The Chantry and the Imperial Faith
Long before the Drow left their homeworld, their clergy was split in a myriad of gods and goddesses. The Chantry of the Void is a far descendant, and as the Imperial Chantry, it has been the major religion of the Kalimshari in the space faring era. There are many types of Chantries - most belong to a set hierarchy, but are otherwise free to focus on a specific deity or practice a specific set of rituals.
The Void is the sacred essence that permeates the entire Universe, and it is home to powerful spirits known as Athiyk - "the energy beneath the thing". While an inherently animistic concept, Athiyk come in many kinds, and many belong in the spheres of domains of greater spirits, the Seldarine. Athiyk (always a collective singular noun) can be found in all things, and tend to favour phenomena that inspire wonder and awe.
This myriad of lesser gods is ruled by the Maker, Elysdrae, the initial daughter of the Void. The creation myth states that, after being created along with the Universe, she gave birth to four other Seldarine:: Lloth the Spurned, Vharean the Shadow, Selvetarm the Warrior, and Mystra the Wise. There are several other Seldarine, and interpretations vary over the ages. These entities are usually held in higher respect, and several if not all Athiyk fall under the sphere of influence of one or several of these deities.
The legends surrounding the Seldarine are varied, and change across the ages. Almost all legends share a few myths, such as the Betrayal of Lloth, a pivotal text that forms the basis of an Empire wide heresy and witchhunt on Lolthian followers.
Upon a Drow's death, it is held that the spirit returns to the Maker, to the Void, where it is made a Fuma'thiyk - an ancestor spirit. Improperly sent deceased and the vengeful are said to return as Dobluth - outcasts that must be purified. Thus the Chantry is a mixture of animism, polytheism, and ancestor worship..
The Chantry is not made up of one homogenous Sect, but instead of several, differing in their values and in the Seldarine they choose to primarily worship. Elysdrae, the Maker, is by far the most followed of the Seldarine, though there are smaller sects focused on other deities.
These Sects seldom openly enter into conflict with one another, and find their place in the hierarchy of things, though conflicts have been known to happen.
Whatever the chosen deity at its heart, any Sect's - and the Chantry's - most important doctrine is the Way of the Seldarine. While the Chantry seems to be focused on dogmatic theology, the Ways are doctrines that refer to the law of natural order. Those who follow and understand the Way understand the divine Void, the Elven condition, and can derive the knowledge of how people should live and act. Thus does the Chantry establish and maintain moral and ethical guidance.
The Void is the sacred essence that permeates the entire Universe, and it is home to powerful spirits known as Athiyk - "the energy beneath the thing". While an inherently animistic concept, Athiyk come in many kinds, and many belong in the spheres of domains of greater spirits, the Seldarine. Athiyk (always a collective singular noun) can be found in all things, and tend to favour phenomena that inspire wonder and awe.
This myriad of lesser gods is ruled by the Maker, Elysdrae, the initial daughter of the Void. The creation myth states that, after being created along with the Universe, she gave birth to four other Seldarine:: Lloth the Spurned, Vharean the Shadow, Selvetarm the Warrior, and Mystra the Wise. There are several other Seldarine, and interpretations vary over the ages. These entities are usually held in higher respect, and several if not all Athiyk fall under the sphere of influence of one or several of these deities.
The legends surrounding the Seldarine are varied, and change across the ages. Almost all legends share a few myths, such as the Betrayal of Lloth, a pivotal text that forms the basis of an Empire wide heresy and witchhunt on Lolthian followers.
Upon a Drow's death, it is held that the spirit returns to the Maker, to the Void, where it is made a Fuma'thiyk - an ancestor spirit. Improperly sent deceased and the vengeful are said to return as Dobluth - outcasts that must be purified. Thus the Chantry is a mixture of animism, polytheism, and ancestor worship..
The Chantry is not made up of one homogenous Sect, but instead of several, differing in their values and in the Seldarine they choose to primarily worship. Elysdrae, the Maker, is by far the most followed of the Seldarine, though there are smaller sects focused on other deities.
