Geitism

A religion of Kaimo dedicated to the god Yagi celebrated by adherents known as Gabhars. Due to Kaimo becoming overruled by quilgbi and the loss of life inflicted on fauns, one way or another, Geitism has become a religion with small numbers of followers. Most Gabhars are born into Geitism and there are few converts, so the numbers aren't rising anytime soon.

One of the biggest things about Geitism, besides Yagi, is the cycle of life. They believe that in life, everything happens in cycles. The most important cycle is life and death, while they also believe history has a cycle, as well as space and time.

Story of Yagi
According to the stories passed down from generation to generation, the world was completely destroyed hundreds of thousands of years ago, wiping out every single living thing from that world. Some stories say it was from man-made war, others say a meteor came from space and its impact killed everything. From this destruction, Yagi was born. In every picture of him, he appears as a faun, but with a divine aura and the ability to use magic, something fauns do not have. Because of his divine influence, Yagi was able to care for himself even as an infant.

Still a young faun child, Yagi began to clean up the wasteland that became the world. As he traveled, he began to rebuild the world from scratch. When he created something, it began to reproduce and evolve into what it appears as now. Once the world was created, years after Yagi was born, he relaxed and traveled the world. He eventually settled in Kaimo, and made fauns in his image to be his loyal followers. As time continued to pass, Yagi grew older until he was an elder faun at the end of his life. But he told the fauns that someday he would return, and when he died the fauns believed him, and Geitism was born.

When Yagi died, Gabhars believe that his soul was scattered through nature and he became one with the world, which is why the religion is pantheism.

==  Holidays == 21 Dobrin – Kajeoo ae Yagi, “Yagi’s Birth”

In the past, Gabhars had their own version of the calendar with their version of the 21st of Dobrin being their new year. Since then, they changed their calendar to the common calendar. Kajeoo ae Yagi is the most important and biggest holiday in Geitism.

Back before Kaimo was overrun by Zann soldiers, Gabhars from all over would travel to the capitol Dixie to partake in a near country-wide celebration. The entire day would be spent partying and making merry, with feasting and drinking as well as music and dancing. Today, it’s a much more private celebration. Usually households hold their own celebration, mostly a small feast and dancing. One tradition for Kajeoo is planting flowers to symbolize Yagi’s birth in this world.

 9 Mino – Supema ae Yagi “Yagi’s Rest”

This day is thought to be the day Yagi finished rebuilding the world and relaxed. On this day, Gabhars are encouraged to relax and restrain from hard labor. It’s a good time to spend with family and enjoy each other’s company, too. Traditionally, Gabhars spent all day outside in forests or someplace else surrounded with nature, imitating Yagi when he finished recreating the world.

16 Inaol – T’aeme ae Yagi “Yagi’s Death”, also L’ooli de T’aemepa “Day of the Dead”

This day celebrates and remembers Yagi’s death and his promise to the world of his return. Lately it’s also becoming a day to remember those who have died in the past year, which is why it’s been called L’ooli de T’aemepa as well, as a general term.

To celebrate this holiday, Gabhars make memorials for those who had passed away since last T’aeme ae Yagi (this is usually done by placing their names and year of death of something like a rock) and place them in secluded places such as deep in a forest or in a cave. This is so when someone stumbles across the place, they’ll see the memorial and think of the person who died.

Gabhars believe that after death, they are reincarnated depending on how they lived their life. For those who lived fulfilling lives and deserve a break, they are reincarnated as a plant so they can relax and live in peace. For those who took advantage of their life or died with too many regrets, they are born as animals who have to fight and struggle to survive. After that life, they are reincarnated as humanoids again. It’s known as the “Life Cycle”.

Minor Holidays

Minor holidays are celebrating equinoxes and solstices. There aren’t any special names for them, and the ceremonies are calm compared to the major holidays. Most just involve a feast and spending time with family, much like Supema ae Yagi but without the significance of resting.

== Praying == Geitism has two forms of prayers: informal prayers and formal prayers called “Ritual Prayers”.

