Dulaborism

Short Overview
Dulaborism is the paganistic faith focused on the worship of the Dulaboros, the twin snakes of Life and Death. Worshipers believe that either the Dulaboros are responsible for the creation of the world or are representations of the many aspects of the universe. Worshipers also honour various spirits associated with the Dulaboros, which help represent more specific and prominent aspects of the world.

''The Dulaboros is not related to the Ouroboros of the Dygrathos faith. At least we don’t think so. We’ve asked but have never gotten a straight answer.''

Main Beliefs
The Dulaboros primarily represents nature itself, the constant cycle of rebirth and destruction that is inherent in all living things, even in the earth itself. The Dulaboros is ultimately one, despite being made up of two deities. One can never truly separate the Twin Snakes from each other, for there cannot be one without the other.

Core Tenets:


 * 1) Nature is sacred.  The bounty that nature provides allows mortals to thrive, building civilisation and society. Thus it is the duty of all believers to care for it. Forests must be nurtured, damage to the wilds undone and refuse cleaned up. Destruction wrought upon the world by natural and manmade forces must be repaired. Overgrowth and reckless creation must be cleared out.  The world is a garden, care for it.
 * 2) View the world as it is.  Nature is filled with many boundless mysteries and secrets that mortals will never truly comprehend. Thus it is important to almost never delude yourself from known truths. It is a virtue to question the ways of the world but do not dawdle down obviously purposeless paths unless evidence suggests it might actually lead somewhere. Many allow faith to blind them from real evidence. Do not fall into the same trap. Pursue what is truth and do not allow harmful untruths into your life.   In contrast, do not worry too much about harmless untruths. Simply list them all and make sure you know them. Let them bring you comfort when you feel you need it.
 * 3) Feelings are boundless.  Some in this world try to repress their emotions, believing them to be evil or that to feel makes them evil. This is saddening. The world has gifted you many brilliant emotions, so go out and feel them! How else can one know themselves if they have not explored the extent of their feelings? Each and every emotion has its place, from love and happiness to anger, sadness and even jealousy and greed. Every single emotion has a way of being expressed positively and negatively, and every single one is important to maintaining a healthy mind. So love what or who you love, feel joy or rage at the state of the world, mourn for what you have lost and gaze greedily at what you have yet to gain. Simply remember one thing: You control your emotions, do not let them control you. They are your tools, do not let them turn you into a monster. If you feel them starting to consume you it may be time to turn away from them for a while.  Feelings are like fruits: Sometimes we learn which ones aren’t very good for us.
 * 4) Change is the only constant  The Cycle of Creation and Destruction is eternal, and with it comes change. This force is unstoppable and will come for all in time. Thus as circumstances change it would do you well to change and adapt to them. If you are unhappy with the way things are put in the work and effort to change them. This may apply to your environment, home, faith, ideology, politics and even your own form. Those who sit in stagnation and squalor and do nothing to fix it if they are able have only themselves to blame.  However, maintaining something and keeping it in its current state is no sin either. Those who can maintain the beloved landmarks and relics of the world far beyond their expected life spans deserve only your respect, for they have beaten back the motions of the Cycle, at least for a time.

Clergy
The priesthood of the Dulaboros is not overly complex, having only three ranks. Technically any priest could interpret the will of the Duloboros and its associated spirits, but they are expected to present their interpretations to a higher ranked priest if they have access to one. The higher ranked priest will decide how valid or accurate the interpretation is, accepting or rejecting it depending on their assessment.

High Priest

The High Priest is the highest ranked member of the faith. It is their job to both settle any disputes within the priesthood and guide the faithful spiritually. Theoretically more than one High Priest could exist, but this would require either the commendation of another High Priest, a large amount of clergy or a very large amount of faithful.

As of right now, there is only one High Priest: LazySnake7

Bishop

A bishop is the second highest ranked member of the faith. This rank is bestowed on those who lead grand temples of the faith or have been promoted by a High priest. They are responsible for leading the faithful when a High Priest is not available for whatever reason, or in fulfilling the wishes of a High Priest when they are.

