Tulukatva

Tulukatva (Halēnawega: ꦠꦸꦭꦸꦏꦠꦙ), also known as the Faith of the Wheel, is a faith originally from the Mejakepai isles. It serves as the country's official faith, ideology, and philosophy of a way of life.

Belief and Philosophy
Tulukatva views that sentient beings live six lives, rather than one life. When someone dies, their spirit is reborn into another being, though it will always be the same race that it died in. They are also six principles that make up a person. These principles are based off of: Martial, Intelligence, Etique, Magnetism, Karma and Wisdom. Each of these lives are all connected together, and are even often mixed. Therefore, one can live all six of their lives with two or more of them in their lifestyles. Caste doesn’t really seem to matter, except for Etique and Magnetism, which focuses more on the upper and middle classes of life.

The concept of the six lives are all connected on a wheel. Each life is thought to be shown to be a different aspect of the principles, which a person lives through a different aspect of said principle. For example, if one lives a life as a general, the next life they will likely live as a scholar, and the next they will live as a merchant.

Although not everyone will live the life the same way, at one point or another, they will eventually reach the final stage of their journey, which is the elusive seventh life, which is said to be in the center of the wheel. This is where they will meet the divine, and to assist in creating a world to govern it. If they succeed in living a reign of which all six principles are followed correctly, they will pass into the eighth realm, which is said to be a paradise permanently. However, if one fails to do so, they will relive one or up to six lives again to master said principle. If one is to follow one or all of them in a cruel, tyrannical manner, the individual will be sent to one or six hells of the principles, where they will suffer through the misdeeds they had done for a period of time, before being sent back to live one or six of their lives again as a second chance to re-do their misdeeds. If one’s soul is irredeemable, they will be sent to a seventh hell permanently.

The concept of a sentient being according to Tulukatva, are beings that are able to think independently, able to communicate with others in a comprehensible sense, able to use technology to benefit others, able to feel emotions that would befall them, and is able to contribute toward building society with others of its own kind. Sentient beings are known as “kera” which include but are not limited to: the Javepakata, Batake, Koravi and Shivara. Non-sentient beings are known as “keva”, which include but are not limited to: Orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinoceroses.

Martial
A martial person is often seen as something brought forth by Galarios himself, with prophets of Galarios foreseeing one's life who starts in this stage as those who have the potential of becoming an emboldened hero in some way. Whether it be, becoming a soldier, a professional fighter for entertainment, engineer or even a war tactician or strategist, the marital life is full of ambition, adventure, tests of skill, discipline, and eagerness. A martial life can usually end quickly, as warriors are not really meant to last long. However, if one is careful, and to keep to their meditation, as well as to their wit, they may live perhaps the longest in this life.

Intelligence
A person of intelligence is often viewed as those who were born to be patient, calm people. While their brothers and/or sisters or others play roughhouse, the one who lives the life of intelligence will often be quiet, and isolate themselves, either reading, or studying the ways of doing varying trades. Often, they will see themselves as trying to find solutions to issues, and how to counter problems that may arise from them. Those with enough intelligence, can live quite long, as they usually do not attempt to make rash decisions. The intelligent life is that of calm, collective, peaceful, smart, and meditative.

Etique
A person full of etique is often seen as the life of which many of the rich and pompous live under: looking proper, smelling nice, and feeling their bellies full every night. It is that of a peak of material wealth, and is often seen as a prestigious and lucky type of life. Although this is an uncommon life to live, it can also bring forth challenges, as one must always keep up a good look, else, it all falls apart. Sometimes, there are those who use these looks for cloak and dagger, and it is not uncommon to see assassins with nice clothes on. The etique life is that of properness, perkness, cleanliness, charm, and flirtatiousness.

Magnetism
The person of magnetism can go either way. The test of character, and the test of how one talks to people, comes with many consequences both positive and negative. However, this can be used to an advantage either way, for those who make many enemies, can bring them all close together, and take them out easily, while those with many friends can earn positions, and lots of money. Those who live the magnetist life are seen as gregarious, smooth, happy, positive, and ingenious.

Karma
Karma in itself is about keeping the humors in check. Often, one will make good decisions, and others, make bad decisions. A double edge sword, one who lives a life of Karma knows that they cannot live a perfect life, and that they must live through the suffering of the rather difficult decisions that lay ahead of them. If one goes overboard, it can lead to a quick end to their life, but if one keeps smart, and uses negative decisions to benefit themselves, but also positive decisions to benefit others, they can live long and fruitful lives. A person who lives a karma lifestyle is often mixed, and can sometimes even show signs of depression and demotivation. But if one is encouraged, they can live a lot better.

