Unreviewed Necropolitan Voodoo (religion)

[Thelma Goth]

"It's a lonely way, you know, the way of the necromancer. To know too much... The tears of the world."​

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To expand upon the canonical traditions, superstitions, and beliefs of Necropolis, ultimately constituting a folk religion.
• Image Credit:
  • French Quarter
  • Herald Tribune
  • Wallpapers
  • Alessandra Pisano
  • Marietta Ivanova
  • Boris Karloff
  • Modified quote from Excalibur (1980)
• Canon:
  • Voodoo
• Permissions: N/A
• Links:
  • Necropolis (Core Worlds)
  • Galaxy of Fear: City of the Dead
  • Dahrtagians, aka Necropolitans
  • List of loa
  • "The Serpent and the Rainbow"

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Religion Name: Necropolitan voodoo; Dahrtagian voodoo; colloquially referred to as the "old ways"
• Religion Type: Technically monotheistic, though the diasporic and syncretic nature of the faith complicates classification.
• Influence: Planetary
• Influence Area: Dahrtag, aka Necropolis
• Symbol: Voodoo symbols are known as veve. They are used during rituals in a manner similar to sigils, acting as a "beacon" when summoning spirits. There is already a wide variety of these symbols; more will be added to the canon so long as people continue to die and ascend.
• Description: Necropolitan voodoo is considered by scholars to be a Dathomirian diasporic religion. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of Dathomir and Necropolis. There is no central authority in control of the religion and much diversity exists among practitioners, who often keep their faith private. The faith revolves around veneration of the spirits of the dead, some of whom have become "loa", ascended spirits of great power.

