Soroism (The Herrington Religion.)
“Practicality amongst yourselves, burn the rest.”
Strength amongst adversity, power in bloodline and the strong on top of society.
“Practicality amongst yourselves, burn the rest.”
Strength amongst adversity, power in bloodline and the strong on top of society.
CONTENTS
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Beliefs
Practices
Scriptures
FAQ
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Beliefs
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The Seven Holy Values:
- Fidelity is the quality of consistency. It is the foundation for sound reasoning, morality, trust, and loyalty. It enables us to anticipate future behaviour based on previous conduct. When it comes to the most worthy ideas, acts, values, or alliances, fidelity is most valued.
- Sovranty is the virtue of predominance. It is the weapon of every strong-willed legend, and the secret divider in every war lost. It enables the user to yield power and to utilise influence effectively over others. It is the state of superiority, or a will strived towards an occupation or a position of dominance.
- Cupidity is the wishful thinking mechanic of the bold and accomplished alike. Ones eager to have more, to be more and to inspire for more, keeps humanity moving forward, faster, greater and of swifter a foot. To have it all is to yield maximum cupidity.
- Hedonism is the pursuement of happiness and self-indulgence, and that in life; seeking pleasure and reward is a high example of how one should project their life towards whilst trying to minimise pain or negativity in one's outlook in life.
- Passion is the acceptance of emotional, instinctive and primitive drives in oneself. To strive for what makes one happy, be that positive or negative. To be passionate is to strive for something you love.
- Charisma is the tendency to be engaging, verbally facile and superficially exposed. To crush and eliminate internal struggles such as self-consciousness or fear by the weight of your int****rsonal intelligence and to live by charm and approachability.
- Ambition is the habit of innovation, economic growth and dreaming. To have ambition is to accept every other value, and to live with these every day. To be innovative is what moves humanity forward. This is the most important of values.
Self Interest can be defined as the willingness to do something of value for others to secure the things that benefit oneself. "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest" Self Interest in the terms of Soroism does not inherently have need to be brought upon by selfishness but can in reality be a path of humility. Often in Soroism, The Soroist's self interest extends and is balanced by their love of others (often including their family, tribe or associates.) However the word Self-Interest is undoubtedly morally neutral, it is the man himself who ultimately defines the results of his actions.
Others' Needs:
When deciding courses of actions, Soroism preaches that you place yourself (and it's importance) above the self interests of others as less important and somewhat invalid in comparison. The Soroist ideal of Putting Yourself First is an old one that strays back to The Middle Ages during famines and periods of large wars, this was a time where putting yourself first meant the difference between life and death, this mixes with the Soroistic Value of Sovranty.
Duty to Religion:
A Soroistic life is one of obedience and overall practice. From a young age they are endorsed into the Religion, in which they are read scriptures and made to learn The Seven Holy Values, they are taught these commandments so that they will obey them. They learn they have a duty to not only pray, but the duty of ensuring happiness for themselves and those they value despite a hard life they may serve. They have a duty to work not only hard, but harder than those around them, to be perfect without cutting corners, this provides them generously and on occasion, others less so; Which is okay.
Rule of Three:
A Soroism Creed, that comes from Soroist Legend. The rule states that peoples, artefact, utility, opportunity or undertaking that comes naturally of in a group of three is inherently lucky or at least of natural greater outcome.
The Tribute of Thyestes:
The Tribute of Thyestes relates to the impact of High Priest Thyestes. It is important to realise that Cannibalism was not always a factor in the Soroist diet, and in fact, it can be perceived as only a fairly old tradition.
Thus came Thyestes, year 994 on the Gregorian Calendar, who grew up within the Soroist Church as an orphan child, due to this the child was destined to become a Priest, as back in those days, you often didn’t have many opportunities outside of your birthright. Thyestes was always a very violent, but charismatic symbol, even as a young boy being very convincing. Anglo-Saxon England was a very different culture to present day England, Thyestes village located in what would eventually become Birmingham was only a small village, about 100 people or so, his father a gatherer who had lost his life to a wolf, and his mother whom had died in childbirth. It is important to realise that Anglo-Saxon villages at these times were insanely self-sufficient, except for - in this case salt and iron, something the village of Beorma had plenty. This led to much civil distrust, and in these times, idiocy. After many years of infighting, Thyestes had developed a system for establishing power, this was by the then taboo practice of Cannibalism. “Ondesn, un−l¯æd duguð dryht, yfel hlêoðorcwide campian”
“Fear of the people, I will gain.”
Death and afterlife:
The Soroist believe in a land of opportunity, and those whom in their lifeforce prove their triumph will receive more of the benefits that come with such land after their deaths. There is no eternal damnation, just a class-divided afterlife, of which those who are good Soroists will aim higher on said system. (A sort of anti-annihilationism) Soroism hold funerals for their lost, in which the members of said family, as well as friends (who share their faith) and select priests perform worship. The succumbed body, placed upon a Soroist statue as the funeral commences. In this funeral, it is a custom for a sacrifice (usually found off of the streets) to be eaten, and for their blood to be used for the exercises performed in this ritual. A bible is always present.
