Enessia - Religion & Stuff

[Caged Maiden]

Have you any description of what the people look like yet? I'm trying to narrow down some ideas for characters and plot I'd like to write, but I don't want to put the cart before the horse. Also, I'd like to have a go at writing the Rede/ commandments/ laws, for either the temple residents or the fanatics, whichever you want me to focus on.
Also, what else is on the island? Is it a center for learning, main focus the temple, and the other people on the island are generally included as members of the religion, or is the temple something separate from regular daily life?
Our island sort of looks like iceland, you know, out of the way, maybe isolated culturally or something. It could be an interesting thing, a hard land where men are tempered by the sea and harsh climate/ landscape, and religion is the solution to the hopelessness which might dominate the minds of the weak.
I sort of like a conflict between the religious order and the common people, it resonates with me, so let me know what your thoughts are, I'm looking forward to getting some more detailed descriptions going, and I'm happy to do as much as you'd like me to.

 

[myrddin173]

I moved this to a new thread so we can keep the main thread for finalized info. I plan on color-coding it, ie things I came up with will be in dark green. Do you have a preference for color?
My original thought to draw on Scotland as a guide for what people look like and for naming things. I got Enessia from Loch Ness and Ciall means "reason" in Scottish Gaelic. I'm biased though 'cause I am Scottish (well of Scottish decent). I thought the main religion would be a fairly low key thing with just the one goddess but now you are changing my mind. Ciall would still be the principal goddess but maybe there could be a pantheon of lesser deities. Perhaps the fanatics hold one of these above Ciall? It's completely up to you though. Back on topic, yah it would be a center of learning as that ties in with the worship of Ciall. The hick-people in the remote hinterlands, while probably the best educated, would still practice a watered-down version of the religion maybe putting some more focus on the "lessers" while still keeping Ciall as number one. That could cause some more conflict: the hick-people's simple, balanced beliefs, the citians' stricter Ciall beliefs, and the fanatics.
My other plan was for Enessia to be the neutral people of the Archipelago (like Switzerland to Europe). Not say they would be weak militarily, far from it (also like Switzerland). They are a fierce people probably, as you said from the harsh landscape.
I don't know it you've read the A Tale or two of Two Moons thread, Ravana did a wonderful job with it. Anyways maybe the loss of the second moon was the catalyst for the formation of the fanatics' group?
Also if you have any ideas for names for the two major cities I'd be happy to hear them; see the first post for the maps. I've been really bad about finishing the basics of Enessian government and labeling the maps.