These Sects seldom openly enter into conflict with one another, and find their place in the hierarchy of things, though conflicts have been known to happen.
Whatever the chosen deity at its heart, any Sect's - and the Chantry's - most important doctrine is the Way of the Seldarine. While the Chantry seems to be focused on dogmatic theology, the Ways are doctrines that refer to the law of natural order. Those who follow and understand the Way understand the divine Void, the Elven condition, and can derive the knowledge of how people should live and act. Thus does the Chantry establish and maintain moral and ethical guidance.
Shrines of the Chantry
Public Shrines represent the major institution for the public worship of Athiyk, and especially of the Seldarine. As part of the Imperial Chantry, they are responsible for providing their services to the faithful, as well as to train psionic Drow, who tap into the Void in order to manifest psionic energy.
Public Imperial shrines house a Hearthstone, which acts as a conduit for a given Athiyk or part of a Seldarine's essence. Most shrines are devoted both kinds - most usually, a locally significant Athiyk or an especially powerful Fuma'thiyk along with the relevant Seldarine. In practice, more than 75% of shrines follow the Way of Elysdrae in all its denominations - with 4% following that of Vharean. In most such shrines, another Seldarine takes the stead of the Athiyk, even though Elysdrae is not an especially overlording sort of deity.
Shrines are always accessible, and ideally every Kalimshari has access to a public shrine. They are typically housed in elaborate structures, with several real and symbolic barriers across them between the sacred and the mundane. A typical symbol of a shrine of Elysdrae is the Twin Portals - two pillars supporting orbs of white light, with an ancient sword (or stylized symbol of one) laid between. The Hearthstone itself is hardly seen, as it belongs in the Inner Sanctum, where only the staff can access it, in order to avoid disturbing the Athiyk. Worship is conducted on the shrine grounds or in the Outer Sanctum.
Shrines are staffed by a Priest or Thain who in turn are attended by a Summoner or Lar'Thain. The Summoners tend to the administration of the shrine, as well as the training of psionics, who require training to properly manifest the Void into worldly energy. They are supplanted by Shaman who are trained to perform many tasks at the shrine, including songs and dance in celebration of Elysdrae, whose domain is songcrafting. Shrines to other Seldarine do not differ much in their daily administration and all, except for the banned shrines to Lloth, fall into the jurisdiction of a Grand Shrine. Amongst the Grand Shrines, the Great Shrine of Elysdrae on the Imperial homeworld is the most important shrine, where the highest religious authorities reside.
There are no days for required attendance at a Shrine; instead, Festivals are held periodically throughout the year, and provide opportunities for worship and purification. Festivals are also held in times of great fortune or misfortune, or during the sanctification, desecration or rehousing of a shrine.
Beside public (staffed) shrines, Home Shrines also exist. Typically one will pray daily and maintain their home shrine, which is usually dedicated to an Athiyk only. There are many kinds of home shrines, including wayside shrines and ship shrines - each Imperial ship is said to house their own Athiyk, and a ship's crew often choose their assignment based on the nature of the Athiyk housed within each ship.
Public Imperial shrines house a Hearthstone, which acts as a conduit for a given Athiyk or part of a Seldarine's essence. Most shrines are devoted both kinds - most usually, a locally significant Athiyk or an especially powerful Fuma'thiyk along with the relevant Seldarine. In practice, more than 75% of shrines follow the Way of Elysdrae in all its denominations - with 4% following that of Vharean. In most such shrines, another Seldarine takes the stead of the Athiyk, even though Elysdrae is not an especially overlording sort of deity.
Shrines are always accessible, and ideally every Kalimshari has access to a public shrine. They are typically housed in elaborate structures, with several real and symbolic barriers across them between the sacred and the mundane. A typical symbol of a shrine of Elysdrae is the Twin Portals - two pillars supporting orbs of white light, with an ancient sword (or stylized symbol of one) laid between. The Hearthstone itself is hardly seen, as it belongs in the Inner Sanctum, where only the staff can access it, in order to avoid disturbing the Athiyk. Worship is conducted on the shrine grounds or in the Outer Sanctum.
