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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Daztur" data-source="post: 6051537" data-attributes="member: 55680">OOC: this stuff is based on a setting building project that I did with my friend who later took the religion (but not the rest) and built his own setting out of that. I'm taking that back with some tweaks for this setting since the main deity in that religion reminded me strongly of the Jahuri two-faced.The Undying Cycles of CreationLong ago the gilded fleet of the Imperium Undying set out from the utter west to colonize these Shrouded Lands. Little remains of it now but rumors of the Prince of Men (29.07.03) sleeping beneath the Waters of Mirror Lake (37.01) and the pact that the elves of the Kingswood entered into the Prince that they honor yet though all men have forgotten its terms. However the calendar that is still in use across much of these lands has been handed down since the days of the Prince of Men and the Jahuri two-faced god seems to be the same deity as the Fools that were worshiped by the ancients and the old gods are still paid homage to in every gambling pit in Shuttered where the grim face of the Father still glares at gamers as the King of Winter along with all of the rest of the Dreamers.The FoolsThe creators of everything in existence and in dream, and progeny of their own creation. The Fools think only with their hearts. They are two, yet one; fourteen, yet none. They are associated with the inexplicable, the unavoidable, the undesirable, and the unspeakable. They are generally portrayed as a single two-faced god or a pair of youths of uncertain gender, one dressed in red the other in black.The MessengerThe bringer of tidings, both good and ill. He is associated with falling stars and the color yellow. Horses and birds are sacred to him, and winds are said to follow wherever he goes. On his Day he brings news of the great King's death, and his time is midnight on any day before a battle. He holds domain over the wind, roads, and knowledge.The MaidenThe virgin, innocent and bold. She is associated with the moon. Her colors are white and pink. Butterflies and hummingbirds are sacred to her, and flowers are said to bloom in her footsteps. Daybreak of any holy day is her time on on her Day the Fools visits her at dawn and deliver to her the Youth as her betrothed while the Bard begins wooing her at nightfall on her Day. She holds domain over the dawn, temples, and acts of pure joy. She also holds sway over the victims of betrayal.The YouthThe boy, brave yet naive. His colors are blue and red. Dogs are sacred to him, particularly strays. On his Day he is wedded to the Maiden, a time of new beginnings and trials of bonding. Offerings made unto him on his Day also have worth, but worshipers should be prepared to make solemn vows. He holds domain over the spring, childhood, and thievery.The BardThe trickster. A minstrel and a storyteller, a student and a teacher, the Bard brings joy and knowledge to the world, but cannot be trusted. He is associated with back alleys, crossroads, and the color red. Coyotes are his sacred animal, and he is said to often take their form. On his Day he begins to sing the song that will eventually win over the Maiden's heart. He holds domain over hills, trade, education, poetry, and music. He also holds sway over acts of betrayal, and self-serving crimes of all kinds.The LoverThe essence of beauty and desire, a seductress and a confidante. Her colors pink and red. Doves are sacred to her, and a dove's egg properly sacrificed to her is said to bring fertility and bliss. On her Day the Maiden finally succumbs to the Bard's charms. Her time is any post-coital, but only when the act was done in bliss, and was the very first time the lovers had thus embraced.The HeroThe champion, strong and daring. He is associated with Mount Scorshia (02.03) and the colors blue and gold. He holds sway ever battle and on his Day, a day of silence, he strikes down the Bard in a jealous rage.The HunterThe searcher, finder, and slayer. He is associated with all forests and stars, but particularly those with no names, and also with the colors green and brown. On his Day he fells a stag of such size that the Pilgrim can fill his pack with jerky and set out on his journey. His time is the dawn of any day that is sacred to none.The MotherThe nurturer, possessed of intuition into all souls. She is associated with the home and hearth, but particularly that of the Four Sisters in the sky, and also with the colors red and green. On her Day day her belly swells full with the spirit of the Fools. Her time is any the moment a child is born, but particularly when the child is of noble or accursed blood.The FatherThe provider, and punisher. He is associated with the field and fences, with the great Grey Mountains, and with the colors silver and black. His Day is the day of the  Great Harvest, and all should take pains to sacrifice a grand meal to him by nightfall.The PilgrimThe introspective wanderer, questing for salvation. He is associated with roads, particularly those leading south or beneath gallows, and the colors black and white. On his Day he passes Death's Door on his journey, where he meets the ghostly Fools themselves, already full and pregnant with the Youth and the Maiden of their own accord. His time is early morning, while all others are still asleep, particularly when one of the sleepers will not wake come sunrise.The QueenShe is associated with castles, eclipses, and the colors silver and gold. On her Day her husband the King is said to have left her for battle. Her time is dusk, particularly on nights when silver stags ride the sky, or when all ravens cease to crow at once.The KingThe ruler, with dominance over all. He is associated with battlefields, particularly those with bloody and tragic histories, and his colors are purple and gold. On his Day the King is slain by the fools, as was witnessed by the Pilgrim at the end of his journey. His time is moments before death, or when great judgement is being passed.Hooks:-Are any of these days still celebrated in these lands?-Are the whole pantheon still worshiped in Jahur?-Is there any other presence of these ancient gods in these lands?-The four suits correspond to the seasons with the various Dreamers being represented in the face cards while the jokers are the Fools. What card games are played in Shuttered with these cards?I'm going to post a full calendar later, it's a lunar calendar so each year has either 12 or 13 months to make the number of days line up right. It'll have cycles within cycles, think a cross between the Islamic and the Mayan calendars. I'm saying right now that Jahur still uses this calendar but if it's used in other areas is up to other people. Perhaps this old calendar is used for divination and knowing when the stars will be right while a more practical solar calendar is used for day to day stuff.</blockquote>

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