Jaku-Pushana, The Joy-Weaver

Followers and Priesthood

Though the continent of Ruatiwanga and its people are a polytheistic culture who venerates each of the Six Sky Gods of Haako-san-tara as a collective pantheon, it is not altogether uncommon for the particularly devout to dedicate themselves to one such deity within the pantheon - and in the case of The Joy-Weaver, Fifth of the Sky Gods of Haako-san-tara and Wife to Dharmu-Tavakhra(Father Ground, God of the Ground, Horizons, and Travel), such occurances are often driven by the actions of others which inspire those who behold them with the motivation and faith to seek out the Joy-Weaver and become one with the Pushani faith. Oftentimes, these external factors take the form of other members of the faithful who, whether by simple kindness or purposeful preaching, convert other creatures to the ranks of the faithful, or the form of the transgressions of other creatures who, in the act of profaning the natural world or enacting suffering or burdens upon others, often motivate those around them to act through the profanity or starkly motivating nature of their misdeeds. Other possibilities exist, of course - such as via creatures finding the faith via divine providence or acts of god, or those who otherwise suffer under the excessive rules or lack thereof in their homelands and seek to enact change in such places, or even in many cases when native Ruatiwangans(And occasionally other creatures) make first contact with the Iron Empire and witness its atrocities firsthand, becoming rapidly radicalized in the process. Whatever the case may be, followers of the Joy-Weaver are an incredibly common sight across Ruatiwanga - and are just as likely to be found taking up arms against the forces of evil as they are to be found in churches preaching the humble word of God to any who will listen. Often, they are equally integral members of the community regardless of their martial or scholarly tendencies - serving as pillars of the community around whom even those who do not consider themselves part of the faithful or even particularly religious often come to respect and revere as village elders. Though, this is not always the case - as while many cultures and villages across Ruatiwanga often welcome the followers of the Joy-Weaver as kind elders and honored mystics, they are shunned or treated with suspicion in just as many places for their reputation as mischief-makers and troublemakers who often delight in sowing discord in the local area. Nonetheless, wherever they are found(Which is virtually everywhere), they are often revered by someone - though exactly who can often vary depending on the area in question.   Though they often gain reputations as particularly zealous defenders of the natural world(A reputation rightfully earned, as they are found most commonly in the wilds and in places where the natural world and its creatures are most in need), the Pushani have become especially notorious in recent years to The Iron Empire - as they have become, bar none, the most active and militant of the religions of the Six Sky Gods of Haako-san-tara against their influence and corruptive ways. For many, the choice is an obvious one - and one that has even persuaded many Ironites to betray their own people - the moment one lays eyes upon the hive cities of the Iron Empire and the unfathomable devastation their mere existence wreaks on the surrounding ecology; the presence of The Diesel Fields around each Hive-City alone more than enough to galvanize entire communities of Pushani into militant action against Ironite influence. Indeed, while The Iron Empire has largely written off the Six Sky Gods of Haako-san-tara as footnotes in their conquest of Ruatiwanga, credible sources report that the Inquisitorius of The Iron Empire has classified the Pushani faith as one of their greatest adversaries upon the continent; for it is the Pushani alone that have been the most zealous and unified in their fight against Ironite Influence on Ruatiwanga - even going so far as to stage no less than seventeen plots to destroy the city of Smogger's Roost(The one Ironite City upon all of Ruatiwanga), three of which have come perilously close to succeeding, within the past ten years alone.   Often cloaked in dark greens, dark blues, greys, and whites, the Pushani place little religious significance on styles of dress - preferring instead to dress for practicality - instead placing greater emphasis on dressing oneself in materials that have been hunted or otherwise sourced humanely and without needless suffering, or ideally using materials recycled or reused from other items that would have otherwise been tossed out to discarded. To many Pushani, this practice leads to the creation of beautiful patchwork sets of clothing and armor accrued from family, friends, and relatives - scraps of old armor sets and old clothes worked together into a new contiguous whole. While this often leads many into the practice of hoarding, as they often have difficulty truly discarding old materials or items, they often are festooned with a great number of trinkets, hats, jewelry, and the like - each with its own story to tell from where they saved it from, which item they salvaged it from, or where it was otherwise gained. The only central tenet in their garb, aside from these facts, is their ability to be changed frequently - making hand-sewn, patchwork, easily-dyed materials and styles of dress their first choice of garment. Though not a requirement, the Pushani also place great spiritual emphasis on creating one's own goods and using handcrafted things where at all possible - meaning many are often natural crafters.   