Shrines are staffed by a Priest or Thain who in turn are attended by a Summoner or Lar'Thain. The Summoners tend to the administration of the shrine, as well as the training of psionics, who require training to properly manifest the Void into worldly energy. They are supplanted by Shaman who are trained to perform many tasks at the shrine, including songs and dance in celebration of Elysdrae, whose domain is songcrafting. Shrines to other Seldarine do not differ much in their daily administration and all, except for the banned shrines to Lloth, fall into the jurisdiction of a Grand Shrine. Amongst the Grand Shrines, the Great Shrine of Elysdrae on the Imperial homeworld is the most important shrine, where the highest religious authorities reside.
There are no days for required attendance at a Shrine; instead, Festivals are held periodically throughout the year, and provide opportunities for worship and purification. Festivals are also held in times of great fortune or misfortune, or during the sanctification, desecration or rehousing of a shrine.
Beside public (staffed) shrines, Home Shrines also exist. Typically one will pray daily and maintain their home shrine, which is usually dedicated to an Athiyk only. There are many kinds of home shrines, including wayside shrines and ship shrines - each Imperial ship is said to house their own Athiyk, and a ship's crew often choose their assignment based on the nature of the Athiyk housed within each ship.
Purification and Ritual Impurity
Certain deeds generate ritual impurity or a'karlith. Contact with the dead and childbirth contribute to one's a'karlith, but so do many other mundane deeds, albeit to a much lesser extent. Psionic spellweaving and tending to a ship's FTL drive, or even handling the psionic material Quadrinix, also generate a'karlith.
A'karlith is not wrong in the moral sense; at such, it is different from straying from the mandated moral path laid out by the Chantry and does not equate to the idea of "sin" completely. While the willful breaking of the Ways is indeed said, according to some, to generate a'karlith to oneself and their vicinity, it is not in itself ritual impurity, simply an action that causes it. Ritual impurity is not a moral judgement of one's soul but merely the accumulation of defilement on one's soul over time - a natural reaction to an amoral or sometimes immoral event. What caused the defilement is secondary.
Of course, following the Way is therefore something beneficial as it avoids the unnecessary defilement of one's soul (permanent "sinning" would be akin to bathing in a river of mud constantly).
Purification (karlith'are) is said to bring peace of mind to one's soiled soul by cleansing it anew. A'karlith is said to have a negative effect on oneself as well as one's community, usually through bad luck or ill omens, and therefore most Kalimshari will go to rituals to pay their homage and cleanse themselves in the purification ritual. Rituals vary, but often involve water. Some rituals give offerings, others are designed to ward off evil spirits, the Dobluth.
All Kalimshari are psionics, though most only latently; therefore there is an actual element of truth to the ritual of purification, which ultimately mends one's link to the Void, and ultimately, to their ancestors all the way to the Maker herself. Psionics especially must purify and partake in their own, meditative purification rituals. This is the reason why the Chantry is responsible for the training and upkeep of Psionics.
A'karlith is not wrong in the moral sense; at such, it is different from straying from the mandated moral path laid out by the Chantry and does not equate to the idea of "sin" completely. While the willful breaking of the Ways is indeed said, according to some, to generate a'karlith to oneself and their vicinity, it is not in itself ritual impurity, simply an action that causes it. Ritual impurity is not a moral judgement of one's soul but merely the accumulation of defilement on one's soul over time - a natural reaction to an amoral or sometimes immoral event. What caused the defilement is secondary.
Of course, following the Way is therefore something beneficial as it avoids the unnecessary defilement of one's soul (permanent "sinning" would be akin to bathing in a river of mud constantly).
Purification (karlith'are) is said to bring peace of mind to one's soiled soul by cleansing it anew. A'karlith is said to have a negative effect on oneself as well as one's community, usually through bad luck or ill omens, and therefore most Kalimshari will go to rituals to pay their homage and cleanse themselves in the purification ritual. Rituals vary, but often involve water. Some rituals give offerings, others are designed to ward off evil spirits, the Dobluth.
