The Marsh King
Emblem of the Marsh King. Sometimes worn, painted, or tattooed for good luck. Art by J-Haskell.
The people of Padwell worship the Marsh King; while he is considered a god and often represented by the image of a white heron, it would perhaps be more accurate to think of him as the embodiment of the swamp itself; less an individual entity and more of a collective consciousness.
The Marsh King is believed to watch over the people of Padwell, easing the hardships of the swamp for them and allowing them to take what they need to survive. Greed, however, does not go unpunished, and Padwellans who overhunt or clear away too much of the forest often find it fighting back; often people only use deadfall and what they grow themselves to avoid any chance of angering the Marsh King. Outsiders who threaten the country feel as though they are fought by the very land itself.
The priesthood of the Marsh King is responsible for worshiping him and caring for the bodies of the dead. They are marked by the white heron feathers only they and the Padwell family (and their icauhtli/icutli) can wear, collected from what the birds shed. Their base is in Heronhall, where they conduct burial rites and bring the dead to the Heart of the Swamp.
The Marsh King is believed to watch over the people of Padwell, easing the hardships of the swamp for them and allowing them to take what they need to survive. Greed, however, does not go unpunished, and Padwellans who overhunt or clear away too much of the forest often find it fighting back; often people only use deadfall and what they grow themselves to avoid any chance of angering the Marsh King. Outsiders who threaten the country feel as though they are fought by the very land itself.
The priesthood of the Marsh King is responsible for worshiping him and caring for the bodies of the dead. They are marked by the white heron feathers only they and the Padwell family (and their icauhtli/icutli) can wear, collected from what the birds shed. Their base is in Heronhall, where they conduct burial rites and bring the dead to the Heart of the Swamp.
Principles of the Marsh King
- Respect for nature; taking only what you need from the land around you and caring for the plants and animals that call the marshes home. Learning to navigate the marsh and make use of what you find there without destroying the careful balance of life.
- Selflessness; aiding your community and not expecting things in return. Making sacrifices for those you love. Greed is viewed as the ultimate transgression against the Marsh King.
- Bonds; those of family and friendship. Loyalty and compassion to those you love and appreciate are some of the most valued traits one can possess.
- Community; the health of the city or village is important, and everyone who is capable should do their part. Be it caring for your neighbours, sharing the days’ hunt with someone who cannot venture out for food themselves, or making repairs to less-sturdy homes, any efforts that benefit the rest of the town is viewed favourably by the Marsh King.
Worship
The Marsh King is not really… worshipped in a traditional fashion; prayers aren’t common outside of times of great strife or when one needs emotional guidance. Instead, one lives by his principles and learns to read the land to interpret what message he has for you. The Marsh King has a small, dedicated priesthood known as the Haikaroita.
One can seek his favour and good luck by giving ‘offerings’, such as planting seeds, caring for wild plants and animals, returning young fish that are caught instead of keeping them, and other things that benefit the marshes. You may also gain extra luck by burning offerings—favourite foods, clothing, jewelry, plants, etc—to your ancestor's death masks in the family shrine.
One can seek his favour and good luck by giving ‘offerings’, such as planting seeds, caring for wild plants and animals, returning young fish that are caught instead of keeping them, and other things that benefit the marshes. You may also gain extra luck by burning offerings—favourite foods, clothing, jewelry, plants, etc—to your ancestor's death masks in the family shrine.
Burial Rites
The people of Padwell do not bury or burn their dead; instead, the body is taken into the ‘Heart of the Swamp’ by a member of the Haikaroita. They give the family a wooden mask painted with patterns that reflect the dead person’s life and then leave, taking the dead with them in a small canoe. These masks are not meant to be worn, and instead should be placed in a small family shrine for safekeeping. The masks are believed to be a gateway to their spirit, so that you might commune with your ancestors and dead loved ones while they roam with the Marsh King. The only situation where it is not the height of blasphemy to wear an ancestor's mask is when one is on a death-mission and wishes to channel their strength, but even so only a relative may do so, and death follows soon after.
The exact process that follows is unknown to all but the priesthood themselves, but they ensure that the dead are properly washed, blessed, and clothed before placing them underwater. The swamp keeps them perfectly preserved and staves off rot.
It is extremely important that this practice is followed, for a person that does not receive the proper rites is said to haunt those that failed them for eternity, ever denied their place in the Marsh King’s realm. Even outsiders and enemies are not excluded from this, and after every fight and battle in Padwell’s rebellion the priests of the Marsh King would make sure to collect the bodies of all the dead and take them away.
The exact process that follows is unknown to all but the priesthood themselves, but they ensure that the dead are properly washed, blessed, and clothed before placing them underwater. The swamp keeps them perfectly preserved and staves off rot.
It is extremely important that this practice is followed, for a person that does not receive the proper rites is said to haunt those that failed them for eternity, ever denied their place in the Marsh King’s realm. Even outsiders and enemies are not excluded from this, and after every fight and battle in Padwell’s rebellion the priests of the Marsh King would make sure to collect the bodies of all the dead and take them away.
The Marsh King’s Blessed
Those lucky few who are Blessed by the Marsh King. Read more at the link below.
