Difference between revisions of "The Cult of the Rain God"

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(Reformatted and added new facts to the page. No content has been removed, but all of it has been reorganized and rewritten by me. Expect any missing information to be added by tomorrow evening.)
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The Cult of the Rain God is a cult created by CTY students in the Intro to Philosophy course from LAN.23.1, and since then it has expanded to become a central part of both Carlisle sessions of 2024. The cult has over forty members, and choruses of "Praise the rain!" could be heard from almost anywhere on the Dickinson campus in 2024, as well as shouts of "PTRILTG" (meaning "praise the rain, I lost the game”). Read “Cult of the Rain God” at [[Memories:LAN]] for cult history.
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The Cult of the Rain God is a group of students created by CTYers in the Intro to Philosophy course from LAN.23.1. Since then, it has expanded to become a central part of both 2024 sessions at Carlisle. The cult has over forty members, and—when CTY is in session—choruses chanting "Praise the rain!" can be heard from almost anywhere on the Dickinson College campus. Between CAR.24.2 and CAR.25.1, Disciples of the Cult began to affix "I lost the game" to their signature chant; this longer version is abbreviated as "PTRILTG" (or "Praise the rain, I lost the game"). Read “Cult of the Rain God” at [[Memories:LAN]] for more on its origins.
  
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Rule 1: PRAISE THE RAIN  
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The Cult has two fundamental principles:
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# PRAISE THE RAIN
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# SACRIFICE HERETICS
  
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Rule 2: Heretics will be sacrificed
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== Hierarchy ==
  
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The cult has a basic hierarchy, which is as follows, from most to least power:
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The Cult follows a basic hierarchy which functions as so:
  
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Grand Priest - the highest in-person ranking within the cult. Grand Priests make the big decisions for the cult, and depending on which specific position they have (Torchbearer, Jarkeeper, Shadeholder, Swordwielder), perform special actions. To become a Grand Priest, a High Priest is selected to take the place of a preexisting Grand Priest on the second-to-last day of a session (when a Grand Priest is a nomore or a nevermore).
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# '''Grand Priest:''' GP is the highest attainable rank within the Cult and is exclusive to LAN (temporarily CAR, read [[Lancaster|<u>here</u>]]). Grand Priests are the seniormost leaders of the Cult and carry major responsibilities for initiation/recruitment, retention, and ralying. There are four Grand Priests and, although they are all equal in seniority, each has their own title with its own ceremonial responsibility. These are:
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#* '''Lamplighter:'''
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#* '''Cloakbearer:'''
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#* '''Urnkeeper:'''
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#* '''Shadegiver:'''
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:: To become a Grand Priest, a Priest must be selected and promoted to High Priest and inherited to one of the Grand Priesthood's titles. All High Priests are nominees to succeed one of the current Grand Priests, however the decision is not made official until the "Passing of the Names" ceremony.
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# '''High Priest:''' HP is second highest rank within the Cult and is attainable at all sites. Depending on whether they are at Carlisle or another site, the High Priesthood of a site can fill two different roles:
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#* '''At Carlisle:''' The High Priests serve as the nominated successors and inheritors to any Grand Priests who cannot or will not return the following year. They are selected from the Priesthood and serve in their role until the Grand Priest who promoted them becomes a Forevermore.
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#* '''At other sites:''' The High Priests fill in for the Grand Priests at CAR, and fulfill all of the ceremonial duties of the Grand Priesthood
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:: High Priests are expected to take on a similarly active role in retention, recruitment, and rallying as Grand Priests in order to demonstrate their fitness as leaders.
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# '''Priest:''' When a Disciple has demonstrated loyalty and conviction, as well as having played an important role in initiating non-members, they may be recognized  with the position of Priest. This role allows them to be eligible for High Priesthood and requires continued active participation in rituals (i.e. chants) and ceremonies. <br>
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# '''Disciple:''' Disciple is the former of the two entry-level positions. It requires that someone has answered all three question in the Knowledge Trial (which must be administered by someone at least as high ranking as a Priest) correctly. Only Disciples are eligible for promotion to the role of Priest. <br>
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# '''Initiate:''' Initiate is the latter of the two entry-level positions. This rank simply requires that someone participates in the annual Rain Day ceremony (traditionally on the first day of rain during the session, but must be done no later than First Friday). All Initiates are eligible to become Disciples, however it is not a prerequisite.
  
