Followers of Saint Talo

## Domestic Path

Icon resembling the Domestic Path Flag of Pentawardism

This sub-religion is also known as the Domestic path and is one of five Pentawardism paths. The path belongs to Saint Talo and often consists of farmers and cooks. Its primary values can be summarized as taking responsibility for one’s family and home.

## Path Symbols

The main symbol for this path is the sunflower, although it is often depicted as a four-petaled flower. The flower alludes to the connection with agriculture and the four other petals allude to the other four paths. This is to represent regardless of what others due during the day, it is always good to have a home to go back to. This concept of home is discussed more deeply in the key values section.

The main colors are Golden Yellow and Tulip Pink. Golden yellow is the primary color due to it representing sunshine that helps plants grow. Talo is commonly depicted in a yellow dress. As for tulip pink, it is the color of another flower that Talo liked. This did cause pink tulips to be linked to familial love, but scholars are uncertain if this is before or after it became one of the path’s main colors. An analysis of all tulip colors can be found in the trivia section for this path.

The path is also linked to the season of summer and the element of fire. Fire connects to the Domestic path for a few reasons. The first connection is the connection with baking and cooking, both activities that require fire. Additionally, having a hearth at home and keeping it going is an important job during the winter time. Another connection is through the Fire Aspect enchantment that they had on their main weapon, the Summer Scythe. The summer connection also links back to Talo’s connection with agriculture. Agriculture is primarily tended to during this time, as greenhouses have limited space whereas fields are easily tilled and irrigated. Thus, during the summer, families would tend the fields together to get the most out of the crop. This caused a connection between summer and domestic life.

## Key Values

This path values responsibility, cleanliness, organization, family, and culinary arts.

Responsibility is about taking care of what you have, whether that be family, friends, or even one’s own space. It is a broad value, which is why it is used to summarize the path. One way is by being financially responsible. Examples are saving money in case something happens or at least thinking before spending something so that no money goes to waste. The other ways responsibility is expressed links to the other values.

For example, Cleanliness mainly is about personal hygiene, but most also extend it to taking care of one’s personal space. This includes making sure repairs are done in a timely manner, chores are completed to keep the place running, and making sure one’s personal needs are being met.

The value of Organization originated when food preparation for the winter was becoming a regular practice. It soon extended to other areas such as those for craftsmanship and event planning. For storage, it means maintaining a personal storage system, or at least making sure a group of items are in the same general place. For day-to-day planning, it is making sure everyone is where they need to be while also having what they require for the activity. Examples of this is making sure all tools are in good condition or that everyone has clothes while traveling.

Family is the next value, but it isn’t restricted to one’s birth family. Followers of Talo acknowledge that the ‘found family’ exists in a real and tangible way. Marriage itself, for example, is when two or more people choose to be an official family romantically. But it could also extend to where an adult adopts a child without having a significant other, a bunch of roommates, or a group of people traveling together. The value of family is defined as taking care of those close to oneself in ways of supplies and personal health.

Of course, some can misinterpret it as specific to prioritize taking care of and/or honoring one’s personal birth family. This can trap people in negative relationships that force guilt upon an individual. This can cause someone to not take care of themself, which is considered a lack of self-responsibility. Sometimes the healthiest thing to do is to gain one’s independence from their birth, or rather childhood, family to help form the connections best for themself. That is why followers of Talo often look to move out with friends once they come of age. They learn more about the value of family by making their own.

The last value is expression through culinary arts. This links back to the connection with agriculture, but also is part of helping take care of the home. It is important that everyone gets the food they need so that they are able to do their job during the day. Thus, because food is so important to keep the home, and society, running at large, it found its way as its own value on the Domestic path.

## Key Proverbs

Here are some proverbs / sayings tied to this path.

* “Independence comes through the experience of responsibility.”
* “Success is reaped by those who plan ahead.”
* “An empty jar cannot water plants, nor can a bursting pipe fill a teacup.”
* “A fire burns until it runs out of fuel.”
* “True kin are born from a covenant.”
* “Stronger the rope is tied, the deeper the knife cuts.”
* “Take in the usual acts of life, for it may not always be that way.”
* “The flavor of victory is often determined by the failures that came before it.”

## Trivia

* Yellow was always going to be a color for Talo, but the secondary color wasn’t always going to be pink. Originally was going to be Potato Tan to connect more with the agricultural side of the path. Pink got introduced when Hawk, the OOC creator of the faith, was designing the display text for reach of the artifacts. The ‘gold’ color looks orange and so was used put for Ena. Brown was too dark and did not show up well on the background for the in-game lore text. Pink wasn’t used for any of the other saints, so they decided to add pink and have yet to regret their decision.

* Common tulips are one of four colors: orange, pink, red, and white. At least for this path, the meaning changes based on the specific color. White refers to simple and professional relationships, such as ones between coworkers or between business partners. Orange signifies the connection from a strong friendship, such as those with best friends or coworkers who have grown past a regular working relationship. Pink refers to a familial connection, such as sibling-like friends, adoptive family, and parents and their children. Pink can mean ‘I wish to know you more than just a friend, perhaps more like family.’ It is not inherently romantic but red is a deeper form of pink. This deeper form isn’t just about heightened friendship, but a romantic and often sexual form.