Yes, I’ve tried to avoid the topic. But I suppose my pseudo-scientific (or researcher?) pride wouldn’t allow me to do that for long. Especially given recent developments. It’s probably about time that I take stock of what I know about spirits in general, and how they play into the head-scratching thing that is religion here.

Because, seriously, you have a religion where supernatural forces and entities are actually and unequivocally present. And might just protest if something you claim in their name doesn’t suit them. Well, if they care to.

Let’s start at the beginning. What are spirits? That’s actually a hard question, and if you try to go beyond the surface, there’s not much agreement between scholars. Asking spirits themselves doesn’t seem to help.

Clearly, they’re living beings. A ‘race’ of sentients - although that’s where the disagreement starts, since not every spirit seems to be intelligent. Some appear more reactive or animalistic. In general, spirits span a huge range of variety, in their levels of power as well as the way they present themselves to the world. Although there are of course commonalities. They’re closely associated with qi, although exactly how that works, like their nature, is far from certain.

For us, at least. Maybe the stronger and more intelligent spirits have a better idea and just don’t like to share? That would fit. As a rule of thumb, the more power a spirit has, the more intelligent they are, up to a certain point. I’ve also read that the powerful ones are better able to understand and predict human society, but they just don’t care, usually. Not that I can really blame them.

Physically, spirits fall somewhere between insubstantial and incorporeal. They’re most likely made of qi in some way. Perhaps some altered qi. Their forms are quite changeable. Many spirits have been documented with different appearances. The forms they do take range from plants over animals and spirit beasts to humanoid forms. Although they tend to not be complete or detailed recreations, even aside from the lack of solidity. Spirits don’t have color, at least not the same we do. Humanoid forms would be abstract or minimalistic. As I’ve experienced myself. I guess it might be their version of artistic expression, or they just want to emphasize their otherness. Maybe.

Spirits tend to avoid humans. Like spirit beasts, they prefer to reside in untamed nature. Or in the so-called qi phenomena or anomalies. Or possibly in some parallel dimension, or dimensions, of their own — I’m not quite sure what to make of what I’ve read, to be honest. Point is, they usually avoid direct contact with humans. But usually isn’t always, and if they feel threatened or attacked, or otherwise hostile, they’re perfectly capable of asserting themselves. Quite fiercely.

That said, over the centuries and millennia, people have learned to live together. Humans and spirits tolerate and cooperate with each other. Seeking to make a bargain with a spirit isn’t an everyday thing, but it wouldn’t get you any strange looks. Apparently, spirits like qi, in the form of qi-rich materials or artifacts, or they’d take favors and services. This is true for almost any level of the power scale. Though I guess you might have more trouble with an animalistic spirit.

That relates to the topic of religion. Because people routinely give offerings to spirits. In fact, it reminds me a little of what I know of religion in ancient Rome and other old cultures, with house gods or spirits. I know I shouldn’t fall into the trap of thinking of it in the way my culture understands worship. It’s more like propitiation. I guess. For the less powerful ones, definitely.

There are of course local differences in the way it works, but the prevailing religion doesn’t change much between continents and countries. It’s polytheistic, perhaps with a side of animism, if I had to classify it. But always adjusted to your surroundings and local spirits. Communities, regions, and even the Empire maintain shrines and give offerings to the stronger spirits. But individuals do the same. And then, of course, there’s the ‘real’ religious side of it. At least, I tend to think of it that way. That centers around the most powerful spirits, especially the Greater Spirits.

Who these are is actually pretty clear, if you look at Aran as a whole. Sure, there are regions or countries where other spirits are worshiped and sometimes called ‘Greater Spirit’, but the main ones are acknowledged almost anywhere. There are twelve of them, who are usually meant if you refer to ‘Greater Spirits’. From what I’ve read, spirits know these distinctions as well, and call them Greater Spirits. I’m not sure if these are just the most powerful spirits or if there’s a qualitative difference.

These Greater Spirits may as well be deities in this world. They’re the most powerful entities here. At least according to common knowledge. And we know how cultivators worship strength …

So, there are lots of shrines in their names. People pray to them, give offerings, swear in their names, all that stuff.

Apropos names: they do have names, although they’re usually known by their epithets, like ‘The Sun’ or ‘The Moon’, etcetera. This is rare, since most spirits either don’t have names or don’t give them to humans. It’s a little unclear whether they use names among themselves, but they certainly don’t seem to regard them the same way other people do.

Plus, spirits don’t have genders, not really. But some of the more well-known ones are still seen as male or female. I’m not sure if that’s just interpretation, but it seems like there’s more to it. There are enough records of these spirits appearing with gendered appearances. And since they can choose their forms, I should probably take that as a form of gender expression, or whatever.

