Draconian Faith

[GIR]

1. Name Draconian Faith (no official name)
2. Beliefs

• One 'master' god with many gods below on seven 'tiers' of power/rank.
• All living things of the universe contain fragments of the life energy/soul of the 'master' god, Lifestream.
• Draconians are a deifacted species created by the Shadow/Rebirth Goddess, Ewigen Drachen. Two breeds, or stocks, were created: One original stock, considered the 'true' Draconians and revered above the newer second stock, made to appease the god Lifestream due to fears of an imbalance in the universe. No order, oddly enough, was given to destroy or de-fertilize the original stock. Though the second stock revers the original stock and regards them as being superior, the original stock considers the second stock to be equals.
• The purpose of the gods and goddesses is to maintain balance in the universe. The purpose of mortal life is nonexistant, and must be manufacted by each mortal individual.
• All lives are important. The taking of any life, regardless of form, is an act of grave severity and must be weighed accordingly. War, likewise, is not to be taken lightly and must be fully justified, with any and all other options explored first. Note that this belief does not forbid predation, rather, it encourages restriction and conservation, as well as justification in not only the act itself, but in the methods of it, and the conditions of domestication.
• Service to oneself is, beyond the basics, optional. Service to others is strongly encouraged. Service to the gods/goddesses is mandatory. No order directly from a god or goddess is to be refused.
• One's mother is her most important relative, and the most important mortal being in existance, unless she should prove abusive and unfit for motherhood.
• Any act which makes onself or another incapable of properly serving Empire or Diety is forbidden, to include illicit drugs, alchohol, gluttony, rape, murder, theft, laziness, and other acts. One must never act in a way which harms another. The exception to this tenet is punishments for crimes committed, and wartime efforts condoned by a competent and just War Council.

3. Ways of worship
There are a few prayers, but those are reserved for very special circumstances. Most worship is done through upholding the tenets of the faith, and through war song during major battles.

• Suicide ritual:

"..., when all other remedies have failed, and you cannot gain even the smallest measure of worth or pleasure from life, then must you ask the forgiveness of the Lifestream and the Mother Goddess. When you have asked Their forgiveness, then may you proceed to sent the White Hilt to the one you wish to end your life by, then must you hold a Duel with this Beloved, and, only in honorable defeat, as Witnessed by both Mothers, may you then be ended, for Body to rejoin Draconis, and Soul to rejoin Lifestream."
4. Standards of conduct
(aside from the obvious and fairly universal standards)

• To rape any individual is an act beyond heinous, one which merits the most severe of punishments, punishments which are considered unspeakable. (obvious, but I feel it does bear mentioning.)
• Any act which does not harm or impair another or oneself (impairment caused by pregnancy, fatigue, or training weights) is permissible. Suicide, information gathering (with the proper considerations and permissions), and punishments meted out by law as determined by a just trial by jury of one's peers are not considered here.
• To end one's own life is to forfiet that which was given by the Mother Goddess and by Lifestream. There is not, nor was ever, a mandate to live, however, and suicide is permissible as a last resort when all other outs have failed. In such a case, the Suicide Ritual must be exactly performed, or the suicidee forfiets all honor.
• Draconians mate for life, one time only, except in cases of spousal abuse. This is a standard only Draconians are held to, but it is part of the faith.
• Drugs and other vices have no place in Draconian society.
• All battles are fought with honor whenever feasible.

5. Organization of groups
Draconians worship individually. It is a sort of heresy to form a religious heirarchy, as it implied that one is favored more by the gods/goddesses than the others.
6. Who may join and how?
Any being willing to accept the beliefs of the faith, and whose honor is either free of stain, or redeemable, is able to join simply by joining any society which practices it.
7. History
[not really relevant]
8. Holidays
There are no official holy days, as it is considered heresy to believe that one knows the exact dates of most days which might otherwise be considered holy days.