Fislankif Sect

The **Fislankif Sect** evolved from the Church of Six Divines, with the sect establishing six guiding principles and focusing on the gods Necros and Valet. All the gods are seen as embodying natural forces of the world, which requires them to balance out in their eternal war. The sect was effectively formed when the Illeryan missionary Josu Mogrus arrived in Arcturus. The sect also refers to some of the gods of the pantheon by different names.

## **History**

* Arrival on Arcturus
* Vikhr's Message
* Chern's Gift

#### Arrival on Arcturus

The beliefs of the Six Divines had always been present within the Arcturian population. The Arcturians that migrated to the island were originally part of the Blackblood tribe of Northeim, before breaking away and many centuries later reaching the island of Arcturus. During the winter of 59 TE the Illeryan missionary Josu Mogrus came to Arcturus, and started to formalize the various religious beliefs of the population. This resulted in combining surviving Blackblood beliefs, more orthodox beliefs from Illerya, and some of Josu’s own personal beliefs. This resulted in the formation of a new sect that placed a greater emphasis on gods related to death and healing. A temple would be constructed in the northern desert of the island, named Fislankif ("lifeless land" in Limpāshim).

#### Vikhr's Message

On the night of July 1 2021 the rains Vikhr sent down would not cease. The rains began to raise the sea level beginning a great Flood. In a bid to appease Vikhr Josu Mogrus began a prayer within a circle of soul sand to commune with the god and halt the rains. Josu reports to have seen messages from the god saying, "I. am. what. I. am. and. what. is. is. I.". He would then receive a message telling him to seek out the statue of the messenger and sacrifice a cow atop it. He would almost immediately set out to find this statue in hopes of appeasing Vikhr, but was unsuccessful with the flood stopped by a group of Luxite priests.

#### Chern's Gift

Members of the Sect began investigating an abandoned settlement of Woodsted. The members describe there being two chickens, with one of the chickens beginning to talk to them. The speech was difficult to decipher but supposedly it said, "Where is my bitch, I'm gonna go look for my bitch". As they attempted to take the chicken it flew into the air, and flew off into the horizon. The members then began trying to commune with the gods to receive a sign, with the gods responding by sending a swarm of bees to torment them. They fled out of fear and returned later to find only the second chicken remaining. A statue to Chern (the god believed to be responsible) was erected, and the chicken was taken back to the temple to be kept in containment out of fear.

## Beliefs

### **Six Divine Laws**

* There is no one way to worship. To debate and engage the teachings is itself an act of faith.
* Maintaining the balance of the gods is essential. Should any one god become too powerful the world will be destroyed by that god's tyranny.
* It is the duty of worshipers to be warm towards each other, and ensure the health of their communities.
* One must be flexible and keep a calm mind even during strife.
* Everyone has a role to play, and each person has a responsibility to find and fulfill the role they're best suited to.
* The gods manifest in many ways. Worshipers of all other faiths ultimately worship different forms of the church's gods.

Breaking these laws is seen as allowing one of the gods to become more powerful, thus creating imbalance in the world. If one god becomes too powerful they will be able to overpower the other gods, and craft the world into their idea of perfection. Chern would destroy the world leaving only void, Byel would leave only bedrock, Igni would consume the world in fire, Aqua would drown the world in their sea, Vikhr would wipe the world barren with his storms and winds, and Terra would replace all things with stone and dirt.

### **Materials of Essentia**

Essentia is the essence of gods and all life, it is what gives people their personalities and objects their properties. All things are viewed as having essentia, but some materials are seen as having a higher concentration than others. Blue stones such as diamonds and lapis-lazuli are believed to have the highest concentration of essentia. These blue stones are used in funeral proceedings, when the body is burned atop its pyre by their Soulcandle a blue stone is placed nearby to capture and protect the soul from Himdādon's hands.

### **Afterlife**

The sect believes that when a person dies the soul becomes free for the briefest moment. In that moment the soul could be enslaved by the god of death, placed within a blue stone by a tipla, or fall through the earth into the Nether. If the soul is taken by Himdādon, he enslaves them into his Immortal Legion to wage war against the other gods. If the soul is placed inside a bluestone they enter an eternal sleep, so long as the stone is not broken. If the soul enters the nether it loses its consciousness and becomes soul sand.