Anyway, while details like that are pretty constant throughout society, there is little consistent religious dogma. No real scripture. Rituals and traditions differ between places. Of course, there are common legends, some of them quite well-known worldwide, especially when it comes to the Greater Spirits. For example, the enmity between certain factions of Greater Spirits, like between Rijoko and Jideia, is a prominent feature, although the details of the tale differ depending on who you ask.

It’s a little startling for me to realize that, unlike mythology on Earth, there may be one actual canon that covers what exactly happened. Because these may be descriptions of actual events. The Greater Spirits aren’t hostile because humans see a duality or struggle between their elements, or one cult displaced another (I assume), but they just are. I guess it’s a good thing that they mostly keep out of human affairs. I wouldn’t want to see a real ‘holy war’. People don’t try to use religion to sanctify warfare, here. At least in general. With real, present gods, well, I shudder to imagine what might happen if the Greater Spirits started using this world as a battleground.

On that note, of course this polytheistic mishmash isn’t the only religion in this world. Some are more like philosophical schools. There are even a few basically monotheistic religions here, although they’re pretty diverse.

One of them is Acalicusm. They’re the largest, so far as I know. Although they may be closer to a dualistic than monotheistic religion. Actually, they remind me a little of what I know of Zoroastrianism. Which admittedly isn’t much. But they have elements such as the universal fight of good against evil, or a doctrine of humans being judged according to their deeds, and versions of the afterlife, which is rare in the ‘traditional’ religion.

To be fair, there are different conceptions of the afterlife there, varying locally. In the middle of the Sky Continent, belief in reincarnation is prominent. Others don’t have very specific teachings or avoid this topic.

Acalicusm still incorporates the spirits, including the Greater Spirits, giving them roles in their scripture. But they’re less prominent than in other beliefs. Still, while this religion is viewed with skepticism by many, there’s little actual conflict between the faiths. Acalicusm developed in the Earth Continent a few millennia ago, but in recent centuries it spread to other continents more strongly. Currently, it’s on the rise in the Empire. In some regions of the Earth Continent’s Imperial territories, it has the most adherents, and they’re a sizeable minority in the north of Sky Continent, although their rise has slowed in recent years. The Imperial government has kept out of things. I’d say freedom of religion isn’t much of a right here because it’s a matter of course, something anchored in tradition since the Empire first started spreading. I guess if a faith that’s firmly against the current regime ever starts to rise, we’ll see how that changes.

Speaking of, I’m still having a bit of trouble grasping the nuances of the Empire’s relationship with religion. Because, of course, there’s connections. With other countries, too, but it’s enough of a headache considering just the Empire.

Rulers using religion to justify their authority and attempts at expansion is pretty common throughout history. In medieval Europe, kings claimed they were ruling ‘by God’s grace’, or something. In antiquity, the national god promised the king dominion over the world and was thought responsible for military victories. But none of those really fit the situation in the Empire. If anything, it’s more similar to the Chinese concept of the ‘mandate of the heavens’.

Not exactly, of course. But the Emperor or Empress does draw some legitimacy from the spirit world, and the way they deal with it.

Exactly what this means seems to vary depending on who you ask. There are a few opinions and takes on it. It probably isn’t helped by the fact that Mother avoids the whole issue, and it seems like her own mother wasn’t very religious, either.

Key to this is the idea that the ruler’s strength signifies their right or suitability to rule. It’s a little unclear on whether Mother is granted this strength or has this guaranteed by the Greater Spirits, or whether it’s all her own thing that she has to assert against hostile forces, perhaps in dealing with the Greater Spirits as well. That depends on who you ask, I suppose. It also rests on the traditional conception of a ruler’s duty. It’s Mother’s job to protect her people from the dangers of the land. Spirit beasts, spirits, human enemies, or other hostile forces.

The Empire builds roads and trade networks, maintains garrisons in the settlements, but also sometimes makes and enforces agreements with sapient spirit beasts or even spirits. But it’s on another level for the Empress. For some (traditionalists — remember I’m rolling my eyes hard right now) — she’s almost at the level of the Greater Spirits, herself. She’s certainly supposed to deal with them for the benefit of the Empire. It’s an important if not always obvious part of her job to bargain with the Greater Spirits if necessary. Not quite an intermediary between gods and men (or rather humans, of course), since powerful cultivators wouldn’t like to be seen as agents of someone else, least of all the ruler. But in common perception, there’s something divine about it; the role, or perhaps even the person.

What does this mean for me? Obviously, I’ll have to deal with all of it if and when I’m going to be Empress. But even now, as the Imperial Princess, this is throwing some long shadows. It’s at least part of why I’m “blessed by the spirits” and a few other titles, and why my position and person are treated as sacred to some degree. Honestly, the whole thing is a little vague to pin down.

This is the sort of thing more determined by traditions rather than written laws or scripture, and what people really find plausible and proper varies.

But I need to keep it in mind. Future me, if you think back to writing this, have a care, okay? And good luck, I guess.