Ritual Prayers are performed with what is called a “Yagi Circle”, a circular pattern either drawn directly on the floor/ground (usually in a Gabhar’s home or surrounding area) or on a sheet used specifically for rituals. Gabhars recite prayers that are taught and passed down through the generations in the middle of the circle, and usually have to put a drop of their blood on the circle to show dedication to Yagi. Ritual Prayers must be practiced once a week.

Informal prayers are performed without a Yagi Circle. Gabhars recite similar but shorter prayers once a day, usually before they go to sleep.

Beliefs of Geitism
Geitism isn’t strict about specific foods, instead encouraging Gabhars to eat whatever they please as long as they keep their body healthy. They are taught about the cycle of life, and how eating animals isn’t a sin but instead it helps keep the world balanced. Herbivores eat plants, and omnivores and carnivores eat herbivores and each other until they die and become the earth, feeding plants. And thus the cycle begins anew. But if a Gabhar feels comfortable being vegan, Geitism doesn’t look down at them.

Gabhars are taught not to hate other religions and make peace with nonbelievers, even if they do not wish to convert to Geitism. They even don’t care if a fellow Gabhar falls in love and marries someone of a different faith. As long as they find a way to live in peace where both of them are happy, they support them.

Geitism isn’t run by priests or anything of the like. It’s run by the individual and the household themselves, with parents and guardians passing their knowledge down to their children. Because of this, Geitism is one of the most diverse religions because every family ends up having their own stories and traditions that have changed as they were passed down.

The only rule for Gabhars to follow, like commandments, is to live peacefully. As long as they don't harm another humanoid, they can do whatever they please. Murder is greatly looked down upon, and the victim is given a special ceremony to “set their soul free” while the murderer is more or less banished. Funerals have some singing and dancing in it, and though at first the death of a loved one is sad, Gabhars are taught to celebrate their death because they’re becoming part of nature, and thus part of Yagi.

Weddings are a big deal for Gabhars, because two people love each other enough to become one with each other. Before Kaimo was overrun, weddings were cause for public celebrations with singing, dancing, games, and of course a great feast. Divorce is looked down at greatly, but it is allowed if the two truly feel that way and wish to go their separate ways.

For fauns, the main population of Gabhars, the coming of age ceremony happens when they turn 45, 15 human years. For other humanoid Gabhars, their coming of age ceremony is when they turn the equivalent of 15 human years. The ceremony itself is quite tame compared to other festivities, mostly time to be with family and plan for the future ahead. In fact, birthdays in general are not quite as big of a deal in Geitism. There aren’t celebrations like other holidays. Mostly it’s a day to spend with family and be thankful that they’ve lived another year.

To Gabhars, souls are their way of being connected to nature, and thus connected to Yagi. Gahbars do not believe they can talk directly to Yagi, because Yagi is dead with his essence is scattered throughout nature. They do believe that if they pray to nature Yagi’s soul can hear them and quite possibly use nature to answer their prayers.

There aren’t a lot of gender roles. The only gender-specific task is women caring for their children with the man caring for his wife. When children become adults at the coming of age ceremony, it sort of becomes their job to also take care of their parents while their parents care for them.

Sex isn’t a big deal; it can create life, so it’s a positive thing and lovers can do it if they please. But if a woman gets pregnant and can’t or doesn’t want care for a child, they’re looked down upon. Nudity, however, is more of a private thing.

Love is another natural thing, so Geitism lets them do what they want with love. Whether it’s homosexual or heterosexual or anything in between, they let it happen. However, love is usually only between two people.

Drugs and alcohol aren’t fully looked down upon by Geitism, but then again it isn’t really a good thing. Alcohol is more disliked than most drugs (though wine is reserved and used for holidays), mostly because lots of drugs are plant-based and so when someone takes them they’re more “connected to nature”. Completely man-made drugs are looked down upon.

Geitism says that people of all species start out good, but through time they can become corrupted so they must becoming more devoted as they grow older to stay “pure”.