Chapter 381 231. The Chaos Cult of Mannann (as the name suggests)
There is a reason why Darkus once believed that Malthelan had some connection with Mannann. In Tyrell in the south of the old world, the sea god was called Mathann, also known as Mantan.
As mentioned before, the reason why it is called this may be that the Tyrells learned it from the Matheran Temple left in the colony abandoned by Assur and from the translation of the ancient elven scrolls, but after that... it may be a bit That's interesting. Although it's a bit like Jupiter and Zeus in ancient Greece and Rome in Darkus' previous life. The gods have different names in different countries and societies, but they are actually the same person. Maybe Tyrell Do people think so too?
However, unlike Imperial Mannarn, it's possible that Tyrell's Matheran is actually Matheran. Due to a mistake in cause and effect, Marcelan may have changed its shell and been listed on the market in Tyrell...
because this conjecture has some evidence and factors in it, and it is not something that Darkus figured out just by patting his head.
In Tyrell, Matheran retains classical features along with Myrmidia and Verena, and his image echoes that of the temple of Matheran in Tyrell that has faded into the dust of history.
In Miragliano, the Maritime Prince built a cathedral decorated with mosaics and frescoes. Admiral Ludovico Dandora was the commander of the Remas fleet and an outstanding sailor. He sank the Tomb King's fleet in 1823 Imperial Calendar and defeated the pirate stronghold near Sartosa. Plenty of pirates. On his last voyage, he captured a large amount of treasure from an Arabi pirate ship and sailed to Miragliano instead of Remas.
As an admiral, Ludovico deserves the title of "Prince of the Sea" in the Mathean sect. This title has a symbolic meaning in the sect. Just like when Darkos gave the octopus face to Loxia, he accepted Loxia as the "Lord of Kraken" in the name of the leader of the Stormweaver Order and the Chosen of Marcelan. He handed over this treasure to the sect and rebuilt the magnificent Mathian Temple based on the original Mathian Temple in Milagliano and the surrounding ruins.
At this point in time, the Great Temple of Matheran in Milagliano is already the second largest temple after the Great Temple of Marienburg. The priests claim that the temple has the supreme authority in the southern part of the Old World, although Tyrell and Estalia's sects were not unified at all. This sentence is important to highlight, because unlike Tyrell, Estalia, which is also a southern city-state, believes in the Mannann sect, not the Mathian sect of Tilea, so...
The Temple of Mathain in Tilea is more classical than the Temple of Mannann in the Empire. The Great Temple of Mathaan in Milagliano is a tall pillar-decorated building, full of paintings of Mathaan and his aquatic servants. mural.
Dulias believed that the great temple there was influenced by the elves, because the slender towers and elegant arches were almost carved from the same mold as the elven architectural style, certainly before the Great Schism. According to the Mathian priests, this is because it embodies the aspect of Poseidon as the patron saint of the calm central sea, rather than the violent claw sea and the endless vast ocean.
In the newly built Great Temple, Mathian's sculpture is a work of great grace and splendor, painted with a turquoise texture by Leonardo da Miragliano, now in Altdorf. carved from white marble.
The sculpture depicts Mather seated on a chariot pulled by dolphins, surrounded by beautiful water nymphs and sea creatures. The statue stands in a seawater pool. Through some ingenious design, the water in the seawater pool surges and continuously beats the statue.
This piece of information was obtained by Darkus from his uncle Dulias, who told him about it after he obtained the Holy Soul Reef on the way to Naggaros before. . At that time, Dulias and his father were preparing to raid Miragliano, and one of their targets was the Great Temple of Mathian. As a result, the raid failed, and his father and the uncle of the three brothers and sisters of the Takaia family died there.
Perhaps when returning to Naggaroth from the old world, Darkus can go to Milagliano to see if Matheran is actually Matheran listed on the backdoor, and board the ship from there, which is far from Athel Loren anyway. Very close, of course if everything goes well. If not, there might even be a whole drama about avenging one's father...
In addition, the reason why Tyrell's Mathian sect is like this has a lot to do with the chaos within the Mannann sect.
