Envoy Baaruus Kisma



Praise to He Who is as Thunder!

The envoy now finds itself awaiting fair weather – an unexpected storm, heralding early the oncoming wet season, has confined us to the hospitality of a chief of a midlands clan, whence my last report was issued. This period of immobility has allowed me to consider and commit to paper some general topics concerning the inhabitants of these lands. I shall here report upon the faiths and mythologies of the people of Nlamo.

Many have said that the eNlami have no religion. As we have discovered, such broad statements are rarely held true in this land, though their worship takes a more primitive form than that in our realm. The gods of Nlamo are in disarray. They worship a multitude of deities and spirits, choosing which largely according to personal preference and family tradition. Not ordered after the natural form of the world as the gods of our land are, no single Nlami deity assumes the aspect of agriculture, or war, as ours do. No one god holds dominion over this land’s sky, or its earth, or its people. Rather, their gods oversee many aspects. A Nlami god is thought to oversee weather, war, farming, and other such issues, in their own native region and in the lives of their followers.

Any eNlami I have spoken to have a near-total ignorance of our gods and our ways. They do not seek supremacy of their gods over ours, nor is such a concept even clearly understood by them. They indeed do not seek supremacy over each other’s gods, barring exceptions I will describe below. Their mindset is tolerant of the faiths of others, so far as they consider it at all.

Intercourse with the gods is a largely personal affair. There exists no priestly caste or Great Temple for the learning of priests, though in some tribes and some provinces religious duties may become a family trade, as a smith teaches his children his craft, or a merchant instructs his children in matters of commerce. Nonetheless, priests, shamans, and wizards are widespread in this land. Cults instruct chosen followers in their secret ways, shamans entrust their magic to apprentices, and self-chosen holy men may gather followers about them – but for most eNlami, outside of seasonal ceremonies and life rituals, religion is a personal affair between a human and their gods, and witches or priests are only visited on rare important occasions. Curiously, the offering of holocausts and live sacrifice is not regularly practiced in Nlamo. Offerings are small, when they are given at all, and most worship is performed privately or in small groups, through memorised prayers and performance of ritualised actions.

My host here is a learned man in the ways of his land, with a curious aspect to his mind – in some ways more close to a man of our realm than a typical eNlami. He spoke to me of religious issues, describing an ancient custom of Nlami warfare, describing a great religious ceremony held by the King, and describing some of the gods and faiths particularly prevalent in the western and southwestern regions. These last I will recount in an addendum to this report.

This war custom, no longer seen, was practiced only between bitter enemies of different faiths, and occurred only once in the hundred years before Tensha’s reign. At the end of a war between two peoples, as the ultimate degradation of a conquered foe, the victors would profane the shrines of their gods and kill their priests. Though it has not passed for many generations since, the knowledge of this act is still known by the eNlami and lies deep in their memory.

Further, my host was two years ago called to Zahamo, to partake in a feast and ceremony held by Tensha to celebrate the fortieth year of his reign. Tensha’s primary faith is that of Gaapo, a leopard spirit and patron of many peoples in the west and southwest of Nlamo. At this ceremony, held late at night and on a date chosen to astronomical signs, a tamed leopard was caged and given pride of place by the king. The guests were fed a great feast, and the leopard was honoured with of garlands of blessed flowers. The cage was carried to the clearing before Zahamo, accompanied by the sounds of great drums, and there between two bonfires the leopard was released to the wild again. Following this, the guests were given a tea made from a local plant, a tea that induces strange visions and dreams. The following morning, the chief cultist of Gaapo and her acolytes recorded the details of what the guests saw in those dreams, to examine them for portents and omens.

As laid out in the doctrines of He Who is as Thunder, comprehending the lesser religions of our foes is a mighty tool of war. The findings of this report – particularly the degradation of a vanquished foe’s patron gods – should be given to each leader of the expeditionary force to this land. My addendum follows.

Addendum

Gaapo, the Leopard Spirit

The patron of Tensha’s native people. Among the most popular gods of the related family seen in the southwest. Held by his followers to represent wisdom and cunning alongside strength. Traditionally an enemy of Karro, and an ally of Saasto and Zamo-Dal.

Karro, the Crocodile Spirit

Another popular god in this related family. Seen as more cunning and sly than Gaapo, whose followers do not trust Karro. Cultists and followers of Karro are believed to have the most powerful magics.

Saasto, the Snake Spirit

A close ally of Gaapo. Not many clans or families have the Snake Spirit as their patron, but often Saasto will be worshipped as a secondary god alongside the Leopard Spirit. The two are present together in many stories and often depicted together in art. Held to represent that even smaller creatures can be powerful.

Zamo-Daal, the Eagle Spirit

The Eagle Spirit is an aloof god, preferring to reward those worshippers who fend for themselves and thrive. Popular among hunters and some villages in the western mountains.

Nimata, the Elephant Spirit

Nimata is a primary deity among the nomadic peoples in the midlands of Nlamo, and is popular among nomads and plains villages in the west also. She is slow to anger, but represents great force when aroused. Disinclined to take part in the squabbles and conflict of the other gods, but has both fought and defended all of them at one point or another.