Wisdom
A person of Wisdom is by far the most rewarding, and satisfying of them all. Dispersing knowledge to those who need it, a person who lives as a wise man can often see themselves being respected, and loved by others. The world often needs wisdom, and therefore, wisdom is needed to help keep those in check, to keep rulers in check. They are valued advisors in anyone's court, and sometimes, they can even click together with a person, and lifelong companionships are formed easier. Those who live a life of wisdom are peaceful, content, humble, modest and guiding.

The Six Lunacies
The Primordial Lunacies are the antitheses of the ideal within the wheel of lives. They are the results of twisting and corrupting the fundamental principles and straying away from the creator gods. They pull a veil of sin and vice over the true purpose of life, often causing their victims to ravenous fates.

Each caste has a lunacy looming in its shadows, waiting to harvest the souls of the tempted. Upon death from a lunacy, the life the lunacy plagued will be skipped on the wheel, and the soul will wait until living through it again in order to redeem themselves.

Carnage
Carnage, the Lunacy of the Martials ills the warriors who forgot the greater purpose of the battles they fight, but choose to continue the bloodshed nonetheless. What starts as a rise in competitive spirit only grows into a more savage desire for renown. The afflicted begin to crave both receiving and inflicting scars, considering them a rite of passage for true glory. Pain will become their only goal, and when they cannot force it on someone else, they will inflict it upon themselves. The carnaged perish either in vigorous battle or during twisted self-mutilation.

Revelation
Revelation, the Lunacy of the Intelligent haunts the men who crave answers to questions their mind was never meant to understand, and scholars who think themselves as superior to the limits of sentient knowledge. It begins with aspirations of a great discovery, designed artificially by the lunacy as bait. The wish to discover this grand but false truth makes the afflicted push the limits of both the physical realm and their own minds. Undeniably impossible concepts become possible to them, and all the rules blocking them from achieving their great discovery become nothing more than guidelines. The afflicted will eventually perish in their mad pursuit.

Glamor
Glamor, the Lunacy of the Etique preys on the pompous who have been blinded by their comfortable lives, and now fail to grasp its purpose. It causes all vestiges of the conscious mind to evaporate. What little remains of the afflicted soul’s morality follows suit. The pursuit of pleasure becomes the only goal in the lives of the glamorous. They will not hesitate to blindly sacrifice their wealth for their cravings’ sake, sacrificing their own lives shortly after.

Megalomania
The charismatic public speakers and leaders who find themselves superior to the commoner are devoured by Megalomania, the lunacy of the Magnetic. Power becomes the infected person's ultimate goal, and the ethical restrictions preventing them grow ever smaller. Anything defying the afflicted’s sense of superiority becomes their target, which they will attempt to ruthlessly destroy. They will crawl to the top, only to usually be kicked down from it shortly after.

Decadence
Those who search for balance only for its own sake find themselves in the jaws of Decadence, the lunacy of the Karmic. The afflicted grow more and more deranged as they wish to equalize everything around them. Everything becomes justification for vengeance, ever worsening in scope. The decadent will burn everything around them in their delusional quest for true balance.

Apocalypse
Apocalypse, the lunacy of the wise, plagues the sages who believe themselves the conduits of time and the bringers of truth. False prophecies are shown before the eyes, poisoning the mind. A sense of dread and urgency fills the soul, and the afflicted desires to spread the false prophecies to the world.

The Divines
The faith is largely duotheistic, following the Goddess, Keblatam, who is described as the Queen of the Ocean, and the very mother of the world. Alongside her consort, Galarios, creator of both sentient and non-sentient life, the two serve an important role in the faith.

Keblatam
Keblatam is often said to be a mother who does not interfere in the affairs of mortals, and is seen as a wise mother, the one who’d give advice and guidance. Even though she views all life as precious, she also agrees with her husband that sometimes, fighting is needed for balance to be maintained upon all beings, sentient or non-sentient. Natural disasters are often attributed if Keblatam is not pleased with an action being committed that incurs negativity, although, this is not written anywhere that she herself does this, as there are very few recorded instances of her being upset. She is often portrayed as benevolent, understanding, forgiving, patient, and loving.

