Daiyoism

• Daiyo's origin story
• The blessing of Joan
• How the mythical language came to exist
• Daiyo and their consort, Tsuki
• Daiyo and the spirit of the rain
• Daiyo and the Rainbow's blessing
• Why all the seasons are Daiyo's

Supernatural

1. Daiyo has existed as long as the universe has existed
2. Daiyo has always chosen sun prophets to guide people through particularly tumultuous times
3. After lying dormant in the modern age of the Before Times, Daiyo returned in the apocalypse to commune with Joan, revealing themself to humanity once more

Mundane

1. Traumatized villagers witnessed Joan in prayer and heard her speaking in what they understood to be a strange and mystical tongue (it was Japanese)
2. At first fearful, the villagers were soon in awe when the village experienced a series of good events that led to a greater harvest when they had been in fear of a smaller one (coincidence)
3. They deduced that Joan communicated with the sun and somehow saved the village from starvation (fallacy; correlation ≠ causation)

• Daiyo is not Creator of the universe
• Little is known about the creation of the universe
• The "Creator" is thought to be something called "the spirit of ki (pronounced as in keep)", which is just what Daiyoists call the life force of the universe

What they Are

1. Daiyo always rises
2. Shine upon others as Daiyo shines upon you
3. All that's good in the world is a gift from Daiyo
4. Clouds, storms, stars, even Daiyo's beloved consort, Tsuki the Moon - all bow to the sun god's authority
5. Daiyo transcends space and time and will one day destroy everything so the universe may be recreated

Other Details

• The basic tenets of the faith come from Daiyo, the sun god, and are departed to the Sun Prophet
• They are developed via oral tradition in the first couple of years
• Once more followers have a rudimentary understanding of the sacred language, they begin transcribing them
• Completed scrolls hang on the walls of the temple where a reader of the language (known as a Yomu) can read them aloud to curious visitors

1. Daiyoists should not spend time idly
2. Daiyoists should always be friendly and kind to other beings, offering help wherever it's needed
3. Daiyoists must include acts of charity in their offerings of gratitude to Daiyo
4. Daiyoists are stewards of nature, appointed by Daiyo to care for the earth they live on (whose spirit, Mother Nature, is also loyal to Daiyo, Giver of Life)
5. Daiyoists should be mindful and they should not hold grudges since Daiyo will bring all things to an end anyway

• Though the act of Greeting the Sun has crossed over into the secular in Willowmoor, Daiyoists still do it as an act of reverence to Daiyo
• The most faithful also visit the temple daily while the less faithful might go once a week
• Songs are reserved for special occasion; it's more appropriate to worship Daiyo in silent meditation
• Acts of charity are considered worshipful of Daiyo
• And, of course, everyone in Willowmoor becomes a temporary worshipper of Daiyo when they participate in the holiday dedicated to them, Daiyo Nohi Festival

• The Sun Prophet is the leader as the only (usually) person who can communicate with the sun
• Other roles in development can be brainstormed here:
• Joan's successor
• Kaku (scribes
• Yomu (readers)
• Temple master or keeper or something
• The robe maker
• An honorary role for the Great Genji?

There are no supernatural powers in the world where Willowmoor exists. That said...

Sun Prophet

• Can commune with the sun
• Can both divine and affect the weather
• Can even direct Daiyo's life-giving power to heal the sick
• Ability to speak "the sacred language" is considered a divine power

Daiyoists

• Some have been granted the ability to understand the sacred language in some fashion:
• Yomu - those who can't speak it, but they can easily understand it in written form
• Kaku - those who can't speak it, but they understand it so easily in the written form that they can transcribe it, too
• Hanashi - those who can't write or really even read the language, though they've picked up some of the speech
• Hanasu-kaku - those who can read the language to some degree and have also picked up some of the speech
• Ji'sai - the rare few who can read, write and speak the language
• Those who are beginning to understand some things even if they can't read, write or speak the language are considered "blessed" by Daiyo, and they will go on to join one of the above categories if they continue to follow Daiyo diligently.

