Stenfism

Stenfism (/stɛn:fɪsm/, Sten-fism) is the largest organized religion in Tsra, both by geographical influence and number of followers. Like many others, it is primarily an animist religion, with different aspects of life embodied and watched over by a group of named Spirits.

Two main schools of Stenfist thought exist, and they differ in the belief of Stenf. Preachers of the "Primary" school of thought believe Stenf to be a Spirit in his own right; a nigh-omnipotent deity responsible for the creation of Tsra. Preachers of the "Secondary" school of thought do not give Stenf powers nor a phyiscal form, rather believing his name only exists in literature and in the cosmos. Ironically, the "Secondary" school takes up around 80% of Stenfism's followers, while only 20% follow the "Primary" school.

## Spirits

A large, and ever-increasing, number of Spirits exist in Stenfism. Due to their nature, some are categorized within groups, while others remain in the miscellaneous category. Each Spirit embodies an aspect of natural life. Some are the manifestation of entire biomes, while others may have less physical roles, while even more may only hold dominion in small areas of the world, such as patron spirits of specific cities.

Each Spirit is only as powerful as its followers believe it to be. That is to say, the number of followers along with the dedication of those followers to the Spirit are both directly proportional to the power of that Spirit. The "Holy Tenors" are the most powerful Spirits, as people find it quite easy to worship the land itself, while other ideas like death or movement may be harder to wrap one's head around. Patron Spirits usually hold the least power, as their only followers are those who reside in their watched-over cities.

Each Spirit is associated with certain classes and sub-classes, which will be listed on their wiki pages. However, it is important to keep in mind that all spirits are also associated with Ancestral Guardian Barbarians and Spirits Bards, even though they may not be explicitly listed on the Spirits' pages.

### Holy Tenors

The first record of Stenfism begins with the Holy Tenors. This collection of six Spirits each represnt the major biomes found in Tsra. This list is ordered based on the date of the first record of the Spirits.

* **Jer** is the embodiment of the earth and ground. He built the main pathways in The Conglomerate for people to walk through. He is stoic and unyielding, strong and durable. He appears when natural balances are threatened, and only then.
* **Toolor** is the embodiment of the mountains. She was the sister of Jer who once wanted to reach for the heavens. She is strong and still like her brother, though she appears more often just to wander the land with the mortals.
* **Dariya** embodies the rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water. He loves to hear himself talk, and will initiate conversation with all who wish to speak. He is wise, however, and speaks mainly in parables. He understands the change that water brings, and will frequently meet with the other spirits.
* **Muz** embodies the ice. She fiercely remains alone, and rarely appears, even in visions. She values self-reliance and resilience, and will occasionally walk alongside those who wander into the tundra.
* **Csol** is the spirit of the desert. He is jolly and looks for company, though his attitude is quite abrasive. He, like Muz, values self-reliance and resilience, though when he speaks with his followers, he mainly taunts them.
* **Samal** is the spirit of the plains and the air. She is the wisest of the Stenfanist spirits, and the one who appears in physical form the most. She is easily angered, though able to be calmed quickly.

### Intangibles

The Intangibles are a loose collection of Spirits who represent certain areas of life that might be harder to create a physical form for.

* **Shlyuz** is the spirit of teleportation. It is believed that she controls all teleportation circles on the continent, and has been in conflict withh other teleportation abilities from beyond the unkown. She has been waning in strength, according to her believers.
* **Ayikitiruu** embodies health and healing. Shunned by many for not being a patron of a specific natural landscape, they nonetheless appear to the sick and dying, offering them safe passage into the afterlife. To those in good health, they appear as a haunting, black specter, though they carry a peaceful, nonthreatening aura.
* **Ireedüi** is the spirit of fate and the future. He holds together the thread of foresight, weaving it along with those of Tsag and Manza. His followers often seek guidance in the form of knowledge and direct divination.
* **Tsag** represents the flow of time. His domain is that of chaos, though he tries his best to piece together an ordered timeline. His most powerful followers are able to summon changes in the flow of time, granting them immense, though costly, power.
* **Manza** represents chaos and uncertainty. The thread he weaves is the polar opposite of Irredüi's, though when combined with Tsag's, create the necessary flow of time and probability. His followers incite chaos as much as possible, hoping to gain his favor in this manner.
* **Temsel** presides over all combat. He grants victory to those who deserve it, and defeat to those who cannot live up to their own goals. Though commonly associated with hand-to-hand (or weapon-wielding) fights, combat can take many forms, such as through court systems or one's own inner struggles.

### Celestials

These Spirits watch over, control, or even physically exist as the various bodies in the heavens. Though they are not technically angels, their followers worship them in a similar manner.

* **Nar** is the spirit of the Great Star. Her heat and light keep life afloat, as without her warm glow, the crops would wither and the humanoids would soon follow suit. Her followers use the light in many different ways: combat, growth, guidance, protection, to name a few.
* **Hënë** is the spirit of the Silver Rock. As she flies across the skies, her reflective light brings hope to those in the dark. Her followers hope to bring the light to others in the same way that Hënë sheds light across the night.
* **Khuvo** watches over the night sky. Without his darkness, the light of Nar would mean nothing. He repaints the sky with bright lights every night, washing them away every morning at Nar's behest. His followers seek to show others that darkness is not a force to fear, but rather a bringer of comfort and of rest.

### Patron Spirits

Though the word Patron might bring to mind a warlock bent on following the order of some long-dead, eldritch power, the patron Spirits here are simply the incarnation of their city, village, people, or area.

* **Jalpak** is the patron spirit of the Togloddeeran plateau. He is fiercely protective of the plateau and its inhabitants, and friendly to those who live there.

### Miscellaneous

These spirits do not fit neatly into the above categories. Just because they are not well-organized in the traditional religion does not mean that they are worshipped any less.

* **Büteel** is the spirit of the forge. Out of all the Stenfism spirits, patron ones notwithstanding, he is the most likely to be found in physical form on the material plane. He aids in forge and artifice, providing insight and ideas to his followers.
* **Tokoy** is the spirit of the trees. Rumored to have been a powerful druid in a past life, he floats between the forests of the northern tundra and the pine forests in the northeast. He often appears during meditation, and spreads a conservationist message.