Beast Cults

The wizened old man danced around the campfire and shook a small stone carving in the air. It was a tiny malachite bear with green jade eyes and a white marble nose. As he danced he began to chant "Great Bear! hear the words of a humble Shaman...grant me your strength that I may defend our people from the dark ones!". After a time his face shone with gratitude as he thanked the spirits for their mystical gift--the Gift of the Bear's Strength.

This is actually many small gods, one for each animal known in the land. The worshipers that belong to the beast's cult believe in all of them. Each worshiper takes one animal as his patron deity. This cult in itself engenders hundreds of small gods. The major trait of the animal is highly exaggerated for each god. For example, the god of bears is exceptionally large and strong. This faith is particularly strong among primitive tribes of Kith and Rochir.

The animal gods are repelled by civilization and reason, seeking wild and natural areas to make their home. City-dwelling people are the least sensitive to animal spirits, while those who live with the land have the closest relationship with them. Shamans commune with the great animal spirits to enlist their aid in the form of mystical gifts.

The shaman uses a fetish to commune with the great animal spirit of the animal it represents. The fetish is usually a figure modeled or carved from clay, stone, wood, or other material in imitation of a deified animal or other object. It consists of fur, feathers, hair, or a bone or tooth of a tutelary animal--the materials are never gained by slaying the animal, rather they are collected peacefully from those that are naturally cast-off from the animal. Fetishes are reusable indefinitely for communing ceremonies for that particular animal, but you need one animal fetish for each great animal spirit you want to commune with.

Worshipers: This faith is particularly strong among primitive tribes of Kith and Rochir, although it is surprisingly popular among the civilized Aquilans.

Gods Worshiped: Many gods, such as the Rat God, the Shark God, the Spider God, etc.

Gods Opposed: Typically each beast god will have a few personal enemies, corresponding to its personality as an animal.