The elves' belief in Marcelan is very simple. Aslay, who does not need to sail on the sea, has no believers at all. Among the few cities in Nagaros, except for Golond, which has no port in the north, the remaining cities have temples of Matheran. After all, going to sea is a very sacred thing in Druchi society. In addition, Just like the throne room built for Malekith in all Black Arks, the Temple of Matheran is built in all Black Arks. There are also small shrines of Matheran on the pillager ships, used for worship, prayer, Offerings and blessings.
The same is true for Ulthuan's cousins. In addition to the Matheran Temple in the Drift Islands, there are also Matheran shrines on dragon ships and falcon ships. There are also small Matheran temples in various overseas colonies. Belloda from the Kingdom of Cosquei once told Darkus that Assur of Cosquei worships Matheran more than other kingdoms, and small shrines abound to worship Matheran and her children in the abyss. Around the coastal town of Cosquet, caves accessible at low tide are filled with tributes to Marcelan.
However, what Darkus and Belloda didn't know was that Aenir, who lived in Lauso Loren, would also do this on the southern coast of the Sea of Claws, leaving a message in the cave for Marcelan. Although they live in the forest and do not need to go to sea, this is more like a kind of inheritance and reminiscence of past glory.
Unlike the elves, humans worship Mannann in many ways. Like the ocean itself, Mannann has many different aspects, and these aspects are themselves secondary gods, each of which attracts followers. The formation of sub-species sects belonging to specific regions or professions may be why Tyrell's Mathean sect is not considered heretical by mainstream sects.
Mannart is the lord of the bounty of the sea and the god of fishermen. He is depicted as a cloaked man holding a harpoon. This aspect is as generous and benevolent as Darkus, who brings prosperity to devout believers and fills their fishing nets with fish.
Mannus is the god of navigators, more rigorous and logical than the classic image of Mannann. He is rightly revered by pilots and navigators, who pray to Him to show them the way. The temple is located in the pilot's room of a large port, and there are shrines dedicated to Him in private rooms on ships.
There are many more variations, including some grotesque ones, such as Manhavok, the god of floods in Stirland, whose floods flood settlements or bring fertility to the soil. Devotees offer fish or meat in early spring and late summer to gain His favor. Although worshipers there have never seen the ocean, they decorate His shrines with clay artifacts of sea creatures.
In traditional beliefs, river gods such as Grandpa Rick and Atta Avi are also regarded as vassals of Mannann, and the sect is regarded by Mannann believers as a sub-species sect within the system. This was protested by Taal's followers, who believed that the river was as much a descendant of Taal as the sea. There are also some followers who whisper in secret that dark gods like the shark god Sturmfel and Mermedus are the dark side of Mannarn, which was mentioned before.
In the Old World North, Mannann is usually depicted as a bearded man holding a trident and wearing a five-pointed crown. It is said that He lives in a throne room under the sea, where He commands the creatures and spirits in the ocean, and even creates a tide with every breath He takes. He is sometimes depicted with a human body and a fish's tail, or with a chariot drawn by dolphins. Just like the Triton that Darkus saw, this is completely different from the appearance of the elf god Marcelan in the murals and statues.
Mannann's first worshipers lived in prehistoric times, before humans could write or record their stories. The earliest humans, whether their lives depended on the ocean or not, certainly worshiped the spirits and gods of the ocean. Primitive worship arose out of fear and awe of the ocean.
There are many legends about Mannann, such as the legend of Mannathrib. It is said that he fell in love with a woman named Lilith. Lilith hung high in the sky and was beyond his reach, so he had to stay far away. Admiration.
Every night, the woman Mannann loved would appear and reach out to Lilith, but Lilith remained indifferent and turned a deaf ear to Poseidon's love. Some scholars believe that Mannann's rage stemmed from this completely unrequited love.
Darkos' eyes widened when he first saw this record in the Claw Sea manual. He knew that anger and all that were entirely due to tidal gravity and a natural phenomenon. As for this Lilith? Although Lilith has many vests, Lilith's true job is related to the moon. In addition to being called the pure girl, she is also called the moon goddess, and in Ulthuan, the latter is called more than the former. But why is this legend about Lilith? Instead of Nehekhara's Moon Guardian Nairu? Because Nairu has a husband? And Lilith is a pure girl? At that time, when he thought about this, he was just like Tom Cat bursting into laughter when reading interesting content. He decided to ask Lilith if he had the opportunity in the future. Maybe this could also confirm something from the side.
