Luxanism

# The Church of Lux

## A Theory of Gods

Before the dawn of humans, there was only Lux. She guided the early Luxii people, watching from the sun. Lux sent the Phoenix to burn those who had harmed the then scattered Luxii tribes. She sent omens with wolves and altered chance in favor of those who followed her. Then came the gods, who in their time alive began to be able to alter chance in their specialties. When they ascended, they gained greater control over chance in only their specialties. They also gained divine powers, like the ability to send omens and predict the future. No god could be as powerful as Lux, so they only had control over their specialties. A god could give unfavorable chances to those who wronged them, or perhaps favorable chances to a person who had sacrificed a pig to them. The point of most sacrifices and rituals is to gain favor of a god, and have them grant you rewards.

Some Examples:

You are a Farmer and it is harvest season. You decide to take a trip to the Temple of Zydona in the local forest and make an offering of pig fat. In return, you receive a better harvest.

You are a soldier and are going off to campaign. You journey to the Temple of Agressus and make an incense of cherry wood and sacrifice a lamb. In return, you do not die on campaign and are promoted to Legate.

## Culta

With such long reaching gods and goddesses, no religion can stay the same. Cultae were officialized nearing the end of the gods’ time. A culta could be anything ranging from a devoted group of followers dedicated to a singular god, to an entire sect. To formalize a Culta, an elaborate sacrifice must be performed in the temple of lux in caprae. As long as the Culta includes the “core 3” gods it is considered a Luxanist Culta. The Theory of Gods must also stand for it to be a Luxanist Culta.  These Core 3 are Lux, Velinex, and Agressus. Some exceptions have been made in which only Lux appears, but these are rare. They may have different names, as long as their identities and domains are preserved.

### List of Cultae

*This list is incomplete, you can help by expanding it.*

## Religious Offices

### Rex and Regina Sacrorum

The Regina Sacrorum is the wife of the Rex Sacrorum, and the main job of the couple is to keep the gods happy, whether it be through rituals or animal sacrifices. Not involved in politics, only religion. Permanent priests.

### Collegium Pontificum

The college of pontiffs serves to aid the pontifex maximus and work as high priests.

#### Pontifex Maximus

Once the Pontifex Maximus is elected, they serve for life. They can issue fines when a religious rule is broken, or a taboo is broken. The Pontifex Maximus can go before the Senate and speak on legislation. The Pontifex Maximus can immediately enact legislation relating to Religious Life or Public Morality. The Pontifex Maximus cannot see a table without food on it.

#### Pontifex

There are 5 pontifices, all of which are elected or appointed by the Pontifex Maximus. They aid the Pontifex Maximus on decisions and serve as the second highest elected priests. They may serve as a judge in a religious court case and may be from other Cultae of Luxanism.

#### Flamen

Flamen are appointed by the Pontifex Maximus, and are set to a specific god, and are to lead the religious cult around them. The Flamen’s duties are to keep their god happy, preach their word, and read omens related to their god. They serve for life and also may be from other Cultae of Luxanism.

## Deities

Lux: Goddess of Gods, Goddess of Wolves, Goddess of Lightning, and Goddess of the Sun

Agressus: God of War and Strategy

Loros: God of Commerce and Wealth

Druantia: Goddess of the Wild

Xiphus: God of Magic, Knowledge, and Fire

Shemos: God of Justice

Aldis: Goddess of The Forge, Craftsmanship, and Industry

Tiatus: God of Storms and Oceans

Zydona: Goddess of Harvest, Hearth, and Fertility

Velinex: Goddess of Night and the Dead

### Saints

Saint Patsiegh: The Saint of Sailors, and Brotherly Love

Saint Aoife: The Saint of Architecture, Holiness, and Sisterly Love

Saint Nayiah: Saint of Love, and Marriage

### Minor Gods and Mythological Figures

Soclesios: Guardian Wolf of the Aether

Somnus: Goddess of Sleep

Asius: God of Work

Quirinus: Goddess of Ports and Cities

Pomona: God of Orchards and Vineyards

Khatia: God of Deserts, Droughts, and Flooding

Eithlos: Goddess of Rivers

## Dimensions

### The Aether

The highest Dimension, It is where all the Gods reside. Said to have been constructed by all the gods as an attempt to communicate with Lux. If you keep the gods happy and do good in your life you are said to arrive in the Aether after death.

### The End

The second highest Dimension, It is where the Enderfiend's reside with their vile dragon, it is the space that separates the Wilds from the Aether. If you are not a Luxanist or do not keep the gods happy, you become an enderfiend in the eternal abyss of the end.

### - Insert tba Cinder name -(The Wilds)

The middle and main dimension, it is the plane that Lux so graciously guided the Pontifex Maximus to and created for the Capraens and all who would follow her word to escape supression.

### Vetus Orbis

The “ Old World '' in Canetluci. It is where the Capraens and their sister cultures were oppressed, and from which Lux freed them. Capraen culture is said to originate from a proto-greek/proto-italic culture named the Luxii. This culture is theorized to be the root for Levinites and Kormidians, and possibly even Hefflians. The Luxii were the first people to worship Lux and also the culture from which the gods are from.

