Breath and Bough

The Breath and Bough is a sub-demonation of The Wind that came about as the rathari migrated from the Escarian Mountains to the lowlands. With the adaptation of a written language the hold of the lore-keepers dwindled and into this space rose spiritual guides known as lei. The phiosophy split into dozens or hundreds of small denomination who differed slightly in their beliefs and practices. In time a few rose to the more prominence and became the true faith. The faith is still strongly rooted in the individual and the song, but most of the lei adhere to a common path to begin.

When the first rathari began to migrate from their homelands in the mountains, they brought The Wind with them. For generations the families who claimed ranges in the lowlands would pilgrimage to the holy lands to reaffirm their faith. As these generations passed fewer and fewer rathari made the holy journey. A new religion had begun to spread among the faithful. The rathari heard the song of the wind among the trees. The land and the things that lived upon it were considered children of the wind, but the new philosophy held that the land was as a lover to the wind, each desiring the touch and fulfillment of the other.

The law-givers and lore-keepers were no longer seen as religious leaders or even needed. The rathari of the lowlands made contact with other mortals and adopted their practice of writing. Instead the Breath and Bough undertook a massive reorientation led by those who called themselves guides (or lei). The lei listened to the sounds of the wind among the trees and lands and helped those who followed them to listen as well.

The Breath is the giver of all life. With each breath we take we take in her holiness and expel our sins. The words that we speak should only glorify her gift to us. The breath is both masculine and feminine as seen by the rathari. In storms and thunder the breath demands attention as it shakes the ground - in the rains and breezes it nurtures and soothes.

The Bough eternal lover of the breath. The wind carries the dust and pollen upon the wind and the land raises mountains and trees to glorify. Like the breath, the bough if both masculine and feminine. The rocks and mountains that raise into the sky challenge the wind hold back the storms as a rathari women stands firm and unwavering. The trees and plants rise into the air in all of their beauty in the rainbow colors of rathari men.

The Fire is not longer an outcast as the migrants saw the safe handling of fire by the goblins. Fire is the first son. It is terrible to hold in its beauty and when harnessed can provide and protect, but if allowed to roam free it will destroy everything it touches.

The Beast is the eternal daughter, always depicted as a young girl. She is said to be constantly wandering and exploring, encouraging all those who would see through her eyes to wander. She is very popular among the young rathari who don't want to find themselves confined to the range. Totems made from animal bones or feathers are carried on such walks. Hold in your heart where you are from and freely explore what has not been seen.

The three major denominations of the Breath and Bough all agree on a few common points. The need for a lei to guide the first few steps - to open their ears to the song. The Journey that one must undertake to find your own song among the others and the Enlightenment only obtains when the whole of the everything is revealed.

When a follower has learned to open their eyes and ears for the first time to what is around them they are encouraged to undertake their journey. This journey is for only for them and no other can guide them from here. The follower must seek out their own song in the world. Sometimes this might only take a few days, but some have been gone for years before they finally find their place. This song is best described as the thrumming of a string on a lute. When it is finally in tune the minstrel knows it even if they cannot fully hear it.

Only a very small minority of followers reach enlightenment. This requires they travel far distances and open themselves to the songs of other people and places. One cannot find enlightenment in self-mortification or isolation. Enlightenment only comes to those who experience all the Breath and Bough has to show them. Enlightenment is said to be that moment when the true beauty of everything is at last seen. It is far too much to understand, but just seeing a glimpse changes one forever.

The Breath and Bough has its roots among the history of the rathari of Aquanius. While a few rathari have traveled far from their homelands as a people they tend to stay on their ranges. This has held the religion from spreading beyond their boundaries.

A Lei is simply a spiritual guide. Each guide teaches according to their beliefs and understanding of everything. Most follow very similar practices as they were guided by their own lei. The purpose of the lei is to just start a follower on their path - to open their eyes and ears for the first time. Some preform this duty by teaching arts, music, and group meditation - others focus on physical exertion to the point of collapse. Each guide has their own methods for awakening their students.

Extremely rare these are the lei that have obtained enlightenment and returned home to teach others. Held in the highest regard, but no worshiped or sainted. Many are sought out for their knowledge and understanding and gather large numbers of follower around them. It was the first v'leing who created the major philosophies of the Breath and Bough and any new one that returns has an oversized effect on the religion.

The followers of the Breath and Bough tend towards the friendly, outgoing, and adaptive. This means that followers of The Wind and the Southern Doctrine tend to see them as flighty and casting aside their history.

The Breath and Bough is open to just about any other philosophy or religion. Their core beliefs of seeking individual advancement and enlightenment

Magic is but an expression of the world and the world is for seeing and listening. Magic that draws in creatures or spirits from outside this world is not as well accepted, but most hold their own disdain as simply not reaching enlightenment themselves. Anyone that can understand even a part of the whole understands themselves and their place.

With a doctrine of individual enlightenment and seeking answers there are as many right paths as their are pebbles of sand on the beach. None of these are wrong as long as the follower is seeking their true path. “Let the paths guide your eyes and the song guide your ears” is a common saying among those seeking.

Within these individual paths several points of commonality have arisen. Most of them have resulted in the guiding words of the V'leing that have returned.