Galarios
Galarios represents the more ambitious side of the domination of the survival of the fittest, and often lends his hand in wars to those whom he sees worthy to forge empires in his name. He is often portrayed as an effeminate warrior father who encourages combat and fighting for dominating those who he views as weaker, whether it be their own kind or not. The only person he views as worthy to champion him in combat, is his own wife, which is often the reason why he respects her. Galarios follows a very particular code known as the Code of Galarios, which is to be followed by all soldiers, and warriors who are a part of the faith. Unlike Keblatam, Galarios is said to have a wrathful side for those who do not follow his code to the book, and violates it as a soldier or otherwise. Otherwise, he is seen as honorable, bold, beautiful, encouraging, optimistic and challenging.

The Wheel Maker
There is also a figure known as The Wheel Maker, which is an unknown figure that had created The Wheel in the name of the two gods, and is seen as an important figure to the Tulakatva faith. To this day, no one knows who The Wheel Maker is, or was, as well as their gender, race or whichever normal mortal identities. A theological theory may even suggest The Wheel Maker is metaphorical, and does not exist on the material plane, rather, is the child of both Galarios and Keblatam, however, some even suggest that the Wheel Maker is a divine themselves, even though this would be seen as heretical.

Holidays
Tulukatva often celebrates the Wheel Maker, usually in mid-summer, and his holiday is known as the "Day of the Wheel Maker". On odd numbered years, Keblatam is celebrated through flowers being thrown, gardens being planted around the cities that celebrate it, and overall celebrates the joys of life and peace. Meanwhile, Galarios is more militarist, with sword dancing shows, displays of soldiers cheering and chanting, and drinking, showing the optimism of having a warriors spirit.

Spring festivals are celebrated as well following the planting of the many crops, hoping that these rituals will give a good and ripe harvest, and to mitigate famine, starvation and disease. Cats are often seen, as they are seen as sacred creatures of Keblatam, and the warders of pestilance. Goat horns are often seen with ribbons on their heads as well as bulls and any creature that may have horns on them. Sentient life with tails will also be seen with red ribbons on them.

In the Tulukatva Calendar, there is no New Year, as it seen as Keblatam and Galarios' cycles, where half of the months is her presence, and the other with Galarios' half. Tulukatvans accept a "New Year" when the harvest is complete, and all the food is stored for the winter.

Prayers & Meditation
Tulukatvans often pray to ensure that they do not fall for the lunacies, and to achieve their six lives in an orderly and clean fashion. Prayer is often seen as a form of meditation as well, in which help cycles their thoughts to primarily focus on their life, and to achieve their goals, all the while calming temptations and desires for overly-ambitious goals. There is no punishment if one is unbalanced, but one may find it difficult to see a transparent picture on life or on a varying form of creativity.

Prayer ceremonies are often run by a Priest or Priestess that will usually have incense and braziers lit, as well as having a supply of six particular smokable objects that give visions, relaxation, and insight on an individuals progression and reflection on what may be an issue or not. Worship is often conducted through kneeling or through sitting quietly. Loud sounds are often discouraged, and is seen as a distraction.

Marriage
A Tulukatvan marriage is often preformed inside of a temple, where the two partners who are to be wed, are surrounded by their family members and friends, and are united through interlocking fingers on top of a brazier, where it symbolizes unity of the couple. As apart of their sacred oath, they are given chained rings, which will be placed around their fingers, and be severed by flame, which will be equivalent to committing to a life debt. As marriage is seen as a "for life" thing, divorce is not avaliable, and the only way one can be seperated from another is if the other dies and assumes a new life.

Death
Tulukatva believes that there are six lives, and as such, it is said if one dies, they will live out their remaining lives, until they are finally sent to their seventh life, which is not in the mortal world. It is by tradition to cremate the fallen, but burials of said body are not uncommon for the lower classes, as it is rare for one to afford a cremation.

Funeral rites are often preformed by a Mortician, which is a Priest who deals with the dead, and blesses them for their new life, or with their final life to hope for them to successfully ascend to the eight realm.

Gender
Tulukatva believes that ones gender is not assigned until they are at least they are at their stage equivalent to a young child. From there, they are free to choose whichever gender they believe they belong in, and will follow said path of that particular gender. This means it will not be uncommon to see a man dressed in women's clothing and taking on traditional women duties, or a woman dressed in men's clothing, taking on traditional male duties. Transitionalism is possible through the use of the Transition Ritual, a type of magic that is preformed by a Priest or Priestess of whichever respective gender one is. Once completed, said person's body will transform into said gender, and will remain said gender their whole life, as it is said that changing back usually leads to death for the individual.

Third-gendered people in nations that follow the Tulukatvan faith often have a separate prefix for them. Non-binary people in Tulukatva will often be referred to the closest gender that they resemble for simplicity, but may be referred to in neutral terms if possible.