spirits

So, the Coryani are based on the Roman’s, but also have the PoM laid over them. So I was wondering if the Coryani had the belief of the Lares Familiares, or appeasing the household spirit, that the romans did, and later Europeans did?

I’ve thought of this before too. And I would guess not. The Lares would effectively be primal spirits of some type. As such the practice would never have been started as the PoM would have stopped it at the founding of the First Imperium. At least that’s how I see it.

It’s possible that at the edge of society something like it might happen.

Specifically, I do not believe that anyone outside of the Beltinians would openly worship their ancestors. While Coryan is most similar to Rome, the theocracy of the situation is vastly different than that of the Latins. In our world the Roman religion evolved out of a very common human historical worship of their dead. This was observed in many cultures from the Egyptians, the Hebrews, the Chinese, to the Ojibway. This worship of the ancestors later evolved into many of the various religions that evolved after that point. Arcanis is different in that we already have a very well established religious background, and it is not based on the worship of your ancestors. That isn’t to say that the Coryani do not respect their ancestors, but I doubt there is direct worship of ancestor spirits.

Now, the Lares were more than simple ancestor spirits. They were the sprits of hearth and home, and I’ve read associations with much more known gods like Vesta with the Lares after the Romans began to Hellanize their religious practices (before Greece was conquered their gods had a distinctly different flavour). In the Arcanis cosmology such worship of spirits and deities more than the Twelve would be considered heresy and actively be discouraged. If you were to pray for a baby, you’d worship Saluwe’. If you were to utter prayers for a fire, you’d invoke Nier. If you were to ask about health, you’d invoke Neroth or Beltine as appropriate. The roles of the Lares have equivalents in the Twelve or possibly in some cases by invoking the Valinor of the Gods in some rare occasions I’m sure (though that is likely heretical as well to worship the Valinor over the Gods).

This isn’t to say that ancient spirits do not get worshiped. There is that one spirit (the Horned God) who has followers among the Old Coryani population. These creatures would then be subsumed by the Twelve among the official church in much the same way that the Myrantian deities have been given PoM equivalents like Tzitzhet as Sarish.

Pardon my slip of the tongue, Idid not mean to imply heretical worship. That said, we do know now that the Khitani Beltinians do call upon their ancestors more than those of Coryan. The Coryani church is more focused–as I recall–in having the spritis reach their rest, while the Khitani call them forth for advice and veneration.

I’ve thought of this before too. And I would guess not. The Lares would effectively be primal spirits of some type. As such the practice would never have been started as the PoM would have stopped it at the founding of the First Imperium. At least that’s how I see it.

It’s possible that at the edge of society something like it might happen.

I was thinking about how a good catholic irishman could still leave out a bowl of milk to appease the spirits. I know it might not be a part of the church teachings, but still something done, and considered minor enough to fly under the radar, or be accepted in practice even if not propagated by the Church. Or even as someone else has mentioned co-opted like the horned king has been by the Church (he was originally pagan, but I think officially he now falls somehow under an aspect/servant of Saluwe.)

It seems like the kind of thing that should technically not exist, but in for practical purposes should.

The other thing would be if it has been known to exist even if it is frowned upon by the Church. Is there the idea in the Coryani mind of something akin to Lares, Mares, or Genius’s? I stayed away from mentioning Mares, rather than Lares, because Mares have to do with the afterlife, and it seems that something of a person’s soul sticking around afterward is a bad thing. Though it is interesting that some Beltinian’s can do exactly that.

Specifically, I do not believe that anyone outside of the Beltinians would openly worship their ancestors.
The Altherians and val’Abebi also seem to have a strong connection to their ancestors. The bloodline talent Wisdom of the Ages [ARPG, p.213] directly mentions ancestors, and the old bloodline power The Lessons of Master Craftsmen [PGtA, p.274] implies a connection to ancestors to a lesser extent. See also the val’Abebi psionic spells Guidance of Thy Elders [ARPG, p.394] and Into the Minds of Many [ARPG, p.400].

Given the way that we players know that Altherians hide from outsiders that they believe can still contact Althares Himself, I suspect that they also would keep any honoring or reverence of ancestors as a private matter.

The Mother Church does recognize saints, though (like the real-world Catholic Church) saints are not worshiped but venerated. The veneration of specific saints is, I realize, much different than honoring one’s personal ancestors.

This is probably the correct angle to take within the Arcanis universe. Hell, you could even cut the Pantheon in pieces relating to their roles in society, and some do. Recall that there is a marked difference in the importance of the individual Gods in Haina, where if they do not have a military angle the government doesn’t officially support them. As such, Saluwe’ and Beltine would likely be more of a ‘household’ god type, while Nier and Illiir would not.