### **Necromancy**

According to sect's legends, humans began practicing necromancy when Onhimda gave them the knowledge of how to commune with the dead. This leads to necromancy being viewed, not as a profane practice, but as a natural force of the world that can be used but must be respected. The Fislankif Sect primarily focuses on transference and communing with spirits. Defiling the bodies of the ancestors is strictly forbidden. It is believed such forms of necromancy disrespect the lives and legacies of the people they defile. This is why the sect place the bodies atop a funeral pyre, so that no such practices are possible.

### Central Gods

#### Mortuus

Himdādon (Mortuus' name in Limpāshim) is viewed as the greatest threat to the balance of the gods. While most gods receive power through their domains or followers, Himdādon does not. Every soul he reaches is another soldier in his Immortal Legion, with those he sees as useless discarded. Wishing to bring about what he sees as order by claiming the living, as there can be no chaos if all obey him. He is depicted as a green spirit of a man, wearing black armor, and wielding an executioner's sword.

#### Necros

Onhimda (the sect's name for Necros) is the goddess of necromancy and undeath. She is said to have gifted the earliest tiplas with the knolwedge needed to commune with the ancestors. These teachings are seen by her followers as the only counter-weight to the god of death, as necromancy in its purest form is the refusal of death. Thus the knowledge must be respected and used when necessary. While Onhimda gave her teachings to be used that does not mean one should abuse her kindness, lest they awaken something worse than the god of death. Onhimda is depicted as a woman in a black cloak, carrying a soul lantern, and is associated with owls.

#### Valet

Valet, within orthodox Church beliefs, is little more than a minor of healing and medicine. However, within the sect he takes on a much greater importance, with his teachings allowing people to stave of the Tyrant of the Legion for a time. He is also associated with empathy and community acting as the driving force that strengthens community bonds. Valet views encouraging cooperation as the best way to achieve followers and thus influence. He is depicted as an elvish man wearing green and white robes and carrying a bundle of herbs. He is said to bring his remedies to far off lands on the back of a sea turtle.

## Rituals

### Communing

To receive prophecy or advice from the gods the tipla begins by creating a circle of soul sand, with four points lite on fire. The tipla takes a diamond(or lapis-lazuli) in their hand, and stands at the center of the circle. If the tipla is trying to commune with a particular god they will hold an item associated with that god, such as owl feathers to commune with Onhimda. The tipla then listens for the voices of the gods to receive their message, or will interpret the signs the gods leave.

### Funeral Proceedings

Due to Arcturians being descended from the Nortfolk many of the funeral practices have influenced the sect. Much like the Nortfolk, Fislankif places the dead bodies atop a pyre which is then lit with that person's Soulcandle. Unlike the Nortfolk the sect also places a burial shroud, created by their family, and a blue stone atop the body. The ashes and stones of several people are then taken to be placed within a burial mound.

### Conversion

To convert to the Church of Six Divines the sect requires you to select a patron god. The convert then speaks the name of their patron god while swearing upon the Six Divine Laws. To complete the ceremony the convert breathes in the smoke of burning soul sand to bring essentia (the essence of the gods) into themselves.

### Soul Communing

The tipla or mage takes the soulstone containing the soul they wish to commune with. A necromantic sigil is carved into the ground, with the soul stone placed on top. Soul sand is then lit in the corners of the room, and as the smoke fills the room the tipla begins chanting a prayer,

> "Jihur din mav, heruk jihar mav kir gibdā biqra dines kizdābir."
>
>

> Translation: I call upon thee, please grant us your knowledge ancestor.
>
>

The soul will usually take a vaguely humanoid shape, and speak to the tipla that summoned it. Depending on how well the ritual was performed and the soul in question they may respond in anger. However, the spirit summoned has limited ability to affect the material world, and should not pose a threat when summoned.

### Tipla Initiation

Tipla are chosen by a current tipla or saraz-tipla, typically well respected and trusted members of the church. Once someone has been selected they be invited to a temple and must perform a ritual to commune with the ancestors. If they are successful then they will perform a further ritual to be granted the power to hear the gods words. The initiate will then given a small mixture of blood and a few other things, and by drinking this the essence of the world an thus the gods enters them.