The Enchanting World of the Old Witch and the Polka Dot Robbin

In a small quaint village lived an old witch named Agatha. She was known throughout the land for her magical powers and quirky personality. Agatha's cottage was nestled deep in the woods, surrounded by tall, ancient trees. One day, while Agatha was tending to her herb garden, she spotted a peculiar sight - a polka dot robin. The robin's feathers were adorned with vibrant polka dots in various colors. Agatha had never seen such a bird before and was instantly intrigued.

Hell, Britain was arguably more Christianised than Rome was at one point, and was heavily involved in Christianising other parts of Europe.

Although things like Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim are seen as aspects of Judaism indeed, almost never observed outside of it , they were spread across all Hebrews, pagan or monotheistic, Hellenized or Jewish, the nomad and the cities, the peasant and the king, universally. The Hebrews originally had a religion identical to the Phoenicians, and the two languages were near identical even today, Hebrew closely mimics the long-dead Phoenician.

Agatha had never seen such a bird before and was instantly intrigued. She couldn't resist following the robin as it fluttered from tree to tree, singing a delightful melody. As Agatha followed the robin, she found herself in a clearing filled with colorful wildflowers.

Celtic Paganism

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Rhaitus

Recruit

I am sure there have been a few threads about this already, and if so I am sorry to add to the pile. But of all the various kinds of paganism it seems to me to be a mistake on keeping the celtic pagans out of the loop. Mechanically I'm not quite sure how it would play out as I could see celtic pagans being either offensive or defensive oriented through a few historical examples. But damn it not having druids involved in the game is criminal.

DreadLindwyrm

Augustus of the North

Well, the religion *was* dead well before 769. Britain had been Christianised (quite thoroughly) for around 200 years.

Hell, Britain was arguably more Christianised than Rome was at one point, and was heavily involved in Christianising other parts of Europe.

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Rhaitus

Recruit

Oh I know. Still if you can have Aztecs raiding Europe I'm sure it can be forgiven to have a Celtic pagan revival. ;D

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PAnZuRiEL

Field Marshal

Oh I know. Still if you can have Aztecs raiding Europe I'm sure it can be forgiven to have a Celtic pagan revival. ;D

Except, Aztecs still existed. Celtic pagans did not.

If you want Celtic pagans, you can use a mod, like the Ancient Religions mod (which is included by default in CK2+). But there's zero reason to have Celtic pagans in the base game. Most people really don't like Sunset Invasion and object to its inclusion in the game, so using it to justify the inclusion of more fantasy content isn't likely to convince anyone.

"You know how the English conquered Wales? One village at a time. Because no Welshman would run to the next Welsh village to warn them the English were coming. You all went down warm in the knowledge that the next village would get it too and they deserved it for being foreign." -- William of Stonham

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heliostellar

Field Marshal

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Simmy93

Baron of Newtownards

Celtic paganism was also more of a cultural thing rather than an organized, dogmatic faith kind of thing. They'd be like Hellenic pagans, unable to do anything. Now Celtic Christianity, that's another kettle of fish.

“The only thing known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle. He reasoned like this: you can't have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir instantaneously. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles -- kingons, or possibly queons -- that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon.” -Terry Pratchett

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PAnZuRiEL

Field Marshal

Celtic paganism was also more of a cultural thing rather than an organized, dogmatic faith kind of thing.

What does that even mean? All religions are "cultural things". Also, the Roman state religion represented by Hellenic paganism in-game was extremely organised. Its organisation formed the basis for the state Christian church's organisation.

"You know how the English conquered Wales? One village at a time. Because no Welshman would run to the next Welsh village to warn them the English were coming. You all went down warm in the knowledge that the next village would get it too and they deserved it for being foreign." -- William of Stonham

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Bernard95

Field Marshal

If you want Celtic, Hellenic, or even Kemetic (Egyptian) then I would simply use the CK2+ or Ancient Religions mod. CK2+ even has an option to change the entire map to reflect the religions of old. France becomes Celtic for example, and much of the Middle East becomes Kemetic.

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UpperLorraine

Captain

Especially the indigenous Heathen religions (Celtic, Germanic/Asatru and Slavic/Rodnovery). I can personally verify that to we Asatruar, religion and culture are indistinguishable.

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Simmy93

Baron of Newtownards

What does that even mean? All religions are "cultural things". Also, the Roman state religion represented by Hellenic paganism in-game was extremely organised. Its organisation formed the basis for the state Christian church's organisation.

A little aggressive but alright, there was of course celtic paganism, there is a celtic pantheon as well, as with many faiths. My point was that celtic paganism was small, it was not organized and its traditions varied from county to county, village to village. It wouldn't be practical to represent it in CKII, especially as by the earliest start most vestiges had faded away.

