Segulism

**Segulism** is the dominant religion in much of Anthiope. It is monotheistic and has two major divisions, the Bayitist and the Magisterial. Its holy language is Lashon.

## Etymology

Segulism is derived from the Hebrew word segulah (סְגֻלָּה), meaning treasure in the sense of "treasured people" or "chosen people".

## Beliefs

Segulist beliefs are based on Scripture, the religion's holy texts, which describe, among other events, the Downfall of Draconean Civilization, when humans rose up against them. One of the stories involves God casting out two humans named Apra and Atzam from the Garden, similar to the story of Adam and Eve. Known books in Scripture include the Book of Creation, the Book of Priests, and the Book of Trials.

There are twelve commandments in Segulism.

The Segulist sabbath, or at least their day of worship, is Cromer.

## Bayitist Segulism

The Bayitist branch of Segulism is centered around worship in the Temple of Haggad, with smaller places of worship called Tabernacles located around the world. The clergy is composed of a priestly caste, presumably hereditary, as with Jewish priests. They practice animal sacrifice and purification in running water.

Bayitists follow something similar to the practice of *niddah*, where menstruating women must self-isolate for the duration of their period. It is presumably not followed by the Magisterial branch, as Isabella Camherst was surprised when forced to undergo a similar but unrelated practice in Bayembe.

Nations known to follow Bayitist Segulism include Vystrana, Bulskevo, and Haggad. Most Segulists living in Akhia are also Bayitists.

## Magisterial Segulism

The Magisterial branch of Segulism does not focus its worship on the Temple, and instead of priests has clergy called magisters, which are open to any man (no female magisters have been seen in the series). Their places of worship are called Assembly-Houses. The magisters of a country are led by that country's Grand Magister. It is unknown if the magisters have an international governing authority or are largely autocephalous.

Nations known to practice Magisterial Segulism include Scirland and Eiverheim.

### Nakhonianism

The Nakhonian tradition is a branch of Magisterial Segulism founded by Immanuel Drucker, that has some followers in Scirland, including Matthew Camherst and his wife Bess. Jacob Camherst may have also been a Nakhonian, but his son Jake was raised in the Harmonist tradition (although he had his coming-of-age ceremony in a Nakhonian Assembly-House). Nakhonian Assembly-Houses do not allow women to enter the houses of learning. They also consider men of a priestly line to have special responsibilities, and this extends to firstborn sons of the daughters of a priestly line.

### Harmonism

Harmonism is a branch of Magisterial Segulism practiced in Scirland. Jake Camherst was raised in it, inasmuch as he was raised religiously at all. The Hendemore family may also follow it, unless it was Jake's nannies and governesses who taught him about religion rather than Isabella.

### Calderism

A Scirling magister named Samuel Calder developed a fundamentalist reading of Scripture in which the Downfall of Draconean civilization was a sign that the Lord had cast them out, and that they no longer had any claim on the world. Some of his adherents took his ideas even further, becoming the Hadamist movement that advocates exterminating Draconeans. Mainstream Calderites do not advocate genocide, but do not believe that Draconeans should be permitted anywhere but the Sanctuary of Wings.

## Terminology

* Assembly-House -- A literal translation of "synagogue", or the Hebrew "beit knesset".
* Casting of Lots -- A literal translation of Purim; presumably this is a similar holiday.
* Bayitism -- Worship centered around the Temple in Haggad. From Hebrew bayit, "house" or "temple".
* Eshites -- a heretical sect who believe the Temple must be destroyed and rebuilt in a "purer form".
* Feast of the Reception -- A holiday equivalent to Shavuot.
* Gragger -- A noisemaker used to drown out the name of the wicked Khumban during the tale of the Casting of Lots.
* Lashon -- The holy language of Segulism. From Hebrew for "tongue".
* Sheluhim -- Missionaries. From Hebrew shaliach, "emissary".
* Shiva -- A tradition to sit for seven days and mourn the death of a loved one. This is practiced in Judaism.
* Tabernacle -- A place of worship for Bayitists, other than the Temple.

## Real-world connections

Segulism is based on Judaism, with Bayitism based on the now-extinct religion based on the Temple in Jerusalem, and Magisterial Segulism based on the now-dominant form of Rabbinic Judaism. The priest in Drustanev, Menkem Goen, has a name cognate to "Kohen" the Hebrew word for priest.

The observant reader will notice the lack of names with Christian origins, and the predominance of names from the Hebrew Bible (Jacob, Rachel, Simeon, Miriam, Samson).

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 On the Impurity of Dragon-kind
2. ↑ Turning Darkness Into Light p. 154
3. ↑ The Tropic of Serpents (page needed)
4. ↑ Turning Darkness Into Light p. 90-91
5. ↑ *In the Labyrinth of Drakes* (page needed)
6. ↑ Guest blog: Marie Brennan on "Natural History of Dragons"