Pulqer/Religion

The people of Jacques (Pul. Zaqis) follow two separate but complimentary forms of religion: an organised religion called sa Miśtilz, based around the worship of two primary deities, and a folk religion called sa Set based around the veneration and appeasement of natural spirits (zenz) and ancestors (men).

Cosmography

The origin of the universe begins with Cipyl, mother goddess, who created the universe by dividing herself, as the rock of the earth, from the air of the heavens, represented by her brother Kial, and the water of the oceans - another brother Acen. With Kial, Cipyl gave birth to a son, Aśtuln, while Kial alone created two attendants: the sun god Sual (creating day/light) and the lunar goddess Lun (creating night/darkness).

When Aśtuln grew up, he overthrew his father by castrating him and throwing his genitals into the sea, becoming ruler of the heavens and earth, and creator of plenty. From the discarded genitals sprang Hintyl, a goddess of love, beauty, sexuality and fertility, while the spilling of blood upon the earth gave rise to plants.

Aśtuln and Hintyl were married and had six divine children. Three sons ruled spheres of the universe: Zu became god of the sky, Netun god of the sea and Prus god of the underworld. Three daughters became rulers of prosperity: Zun goddess of marriage and love, Heśt goddess of the hearth and home and Kiar goddess of the fields and crops.

Hintyl, wandering the blossoming earth, came across a laurel tree that had sprung from the blood and ate one of its fruits. Falling pregnant by it, she eventually gave birth to a beautiful son named Atit but she abandoned the child in the reed beds that lined edge of the earth and the sea. The boy was discovered by Cipyl, who created animals to help raise him under her care, until he, in turn, abandoned her in his youth and wandered the earth in search of carnal satisfaction. Cipyl's heartbreak caused the earth to shudder and the land to break apart - it was this that caused the island of Zaq to separate from the original land inhabited by the gods, which lies to the east.

After many years, Atit returned to his foster mother, now haggard and exhausted from his years of fruitless searching. Regretful and repentant, he castrated himself as a symbol of his devotion to the earth mother, and laid down to die beneath a viburnum bush (the red berries of which represent his blood). Afraid of losing her son again, Cipyl returned him to his youthful form and placed him on the island of Zaq, where he promised to remain faithful to her and worship her for eternity. He thus became the first of the katyl - priests who worship Cipyl to this day.

Sa Miśtilz

At the core of sa Miśtilz are the separate but related cults of two primary gods: the mother goddess Cipyl, which represents the female aspects of the world, and the sun lord Mityl, who represents the masculine. Each cult has separate priesthoods, temples and modes of worship. While worship of Cipyl is open to all, the direct worship of Mityl is largely restricted to men of higher social status.

Cipyl

The popular religion, usually practised at an individual and family level, is based on the veneration of a myriad of minor deities (ti) and spirits (cenc), thought to pervade and influence all aspects of daily life. Such entities are not worshipped, but are treated with respect and may receive small offerings (such as libations) and entreaties. They may have small shrines (etikyr) within homes or at specific locations, but do not have temples. Anyone is permitted to commune with these minor beings; there is no priesthood, but knowledgeable men and women called sek or mek may be called upon to perform particular rituals or magic. This personal form of religion also includes veneration of the ancestors.

Besides the popular, personal religion, there is a public religion based upon worship of a superior god known as Mityl or Mityl Imit and a small pantheon of lesser gods, primarily representing celestial bodies or primary aspects of nature. Worship of Mityl is carried out in secret by a restricted priesthood known as the sintes within cave-like temples called tempyr. The lesser gods are worshipped in public shrines, largely through the intercession of the priests. The majority of priests are male, though a number of all-female temples exist.

The Patheon

The pantheon of deities below Mityl are:

• Kial (Cu) the sky god, thunder and rain god, giver of justice and law
• Tetyl (Metyl) the earth mother, goddess of agriculture
• Azen the sea god
• Sual the sun god, god of light and truth
• Lun the moon goddess, goddess of women, night and magic
• Hintyl the goddess of love, fertility, prosperity
• Aśtuln the god of agriculture and the cycle of regeneration
• Malt the god of war and the wilds
• Melkulc god of trade, communication, travel and the psychopomp
• Almanc Ecun the god of eternal time

Deity	Celestial Body	Symbols	Day	Festival
Solar Deities
Mityl Imit - Sual	Sun	katyl, hraketyl, karun 'charriot, whip, crown'	Tisual 'Sunday'	XXV Tekempyr 25th December
Kat
Kapet
Celestial Deities
Ezun Aśtuln	Saturn	halk, pekyr, hil 'sickle, staff, veil'	Tiśtuln 'Saturday'	XVII Tekembyr 17th December
Lun	Moon	katyl, mecalun 'chariot, crescent moon'	Tilun 'Monday'	XXIV Akuśt 24th August
Kial (Cu)	Jupiter	hulkur, sistyl, eqil 'thunderbolt, rattle, eagle'	Ticu 'Thursday'
Malz	Mars	lanz, kalc 'spear, helmet'	Timalt 'Tuesday'	I Malc 1st March
Hintyl	Venus	catim 'circlet'	Tihintyl 'Friday'	I Aprial 1st April
Melkulc	Mercury	katuz 'caduceus'	Timelculc 'Wednesday'	XV Mai 15 May
Terestrial Deities
Tetyl	Earth		-	13th December
Azen	Sea	arim 'oar'

Su Zacek - The Zodiac

Fire Signs	Earth Signs	Air Signs	Water Signs
Qualities: hot, dry Day Ruler: Sun Night Ruler: Jupiter	Qualities: cold, dry Day Ruler: Venus Night Ruler: Moon	Qualities: hot, wet Day Ruler: Saturn Night Ruler: Mercury	Qualities: cold, wet Day Ruler: Sun Night Ruler: Jupiter
Alcit	Tar	Kityn	Kankyr
Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:
Liun	Hilk	Lipyr	Aśkalcun
Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:
Satalc	Kaprikaln	Aqalc	Piśk
Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:	Dates: Ruler: Modality:

Sacred Animals

• Tar 'bull'
• Kar 'raven'
• Selp 'snake'
• Aśkalcun 'scorpion'
• Ken 'dog'
• Liun 'lion'