Shwazen Beliefs

The Shwazen Beliefs span back in time around 10,000 years to when the world was experiencing a small ice age. The religion lives primarily along the west cost of Alikakia and Herstia's mainland territory. The beliefs have risen and fallen in popularity over the millennia, falling a bit lower in popularity of recent with around 7.6 million followers. The change in public opinion has never phased the followers sure that the winds will change.

Obelrechlen, the deity of the religion, is a sailor of summer. He was seen by many 10,000 years ago as he returned to the world welcoming summer and warmth back into their lives. He is said to have beautiful smooth, dark skin and seafoam green hair and beard. He wears simple sailing clothes as he piolets his glowing ship around the world. He is known to be of good humor and welcomes all to his voyage if they so choose. He sails all across the world bringing life and warmth in his wake. He calls all those who follow him to celebrate the bounty of the world and all its treasures. According to tradition, on his ship he holds a chest that holds the 10 gems of creation each controlling an aspect of life including: Animals, Sentience, Crops, Water, Magic, (mystical) Vision, Sun, Moon, Stars, and Death.

In the Shwazen traditions there are two jobs outside of a follower, collectively referred to as hands of summer. The first rank sail, is where most people going into service spend their lives. The second rank is helmsmen. This rank can only be achieved if you have reached 50 years old, and there are only allowed to be 10 of these through the world. To become a helmsmen is the mark of resilient and dedicated soul.

After serving the Parish for years one must go on the float of faith to become a helmsmen. This is a trial by which the sail, the person of first rank, is sent out on a canoe with no paddle into the ocean in the dead of winter. The sail must not guide the ship and be able to return by the spring equinox. Many helmsmen say that they boarded the ship of Obelrechlen and received his divine knowledge and dad jokes. Seriously, every single helmsmen has come back reporting dad jokes. But the journey is not all fun for to board the boat is to join the dead in their never ending journey. One must be with death and return to be a helmsmen. Completing this has its benefits as helmsmen often live far beyond their years with plenty of youth and vigor. Another benefit is that on this journey the helmsmen are allowed to sail over the edge of the world to see the other side of the world. Every helmsmen has been sworn to secrecy, though they are allowed to paint abstractly what they saw (Obelrechlen erases those paintings too accurate).

Shwazen hold numerous festivals over the summer as their god is the embodiment of summer. Once could go to a different festival every week in the summer quite easily. Each one celebrating different aspects of the religion's history and mythos. Nine of the ten gems are celebrated during summer with the tenth gem, death, being celebrated at the fall equinox as summer passes on.

The sacred site of this religion is a port on the south west coast Herstia's mainland territory where, 10,00 years ago, Obelrechlen docked to end the ice age and bring a whole year of summer to the world.