Religions of the Desert

[Starbeard]

Religion is an important aspect of the Hikuptah that can affect gameplay. If your character worships a deity that is not yet mentioned, write something about the deity here.

You should provide a description of the deity's appearance or character, plus a short description detailing the religious aspects of worship. Some things to consider:

• Idols used for the deity, and/or what types of sacrifices it takes, if any.
• A legend or two about the deity.
• How religious services are structured: how often do they occur, are there official priests who reside in temples, what do ceremonies look like, etc.
• Any restrictions or codes of conduct that followers of the deity are supposed keep.

Current Gods

• Yahuq (neutral), 'the divine wind'
• Bes (good), 'protector of the hearth'

[Starbeard]

Yahuq
The Divine Wind
alignment: neutral



"Yahuq was a neutral god of protection and safety. He was thought to travel in dust storms, and he blessed mortals with sharp intelligence. Priests of his temple used a bronze horse as his idol, and it was common for people to carry small amulets in the shape of a horse for protection."

"Yahuq's temple was in El-Shahabi, at the top of the hill. For numerous generations the Caliph of El-Shahabi acted as its head priest, and because of this priests of Yahuq's temple always enjoyed certain political privileges, since all other temples in El-Shahabi are subordinate to the Caliph."

"The typical religious ceremony is described thusly: 'a burnt sacrifice of a hoofed animal or goose, and mixing the ashes into a tea made from the grey lotus, in the hopes that by drinking the tea the priest might become a prophet. This happens once a month, and whenever a large dust storm passes by.'"

"Horses were considered sacred animals in El-Shahabi, and could not be sacrificed or eaten by anyone in city, on pain of death."

[Starbeard]

Bes
protector of the hearth
alignment: good



"Bes was a very ancient god of Hikuptah, a hearth deity who was invoked to protect households. He was associated most especially with mothers, children, and goodness. Statues and figurines of Bes have been found in many modern archaeological digs, and it is believed that most homes had some symbol of Bes at the 'hearth altar', a cabinet or small area set into the wall where family deities and protection charms were kept."



"In The Book of the White River, an ancient text of Hikuptan liturgical rituals, Bes is described as large, broad-shouldered, and bearded. He does not travel, but sees the world through his idols, so families are wise to place their hearth altar somewhere in the house where he can see and protect the entrance.

There was a Temple of Bes is every city of Hikuptah, with the one in Minaa being the largest. The priests of his temples could be male or female, and performed elaborate rituals at the beginning of the harvest and tax seasons, and their services were often called upon to help with fertility, to deliver births and bless newborns, and to act as pediatricians.

The typical religious ceremony involved the priests wearing a Bes mask or costume. To protect the area from wrongdoing the priests would and walk around it several times holding a lamp of burning oil, reciting prayers and sprinkling unused oil into the area. The largest and longest rituals were those at the start of the harvest and tax seasons, when the entire city would have to be blessed. None of the ceremonies involved a sacrifice, but offerings of food or money to Bes or his temple were often given."