Religions of Teppala

The religious beliefs of the people of Teppala are fairly similar from place to place, despite civilizations at endpoints of the planet being separated by more than 50000 years. Most people on Teppala belong to one of the Gold religions, which were created from a fusion of the native Repilian beliefs with those of immigrants from the islands of Laba. These two religious complexes were themselves very similar despite having diverged nearly 30000 years ago.

Believers in the Ridiamic religions (also called Ridia) are positive polytheists. They believe in the same gods, and that those gods cooperate with each other. Thus, wars are not fought in the name of a deity, even when two human cultures have chosen to devote themselves to two different gods, because each acknowledges that the other's main deity is real.

Overview

Lack of sin

Ridian religions could be said to have a childlike moral outlook with no concept of sin. All that brings happiness is good. Since the gods are omnipotent and invincible, no human deeds will ever bring harm or benefit to the gods, and humans' only responsibility is to each other, whereby they are free to make their own laws.

Instead of a list of sins to avoid, Ridians learn a list of ways to protect themselves and their family members from evil spirits and the dangers of the natural world, while maximizing the attention paid to them by the gods.

Afterlife

All Ridian religions believe in an eternal afterlife, with either eternal absolute bliss or eternal absolute punishment for all humans and animals. As above, though, the path to salvation is not to avoid sin or even to do good deeds but to maintain spiritual purity, and win the favor of the caretaker god, #Mappamensam. Therefore, even people prevented by physical handicaps from doing good deeds can obtain salvation.

Damnation

The Ridian equivalent of Hell is served out on earth in a state of hereditary slavery.

Cultural taboos

Though there are no sins, there are cultural taboos shared by religions who consider them as sins.

Sacrifice

Because favor from the gods cannot be bought, there is no culturally acceptable use of sacrifice. Anyone committing a sacrifice of any kind will be treated as if they had destroyed property belonging to someone else.

Blasphemy

Though the gods cannot be harmed by mere words, those who accidentally commit blasphemy are believed to be the enemies of the gods, whose destiny is damnation to be served out immediately on earth. Therefore anyone committing blasphemy is enslaved.

Common pantheon

In this list, most names are exonyms. Note that even within a language, it is common for one deity to have many names. Languages can spread across many religions, and in some cases, practitioners of one religion will prefer a different name for the same deity than other religions speaking the same language.

Mappamensam

Mappamensam is the goddess of pregnancy and childbirth, and is worshipped in all Ridiamic religions. Some religions, such as that of Thaoa, have become monotheistic with Mappa as the supreme being.

Translingual	Tapilula	Gold	Khulls	Proto-Moonshine	Bābākiam	Poswa	Pabappa	Thaoa	Proto-Subumpamese	Old Andanese	Late Andanese	Notes
Mappamensam		Ṃătʷamaʕin	Màlamen	Màlamain	Matuamabim	Maptavem	Maptadem
Saaha	Fàga-Hà	Sàga	Sàġa	Sàga	Saa	Saba	Saba			Fahà	Haha
Pofa			Gʷōha	Wə̄ha		Pofa
Palli	Bàayi	Dāyi	Lēyi	Lāyi	Tāyi	Table	Tabli	Caži

The names Saaha and Palli are much older than the others, and can be traced back to the Mumba language, where they appeared as Mabasan and Pyahalyi respectively. Thus, the much later Khulls/Moonshine name Pālyi is a reborrowing by scholars who had studied early history. The name Mabasan is not cognate to Mappamensam and its relatives, despite its superficial resemblance; even the m- is not cognate.

Note that the names Sàga and Fahà, and their descendants, are reflexes of the full name Fàga-Hà with syncope of the medial vowel.

Kʷarĕna

Kʷarĕna is the goddess of abortion and death in childhood. She cooperates with Mappamensam rather than fighting against her; Mappamensam and Kʷarena choose which children will live and which will die.

Kʷarĕna is worshipped as the supreme deity by a cluster of religions which formed around the year 4200 but have few remaining followers. These people do not think of Kʷarĕna as evil, but simply as very difficult to please.

Translingual	Tapilula	Gold	Khulls	Proto-Moonshine	Bābākiam	Poswa	Pabappa	Thaoa	Proto-Subumpamese	Old Andanese	Late Andanese	Notes
Kwatena						Waptena	Waptulna
Mumpuva						Mumpuva	Mumpuni
Baeno						Baeno	Panar
Joja	Yòya									Yòya	Yuya
Enodab	Enŏda	Năda	Năra							Enŏda	Inuta

Yuni-Yipâwa

Yuni is a goddess with the ability to control people's behavior and change her own form.

Yuni also punishes evildoers (?).

Translingual	Tapilula	Gold	Khulls	Proto-Moonshine	Bābākiam	Poswa	Pabappa	Thaoa	Proto-Subumpamese	Old Andanese	Late Andanese	Notes
Yuni			Yŭni	Yuni	Yəni	Lyne	Lun
Yipâwa	Yibĕwo	Yidăgʷa	Yirăgʷa		Īava	Ira	Irra
Rospa	Lĭpa	Lĭpa	Lĭpa	Lipa	Yipa	Ripa	Riba	Lipha		Lĭba	Lipa

Vinos

A male god associated with pain and disease. In most religions, Vinos is subordinate to Kwatena and thus is not worshipped even in situations when would-be worshippers believe his power is needed.

Translingual	Tapilula	Gold	Khulls	Proto-Moonshine	Bābākiam	Poswa	Pabappa	Thaoa	Proto-Subumpamese	Old Andanese	Late Andanese	Notes
Pinuha						Pibos (?)	Pibos (?)
Zularn
Piplap

Moto

Moto is a goddess associated with peace and intimate relations. Some religions consider her a subordinate of Mappamensam, while others treat her as a supreme deity in her own right.

Nompo

Nompo is another goddess associated with peace and intimate relations, but is not subordinate to Kwatena or any other goddess.