Associations with Other Gods
The Mountain Queen and the Marsh King used to be viewed as rival gods, the Queen a fiery figure of the sun and sky, and the King a vengeful spirit of the dark, deadly marshes. However, since the Marsh King accepted the Padwellans into and as a part of his domain, the former enmity between the two changed to an alliance, for their peoples have shared roots, and both gods desire to protect them.
The Marsh King and the Phoenix are opposites. While one is water and the dark marshes, the other is fire and light. One asks that the dead be placed deep in the swamp to be preserved for eternity, and the other that their bodies are burned. Despite this, neither religion holds that these gods have an enmity towards each other, even if the Phoenix’s worshippers attempted to spread their beliefs into Padwell and supplant the Marsh King as the dominant god there.
There is little connection between the Marsh King and the Moon Sisters historically, but recent immigrants from the Land of Rivers have brought their faith in the trio of goddesses with them, and their beliefs have been impacted accordingly. Some believe that the Marsh King and the Sisters are connected somehow, as both are heavily associated with water and and understanding/respect for nature, although each has a different perspective on when violence is acceptable.
The Marsh King and the Phoenix are opposites. While one is water and the dark marshes, the other is fire and light. One asks that the dead be placed deep in the swamp to be preserved for eternity, and the other that their bodies are burned. Despite this, neither religion holds that these gods have an enmity towards each other, even if the Phoenix’s worshippers attempted to spread their beliefs into Padwell and supplant the Marsh King as the dominant god there.
There is little connection between the Marsh King and the Moon Sisters historically, but recent immigrants from the Land of Rivers have brought their faith in the trio of goddesses with them, and their beliefs have been impacted accordingly. Some believe that the Marsh King and the Sisters are connected somehow, as both are heavily associated with water and and understanding/respect for nature, although each has a different perspective on when violence is acceptable.
The Haikaroita
The priesthood of the Marsh King is known as the Haikaroita. They are responsible for enacting the Marsh King’s will, passing on his principles, preserving Padwell’s culture, providing counsel, and ensuring the dead receive a proper burial in the Heart of the Marsh.
Ranks of the Haikaroita
There are four main groupings in the Haikaroita:
- Sulka
- Vaeltava
- Huoltaja
- Soturi
- Harmaahalli
Sulka
The sulka; priests-in-training. To become a sulka, one must seek out a priest of the Marsh King in their travels—either a vaeltava, huoltaja or a soturi--and ask to be taken on as an ‘apprentice’ of sorts. One must be at least fifteen years of age to be considered, and it’s up to the individual priest to say yes or no--although if the refusal is for personal reasons rather than the candidate being unsuitable, it is expected for them to find another priest willing to take them on. A priest may have up to three sulka at once, and they travel with them, learning and assisting them in their duties. They are given a single white heron feather to mark their status.
After five years, if the priest they assisted deems them a suitable new member of the Haikaroita, they are taken to Heronhall for the Siipien Pesu ceremony. They speak with the leader of the priesthood there and make a vow to serve the Marsh King and the people of Padwell. While they can step down from the Haikaroita at a later date, it’s exceptionally rare and seen as taboo to do so after taking the vow.
That done, the new priest washes themself in warm water and chooses a path; either becoming a vaeltava, huoltaja or a soturi. It’s expected that they choose the role they’d have learned over the past five years from their mentor, of course, but they have the option to pick a different one. They are then given a White Heron feather cloak and accepted as a full member of the Haikaroita. One may change their role later, if they find they're unhappy with their current postition.
After five years, if the priest they assisted deems them a suitable new member of the Haikaroita, they are taken to Heronhall for the Siipien Pesu ceremony. They speak with the leader of the priesthood there and make a vow to serve the Marsh King and the people of Padwell. While they can step down from the Haikaroita at a later date, it’s exceptionally rare and seen as taboo to do so after taking the vow.
That done, the new priest washes themself in warm water and chooses a path; either becoming a vaeltava, huoltaja or a soturi. It’s expected that they choose the role they’d have learned over the past five years from their mentor, of course, but they have the option to pick a different one. They are then given a White Heron feather cloak and accepted as a full member of the Haikaroita. One may change their role later, if they find they're unhappy with their current postition.
Vaeltava
The vaeltava; wandering priests. Most of the priesthood are vaeltava; they travel the marshes of Padwell and rarely stop in a single place for more than a week. They are trained in healing, self-defence, and the proper handling of both dragon and human remains. Each wears a cloak of White Heron feathers, long enough to reach past their elbows.
Their duties are as follows:
Their duties are as follows:
- Collect remains and ferry them to Heronhall for their burial rites. Even the bodies of criminals and enemies.
- Deliver death masks to the family of the deceased.
- Provide healing and medical attention to any injured they encounter in the marsh and take them to the nearest town or city to see a doctor.
- Provide directions for those who are lost in the marsh, or guide them back to the nearest town or city if needed.
- Provide counsel to those in need of the Marsh King’s guidance, and always be willing to lend an ear.
- Educating others about the Marsh King.
- Hear out those interested in taking the Marsh King’s blessing and bring them to Heronhall if they’re suited for it.