All Kalimshari are psionics, though most only latently; therefore there is an actual element of truth to the ritual of purification, which ultimately mends one's link to the Void, and ultimately, to their ancestors all the way to the Maker herself. Psionics especially must purify and partake in their own, meditative purification rituals. This is the reason why the Chantry is responsible for the training and upkeep of Psionics.
Afterlife
The Kalimshari hold that after death, one's soul, created from nothing, must return to the Void and add to its energy.
There are many interpretations of afterlife; however, the strongest belief is that once death, a Drow's soul must pass to the City of Judgement. Drow that are particularly vengeful or impure might not make the journey. They will, instead, be drawn back as Dobluth - vengeful spirits haunting the real world until a Summoner can dance the Sending and forcefully send them on.
The City of Judgement is said to be the gate to the afterworld, the Rooted World. Once one has partook of the Feast of the Dead, they cannot return to the land of the living. It is not a kind of "heaven" nor a kind of "hell", rather its own continuation of life. After the Feast is consumed, the soul is taken to the feet of their chosen Seldarine - or be left behind to dwell in the City of Judgement. At this point, they have become Fuma'thiyk in their own right, and while they cannot leave, they can manifest their will through shrines erected to their memory through a hearthstone that was significant to them at some point in their life.
Followers of the Spurned Goddess, Lolth, are said to be given a different fate - however, the ancient dogma and mysteries of the initial major Goddess are lost to time, censored and conceived heretical, and tell of psionic horrors and dreadful betrayals. Most Lolth followers are hunted down, killed, and forcefully Sent.
There are many interpretations of afterlife; however, the strongest belief is that once death, a Drow's soul must pass to the City of Judgement. Drow that are particularly vengeful or impure might not make the journey. They will, instead, be drawn back as Dobluth - vengeful spirits haunting the real world until a Summoner can dance the Sending and forcefully send them on.
The City of Judgement is said to be the gate to the afterworld, the Rooted World. Once one has partook of the Feast of the Dead, they cannot return to the land of the living. It is not a kind of "heaven" nor a kind of "hell", rather its own continuation of life. After the Feast is consumed, the soul is taken to the feet of their chosen Seldarine - or be left behind to dwell in the City of Judgement. At this point, they have become Fuma'thiyk in their own right, and while they cannot leave, they can manifest their will through shrines erected to their memory through a hearthstone that was significant to them at some point in their life.
Followers of the Spurned Goddess, Lolth, are said to be given a different fate - however, the ancient dogma and mysteries of the initial major Goddess are lost to time, censored and conceived heretical, and tell of psionic horrors and dreadful betrayals. Most Lolth followers are hunted down, killed, and forcefully Sent.
Dances of Elysdrae
Ever since ancient times, Elysdrae has been known as the Goddess of Song and Dance. Summoners, priests and shrine officials are trained to partake in several of these ritual dances.
The most known dance is called the Sending. It is performed by a summoner or a priest, and aims at forcefully sending the souls of lingering Dogurth into the afterlife. In ages past, it was common to see priests dance on battlefields, following heavy bloodshed, as it was believed that the souls of slain soldiers would seek to continue warfare in death and therefore become especially dangerous Dogurth.
Another known dance is known as the High Alure - it is a formal, theatre-like dance practiced at formal occasions. There are many variants, depending on which denomination practices it, and which text the dance is derived from. Folk Alure also happen on shrine grounds in shared worship to the local Athyrk. There is a wide diversity of Folk Alure - almost each shrine has its own.
Mention should be given to the traditional and varied art known as Atzen'alure - wayside entertainment involving feats of dancing and acrobacy in honour of Elysdrae, originating from the Great Shrine of Io, and performed by wandering minstrels and troupes jumping from system to system to entertain as well as to ward off evil spirits. Most such performances often involve parading around local towns and fire performances.
The most known dance is called the Sending. It is performed by a summoner or a priest, and aims at forcefully sending the souls of lingering Dogurth into the afterlife. In ages past, it was common to see priests dance on battlefields, following heavy bloodshed, as it was believed that the souls of slain soldiers would seek to continue warfare in death and therefore become especially dangerous Dogurth.
