Tresimir
Tresimir is the god of fire, war, metallurgy, machinery, and smithing. He is known for being hot-headed, holding grudges, and being skilled with his hands. He created the lampades and dwarvish races. He is revered by humans, lampades, dwarves, and gnomes. His festival is the Winter Solstice. The month Tresdith is named after him.
His Temples
The temples of Solstefar are known for their dark grey and black building materials. They are also known for their high-pitched roofs, multiple aesthetic spires, and ornate building materials.
​
Temples to Tresimir have a fire that is constantly lit as well as a set of billows and a forge. For most temples, the forge is purely for ceremonial purposes, to service the needs of the temple, and to host meetings of smithing guilds. However, some temples actually forge tools, weapons, and other items to sell to the community as well, especially if the community does not have resources for its own large forge.
Temple of Tresimir
Temple of Tresimir
Temple of Tresimir
Temple of Tresimir
This is an AI Generated Image.
Worship
Devotees of Tresimir go to the temple to pray and bring offerings. They also go there for guild and community functions and bless any new item they purchase or make. At home, devotees will worship Tresimir by blessing any new fireplace or pit they build.
​
Worship of Tresmir is present to some degree in nearly all communities. Groups and lands that are devotees of the god are Croulia, Nortram, Vestia, Sotram, and Culeparossa, and among humans, dwarves, lampades, and oreads. Devotee communities are also found in Culeparossa, Sotram, and Serracolle.
​
Even among individuals who are not devotees to the god Tresimir, many people will acquire the services of his priests to bless forges and hearths and to conduct guild inaugurations. Governments will often employ priests of Tresimir for executions using their beheading rituals. Small communities that do not have their own professional executioners will exclusively employ Tresimir's priests for their executions.
Sacred
Tresimir holds certain objects and rituals as sacred to him, and devotees of Tresimir, therefore, hold these things sacred as well.
1. Self-defense: as the god of war, the right of self-defense is paramount to him. According to his divine laws, governments cannot interfere with the right of an individual to defend themselves or their fellowmen and communities also cannot socially ostracize or otherwise punish someone for having defended themselves or their fellowmen.
​
2. Punishment: as the god of war, Tresimir values punishment for criminals. Punishing criminals for committing crimes is seen as an extension of self-defense. This is because the criminal suffers from their actions, the criminal is removed from society for a time to prevent further crimes, and future criminals are deterred by the example that is made.
​
3. Patriotism: as the god of war, he values patriotism. Patriotism is seen as a citizen's natural gratitude for the protection from wars and criminals that the government provides.
​
4. Military: as the god of war, a strong military or militia is paramount to any country or community. The citizens are supposed to support their country or community's armed groups through financial means, positive morale, and participation when necessary.
​
5. Craftsmanship: as the god of smithing and metallurgy, craftsmen and craftsmanship are celebrated by the god and his devotees. When craftsmen become members of their guild, a priest of Tresimir facilitates the ceremony of inauguration into the guild. Smiths and metallurgists' forges are to be blessed annually by their local priests.
Blasphemy
Solstefar holds certain practices as blasphemous to him, and devotees of Solstefar, therefore, hold these things as blasphemous as well.
1. Cowardice: As self-defense and military are paramount to Tresimir, cowardice in reference to these duties is considered blasphemous. Soldiers have the responsibility to not desert or flee in battle while their fellowmen still fight. Parents also have the responsibility to defend their children, and husbands have the responsibility to defend their wives. Tresimir does not look kindly on cowardice and vows to place jagged hot coals on the path to the land of the dead for anyone who shows cowardice regarding these duties.
​
2. Treason: Tresimir values patriotism, as it is seen as a form of natural gratitude for the protection the government provides. Treason is seen as blasphemy because it is the act of undermining the government's ability to fight and protect its citizens. In committing treason, a person is committing the ultimate act of cowardice and selfishness because it is placing one's fellowmen in jeopardy to further one's own personal safety or gain. According to Tresimir's law, the only rebellion against one's own government that is justified is when the government is actively acting against its sacred duty to protect its citizens from criminals, invaders, and other threats. And even in rebellion against such a government, it is still only justified if it is done in a way to protect one's fellowmen in general, and not in a way to save or benefit one's person or family exclusively. Tresimir vows to constantly burn those guilty of cowardice all the way to the land of the dead, and once they arrive there burn them for a whole year per person who died or was permanently injured as a result of their treason.
