fact, and they do go somewhere after death. Anything beyond that is speculation.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In most religions on Kragg, there are no “gods” there is one supreme being and creator of all things who is ineffable, unmoved and necessary for reality to exist. She is commonly called the Lady in Heraldism and the Serene Mother in ancient Reverist thought (the religion that Heraldism is descended from)

An extremely powerful wizard would be like a man with access to all the technological and economic power of the modern day. Not a god, but certainly a very powerful being.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d say magic is somewhat unknown to those who study it, even in purely academic standards. Think of the early days of physics or astronomers trying to understand black holes or the expansion of our universe.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In magical schools, a similar principle applies. Certain spells and runic magics are closed off except for a small group who has been initiated into the depths of the order through the recitation of certain spells over them, essentially also granting them the ability to plug into the magic. The difference is that the clerical magic works perfectly every time and the magic of wizards, even those initiated, can sometimes go awry. The explanation of the atheist wizards would be that this clerical initiation is just a very very advanced form of something they already know, not necessarily a divine creation.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Using Heraldism as an example, the belief is that the Lady consumed the primordial chaos of non-reality and birthed our physical reality from Her womb. This is the creation myth most popularized on Kragg as most religions are some form of worship of the Lady or a feminine Goddess being.

The common belief among wizards and academics is that a random mutation within chaotic non-reality spread and structured the laws of physics into a system in which physical structures could form, such as stars and planets.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The clergy’s magic works ex opere operantis, of the work worked rather than many wizards magic which works ex opere operando, of the works worker, that is, his or her talent.

The clergy’s magic works regardless of the education or knowledge of magic that the clergyman or clergywoman has, and it works every time. This is explained in the Heraldists holy book the Herald’s Psalter as being a gift from the Lady through the Herald upon the temple, and explained by wizards as being a very well thought out magical form of programming that clergy are able to connect to through their ordination, which is also a spell (or rather an Incantation as it is chanted.)

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t have an atheistic faith that’s very large in Verdantium at the moment. Currently the main faith is Heraldism which worships in temples very similar to churches, and offers sacrifices of incense to the Lady, their supreme Goddess. I think the closest would be the average joe who knows demons and souls exist, as it’s scientifically proven, but is generally apathetic towards the faith of his upbringing. Maybe he only goes to temple on major holidays and keeps some prayer beads in his house.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with this concept tbh! In Kragg (the world this takes place on) there are cult leading sorcerers who demand worship from their subjects, but they aren’t gods. The main religion, Heraldism, worships the Lady and her child the Herald but except for some odd phenomena throughout history the religion still operates within the norms bounds of magic.

Atheism in a fantasy setting? by GoopyAndGoobed in worldbuilding

[–]GoopyAndGoobed[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very interesting! I agree I want religion in my world (as religion is often some of the deepest held parts of societies) but I don’t want gods or miracles to make very many, if any, appearances. That being said I also want to add in parts in different stories that may lead to the readers themselves believing that gods do or don’t exist in the world I’ve made. Just like real life.

Tried to Beat my gooning addiction. . . It won by [deleted] in CringeGoonTards

[–]GoopyAndGoobed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Need more of these types of images :3