Glad I found your channel today. I like how you break things down in an easy to understand manner. Great examples and like how you make it easily relatable to fantasy world building.
this is a really cool topic! I love studying how religions govern themselves. Sometime I want to make a video about how the conventions of American Evangelical church government evolved over time, but I'm a little scared to touch such a topic. I 100% agree that you need to start with the spirituality to make it feel coherent
In the fantasy comic I have more on the back burner. People try to appease spirits in their tribalistic societies. Tho, in their world. If you anger the spirits, the entire environment can change
In the off chance you're free I was hoping for critique of a religion in a game I wanna run for some friends. So there is one known god to mortals. Known as in they know exists, others may exist and other people may worship what they think is there but there is only one guaranteed to be out there. This one deity, whose name or gender they don't know, they refer to as "Jatoria" In addition to creating the world and laguntzaileak (angels) Jatoria created the original life on the planet, each sentient species getting at least a pair of common ancestors. After, establishing a few laws and creating something else they left. The real issue comes from the interpretation of the laws and what Jatoria made between making the progenitors of the sentient races and leaving. Most agree though that Jatoria did not create monsters or the deabruak (demons). There were at least several prominent prophets among humanity, alone, on what Jatoria did and decreed. But there are three main ones. One, Miren, said that there was a paradise beyond and that to reach it one needed to overcome desire, ignorance and zeal for death. She also that aside from that paradise the soul would just be recycled back into the natural world, regardless of anything else unless they overcame desire, ignorance and zeal for death. Another, Beti, said that there were several laws, that one must respect these laws lest one face suffering afterwards that would make the most sadistic of mortal torturers seem benevolent. There was a role each and every soul had, and that to try to move from one to another was a madness. Finally there is Mixtel who said that the purpose of the sentients was to combat evil, in all its forms, so as to restore Jatoria and their utopia. They also believe that Jatoria is the sentients and that they broke themself into smaller, but still semi-conscious, parts to allow for more sentients to protect them from the tide of monsters. For a time there were holy wars between them but due to a series of councils an uneasy truce has been agreed upon as none of the three main sects want to anger Jatoria with mindless bloodshed (though there does exist more subtle and petty sabotage). This work or is it too complicated?
I think that's pretty excellent to be honest. The three sects have enough similarity that it's believable that they come from the same origin point, and enough differences that war between them works. The one thing I would add is who do humanity think created the demons? Because these three schools of thought probably do have some opinion on that. Perhaps one thinks that human sin gave rise to the demons and one thinks that there's an evil god out there and one thinks its fallen angels. I think that would add some nice flavor. My only real critique is the names of the angels and demons. Your players aren't gonna remember those, it's too hard to pronounce :P Fantasy names are cool, but make sure they are actually pronounceable. Around the table, those two names are going to be forgotten and it will be all angels and demons every time haha.
@@JustInTimeWorlds Thanks, I'll try to add more on the details of hell and other groups that'll probably make an appearance in some way. I was kinda thinking about it before you replied. One theory I had was the usual "angel got jealous of mankind" or "wanted to be like god and make their own realm." However I'm trying to think up more creative causes (ie the demons are actually eldritch creatures from another world though I guess that's still kinda lazy). As for the names, yeah I was thinking that too. The words are basque, hell Jatoria means origin if I'm correct. I'll try to simplify things though. Thanks for the feedback! God bless ya
@@gasmonkey1000 Heya, dunno if you're still working on this but I had a thought reading your comment; where does the prophets' authority come from? Is it believed that the rules were revealed to them by Jatoria themself? Or does it come from analysis/interpretation of the older rules you speak of? Or something else? And maybe are there any specific reasons a sect met more success in one region/culture/time-period than others?
@@LeDingueDeJeuxVideos Their authority on Jatoria comes from the simple matter that they were the ones that, metaphorically and literally, wrote the book on Jatoria. The first written words, by mortals, were by their hands. Some of the original pages are still intact. And like you suggested the popularity of certain sects fluctuates. During times of chaos and war Mixtel is quite popular. Afterwards Beti is popular to bring peace after interregnum. Miren is most popular when people are experiencing the kind of economic boom that preludes disaster. If you live in a desert it also makes Beti quite popular due to a need for a routine.
What's your favorite fantasy church?
Fascinating. Definitely want to read The Sapphire Rose.
Well worth the read 😁
Glad I found your channel today. I like how you break things down in an easy to understand manner. Great examples and like how you make it easily relatable to fantasy world building.
