Animism

Synopsis
Animism is the religious belief that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Spirits can occupy anything, so the entire world around the tribesmen is alive.

Animals, plants and even forces of nature, such as lightning or hurricanes, are possessed of spirits just as man is, so everything must be treated with respect and ritual. Ritual is a part of life, important for placating the spirits so that food may be found and survival ensured. When something dies, the spirit lives on.

Everything has a spirit - In the more developed form, people have grouped these spirits into categories with one powerfull common spirit – of the wind, of the hunt, etc. Most powerfull of these spirits later became gods, responsible for certain parts of the world around us.

The more developed a society is, the higher spirits venerates.

Variations:

 * Amazons believe in a spirit world and that all things possess spirits. Amazon religion is ultimately animist. The very same applies for Picts.
 * The people of western Border Kingdom pay homage to King Bull and hold a festival in his honour every autumn. The King Bull is a flesh-and-blood bull that the people believe is possessed by a divine spirit.
 * Darfari do not worship any one particular god but observe a nature religion based on many disgusting gods and numerous dark spirits of nature – animal and jungle spirits that empower the world with magic and life. Witchcraft, sorcery and juju are mainstays of their religious experience, although most of their magic is directed toward spirits to bring needed weather, to encourage a good harvest or to bring about success in war.
 * In Ghulistan, grey apes lurk in the hills, so cults of Hanuman may exist, as might other animalistic religions.
 * The Hyrkanians believe all things have a dominant spirit, especially things that have long been in the possession of living things. There are greater and lesser spirits just as there are greater and lesser people or horses. Each spirit has its own jurisdiction, an object, person, process or area in its charge. Hyrkanians make doll-like idols out of felt, stone and/or wood to represent the images of their household spirits; these idols are called ongons. As houses for ancestor spirits, these idols are set up on the sides of the tent-doors or other places of honour. Hyrkanians always offer these idols the first milk from their flocks.
 * Iranistani hold fire in great respect. It tends to be restless and energetic, passionate and enthusiastic.