There are many legends besides this, such as when the world was still young and covered in ice, and as the sun grew bigger, the ice and snow gradually melted, and it seemed that the ocean would cover the land. Mannann claimed to be greater than his father Tal and Ulric, the ruler of winter. His mother Rhea heard his proud boast and decided to teach him a lesson. Rhea raised the mountains and drained the rivers. He regretted his foolishness and arrogance, but his father forgave him for his youthful arrogance.
To Darkus, this was pure nonsense, because he knew that the series of natural phenomena behind this legend were caused by the Ancient Saints and the Slann Demon Priests, not by these godly mansions with their families.
However, the legend is like this, just like some scholars in the empire believe that the lizardmen are essentially beastmen, but the lizardmen stayed there after occupying the city left by the elves. Perhaps when Master Ma heard this theory, he would happily jump off his gaming chair and slap the scholar. If that scholar visits Lustria, the skink priests will definitely throw him into a pit of snakes or a pit of tyrannosaurs, so that the scholar can see the advanced civilization and elegance of the lizard people and the difference between the beastmen. Yet such is the nature of unreliable legends and academic research, leading to some ridiculous theories and stories.
There is also a legend of salt water and corruption, and one day Mannarn discovered that Nurgle was corrupting the majestic whale into a rotten wretched beast. He raised his trident high and roared to challenge the Plague Lord. Then, the magic happened. Legend records that the two gods fought for many years, but neither could defeat the other! Nurgle poisons the oceans, and he uses tides and storms to cleanse the dirt. War has ravaged the coastline of the Sea of Claws, which is why it is so rugged.
Darkus is too lazy to comment. After fighting for many years, he can't defeat the opponent, so it's okay...
In addition to legends, there are many origin stories. The belief in Poseidon expanded in the old world with the footsteps of humans. They built shrines and performed sacrifices. , expecting fish, safe navigation, and protection from attacks from the ocean. The original relics they left behind, such as sacred caves accessible at low tide and sea stone formations with rough carvings and signs of erosion, still dot the coastline today.
Before the birth of Sigmar, Mannarn was the patron god of the Endal tribe that lived on the northern coast of what is now the Empire. Oloward is the patron saint of the Jutung tribe, our neighbor to the east. As early sailors navigated the rivers of the Old World after people began to communicate and record, people worshiping various sea and river gods encountered each other.
Professor Marvot of Nunn University once asserted that Mannann annexed Oloward, and Mannann's sect also annexed other sects in the mortal world, reducing other sects to descendants of Mannann, certain aspects, A legendary saint or rival. However, he was unable to elaborate on his theory because he somehow drowned in his study room on the fifth floor of the university.
After Sigmar, the empire gradually stabilized, and the Mannann sect was slightly unified, but never to the extent of other sects. Local faiths such as Taal and Ulric still dominated. As time went by, the Sigmar faith began to Prevailing throughout the Empire, the Mannann cult's influence was limited to the coast.
Moreover, Mannann's sect has many beliefs and ideas, and there are as many ways to follow the sea god as there are ships on the sea. His whims add to the confusion. It's hard to know what will please or anger him, and priests are constantly trying to guess at his nature.
Cult disciplines rely on local traditions, such as the Cult of Osterland insisting that Mannann does not tolerate the burning of fish bones due to his aversion to fire. The Remas sect in the south believed that fish offered to Him must be burned to ashes and then scattered into the sea. When a ship sinks, priests will look closely at recent actions or events to find the cause of His wrath, but this often results in more mitzvot.
This also resulted in religious differences between various sects that were confusing to sailing believers, especially when they visited the temple of Mennarn in a port far from home. There is always the possibility of breaking a taboo and running afoul of the local priests, such as wearing sealskin boots or forgetting to bring a scallop shell filled with seawater.
Every brewing month in Dietshafen in Nordland, the Temple of Mannann holds a clam feast to thank him for his gifts, and the whole town feasts on all kinds of shellfish. Interestingly, when people who are full of wine and food fall asleep, they will all have the same dream. A group of two-legged clams rush to the Mannann Lighthouse, seeking revenge.
