Tokkotism

Tokkotism is a native religion of the people of the Kabryesteka n tundra. It centers around worship of heat and fire in the harsh and cold tundra. They believe that heat is the most powerful force in the World, but cold is also needed for balance and because it hardens people and makes them stronger. They believe that constant struggle between gods ensures this status quo.

Tokkote
In the harsh and cold tundra, Tokkote spreads heat and warmth. He is the diety of fire, thunder and lightning, and family. He and Gyermin are the greatest enemies. He is usually described as a kind, old man, with very long beard, riding his bear through tundra. He uses lightning to ignite fire to people who lack it, but may abandon vile people for their misdeeds.

Practicing:
Communication: Every faithful can talk to Tokkote and ask Him for guidance or thank Him through any flame that has been kindled on this Earth. When a Tokkotite needs help from Tokkote they can just create a fireplace and talk to him.

Sacrifices: When a Tokkotite wants Tokkote to aid him in any activity, he can sacrifice meat, blood or any valuable possesion to the flames by burning it and then pray to Tokkote to hear his begging.

Ukke
Ukke is the god of the Sun and son of Tokkote. He is tasked with a mission to deliver a little warmth to everyone, while His Father gives much heat to those in need. He is depicted as a very young and kind adult.

Practicing
Communication: To talk to Ukke you must raise your hands into the sky and turn your face towards the Sun.

Prayers: Every morning every faithful goes out, in front of their door and pray to Ukke to help them survive this day. In the evening they do the same except now they thank Him for helping them live another day.

Gyermin
Gyermin is the god of hunting and coldness. The biggest and oldest of the trees are believed to be tips of his arrows which have molded and rooted themselves in the soil giving birth to the first trees. He usually is described as a young beardless man wandering tundra looking for a game to hunt. He uses snowstorm to hide when Tokkote finds him.

Practicing:
Communication: To commune with Gyermin you must get away from any heat, into the Tundra and shout to him. He is out there and He might hear your prayers and aid you. Gyermin doesn't want any sacrifices as He can sustain himself on his own.

Rotke
Rotke is a god of night and the moon. He has been created to Gyermin to be His envoy, to listen to the prayers of people in hiding, who can't shout to Him. He listens to people's prayers and then reports them to Gyermin.

Practicing:
Communication: To pray to Rotke you must turn towards the Moon and raise your hands to it.

Yuharke
She is the goddess of rivers, fish and fishermen. She is usually described as a hybrid of a woman and a fish. She dictates where the fish go and shows up in dreams of fishermen to guide them to the best spots to fish the next day. She is also responsible for cleansing new believers of any curses they may bring to the Tribe.

Practicing:
Communication: Tokkotite can commune with Yuharke by going into the river until his neck is submerged and quietly pray to her and ask for aid.

Kutke
He is the god of death and ruler of the underworld. He is usually described as a beardless man with a white fox as his companion. He is son of Tokkote. He is responsible for deciding fate of dead people in the afterlife. In recent years, after settling of the Kabryestekan Tribe, he became the patron of miners. They pray to him and make sacrifices because underground is closer to the Underworld where his influence is stronger.

Practicing:
Communication: To start, Tokkotite must hit the ground five times to alert Kutke and make Him listen. Then, with his face as close to earth, he prays and asks for aid.

Sacrifices: Tokkotite can sacrifice blood, meat or berries to Kutke, for Him to feed himself and His white fox. This can ensure the God's gratitude and He can then aid the faithful in some of their actions.

Khayra
She is the goddess of the Earth and destiny and patron of mothers. She is sister of Tokkote. She is usually described as a kind old woman who brings good advices to vile people in their sleep for them to change. She is responsible for fertiling soil and guiding people in their life. When a woman is expected to give birth, everyone in her closest family prays to Khayra for the baby to be born strong and healthy.

Practicing:
Communication: To talk to Khayra, Tokkotite must go before his door just before going to sleep raise his hands and talk to the skies and ask Khayra to appear in his dreams. Then he goes to bed with hope that She heard his plead and will appear in the sleep.

Birth celebrations: Everyone in the closest family of a woman who is expected to give birth hangs a branch of berry bushes, which symbolize growth and sustenance in the Tundra, above their doors until the baby is born. After birth, the branches are then taken and burned in the fireplace of the family's home.

