Chippa Religion

Chippa religion dates backs to their early history, when they were isolated from each other in small communal groups. During this period many chippa began settling in the southern region of Eaggami. Many chippa also began settling around the ancient city of Clik'calak, not realizing that it was the home of the distraught Guardian Tethra. The strange power and mechanical whirring of clockwork machines attracted them, who nonetheless stayed clear of the dangerous city. Tethra, in his madness, often sent out many raiding parties to attack and capture local doolas, and so the chippa grew to fear but also respect the city proclaiming it a sacred and holy place.    They began to worship Tethra as some god, and frequently gave simple offerings in a bid to abate his wrath. As more and more chippa connected and interacted with each other, this belief spread, growing into a monotheistic worship of their deity, whom they called the Yaapppanloola or "the Great Beaver."    And so for thousands of years this was how it was. Tethra frequently sent incursions and raids, but still constrained himself to his home. However, when the Great Darkness arrived he shattered completely and began scouring the local lands. It was only when the First Alliance sent an elite core of heroes to help the chippa was Tethra slain and the city of Clik'calak claimed as the holy city of Chappawoopa.   Following the destruction of the Great Darkness and the unification of the chippa, the worship of the Great Beaver spread to the entire race, and would be a standard aspect of their culture to the modern age.

Since their is little in the way of priests and no official holy books to inscribe from, the exact myths, stories, and legends surrounding the Great Beaver vary, but the general story is always there.   The first major myths focuses on the creation of the chippa. It was said that in ages past some group of gods needed to go to war against their foes, and so they chose to form their own races. The Great Beaver himself stooped down to grab mud, sticks, and water, and fashioned the first chippa, not to fight, but to build.   Figure 1. The Great Beaver   The Great Beaver then travelled to the south, and called for his new creations to follow him there. However, they were small and clumsy, and it took a long time before they found his sacred city. By then however, he had been troubled and lost. The Great Beaver, by some means, was no longer peaceful and kind, but mad, wrathful and angry. Why this was so varies; some stories say he grew tired by waiting, or that he was broken after the loss of his family and kin, or even that he had been chained into a metal shell by an opponent. Either way, the Great Beaver built a city of metals and the chippa fearfully worshiped him.   Several myths are centered around the Great Darkness, a turning point in their race's history. One of the most prominent of these is of course about the fall of Clik'calak and the defeat of Tethra. Chippa tell tales of how the Great Darkness cast itself upon the world, and their god was corrupted by it. Yet hope arrived with new divine heroes, sent to save them. A few brave chippa joined them and entered their sacred city, and finally defeated the Great Beaver's metal body, finally freeing his spirit. His mind was cleared and he ascended into the sky, to watch over his creation for all of eternity.

The are no official holy books for the chippa, but these are unnecessary anyways, as all chippa know the basic truths of their faith. The Great Beaver is their patron deity, who created and watches over them. Following his ascension after the Great Darkness, he has remained a loving and good god, who sends blessings to the chippa. He expects them to be loyal, good, and moral, and will punish those who do wrong.   The chippa also believe in some sort of afterlife, where they will eventually be able to live in a perfect world, though those who have done wrong must go through levels of purification first.

The chippa worship the Great Beaver by blessings or invoking his name. In addition, every family, or doola, has their own little shrine to him, which they offer a few prayers or offerings every day. In larger cities and settlements, the chippa have simple but elegant shrines where anyone can come to pray and give thanks and gifts to the Great Beaver. There also exist wayshrines along pathways.

There are no official priests of the Great Beaver, but every now and then a chippa will have some revelation and calling and spend his days wandering as a vagabond, teaching the will of the Great Beaver. These chippa are often looked proudly upon, but are quite rare.