Anamnesan mysticism (pronounced an-am-NEE-san) is one of the most common forms of soul-dreaming, a set of traditional beliefs held by many peoples of Talgazan and Razgovir. While other types of soul-dreaming have long since begun to decline, the practices of Anamnesan mysticism remain strong. The faith centers around the titular mystics, figures who "wear" the specters of the deceased in order to allow the dead to speak through them. Though in no way a formal religion, the core practices are widely shared by many.
Beliefs
As with other forms of soul-dreaming, interaction with the souls of the deceased is the primary focus of Anamnesan mysticism. To its adherents, ghosts of deceased ancestors are seen as wise guides, not only for the knowledge they possessed when alive but also for the additional insights gained through death. In order to allow these spirits to share their wisdom, Ananmesan mystics perform rituals that give themselves the ability to "wear" a ghost, draining the mystic's own life-force to manifest an apparition of the dead into the mortal realm. Doing so shortens the life of the mystic but permits the soul to remain at rest, only partially aware of their presence in the world of the living.
When wearing a ghost, a mystic gives up their own self, speaking and acting as the deceased. The rituals that allow this to take place are passed from mystic to mystic, though they are not in any way kept secret from the broader world. After burning an offering that begins the manifestation of a ghost, the mystic begins to intentionally act as the spectral figure, copying both their mannerisms in life and those of their new, less solid form. Through stepping into the ghost the mystic forms a connection to the soul of the dead, effectively mimicking the worn spirit to such a degree that the living and the dead become one in thought and movement. At the culmination of this process the mystic becomes able to speak as the dead, providing living onlookers with the ability to pay their respects and request the wisdom of the deceased.
Anamnesan mystics occupy a unique social position, simultaneously exalted and pitied. Among peoples that adhere to this form of soul-dreaming, these figures are universally treated with respect, cared for as if they were important elders due to the sacrifices they make in order to perform their roles. The vast majority of mystics live to less than half of the typical lifespans of their respective ancestries, drained by the exertions and rituals they perform. The arrival of a mystic to a settlement or camp is always an important event. Their services are only requested in dire situations that would warrant sacrificing the years of another, though the mystics are looked after with care regardless of whether or not they perform any soul-dreaming. Historically Anamnesan mystics have served as mediators and messengers in the often volatile and strife-wracked landscapes of Talgazan and interior Razgovir, untouched by all.
Followers
Anamnesan mysticism is one of the few types of soul-dreaming that remains widely followed in the quickly-changing lands in which the practices have been considered traditional. Mystics still travel between the many tribes of Talgazan, but with each passing year find themselves more and more unwelcome in the lands formerly known as Razgovir. The practices have been banned and suppressed in Koritan since the Malavischan takeover centuries ago, to such a degree that it has yet to reemerge in Talam Galta decades after the revolution. Though tolerated in Izgrev under the laws of the Viridian protectorate, the slow growth of the Chaskan faiths in in the region has led to a gradual decline of Anamnesan mysticism and other formerly deep-rooted local faiths.
Nearly all who adhere to the practices of Anamnesan mysticism also hold other religious beliefs at the same time. Traditionally it has been combined with other forms of soul-dreaming and animistic faiths. Though more uncommon, in the modern day some peoples, especially the orcish tribes of the Runewith Mountains, have begun to combine the mystic practices with the worship of Aduntarri/Mortuga into a unique blend mostly found in southeastern Talgazan and western Izgrev.