Salmonism

Salmonism is a widespread religion in Jagdas, built over a belief regarding sea life, the name is derived from the Salmon the religion appears to be based on. Having 3 official holy sites, Salmonism appears to be among the more prevalent religions in Jagdas, despite not being heavily involved politically with war or law. Salmonism is among the more unique religions, in its belief that a nation of opposing religion may be respected if it at least respects and embraces a level of Salmonist culture.

In Salmonism, there is only one Goddess, named Eldress. Her appearance is never discussed, and details vary depending upon who you may ask. For example, Rovina believes that Eldress takes the shape of any other fish, yet guarded heavily by her own angels. Salmonism also presents a pope, of which is currently Keechoo, the leader of The Free State of Rovina.

The Holy Sea
The Holy Sea is a book written on Salmonism, taking a near biblical meaning in the religion. Unlike most religious literature, The Holy Sea instead details the beliefs of Salmonism and "what it means to be Salmonist". Declaring an overview of the history, practices, and beliefs of the religion, The Holy Sea is 26 pages long composed of 7 parts.


 * History
 * Practice
 * Belief
 * Action
 * Holy Actions
 * Unholy Actions
 * Conclusion

Due to the lack of documented history on the origins of Salmonism, The Holy Sea is a book that has been heavily relied upon for understanding the possible origins of Salmonism. The Holy Sea claims that Salmonism dates back anywhere from thousands to millions of years, or at least to around when fishing was common practice.

Reincarnation
Upon one's death, it is believed that you will be reincarnated as a fish depending on how loyal you were to Eldress.

Squids are considered sinners, yet, akin to every other fish, are treated with respect in Salmonism. Squids may also be the reincarnated version of a king, or any sort of leader, if they have not properly embraced Salmonism and shown their beliefs with dignity. This can range from performing a simple Holy Action to ensuring their people are Salmonist.

Cod are considered to be the average person, though some believe that cod are also those who have sinned, though not enough for Eldress to be disappointed by them. This belief has never been confirmed or denied by Eldress, as Eldress is believed to have stated she will not directly speak on anything until the time is right.

Salmon are the holy people, the people of good will. Even those who are not Salmonists can become a salmon in their next life if they have embraced a fair degree of Salmonist culture.

Tropical Fish are much holier than Salmon, refusing to sin and frequently abiding by the rules of consuming fish presented in Salmonism.

Dolphins are even holier than Tropical Fish, though are also comprised of those simply born as Dolphins. So not every dolphin is a reincarnated holy man, though each dolphin is expected to be given the same level of respect despite this. If given enough respect, dolphins are believed to lead you to treasures bestowed upon you by Eldress.

Pufferfish are considered past rulers who have embraced Salmonism, and avoided their fate as squids. They are expected to be given the same respect as Dolphins. The belief for this result through reincarnation is derived from the spikes of the pufferfish, akin to a king's crown. Distinguishing what leader the pufferfish is is possible, but is extremely difficult. For this reason, it is preferred to simply respect their boundaries.

Guardians, as described by The Holy Sea, "are considered angels, protecting any remnant of Eldress and her reign on our own realm. To enter their fortress can only be done through peace. No one has been considered holy enough to do this yet". The act of entering a guardian's fortress without permission from any sort of holy man of Salmonism, or Eldress, is viable reason for the nation the man belongs to to be subject to coalition by the Salmonist nations.

Other fish, such as sea turtles, are exempt from this fate of reincarnation, and are expected the same respect as dolphins.

Pope
Salmonism involves itself with the idea of popes, akin to Catholic religions. There may only be one pope at a time, who has loose control over Salmonist nations. It is expected for these nations to treat the pope with high regard. The current, and only, pope is Keechoo. The next pope will come into power when the pope orders it, and it is accepted by whoever it was offered to.

Powers
popes are considered holy enough to understand the commands of Eldress, even without her direct speech. The powers of the pope are listed below, from the most commonly practiced to the lesser known.


 * 1) Blessings are by far the most often issued, and are typically used unto someone the pope knows is holy, or a nation of which properly practices Salmonism. Blessing an entity that doesn't follow Salmonism, or does and commonly sins against it, are considered faulty. A pope may be withdrawn from their position if this occurs too often.
 * 2) Holy Sites may be declared, though only one is allowed per nation. The exception to this is Rovina, or any other nation that has held more than 3 popes. In this scenario, two are allowed. A holy site may be removed from a nation and replaced with a new one, in the scenario the original is replaced or a more holy site is established.
 * 3) Crusades are issued in cases where a nation frequently violates or dishonors Salmonism, or has captured another town or nation that follows Salmonism. The latter has a few criteria, such as refusing to allow them to embrace Salmonism, or attempting to exert their own religion upon them, but it is not frowned upon to ignore this.
 * 4) Taxing is when the pope declares that they are nearing debt, or incapable of maintaining their nation or town for any longer. This can only be issued by popes who are mayors or leaders, and must be backed with evidence. Enough money should be provided to keep them running for 2 more days. Not everyone is expected to contribute in this act.

Holy Sites
There are 3 declared Holy Sites of Salmonism. Two of which are in Rovina, which considers itself to be the founder of Salmonism in Jagdas. The first area to be declared a Holy Site is The Salmonist, or Salmon, Chapel, a 12-block tall structure made of stone brick that has plans for renovation later on. The Chapel contains the original issue of The Holy Sea and is where future copies are made and distributed.

The second area is the Tower of Salmonism, tower created on 8/21/2020 and finished on August 24th. It is roughly 60 blocks tall, and is meant to serve as the main building of Rovina upon its completion. This is despite the fact it is barely within the borders of Rovina's control.

The third, and only, holy site outside of Rovina currently is Fort Moss. This is due to the sponge that was naturally found in the area, and the Salmonist culture embraced there.

Other Religions
In Salmonism, pope Keechoo has declared G0NF to be a philosopher, and not a God of any kind. This is backed by G0NF's own statements, where he has said he is not a God whatsoever. Overall, Salmonism has taken a somewhat hostile relation with extremists.

Kelpism, while not fully understood, is deemed to be a subsect of Salmonism by pope Keechoo. This may be a misunderstanding regarding ocean related beliefs.