Gourdianism

**Introduction:**

Gourdianism, founded by *Kira\_Hunting*, is the practice and religion of communing with souls via creating vessels for them. Gourdianism is primarily an Orthopraxy religion, right practice over right belief, using the right methodology to craft vessels and commune with spirits is more important.

**Crafting a Soul Vessel:**

Humanoid Vessels primarily have the shape of a scarecrow. The preferred method of crafting these vessels includes carving a pumpkin to become the head of the vessel, a skull like carved stone (i.e. the detector block) can be used if pumpkins are scarce, The use of a carved pumpkin is where the religion gets its name. The core of the vessel contains soul sand if you are working with a spirit from the Nether Realm, Bone block if working with a captured undead, and an appropriate block if working with a spirit from the OverWorld. The vessel should take a scarecrow shaped form; A carved pumpkin head on top, a core block beneath that and a "fence" block underneath, with two "fence" blocks as arms.

Nonhumanoid/Quadrupedal/Alternative Vessels can take the form of a statue. the statues should resemble the spirit and contain a core block: Soul sand for Nether Realm Spirits, Bone Block for captured undead, wool/dyed wool/A.K.A. "Stuffing" for animals, and recommended Prismarine for sea life. the statues can vary in size and don't have to be the size of the actual spirit. Overworld spirits should have a core block that is appropriate represent them best.

**Housing a Vessel:**

Using a Shrine can be the easiest and most respectful way to honor a spirit and protect their vessel. Shrines are roofed and contain a chest of offerings, a chest of spirits' possessions, a chest of records of communication, and a place to have petitions for the spirit.

**\****Chest of offerings:* Here you put gifts that the spirit would want or that the spirit asks for. In most cases the items must have a means of being consumed (must despawn in one way or another), if the spirit requests you may move the requested item to the spirits' possessions chest. you may create a small mechanism to ensure the item is taken.

**\****Chest of Spirit's Possessions: This contains items the spirit declares to be its own. (The item can come from the Offering chest or can be created or discovered at the spirits request).*

**\****Chest of Records: Every vessel should have a caretaker, every little bit matters. Each communication with spirit must be recorded in a book and dated with month/day/year and hour. There may be multiple chests of records depending on the length of the relationship with a spirit.*

**\****Place for Petitions: There should be a place for the caretaker, friends of spirit, and community to petition the spirit within the vessel for something. petitions may be granted to those who give offerings of objects or deeds. warning, use common sense and safety as to what deeds you perform to petition the spirits.*

Using a temple can be a way to house the vessels of great spirits, multiple spirit vessels, or large statue vessels.

Using a tower of vessels is a way to host numerous spirit vessels, they should be cared for by multiple caretakers. each vessel should have its own sacred space, though this doesn't need to be two large. multiple vessels may share a sacred space if they spirits of the vessels are friends or relatives.

(**\***This articles is a Work in progress)