SOCIAL INFORMATION

• Founder: No single individual founded the religion, as it arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions. Some sources incorrectly attribute the founding of the faith to Sycorax, a legendary witch who lived on Necropolis in ancient times. While Sycorax was an important figure, she did not bring voodoo to Necropolis; evidence of the religion can be traced back a thousand years before her birth.
• Membership:
  • Anyone can become a practitioner of voodoo regardless of age, race, sex, or origin. Some may be born into it, others may convert. To be considered a follower, one must believe in a creator deity known as the Grandmaster, and venerate the spirits of the dead. These spirits are said to exist on another plane of existence, the Netherworld, and they can occasionally interact with the living in our world.
  • The Master of Cerements is a high priest and keeper of knowledge in the religion. They serve the loa "only with their right hand": for good, never evil. To become a Master of Cerements, a man or woman must prove themselves sufficiently educated in the old ways and of high moral character. The Master can then provide ritual services to the community, such as blessings and the creation of protective amulets, as well as spiritual advice and support. As of 900 ABY, there are only two "officially recognized" Masters in Necropolis, one in the east and one in the west. Unofficial Masters have not been counted.
  • Bocors are sorcerers who are said to serve the loa "with both hands" for both good and evil. Indeed, they claim that there is no such thing as Light and Dark; that it is a "false distinction". While they can call upon any loa, their patron is the Baron, the lord of the dead, from whom they draw many of their powers, most notably the ability to turn the living into zombies and the use of voodoo dolls. Because of their lack of a moral code and terrifying reputation as "necromancers", they are feared and hated by the general populace. As they are not accepted by society, many bocors can be found in the employ of criminals and other unsavory individuals who stand to benefit from their services.
    • The Bizango is a secret society of bocors, similar to a witch's coven. As large gatherings of bocors would pose a security threat, they do not meet regularly, coming together only when it is deemed absolutely necessary. Each of the bocors wears a different color, apart from their leader, who wears all of the colors. The leader of the Bizango, called the grandmaster, is said to be chosen by the Baron and has much greater power than their peers—though the price of such power is that they must also bear the burden of carrying out the Baron's will, even if it goes against their own interests. The bocors believe that this grandmaster is reborn every century or so.
• Sacred:
  • Loa is the term given to a select number of spirits who have ascended to near godhood. They are not subjected to the same limitations imposed on other, lesser spirits. They can interact with the living at any time and are exceptionally powerful entities with agency and their own agendas. The faithful worship them almost to the same level as they do the Grandmaster. They can be called upon to grant wishes, but most have their own agendas for the living.
  • Offerings: To summon a loa, one must make an offering. Each loa has their own preferences when it comes to these offerings, usually small or simple gifts of food, drink, and trinkets. Animal sacrifices can also be used, but only some of the animal is given to the loa; the rest is used to feed the community. More complex offerings are typically prepared by a priest in a highly ritualized fashion.
  • Possession: During voodoo ceremonies, the summoned loa can possess or "mount" the bodies of the living, an event which is considered deeply sacred. A person who is being "ridden" will adopt the behaviors and appearance of the loa possessing them. The person usually does not remember what they said or did while possessed. Unlike with essence transfer, the possession is not permanent and thus is not viewed in a negative light. Rather, it is the loa's way of communicating across the planes. Lesser spirits typically are not strong enough to possess the living.
  • Some of the most famous loa include:
    • The Old Man Who Guards the Crossroads: Said to be the most powerful loa, Legba guards the crossroads between life and death and guides people into the Netherworld. He is also known as Papa or Grandfather, and has the appearance of an old man wearing a wide-brimmed hat. He rarely ever possesses people. Sweets, usually candy, are offered to him in thanks.
    • The Maiden/The Mother: A distinctly feminine loa, Erzuli is said to be a guardian of women and children. Called Mama or Mother, she is called upon to bless marriages, families, and to assist in the transition from childhood to adulthood. She is usually depicted as a beautiful female of any species, often clad in a colorful dress. She will respond to offerings of chocolate, jewelry, sweet or expensive liquors and perfumes.
    • The Baron/The Rainbow: The loa of death and destruction, the Baron has no given name. It is seen as bad luck to call upon him, and his arrival is often unexpected and dreaded. Yet there is another side to him which is associated with the passage of time, and is not inherently dark or evil. That is the Rainbow, with each color in the spectrum representing the different phases of life. In bocor rituals meant to invoke him, objects which are naturally black are placed on the altar, representing death; sometimes these objects will be painted in rainbow colors. His chosen bocor will also wear many colors (though always paired with black) to symbolize his favor. He can be called upon with offerings of cigars, spicy foods, rum... or the sacrifice of a living being, be it animal or sentient.
    • The Serpent: A masculine loa of protection and healing, Damballa is often represented by the image of a serpent. While benevolent and patient, the Serpent is seen as detached from the trials and tribulations of daily mortal life. Practitioners are advised to only call upon him in special circumstances where supernatural defense is needed. If a person is being tormented by evil spirits, for instance, the Serpent is called upon to fight them off. Summoning rituals tend to revolve around purity, as it is believed that Damballa will not appear in an unclean space. Specially prepared incense is burned to cleanse the air, a basin of water will be laid out, and objects which are naturally white (the color representing purity) are placed upon the altar. He is known to possess animals (especially pets) as well as sentients.
• Dogma:
  • "Thou shalt not disturb the dead." While not necessarily the penultimate sacred text of the faith, this is the law which sets Necropolitan voodoo apart from other religions throughout the galaxy. No true follower of this religion will ever dare to desecrate a grave. Even the bocors, who create zombies, do not actually resurrect the deceased. They are known to make the living appear dead, then retrieve them after they have been buried.
  • Burial Practices: The remains of the dead must thus be handled with care. Burial practices on Necropolis tend to be highly ritualistic, with elaborate crypts and mausoleums created to serve as a person's final resting place. Pilgrimages to the tombs of one's ancestors, famous saints, or the alleged burial sites of the loa are undertaken by the most devout. Such journeys may be difficult and fraught with danger.
    • Crypt of the Ancients - One of the most famous pilgrimage sites, this is the burial crypt of the witch Sycorax, an important figure in the early history of the faith. It was built on the exact spot where she died, and her spirit it said to linger there, anchored to the spot.
    • Postmortem photography is a common practice, with people taking (usually black and white, as it is believed they depict a person's true soul) photos of the deceased dressed up in their finest clothes, posed with their favorite belongings or even alongside their living loved ones. These photos (or holograms) are cherished by the living and passed down from generation to generation.
  • Halloween, a holiday celebrated throughout the galaxy, is a big deal on Necropolis. Said to be the night when the veil between the spirit world and ours is thinnest, the Necropolitans believe that it is on this night that the living are most under threat from the evil and vengeful spirits of the countless dead who were buried across the planet's surface. These spirits are said to take the form of strangers seeking refuge. Once invited into a village or home, they will wreak havoc and refuse to leave. Because of this belief, the Necropolitans wear elaborate, monstrous costumes when greeting visitors in hopes of frightening any malicious spirits away. This practice is not only prevalent on Halloween; they also do it when offworlders arrive. The welcoming party will don the traditional costumes so as to scare off any spirits the travelers might bring with them.
  • Many old Necropolitan buildings feature gargoyles, monstrous figures which are carved out of stone or wood and placed on the exterior of the structure. It was believed these gargoyles would frighten away ghosts and other spirits who might wish the living harm.
• Reputation: During the Gulag Era, many people turned to the old ways for comfort and guidance. Today, only around 10-15% of the total population of Necropolis actually practices voodoo. The rest view it as old-fashioned or mere superstition. The average Necropolitan may participate in it via cultural traditions, but these have lost much if not all of their original meaning. The more marketable aspects of the religion have been commercialized; during the annual Halloween celebrations these are packaged in a palatable form to be sold to tourists in the form of kitschy talismans and trinkets. That being said, there are notable members of Necropolitan society who unironically practice voodoo and the religion is slowly beginning to be taken more seriously again.

