Draykism

Subject: Draykism Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:50 pm

DRAYKISM
Draykism 712fYWqfd3L._SY355_

The official religion of the drake within the spire mountains. All drake religion revolves around a central deity- the Queen of Heaven as they call her. What name she had before she came to them is unknown, and even outside scholars are uncertain as to her provenance. She has existed as the living god-queen of the drake people for nine hundred years, and until recently, she was as tangible and present as the stones of her city. The Queen herself was a silent, motionless dragon of brilliant sky-blue scales coiled within the highest temple of the Throne, perpetually attended by a dozen dragonblooded priestesses. The Queen herself was as large as a house, yet she neither ate nor drank nor seemed to breathe for years on end. Very occasionally, no more than once every few decades, she would open her lambent eyes and speak a few sentences of guidance. Such was the force of her presence that none dreamed it possible to disobey. The Queen did not answer petitions or provide oracles to her priestesses; she was their goddess and she would tell them what they needed to know. What they needed to know was the purpose of their existence as drake. They were to be living crucibles in which would be forged the souls of celestial dragons, blessed servants of the gods and their right hands in the world. By living according to the Five Talons of Truth, even the humblest male could hope to some day be reincarnated into the flesh of a mighty dragon. The Five Talons are known to every drake, and they form the basic principles of their society.

The First Talon is Obedience, the chief and noblest virtue. Obedience first to the Queen of Heaven, second to the priestesses, and third to those set above you. Some heretics argue that the original intent of this Talon granted divine authority only to the Queen of Heaven herself, but common belief is that dispute of a priestess' word is itself a sin.

The Second Talon is Purity, the avoidance of defilement and concupiscence. Lying, sexual infidelity, and gluttony are among the things to be shunned by an aspiring drake. Sins against purity are marked out by the way they taint the dragonborn herself by the performance, and show an unwillingness to bow before the spiritual. Some priestesses and war leaders have been known to stretch this point uncomfortably, and a quiet counter-doctrine of "Spirit Chastity" has risen that claims that suitable proof of purity is such that no lesser indulgence can efface it… and so obedience to this principle is not necessary for the truly elect.

The Third Talon is Discipline, the capacity to focus one's will on a purpose and follow it without flinching. Any who would aspire to wield the power of the gods must be focused and clear-minded, capable of carrying out a duty no matter how demanding it may be. The nobler-minded among the pious draw strength from this to face their daily trials and carry out their duties, though some sophists claim that discipline is instead the power to make others do as you will- since it is obviously superior that you should bring many hands to your task rather than just yours alone.

The Fourth Talon is Discernment, and the power to judge wisely between difficult alternatives. An envoy of the gods must inevitably make difficult choices in carrying out the will of the divine, and these choices must be made wisely. Not even the tenderest compassion may be permitted to interfere with clear reason when choosing between two necessities; the will of the Queen must be done. Some whisper that certain priestesses can discern the worthiness of those who tithe abundantly to them more easily than they can perceive the worthiness of the poor.

The Fifth Talon is Devotion, the will to love and cherish all the Queen's children and the world that is the dragon's charge. Any being entrusted with the husbanding of the winds and the tending of the seas must be moved by love for its duties. This love is considered chiefly to apply to other dragonborn, though some theologians say it is also due any other creatures who revere the Queen and honor her duty. The matter has been chiefly philosophical until the recent opening of the valley.

While it is not technically forbidden for drake to serve gods or goddesses other than the Queen, so little has been known of these other deities as to make it a moot point outside of the tiny sects that preserved knowledge of them in secret. The theology of the drake has long since painted the Queen as the matron mother of heaven and the foremost of the gods, and to worship anyone lesser suggests a severe lack of discernment. Those drake with an urge to do so are generally best off living elsewhere.