“The only thing known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle. He reasoned like this: you can't have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir instantaneously. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles -- kingons, or possibly queons -- that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon.” -Terry Pratchett

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Rationalsanity

Field Marshal

Unless we get an even earlier start date (please gods, no), there is no justification for Celtic Paganism to have a place in this game outside of mods and the history files.

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KlinkerFyren

Major

I would rather have Celtic Christianity than Celtic Paganism.

Makes more sense. Given the time period.

I would recommend the Ancient Religions mod, for ancient religious revivals.

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killerbee256

General

Unless they push the timeline back I don't see Celtic paganism being added, even then you would have to go back to the 500s for it to still exist.

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UpperLorraine

Captain

Unless they push the timeline back I don't see Celtic paganism being added, even then you would have to go back to the 500s for it to still exist.

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Kapitalisti

Field Marshal

If the Saxons and the Norse have the same religion in the game, surely those different flavors of Celtic paganism would also be lumped together.

When you reduce a family tree to a family bush, you can't hide as much underneath.

Trying to reason with a Scotsman is like trying to geld a wildcat with your teeth.
- Uhtred of Bebbanburg

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UpperLorraine

Captain

If the Saxons and the Norse have the same religion in the game, surely those different flavors of Celtic paganism would also be lumped together.

EDIT: I agree on the grounds that mainland Druidism and Brythonic Druidism are close enough to be lumped together. We and the Norse shared the religion even closer, the biggest and arguably only notable difference being the preferred place of worship (we at the Irminsul or under a fitting oak, they in stave temples).

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Dakilla TM

Field Marshal

Use the Ancient Religions Mod or CK2+ mod if you want some Celtic pagans. The others before me have pretty much said why Celtic isn't in this game.

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Sigebryht

Captain

Well, the religion *was* dead well before 769. Britain had been Christianised (quite thoroughly) for around 200 years.

Hell, Britain was arguably more Christianised than Rome was at one point, and was heavily involved in Christianising other parts of Europe.

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Karlingid

Lt. General

As pointed out before, Celtic paganism was moribund if at all existing during this period, and was largely replaced by the somewhat syncretic Celtic Christianity.

For reference, Semitic paganism would be more sensible to add due to "mentions" of continued practice in Yemen into the 19th century, mention among certain nomads by Persians in the 16th century, and the known majority population of Harran being pagan in the CM start date. Hellenism has the Mani peninsula, which currently lacks any holding representative of it (no barony, no church, and no city), and was still pagan in the CM start date.

Especially the indigenous Heathen religions (Celtic, Germanic/Asatru and Slavic/Rodnovery). I can personally verify that to we Asatruar, religion and culture are indistinguishable.

I cannot 100% verify the invalidity of this, not being an Asatruar myself, but I'm not entirely certain this is the case, given the multicultural Germanic presence, as well as certain aspects having little secular value. This is, however, not to discount the large impact of traditional beliefs on such cultures, which have largely shaped them and still do today, regardless of the Abrahamic dominance in said regions.

I'd say Judaism is perhaps the best example. Almost all of the holidays and festivals within it are representative of historical (or believed historical) events. Passover, for instance, celebrates the return to Canaan, rather than the divine occurrence associated with it. Hanukkah deals with the victory over the occupants and the supposed miracle of long-lasting oil, not of divine interference in said war. Purim celebrates an escape from potential extinction at the hands of a malicious Persian.

Meanwhile, all of the practices likewise hold secular origin representative of preislamic, especially Canaanite (Phoenicians and Hebrews), with clear cognates in Akkadian and Egyptian practice. The Kosher diet, for instance, is about maintaining health. Many of the things forbidden by Kosher are so because, in ancient days, they led to potentially fatal sickness and parasites. Many of the rituals in Judaism are about cleanliness and sanitation, from when you can pop a baby into a lady to circumcision, the whole lot is about staying clean and healthy. This is where Egyptian cognates are the highest, as the Egyptians likewise had a very strong cultural emphasis on cleanliness (and, when one lives in the desert, it is to be expected. Sand everywhere, ugh.) Other rituals, practiced in the past and today, represent ancient concepts like tribal taxation, tribal dominance, and other such political mechanisms.

Is there a religious aspect to Judaism? Of course. There's multiple texts written about the religious aspect, although it is hardly a static aspect. The Hebrews originally had a religion identical to the Phoenicians, and the two languages were near identical (even today, Hebrew closely mimics the long-dead Phoenician). Later, they began to worship the king of the gods, El, while recognizing the existence and powers of others. This henotheism would continue well into the Roman age. Some time in the early iron age, the name "Yahweh" began to appear. It has its origins as an Arabian (specifically from Midian, later known as Nabataea) deity associated with El. Due to the frequent trade and similarities between the two deities, both "El" and "Yahweh" were used by the Hebrews to refer to the same deity. It was not until the Middle Ages that Judaism reached a form of true monotheism, and even then it was not universal.