​
3. Prevention of Self-defense: Governments and communities are forbidden from doing anything to infringe upon a person's sacred right of self-defense. This includes punishing individuals for having exercised self-defense, whether physically, financially, through social ostrazation, or by other means. These punishments are seen as an afront whether they are officially or unofficially administered. It is also considered an infringement of self-defense if individuals are prevented from getting weapons or learning skills necessary for self-defense. It is to be noted that this infringement of self-defense is only considered blasphemous if it is against one's fellowmen, and not if it is done to criminals or enemies. But for those who commit the blasphemy of prevention of self-defense, Tresimir vows to place a barrier of fire between them and the entrance to the land of the dead. These people will either be forced to find another entrance, or be required to forge through the fires.
Rituals
Tresimir has five sacred rituals: Blessing of the Hearth/Forge, Inauguration into a Guild/Completion of an Apprenticeship, Sacred Execution, Marriage, and Holy Cremation.
​
1. Blessing of the hearth/forge: devotees of Tresimir are to have a fireplace in whatever home they reside in as a reminder of the protection, warmth, and utility that Tresimir constantly gives to his followers and humanity at large. Even if the dwelling is temporary or in a dwelling where there is no built-in fireplace, a fire pit of some sort must be installed. When a new hearth or forge is built, or a person moves into a new home, a priest is called to come and bless the hearth/fireplace/firepit/stove/forge. He first inspects the firepit to ensure that it is safely constructed. If it meets his satisfaction, he sprinkles ashes from the temple on the base of their firepit, blessing the fire there to provide warmth, protection, and light, and to not swell beyond its banks. Then he uses the ceremonial scepter or staff to summon the sacred fires of Tresimir to light the firepit ablaze.
For those who are nomadic or building a place for a temporary fire, a priest does not need to be summoned. Instead, the builder of the fire gives a less formal prayer. The builder must create a stone circle around the fire pit, and ensure that there is no foliage more than a knee's length the entire circumference around the fire. There must be enough space to allow the builder to kneel in front of the fire, anywhere around the fire, without bowing their face above the stones or touching foliage with any part of their legs. Then the builder must have a bucket of dust, dirt, or ash to represent the sacred ashes beside them. The builder sprinkles some of the dust/dirt/ash onto the firepit upon completion and then kneels to pray along with any present that is in their family or immediate company. The builder prays that Tresimir will bless their fire to provide warmth, protection, and light, and to not swell beyond its banks. After that, the builder may light the fire.
​
2. Inauguration into a guild/completion of an apprenticeship: Followers of Tresimir when they complete an apprenticeship and/or upon induction into a guild participate in this ceremony. This ceremony is specifically for guilds/apprenticeships that involve smithing, and any kind of metallurgy, however, this ceremony is also often extended to any apprenticeship that involves any kind of building, woodworking, or use of fire. For apprenticeship completion, the applicant is required to bring a completed item of their craft to present as an offering to the temple. The applicant then places the completed item on the altar, declaring that he/she has refined his craft and hopes that the god will sanction their work as adequate to the use and benefit of their fellowmen. The priest will examine their craftsmanship carefully, potentially hammering it or using it to determine its quality. The priest will then either say that it is incomplete and return it to the applicant to come back at a later date, or approve of the craftmanship.
If the priest approves of the craftsmanship, he will declare it to be either adequate, good, or exceptional. He will ask the applicant if he/she did this with their own hands. The applicant acknowledges that they did this with their own hands, and the priest replies that it is a sufficient offering for the god. Then the priest gives the items to his fellow priests to be taken as a donation to the temple to either be sold or used by the priests. He then walks over to the sacred forge before the applicant and dips a hammer, mallet, or other metal tool necessary for their trade and dips it into the fire of the sacred forge. Once white-hot, the priest pulls it from the forge and gives a few ceremonial pounds on the object on top of the altar with a sacred mallet. He dips that implement in a bucket to cool it. Then he walks over to the applicant, presenting the implement to the applicant. He asks the applicant if he/she solemnly promises to dedicate their craft to the god and to the benefit of their fellowmen. The applicant agrees. The priest then marks the forehead of the applicant with the ashes of the sacred fire. He then asks the applicant if he/she will carry that same level of craftsmanship in their pursuits. The applicant agrees and the priest marks his/her forehead for the second time. He then asks the applicant if they will promise not to cheat their fellowmen in payment or selling of their craft. The applicant agrees and the priest marks their forehead for the third time. The priest then asks the applicant their name. The applicant says their name, followed by the phrase "servant of the Great Tresimir." The priest calls them by name, followed by "servant of the Great Tresimir," bidding them to rise and turn to face the audience. The priest then presents the applicant to the audience by their name and a statement of their craft. Following the ceremony, the applicant gets to keep the ceremonial hammer/mallet/tool received, as well as a certificate specifying their completion of the apprenticeship and the priest's designation of the craft as either adequate, good, or excellent.
