Koism

Koism is polytheistic animistic religion practiced by the Kirig people, centered around the worship of the sky god Kö and the earth goddess Coxu. The religion is considered less organized than most other faiths, but still has a set of written down doctrines and common shared practice. In its form in the Kirig Khanate, the religion takes on a monolatristic form where Kö is regarded as a supreme sky god ruling over lesser gods - or in some case, as the supreme head of the pantheon co-equal with Coxu.

Beliefs

Cosmology

Koism believes in the existence of three different realms, each of which is connected by the tree of life, Ulrün, which is envisioned as a tree that connects the three realms, with the realm of the mortals in between.

• Shösh - The realm at the top of the world, where the gods and ascended ancestor spirits Sundas reside. People who has done good in life ascend to this realm with their soul, where their soul is purified with fiery, painless fire that purge and clean all impurity, and they are allowed to live up to 999 years in the realm before they must be reborn again in the realm of Togtax - only greatness can earn people a permanent spot in Shösh - and only if they are revered by their descendents afterward. Those who ascend in this realm find themselves in a pristine forest where people do not diverge from the divine, righteous laws, and where food is abundant, life is idyllic and cheerful, and they gain the power of magic with which they can bestow boons on their descendents.
• Togtax - The mortal realms in which all people reside, where the spirit of the land (Dug) resides and is the most powerful.
• Chiguex - The root of the world, which is much narrower than the world above, but extends deeper than the two worlds above, and forms neverending, winding tunnel. Most of the realms consists of the realm of Chiguex, where the dead resides and are made to repent or to labor until it is their turn to be reincarnated - notably, those who dies without having performed death are put to light labor and given mild enjoyment, for everyone must contribute to the maintenance of the world order. Those who have, however, committed grave sins are subject to punishment, their souls impaled by the roots of the world and they writhe in pain to provide sustenance, up to 999 years, for the most grievous of sins committed.

Deities

Chief deities in the Koism religions include:

• Kö - A supreme sky god who is seen as either head of the pantheon or the most important one of all. Who has taken Coxu as his consort and gives birth to the others. Portrayed as a centaur who eternally roams the sky and holds a staff capable of calling rain, snow and wind. He is the god of wisdom, and shamans must bargain with him for knowledge, especially when the sky is clear and when the sky parts - in Koism tradition, the moment after cloudy weather is seen as the best time to consult Ko.
• Coxu - The mother of earth who appears as a half woman and half-cattle, who roams the earth carrying a staff made of the wood of life, with which she plants and rejuvenates the earth every year. All animals and plants on earth belong to her, and she is the target of animal sacrifice when praying for good fortune in war and good condition for pasture.
• Nufex - A daughter of Ko and Coxu, who is the goddess of fertility and is seen as a source of wisdom. Generally prayed to in the course of pregnancy. Often co-worshiped with Coxu.
• Turch - A son of Ko and Coxu, who is the god of wisdom and magic, who can be bargained with with knowledge for knowledge. He seeks to know all and learn all, and accept stories and tales. Also seen as a patron god of poets and writers.
• Chigur - The lord of the dead, son of Coxu, who shaman bargains with in hope of bringing the sick back to life - or in some case, the dead back to life. He lords over the domain of the dead, Chiguex, where the dead reside, and the sinful are punished.

In addition, below the chief deities are the spirits (Dug) and ancestor spirit (Sunda). The Dug are spirits of locality - plains, mountains, river, streams that must be appeased and respected in exchange for their continued support, while Sunda is spirit of the most significant ancestors - often the founder of the clan or great warriors and ancestor - Koist tends to keep good track of their ancestors and a list of ancestor in Sunda status to be worshiped and prayed to for guidance, and it is Sunda who the Koist tends to worship and believe they can channel the spirit of into themselves - to strengthen them. It is considered important to respect another clan’s Sunda, and to desecrate their place of worship is considered the gravest offense one can commit - or punishment.

Soul

Koism believes that there are two souls, Cibch and Umch. The Cibch is a soul that gives energy and life to a soul, and makes one body energized and capable of performing action. Losing it will result in the person losing consciousness and liveliness, and damage to it makes one grow increasingly pale and rotten and without energy - they believe aging to be an erosion of Cibch. Cibch returns to nature after death. Umch is the soul of the conscious, a soul that stays with the person and contains the memory of past life and the sense of self and intelligence. After a person’s death, the Umch ascend or descend to the appropriate realms where they rest or is punished for their transgressions in life, and when they are reborn, they are pulled from the world of life and reincarnated in another body, after Cibch is provided anew from nature.

Other Beliefs

• Birth: Ritually purified cloth - purified with fire, are used to wipe off a baby after cleansing them with water first, as fire cleanse everything
• Death: Cremation and Burial are both used burial methods. Nobles are often buried in tombs alongside valuables and sometimes animal sacrifices, with locations kept secret, in hope of bargaining with Chigur for a good deal in the afterlife. Regular people are often buried. Those who are rich or believe themselves particularly worthy - or, ironically, particularly sinful, may choose for cremation as it is believed that fire cleanses everything - sins included, which make them more likely to suffer less in life. In the steppe, it is considered a luxury, however, among semi-sedentary and settled Koist people, cremation is overwhelmingly the preferred method due to perception of it granting a better and guaranteed afterlife. Sky burial, while practiced by some (former) neighbors of Kirigs, is abhorred.
• Shamanism: Shaman takes on the role of praying to ancestors and using drugs and magical methods to enter the other two realms in search of wisdom and truths, and is considered spiritually important. They are the primary vehicle of passing on magical knowledge in tribal Koist society - and they serve multiple roles as both religious advisors, priests, doctors and combat mages.  Inside semi-sedentary and imperial society, magical and medicinal practices are more widespread and not as monopolized by the shaman caste, but shaman caste are still very prevalent.
• Fire: Fire is worshiped and considered a holy element in Koism, and it is considered to cleanse everything.
• Marriage, Polygamy and Polyandry: Culture dependent
• Gender and Sexuality: Culture dependent.
• Premarital and Extramarital Intimacy: Culture dependent