- To oversee ceremonies and officiate at weddings.
Huoltaja
The huoltaja; priests for individual towns or cities. Each has at least one, there to serve as a spiritual guide to the townsfolk and to seek out a vaeltava if needed, should there not be one in the area when someone dies, as well as give directions to them when they arrive with a death mask for a family. They wear a White Heron feather cloak of a similar length to vaeltavas'. It is rare for them to leave their assigned town for long unless they have a partner working with them to take over while they’re absent.
Their duties are as follows:
Their duties are as follows:
- Assist vaeltava in collecting remains and ferry them to Heronhall for their burial rites. Ensure that no one in their town or city goes without.
- Provide food and supplies to those in need, especially other priests and the downtrodden.
- Write records to be carried to Heronhall by vaeltava or soturi.
- Assist in delivering death masks to the family of the deceased.
- Provide healing and medical attention to any injured.
- Provide directions for those who are lost in the marsh, or guide them back to the nearest town or city if needed.
- Provide counsel to those in need of the Marsh King’s guidance, and always be willing to lend an ear.
- Educate others about the Marsh King.
- Hear out those interested in taking the Marsh King’s blessing and get a vaeltava or soturi to take them to Heronhall if they’re suited for it.
- To oversee ceremonies and officiate at weddings.
Soturi
The soturi; those of the priesthood who devote themselves to protection. They train their minds and bodies to become proficient warriors and dedicate their lives to safeguarding the lives of the people of Padwell, and friendly travellers throughout the marshes. Soturi are highly skilled at fighting, although their training centres around protecting others, not harming them. They often use non-lethal plants and weapons to dispatch threats. Their white heron feather ‘cloak’ usually only covers the neck and terminates at the shoulders, to avoid being in the way.
Their duties are as follows:
Their duties are as follows:
- Travel the marshes to protect anyone in need.
- Keep the other priests safe in their travels.
- If a vaeltava should be killed or injured while delivering a death mask or ferrying a body to Heronhall, take over for them.
- Provide healing and medical attention to any injured they encounter in the marsh and take them to the nearest town or city to see a doctor.
- Provide directions for those who are lost in the marsh, or guide them back to the nearest town or city if needed.
- Provide counsel to those in need of the Marsh King’s guidance, and always be willing to lend an ear, especially to other warriors.
- Educate others about the Marsh King.
- To oversee festivals and officiate at weddings if asked.
- Hear out those interested in taking the Marsh King’s blessing and bring them to Heronhall if they’re suited for it.
- A handful of skilled soturi serve three-month shifts in Heronhall to protect the priests there, in case the worst should happen.
Harmaahalli
The harmaahalli; keepers of Heronhall. The ‘highest-ranked’ of the Haikaroita, only those who have served for at least ten years as either a vaeltava, huoltaja or soturi are eligible to join their ranks. It’s viewed as a ‘retirement’, however, and not a natural step up from the other roles. The harmaahalli live in Heronhall and rarely leave, and are often those who are older or with injuries that prevent them from being able to easily keep up with the duties of the other priests. Younger and healthier individuals in the harmaahalli are expected to help care for those who are less so. All harmaahalli undergo the Marsh King’s blessing, and wear a full cloak of White Heron feathers that goes down to their ankles.
Their duties are as follows:
Their duties are as follows:
- Keeping records of Padwell’s culture and history.
- Preparing the bodies of the dead for burial.
- Carving and painting the death masks.
- Brewing the potion for and conducting the Marsh King’s blessing.
- Provide guidance to other priests and to the current ruler of Padwell.
- Maintaining the building of Heronhall itself, as well as tending the gardens and collecting supplies for the masks and potions.
- Keeping a small hall for the masks of the forgotten dead, those who died without any known family or friends.
Hierarchy of the Haikaroita
There aren’t really any ranks in the Haikarota beyond the newly-recruited sulka, regular priests in the soturi, huoltaja and vaeltava, the more senior members of the harmaahalli, and the leader of the Marsh King’s priesthood themself.
The current leader of the Haikarota is a Marsh-Blessed human who resembles a White Heron. Their face is veiled with thick, glowing white feathers, they have scaled hands and feet like a bird’s, a pair of avian wings, and black eyes. Their name, age, and gender are unknown outside of the other harmaahalli, and they never leave Heronall.
They are very old; it is believed they received their blessing just after the fall of Old Padwell and they carefully learned the secrets of their order from the priests who ‘disappeared’ after the conquest and kept them safe. They are soft-spoken and gentle, preferring to listen to others and give one or two words in response.
The current leader of the Haikarota is a Marsh-Blessed human who resembles a White Heron. Their face is veiled with thick, glowing white feathers, they have scaled hands and feet like a bird’s, a pair of avian wings, and black eyes. Their name, age, and gender are unknown outside of the other harmaahalli, and they never leave Heronall.
They are very old; it is believed they received their blessing just after the fall of Old Padwell and they carefully learned the secrets of their order from the priests who ‘disappeared’ after the conquest and kept them safe. They are soft-spoken and gentle, preferring to listen to others and give one or two words in response.