Colony religion
[Note: purely for ease, I state everything here definitively, rather than as a belief. This does not correspond to my own religious beliefs in any way.]Fundamentals
Cats of the Colonies follow a religion that centres around Bartholomew, the zombified beast living in the old lab. In this religion, Bartholomew is a god, psychopomp, and savior, but is not the creator of the world, like in many religions. The world exists basically "as is".All things in the world have some sort of spirit, whether it be animals, the ocean, the sky, rocks, or the wind. The only things that do not have some sort of essence are the incarnations of evil—humans, ghosts, and canines.
The only way for a being to truly die and be rebirthed is through consumption. Therefore, the world is balanced on a divine order of beings, a "scala naturae", based upon what consumes what.
At the very top rests Bartholomew. Bartholomew embodies only the holiest qualities—it feeds upon all things without prejudice, and through cell decay and subsequent regeneration, it is rebirthed every day. Predator animals eat prey animals, who then eat plants. Plants subsist off of water and the weather. The tides of the ocean are controlled by the Moon, and the seasons correspond with the amount of moonlight. Finally, the Sun is privy to the Moon and stars, as nighttime is the default state of the world.
Due to this divine order, it is heresy for cats to consume other predator animals.
Mythology
Key mythological creatures of Colony religion are humans, dogs, and ghosts.Humans and dogs
Humans and dogs go hand in hand. They are beings from beyond this world, who break through its delicate aether to cause harm and havoc. They do not have a "soul", are simply malice incarnate. Humans and their loyal compatriots enslaved the cats of the island to perform devious rites upon them. Bartholomew saved the cats by breaking free, chasing these devils from the world.Ghosts
Ghosts, meanwhile, are cats whose soul has been severed from their body. The soul and the body are a single unit, meaning a ghost is a being whose very essence has been eviscerated, torn to shreds. Ghosts eternally search for the lost half of their soul. Ghosts are created when a cats body is not eaten by Bartholomew after death, or is eaten by another being.Outside of Colony religion, ghosts are a real thing. They, however, are not brought about in the way believed. Ghosts will manifest if a cat has strong regrets or emotions lingering after death, regardless of if the cat's body has been eaten or not.
The Cloudberries host a special coming of age ceremony, which usually takes place between 12-24 months of age. To complete the ceremony a cat must venture deep into the caves to locate Haar's crystallized body. The ceremony is a test of a cat's strength and will, as well as a final solidification of their faith.
Cats who died along the journey become Dwellers, a special type of ghost. Unlike ghosts, Dwellers are terribly lonely, and search only for companionship. They lead cats astray, deeper into the twisting caverns, so that they may join them. They have an enthralling quality to them.
Funeral rites & the afterlife
When a cat dies, any remaining vestiges beside their body (i.e loose fur, claws, etc.) are gathered, and then preserved along with their body in the peat bogs of the Raspberries. Meanwhile, loved ones of the deceased will journey to the old lab and begin a month long ceremony. Every day, they will hunt down one piece of prey each, and leave it at the entrance as an offering to Bartholomew. On the final day, the cat's body will be disinterred and brought as a final offering.If the body is missing the next day, the funeral rite has succeeded, and the cat has passed onto rebirth. If not, however, the cat has been rejected by Bartholomew, and will meet their fate as a ghost. Nothing can be done for the deceased if so, however, their body will be cremated as best as able, and thrown out to sea, so that their ghost will be only a weak force.
Colony differences
Bristle V.S Haar
TBAReturn