Despite their differences, all Mannann followers believe that once they leave the land, they enter Mannann's realm. Regarding the commandments, the priests of the sect believe that Mannann likes his followers to tell his deeds. Service to Mannann usually includes hymns, prayers and telling stories from the "Legend of the Albatross" or the "Book of Mannann" . They believed that the most skillful storytellers were the most popular in His eyes.
Therefore, Mannann's clergy place less emphasis on academics or theology, and are more interested in sailing practices or some aspect of history, and expressing their devotion to Him through practical actions. Because these books and stories are all related to the sea, and cannot be studied behind closed doors through academic research.
"The Legend of the Albatross" is composed of long descriptions of the rituals and prayers required by Mannann believers when sailing on the sea, interspersed in the form of stories. The theme throughout the book is a sacred albatross.
"Sea and People" is a collection of songs, hymns, and hymns collected by Mannann priests from all over the Old World, transcribed and shared in temples.
"The Book of Mannann" is a mythology of Mannann composed of eleven volumes, telling each of his legendary deeds. Due to the many priests writing it, there are contradictions, repetitions, and stories of Poseidon from many different traditional beliefs.
"The Travels of Aldral" recounts Aldral's two famous voyages of discovery. The first tells the story of a trip to Albion, in which he and his crew experienced a series of adventures that were more allegorical than... After the catastrophe of Fact, they landed on the mist-shrouded southern coast of Albion, and celebrated the Spring Equinox on the shore. The second voyage, much longer and consisting of the ship's log, sailed counter-clockwise across the Sea of Claws and north into the Sea of Chaos, where he discovered and landed on the Lost Islands of Menaun's Shrine.
Darkus was greatly inspired by these records and descriptions. He has mentioned more than once before that Marcelan has certain special characteristics in the elven society. After all, he is an underground god. Ulthuan society explicitly prohibits belief in underground gods. Due to Asur's need for navigation and his special nature, Asur society and the secret police of the White Tower of Hoth turned a blind eye to his believers, as long as Just not too outrageous. Druchi also mentioned before that it is okay to ask believers to provide him with sacrifices, but it is too difficult to ask believers to do something for them. He created the Storm Weaver system, and it is still a framework today. Here Before, it was just for fun.
so! Being an excellent leader, Darkus gave Belloda, the High Priest of Stormweaver, a great mission. He asked Belloda to pass through the deeds of the sailors of the Kingdom of Cosque and the library of the White Tower of Hoth. He first compiled a "Book of Marcelan" based on the contents of the books that recorded Marcelan. In line with the principle of making horses run fast, he allowed Belloda to study his Trident of the Sea.
Reading through these books related to Matheran's faith in Dax's boring leisure time on the voyage is better than reading some "Shocking!" Books about the secrets of the human body, "Some tips on human anatomy" and "Some insights about the structure of the human body" are better. When he first came to this world, he saw the sailors on the ship reading such books. He left an indelible impression.
Due to the need for Mannann's priests and followers to go to sea, there were many notable figures among these groups, such as Admiral Ludovico Dandola of Resma, whose deeds have been mentioned before.
The sea maid of Bordero, she is a saint among Bretonnian believers, but is almost unknown outside Bretonnia. She was a young woman who was said to have emerged from the sea and later entered the Temple of Manann in Bordero. She speaks little, but her song soothes the anger of the sea, and her blessing ensures the sailors' safe return. Moreover, she has lived in the temple for many years without showing any signs of aging. In Imperial Calendar 1423, she returned to the sea and was never seen again. Interestingly, perhaps because of the decline of the Mannann sect in Bretonnia, many knight lords insist that her Holy Grail Girl has nothing to do with Mannann.
Admiral Horophel Halfdan, Grand Master of the Knights of the Sea, was a large knight, tall because he was a Bjöllin... speaking to Mannann Before becoming a Templar, he was a mercenary. He had risen through the ranks of the Order, and most members respected his leadership abilities.
Elsa Udema, who was originally a pirate, her ship was sunk, but she miraculously survived by relying on a floating plank in the sea. She clung to the wreckage for several weeks, able to do so because she was fed by an albatross, which was mentioned earlier as a symbol that Mannann had chosen her for a greater purpose. When she washes ashore, she joins Reverend Mannone.