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High Priest - the second highest in-person ranking within the cult. They choose certain priests and disciples to govern under them in order to keep the cult more organized. They spread the teachings of the cult, as well as recruit new members.
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=== Other Ranks===
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There exist some ranks which exist for ceremonial or for honorary purposes. Currently, there are three such ranks.
  
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Priest - when a disciple has been a loyal member of the cult for a year, they become a Priest to educate the new disciples that come in every session.
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# '''Heretic:''' The Heretic is an important ceremonial role which any Disciple can volunteer to fill. They serve as the object of the Sacrifice ceremony during the second week. <br>
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# '''Bards:''' Bard is the rank awarded to any of the traditional American Pie position-holders. This rank does not serve any functional role. Bards may or may not be members of the Cult. <br>
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# '''Honors:''' An Honor is a modification to ones current rank in order to recognize special contributions and demonstrated long-term commitment and participation within the Cult. Receiving an Honor changes the recipient's title to Honored (i.e. Initiate to Honored Initiate, Disciple to Honored Disciple, Priest to Honored Priest), however this change does not apply to High Priests or the Grand Priests. <br>
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# '''Fallen:''' Another way to refer to Cult members who have moved on from CTY and become Forevermores. The title, ''Fallen Priest'', is given to former Grand Priests who have aged out of the program and is taken to have higher seniority than current Grand Priests, though they can only really advise the Grand Priesthood.
  
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Disciple - entry-level position within the cult. If an interested CTYer can answer four or five of the five questions of entry, they become a disciple and are expected to uphold the beliefs of the cult.
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== Rituals ==
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The members of the Cult observe many rituals which range from shibboleths to full ceremonies.
  
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Honored Intern - a position created solely for Aaron Cushman. For a year he had claimed to be the Rain God, which made him the Sacrifice. But he eventually changed his mind. And he didn't deserve to be a disciple.
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===The Knowledge Trial===
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The Knowledge Trial is a prerequisite for becoming a Disciple and the way most members were initiated into the Cult. Historically it had five questions, but was at simplified down to three at CAR.25.1 to aid recruitment. The questions (and answers) are:
  
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Intern - if you can only answer three out of the five questions of entry, you become an intern. Anything less and you aren't a part of the cult.
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# Who do we praise? <br>''The Rain God''
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# What is the holiest site? <br>''Lancaster (or Franklin & Marshall)''
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# What fate awaits heretics? <br>''Sacrifice''
  
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Sacrifice - Reserved for blasphemers and heretics; those who speak out against the cult. Previously Aaron Cushman, currently Alex (Hello Kitty shirt).
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=== Grand Ceremonies ===
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The Grand Ceremonies are the most important traditions in the Cult, often performed by the Grand Priests and spectated by other CTYers and Cult members. There are four, each one is lead by a different Grand Priest with the participation of the other three. Some happen once per session while others occur regularly.
  
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In addition to these positions, there are also The Fallen, which are the members of the cult who never come back to CTY. They technically have a higher ranking than everyone else, but because they aren't in-person members, they are only consulted for the most important decisions.
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# '''Rain Day:'''
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# '''The Ritual Sacrifice:'''
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# '''Passing of the Names:'''
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# '''Grand Processional & Recessional:'''
  
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Questions of entry:
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=== The Chant ===
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The most recognizable hallmark of the Cult is their signature chant of "Praise the rain!" This exclamation is used as a rallying cry and shibboleth for Cult members.    Beginning after CAR.24.1, The Game started to become associated with the chant and "I lost the game" became commonly appended to the original exclamation. The two combined, "Praise the rain, I lost the game," is commonly shortened to just "PTRILTG."
  
