New Prioslevidy
The New Prioslevidyn Faith was developed several hundred years ago as the culmination of centuries of reform work by Old Prioslevidy shamanic elites. This priestly caste had for many years desired more control over the local branches of the Prioslevidy religion, in order to prevent heresy from spreading. They came to see the uneducated, rural shamans as counterproductive to the proper worship of spirits, as they saw a number of incongruous ceremonies and improper reverence for spirits. They also sought to present a unified response to corrupted spirits, which had menanced Relvetsians for generations. Additionally, many priests had begun to propose reforms to the status of the deities in the Prioslevidy religion. In particular, the World Father and god of the sky, Nebesar Grom, was seen as being the one true god, with the other gods merely being powerful spirits. The final reason many of these high-ranking shamans wanted reforms was they were selfish, and wanted status and power- and believed greater control over the religion would give them this power. This desire for greater power over the people was shared with the crown, and a series of Emperors promised to promote the reforms if the reformists would publicly support the Empire. Thus began the Great Reforms.
A Prioslevidyn religious hierarchy was formed, standardized rituals and holidays were established, and shamans were required to get certified in order to prove they were following the proper methods to deal with spirits. The goal of the New Prioslevidysts was to eventually establish a hierarchy of churches, with a high shaman residing in the central metropoliatan at the core of the Relvetsian Empire. He would oversee this metropolitan directaly, as well as more loosely overseeing three regional metropoliatan churches; one for each of the other Relvetsian ethnicties. All four of these major metropoliatans would then have regional branches which dealt with issues and made sure spirits were placated, venerated, or driven away as required. In practice, however, only this first level of authority would be properly established, as most rural villages were never properly integrated into the structure and continued to make do with unaccredited shamans. Such villages were often troublesome, with locals refusing to listen to the dispatched shamans and continuing to prefer the old ways. So, although the The New Prioslevidyn Faith made significant headway in urban areas and heavily populated areas that were close to the capital, most of the countryside continued to follow the old ways. In particular, the elevation as Nebesar Grom was seen as an assault on local traditions and their own preferred objects of worship, and was treated with outright hostility in parts of Relvetsian where the Sky Father's worship had never actually spread*, such as the east. In the south, the heretical [tbd] faith had already taken hold among most of the population, and therefore progress was slow in this region too, commonalities in their worship of the Sky Father saw some progress made.
After the collapse of the Relvetsian Empire, two of the regional metropolitans were almost immeditaly lost. The Metropolitan of Volodominy was taken over by the Old Prioslevidy radicals of the Grand Principality of Kyrivyna, while Kyzsan in the north became part of the new Empire of Åavens Relvets, destroyer of the Empire. It now hosts Rusirr shamans, with the local priests fleeting south. Sankt Semyoburg itself, core of the church, was the only one to survive untounched, throwing in their lot with the Grand Principality of Voncherynol. However, the city of Sankt Semyoburg now sits almost on the fronlines itself, in serious danger of falling to the Grand Principality of Norovosht. The southern Metropolitan, Vyazan, was partially looted at the onset of the collapse before following Sankt Semyoburg's lead and swearing fealty to Voncherynol. However, Vyazan cannot assert authority over much of their claimed diocese, with most under control of heretics or active foes, while the rest of the Voncherynolite loyalists in the region are disconnected and surrounded by Norovoshty forces.
*Nebesar Grom was originally a Rodłowi deity which spread to the Relvetsians before the Rodłowi migrated southwest. Those tribes which never encountered Rodłowi, even in prehistory, had therefore barely even heard of the deity, and being told he was the only true deity was extremely controversial and completely destroyed any hope of the faith spreading in such areas.
A Prioslevidyn religious hierarchy was formed, standardized rituals and holidays were established, and shamans were required to get certified in order to prove they were following the proper methods to deal with spirits. The goal of the New Prioslevidysts was to eventually establish a hierarchy of churches, with a high shaman residing in the central metropoliatan at the core of the Relvetsian Empire. He would oversee this metropolitan directaly, as well as more loosely overseeing three regional metropoliatan churches; one for each of the other Relvetsian ethnicties. All four of these major metropoliatans would then have regional branches which dealt with issues and made sure spirits were placated, venerated, or driven away as required. In practice, however, only this first level of authority would be properly established, as most rural villages were never properly integrated into the structure and continued to make do with unaccredited shamans. Such villages were often troublesome, with locals refusing to listen to the dispatched shamans and continuing to prefer the old ways. So, although the The New Prioslevidyn Faith made significant headway in urban areas and heavily populated areas that were close to the capital, most of the countryside continued to follow the old ways. In particular, the elevation as Nebesar Grom was seen as an assault on local traditions and their own preferred objects of worship, and was treated with outright hostility in parts of Relvetsian where the Sky Father's worship had never actually spread*, such as the east. In the south, the heretical [tbd] faith had already taken hold among most of the population, and therefore progress was slow in this region too, commonalities in their worship of the Sky Father saw some progress made.
After the collapse of the Relvetsian Empire, two of the regional metropolitans were almost immeditaly lost. The Metropolitan of Volodominy was taken over by the Old Prioslevidy radicals of the Grand Principality of Kyrivyna, while Kyzsan in the north became part of the new Empire of Åavens Relvets, destroyer of the Empire. It now hosts Rusirr shamans, with the local priests fleeting south. Sankt Semyoburg itself, core of the church, was the only one to survive untounched, throwing in their lot with the Grand Principality of Voncherynol. However, the city of Sankt Semyoburg now sits almost on the fronlines itself, in serious danger of falling to the Grand Principality of Norovosht. The southern Metropolitan, Vyazan, was partially looted at the onset of the collapse before following Sankt Semyoburg's lead and swearing fealty to Voncherynol. However, Vyazan cannot assert authority over much of their claimed diocese, with most under control of heretics or active foes, while the rest of the Voncherynolite loyalists in the region are disconnected and surrounded by Norovoshty forces.
*Nebesar Grom was originally a Rodłowi deity which spread to the Relvetsians before the Rodłowi migrated southwest. Those tribes which never encountered Rodłowi, even in prehistory, had therefore barely even heard of the deity, and being told he was the only true deity was extremely controversial and completely destroyed any hope of the faith spreading in such areas.
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