In addition to this, there are various wave lords and sea princes. Of course, there is the matriarch of Marienburg, who is responsible for ruling the entire sect, but except for the Westland, due to factions and politics, many priests only regard the matriarch as a clergy favored by the god.
While ruling the sect, the matriarch is also responsible for the vast wealth of the Marienburg sect, because the Great Temple of Marienburg is a significant location and a landmark building. And because it is the largest trading port in the old world, there are many sailors and believers coming and going, and they will pay tithes to the temple. The most rebellious priests will strictly abide by the rules, just because believers are afraid of Mannann's wrath. . The matriarch has absolute power over the Order of the Albatross and the Order of the Seamen, and has considerable influence over the Council of Marienburg.
However, the political influence of the matriarch is ineffective beyond Marienburg. For various reasons, the Temple of Mannann in Sessenmund, the capital of the Nords, has the most political influence in the empire.
"The Pious" Odral, the compiler of "Odral's Travels", was a high-ranking priest from Marienburg who was active around the year 1000 of the Imperial Calendar. He was famous for his love for Mannann. Known for his piety and nautical exploration, he was also a pioneer in navigation and oceanographic cartography. He sailed to many places, founded many temples and shrines along the Sea of Claws, and was the spiritual founder of the Order of the Albatross and the Sons of Mennarn.
According to records in the Claw Sea Manual, while sailing to Salka, Odrar saw a fishing boat struggling in the fierce wind and waves, and he happened to be standing on the top of the cliff. He ran to the nearest village and summoned the villagers Go to the rescue of the stranded fishermen, all the fishermen were saved, but Mannann still took the fishing boat.
In order to express respect and gratitude to Mannann, Odrar built a watchtower and dedicated it to Mannann, and this watchtower was the crouching round tower in front of Darkos.
The Odralar Watchtower was initially cared for by volunteers from Sakaar, who took turns keeping a lookout to see if any sailors were in danger. They would sail small boats to help or witness the deaths of sailors. However, the dangers of the Claw Sea extend beyond the waves and reefs. Over time, these volunteers changed their scope of responsibilities to actively protect lives.
So the Sons of Mannann were born, a fighting order of volunteers who defended this coast from marauders, shipwreckers, and monsters. Since then, the Odralar Watchtower has been continuously expanded, retaining its most significant features while fortifying it, establishing chart rooms, boat rooms and ventilated dormitories. But probably because most of the members were recruited in Salka, the military barracks located next to the central square in Salka were more popular than the airy dormitories.
Despite all these, the Aldraar Watchtower is the true home of the Sons of Mannann and the starting point of the Knights. However, the Knights are only an inconspicuous part of the Mannann sect, and the scope of the Knights' influence is only in Near Salka in Osterland.
There are also some orders and knights, such as the Albatross Order. Unlike the Sons of Mannann, the order is not regional but class-based. It is a group of clerical navigators. Members dominate the sect's upper echelons and gain vast amounts of wealth by providing Mannann's blessing to ships willing to pay. Members often view the Navigator as their successor and are keen to show the Navigator blessings and miracles to inspire the Navigator to do the same.
The nature of the Order and the leadership and support of the Marienburg Matriarch led to and caused dissatisfaction among other factions within the Order.
The Knights of the Seamen are a knightly order similar to the Templars. Their allegiance is to the matriarch and they are responsible for guarding the security of Marienburg and the Westland. Due to the nature of the sect, they also sail to very distant places. Although they are Templars, the members who join do not need to have noble birth and devout beliefs, otherwise the Bjorlings will not be able to join. Many members are uneducated and rough people, and there is only one requirement for joining. That is to be good at fighting. Regardless of the character and temperament of the members, they must devote themselves to serving the gods and temples. Sometimes they are used by the sect as mercenaries.
To use Darkus' words, it means the force is gone in one fell swoop.
The main members of the Trinitarian order were priests and nuns, and a quiet life was not suitable for Mannann, so the priest's life must be spent part of the time at sea. The monastery's ships are always at sea, allowing the monks and nuns to stay close to Mannann. Most land-based monasteries or hermitages are for men and women, but monastery ships can be used by both men and women.