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1. Who do we praise?
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== Notable Members ==
  
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2. What do we say?
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; Grand Priests:
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: [[User:Junefish28|Sydney Schirripa]] (Urnkeeper), Judah "Spriet" Gilbert (Shadegiver), [[User:VivianP|Vivian Perry]] (Cloakbearer), Walter Strouse (Lamplighter), Edmund "Ned" Gerrick* (Cloakbearer), Liam* (Lamplighter)
  
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3. What is the name of our collective?
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; High Priests:
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:
  
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4. Where is our holy land?
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; Priests:
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: Emery Oppenheim, Cameron Brenner
  
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5. What is our weapon of sacrifice?
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; Disciples:
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: Akhil "Kiki" Chawla, Leo, Zara, Zuri, Alyssa, Cerentha, Hazel, Divna, Strawberry, Sam, Ryan, Eli*, Quinn, Finn, Emmy, Heath, Felix, Bruce, Oscar, Domna, Addie, Marceline*, Aster*, Michelle*, Sarah*, Nathan Hyde*, Katie*, Ray*, Aurora*, Harper*, Ellie*, Anya*, Annie*, Alex Gonzalez*
  
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; Honored Initiates:
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: Aaron Cushman*
  
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Current members:
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; Initiates:
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:  
  
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The Fallen: Marceline, Liam, Ned, Aster, Michelle, Sarah, Nathan Hyde, Katie, Ray, Aurora, Harper, Eli, Ellie, Anya, Annie, Alex Gonzalez, Aaron Cushman
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; Heretics:
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: Alex Zhao
  
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Grand Priests: [[User:Junefish28|Sydney Schirripa]], Spriet Gilbert
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<nowiki>*</nowiki>The Fallen
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High Priest(s): [[User:VivianP|Vivian Perry]]
 
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Priests: Emery Oppenheim, Cameron Brenner
 
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Disciples: Walter Strouse, Akhil "Kiki" Chawla, Leo, Zara, Zuri, Alyssa, Cerentha, Hazel, Divna, Strawberry, Sam, Ryan, Eli, Quinn, Finn, Emmy, Heath, Felix, Bruce, Oscar, Domna, Addie
 
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Honored Intern: Aaron Cushman
 
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Intern: Eli
 
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Sacrifice: Alex (Hello Kitty shirt)
 

Revision as of 23:41, 25 June 2025

The Cult of the Rain God is a group of students created by CTYers in the Intro to Philosophy course from LAN.23.1. Since then, it has expanded to become a central part of both 2024 sessions at Carlisle. The cult has over forty members, and—when CTY is in session—choruses chanting "Praise the rain!" can be heard from almost anywhere on the Dickinson College campus. Between CAR.24.2 and CAR.25.1, Disciples of the Cult began to affix "I lost the game" to their signature chant; this longer version is abbreviated as "PTRILTG" (or "Praise the rain, I lost the game"). Read “Cult of the Rain God” at Memories:LAN for more on its origins.

The Cult has two fundamental principles:

  1. PRAISE THE RAIN
  2. SACRIFICE HERETICS

Hierarchy

The Cult follows a basic hierarchy which functions as so:

  1. Grand Priest: GP is the highest attainable rank within the Cult and is exclusive to LAN (temporarily CAR, read here). Grand Priests are the seniormost leaders of the Cult and carry major responsibilities for initiation/recruitment, retention, and ralying. There are four Grand Priests and, although they are all equal in seniority, each has their own title with its own ceremonial responsibility. These are:
    • Lamplighter:
    • Cloakbearer:
    • Urnkeeper:
    • Shadegiver:
To become a Grand Priest, a Priest must be selected and promoted to High Priest and inherited to one of the Grand Priesthood's titles. All High Priests are nominees to succeed one of the current Grand Priests, however the decision is not made official until the "Passing of the Names" ceremony.
  1. High Priest: HP is second highest rank within the Cult and is attainable at all sites. Depending on whether they are at Carlisle or another site, the High Priesthood of a site can fill two different roles:
    • At Carlisle: The High Priests serve as the nominated successors and inheritors to any Grand Priests who cannot or will not return the following year. They are selected from the Priesthood and serve in their role until the Grand Priest who promoted them becomes a Forevermore.
    • At other sites: The High Priests fill in for the Grand Priests at CAR, and fulfill all of the ceremonial duties of the Grand Priesthood
High Priests are expected to take on a similarly active role in retention, recruitment, and rallying as Grand Priests in order to demonstrate their fitness as leaders.
  1. Priest: When a Disciple has demonstrated loyalty and conviction, as well as having played an important role in initiating non-members, they may be recognized with the position of Priest. This role allows them to be eligible for High Priesthood and requires continued active participation in rituals (i.e. chants) and ceremonies.
  2. Disciple: Disciple is the former of the two entry-level positions. It requires that someone has answered all three question in the Knowledge Trial (which must be administered by someone at least as high ranking as a Priest) correctly. Only Disciples are eligible for promotion to the role of Priest.
  3. Initiate: Initiate is the latter of the two entry-level positions. This rank simply requires that someone participates in the annual Rain Day ceremony (traditionally on the first day of rain during the session, but must be done no later than First Friday). All Initiates are eligible to become Disciples, however it is not a prerequisite.

