The mainstream beliefs of Arginet are so broad and so nearly universal in their following that they don’t have a formal name. ‘Animism’ is a common neutral term; ‘Orthodoxy’ is preferred by most priests, although it is rather less accurate.
The foundation of this system is the belief that the five elements are holy and worthy of veneration, and that the spirits of the elements and the ancestors are therefore closer to divinity than are mortals. Respect for these spirits ensures the physical and spiritual well-being of mortals and will bring them prosperity in the afterlife.
Many sects also personify the elements as powerful creatures - the Dragon, the Phoenix, the Bear, the Tiger, and the Serpent for Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water respectively - and may worship them as deities, though some consider them abstract symbols.
Beyond these, though, tenets and practices are extremely diverse. Priests tend to organise into orders sharing a common goal and creed and ‘agreeing to disagree’ with other organisations.
Some of the best-known and most impressive are the formal, established orders, such as the Order of Heavenly Radiance who minister to the crown. The Temple of the Fivefold Way, though more modest, is also one of these. Smaller shrines and ministries might attend to the spiritual guidance of villages or urban neighbourhoods or to a specific group or profession. Independent priests, both settled and itinerant, are common as well.
There also exist more unusual groups, dedicated to a specific path, ancestor, or element (worship of King Estienne is a longtime favourite). These have a reputation for eccentricity but also unusual insight and abilities: a fair few hero cults have made names for themselves through impressive acts of courage, wisdom, or violence. Members of militant sects often style themselves ‘paladins’.
For as long as anyone can remember, a small minority have held that the elements, though clearly important, are not divine, and that a greater power must exist in the multiverse. These dissenters are known as the Seekers of the Utmost. They are divided between three broad strands of thought - some believe that there is a single Utmost God, others that there are a number of gods, and a few that the multiverse itself is divine - but all are united in their search.
The Seekers have a precarious position within society: although their creed is not illegal they face hostility from the orthodox priesthood and suspicion from the noble houses. (This is all the more troublesome for them as they have a great interest in contacting the most powerful spirits to find out more about the multiverse.) Only the Reformists are known to welcome Seekers within their faction.
With the Breaking, the revelation that many more worlds do exist - most or all of which do not seem to have elemental spirits of their own - has galvanised the Seeker movement. Their debates and tracts are more lively than ever before, and they are taking on converts at record levels. Most concerning to outside observers has been their willingness to experiment with the mysterious rifts...