Religion

The official religion of Aubta is Aubtay. There are over 50 different patron gods, known as pkoi. Some are more relevant to the daily lives of the Üpoaw than others. While all Üpoaw believe in the existence of each individual pkoi, they choose one as their patron pkoi. When in their life they choose a patron pkoi differs from person to person, but most Üpoaw families make their young wait until they have proven maturity. Choosing what pkoi to worship is a big deal because it stays with you the rest of your life. That pkoi's spirit envelops yours, using you as a tether to the physical realm. With each patronage, the pkoi are able to keep the evils from enveloping the world once again... Unless, of course, one were to start worshipping the pkoi-oiii, giving them a physical presence once more.

Rfaw, Aympo, and Tnguu were three dragons that formed an alliance together to start a war, forming the alliance of the pkoi-oiii. They killed all the pkoi of Aubta, erasing the pkoi from the world’s physical plane. Early Üpoaw were ruled by the pkoi-oiii for many years. Eventually Rfaw, Aympo, and Tnguu wanted war again and raged against each other until they all were killed. Now only the spirits of each god exist, including the pkoi-oiii. Üpoaw are now tasked with choosing a god to worship so that specific god may use an Üpoaw’s physical presence to attach itself to. It is said without this worshipping, the gods are powerless.

Rituals

• Worshipping - Üpoaw worship their individual chosen patron pkoi (god). This worship includes praying, singing, and meditating. Each Üpoaw has a special connection with their pkoi, so the way they worship them is deeply personal. One person may worship their pkoi in a very different and specific way compared to another person.

• Idols - Üpoaw are very artistic, creating many different depictions of their gods. It is engrained in Aubtay to create physical versions of their gods for them to inhabit, giving them a physical presence within the world. The idols are worshipped in place of their gods. Idols can be statues, paintings, or even texts.

• Secrecy - Worship is very sacred to the Üpoaw. It is believed that your spirituality belongs to you and only you, no other Üpoaw needs to know about your pkoi. Because of this, you can go your whole life without knowing your neighbor's patron pkoi. Some Üpoaw are more open than others, though. It depends on the generation. It is normalized to never talk about your patronage with another soul.

• Offerings - Most Üpoaw have an altar in their homes, though they may go to a public altar at a holy place. At these altars they leave an offering. If the offering is not specific to the pkoi (e.g. the gold god getting gold as a gift), they will often leave a token or totem that symbolizes the pkoi so their patron pkoi isn't confused.

• Marriage - Marriage is a sacred thing when it comes to Üpoaw. However, some can choose to get a "religious wedding" with their pkoi to solidify their faith in their pkoi, forever binding their pkoi and them together in spirit and mind. This type of ceremony wasn’t uncommon 250+ years ago. However, younger Üpoaw look down on this practice now, insisting that love between two or more Üpoaw is not comparable to the love you have for your pkoi. Modernly, most Üpoaw opt to have a ceremony based on their and their partner's pkois joining together rather than a wedding with a god.

• Death - Üpoaw leave offerings for their dead loved ones, much like their patrons. Like the pkoi, mortals do not vanish after physical death and are looking for ways to interact with the physical realm.

Pkoi-oiii

Rfaw, Aympo, and Tnguu are the three gods of war, often grouped together as pkoi-oiii/pkoioiii. Rfaw is the god of desire and ambition, often symbolized by his infamous over-indulgence. Rfaw is depicted as the most Üpoaw-looking out of the three, his ambition can be relatable to most Üpoaw and his fall from grace is regarded as a tragedy. In stark contrast, Aympo is the god of evil. The most out of touch of the three, Aympo is depicted as the most dragon-like, including a lot of snake and reptilian imagery. Aympo looks exactly like a Skydancer in most folkart. Sometimes they are depicted as having a longer body used to constrict, like a snake. A common insult for lanky individuals is to be called Aympo. Tnguu is also a sympathetic figure to the general Üpoaw, though they are also used as a talking point during political debates. Tnguu is the god of uprising, which is somewhat of a touchy topic for Aubta as a whole, as they are an elective monarchy. Some younger Üpoaw are against there being a monarchy and worship Tnguu, which is seen as taboo. Some extremely religious Üpoaw won’t even talk to Tnguu worshippers.