## Practices

### OMINA

All deviations from the normal can be considered an omen, an ox breaking free from its cage, a river diverting it's course, ect. If it is not found in the Observari Omina Deorum you must approach the appropriate authority. If you believe it to be related to a specific god or goddess, approach the appropriate Flamen. If you are not sure or the omen is ambiguous, approach a Pontiff. If the Pontiff believes the omen to be an act of Lux, he/she will approach the Pontifex Maximus. No matter the case, it will be added to the Observari Omina Deorum for further omen readings.

### RAETVS

Rituals can be performed to either

A. Win or regain the favor of a god

Or

B. Honor the god/retain the favor of a god

There are two types of sacrifice. Bloodless, and with blood.

The bloodless may be a libation of wine, honey, or milk. It may also be an incense of wood, usually of cherry, fig, and holly, which would be burned upon the altar. Offerings of fruit may be made, usually to protect the harvest.

A sacrifice with blood is to be strictly animals. No humans. The most common animals are sheep/lambs, pigs, and cows.

LSD is consumed in the most sacred of rituals, as it is seen as the Blood of Lux herself, along with other psychedelics which are said to bring you in a state between the Aether and the Wilds

### VŌTUM

Prayers are an integral part of Luxanist daily life. They are integral in keeping life running smoothly and favorably.

Good prayers should include:

1. Correct identification of the God you wish to honour (the name of the Deity and a description of their domain)
2. A clear statement of what you are praying for
3. A clear description of what offerings you are making or will make should your prayer be answered.
4. Palms stretched outwards to the sky
5. Facing the sun, if night, facing the moon
6. Call upon Soclesios to initiate contact with the gods
7. If the prayer involves ritual fire, call upon Xiphus

An example of a rural farmer making a sacrifice is written below.

Marcos is a farmer in the outskirts of Caprae. It’s almost harvest season, so he scrapes his money together and packs a bag. He says goodbye to his husband and gives his slaves the day off. He walks to the nearest train station and buys a ticket to the Forum Caprenus. Marcos takes a seat and looks pitifully upon his remaining coin. Once the train stops at the Forum, he gets off and walks to the Aedes Zydonae. He gives the priest at the entrance the remainder of his coin, and walks into the temple. There, Marcos unpacks his bag, containing a log of spruce and several fruits. He grabs a fire bowl, and begins his sacrifice. He starts by burning firewood.

“O Soclesios, Guard of the Aether, Opener of the Realm, may this rite find you in good favor.” Marcos then places his fruit in the now growing flame.

“Noble Zydona, Goddess of the Harvest, Guardian of the Hearth, I pray to you. I ask for your divine grace during this year's harvest. I offer you a burning of fruit to secure my sincerity, may you look favorably upon me and my rite.”

Marcos then places the incense of spruce into the ritual fire.

“Mighty Xiphus, God of Fire, if I had done harm within this ritual fire may this incense of spruce please you,” He pauses. “It is done.”

### AGRISĪL

If the senate passes the MŌLEX ŦĒ BELLV̄M GERŌ (Motion to Declare War), the Agrisil shall be conducted on the Ides Agressis (Ides of Agressus). The Agrisil is a ritual to officialize the declaration of war. A sacrifice of pig may be bled into the fountain for extra fortune. The Praefectus Militum, Pontifex Maximus, and current Consuls are brought to the Aedes Agressis (Temple of Agressus). The Praefectus Militum will stand on the ledge of the fountain, and fling salt into the direction of the enemy. If the direction is incorrect, war must be waged against a state in that direction. If Caprae is in a civil war, the salt is simply dropped in the fountain.

### PACISĪL

Once a peace treaty is ratified in the senate, a cow’s blood is to be spilled into the Fountain of Agressus. The Praefectus Militum is to then drink a wine glass of water from the fountain (blood, salt, and all) after saying a prayer. If the enemy is being completely annexed, and the leader is captured, a special ceremony shall take place after a triumph. The palm of the Leader shall be slitted, salt rubbed into the wound and the hand shall be shoved into the fountain for the duration of the prayer.

### CĀ𐌍ISĪL

Upon election of new Consuls, a ritual is to take place initiating them into office. The two consuls are to fast for 5 days before the ceremony. They are to be taken to the temple of Xiphus, and Sangios Lucis (blood of lux, name for any psychedelic/hallucigen) is to be given to the two consuls. They are to be separated in enclosed rooms, with one torch each. In these rooms they may see the future of their consulship, advice from Xiphus, and many other things. Then, the consuls shall burn an incense of spruce, and make an offering of fruit to Xiphus.

### LVCĀ𐌍ISĪL

After the Canisil, a ceremony is to take place to determine which consul holds imperium first. The sacred chickens are to be dispatched, and an incense of the Consul’s choosing is to be burned in the forum. The consuls will then stand roughly 5 meters apart in the forum, and a sacred chicken let loose. Whichever consul the chicken reaches first holds imperium. The forum is to be quiet when the chicken is released, if not the results are invalidated.