Monasteries are usually located on small islands and cliffs around the coast, where they become hermitages for some old immobile priests and nuns. And these monasteries have some differences. The monasteries in the southern city-states also maintain a military force to repel pirates. A small fleet, after all, there are too many pirates in the central sea.
The author of the Manual of the Sea of Claws came from a priest of the Trinite Order. According to records, the author lived in seclusion in a monastery with the same name as the island of Mannansham in Nordland. The members there were all believers of Mannann. , the Taoist library houses a large collection of nautical charts, histories of ocean travel, and all the holy books of the Mannann sect. Retired members were educated in their youth and were often former captains, navigators, cartographers, and scholars engaged in naval theory, serving as a nursing home and senior citizens' club.
In addition, there are some extreme ones, such as the Storm Guard who are dedicated to hunting down and destroying the Sturmfel cult. According to the manual, their church is hidden on the coastline of Nordland, and the specific location has been obliterated. .
More extreme than this are the madmen, usually those who have survived shipwrecks, lost loved ones in shipwrecks, or been thrown from ships to experience the wrath of the ocean firsthand, as well as those who have received divine visions and revelations.
These people usually have two paths. One is a flagellant like Sigmar. Those madmen become religious madmen and self-tortured penitents after saving their lives. They crossed rivers and oceans, chanted hymns loudly, impaled themselves with sea urchins or whipped themselves with fish, and slashed their skin with shark teeth. Afterwards, they will rub salt into the wound. Perhaps because Mannann hates fire, after doing this, they will not follow Malekith and walk into the fire.
Others, more extreme, began to worship destructive powers like Sturmfel and Memedus, claiming that they had finally seen the true face of Mannann.
There are also seaborn who appear on the sea. When a child is born on the sea, it is believed that the child is favored by Mannann and can never set foot on land. Gradually these groups formed a cult-like existence, vowing to dedicate their lives to Mannann, living on the sea and never leaving the sea. They drifted in the sea from cradle to burial at sea, and served on merchant ships, navies, or lived with other members on Mannann's mobile temples such as Erengrad.
There are also extremes in this group, who believe that the land is polluted, and treat people who live on the land as inferior people with sympathy rather than insult.
The reason why they are not included in the Knights or the Order is because the number of sea descendants is too small to form a group. They are accepted by mainstream sects, but that's about it. They are so pious that believers in mainstream sects can't stand it. Fortunately, these guys don't cause conflicts. They are excellent and fearless sailors. If you really can't stand them, just Just stand on land...they can't get up anyway.
There is also a cult called the Righteous Abyss, whose believers believe that the angry Mannann will soon flood the world to purify the world of chaos and injustice. The cult's founder claimed to have seen a vision of Menaun's flood and preached that it was coming, and after years of self-flagellation, she attracted a ragtag following. Since her death in a Beastmen attack on her ship on the Reik River, the Order has not dispersed, but has passed on and is divided into two factions, one is the faction that built the dam, as the name suggests. The other faction is the Ark faction...
Darkus thinks there seems to be nothing wrong with this Abyss of Justice Order. After all, the flood appeared when the world came to an end. Isn't this right? He looked at the Alderal Watchtower that was gradually going away and smiled. Maybe what he should do next is to combine knowledge with action, and go and see for himself after understanding it. After all, he did not want the Stormweaver Order he founded. Like the Mannann Order in the old world, where there is no control over each other and chaotic leadership, these are worth learning from, and at the same time, you can also learn some good ones, such as commandments and holy books. He never believed in democracy, he only believed in one champion, one faction, and one voice!
"My dear, maybe you should take a look at this."
Drusala's voice interrupted Darkos's thinking. He took the drawing handed over by Drusala and looked at it carefully. The drawing was produced by the monster shop here in Salka. It recorded a location called the sunken ship of La Giron, and this location happened to be on the fleet's sailing route.
"Maybe we should go take a look. Anyway, it's just like Mannersham Abbey." Darkus smiled and handed the drawing back to Drew LS, and he turned his attention to Renne and Genevieve. . Seeing them writing and drawing while looking at the Claw Sea Manual, he smiled and couldn't help but shake his head...
(End of Chapter)