East Gothic faith

The East Gothic faith (East Gothic: Ostgotisches tro), also known as East Gothic paganism (Burgoignesc: Paganisme des Ostrogoths), is the most common name for the religion of the East Gothic peoples prior to their forced conversion to Catholicism by the Order of the Obsidian Sparrow during the Northern Crusades between 1458 and 1474. Practice of the religion was banned following the crusader conquest and largely died out, with only scant secret practice still taking place. A renewed interest emerged in the nineteenth century with the advent of Yonderian national romanticism which also attracted the interest of political figures and was used by a range of right-wing and nationalist groups. Academic research into the subject began in the early nineteenth century, initially influenced by the pervasive romanticist sentiment.

Terminology

The religion is most often referred to as "East Gothic faith" as it was most widely practised by the East Goths that inhabited what today constitutes Yonderre. A more negatively loaded term is "East Gothic paganism" which is often used by those against the religion, particularly those of Christian persuasion.

The East Gothic name is Ostgotisches tro, literally "East Gothic faith". It is also sometimes referred to as Alttro, "Old Faith".

Sources

A depiction of Dan Lärdmann (c. 810-882) , whose Chronica Gothica is one of the best contemporary sources on the East Gothic Faith

Scribes

Comtemporary written accounts in the traditional sense are very rare until the late medieval period, before which literacy was extremely rare in East Gothica. One notable exception to this is the Chronica Gothica written by Dan Lärdmann at some point during the ninth century. Lärdmann's tome gives a detailed understanding of Gothic society and religious practices. One of the few examples of very early medieval sources available is a tome written by Opthéin, Monk of Canaery. Opthéin travelled through much of what today constitutes Amarre and Montgebirre and recounted his tales in Gesta Gothica.

Runestones

The earliest known written sources regarding the East Gothic faith are found in ancient runestones, the oldest of which are dated back to around the third century BC. These runestones were labour intensive pieces of work that took years to complete, and thus are quite rare until the advent of better quality tools in the later middle ages. A notable example is the late sixth century Kooping stone that makes various references to the East Gothic mythology of the middle ages.

Runestones were most often commissioned to pay tribute to fallen warriors and ancestors and to celebrate major events. These runestones often bear inscriptions related to the gods as well. Both Gesta Gothica and Chronica Gothica makes references to this aspect of the runestones:

The Goths raise stones for those warriors no longer with them, that they and the gods they are with may smile upon them from heavens above.

—Gesta Gothica

For men of consequence a mound should be raised to their memory, and for all other warriors who had been distinguished for manhood a standing stone.

—Chronica Gothica

Pantheon

The Oldfather, father of the gods, with his wolves Wilr and Starkr and his ravens Wisnr and Lysnr

The East Gothic faith features a wide host of Gods and their opposites, demons and monsters known as "unbeings" (East Gothic: Unvesenen). The Oldfather created the first gods by willing humanity to exist and selecting from amongst the humans Quinn, a beautiful maiden, to be his wife. The Oldfather and Quinn bore the first generation of gods, Arber, Liva, Mira and Tödar, all of whom would select spouses from amongst the mortal humans and in turn created the next generation of gods.

Deities

The Oldfather

Main article: Oldfather

The Oldfather (East Gothic: Altvater) is the first of the gods and also the father of the gods Arber, Liva, Mira and Tödar as well as a host of demigods, known in East Gothic as Halbgötter, "half gods". The Oldfather is the highest deity in the East Gothic faith and even the gods who are not his natural children address him as Father. Unlike in the Catholic faith the Oldfather is not the creator of the world, but has always exited alongside it instead. He is most often depicted as a tall man with a long white beard, wearing armour, carrying a mighty spear and a wide sword. The Oldfather is often accompanied by his two wolves Wilr and Starkr (Willful and Strong) while his two ravens Wisnr and Lysnr (Knowing and Listening) roam the worlds in search of news.

It was said that thunder and lightning was the work of the Oldfather, and that lightning striking was actually his spear being thrown onto Earth. The Oldfather flew a winged horse and would throw his spear at unbeings as he saw them, which appeared as lightning strikes on the ground. The Oldfather would also famously wander Gothica disguised as an elderly traveller and present riddles to those he came across. The Chronica Gothica presents the Oldfather as a figure prone to outbursts of anger, particularly when dealing the trickster demon Snydr.

Unbeings

The Unbeings (East Gothic: Unvesenen) are the opposites of the gods, demons and monsters, often of a chaotic and evil nature, although some of them occasionally take a righteous or even lawful stance when it suits their goals, notably Snydr, the trickster demon.