Chosen Ones

• People Daiyo has chosen to bless in some way the Daiyoists consider obvious
• Can be believers and non-believers alike
• If they are believers, they might have some of the Sun Prophet's abilities like weather divination, sun communication, or healing power
• Nonbelievers who are chosen by Daiyo come in a variety of shapes:
• The captain is always thought to be chosen by Daiyo, whoever that may be
• Several other public figures eventually are thought to be as well (we'll figure out specifics later)
• Children are often chosen, especially orphans
• Any public figure who displays consistent benevolence is usually chosen
• Pets or other animals may even be chosen by Daiyo!

• Joan claims the religion is apolitical and does not take sides, but she has acted otherwise in deliberately sneaky ways over the years:
• Visibly visiting and praying over Genji when he was scheduled for execution, prayer being innocuous enough even if Genji was her friend...
• Declaring the captain chosen by Daiyo during Niko's captaincy, but as if she knew Adam - friend from the arena - would reclaim that role one day soon...
• Aligning with the orphan-centered It Takes a Village Foundation in the name of charity, though critics have noted that organization is also run by a friend and Adam's wife, Rhea Eldritch...
• Consistent offerings to the Watari, who mysteriously speak the sacred tongue and yet are not Willowmooran where Daiyoism was (re)born...
• This will set the stage for Daiyoism to consistently declare itself nonpartisan and apolitical while constantly winding up in the fray of political decisions since it is popular enough in town to influence government meetings and legislation if it really wants to...

Daiyo: God of War (and Rage)

• Canonically, Daiyo is sex and genderless, but their followers have often ascribed one sex or the other to them. With time, a sect devoted to Daiyo as he/him, the masculine god, has formed
• The practice of worshipping Daiyo exclusively as the God of War is known as THIS
• Practitioners are called THAT
• Only men are permitted to join this sect
• Vibes are men's cigar lounge meets college fraternity
• Daiyo as the sun is worshipped as a deity of war, wrath, bloodlust, and destruction
• Depicted as a muscular white man who harnesses fire and ash to smote his enemies, all the while burning bright enough to blind any who glimpse him
• Practitioners greet the sun with push-ups instead of prayer, take lengthy survivor trips into the wilderness to fulfil their ethical duty of caring for nature, and learn the art of battle in grand remote meles
• Joan is treated as a mother or grandmother; as Daiyo's representation on earth, she is thought to be the current incarnation of Mother Earth
• Oddly enough, this is a belief shared among both gendered sects of Daiyoism

Daiyo: Goddess of Peace (and Love)

• Canonically, Daiyo is sex and genderless, but their followers have often ascribed one sex or the other to them. With time, a sect devoted to Daiyo as she/her, the feminine goddess, has formed
• The practice of worshipping Daiyo exclusively as the Goddess of Peace is known as THIS
• Practitioners are called THAT
• While men are permitted to join this sect, they face a different initiation ritual than women, and rumors have gotten around that it's more humiliating than most care to tempt
• Vibes are the wine moms' kitchen meets girl cocktail lounge with a dance floor
• Daiyo as the sun is worshipped as a deity of peace, love, forgiveness, and creation
• Depicted either as a muscular and mighty Amazon or a round and plump woman
• If she's the muscular Daiyo, she'll be depicted in different poses with different ornaments, but she'll always wield the Scepter of Creation.
• The softer Daiyo is always depicted in the same exact pose: one arm tucked close, holding a basket overflowing with fruit or vegetables, the other outstretched as she offers a sunflower
• Practitioners embellish their sun greetings with yoga, have lakeside spa retreats wherein they offer special prayers for peace and love to Daiyo at sunset, and some other third thing
• Joan is treated as a mother or grandmother; as Daiyo's representation on earth, she is thought to be the current incarnation of Mother Earth
• Oddly enough, this is a belief shared among both gendered sects of Daiyoism