Panashea 2644 Share Posted August 13, 2021 (edited) The nature of the spirits is a difficult one. Orcish people have struggled to truly capture and explain the will of the spirits and their practices in written or guided form. This is but the beginning of spiritualism. THE SPIRITUAL REALMSTo begin, one must understand the difference between the spirits, and the realms they inhabit. The most prolific, and most important is the Stargush’Stroh,The Ancestral Realm. This is where honorable orcs are taken to rest with Krug, father of all orcs. The other two noteworthy realms are the Immortal and Elemental Realm. These realms are dangerous and volatile places, where the conceptual and physical aspects of the world manifest themselves into spirits; beings not yet deity. Spirits of all kinds (Ancestral, Immortal, Elemental) are divided into Lesser and Greater spirits which helps to contextualize their power. HOW TO WORSHIP SPIRITS By Astrophysical One - WordsWords are a powerful concept, especially to the spiritual realms. To praise a spirit with words is to empower the respective spirit. Even to mention the spirit’s name alone can give power. A single word is especially held in higher regard than the rest, Lup. Lup and its variations are valuable to the spiritual realm for it is a word of both praise and worship. Two - CommunicationHowever, a single praise holds much less value than that of multiple. Following this logic, the communication of a spirit’s will and name to other mortals is far more valuable to a said spirit compared to lone worship. This communication can take many forms, examples being festivals, shrines, and word of mouth. Festivals are an excellent way to generate praise, thus power, to the respective spirit. The construction of shrines also serves as a way to generate praise. Shrines themselves serve as an anchor for the spirit. Praising a spirit at a respective shrine is considered polite and respectful, for a shrine is like a home to the spirit in question. Finally, word of mouth is a way to communicate the spirit’s will to others. This can be teacher to student, friend to friend, even holding a sermon at the square. Three - WillThe will of the spirits is a variable thing, especially to the immortal spirits. For example, Votar, the spirit of the hunt, has a vastly different agenda to Jevex, the spirit of order, hard work, and self-sacrifice. Nevertheless, similar to words, acts within a spirit’s domain gives power to the said spirit. Going on a hunt for a stag will give power to Votar, while upholding the law will grant power to Jevex. So acts can hold as much power as words, working similarly. Action inspires action, you hunt in the name of Votar, others will likely follow. Four - SacrificeOne action that is widely utilized is the act of sacrifice. Sacrifice is a broad concept, but holds the definition of giving up something. This “something” can be of your own or others, physical or metaphysical. Blood and flesh is a common way of sacrifice, either spilling your own blood or blood of other beings. Physical sacrifices can also be objects such as treasures, weapons, or pottery, this varies on the domain of the spirit. However, metaphysical sacrifices are just as applicable. Giving up a name, an action, or a lifestyle are examples of such. THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHAMANISM Shamanism is a wide variety of cultural practices, though most commonly associated with magic subtypes. There is Lutauman,Farseer,Witchdoctor, and Haruspex. The Ilzhonal and Ruka follow spiritual practices, though do so in a cultural fashion. They follow the Ilzpaak, a zodiac in which the constellations and time of day affect the future. A Lutauman is a speaker of the dead; contacting the Ancestral Realm to utilize the powers of Kor, Immortal Spirit of Death. A Farseer is a speaker of both Immortal and Elemental Spirits. They serve as a balancing point between the Mortal and Spiritual Realms, and bestow powerful blessings utilizing the Spirits’ powers. A Witchdoctor is similar to a Farseer, but rather then seeking a balance, many Witch Doctors commit themselves to becoming manipulators of spiritual wrath and ire to evoke curses, hexes, and afflictions. A Haruspex is a war-cleric, doctor, historian, and wise-man. Utilizing the old practices of anthropomancy, sooth-saying and story-telling, they invoke the will of the Ancestors with bone, blood, and viscera. ORCISH BELIEFS For orcs not inducted to any form of Shamanism, the ILZPAAK serves as a zodiac in which orcs learn about their futures, told to them by the Ilzhonal. Within the beauty of the night sky; where the Stargush’Stroh is (supposedly) located exist quintessences of spiritual energy. Stars. Constellations. The spirits make up the various constellations and give way to various seasons and their effects. There are other practices, many forgotten to time, or reserved to the secluded practices of clans and the forlorn. FARSEER WITCHDOCTOR LUTAUMAN HARUSPEX ILZPAAK AND ILZHONAL RUKA ORCISH ATHEISM/XIONISM Edited August 13, 2021 by Panashea 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddOllie123 255 Share Posted August 13, 2021 Round of applause for all the forum posts we've received from Desire(/Dream/Panashea). We're really being spoiled! >:D. This is also really helpful! +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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