Georgeism

Description
The Livro is a compilation of the teachings given by George to us, interpreted by the Patriarch of the Georgeist temple, Omanael, who listened to the chirps of the nether striders and learned their language, eventually he was taken to their lord, George, who told Omanael to take him to the overworld and aid him in his missionary endeavors. Through the days that followed, Omanael built the temple during the day, and listened to George during the night, becoming the link between man and strider.

The Livro
The life of George

In the beginning men were lost and cold, solitary and wandering aimlessly, then came the striders running free in the lava rivers and in their way they left a warm, lush earth, full of greenery for both man and animals, so that all could revel in a lively world. But then one strider realised that not all were capable of enjoying the blessing of lava, in fact, others were being hurt by the burning fields in which the strider-kind flourished, he was George, a strider of immense power and wisdom.

George used his strength to create a hole, but it was empty, George then cut himself for lava to pour forth, but it was barren, George then cut his flesh and made the land and forests, and he liked it, this place was suited for his flock, and he called it the Nether, but had given too much of himself and was tired, so he recluded himself to sleep and dream of his good work, where he still kept contact with men in the overworld trought dreams.

After eons past, on both the Nether and Rathnir, a man named Omanael had a dream where he heard a voice from the fire down below, he followed the voice into a nether Portal, eventually finding the great lord of fire, George, ready to return to the overworld and renovate his contract of friendship with all.

The Character of George

George is the god of fire, revelry, friendship, and liquor, he acts as the bridge between people, be it cordially or very lively. He is a quiet one for he does not speak through normal methods, but is always bearing a smile. His physical appearance is of a normal strider for he does not care for boasting, but if one is to have a dream visited by George, the person is to see his true nature and bask in a glorious visage of an enormous strider with five legs and five eyes, carrying a smile that emanates a conforting heat from his mouth.

He is considered a neutral good deity.

The Tolomar Temple and the Worship of George

The Temple is the main spot for worshiping the great George, since it’s where his physical body sits and watches over the faithfull. It is where he told Omanael to start spreading his word. The place where Omanael first learned the recipe for the holy liquor and now teaches it to other priests of George.

The Church of George probably celebrates the most festivals out of all the faiths of Rathnir. These revels are known collectively as the endless revels of life. Even daily events, such as the rising and setting of the sun, presented a chance for Georgeists to revel. Their most beloved festival is the Midsummer's Eve festival, where the pursuit of pleasure have no boundary.

The church of George has a hierarchy, but a very loose one and it tends to be a very personal religion, with one mostly relating to George as friend and not as a unreachable god. The Church's aims tend to revolve around the making of friends, partying and brewing.

Compared to the many other gods of Rathnir, George is well known for his relative silence, but he usually delivers visions through dreams to his worshipers, delivering both guidance and quests.

Georgeists pray to him at nightfall, when parties are usually starting.

Prayers directed to George usually come from the ones who might be far from family and friends, and are seeking their well being back at home, or for the health of an ill parent, or maybe even asking about guidance in relationships, ranging from intimate affairs to work related alliances. Some even pray to him for the festival of which they are preparing to proceed well and for all to have good times. Others might seek to mend cold or broken bonds, so that his warmth can reach and reignite such relationships. Where there is a link between people, there is George working in the sidelines. George also looks after brewers and the alchemycal process of alcohool making, many Atopolian brewers whisper the name of George even if they are not followers, for the trade of providing for marryment is a sacred role and is looked upon with honour.

War and battle is heavily frowned upon by George, since it means the ultimate lost of good relations between two parties, and it's the occasion where his presence is lost, for he turns his sight to the opposite way not to witness what is considered the ultimate sin since the winds of war usually extinguish the flames of passion.

Striders are the Georgeist symbol of trustworthiness and joy, since their lives revolves around gladly enjoying the moment, riding the lava with no other desire other than care to their offspring, always in herds appreciating each others company, never lifting a hand even against an aggressor.

Places of worship are not dictated to be grandiose, but can be very small indeed, all that is needed is for the place to be the spot of a named strider where he can be comfortable, the place must be consecrated by a priest of George by having a ‘red dye’ throw into the lava spot where the strider will remain and the name of the strider will usually be told to the priest after the ritual by George, or it will be told in dreams.

