Cult of the Mountain
The Cult of the Mountain is a religion practised by Western Spirit Valley Tribes, such as the Toshkii and Galethii. It is the majority religion in the Galethii Free State. Following the exile of these peoples from their homeland, they were forced into exile across the Gale Mountains. As the spirits did not attack in such a cold and desperate place, the mountains were identified as protectors and replaced the role of trees in older beliefs as the progenitors of humanity.
Beliefs
Practitioners of the Cult name the mountains "Kenrara", which contains two particles. Ken- means "humanity" or the concept of the human, while the -ra means creator. "Kenra" refers to a parent, so "Kenrara" is that which creates parenthood. It should be emphasised that -ra does not mean parent, so "kenrara" does not mean grandparent. The mountains are identified as that which creates the conditions for the ancestors, and thus is outside and supreme to ancestor veneration.
Practices
Due to the highly disorganised nature of the tribal polities, there is little by way of formal standardisation in practise. One known practise of worship consists of the use of hallucinogenics in a special hut with a roof designed to block all outside light except for a window facing towards the mountains. A fire is lit, usually with turf due to the smell of its smoke, with chanting and praise given towards the peaks for having protected and created all things. Practitioners are also known to visit mountains frequently to commune, and will often have highly emotional reactions to witnessing mountains in the distance.
Scriptures
The conditions of the exile, as well as the lack of hierarchy, have prevented any written form of the religion. All records of the faith are largely written by Empyreans in the Air Nation, usually containing a very harsh interpretation of the faith due to its perception of being "Substance worship".
History
The Cult of the Mountain was not observed by any outsiders until the Toshkii entered Air Nation territory and had established a significant rapport, inviting the guest translators to participate in a ceremony as a signal of trust. This backfired significantly, as the wider religious establishment balked at tenets so antithetical to their Empyrean faith. Toshkii conversion was soon heavily incentivised by a variety of policies, with remaining adherents to the faith leaving the Air Nation to enter the Galethii Free State.
It is notable that there is no knowledge of the Cult taking place in the Eastern tribes, where the Cult of the Moon has prevailed as the indigenous faith.