This week’s update is from a WIP story that is part of my Afro Multiverse. It comes from the Book of Avantha, a story that focuses on the protagonist—Avantha, and her harrowing spirtual quest.
Avantha comes from the country of Kershak. Kershak is a beautiful land, mostly forests, hills, rivers, plains and incredible waterfalls, surrounded by a natural mountain barrier. The land is rich in magick like the people of Kershak once were.
Religion & Spirituality
Only one practice dominates in Kershak, Ancestral Worship.
Ironically, Kershak people are a more practical and scientific folk. They are actually far more advanced than the typical kingdom or country. This is becasue their ancient ancestors, the Keras’sha-ra, once possessed magick and knowledge far beyond their own. The most recent ancestors to the Kershak people used this ancient knowledge to advance their society.
As their magick dwindled throughout time, their technology adavanced and the present day people of Kershak emerged. They became a very prosperous and successful folk, bringing with them their respect for their magical Keras’sha-ra ancestors, and more so, their technology, medicine and overal avancements. This developed into the primary path of spiritulism the Kershak call Ancestori
Ancestori – Worshipping the Ancestors
The main form of spiritual practice in Kershak is ancestral worship because they highly respect the skill and power of their predecessors. Having come from magical people, and still producing the genetically magical children they call “kereshaka,” the Kershak people are not blind to the forces of the supernatural.
Their ancestral worship includes building shrines and altars to the dead, specifically dead relatives. Outdoor altars and shrines around estates are very common, as well as indoor spiritual spaces. Items of dead relatives are used as a way to contact and pray to one’s ancestors.
Pictures, photos, and images are not used because the Kershak people believe the body is merely the vessel, and it is purer to use an object they kept close, as it retains thier energy. Some say their earthy possessions act as an anchor and guide so that the ancestors may find and aid them when they call.
In Kershak, festivals are held in honor of the ancestors. These public festivals are usually held in a large city. Most Kershak gather together during this time, leaving their estates to celebrate anywhere from 3 to 9 days. The most popular festival is Whe’ga Kemha, or “Ghost Moon.”
On Deities and Magick
Most Kershak people believe in the existence of gods, deities, and magick but do not believe they must subscribe to any kind of pantheon. They do not believe you need a faith to move on in the next life or to have a good living life. Their acknowledgement of these forces and lust for scientific advancement places them in a complex, often controversial situations. For example, some Kershaken Scientists strive to learn how to create “immortals” using their advanced technologies. This act is not seen as “playing god” but of scientific genius.
Sacred Tongue
As a side note, the ancient Sha’ran-guul language is used more for magick but in Kershak, it is recognized as a sacred language due to it being the ancestral language of the Keras’sha-ra.
Mercury The Scribe 
Damn I love this. I’m loving that we’re seeing more Afrocentric fantasy. I don’t know if you’ve read any N.K. Jemesin, but ahhh I love her so much. You and another author friend of mine are doing similar type of world-building. I’m incorporating more stuff into mine, but I started a lot of my work decades ago where I was still kind of entranched in more “white washed” fantasy lol. I love my characters though :p
You’re also making me want to talk more about my own world-building. I usually don’t in posts, but it might be fun to give it a try 🙂
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