The Cheysuli world is populated by many different spirits, which are manifestations or "manitous" of the mysterious magic power that inhabits all things. There are ancestral spirits who watch over their descendants from camps in the spirit world, animal spirits who demand homage before the hunt, and spirits of sacred places.

Most Cheysuli deities are associated with some form of nature, such as an animal, a man-like being, or even a natural force such as a season or an aspect of weather. In many tribes, children are named in honor of a particular spirit, in the belief or hope that the spirit will return the honor by becoming the child's supernatural guardian.

Most clans believe in an Upper World, where the greatest spirits abide including those that preceded the creation of the physical world. There is also a Lower World, where (in many cases) the essence of the dead spend eternity.

An Cheysuli might encounter a spirit in virtually any situation and in virtually any form. For instance, an ancestral spirit might appear as a very old man or a river spirit as watery snake. They will generally have one or two superatural powers associated with their nature. 

Some Cheysuli are considered "gifted", and have a special spirit animal companion known as a lir (lee-ur). This lir is in most respects similar to a natural beast, and shares a bond with it's Cheysuli companion, allowing the companion to shapeshange into a similar beast. The most common types of lir are usually cougars (panthers/lions), wolves, or hawks.

Most Chesuli shaman are considered tribal shaman, but an outcast clan known as the Ihlini (Eye-lee-knee) are usually spiritualists that follow a dark spirit called Dendar.

The Cheysuli nomad spirits are fairly standard across the clans;

 

  • Kukulkhan
  • Kubai, the Earth Mother
  • Dreaming Serpent
  • Eater of the World
  • Primal Beast
  • Animal Spirits

 

The Homana clans tend to focus on a triad of spirits, Tengri, Kuyash, and Ushas, worshipping them more like gods, and creating a philosophical split among the nomad.

Dogma

People, animals, and spirits must all live together in harmony in order for nature and the world to survive. Truth and understanding come from the interaction between the mind and nature. Appeasing the spirits promotes the natural order, where all things are connected, flowing from the Upper World, through the natural world, to the Lower World and back again.

Tenets of the Faith

  • Live in harmony with the Land, work with the spirits, and honor the rituals.
  • Honor the Elders, your family, and the clan, before self.
  • Be truthful in your dealings and responsible for your actions, with all things in the world.