Bu'utkirr
He is the god of war, honour and trade. He is usually described as a long-bearded man with an axe and shield. All soldiers must proclaim worship to him to have their kills forgiven. However if a soldier becomes a traitor or acts without an honor in the battle he will lose protection of Ku'utkirr and all his murders will doom him in the afterlife. All traders pray to him as they believe it will help them in turning profit that day.

Practicing:
Communication: To commune with Bu'utkirr, Tokkotite must get on his knees and raise his hands and then pray to Him.

Before battle: Before embarking to a battlefield every soldier that is going to fight must go to a praying hall in their armoury and ask Bu'utkir for guidance and forgiveness and ensure Him that the blood will be spilled only for good cause.

After battle: A soldier who have just finished fighting a real battle must immidiately get on his knees and forgive for his kills and ensure that the blood was spilled only in good cause.

Creation of World
The first two gods were siblings, Tokkote and Khayra. They created Earth and made it a warm and kind place for humans to live in. Tokkote prescribed rulership of the Underworld to his son, Kutke. The new god was still young and very curious. He was running many kinds of experiments, one of which ended in creation of Gyermin. He then started fighting his way through hordes of animals and monsters Kutke tried to stop him with. He was fighting with a bow and tips of his arrows which stuck through the floor can be seen in the world today. He managed to escape the Underworld and started to engulf the Earth in coldness. When Tokkote got to know what happened his kind nature and wiseness kept him from scolding his son and taking away his rulership. He has seen it as only a little accident of a child. He embarked to find Gemini and kill him. He has been looking for 10 days until finally finding him and stricking him with his lightning. Gyermin has summoned the Great Snowstorm and got away however and is still spreading coldness around the World.

The Legend of Bu'utkirr
Time just after the creation of the world was a peaceful one. There were no wars or thieves, everyone lived in harmony. It was until the first vile people, rotten by the decadency of their times, showed up. They started killing and stealing to further increase their wealth. No one could stop them on their course to power, because they were either too weak or were bought out to keep their mouths shut and hands off. Both vile and kind people stopped believing in gods, the first one stated that they don't need them, the second stated that if they were actually real they would never let such thing to happen. There was only one ardent man left, Bu'utkirr, and he decided to take matters into his own hands. He turned to the gods for blessing and strength to rid the world of this plague and went on an incursion. He was somehow able to turn many vile people back on the right track only with his words, but where the speech failed, the blade was drawn. After 10 days he was done, and came back to Tokkote to report on his mission. The God rewarded the mere human with a place among them to guide warriors, traders and speakers in the future to ensure that similair situation won't unfold upon the World ever again.

The rite of Gyermin
This is the most important rite in the whole religion. Every person after coming to age must survive one day and one night alone in the tundra. It shows who is ready to take on the cold that Gyermin throws at the people of the tundra. If a person survives, they have shown that they are ready to take on the hardships of life in the snow.

The Afterlife
Depending on your life you will be sent to different places after your death. If you lived a good life free of any sins like murder you will be sent to the Underworld where you will fish, hunt, drink and laugh for eternity with your old friends. If you lived a sinful life your soul will be sent back to the Earth to roam the place for eternity. Unable to eat or drink you will be in pain for the whole eternity. If you've commited an atrocious sin but you regreted it you will be reincarnated and have another chance to live your life free of any misdeeds.

The Dreams
Tokkotists believe that all dreams have some meaning, even the strangest ones. The shamans of the tribe took upon themselves decyphering these hidden messages. First they needed to take a special beverage (red wine made from the wild berries also cultivated by the shamans) from the barrel in the back of their yurta and give one gulp to the "patient" and then drink till they themselves were satisfied. Then the dreamer described what they saw, and shaman was supposed to tell them what did it all mean.

Holidays
On every first day of the month, accompanying election of a new High Chieftain, the Celebration of Flame is held. It's a holiday dedicated to Tokkote and His gifts of warmth on this planet. At the dusk everyone gathers in a temple dedicated to Tokkote and throws their own sacrifice into the central fireplace. Then they start dancing around the campfire and having fun. After it, food and alcohol is brought and everyone feasts in thanks to Tokkote, because it's Him who let the life go on in the Tundra. During it, no wars or battles can be declared.