My general point is that the rituals and festivals in Judaism can be seen outside of it. The ties to historical events and secular culture, with clear cross-cultural and cross-religious cognates, demonstrates within Judaism a very close tie to religion and culture. Although things like Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim are seen as aspects of Judaism (indeed, almost never observed outside of it), they were spread across all Hebrews, pagan or monotheistic, Hellenized or Jewish, the nomad and the cities, the peasant and the king, universally. The festivals of Judaism transcended the religion and stuck within the secular culture, as their festivals had little, if anything, to do with their religion. It is only after the diaspora that such practices stopped, as the Hebrews warred with Rome multiple times and ultimately lost, losing their homeland and having many of their people killed. The Hebrews became almost exclusively Jewish at this point, as the ones left behind abandoned their culture in the 5th century in favor of the Greeks, becoming Christian Palestinians, and then to the Arabs just a couple centuries later.

And so the diaspora essentially ceased the existence of non-Jewish Hebrews. If they converted, they usually adopted the local culture to a much higher degree than non-converts as well. However, the modern state of Israel is allowing for a return of multireligious Hebrews. Atheists, Buddhists, Pagans, Jews, Christians, Muslims: all exist now among the Hebrew population, and given that they exist as ethnic Hebrews, they almost always follow the celebrations of Judaism.

Here we see multiple faiths taking up Jewish religious practice. Judaism took the way of life of preislamic Canaanites and gave it religious justification, rather than incorporating religious practices into the culture of the locals. This, my friend, is the mark of religion and culture becoming near indistinguishable.

As pointed out before, Celtic paganism was moribund if at all existing during this period, and was largely replaced by the somewhat syncretic Celtic Christianity.

The robin perched on a branch, its polka dot feathers blending with the vibrant blooms. Agatha could hardly contain her excitement. She believed that the polka dot robin must possess some extraordinary enchantment. The old witch cautiously approached the robin, afraid of frightening it away. To her surprise, the bird hopped closer towards her. Agatha extended her hand, and the robin delicately perched on her finger. Its gentle touch sent a tingling sensation throughout her body. In that moment, Agatha realized that the polka dot robin was a symbol of luck and good fortune. With every flap of its wings, it brought blessings to those in its presence. Agatha couldn't contain her joy and gratitude. She knew that the polka dot robin had chosen her as its companion. From that day forward, the old witch and the polka dot robin became inseparable. They traveled together, spreading luck and happiness wherever they went. Villagers sought Agatha's wisdom and blessings, believing that the polka dot robin had bestowed its magic upon her. Agatha used her newfound powers for the good of the village, resolving conflicts and healing the sick. She became revered as a guardian of hope and happiness. The polka dot robin, always perched on her shoulder, became a symbol of the old witch's power and benevolence. Years passed, and Agatha and the polka dot robin continued their adventures. The villagers cherished their presence, and the old witch's name became synonymous with miracles. Agatha's cottage became a place of pilgrimage, where people sought solace and guidance. The old witch and the polka dot robin showed the world that true magic lies within kindness and love. Their legacy lived on even after their earthly journey ended, inspiring generations to find the magic within themselves and spread it to others. The tale of the old witch and the polka dot robin became a timeless legend, reminding everyone that even the most peculiar and unexpected things can hold extraordinary magic..

Reviews for "The Old Witch and the Polka Dot Robbin: A Life Lesson in Acceptance"

1. Sarah - 1 star

I couldn't stand "Old Witch and the Polka Dot Robbin". The story was completely lacking in any depth or substance. The characters were flat and uninteresting, and the plot felt contrived and forced. The writing itself was also subpar, with awkward and clunky sentences. Overall, I found the book to be a complete disappointment and would not recommend it to anyone.

2. Michael - 2 stars

I was really looking forward to reading "Old Witch and the Polka Dot Robbin" based on the positive reviews it received, but I was left feeling underwhelmed. The story seemed to drag on, and I found it hard to connect with the characters. Additionally, the humor fell flat and didn't elicit any genuine laughs. The overall execution of the book felt lacking, and I was left with a sense of disappointment after finishing it.

3. Emily - 1 star

"Old Witch and the Polka Dot Robbin" was a complete letdown. The writing style was overly simplistic, and the plot was predictable from start to finish. The story lacked any real conflict or tension, making it a tedious read. I struggled to stay engaged with the narrative, and the characters were forgettable. Unfortunately, this book did not meet my expectations and I would not recommend it to others.

The Old Witch and the Polka Dot Robbin: A Tale of Courage and Redemption