While not as organized as the likes of the faithful of the Rain-Maker, the Pushani are nonetheless an organized faith - often establishing churches in abandoned buildings or structures that can otherwise be repurposed; only resolving to build a new structure when it becomes absolutely clear that no existing structure exists or otherwise suits their needs. Such structures are often simple, and rarely elaborate - Pushani cathedrals are rare, and of simple make and adornment so as to remain humble both in the eyes of God and their fellow mortals. Such gatherings of the faithful are often organized and denoted by village or a similarly local area, where the faithful are governed by a frequently changing council of 5 members that are elected and altered in regular intervals - ensuring that the local community and faithful alike do not become stagnant or reliant on the same person or ideals for too long at a time. Though many initially assume it, the Pushani are not believed to have a central spiritual "leader" - the various denominations of the faithful simply keep in contact at semi-regular intervals, and aid one another if needed. The faithful place little emphasis on 'rankings' - instead operating more like a communal family where the needs of the church-goers and the local community members alike are met equally and without bias. Indeed, the only true 'ranking' the Pushani place any degree of importance on is length of service - but rather than as a means for promotion, it simply serves as a measure of one's wisdom and experience for one's fellows and newcomers to recognize at first glance. Unlike many other faiths of the Sky Gods, the followers of the Joy-Weaver are rarely secretive - although they often prefer to build their churches or gathering points in rural areas somewhat removed from city centers - and often make specific points to welcome all comers through the doors of their churches with policies that often forbid members of the faith from turning away those in need without ensuring that their problem is not, in some way, dealt with.  

Ethics

Though each and every one of the Six Sky Gods of Haako-san-tara concerns themselves and their followers with the affairs of the natural world and the creatures that live within it, none are as concerned with nor as avid defenders of such places and creatures as the Pushani - whose fundamental beliefs in living in ecological and spiritual harmony with the natural world as a way of paying respect and worship to the Gods and the world they created(And not bringing shame upon oneself or committing blasphemies against the Gods) put them almost in direct ideological opposition to the likes of The Iron Empire, whose entire empire is almost exclusively based upon the ruthless plundering and exploitation of the natural world. Believing fundamentally in the responsible use of that which was gifted by God unto mortalkind, the Pushani are avid defenders of the natural world in every conceivable way - believing earnestly in the equal distribution of natural resources, the responsible and respectful use of and consumption of natural materials and resources, and in living a life in balance with the natural cycles of life and death established by the Gods. This can take many forms - be it simply replacing what one harvests, ensuring that what you harvest is only that what you need and not taken in excess, to not wantonly cast aside or discard the gifts of God or the natural world, or even standing against those who do not abide the above - the Pushani believe all this and more are core ideologies of not only man, but beast and God themselves. For ultimately, while all life on Ruatiwanga can be traced back to evolving from or being created from mundane animal life, and while the pursuit of civilized pursuits is not inherently good or evil, the Pushani believe that the rise of civilization does not lead to the depletion or misuse of the natural resources and wonders that gave rise to it. For, ultimately, the Pushani believe in abiding the natural world and remembering one's place as just another creature in the cycle(Albeit a smart and civilized one) who is using the same resources, appreciating the same places, and relying on the same gifts from God as all the other beasts and animals in creation; and yet unlike them, is smart enough to realize and understand the concepts of overuse and is capable of using their enhanced intelligence to live responsibly and in-tune with the world around them - and to keep the world in balance not only for themselves, but for all other creatures that dwell there alongside them. Anything less, they believe, is arrogance - and a direct insult to not only the gods, but the other animals and beasts that live in the world alongside you.   