Another known dance is known as the High Alure - it is a formal, theatre-like dance practiced at formal occasions. There are many variants, depending on which denomination practices it, and which text the dance is derived from. Folk Alure also happen on shrine grounds in shared worship to the local Athyrk. There is a wide diversity of Folk Alure - almost each shrine has its own.
Mention should be given to the traditional and varied art known as Atzen'alure - wayside entertainment involving feats of dancing and acrobacy in honour of Elysdrae, originating from the Great Shrine of Io, and performed by wandering minstrels and troupes jumping from system to system to entertain as well as to ward off evil spirits. Most such performances often involve parading around local towns and fire performances.
Religious Texts
The religion relies on a set of texts, though not to a great extent. Each Sect follows a sacred book detailing the specific ways of their chosen deity. For most, this would be the Ways of Elysdrae.
Ancient legends and hymns, as well as chronicles of the Empire's formation and growth, are consigned in several other texts. Amongst them, one can find :
Ancient legends and hymns, as well as chronicles of the Empire's formation and growth, are consigned in several other texts. Amongst them, one can find :
- Record of Ancient Matters of the Faithful of Ellistraee (a chronicle of the Chantry, of the Empire, and of the creation myth.)
- Beyond the Veil : A Study (a 5th century discussion on the Faith and afterlife)
- Seven Songs of High Pristress Ysolde Veladorn (a collection of popular chantry hymns)
- Imperial Rites and Practices (description of most Chantry rites and rituals)
- A Dance With Fire (Elysdrae's ritual dance and its meaning)
- Accords of Madness (Series of pamplets declaring and explaining the Chantry's view on the Lolthian Heresy)
The Faith in the FTL era
As the religion matured, much of it came from post-FTL eras. The Universe was but a splinter of the Void, and many Kalimshari felt compelled to explore it.
The natural splintering of Kalimshari factions as the Drow prospered into space did erode the viability of the faith, though several minor powers maintain kindred Chantries and most maintain most Drow beliefs.
Many species were welcomed into the Imperial fold over the thousands of years of existence of the Empire. Alien life was often seen as just more children of the Void, given different shape on different worlds, and accordingly they - and their gods - were integrated into the Empire.
One of the biggest changes between pre- and post-FTL religious doctrine was that the head of the Kalimshari Empire was said to be more directly derived from the Maker, Elysdrae, and therefore held some sort of religious role within the Chantry. This manifested in the position of the God-Empress, Chosen of Elystrae, when the ruling Empress acceeds to both secular and religious powers, typically during ages of crisis known as Ages of Exaltation. These are ages of strife for the Empire, and it is believed that having a Chosen of Elystrae in power brings good fortune to the Empire and rallies the people to her cause.
There have been eight Ages of Exaltation. The eighth age technically never ended - the Scourge wiped the Empire clean of most life, and destroyed it completely.
The natural splintering of Kalimshari factions as the Drow prospered into space did erode the viability of the faith, though several minor powers maintain kindred Chantries and most maintain most Drow beliefs.
Many species were welcomed into the Imperial fold over the thousands of years of existence of the Empire. Alien life was often seen as just more children of the Void, given different shape on different worlds, and accordingly they - and their gods - were integrated into the Empire.
One of the biggest changes between pre- and post-FTL religious doctrine was that the head of the Kalimshari Empire was said to be more directly derived from the Maker, Elysdrae, and therefore held some sort of religious role within the Chantry. This manifested in the position of the God-Empress, Chosen of Elystrae, when the ruling Empress acceeds to both secular and religious powers, typically during ages of crisis known as Ages of Exaltation. These are ages of strife for the Empire, and it is believed that having a Chosen of Elystrae in power brings good fortune to the Empire and rallies the people to her cause.
There have been eight Ages of Exaltation. The eighth age technically never ended - the Scourge wiped the Empire clean of most life, and destroyed it completely.
The Scourge
The Eighth Age of Exaltation was rung by God-Empress Elysael IV as extradimentional beings from the Void, the Unbidden, were set across most of the galaxy in a war known only as the Scourge. They consumed every inhabited system in sight; these psionic beings could not be stopped. The Empire was on the far end of the Unbidden invasion, but it was only a matter of time before the ever growing psionic threat gnarled at their doorstep.
