toodeep wrote:
I was thinking about how a good catholic irishman could still leave out a bowl of milk to appease the spirits. I know it might not be a part of the church teachings, but still something done, and considered minor enough to fly under the radar, or be accepted in practice even if not propagated by the Church. Or even as someone else has mentioned co-opted like the horned king has been by the Church (he was originally pagan, but I think officially he now falls somehow under an aspect/servant of Saluwe.)
It seems like the kind of thing that should technically not exist, but in for practical purposes should.
The other thing would be if it has been known to exist even if it is frowned upon by the Church. Is there the idea in the Coryani mind of something akin to Lares, Mares, or Genius's? I stayed away from mentioning Mares, rather than Lares, because Mares have to do with the afterlife, and it seems that something of a person's soul sticking around afterward is a bad thing. Though it is interesting that some Beltinian's can do exactly that.
So again, I think the answer depends on where you are. In the Western Lands where there is a fault line between primal and PoM practitioners? (or perhaps in Sicaris or Censure) Absolutely you could find something like your good Irishman. I bet there are lots of PoM Undir in and around Eppion who have a number of "superstitions" regarding spirits. But generally speaking I don't think you find anything like this in mainstream Coryani households.
I am unfamiliar with the idea of the Mares. But I personally equate the Roman idea of Genius with the Arcanis ideas of the Intellect or Soul. For anyone unfamiliar the Romans use the idea of Genius less as someone who really excels in a given field, than as the part of your soul or mind that that has a real "knack" for something. In the Roman world, every has a genius at something.
The official teachings of the MC and its derivatives is that a person is made up of 3 elements. A Body, a Soul, and an Intellect. Neroth has dominion over the Body (and imperfect dominion over the Intellect...see also Altheres and Sarish) and Beltine over the Soul. Their temples would have the right to teach the "dogma" of their respective elements.