Even going beyond the responsible use of the natural world and the policing of it against those who would exploit it, the Pushani believe that it is a fundamental spiritual tenet of life to remain connected with the ground and the soil and the natural world from which one's ancestors came from by creating what you need yourself from natural materials wherever possible - or at the very least, repairing and restoring that which has been created by others and see it usable again. This is amongst the most fundamental tenets of the Pushani - to pay respect to the world and the creatures within it by using their gifts and blessings to forge your tools and forge them well. Of course, the Pushani understand the need to purchase or barter or trade for certain things - some things are unavoidable - but what is important to them is their belief in using natural materials, understanding what you have and where it came form, and performing the sacred and spiritual journey of crafting wherever possible; something that they believe is not merely a simple task but an act that is impossibly close to God. To craft, to the Pushani, is to create as the Gods did, long ago - and is something one should never undertake lightly, even though they simultaneously hold it as one of the most respectable and worthy professions and endeavors(And consider crafting and creating the pursuit of Godhood, in many ways), for to create something lightly or without care is to bring shame upon the materials, the creatures(if any) that died to give you those materials, the Gods who consciously created those materials, and above all yourself - whose soul is stained by the act. To this end, as mentioned above, the Pushani are natural recyclers - always preferring to reuse or repair an existing item or material rather than make a new one entirely from scratch - and are always among the first to ensure an item that has stopped being useful can, at least, be reused or recycled into a project or other purpose where it may not go to waste. To waste, misuse, litter, or the like is something the Pushani take very seriously - as if one is saying 'this thing, made by God, is useless'; something that they believe is not their place to decide, for everything, no matter how small or how seemingly useless, has a purpose - or else, to them, the Gods would not have allowed it to exist.   In many ways, their unwillingness to allow the gifts of God to be destroyed or erased from this world extends into a great many aspects of their lives - not all of which are places where one may expect. For example, the belief often makes them natural alchemists - for those who truly delve into the process of transmutation and alteration often find themselves enchanted with the art of Alchemy, which the faithful often come to view as a divine practice and a way to worship the gods and pursue their mysteries. In addition, the belief is often applied to living beings - a practice which often sees many faithful take on the role of counselor or shephard to the needy, as they often come to believe that by allowing another creature, a gift from god, to be erased from this world, to take their own life or march willingly to their own death to be a gross misuse of one's own life as a child of God.   In many ways, the Pushani are some of the most inherently and fundamentally goodly and well-intentioned people on all of Ruatiwanga - though their beliefs rarely fit into the molds of "Good" or "Evil" in the traditional senses. Instead, the Pushani believe fundamentally in easing the burdens and struggles of others - particularly, they see themselves as the chosen shepherds of God who have sacred and solemn duty to stand vigilant against needless extremism of any kind. To them, an abundance of law or an abundance of chaos are both equally despicable - and invariably and without fail are signs that a great many people suffer beneath the yoke of such extreme forces in one way or another. Thus, ultimately, they believe in helping others through the lens of freeing them from the burdens of that which they labor under by giving them new opportunities where extremism has created stagnancy - returning the world to balance and allowing change to take hold that things may be born anew which, in time, may one day attract their attention once more to change all over again. This, though contrary to some, is a mere fact of life for the Pushani - the natural cycle of life and death, law and chaos, good and evil that rages eternally within the cosmos - something that they have a duty to keep spinning, and alleviate the suffering and burdens of those trapped within it wherever possible.   Above all, however, perhaps the most fundamental tenet of the Pushani faith is joy - there is no greater tenet one must abide in one's life than joy. Whether one is religious or not, the Pushani believe that it is a fundamental duty of all living creatures to seek out and find the joys of God and of the world they created - to enjoy and relish in life for all its goods and bads, to rejoice in the moment and appreciate the world around you, to seek new joys and help others laugh and revel as you do - there is, to them, no greater duty; no greater station to aspire to than, simply, one who can make others joyful. Be they animal, be they beast, or be they thinking creature, all creatures seek joy - and to the Pushani, doing so is a spiritual act. Above all, to the Pushani, the purpose of life is to enjoy it - and come what may, they consider it a very serious and spiritual duty to help others, if only for a moment, leave their burdens behind and know the joys of living - for those joys are indelibly the joys of God.