Dyophidianism is a pluralistic unity religion centered on the worship of the Twin Snake Gods, Astagon and Myggerron. It is thought to have originated on ancient Earth, but its contemporary practices are rooted in the traditions of the Vakil people before their migration from the world of Aqilmendî. Today, the world known as Prudence, which hosts significant religious sites, is home to representatives from various prominent denominations and sects, including Yilanity, The Ophite Papacy, Daughters of Astagon, The Orphicovum See, The Shining Caduceus, and the Church of the Scaled Heart. These groups can trace their origins directly to the Vakil Priesthoods of Aqilmendî.
Dyophidian faiths hold that all religions are valid pathways to worshipping the Twin Snake Gods. Astagon, the God of Bitter Truths, moons, knowledge, hunger, and cruelty, is paired with Myggerron, the God of Sweet Lies, suns, art, fertility, and compassion. The Twin Snake God is often depicted as having one body with two heads, embodying both male and female aspects. Depictions frequently include human features such as hair, genitalia, and breasts, which are portrayed as mutable, symbolizing the god’s ability to shed and adopt many forms.
The Orphidian Scriptures, among the earliest religious texts, state, “By many skins shall we know our god; even in the words of apostates does our lord reside. For what lie is sweeter than the notion of kinder gods, and what truth more bitter than recognizing this falsehood?” Dyophidians embrace myths about the creation of other gods and religions, finding their dualistic beliefs reconcile the existence of other faiths and internal inconsistencies within their own.
Yilanic Channellers and followers of Yilanism staunchly reject objectivism, viewing deception and, more broadly, delusion as sacred gifts from the Twin Snake Gods. According to the tale of "man's venom," Astagon and Myggerron endowed humanity with the power of lies.
When the first created beings saw a serpent fashioned in the likeness of their deity, they grew envious. They said, “Astagon, Myggerron, have we offended you? You claim we are akin to serpents, your true inheritors, yet we possess limbs while lacking the snake’s malevolent traits. True, you have gifted us knowledge to create mighty and fearsome weapons, and hands to wield them. We are blessed with compassion and familial bonds, ensuring we never face struggle alone. We have warm blood and need not fear winter, thanks to the skins we claim from lesser beasts. Yet, you favor the serpent! Its venom is so potent it empowers even the young to kill beasts many times their size. Its venom spreads swiftly, and its pain is so excruciating that death may seem a welcome release.”
"I have also granted you the qualities of envy, greed, and pettiness. Yet I offer you an even greater boon—a venom.
this venom will become your ultimate strength, surpassing any other poison. with it, you will be able to command even the most formidable. it will seep into your words, inciting resentment, and harm, but also profound love and loyalty.
understand this: only humanity will be susceptible to this corrosive influence. you are free to speak falsehoods..."
This excerpt has led to various interpretations due to subtle differences in Vakil dialects. Generally, it is understood as the Twin Snake Gods gifting mankind with lies, but as a dual-purpose reward and punishment. This view, known as the Yilanic interpretation, has broader implications for the Orphidian Scriptures. The nuanced interpretations of metaphor, allegory, sincerity, and hyperbole in these texts are further complicated by the veneration of lies as magical or divine. Early scriptures are believed to have been written by snakes, while later texts are attributed to the first Vakil. Devotees regard the accounts written by earth-native snakes as more authentic than those by Vakil elders. The fragmentation of the faith is as much political and ideological as it is theological.
Non-Yilanic denominations place less emphasis on Vakil traditions, law, and language, often reflecting their adopted cultures more closely. For example, The Ophite Papacy, administered by two vicegerents, separates Astagon and Myggerron theologically and mirrors the Venti system of governance. It emphasizes hierarchy and often has more enduring theological figureheads. The Daughters of Astagon, while related to Yilanity, focus on rationalism and the pursuit of knowledge, with their primarily female practitioners valuing meritocratic selection of priests, who are often skilled professionals. This sect’s interpretation of the Orphidian Scriptures contributes to its widespread dissemination.
Despite the fragmentation, Dyophidianism remains less disruptive than it might seem. Dr. Svits Lomo, an anthropologist, sociologist, and psychologist, outlined in his paper *Pluralism in Religion: A Transtextual Analysis of the Ophidian Scriptures* that most believers are accustomed to contradictions within the scriptures. The divine inheritance of lying, along with loosely connected stories that are more thematic and rhetorical than descriptive, invites a wide range of interpretations. Dogma is further nuanced by passages stating that all religions are paths to worship the Twin Snake Gods. Dyophidianism does not recognize heresy or apostasy, as all worship Astagon and Myggerron in some form, including atheists, who are seen as worshiping through their pursuit of science or reason. Consequently, the faith exemplifies pluralism.
As Dyophidianism spreads to frontier colonies and specific denominations establish their presence, some mistake its tolerance for passivity, a carefully cultivated misperception. The faithful, skilled in the venomous magic of deception, pursue their goals with intense zeal. Twin snake imagery is prevalent on battlefields across the cluster, from Yilanic sigils displayed by Vakil confederation forces and the coiled snakes of the Ophite papal guard to personal symbols and decals worn by devout Armounauts.