Tul Tanzu
Tul Tanzu is the indigenous religion of the Taytaman peoples. Unlike most of the human-led religions of Telgren, the Tu Tanzu religion does not have a pantheon of gods, and indeed does not believe that gods exist in a traditional sense. Instead they believe in a cosmic energy which can be accessed by some in the form of magic. They believe that after death, a person's soul returns to this cosmic energy and can be accessed by those who speak to spirits. The followers of Tul Tanzu therefore venerate their ancestors and believe that being in tune with them can increase one's connection to the cosmic energy. The Tu Tanzu believe that their ancestors watch over them from this cosmic energy and that those who have powerful magical ability were specially chosen and favored by their ancestors.
One of the more prominent features of Tu Tanzu are their Fire Dances. The followers of Tu Tanzu see fire as representative of the cosmic energy and it holds a symbolic function to their religion. These dances are led by Shamans manipulating actual magic in order to allow all members of the community to participate in manipulation of fire into illusion magic. Younger members of a community will practice their fire-manipulation skills and create shapes, while older members hold mock duels with the illusory fire. While the fire is mostly illusion, there is a core of heat in every creation which can cause serious burns if an intruder tries to utilize it (since the shamans only extend the spell to community members). The Fire Dance celebration is held every year on the last day of fall and holds an important place in the Tu Tanzu religion. Other parts of this celebration involve special foods, paper lanterns, and, more recently, fireworks.
The Tu Tanzu religion also has two more festivals, though these are less prominent. On the first day of spring, they hold the Leaf Rite, a ritual which involves planting crops as well as being considered a holy day for fertility. This rite is usually accompanied by a multitude of marriages. On the summer solstice, they hold the Solstice Trial, which is a ceremony in which 16 year olds are considered adults once they complete. What exactly composes the trial varies, but it always consists of three sections: mental, physical, and spiritual.
One of the more prominent features of Tu Tanzu are their Fire Dances. The followers of Tu Tanzu see fire as representative of the cosmic energy and it holds a symbolic function to their religion. These dances are led by Shamans manipulating actual magic in order to allow all members of the community to participate in manipulation of fire into illusion magic. Younger members of a community will practice their fire-manipulation skills and create shapes, while older members hold mock duels with the illusory fire. While the fire is mostly illusion, there is a core of heat in every creation which can cause serious burns if an intruder tries to utilize it (since the shamans only extend the spell to community members). The Fire Dance celebration is held every year on the last day of fall and holds an important place in the Tu Tanzu religion. Other parts of this celebration involve special foods, paper lanterns, and, more recently, fireworks.
The Tu Tanzu religion also has two more festivals, though these are less prominent. On the first day of spring, they hold the Leaf Rite, a ritual which involves planting crops as well as being considered a holy day for fertility. This rite is usually accompanied by a multitude of marriages. On the summer solstice, they hold the Solstice Trial, which is a ceremony in which 16 year olds are considered adults once they complete. What exactly composes the trial varies, but it always consists of three sections: mental, physical, and spiritual.
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