Kantar

Kantar is the main religion in the kingdom created mostly by Wandering Raven, though it’s policies on marriage we’re mainly thought of my Multiple Mysteries and its history was made by Wandering, MM, and Dwindle. For now, this page is a loose collection of information, but it will be properly organized at some point in the future.

# Kantar

Kantar is the dominant religion of this kingdom, and most of the kingdoms nearby. They believe in the value of the afterlife, and honor towards one's family. Colors play a big role in dedication to Kantar. Those who follow Kantar are called Kantists, though formally it's "Followers of Kantar". The central religious text if Kantar is called The Velai.

## Color symbolism

The symbol of Kantar is two overlapping squares with a dot in the centre. Kantar symbolism associates the colour red with life, white with death, and black with eternity.

* Green symbolizes love.
* Young people, especially upper class ones, often wear red ribbons or flowers. This is a sign of their openness to romantic relationship and unmarried status.
* Warmer colors and pale purple are usually for those of minor nobility, while royals in power don dark blue.
* Characters are often named after colors
* Red symbolizes blood, which is what pumps in our veins and keeps us alive, therefore meaning life
* White could mean how pale skin gets when someone dies, and also bones, and so it would represent death
* Black to represent eternity because it means the eternal void of space, which it black

## History

It originated in an island nation to the east, Nion.

The Yardleys brought Kantar to this region. They didn't actually conquer all the territory that is in the kingdom today. They were initially from Draseonian coast and were part of the contract, since the religion originated near there and the Yardleys preached it to the Kingdom as they moved. There were several other kingdoms, one of which was almost as powerful as that of House Yardley. They all eventually converted to Kantar as well. As time went on, the Yardley kingdom gradually waned in power, though their cultural influence remained. At the same time, the other kingdom became stronger. The kingdom that was now ruled by -you guessed it- House Ellen. They annexed some of the smaller kingdoms. And at last, in the face of invasion from another kingdom, the Yardleys agreed to join the kingdom of Ellen as well.

Thus was the kingdom of today created.

## Gods

Kantar revolves around a pantheon of eight beings: the four Makers and the four Ascended. The Makers are gods who created the world ruling different forces of the universe, while the Ascended are mortals who were promoted to divine status, watching over to guide mortals. All of these beings are seen as benevolent, though the Makers can act in a vengeful fashion and are more distant from mortal concerns then the Ascended.

Followers of Kantar also believe in three infernal beings called the Deceivers. They try constantly to harm and mislead mortals. Each one of the Ascended has a season which is sacred to them. They watch over those born during that time.

The Makers are commonly thought have the job of choosing what kind of life people are reborn into, though it is believed that a person's patron Ascended will plead in their defense, unless they have committed some truly terrible sin.

## The Terrible Sins of Kantar

Disrespecting the afterlife

Dishonoring one’s family--filial piety is emphasized. It isn't so much dishonor as disrespect, but veering away from the authority's arranged career or marriage path is definitely a form of disrespect--to the royals, of course, marriage equates career, in some ways. Severing or changing an alliance is generally pretty frowned upon, but it depends on the outcome.

Dishonoring the deities

Lessers nobles are allowed to marry lower class citizens, at it is seen as an honorable, respectable act that improves the wellbeing of others

Divorce is permitted if

* a. One spouse cheats
* b. One spouse leaves their family destitute through financial failings and the like
* c. One spouse is just straight up ab\*sive.

You see each other more as friends than romantic partners now? Too bad, no divorce for you, You’re fighting and bickering all the time? Too bad, no divorce for you. You’re marriage is a dead zombie and you’re just going through the motions? Too bad, no divorce for you

Marriage is held in really high regard as it a means to carry on your legacy and prove your worth as a provider. Treating one’s spouse with respect and dignity is also of the utmost importance. Unhappy couples who bicker are judged and expected to sort out their differences, and those who divorce are expected to remarry unless they’re elderly (and if you were the “villain” of the divorce then everyone will f\*\*king hate you and you’ll have to undergo legal processes to prove you are fit to remarry). The person has to perform some ceremonial act of penance as well. If this act is not performed, they will be executed. Widows are also expected to remarry unless divorced, with a one-month period of grieving allowed, and unwed people who are well into their adulthood are ridiculed.

Relationships before marriage are allowed and are seen as a way for people to prepare for when they actually become spouses.

This culture would make a sharp distinction between between young, unmarried love (Red Love), and mature, married love (Green Love). Courtship before marriage could be seen as a way to get the former out of one's system.) This even applies to those in arranged marriages as long the relationship breaks off before the wedding of one or both partners. If an unmarried couple were to conceive out of wedlock they’d be rushed to get married. If this were to happen in a situation where at least one of the partners was in an arranged marriage, a couple different things can happen: if only one of the partners arranged to be married, then the person who isn’t is now legally obligated to raise the child without the assistance of the other parent and the other person still has to get married to who they’re arranged to; if both partners are previously engaged, they’re forced to give up their child and go off to marry who they’re supposed to. If people who have previous obligations to marry other people decide to elope with someone else then they better start running, because the law will be after them to try and forcibly separate them. Being faithful to one's partner is crucial and adultery is punished by law. No one cares how you got married, if you agree to it, you're bound to it.

## Tradition

* Babies often get named from ancestors, due to a belief in passing down wealth and power.
* They believe in reincarnation, and part of why they name children after their ancestors is due to that belief.

### Holidays

The Ascended are:
Costur (Winter)
Hynitra (Spring)
Jisian (Summer)
Vizek (Fall)

(The names are so unlike the usual Ilosian because they obviously originated elsewhere.)

Actually, that is a good point. I'll say they did ascend together at the end of their final incarnations, but they have prior incarnations which are celebrated on different days.

## Loose ideas yet to be organized

**The Deceivers**
The big villains of Kantar scripture. It is said that worshipping, following, trusting, supporting, or knowingly consorting with them is a sin so great that a thousand lifetimes of misery would not redeem it. Instead, the person's soul is simply cast into the lake of molten bronze that is a prominent feature of the Deceiver's underground realm. There, it burns for all time.

They are:

1. Emot The Shadow
2. Vessor The Flame
3. Renya The Rot

They opposed the Makers at the dawn of the universe. They spawned beasts of cruelty and hatred upon the earth. They sought to rule over the world and make it a living nightmare.

**They Were Cast Down.**

**Their Servants Were Cleansed From The Earth.**

**Praise The Makers.**

“Praise The Makers” is something a sleep paralysis demon would whisper in your ear and then like- st\*b you.

Wow yes that's a very vivid image that will show up in my nightmares

I was thinking 18 marriage and 16 for Red relationships (in reference to when those things happen)