General information:

Nobody knows exactly how old Elementarism, the only acknowledged Draconian religion, is. The oldest records and ruins dedicated to worshiping one of the three elements date back to 6000 years ago, but historians have pointed out that the temple of Kur is at least twice as old, and argue that there could have been a monotheistic religion in the past.

Elementarism is split into three different branches: Fire, Earth and Water. Why there is no separate cult for Air is unknown. Perhaps because this particular element cannot be seen by the naked eye, it therefore was not acknowledged as such.

Unlike many religions on Earth, these three branches of the same faith don’t compete with each other. A Draconian can favor only one or all three of them at the same time if he likes, and while the importance of religion has significantly dwindled over time, it is not uncommon for Draconians to flock to the temples in times of need.

Monks usually dedicate their faith to one particular element they feel closest to throughout their lives by building, maintaining, studying, and meditating at the temples. However that doesn’t mean they stay in a temple for the rest of their lives. Many choose to rejoin society after a certain amount of time. This can be months or decades.

The Draconian confederation guarantees religious freedom for all species in its territories, however it is forbidden by law to practice or advertise one’s faith in public areas, and a violation can cost up to 2300 zatis in fines.


Earth:

Having the ability to shape and be shaped, this element always had a special relationship with its followers and Draconian society as a whole.
Its temples are usually selected from natural caves large enough to accommodate at least a dozen monks, however the number of residents can grow greatly if new pathways and rooms are discovered. The greatest example is the Kirani temple, named after the mountain range it resides in. It currently houses almost 2000 people and counting.


Kur:

The Immortal. The Eternal. The First One. Kur has many names, and despite being known for millennia, nobody can truly say what he is.
The few Draconians that were granted an audience describe him as being at least twice the size of an adult male dragon, with a white body, red eyes, and a giant crimson stone embedded into his forehead. Many say that Kur just lets you see how you want him to appear, and it's been said that if you stare too long at him it causes blindness, a rumour that has been confirmed; Of the ten people that have met this creature in the past 200 years, all have lost their eyesight to unknown causes, and so far no cure has been found.
The temple of Kur is hidden deep within a mountain, its entrance and halls guarded by unnaturally big Draconians equipped with ancient armor and large halberds. Their pupils have disappeared and their eye color has turned into a milky white, which can only mean that they too have contracted a form of blindness. However, asking them about their circumstances has proven to be impossible, as none of the warriors have spoken a single word to anyone, ever.
In the last chamber of this temple in the middle of the room stands a portal. How it works can only be vaguely explained by science, as it seems any person that enters the portal not only spontaneously re-appears in another location, but tests and scans confirm that the person has also completely vanished from known space.
Has this creature called Kur managed to create its own pocket dimension? What other powers does it posses? Nobody knows, and nobody really dares to ask.

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art and spellchecking ©  lauralien

concept and writing © me