The prevailing theory was that FTL (psionic) travel punctured the sacred space between the Void and realspace, thereby causing an insane amount of defilement that never got recognized properly, and therefore was never purified. After some time, it only became natural for some extremely powerful Dobluth to emerge and take advantage of the polluted state of the entire galaxy.
As the invaders never once communicated, all matter of speculation abounded as to their nature. The followers of Lolth declared this their Age of Rebirth, as Lolth had lulled the galaxy into a state of peace before betraying them and unleashing the fury of a thousand years of forlorn, heretical worship. It did not help that many Unbidden ships resembled spiders, the symbol of the Spurned Goddess. Many worlds across the galaxy were first conquered by insurgent Lolth cults taking advantage of the chaos and madness, and turned over to the all-consuming horde.
The Scream occured as the first Imperial worlds were consumed - at that stage, about a third of the galaxy had been consumed, and the ever flowing flux of refugees had already proven too much for a splintered empire to bear. It is unknown who or what created the Scream, but every psionic being in existence was killed in a FTL wave that, in a single day, sundered the entire galaxy and rendered most FTL forms inoperable. The Unbidden were dispelled, however, leaving people free to rebuild - provided they survived the trials of isolation from the Empire and its globalized economy.
In many surviving worlds, including the Bythan worlds, the Scream did not destroy Imperial faith, but instead served as a reminder of the cost of the ultimate purification ritual, one said to have been initiated by Elysdrae herself. The legend tells of the Maker-Goddess riding the skies, fighting off the demons of Lolth the Betrayer, performing a purification ritual powerful enough to cleanse a dying galaxy of its enduring pollution. Other cults are less optimistic, though, noting that the galaxy is still full of derelicts and desolation, and that the task of cleansing the galaxy falls to them, having proven themselves worthy of the dedication of their Maker.
The current Bythan High Priestess is Nathrae Vrinn - a firm believer of the latter theory, which she uses as justification for the reestablishment of shrines and the spread of the Faith anew across the entire system.
The prevailing theory was that FTL (psionic) travel punctured the sacred space between the Void and realspace, thereby causing an insane amount of defilement that never got recognized properly, and therefore was never purified. After some time, it only became natural for some extremely powerful Dobluth to emerge and take advantage of the polluted state of the entire galaxy.
As the invaders never once communicated, all matter of speculation abounded as to their nature. The followers of Lolth declared this their Age of Rebirth, as Lolth had lulled the galaxy into a state of peace before betraying them and unleashing the fury of a thousand years of forlorn, heretical worship. It did not help that many Unbidden ships resembled spiders, the symbol of the Spurned Goddess. Many worlds across the galaxy were first conquered by insurgent Lolth cults taking advantage of the chaos and madness, and turned over to the all-consuming horde.
The Scream occured as the first Imperial worlds were consumed - at that stage, about a third of the galaxy had been consumed, and the ever flowing flux of refugees had already proven too much for a splintered empire to bear. It is unknown who or what created the Scream, but every psionic being in existence was killed in a FTL wave that, in a single day, sundered the entire galaxy and rendered most FTL forms inoperable. The Unbidden were dispelled, however, leaving people free to rebuild - provided they survived the trials of isolation from the Empire and its globalized economy.
In many surviving worlds, including the Bythan worlds, the Scream did not destroy Imperial faith, but instead served as a reminder of the cost of the ultimate purification ritual, one said to have been initiated by Elysdrae herself. The legend tells of the Maker-Goddess riding the skies, fighting off the demons of Lolth the Betrayer, performing a purification ritual powerful enough to cleanse a dying galaxy of its enduring pollution. Other cults are less optimistic, though, noting that the galaxy is still full of derelicts and desolation, and that the task of cleansing the galaxy falls to them, having proven themselves worthy of the dedication of their Maker.
The current Bythan High Priestess is Nathrae Vrinn - a firm believer of the latter theory, which she uses as justification for the reestablishment of shrines and the spread of the Faith anew across the entire system.