Other Ranks

There exist some ranks which exist for ceremonial or for honorary purposes. Currently, there are three such ranks.

  1. Heretic: The Heretic is an important ceremonial role which any Disciple can volunteer to fill. They serve as the object of the Sacrifice ceremony during the second week.
  2. Bards: Bard is the rank awarded to any of the traditional American Pie position-holders. This rank does not serve any functional role. Bards may or may not be members of the Cult.
  3. Honors: An Honor is a modification to ones current rank in order to recognize special contributions and demonstrated long-term commitment and participation within the Cult. Receiving an Honor changes the recipient's title to Honored (i.e. Initiate to Honored Initiate, Disciple to Honored Disciple, Priest to Honored Priest), however this change does not apply to High Priests or the Grand Priests.
  4. Fallen: Another way to refer to Cult members who have moved on from CTY and become Forevermores. The title, Fallen Priest, is given to former Grand Priests who have aged out of the program and is taken to have higher seniority than current Grand Priests, though they can only really advise the Grand Priesthood.

Rituals

The members of the Cult observe many rituals which range from shibboleths to full ceremonies.

The Knowledge Trial

The Knowledge Trial is a prerequisite for becoming a Disciple and the way most members were initiated into the Cult. Historically it had five questions, but was at simplified down to three at CAR.25.1 to aid recruitment. The questions (and answers) are:

  1. Who do we praise?
    The Rain God
  2. What is the holiest site?
    Lancaster (or Franklin & Marshall)
  3. What fate awaits heretics?
    Sacrifice

Grand Ceremonies

The Grand Ceremonies are the most important traditions in the Cult, often performed by the Grand Priests and spectated by other CTYers and Cult members. There are four, each one is lead by a different Grand Priest with the participation of the other three. Some happen once per session while others occur regularly.

  1. Rain Day:
  2. The Ritual Sacrifice:
  3. Passing of the Names:
  4. Grand Processional & Recessional:

The Chant

The most recognizable hallmark of the Cult is their signature chant of "Praise the rain!" This exclamation is used as a rallying cry and shibboleth for Cult members. Beginning after CAR.24.1, The Game started to become associated with the chant and "I lost the game" became commonly appended to the original exclamation. The two combined, "Praise the rain, I lost the game," is commonly shortened to just "PTRILTG."

Notable Members

Grand Priests
Sydney Schirripa (Urnkeeper), Judah "Spriet" Gilbert (Shadegiver), Vivian Perry (Cloakbearer), Walter Strouse (Lamplighter), Edmund "Ned" Gerrick* (Cloakbearer), Liam* (Lamplighter)
High Priests
Priests
Emery Oppenheim, Cameron Brenner
Disciples
Akhil "Kiki" Chawla, Leo, Zara, Zuri, Alyssa, Cerentha, Hazel, Divna, Strawberry, Sam, Ryan, Eli*, Quinn, Finn, Emmy, Heath, Felix, Bruce, Oscar, Domna, Addie, Marceline*, Aster*, Michelle*, Sarah*, Nathan Hyde*, Katie*, Ray*, Aurora*, Harper*, Ellie*, Anya*, Annie*, Alex Gonzalez*
Honored Initiates
Aaron Cushman*
Initiates
Heretics
Alex Zhao

*The Fallen

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