Notable Pkoi

There are many, many Pkoi. Some are rarely talked about, so I will only list notable ones. Eventually I will have a list with over a hundred.

• Mtheka is the god of metals and minerals. Mtheka is often depicted as being draped in gold jewelry. Mtheka is the god that many laborers choose as their patron to worship, as Mtheka’s power is all about laboring. It is said Mtheka protects laborers from unsafe conditions.

• Koe is the god of love, respect, and protection. Koe’s worshippers are often family-oriented or possibly even in guard-type jobs. Koe is well known in folklore to have sympathized with the pkoi-oiii, the first to be backstabbed and killed. Koe’s patrons are more traditionalists.

• Nlan is the god of the world/earth/nature. Twin of Zhkie. Nlan’s worshippers find a certain beauty with nature to be captivating. Nlan’s patrons are often hunters, gatherers, gardeners, farmers, or other newer jobs.

• Fkayo is the god of life. Depicted in a certain yin-yang way with Mhoa. Professors often debate Fkayo and Mhoa’s relationship. Fkayo is an interesting patron god, there is no set person who chooses Fkayo. Often someone who has had a brush with death, is living with an ill family member, etc will choose Fkayo. Fkayo’s worshippers are heavily criticised for being self-centered.

• Mhoa is the god of death. Most Üpoaw embrace death as a part of nature, so many Üpoaw who have suffered the loss of a family member in their formative years will fixate on Mhoa. Mhoa is often depicted as motherly and calming.

• Goaw is the god of water. Fishermen and fishing families choose him almost exclusively as their patron. It is seen as a must if you want to be a fisher.

• Khüo is the god of food and prosperity. Many hunters and gatherers choose Khuo as their patron to bless their hunts and yields.

• Zhkie is the god of animals/creatures. Twin of Nlan. Zhkie’s worshippers find a certain beauty with nature to be captivating. Zhkie’s patrons are often hunters, gatherers, gardeners, farmers, or other newer jobs.

• Ingi is the god of fire and the myth of dragonkind. Ingi is not a popular choice for a patron, but most scientists who study dragonkind or biology will choose Ingi to bless their research. Interestingly, Ingi is also seen as the unofficial god of guilt due to his characterization in folklore. He is mortified by his creation of dragonkind and uses his power before he dies to rid the world of them.

• Gïpï is the god of song and voice. Artistic-types will choose them as their patron. Gipi is known as a siren-type figure, often being depicted with Goaw or Koe.

• Fbar̈ is the god of the sun and light.

• Thbu is the god of mountains and connection. Spiritual Üpoaw tend to be drawn to Thbu. Thbu is often depicted as the largest of all the pkoi with a protruding back, like a mountain.

• Jeel is the god of time-- the past, present, and future. Jeel is often depicted in time-related ways. For example: Most clocks are of Jeel with his arms outstretched, talons pointing at the given time.

• R̈awùz is the god of magnetism. Magnets are a big deal in Üpoaw culture. Most high-tech machinery is powered by magnetism. Rawuz is often depicted with Jueg.

• Jüeg is the god of the mind. Üpoaw are big on mental health, which is reflected deeply in their culture and religion. Jüeg is seen as a symbol of mental healing, often a stand-in for grief. Jueg is often depicted with Rawuz.

• Lavo is the god of play and child-like wonder. Lavo is almost exclusively given to Üpoaw who died before they could choose a patron.

• Dmagnefo is the god of the past, but specifically when it comes to nature. There is no word for it in English, but the best way to describe it is a god of evolution. He’s portrayed as a smaller, quadrupedal Üpoaw.