If the ceremony is for a guild inauguration, the ceremony is mostly the same, except for a few additional requirements/steps. The first is that the craftsmanship must fall under good or excellent. If the craftsmanship falls under adequate, the priest will return the item, declaring that the craftsmanship is adequate for man but not sufficient as an offering. Then, before the priest asks the applicant's name, he asks him/her if she agrees to live by all the requirements of the guild. The leader of the guild, or a representative of the guild appointed by the leader, is then asked if they agree to inaugurate the applicant into the guild. The guild representative agrees, and then the applicant's name is asked. Finally, when the applicant stands, the priest includes in the presentation to the audience the statement the applicant is a member of the guild. Following the ceremony the applicant also receives a certificate or plaque certifying their guild membership.
This ceremony of apprenticeship completion/guild inauguration can be completed multiple times by an individual. They are expected to complete it upon completion of their apprenticeship, with inauguration into any new guild (whether or not they have been inaugurated into a different guild); whenever the individual moves to a different city; and for recertification if the person has been incarcerated, conscripted, incapacitated, or for other reasons prevented from practicing their craft for at least a year. They will also repeat the ritual if the ceremonial implement received is stolen, lost, or broken.
​
3. Sacred Execution: When priests put to death criminals or enemies, they follow a specific ceremonial ritual. The condemned will be put on the executioner's block in front of an audience. There will be some sort of unlit bonfire, firepit, or funeral pyre waiting beside them. The condemned will have a sign before them, explaining their crimes. The priest will thank Tresimir for the gifts that he has bestowed upon mankind, and explain that they will now in return feed his fires with the blood of their enemies. The priest will then behead the condemned with the ceremonial execution axe. He will speak the words, "Great Tresimir, we give you blood!" The priests will then heave the body and head upon the bonfire, firepit, or funeral pyre. Then the priest will hold up a ceremonial scepter or staff and say "Now by Tresimir's hand, give us fire!" This will summon fire from the god hot enough to consume the fuel and corpse entirely, leaving the bones. The bones are either given to the relatives of the deceased or pulverized and used for mortar in building. The priests keep the flammesten that results from the burning to either sell or use for manufacturing ceremonial scepters, staffs, hammers, axes, and other implements for the priests.
As beheading is specific to the sacred execution, governments and communities are not to use beheadings for their formal executions of criminals and enemies of the state unless those beheadings are officiated by a priest and approved by the local high priest. The priest may perform multiple ceremonial beheadings at once. The local high priest can refuse to behead someone the state or community requests him to behead at his own discretion.
The sacred execution is mandatorily conducted for the Winter Solstice Festival. If there is no criminal or enemy to execute, a straw dummy is ceremonially executed in place of an actual person, with all the same words and rituals followed.
​
4. Marriage: The bride and groom come to the temple in a procession of family and friends. The possession has to contain at least a best man to present the couple and a representative from the bride's father's family to give away the bride. A priest meets the procession at the door and asks if the groom has a key to his home. The best man presents that. The priest asks if the bride has the blessing of her father's family. The family member says that she has the blessing. Then the priest asks if the couple posted the wedding bans in a local paper. The best man shows that the marriage has been announced. The bans have to have been out for at least a week. If the bride does not have a family member to give a blessing, the bans must have been placed for at least a month. This is to assure that the couple is getting married of a sound mind and not in a spontaneous and frivolous act.
Once the questions have been answered, the priest lets the procession into the temple. The couple and priest stand on a stand with the sacred fire, the best man standing guard at the entrance to the stand. The priest then presents the couple before Tresimir, stating their intention to marry. He then has the couple vow to be faithful to each other and provide to each other the necessities of life. The priest then asks if the couple understands the magnitude of the promise, and still wishes to proceed. The couple affirms their commitment. Then the priest asks them to throw a straw doll representing their old lives into the fire. The couple does so. Then the priest has the couple exchange rings. Then the priest gives the woman the man's key and gives the man the woman's hand. While doing so he explains their marital commitments and states that all that each of them has belongs to the other. Following that he sprinkles the holy ashes onto them, and has them stand. He presents them before the audience as being married.
