Factions In Adel IV: Cults of Adel

Cult is not a dirty word within the Adelian thought. Cult worship by itself is merely the focused veneration of certain powers or principles, which deviates from the polytheism practiced by most Adelians. While most Adelians would worship many spirits that have some influence over their lives, those following a cult would focus on specific spirits, or specific philosophical codes, which would be their source of divine inspiration and guidance. The cults offer examples of a more focused religious experience, and often tend to incorporate or pay respects to the standard polytheism as well.

The Church of Arclinne: One of the more popular, almost common, forms of cult worship are the churches. Every “church” or “temple” is already a cult, as most Adelians worship alone or in small groups at open shrines. During the Aptoan period, the Empire built larger and more ornate shrine structures to showcase their power and wealth. These were often constructions that needed people to look after and maintain them, lest they quickly fall to the elements – nature does not inherently respect art. The communities of people that grew around these structures effectively became the first churches, establishing the water and food supply, housing and other amenities needed to gather around these shrines and protect them. They would shepherd visitors and teach them about the shrines and the spirits to which they were dedicated, and they would look after and train new generations of shrine caretakers, establishing hierarchy. The church structures grew from this.

Out of all the possible cults that arose from this, the Church of Arclinne is the most relatively common and popular. Arclinne is the Iomadi matron spirit of love and community. It is said that from her teachings the social politics of the villages were established, along with the strong sense of collective ownership and neighborly duty that Adelian villagers and townsfolk grow up on. If one sees a traveling oblate, he or she is likely to be part of the cult of Arclinne. Her cult is known for helping solve disputes, endorsing peace and love of all peoples within the community, legitimizing oaths of marriage, and helping the sick. They are also known for having romantic ideas about free love, and very rarely, polyamory (not polygamy).

As with most churches, her cult wears special robes, dark with a colored trim, and a broad neck opening and an ornate sash. This unique garb allows anyone to tell an Oblate apart. Advanced oblates are also told apart by their clothing – after earning a unique gold-collared shirt, the collar of which peeks out from the neck opening, the oblate has advanced to clerical status. Those wearing a cassock instead are the Archclerics, tasked with passing wisdom to the next generation.

The Church of Arclinne is only one example. In Sargasso for example, which sees much more rain than the rest of the continental Adel and has many rivers, the Church of Rashine is somewhat more prevalent. Meanwhile the worship of Inunkuru is often more common among wealthy elitists, who fantasize about the heroic quality of their status.

The Droemedae Cult: Unlike most Adelians, the Droemedae did not take up the worship of Spirits until some five hundred years ago or so, when they came into contact with Adelian civilization. And even when they did, they only incorporated it into their actual religion. Droemedae are the only Adelians who practice a different sort of religion from everyone else, which is known as the Hive Cult. The Droemedae worship what they consider the power of Life, which they believe to be intrinsically tied to female biology. This is part of the reason that even Droemedae males usually dress and style themselves in ways that an outside observer might characterize as female – it is part of their worship. For the Droemedae, whose Hives are ruled by biologically-selected Queens, the feminine is sacred, the origin of logic, community, peace, and of life.

Sacred feminine is not the only part of Droemedae worship, only the root. It could be said that in general Droemedae worship biology. Their veneration is to live, their rituals are to cleanse themselves, to take care of their bodies, to expel pollutants. Droemedae become very distraught and miserable when sick or grievously hurt – their body, their temple to the power of life and biology, has been ruined. However, puzzlingly, a Droemedae that loses an arm or leg doesn’t feel it is the end of the world, as long as the cuts are sewn shut, and once the infections are staved off. Health is what matters.

Droemedae are sometimes wrongly characterized as “worshiping themselves,” perhaps because the nuance of how they live is a little puzzling to Adelians. Droemedae knew little about Spirits until the Adelians introduced them to the concept, and now they adhere to spirit worship as well. But they believe the very fact of their existence is a subject that requires contemplation and thanks. What is more grand a subject to worship, than the very power of life itself?

The Dragon Cult: Practiced mostly in the Dragon Kingdom of Oerst, but sometimes seen around continental Adel as well, Dragons are worshiped as though they were Spirits – which they aren’t. Dragons are seen as beings of incredible power, alongside which Adelians can form more just and safe societies. Dragons in Oerst often adopt an (often grandiose) humanoid form for most of their lives, only preferring their dragon forms to defend themselves or travel overland, as a sign of their compact with the people of Oerst. Oerst is ruled by bonded pairs of Dragon and Adelian rulers – the King and Queen are a Dragon and an Adelian with equal status, and all aristocrats must make a bonded pair with a dragon to be legitimate, chosen at adolescence (but often coming into contact prior to that, in order to grow more fond of each other’s presence).

This treatment is quite different from that practiced by most of Adel, who see Dragons as magical animals or sometimes as monsters of legend, characterized as greedy and eccentric (this is not too far from the mark, albeit Oersian Dragons tend to be nicer about it), and tread carefully around them. The duality of Dragons as mortal equals but also as divine individuals is poorly understood by most Adelians, but to the Oersians it need not even be thought about. They just respect and live with dragons, and allow them a great say in government, while praying for a more prosperous union.