Current number: 0

Priest

A humble priest of the Dulaboros is the third highest rank of the faith. Their duty is to maintain shrines and temples of the faith and to provide guidance to the faithful. They are encouraged to seek out the wisdom of higher ranked priests, to learn from them and dispense this wisdom to others when needed. Priests are typically trained and appointed by High Priests and Bishops.

Current number: 0

History
Dulaborism was first practiced by those that settled the island that would come to be known as Snakegarden.

The faith originated from the High Priest LazySnake, who was struck by divine revelation while attempting to heal the old wounds of the island of Snakegarden. The process of tearing down the island’s old broken forest and planting a new one helped them see the will of the Dulaboros. With this revelation LazySnake began to preach and try to convert his fellow colonists to this new faith. It wasn’t hard, as they too had stayed to heal the wounds of Snakegarden, thus they were easily convinced that their originally ideological mission was now also a religious one.

Deities
 The Green Snake 

The Creator, representation of Life. This half of the Dulaboros is responsible for everything related to the act of creation. From the growing of plants, the hammering of a blacksmith to even the writings and ideas of a wise man. When a practitioner practices their craft, it is usually the Green Snake they keep in mind and pray to. There is no greater artistry than the ridging of leaves or the patterns of snowflakes, but the Green Snake appreciates any effort to emulate their many wondrous creations, no matter how small.

 The Black Snake 

The Destroyer, representation of Death. This half of the Dulaboros is responsible for everything related to the act of destruction. From the pounce of a predator, the clash of a sword or the quacking of the earth itself. When a warrior prays for strength or a farmer wishes for his crop to be spared, it is usually the Black Snake they keep in mind and pray to. The Black Snake revels in tearing things apart in a myriad of different and creative ways, and respects anyone that either does the same or is strong enough to resist such chaos.

Although it may seem surprising, worshipers do not view the Black Snake as evil. They are just as essential to the act of creation as the Green Snake is to the act of destruction. For how else would a blacksmith practice their craft without breaking down the ores of the earth? How else would a carpenter or stone mason build houses without chopping down trees or carving stones to pieces?

 The Red Lady 

The Firekeeper. The Red Lady is a spirit made by the Dulaboros to represent fire, a crucial element to both of them. Even though fire is inherently a destructive element and a favoured tool of the Black Snake, it is also crucial for the continued existence of society.

The Red Lady is an extremely passionate being, a wild and chaotic force that rarely can be brought to heel. Yet a skilled hand can tame fire, making it calm and useful for mortals. Thus she is often the patron both of warriors and sentinels, who will often pray to her and paint her symbol on their gear for good luck.

The Red Lady is often viewed as a goddess of both war and love, showing little restraint for who she is willing to show her affections or anger. Her symbol is the red sun, for which she is also a representation.

Popular belief holds that she is the consort of the Blue Lady.

 The Blue Lady 

The Waterguard. The Blue Lady is a spirit made by the Dulaboros to represent water, a crucial element to both of them. Even though water is inherently an element of creation, as it is part of almost every living thing, the Black Snake has had great success in using it to cause great destruction.

The Blue Lady is a calm being in her natural state, prone to incredible stillness and silence when left undisturbed. Yet when roused her fury is legendary, considered on par with that of the Red Lady. She is often the patron of farmers and scholars, the former appreciating her life giving waters and the latter appreciating and trying to emulate her thoughtfulness.

The Blue Lady is often viewed as a goddess of wisdom and knowledge, always thinking things through and approaching things after much consideration. Her symbol is the blue moon, for which she is also a representation.

Popular belief holds that she is the consort of the Red Lady.

 Kissa 

The Cat goddess. Kissa is a spirit made by the Dulaboros to represent cats, specifically. Why the Dulaboros felt that cats specifically needed a spirit is unknown to us, but few people complain. Kissa is a lazy spirit that likes food and often adopts random creatures she finds on her hunts. So basically a cat.

Kissa is much beloved and is often a patron of those who like cats.