Vanic religion
The Vanic religion (known also as Vanatru and Vanicism) is a religion derived from the paganism of the Norse and Germanic peoples of Micras (Arminians, Crandish, Normarkers, Hurmudans, Amalanders, Norrlanders, Nidarosians, Stormarkers, etc.), that was state-enforced in Stormark (throughout its existence, 1474–1685) and in Elwynn (1623–1651). It was also a recognized religion in Alexandria, Caputia, Shireroth, Natopia, and other countries. The Froyalanish Ancient Ways are considered a denomination within the Vanic religion.
The Vanic religion is known for ritualizing sexual abuse.
Cosmology
The religion believed in all the gods of Norse paganism, but focused on the Vanir in opposition to the Æsir, particularly the Vanic goddesses. In the Vanic cosmology, the Vanic goddesses Freyja, Frigg (known in Stormark as Frigga), and Idunn had a special relationship with Stormark, granting the House of Ettlingar Freyu dominion over large parts of the world. In their religion, moreover, there was a parallel world, which they called the Light Side of the Vanaorb (while Micras was the "Dark Side" of the same orb), where Stormark (and thus the Vanic religion) ruled without any opposition. There is no proof, however, that this world ever existed other than on paper and mythology.
In the Vanic religion, High King Harald of Stormark contracted a hierogamous marriage with the three goddesses Freyja, Frigga, and Idunn, where he engaged in ritual sexual relations with the goddesses that were publicized to the world in regular intervals. This inspired the Froyalanish Ancient Ways in Elwynn.
Practices
- See also: Froyalanish sexual rites
The Vanic religion placed emphasis on orthopraxy over orthodoxy. As such, rituals and practices were highly important, with public calls for veneration of goddesses common. Most notably, the Vanic practices related around human sexuality.
Hierarchy
The Vanic religion preached an order where people were divided into various classes. The royalty and nobility were the highest rank, and thereafter came other people in various classes. Relations between people of different ranks may be termed as asymmetrical, and relations between people of similar ranks as symmetrical.
Nudity
Vanics were encouraged to remain naked ("sky-clad" in Vanic terminology) as often as they could, as the naked body symbolised the harmony of the body with the environment (the argument being that neither plants nor animals wear clothes, so why should humans?). In general practice, nudity was more commonly seen among the high nobility's enforced uniforms for their staff, as well as certain rituals where the nobility, being sky-clad, participated. Unlike naturism or nudism, the nakedness of the Vanics emphasised the sexualization and objectification of the naked body, which were seen as positive attributes.
Sexual relations
The law on sexual relations depended on the participants' relationship to one another. If the relationship was symmetrical, the equality of the partners was emphasised. If the relationship was asymmetrical, the pleasure was only beholden the higher-ranked partner. It was the duty of the lower-ranked partner to offer their body whenever the higher-ranked partner desired it. Servants and other household staff were mandated by their religion to offer their sexual services also to guests of the house.
Only adults (as defined by the Vanic religion) were allowed to have sexual relations.
Birth
The Vanic religion emphasised that giving birth was an orgasmic experience for the woman giving birth. Any notion contrary to this was heretical and could be punished.
Adulthood
People reached adulthood upon, for men, their first ejaculation, and, for women, their first menstruation. Thereafter, they were considered adults and bound by the rules of sexuality and other rituals on equal basis to actual adults. As such, the Vanic religion encouraged child abuse, the accusations of which led to the collapse of Stormark in 1685.
Post-1685
The Vanic religion did not disappear completely with the collapse of Stormark in 1685. What became noticeable then was how little support the religion actually had among the commoners of Stormark. The religion was a religion of the state and the royals and the nobles, used by them to advance their position in society and cement the status quo. The Vanic religion has been either banned (as in the Benacian Union and Natopia) or otherwise informally persecuted (in other jurisdictions, such as Hurmu and Nouvelle Alexandrie).
That said, Vanics continue to exist, practising in secret across the former Storish possessions, some of them are organized in the Movement for Vanic Rights. Some have also created militant terrorist groupings, such as the Vanic Front of Salvation.