MEMBERS
Sycorax - A witch who lived on Necropolis in ancient times. Many variations of her legend exist, but the version most historians accept as the likely truth is that she was a tyrannical voivode (warlord) and necromancer who was hated by the people she ruled over. As an act of rebellion or retribution, her subjects murdered her son and then desecrated his corpse so that she could not raise him from the dead. Sycorax then cursed the planet, giving rise to the belief that unless the dead were respected and handled with care, they would rise from their graves to torment the living.

Sycorax Laveaux - Not to be confused with the aforementioned witch, Laveaux was a Senator of Necropolis and one of only a handful of modern public figures known to believe in the old ways. The daughter of a wealthy family, she converted to the faith at the age of sixteen.

Marielle Shan - The western Master of Cerements. She replaced Kairn Savage upon his death at the hands of a bocor.

Anton Crowley - The eastern Master of Cerements. He represented Necropolitan voodoo at the Galactic Summit of Religious Leaders.

Byron Devorak - A bocor of the voodoo religion, he is the current grandmaster of the Bizango and therefore the Baron's chosen. He is employed by the crime boss Han Werdegast as an enforcer.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Necropolitan voodoo is a combination of two different religious traditions: Dathomirian and ancient Dahrtagian. The Force traditions of Dathomir have influenced and been influenced by the local folk beliefs and superstitions of Necropolis, ultimately creating a new religion which reached its peak during the Gulag Era.

The first recorded instance of a witch on Necropolis was Sycorax, a warlord who lived over a thousand years ago. According to local legend, she claimed to be able to raise the dead. The Necropolitans grew resentful of her, so they killed her only son and desecrated his body so that he could not be resurrected. The grief-stricken Sycorax spent the rest of her days wandering the world, warning the people not to disturb the dead. While Sycorax's existence is disputed, the legend of her life serves as a starting point for the religion which would come to venerate the spirits and respect the dead.

Ancient Dahrtagians (ancestors of the modern day Necropolitans) believed that the spirit of a person lingered after death, remaining semi-attached to their body. This belief would eventually merge with that of the Dathomiri, who migrated to Necropolis over a period of centuries. They came seeking refuge from the genocides of their world, finding on the foggy planet an ideal place to safely gather and continue practicing their faith. Over time their beliefs syncretized with the local culture, becoming the modern Necropolitan voodoo religion.