Gjjnh (Religion)

## Gjjnh

The Glistening Melon, a central part of the Gjjnh Religion, and the main holy symbol of Gjjnh

## Introduction

### Beliefs

That the world is in a constant state of battle, water and the sun battling death, and all should fight against this death and bring life to the world.It is the job to preserve the jungle and prevent the growth of the desert, to remove corruption and decay, it is the truth that water is holy, as is the sun.

### Symbols

Glistening Melon, Golden Apple, Golden Carrot, Totem of Undying

### Leader

High Shaman (Gjjnh does not have any specific religion, however each temple/city that practice the Gjjnh faith has a High Shaman, which is the highest rank in the religion.

### Holy Texts

Inscribed Runes on Gjjnh Temples (most of the religion is orally taught, save for certain carved runes in some temples, which retain some Gjjnh Myths.

## History

### Origin

Mesa Desert/Mesi Empire/Mesi People. The exact location the religion was "founded" is unknown.

### Founded

Unknown, at least more than 6000 years ago.

## Distribution

### Holy Sites

The Point of Origin, Qvhizi Temple, Kajhivuho Temple, all Jungles

### Sects

Sun Warriors, Poisonworkers, Potionworkers, Qvhizi, Kajhivuho.

## Overview

Gjjnh is the religion practiced by Mesi and primarily resides in the Mesi Empire. It's major gods are Kajhi, Pahhni, and Hiala. It's minor gods are Bukjli, Cuqulu, and Ioebe.

## Gods and their Domains

The central god is Kajhi, is the Goddess of Water, Life, and Health. Pahhni is the god of decay, death, sickness, disease, drought and famine. Hiala is the god of the sun, warmth, marriage, light, strength and passion. The minor gods, Bukjli, Cuqulu, and Ioebe, are the children of Kajhi and Hiala. Bukjli is the god of artisanship, weaving, blacksmithing, clayworking, construction, and clothesmaking. Cuqulu, is the goddess of cultivation, agriculture, hunting, fishing, survival, and sheperdry. Ioebe is the god of travel, trade, exploration, diplomacy, wealth, peace, prosperity and gold.

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## Status of the Religion Today

Though Kajhi is the central god, she is not the most worshipped, in the earlier days of the Mesi, she was, but with the rise of the Mesi Empire, and their larger emphasis on trade, Ioebe has become much more popular for conventional worship. Most Mesi in the Mesi Empire worship Ioebe and practice Gjjnh.

## Religious Values

Gjjnh has a large emphasis on the spreading of life, and the protection of nature around them. They tend to deem jungle as holy land, as a reminder of their old home. Cooperation is a large aspect of the religion, as betrayal and division are among the most deadly crimes in Gjjnh belief.

## Myths of the Religion

In Mesi temples, there are a variety of myths that exist in the religion, all written and orally cited myths are as follows:

### Creation Myth:

This Myth explains the current status of the Mesa, and of the world. The myth declares that the Mesa was once a thriving rainforest, like the surrounding biomes. Hiala and Kajhi lived in harmony, Hiala brought warmth while Kajhi brought water, and the world thrived, until one day, a man, Jikklh, chose to kill his brother Hijjkl. Jikklh fancied a girl his brother courted, Tumari, and fueled with grief, jealousy, and anger, he chose to lead his brother away from the village, and threw him over the cliff. This action, known as The First Act of Destruction, was death, and from that, Pahhni was born. Pahhni only wished to spread more death and decay, for it was his birth, and so his nature. He began small, with small bugs and ferns, but his power grew, and he began eliminating herds and swathes of trees. No matter his efforts, however, he could not destroy all. Kajhi and Hiala would replace what he destroyed. He grew sick of this back and forth, and devised a plan. Pahhni knew of the courtship between Kajhi and Hiala, but there was a single major problem: Hiala could not go near Kajhi. Kajhi was water, and he was fire, and if he was to get too close to Kajhi, he would burn her away, and the world they created. Pahhni schemed, he prepared, and he concocted a solution. If he could force Kajhi up, Hiala would be compelled to come down, however, he would need help, and an army. Pahhni slithered around the jungle, finding the spiders. He told them his plan, and promised the power of poison for weaving a cushion light enough to lift Kajhi up, along with their loyalty. They accepted his bribe, and so it was created. He needed demons to hold the water, so he found some dried up trees, putting them into the cushion, he swore all of the water they could consume, and they accepted, creating the first Fuklrai. And finally, he needed someone to convince her to use it. He had always sensed his creator, Jikklh, he simply never held an interest, until now. The young man had been sitting in his home, having married Tumari after his brother's "disappearance", suddenly hearing a call. "Come, Jikklh, I, Pahhni, request you.". the man looked at the window, seeing the aura of Pahhni, and stared in horror. "Let us take a walk.", despite an overwhelming dread, he compulsively left the house, going towards Pahhni, he met him, and stopped. "Why do you call on me now?", Jikklh firmly asked. "I wish to make a deal, but first, we walk.". Pahhni and Jikklh walk, and walk, and walk, until they reach the cemetary. "Here? Why here?", Jikklh asked, Pahhni responded, "We are here to visit someone, come.", further they walked, until they stopped at a grave, the grave of Jikklh's son, who starved. Jikklh once again asked, "Why here?", and Pahhni replied, "I require your help. I promise you vast powers, including the revival of the dead.", Pahhni called upon the grave, promising all the food it could eat, and so rose the corpse, making the first Iggkjka. Jikklh was horrified, but could not help but embrace his son's corpse. "You swear I can do this too?", Pahhni replied, "I can grant you that and more, so long as you give Kajhi this cushion and convince her to sit on it.", Jikklh swore, "Of course.", and so was made, the first Poisonworker. Pahhni told Jikklh the location of Kajhi, and he took the cushion the next day, finding Kajhi. Kajhi was surpised to have visitors, for she did not usually have any, "Hello Kajhi, I have brought you a gift! A cushion so you are not aching on the ground!", Kajhi was excited at the idea, quickly seating herself upon it, and immediately, the Fuklrai held her in place, and the silk rose her up to the sky. Unable to move, she could not escape as she went up, and soon, Hiala told her she must go back down, and she responded she could not, Hiala then went down, to save his love, and his heat immediately began burning away much of the life they created. With the positions in place, Pahhni began his attack. His armies of Kajhi traitors, undead, and demons roamed the landscape, laying waste to all. His Fuklra swallowed lakes and rivers, his Iggkjka wilted food, the spiders stung and bit, and his poisonworkers cursed and hexed, summoning alive skeletons and corpses, who spread disease, and Pahhni, at the top, commanding them all, turned the death into rot and decay. Many hid or ran, but nearly all died. What was left of the Mesi people were scattered and scared, they pleaded to Kajhi to save them, and she heard, even so far up. She desperately thought of solution after solution, until she realized she could move the cushion around, save moving up or down, and could just touch the highest peaks with her fingertips. She proclaimed to them to get to the top, and so they did, and the Mesi were saved. Pahhni's blights were below the peaks, and the water was at the top. Over time, Pahhni's plan had revealed a big issue, Pahhni did not realize Hiala's heat could harm his armies as well, and he brought down on himself Hiala's full fury. Hiala scorched the landscapes, destroying all of the horrors he could find, and soon, his armies were decimated, and with nothing to decay, Pahhni's power weakened, and he went into hiding, with the remainder of his followers. Though defeated, the desert could not be reformed, Kajhi was still stuck high above, and Hiala could not go above to retrieve her, and so she could only water the Mesas, and so is how the desert as is known now, came to be.