Candomblé

**Candomblé** is one of the Religions practiced in After the End. It is a faith that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West Africa, especially that of the Yoruba, and the Roman Catholic form of Christianity. Candomblé is part of the Afro-Syncretic religious group.

## Description

> "*Candomblé is a syncretic faith that absorbed religious traditions from West Africans, Portuguese Catholics, and indigenous South Americans. Its name literally means "dance in honor of the gods," and, as one would expect, many of its rituals involve music and dance. Practicioners worship a creator deity named Oldumaré, as well as numerous lesser spirits called Orixàs. Candomblé practicioners believe that every person has their own patron Orixà, who controls their destiny and acts as a spiritual protector.*"
> ― In-game description of Candomblé
>
>

## Gods

* **High God:** Olorum
* **God Names:** The Orichás, The Saints, Orunmilá, Iansa and Iemanjá
* **Evil God Names:** The Spirits of the Left Side
* **Scripture:** The Odu Ifá

## History

Little is known of the survival of the Candomblé faith after the Event. But survive it did, managing to remain a strong minority in the Empire of Brazil. To the north, however, the Candombré faith only survived deep in the forests of the Amazonas or in the southernmost tip of Guyana.

Much like Vodun and Santeria, Candomblé was a mix between the religions of the slaves and the Portuguese slavers brought to the Portuguese colonies (mainly Brazil). While widely practiced, it was never a state religion until the Event. Brazilian Candomblé warriors eventually mastered the jungles of their homeland, subsequently taking most of what was once known as Brazil.

As of 2666, the only playable Candomble rulers are tributary states of The Northern Captaincy, or vassals of Guyana.

## Rumors

### **Brazilian Wardancers**

*By Doc. Eliphas Montgomery, scholar of Columbia University, 2654 AD.*

*The tribes who live in the northern reaches of South America are known to be in intermittent contact with the peoples of the Far South. At least once per decade, soldiers from the Inca Empire harass the peoples of the Andes Mountains and neighboring lands for gold and slaves for the Sapa Inca, and traders from the kingdoms of Amapa and Marajo come to trade with the peoples of Guianas. There is even a type of adventurers or knights who call themselves the Bandeirantes (Flag-men in Columbian) who seek the riches of cities lost in the jungle and to keep contact with their "Roraimense brothers".*

*While visiting the Guyana Space Base, as part of the IV Astrologist Expedition of Canaveral and Guyana, I met an inquisitive, middle-aged man called Olhos de Estrela. Saying he came from the Kingdom of Maran-yaon to study the Guyana ruins and compare them with the ones at a place called Alcantara, he claimed that he was a former Bandeirante and wardancer. According to Olhos de Estrela, a wardancer is a special cradle of warriors from the Brazilian jungle tribes. Drawn from the most fanatical worshippers of their god Ogun (a black version of the Viking Odin), the wardancers are considered to be living gods by the Northern and Northeastern Brazilians. When their people go to war, the Wardancers are at the frontlines, and before the battles they face each other in ritualized but deadly duels.*

*Becoming a wardancer is a matter of great prestige and training. Most of those who plan to become wardancers begin young, and not all survive. They start annoiting themselves to Ogun, learning his secret rituals and training the many styles of the capoeira, a dance-fight similar to the break although more violent, both unarmed and using the long knives called peixera. After achieving mastery of all those lessons, the apprentice is then taken to a Father or Mother of Gods who "closes his body" so no weapon can harm him. Once his body is closed, the new wardancer can take his place amongst the other living gods.*

*According to* Olhos de Estrela*, the wardancers have fierce rivalries with several other warrior societies that exist amongst their people, such as the Musketeers, the Munduruku Black-Faces and the Painted Warriors. Their greatest rivals are the Cangaceiros, a class of warriors who specialize in bows and firearms above all else who live in the Sertao Desert. However, little forbids a wardancer to also be part of the other societies other than prejudices of race, origin and religion. Someone called Felipe Rodriguez, better know as Danzarino, was both a Musketeer and a wardancer, combining the capoeira movements with swordsmanship and syncretizing  Ogun with the Catholic Saint George. Other example was a Carcara-Eye Francisco, a legendary Cangaceiro-wardancer who became champion of Dona Maria of Pernambuco, who had an uncanny ability to find gaps in his enemies armors.*

## Holy Sites

Like most invaders, Candomblé holy sites are more along the lines of major cities they'd like to have, being as the important cities to their faith are likely off the map.

* **Amapá**
* **Boa Vista**
* **Bogotà**
* **Caracas**
* **San Salvador**

As of 2666, only Amapá is held by a Candomblé ruler.

## In-game features

* Rulers cannot demand conversion
* Priests (Temple Holders) can inherit titles
* Priests can marry
* Religion allows women to hold Temple Holdings
* Fleets can navigate major rivers
* Rulers can raid infidel neighbors for loot
* There is (And can exist) no religious head
* Homosexual Candomblé rulers can marry other homosexual characters
* Candomblé rulers may sacrifice animals to the Orixás

Characters of Candomblé faith can choose their Patron Orixà. It's possible to choose:

* Ogum, the god of iron and rum
* Oxòssi, god of meals and the hunt
* Pomba Gira, goddess of sexual exploration and witchcraft
* Orunmilà, god of wisdom and prophecy
* Yemanjà, goddess of fertility and the ocean
* Oxùm, goddess of motherhood and prosperity
* Iansà, goddess of war and storm
* Obaluaié, god of disease and healing

As of 2666, Candomblé has a 25.0 moral authority. A temple holder of the Candomblé faith is called Pai-de-santo.

## Playable Candomblé characters in 2666

### Tributary States of The Northern Captaincy

* High Chief Luciano Nogueira of Roraima;
* High Chief Marcos Lourenço of Gran Sabana;

### Vassals of a Noble of Different Faith

* Marquis Vincent Chuí of Calcoene
* Earl Jean-Claude Pierrat of Inini

### Holy Orders

* Capoeiristas, currently led by Warchief Manoel

## Trivia

* Like many other religions in the game, Candomblé is an existing faith.