Orinco Polytheism

Hellenic Polytheism (also known as Hellenism) is a polytheistic religion, practiced mainly in the West of Dovani, continuing religious traditions of the ancient Sekowan Shinjalans, and reformed and revived around the 23rd century.

Name
Hellenic Polytheism, the most commonly used name for the religion, both by its faithful and by specialists, is derived from the Modern Sekowan word hellen, meaning 'god', which in turn derives from the Classical Tsekwon word 'khaillen', with the same meaning. The word Polytheism is placed to distinguish this religion from monotheistic Hellenic Aretism, one of the Aretist schools. The religion is also sometimes named Hellenism, and this name is sometimes used by scholars, but very rarely by Hellenists themselves.

History
In antiquity Hellenic Polytheism spread mostly in the South of today's Sekowo and along the coast of the Dove Sea. It was formalised around the 1st century BCE, being practiced mainly by Shinjalan city-states. The practice of this religion continued under Tochi rule, becoming an integral part of the Tochi Empire's culture, but began to decline after most of Sekowo's territory was conquered by the Empire of Gao-Soto. At the arive of Artanian colonists, most of the populations around the Dove Sea were practicing native shamanist religions, Hellenic Polytheism being restricted to the ruling elites in the South Selowan city-states and kingdoms.

The colonising powers introduced Christianity, but because of the high rationality of the religion and the ruling experience of the Hellenist elites, the Artanians favoured them in many positions in the Captaincy General of Sekowo and Bissono. However, as Christianity spread among the population, Hellenic Polytheism continued to decline.

In the newly independent Union of Sekowo the main religion was Christianism, with the practice of Hellenism greatly limited. But around the 23rd century, as part of a new nationalist movement, the religion went through a new revival. At the Council of Carcossa in 2214 the main religious leaders decided to eliminate the previous restriction of membership in the community only to those born of a Hellenist father, and to accept new converts.

After Sekowo fell in Aretist hands at the beginning of the 25th century, the Aretist leaders were favourable to Hellenism, because of a great degree of nationalism in the Aretist doctrine and because of the employment of several Hellenist practices and ideas by mainstream Aretism.

One of the first actions of the post-Aretist Sekowan government was to declare Hellenic Polytheism a state religion, act soon repelled by the Leftist parties. After two defeated attempts, in August 2439 and January 2447, Hellenic Polytheism was declared the official religion of Sekowo again in 2474, until 2480.

However the practice itself of the religion continued to decline in Sekowo, currently being practiced by less than 4% of Sekowo's population, but Hellenic Polytheism began to gain popularity in other West Dovani nations, particularly in Hulstria and Lourenne. In Lourenne the religion is practiced by little less than 3% of the population.

Worship
The most widespread public act of worship of the ancient Shinjalans was sacrifice, whether of grain or the blood sacrifice of animals. Adherents of the various deities sacrificed animals specific to the god or goddesses being worshipped. Sacrifices served multiple functions: one might perform a sacrifice as the culminating act of a public religious festival, before an important undertaking to gain the assistance of the gods, or as part of a rite of passage. The temples of the Shinjalan religion generally were not public gathering places where people gathered socially for collective indoor prayer; most temples held little more than a cult image of the deity and the accumulated votive gifts, which might amount to a treasury.

Votive gifts were offered to the gods by their worshippers. They were often given in thanks for benefits conferred by the Gods, in anticipation of future divine favors or to receive oracular advice from the god or goddess. They could also be offered to propitiate the gods for crimes involving blood-guilt, impiety, or the breach of religious customs. They were kept on display in the god's sanctuary and then usually ritually discarded after a set period of time.

Nowadays blood sacrifice has become mostly obsolete, being followed by the most traditionalist denominations. Besides the reconstruction of the ancient temples, Hellenic Polytheists also build new places of worship, having about the same function and built after about the same architectural design as their ancient counterparts.

Beliefs and practices
Hellenic Polytheists worship the ancient Shinjalan Gods, especially the Twelve Great Gods (in Modern Sekowan: Dzeo, Ira, Fosido, Dmitra, Areo, Irmis, Ifesto, Fradayt, Thina, Aplo, Artmi, Iste), nature divinities, underworld deities and heroes. Both physical and spiritual ancestors are honored. It is primarily a devotional or votive religion, based on the exchange of gifts (offerings) for the gods' blessings. The ethical convictions of modern Hellenic Polytheists are often inspired by ancient Greek virtues such as reciprocity, hospitality, and moderation.

There is no central "ecclesia" (church) or hierarchal clergy, though some groups are beginning to offer training in that capacity, and there is continued leadership represented by the Biannual Hellenic Council. The main value of Hellenism is eusebeia, often translated as piety. This implies a commitment to the worship of the Hellenic Gods and action to back this up. Other core values are hospitality, self-control and moderation.

There are also several festivals dedicated to several major gods or heroes, most important being Fromithiya, celebrated each year on the 23rd of March (1st of Freomi in the traditional Carcossan calendar).