Ceiltean Druidism

The Grand Order of Druids (Ceiltean: Ord Mór na nDraoithe), also known as the Ceiltean Order or the Druids, with 23 members in the home Ceiltean territories in the Union of Collectivist Council Republics. The Grand Order is headed by the Rí na Ríthe, the King of Kings, who has always traditionally been the head of state of the High Kingdom of Ceiltea and the subsequent Union of Collectivist Council Republics. While the Rí na Ríthe is the nominal and ceremonial head of the Order, the Order is effectively headed by the Archdruid who heads the Grand Conclave of Druids from the Liathdruim, south of the Folkscapital of Melevorgrad.

The Grand Order teaches that the Rí na Ríthe comes from the bloodline of Erses, the Elder King of the gods, and thus is given a divine mandate from the heavens. The Archbishop is handpicked by the Rí na Ríthe from the Grand Conclave of Druids, from among the clergy as the effective head of the Order. The Grand Conclave is comprised of all Druids who serve as clergy and so there is no limit on how many can be in the Conclave. To become a Druid one must undergo education at the Grand College of the Order.

The Grand Order is polytheistic which has long been passed down through oral traditions, but finally codified in Ard Saileach at the Liathdruim by Rí na Ríthe Melevor Murascaillbach around the establishment of the High Kingdom of Ceiltea. The pantheon of the Order is split between the Higher Thrones and the Lower Thrones, with the major gods sitting on the Higher Thrones and compulsory to worship. The Lower Thrones include the lesser gods who, while not compulsory to worship, are often worshipped in certain circumstances and at certain festivities.

Worship by followers of the Grand Order is often held in private, through public chanting and singing, in official state ceremonies and open clearings in forests or around standing stones. The holiest site in the religion is south of Melevorgrad at the relocated Liathdruim where ancient antiques relating to the gods. At the relocated Liathdruim open aired courts and areas for worship and the Grand Conclave are planned alongside a memorial dedicated to the family history of the Murascaillbach Dynasty.

The Higher Thrones
The gods of the Higher Thrones are the more powerful of the, in total, 11 gods. Among them sits the Elder King of the gods, Erses and his wife Ymis who are the parents to all the other of the gods of the Higher Thrones. It is thought that the reason the children of Erses and Ymis sit among them on the Higher Thrones is because of their immense powers and capabilities inherited from their parents' combined powers.

Erses
Erses is the main god followed by the Grand Order, worshipped as Elder King of the gods, Father of the gods, the Solar god and the god of rightful Kingship. Erses often takes the form of a large Ceiltean Elk, whose earthly lookalikes are believed to be another type of his offspring with Ymis and thus treated with reverence, respect and with piety in Ceiltea. Erses is the father of Edarr, Udros and Rhadohir, and husband to Ymis. It is also believed that Erses fathered the Murascaillbach Dynasty as the perfect humans to lead the Ceilteans, and before, the Pyrrhians forward in line with the gods.

Another name given to Erses is "Solar Elk", as his terrestrial form as previously mentioned, often was a large Ceiltean Elk shrouded in sunlight. Erses along with being the solar god, is also the god of treaties, oaths and rightful kingship. Erses is often portrayed as a warrior and a master craftsman, often working alongside his son Edarr and Gyorr the god of the forge.

Ymis
Ymis is a major god, and the wife of Erses. She is attributed the title of Mother of the gods for her role in the creation of the other gods among those who sit on the Higher Thrones. Ymis is the goddess of healing and the home, often being worshipped for family members, healing during war and being the patroness of marriages. Ymis' appearance is that of a humanoid looking tree with emerald green leaves, similar to that of an Ent, who are credited as being offspring of Ymis and Erses.

Edarr
Edarr is a major god, and a son of Erses. He is the god of war and combat, and entrusted with the role of delivering fallen warriors to the halls of Erses in the ethereal realm. Edarr is often worshipped before battle by warriors and generals alike, praying for victory, strength in battle and an honourable death. Edarr takes the terrestrial form of a Ram with fiery wool and bloodied eyes.

Udros
Udros is a major god, and a son of Erses. He is the god of the oceans and fish, whose domain is entirely the seas and the weather surrounding them. Udros is worshipped both by fishers and by sailors before either casting their rod or setting sail respectively. Falling on the bad side of the giant Octopus-like creature which Udros takes as his terrestrial form, and has reportedly appeared rising from the oceans during long voyages near Ceiltean waters has never ended well.