Love and Marriage: Soroists believe that the binding partnership of marriage is a powerful symbol of power and the weight that you can have with sharing it, this is also a relationship shared with The Gods and the Church. Getting married is a public declaration of both love and lifelong commitment towards both a person and their interests. Marriage is a very important aspect in Soroism (One of the more precedent beliefs.) Soroism has no issues regarding same-sex marriage (essentially being pro lgbtq+) and did not ever define any rules relating to who may marry whom, however controversial it was for the majority of the Religions existence, not so much so however in present day. Love to a Soroist is very important to them, it is a perfect depiction of both the Value of Passion and Hedonism.
Arranged Marriages are somewhat common between Soroists, as it is ingrained deeply in their culture. There is no stigma in it amongst Soroism or it's participants. The type of Arranged Marriages practiced in Soroism are amongst some of the most respectable kinds (being both consensual and ultimately made of love.) These arranged marriages are often arranged by parents, grandparents or churches in order to either gain power, end infighting or allow for peace to flourish in times of War. The two parties (usually heterosexual partners from the two groups, but not exclusively) are asked to be married (asked of, not told), with right to deny the marriage request upon 7 days of interaction with said potential husband/wife (If denied, another member of said group goes through the same process until a partner is found.) If not all of these marriages are typically endogamous. These arranged marriages are symbols of social mobility, individualism, peace and fundamentalism. (All traits that Soroism favours.)
Colour Symbolism in Soroism:
The uses of colours and it's symbolism became very important (often placed highly above other measurements) in order to determine and differentiate liturgical seasons. This became a practice sometime after the Tribute of Thyestes. Patriarch of Æthelstan would later enforce more systematic uses (as they tended to vary greatly from each use, sometimes red meant death, in other cases it meant to be of great health and blood...) in order to appropriate and streamline the Church. He would form a basic colour palette for colour symbolism. Red symbolizes spiritual awakening, rebirth and the will to surpass for example.
Practices
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Communal worship:
Services of worship, typically following a pattern or form known as liturgy. These usually occur every 13th Saturday, however can be held informally every week. This is due to the assumed heavy schedule of its participants, who are often spread far across the world, spreading the fires of their ability in hopes of triumph. During this 13th Saturday - it is a custom for a large feast to be held afterwards (not usually a cannibalistic pleasure, however not exempt.) A Psalm or hymn is usually sung by servants in the background, cordially. It is considered an offense of the highest decree to miss a communal worship, even if the participants have to come in full body casts.
Blood Baptism:
Blood Baptism is the ritual act by which a person is admitted to membership in the Church, with the use of blood (red wine if a sufficient sacrifice is not available). This is similar to baptismal regeneration, which states that baptism generates or enhances a person's faith and is tied to salvation. When a kid is an infant, he or she is always baptised. If the baptised are not victims, they may donate the limb of a partner or their own offspring as a commitment to the cause, in which case they may be granted an exception to this restriction - but this is by no means guaranteed.
Animal Sacrifice:
An animal sacrifice in Soroism is called driv khado (動物の犠牲). The term's meaning since simply lost to time, however it is has been since interpreted to simply mean "sacrifice as a ritual." However it is unknown if this is accurate or just mere speculation. The Sacrificial is always a rodent, rabbit, birds, reptiles or any type of amphibian. The animal is a symbolism for inequality.
Scriptures
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The Gospel of Æthelstan (To be Revamped)
The Gospel of Shmaul (To be Revamped)
New Beginnings (To be Revamped)
FAQ
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What is the Soroism Religion?
The Grand Soroist Church is the basis of what was originally called the "Herrington Religion." A religion practiced by nearly the entire family (whom albeitly do not exist very much in present day SRP.); all of whom are very important to the Server Lore, from vice-principles to real estate tycoons to even the first couple of Hospital Directors, Two Police Commissioners & a Mayor, with the religion being created OOCly to create a justification for our characters wild and often immoral personalities.
Who are Soroists?
Soroism is a very old religion, filled mostly with very aristocratic individuals that dates back many eras. The followers of this religion are ICly referred to as Soroists, they are those who embrace the virtue and values of the Soroism religion to their fullest extent. They worship a pantheon of gods but there is certainly a main one, whom is called The God, Omal. Under the Gods they also accept the Patriach as the spiritual leader of The God, Omal. (Very similar to that of a Pope.) To be a Soroist one must live their life by honouring The God, Omal and the Values he has set out for us as Soroists.
Why create a Lore Document about this Religion four months after the family officially disbanded?
I was the original creator of the religion, as much as it was a Herrington bi-product I believe it is a piece of my work on SRP that I never got around to finishing (a pet peeve I have when people start a cool promising project and then never deliver on said idea.) It's also important to mention that I simply like. to. write. It doesn't need to be any big plot set up or anything in-depth, just something I made to pass the time.
A secondary reason was that it simply took up too much space on my Lucius Herrington thread in which frankly annoyed me.
How do I join this Religion?
You can't. Unless some crazy amount of hype is thrown my way (A group of people are genuinely interested.) it'll just stay as some highly extensive lore for my remaining Herrington Family characters.
Here is a link to any specific questions.
(If your question is not answered, feel free to PM me or respond publicly, if you don't have something nice to say then don't say it at all. Constructive Criticism is much appreciated however.)
(If your question is not answered, feel free to PM me or respond publicly, if you don't have something nice to say then don't say it at all. Constructive Criticism is much appreciated however.)
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