The Atopolian Pantheon

The Georgeist sect is an integral part of the Atopolian pantheon, based in Atopolis, it mostly consists of deities from the South-East part of Tortuga. George is one of the four great Gods.

The pantheon has major and minor deities, who each rule an specific element of the world.

Followers

Followers of George are called Georgeists, they must carry a lantern blessed by a priest and the ritual must be witnessed by a named strider. This lantern serves as a focal point for the warmth of George to be transmitted into the follower's life.

If a follower of George is to ever ride a strider for any reason, George dictates that it must be done in the most respectful manner possible, for the bond between man and strider is holy. The strider is to be named and whenever the rider is to mount his strider companion, his allowance to be ridden must be thanked, ALWAYS.

Also if one is to show faith in George, a ‘Red Dye’ is to be framed over the door of his or her home.

The Appointment of the Gods

The Appointment of the Gods is the most important ritual in all of Fesdros Worship. Once a month Fesdros and Yldal meet on Mount Fesdros. It is the duty of all Fesdros worshipers to join them in their communion. The ritual itself consists of the reading of poems around the Communal Flame, the giving of offerings into the Communal Flame, as well as a feast, all of which will take place at the Atopolis Temple.

Priests

Priests of George are forbidden to wear armor of any kind, for the priest must strive to be a symbol of friendship and happiness, George frowns upon conflicts and always encourages for a friendly compromise to be found between conflicting parties, in their ordinance to become a priest, they swear an oath of pacifism.

A priest who harms a strider is to be stripped of his position and shamed by all.

Priests of George must try and help the community in which they live in, or are passing through. Organizing parties, helping brewers, settling conflicts, bringing striders to a town who knows not of their marvelousness, performing the rituals of consecrating holy lanterns and naming striders for a place of worship of George.

George’s Fire Liquor

'Boiled with nether’s fire, this drink is made in fine crafted barrels, with hellish ingredients, giving it a velvety yet strong spicy taste, accompanied with it’s most quirky and characteristic tongue numbing effect, it only lasts a couple seconds, but that’s what it’s appreciators most look for.

The drink is used also in religious rituals in the Georgeanist faith, and the rights of producing it are only given to the priest caste. This is done to retain the purity of the original recipe and avoid the bastardization of the beverage. '

The liquor is to be used to bless new followers of the faith, but can also be sold by a priest of George for income to sustain him and a temple of the faith.

The recipe is sacred and can only be taught to a ordained priest of George, the learning of the liquor’s recipe is holy, part of the duties of the priest with George himself, who taught it as part of his sacred teachings to Omanael.

A priest is forbidden to teach the recipe to anyone but another priest or he will be stripped of his position.

The Patriarch

The Patriarch is Omanael, he is the head of George’s Worship. Having a direct connection to George himself, the Patriarch has the final word on all doctrinal issues within George’s worship. The Patriarch carries out the duties of a priest in the Tolomar temple. He wears a symbol of George in his neck at all times, and can bless anyone who asks with the warmth of George.

Priest Training

A priest can train another priest on the holy teachings of George, but the trainee must be able to perform all rituals by memory to be able to go forth and perform his duties, also, the trainee must produce a 5 star batch of ‘George’s Fire Liquor’. All gender can become priests of George.

Weekly Ritual

Every week the Priest of George must brew a bottle of 5 star ‘George’s Fire Liquor’ and drink it in the nether, to remember the power of George in his holy realm and mission to spread a good time whenever he may be.

Striderlings

The most devout of the Georgeists are able to achieve the ultimate demonstration of faith, transforming themselves into striderlings, a humanoid with strider characteristics. They are looked very favourably by Georgeists of all kinds.

The Lost Chapters of the Livro
Some fragments of text which were found on a isolated cave inside the nether, they relate to some non-canon history of Georgeism and also some ritual worshiping, they were completely ruined by time, since they were kept in poor conditions, making it hard to define some aspects of it.

It's writer is believed to be an early follower who filled the lore of Georgeism, but definitely not the later canon writers of the Livro. The texts are generally accepted by the temple, but still must be read with caution on it's account of the life of George or the main charater, Grogothstritolne since it implies on the essence of George himself.