Rhadohir
Rhaodhir is a major god, and the only daughter of Erses. She is the god of the underworld, death and darkness and is entrusted with inflicting curses and retrieving the souls of those who die under dishonourable circumstances or commit great crimes against the gods. Rhadohir takes the form of a great spider, manifesting as the worlds' most terrifying creature in goliath size, often spinning her webs around those who she is bringing back to the underworld with her. The spiders which roam the world are thought to be offspring of Rhadohir and an unknown entity from the void beyond existence. Rhadohir is not often worshipped due to her dark nature, though there are some rare cults, particularly those centred around death and assassination which worship the monstrous spider.

The Lower Thrones
WIP

Arasil
WIP

Thygohr
WIP

Raenar
WIP

Rhireus
WIP

Gyorr
WIP

Akbris
WIP

Creation and Destruction Myths
The Grand Order has preserved both the creation and destruction mythos of the faith, which for a long time, until the codification under Melevor Murascaillbach, was passed down through oral tradition as it was thought too important for outsiders to gain knowledge of.

Creation Mythos
In the beginning all of existence was covered in fog, shapeless and formless. From this, both nothingness and somethingness arose, the Void was the lack of space, it consumed vast areas with darkness and emptiness, while mass and light started to form where the Void could not be found. From this cosmic essence arose the first beings, Erses and Ymis alongside other less powerful spirits and entities which would later become the gods of the Lower Thrones. These entities came to be known as the Ardaithe, beings of existence, material, essence, mind and body, while the all-devouring Void began birthing it's own entities to counter the Ardaithe. The Díghrádaithe would be entities tasked by the Void to engage in war with the Ardaithe, and to consume all that they created on behalf of the Void.

This would lead to an almost reality-ending war, in which the Díghrádaithe almost consumed the entirety of existence, but were stopped by Erses who saved the last light from the Díghrádaithe by hiding it on what is now Earth. This last light came in the form of a small flame, barely surviving, but managing to do so. While the last light was hidden away the Díghrádaithe only got more erratic, as their power dwindled as they starved, the light being their last food source. With the Díghrádaithe weakened, the Ardaithe retaliated against them, eventually destroying all of the entities through the use of the newly created Arcane. Banishing the Void beyond the walls of reality, upheld through Arcane magic, the gods were finally secure, though existence was heavily scarred through the war and required healing efforts by the gods.

Thus planets came to be. The lack of existence between different masses of form gave rise to many different masses spread across existence far apart from one another. Returning to the last light, the spirit Erses consumed it, and assumed it's powers of creation upon which he bestowed his fellow Ardaithe powers, skills and abilities. Ymis created trees, flowers and shaped nature, while Erses created life in the form of Elks, and the Sun to shine His light upon existence. The gods of the Lesser Thrones were not bestowed with powers of creation and so specialised in elemental matters and in the specification of skills for the new life created by both Erses and Ymis, humanity. It is believed that this was done from the site which housed a small part of the last light, the flame of creation, known as the Kiln of Creation

Yet, from beyond the walls of reality the Void continued to influence activities throughout existence, manipulating and turning humanity against it's masters, corrupting many who turned their backs on the gods, worshipping various different idols and Void-inspired beings. This corruption of their creation horrified the gods, and so it was decided by Elder King Erses that a noble line must be created of his own blood to guide the faithful in The Way, and to wage bloody wars against the corrupted. Thus was created the regal line of Murascaillbach, ending the Age of Ancients, and beginning the Age of Heroes.

Destruction Mythos
WIP

History
WIP

Foundation and the Age of Heroes
WIP

Codification
WIP

Central Beliefs and Practices
WIP

King of Kings and Mandate from the Heavens
WIP

Erses Primacy
WIP

Natural Conservation
WIP

Culture of Honour
WIP

Hierarchy
WIP

Rí na Ríthe - King of Kings
WIP

Archdruid
WIP

Grand Conclave of Druids
WIP

Organisations
WIP

Grand Conclave of Druids
WIP

Grand College of Druids
WIP

Holy Sites
WIP

The Liathdruim
WIP