Whisperers

Whisperers is a religion founded in Trosstin, quickly growing in influence and followers once they began spreading out into the world. Still, even with its popularity, the religion is still shunned for it's weirder nature.

## History

The first member to begin interpreting the sound, stage 1 of the religion, was Berthold Reichen in **560PR**. He began hearing noises a little better, often meditating what he had heard for the day and trying to decipher what it means. When he did, he began to help influence other people and get them to hear some of the noises that the gods were telling them.

In Trosstin, without a religion before this, it quickly spread with influence. Many of the people began hearing the noises that the island and the gods were telling them. Interpreting each of their own meaning, and finding a calling to it.

After he began to get followers, Reichen discovered the second stage. He began hearing voices. At first he thought he was going crazy, but after finding that many of the interpretations from the sound he was making was accompanied by voices agreeing with him, he realised it was the gods. He soon found other members doing the same thing.

With the voices of the gods being heard, the religion spready through the nation, with every citizen knowing something about it and the majority of them following it. This allowed the religion to become officially recognised in **600PR**.

After the voices, Reichen got told a secret. This finally capitalised the religion with a final stage that the people of faith could reach.

When Trosstin united as a proper City-State in **619PR**, the Whisperers became their major religion.

## Belief

The Whisperers believe in a very strict motto, the Sound, the Voice and the Secret. Each have an interpreted meaning.

### The Sound

The Sound talks about listening to the world, its movement and story can all be told through just simple sounds. Thus, the sound itself is worshipped as it's own sort of god, being one of the most important things for the religion. Members from the Whisperers usually have excellent hearing, being able to hear the sounds of the world from long distances.

The reason sound is important is the way they interpret it. The can find meaning from the sounds after asking a question or for a direction from the god. This can be as simple as a dog barking at something random or the wind blowing through some leaves. The whisperers always know what is intended.

Because of their great hearing, Whisperers usually talk very softly and try not to make loud noises, since they are able to hear it anyways and don't want to hurt their own ears.

### The Voice

The Voice is the next stage, not always reached by some Whisperers, either because they have found enough faith in the sound or they simply were unable to reach this stage.

The voice is being able to listen closely to the voice and determine intention. They are masterful at negotiating and telling lies, but also have a strange thing about them. The reason it is called the voice is not because of the sound people make with their mouths, but rather the fact they can hear voices from outside of that.

The voice is what the origin of the religions name comes from, with members being able to hear the gods talk and whisper to them. To reach this stage requires extreme faith, no longer needing to interpret the meaning of the sound as they now have the voice to interpret it for them. Church proceedings simply for members who have reached the voice is usually quiet, as they hear the words of their god.

A custom made by the Whisperers is to never write down what the voice says, or even tell others. For it is usually very personal for them and they would rather a person reach this stage then give it for them. This includes other members who have reached the voice.

### The Secret

The Secret is the final and most important stage of the Whisperers religion. A member must have heard the voice to get to this stage. After listening and following the voices of the gods for some time, they end up giving the valued person of faith a secret, something they cannot share with anyone.

Once the secret is given, they are seen as one of the highest level of the faith, equilivant to a priest or bishop (who not always reach this stage). For they have been trusted by the gods enough that they have been told something.

If they were ever to tell someone their secret, they are struck down by followers of the voice (whom have the gods tell them about the betrayer) or the gods themselves.

The secret cannot be shared with anyone, not even allowed to be mentioned to the gods again. So, it is unsure if the secret is the same as everyone elses, but that it is simply there and they hold it as the highest importance.

## Churches

The churches of the Whisperers are weird, they have been built in such a way that allows for noice to bounce through their walls. Most often there is a garden that accompanies the church, so that animals such as birds can sing happily there.

Inside the churches there are two sections outside of what would be considered normal. One is a booth that allows people who can hear the voices to sit inside and simply listen to what is being told to them.

The other is one for the people who can hear the sound, they enter a room with lots of items that can produce unique sounds. They can then let the gods take control of them and produce the different sounds that they can either interpret themselves or give listeners a chance. When in this room they are completely blocked off, so they cannot see who could be listening.