Destinity
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Introduction & Overall Beliefs
Destinity, or the religion of the Destinians, is a belief system for thinkers and philosophers who seek order in the world. Rather than worshiping a pantheon of gods or a singular deity, Destinians recognize that worshiping gods is pointless, since all gods are subject to the same impassive forces in the universe to which all humans are also subject: the Fates -- or as they are called in the religion, the Weavers of Destiny.
Destinians also recognize that worshiping the Weavers is not an answer, as the Weavers are by their very nature impervious to the pleadings of humans who are at their mercy. The Weavers have an overall plan for the universe, and their purpose is to manipulate and fit humanity into that plan, not to change their plan based on the wishes of a few humans. Each human life is a thread in the Great Tapestry of Being that is continually being woven, and death occurs when the Weavers cut a thread. Their vision is long and broad, and most of humanity cannot hope to understand that vision, trapped as they are in a physical body with only a few short years of life to understand what is going on.
Therefore, the purpose of Destinity is to attain enough vision to recognize the patterns the Weavers create and to manipulate those patterns to their advantage. Destinians do not idly sit by and blindly accept whatever the Fates have in store for them. Instead, through many years of meditation and training, they learn to recognize the overall design of the universe, grasp the Great Tapestry of Being, and insert their individual patterns into the Tapestry so that they may regain control of their own destiny.
Because of this, the sign of the religion is the Knot, for it is the Knot which alters the Tapestry, forces the threads of human lives in new directions, and even makes immortality possible by attaching one thread to the end of another that was meant to be a life cut short.
Holy Orders
There are five main degrees or nodes that the new aspirant passes through before he or she can attain enlightenment and the hope of immortality. These nodes are as follows:
===Square Node=== The first degree or aspirant degree. In Destinity, calling someone a "Square" is not an insult. A square knot is a solid knot that ensures two lines will be tightly secured and unlikely to slip. Therefore it symbolizes that the aspirant is well-linked to the Tapestry and starting to understand how all the threads are connected.
===Carrick Node=== The second degree. A carrick bend is a knot used for joining two lines, especially very heavy rope or cable that is too large and stiff to easily be formed into other common bends. A student at this level will have already proven their worth to the elders and demonstrates a reasonable level of self-discipline and determination in the religion -- in other words, the ability to direct oneself through the difficulties and challenges of the Tapestry.
===Lariat Node=== The third degree. A lariat or lasso is a type of slipknot frequently used as a leash to control livestock or on a trapline. One who has attained the Lariat degree is able to catch the finer meanings and subtleties of the religion and use them to their own benefit, thus honing their skills of leadership and personal power.
===Hackamore Node=== The fourth degree. A hackamore knot is a bridle for a horse which does not use a bit. Instead, it works on pressure points on the horse's face. An improperly tied hackamore can break the equine nasal bone, so it demands an expert to properly tie. In the religion, someone at the Hackamore degree has now risen to the level where they can direct which way they want the Tapestry to bend, and members at this level have shown that they can direct many outside forces simultaneously.
===Cavandoli Node=== The highest degree, also called the Tapestry Master. Cavandoli is a type of knotwork that forms a tapestry of its own, a variety of macrame that forms geometric or free-form patterns similar to weaving. At this level, the Destinian has successfully established his or her own patterns and is no longer dependent on the Tapestry of Being, for they are in the process of creating their own. At this level, the Fates cease to play an important role in the life of the Master, and the Master is capable of anything they wish, perhaps even attaining immortality. It is the ultimate form of enlightenment for the Destinian.