Welcome! I’m glad you’re enjoying the content.
this is a really cool topic! I love studying how religions govern themselves. Sometime I want to make a video about how the conventions of American Evangelical church government evolved over time, but I'm a little scared to touch such a topic. I 100% agree that you need to start with the spirituality to make it feel coherent
Just keep it respectful towards the adherents of the faith in question and it should be fine :) One hopes anyway!
In the fantasy comic I have more on the back burner. People try to appease spirits in their tribalistic societies. Tho, in their world. If you anger the spirits, the entire environment can change
So a more animistic approach to religion :) I like a good animistic or totemic religion. Always have, always will.
Great topic.
In the off chance you're free I was hoping for critique of a religion in a game I wanna run for some friends.
So there is one known god to mortals. Known as in they know exists, others may exist and other people may worship what they think is there but there is only one guaranteed to be out there. This one deity, whose name or gender they don't know, they refer to as "Jatoria" In addition to creating the world and laguntzaileak (angels) Jatoria created the original life on the planet, each sentient species getting at least a pair of common ancestors. After, establishing a few laws and creating something else they left.
The real issue comes from the interpretation of the laws and what Jatoria made between making the progenitors of the sentient races and leaving. Most agree though that Jatoria did not create monsters or the deabruak (demons).
There were at least several prominent prophets among humanity, alone, on what Jatoria did and decreed. But there are three main ones.
One, Miren, said that there was a paradise beyond and that to reach it one needed to overcome desire, ignorance and zeal for death. She also that aside from that paradise the soul would just be recycled back into the natural world, regardless of anything else unless they overcame desire, ignorance and zeal for death.
Another, Beti, said that there were several laws, that one must respect these laws lest one face suffering afterwards that would make the most sadistic of mortal torturers seem benevolent. There was a role each and every soul had, and that to try to move from one to another was a madness.
Finally there is Mixtel who said that the purpose of the sentients was to combat evil, in all its forms, so as to restore Jatoria and their utopia. They also believe that Jatoria is the sentients and that they broke themself into smaller, but still semi-conscious, parts to allow for more sentients to protect them from the tide of monsters.
For a time there were holy wars between them but due to a series of councils an uneasy truce has been agreed upon as none of the three main sects want to anger Jatoria with mindless bloodshed (though there does exist more subtle and petty sabotage).
This work or is it too complicated?
I think that's pretty excellent to be honest. The three sects have enough similarity that it's believable that they come from the same origin point, and enough differences that war between them works.
The one thing I would add is who do humanity think created the demons? Because these three schools of thought probably do have some opinion on that. Perhaps one thinks that human sin gave rise to the demons and one thinks that there's an evil god out there and one thinks its fallen angels. I think that would add some nice flavor.
My only real critique is the names of the angels and demons. Your players aren't gonna remember those, it's too hard to pronounce :P Fantasy names are cool, but make sure they are actually pronounceable. Around the table, those two names are going to be forgotten and it will be all angels and demons every time haha.
@@JustInTimeWorlds Thanks, I'll try to add more on the details of hell and other groups that'll probably make an appearance in some way. I was kinda thinking about it before you replied. One theory I had was the usual "angel got jealous of mankind" or "wanted to be like god and make their own realm." However I'm trying to think up more creative causes (ie the demons are actually eldritch creatures from another world though I guess that's still kinda lazy).
As for the names, yeah I was thinking that too. The words are basque, hell Jatoria means origin if I'm correct. I'll try to simplify things though.
Thanks for the feedback! God bless ya
@@gasmonkey1000 Heya, dunno if you're still working on this but I had a thought reading your comment; where does the prophets' authority come from? Is it believed that the rules were revealed to them by Jatoria themself? Or does it come from analysis/interpretation of the older rules you speak of? Or something else? And maybe are there any specific reasons a sect met more success in one region/culture/time-period than others?
@@LeDingueDeJeuxVideos Their authority on Jatoria comes from the simple matter that they were the ones that, metaphorically and literally, wrote the book on Jatoria. The first written words, by mortals, were by their hands. Some of the original pages are still intact.
And like you suggested the popularity of certain sects fluctuates. During times of chaos and war Mixtel is quite popular. Afterwards Beti is popular to bring peace after interregnum. Miren is most popular when people are experiencing the kind of economic boom that preludes disaster. If you live in a desert it also makes Beti quite popular due to a need for a routine.