Dawn: That's... a bit of a tall order if I'm being honest. I mean, the religions of Animalia are...well there's quite a few.
Vernon: Every species of mammal has at least one religion specifically for 'em, although most species got multiple under their belts due to different packs and herds of the same species spread over different parts of Animalia have their own sorta flavor.
Dawn: For simplicity's sake, it's probably best to focus on some of the larger ones, like Simbology, Bambism, or Preygansim. Although Preyganism is sort of...cheating, as it's considered sort of a catch-all title for the various larger prey religions. Capridism falls under that banner as well, which is the religion that...well I want to say practice, but I feel that's too strong of a word. I mean, I consider myself a capridist, but I'm not devout...While Vernon and I had caprid elements infused into our tithe, I'm not the kind of ewe that attends caprid service every Sunday.
Vernon: That's alright Honey Lamb, y'all know my family is purty much the same when it comes to Norwulff religion. It's mostly just an excuse to use the curse words. *Chuckles*
Dawn: *Giggling* Anyway, I'll try to give a brief...explanation of some of the religions I mentioned, as well as a bit about mine and Vernon's own. Hopefully, that will be enough to suffice, otherwise, this reply would take forever. *Ahem* Anyway, let's start with one of the largest religions, Simbology.
Simbology was born of the Pridelands empire, or rather legends that came from the various lion prides before the formation of their empire. In Simbology, there is an 'old testament' and a 'new testament'. The old establishes the god lion Mufasa, as well as his dark opposite in his brother Scar. Like many other religion's primary god, it is through Mufasa that morality and the religious laws of Simbology are established. He performs miracles, punishes wicked mammals, and is supposedly responsible for crafting the 'circle of life'. Scar is his silent antithesis who represents all that is wicked and bad. Of course, Scar doesn't come to his full prominence as the ruler of the 'Great Graveyard" until the new testament. In the new testament of Simbology, we follow Mufasa's only son, Simba, which is where the name for the religion is derived. It is there that all the sort of major players in modern simbology come together to craft one sort of overarching narrative instead of a series of small tales plugged into an anthology. Scar kills his brother, and banishes Simba with the help of his hyena minions. While in exile Simba gathers mammals who would become his apostles, later deified as saints in the church, and returns to the Pridelands to banish Scar and his wicked minions to the "Great graveyard" For all time.
Due to the fact that the Pridelands became a multi-continent spanning empire, it sort of fixed Simbology's place as Animalia's largest religion for nearly a millennia, with multiple species being forced to take the religion on while living under the rule of the Prideland Monarchs. After the Pridelands collapsed, the prevalence of Simbology waned to a degree, with many of the former occupied nations reverting back to their previous religious systems now that they were free to do so. Simbology is still a fairly big religion today, but not nearly as big as it was.
Vernon: Iffin' I recall, Simbology is one of the biggest reasons why hyena became such a vilified species, what with them bein' considered Scar's lackey's.
Dawn: Black maned lions also suffered as outcasts as well, being considered 'children of Scar', this is of course completely ignoring the gospels of Kovu, but the church of Simbology has always sort of picked and chosen its favorite scripture to canonize. Whatever benefitted them the most were generally chosen to be canonized, while the rest were cast aside as blaspheme despite there being no actual difference between the two in terms of authors and time periods. Then again, I'd be lying if I said they were the only religion out there that plays favorites.
Vernon: Ain't no perfect religion I suppose, we all needed our demons to slay.
Dawn: At the very least a more anonymous villainous entity doesn't malign any specific species, like the infamous "Hunter" of the Bambism faith. Its species is never defined, it is simply meant to be a sort of... analog for all the darkness, hate, and savagery that mammals are capable of, and must overcome. Otherwise, it's actually quite similar to Simbology in that there is a god, 'The King of the Forest", and his son, Bambi, who grows to become the "Great Forest Prince". Bambi too has his own apostles, and essentially grows to become the diametric opposite of the Hunter, representing all that is good and righteous. Mufasa's death is even mirrored in Bambi's own mother, although in this narrative the 'Hunter' was trying to prevent Bambi from coming into the world and becoming the avatar of the forest.
Vernon: Wasn't Bambi already a faun by then? I'd say that hunter missed his shot by a mile if that's what he was aimin' fer.
Dawn: Well you can't have evil prevail, especially in a religious narrative. What kind of inspiring story is that?
Vernon: *Chuckles* I suppose that's fair.
Dawn: Anyway, just to wrap up Bambism, Bambi becomes the avatar of the forest, and creates the moral laws of Animalia, while his father ascends to join his mother and preside over the great forest in the beyond, and the souls who dwell within. Of course, one could also file bambism away under Preygansim, but it's one of the larger, more recognizable religions under said banner.
Vernon: It's also...probably a bit more organized than our stuff. Capridism and Norwulff religions er'...more about deep nature rituals and real wild tales.
Dawn: *Giggles* Maybe Norwulff religion sure. I mean, you've got a crazed, wild boar creature that guards the gates of hell, and what about that giant world-eating snake? Compared to those, Caprisdism is just a bunch of gentle sheep prancing in the meadows.
Vernon: Well we're...a rough and tumble species, and our belief system reflects a lotta that. I mean, Oldwyn tore out his own eye, all fer the sake of making himself wiser. And almost every piece of lore and story from the era features some sort of battle goin' on with amazin', fantastical and horrifyin' beasts.
Dawn: It's hard to believe your ancestors could ever settle down and make peace with my people with tales like that fueling every facet of your lives.
Vernon: Well, in terms of our religious text, while we relished a good battle, we were no fools either. Again, Oldwin yanked out his eye to become wiser, not stronger. Wisdom and temperance were also important virtues of ours, and when that edict came down from Lupa, the one true den mother, most of us held wisdom highly enough to listen.
Dawn: I suppose that isn't all that far off from Capridism's own Hornunnus or Cervidwen, who also greatly valued wisdom, temperance, and patience. Although...they didn't have to take such...graphic means to achieve such things...which admittedly makes it less cool. *Giggles* A big element of worshiping them was the belief that above all else Animalia would provide for our kind, so long as we took care of her. The forest, the meadows, it was all to be respected, and it would reward that respect with great bounties so long as one was patient. The same was said of great wisdom, which was an equally valued virtue. Wisdom and understanding came with time and patience.
Vernon: Y'all are sellin' capridism short. Y'all got some killer festivals and feasts. And o' course we ain't got no 'ruttin' in the fields' tradition in Norwulff lore. Talk about some wild sutff...
Dawn: *Blushes slightly* W-Well, it was how we...it was another way of connecting with nature and our roots! I-We saw it as natural! We don't do it anymore!
Vernon: Hey I wasn't complainin'. Though I gotta wonder, were those gods of yer's right pleased with that little show we put on in the cornfield that time er...?
Dawn: *Blush intensifies* P-PUPPY NoooooOOOooo!
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