The Marshian religion is a dualistic bitheistic faith centered around two divine beings: the Mother and the Father, symbolized by the cow and the dragon, respectively. While these deities embody opposing forces, they are both revered, with each having positive and negative aspects. The religion reflects the balance of opposites—life and death, creation and destruction, care and strength.
Name
WIP
Deities
The Father (Dragon or Allfather)
- Symbol: Dragon
- Domain: Honour, war, oaths, craftsmanship
- Attributes: The Father represents strength, honour, and warfare, both literal and metaphorical. He is the protector of blood brotherhoods and the enforcer of oaths. Breaking an oath is considered a personal affront to the Father, invoking his wrath. He is also associated with forges, craftsmanship, and physical labor.
- Positive Aspects: Courage, loyalty, protection, strength
- Negative Aspects: War, wrath, grudge-bearing
- Representation: The dragon figure appears in art and iconography, often coiled around weapons or protective symbols, embodying the virtues of honour and vengeance. The Father’s power also relates to the creation of the physical world, as he shaped the raw materials of the universe.
The Mother (Cow)
- Symbol: Cow
- Domain: Fertility, care, agriculture, nature
- Attributes: The Mother is the deity of fertility, nurturing, and agriculture, watching over farmers and rural communities. Her connection with nature links her to the cycles of the land and the seasons, making her a vital force for harvests and growth. She is also credited with bringing life into the world by using her life-giving milk to animate the Father’s creation.
- Positive Aspects: Compassion, life, fertility, nurture
- Negative Aspects: Overgrowth, untamed wildness, neglect of warlike virtues
- Representation: The cow is depicted in pastoral settings or surrounded by plants and children, representing fertility and abundance.
Denomations and Practices
Most Marshians follow the practice of Traditional Worship, which honours both the Mother and the Father equally, reflecting the balance between these two opposing yet complementary forces. This form of worship is especially prevalent in the heartlands of the Marsh Empire and has recently gained a foothold in the southern twin islands.
In addition to Traditional Worship, there are also sects dedicated exclusively to one of the two deities. Mother-Worshipping cults focus on fertility, care, and the natural world, which makes them particularly popular among farmers and rural communities. On the other hand, Father-Worshipping cults, often embraced by warriors, blacksmiths, and those committed to defending honour and keeping oaths, thrive in more martial regions of the empire. Though these sects acknowledge the existence of the other deity, they devote their reverence and worship to the one they deem central to their lives.
Monthly services held during the full moon involve the distribution of agricultural produce and handicrafts, which are viewed as gifts from the Mother. These offerings are either redistributed or stored to support the various religious orders. During worship, participants perform a simple yet meaningful gesture by making a fist to symbolize the Mother and placing their other hand on top to represent the Father’s protective role. This act of worship is regarded as a deeply personal expression of faith.
Beliefs in souls and spirits
The Marshians believe every individual has two souls:
- The Physical Soul (gifted by the Father, residing in the heart): This soul remains with the corpse after death.
- The Spiritual Soul (gifted by the Mother, residing in the brain): This soul departs for the afterlife.
If the two souls are in conflict at the time of death, they may produce a malevolent spirit, a disfigured remnant of the deceased that brings misfortune to the living. Priests perform rituals and prayers to ensure harmony between the souls and prevent such occurrences.
Clergy
Marshian priests are distinguished by their vows to never trim their beards and their thick grey cloaks, which serve as symbols of their religious devotion. They play a crucial role in overseeing ceremonies, providing spiritual guidance, and even acting as astronomers, marking key lunar events that hold religious significance. Central to religious life is the coven, a gathering of priests or monks. Each local coven consists primarily of monks, but only three high-ranking priests hold leadership positions. These priests organize monthly worship services during the full moon, where offerings of agricultural produce and handicrafts from the people are redistributed as gifts from the Mother.
At the highest level, the Great Circle of high priests governs religious practice throughout the realm. In addition to the Great Circle within the Marsh Empire, other Grand Circles exist in different regions beyond the empire’s borders. The Order of the March, a military order directly under the command of the Marsh Empire, is devoted to the Father and responsible for spreading the faith through conquest and defending the empire. In contrast, the Orders of the Mother focus on pacifist endeavors, such as providing charity, healing, and refuge for the wounded and displaced.
Religious festivals
The moons hold deep significance in Marshian religion, guiding the timing of important festivals. Among these, the Blood Moon Festival stands out as the most sacred, occurring during a lunar eclipse. This celestial event represents a moment of heightened spiritual intensity, marked by rituals performed at night and offerings made to both the Mother and Father. The eclipse itself is viewed as a cosmic struggle between the deities, with the black dragon, symbolizing the Father, swallowing the moon, signifying his dominance over celestial forces.
Because of the importance placed on the moon’s cycles, many of Marshian religious celebrations are held under the night sky. These night festivals are filled with prayers, songs, and sacrifices, where the faithful gather to connect with the divine through the moon’s transformative power.
Ghosts and Spiritis
There is a widespread belief in ghosts—malevolent spirits that arise when the souls of the deceased are not in harmony. These spirits are often feared and must be placated through rituals performed by priests to ensure peace for the living.
Cultural Influence
The dragon and cow are integral to Marshian culture, appearing on flags, imperial symbols, and architecture. The black dragon, in particular, is associated with the emperor, linking the ruler’s power to the divine might of the Father.
This religious system reflects the values of the Marsh Empire—balancing strength with care, honour with fertility, and war with nurture. The dynamic between the Mother and Father mirrors the complex societal structure of the empire itself.