​
5. Holy Cremation: When devotees of Tresimir die, their bodies are taken to do a ceremonial cremation by the priests. A procession of their friends and loved ones bears their bodies to the temple of Tresimir. The priest stands at the door and asks what is wanted. The loved ones are put upon a funeral pyre.
Winter Solstice Festival
The Winter Solstice Festival is dedicated to the god Tresimir. It starts Manday, the 9th of the month Tresdith, which occurs around our version of December 20 or 21. It lasts three days (like every festival), however, festivities often last all week long.
​
The Winter Solstice Festival celebrates the fire that keeps people warm during the winter months. It also celebrates war and fighting, since Tresimir is the god of fire and war. Priests of Tresimir will usually offer a sacrifice of blood, in the form of an executed criminal or a straw man representation of a criminal. They will behead the sacrifice and throw the sacrifice into a bonfire which they will burn for flammesten. People usually then dance around that bonfire.
Tournaments are usually held to demonstrate the prowess of fighters. Many people will watch these fights as a form of entertainment. Fire dancers perform at night.
​
Clergy
Tresimir has only priests, not priestesses. His priests are allowed to marry, and their wives are called priestesses, but their wives serve no religious function. There are seven levels of priests: younglings, apprentices, novitiate, priests, virtuoso (either as a forger, fighter, artisan, musician, grounds director, or trainer of priests), high priests, and archpriest. Priests are brought up from seven years old in the priesthood, either as sons of priests or young orphans who are adopted. Priests of Tresimir are all brought up to be skilled in combat and martial arts. They are renowned for their combat skills and are generally feared in this regard. Virtuoso fighters are among the best martial artists, fighters, and mages in Materna. Priests are also trained in the basic fundamentals of blacksmithing and can choose to pursue that avenue further as a Virtuoso if desired.
​
Tresimir's clergy does not have any sanctified grounds workers. Any grounds and facility management, cleaning, and cooking are taken care of by younglings, apprentices, novitiates, groundskeeper virtuosos, priestesses, and day laborers. They do have certain monastic orders specializing in bringing up children or virtuosos to help keep temples fully staffed.
​
Third-year apprentices are given a quarter portion of fire magic (a portion being the normal amount of magic possessed by a person with natural fire magic). Novitiates are given a half portion of fire magic. Priests are given a full portion. High priests and virtuosos are given a double portion, and archpriests are given two and a half portions. All priestesses are given a quarter portion of magic. This is on top of whatever portion of magic they naturally have. Priests, high priests, archpriests, and their wives are also burn-resistant up to 900 degrees.
​
Priests, high priests, and archpriests can curse people with being unable to start their own fires. This makes it so people cannot start their own non-magical fires, and must either use magic or get the initial fire from elsewhere. This curse can last anywhere from a week to a year, depending on what is said. It can also be applied exclusively to one form of lit fire and not others (like only to candles or campfires or stove fires, etc). High priests and arch-priests have the ability to curse people with a burning sensation all over their bodies as if they are being burned (without receiving the direct physical consequences of actually being burned. However, the cleric must be within ten feet of the curse, and it also uses the cleric's magical energy.
Sacred Fire
Temples to Tresimir keep a fire that is always lit, that was originally lit by Tresimir himself when he gifted humanity with fire. All temples must have a virtuoso or three apprentices/novitiates guarding it at all times. They must guard the flame with their lives if necessary. This fire is where all ceremonial fires in the temple are taken from. If for some reason the fire goes out, the persons put in charge of guarding the fire at the time are flogged a hundred times and then put on trial. If they are found to have not sufficiently guarded the fire, they are executed. The temple cannot resume any rituals or ceremonies until another piece of sacred fire is brought to them from another temple and the trial has concluded.
Sacred Forge
Temples to Tresimir have a sacred forge that they use for ceremonial purposes. All metal staffs, hammers, tools, weapons, and other implements used in rituals or ceremonies, or carried by priests must have been forged in the sacred forge. Most temples have at least one virtuoso dedicated to the craft of smithing who will do the forging needed for the temple. However, temples can also invite non-clerical craftsmen to use the sacred forge to make the necessary tools, weapons, and other implements.
​
Temples will also sometimes forge implements to sell to their local communities. Sacred forges can also be used by the community of craftsmen at large for business or personal reasons having nothing to do with the temple or Tresimir's clergy at the discretion of the high priest. Communities without sufficient forges will typically rely on the sacred forge to meet their smithing needs.