Mono

How and why would a war oriented culture convert to a peaceful religion? I'm having a hard time justifying why any race rise to battle would follow a religion that suggest peace.

On Eberron, Ridreans basically brainwashed the ogres they conquered into menial workers.

Sounds like a major Story Arc for a not!Buddhist Monk Ork that ends with him saving his people from annihilation by showing them another way. Doesn't sound like it'd happen outside of a major event that forced them to adopt another mindset.

>religions is geared around conquering other people
>government of this empire is basically run by the clergy
>this educated clergy starts to read philosophies from other cultures as the empire spreads
>eventually they adopt some of these philosophies
>through them these more peaceful ideas spread downwards, making the society more peaceful and intellectual, first on a diplomatic level, and after a couple generations, on an individual level

The constant call for battle has culled their numbers?
Their aggression has united everyone against them and now are on the sow path to "kill on sight" extinction?
Non-warriors rising to positions of influence and bring less murder stab ideas with them?
A literal prophet shows up and tells them to knock off the murder?

many options.

>trickle down theoligics
The lizardfolk would never allow it.

By converting the slaves and the bottom of the society(after all the cowards are likely going to work too). Kind like how christianity did

>A literal prophet shows up and tells them to knock off the murder?
Nobody would care. If you can't slaughter your enemies you're unworthy of being called a "prophet"

Simple. Culture generally promotes peace and compassion, but also strictly adheres to the right of self-defense/survival, and has a strong military culture. As long as you don't stir shit and try to invade, just peachy. But fuck with them and they go full fucking hammer of god on your ass.

There's a significant difference between saying "violence is only justifiable for the sake of protecting you or your fellow man" and "violence is never justifiable, ever."

Look at what happened in Scandinavia. You had generations-long vendettas being waged, and then Christianity came in, and people were like "Wait. You mean we can just... forgive people for stuff? And stop killing and getting killed over some insult that happened 200 years ago? Sign me up!"

Make peace the secondary effect to their goal; Harmony and tranquility are laudable goals. The side effect is a pacified population

This. I think a lot of people got tired of fighting plus you can go to paradise even if you're a warrior unlike what Odinism said.

Because becoming a religion of peace they can gain acces to countries that would werck their shit before they set foot past the border

Look at japan. They got rekt by nukes, then had to spend years rebuilding their decimated economy whle being on the ass end of development in the world.

Get the race bitchslapped so hard they still feel it five generations down the line.

The material evidence suggests that most pagan Scandinavians venerated Thor. Odin just gets hype because he was the patron for the warrior elite and the sagas were composed to flatter those dudes.

Vulcans: Self preservation.

You'd be surprised.

Some European heathens were sold on Jesus being a prophet who KILLED DEATH AND BECAME UNTOUCHABLE.

Moreover, no culture is 100% war oriented. War is a means to an end, not a goal. WHY does this culture war? Is there a way they could interpret a religion to favor their philosophy? Could the religion be turned into a weapon of war itself?

Funnily enough the japanese economy restarted pretty soon, actually. But their culture was (and is) prone to things like a total change of outer mentality.

>Hey guys, you know what's REALLY manly and badass? Conquering yourself

Or you could do what the Christians did with the Germanic tribes "Bro Jesus was hardcore! He sacrificed himself like Odin and battled innumerable demons in hell to rescue the souls of the righteous but damned."

Or do it like Buddhism in Tibet & Mongolia

I remember the British missionaries in Ashantiland comparing Jesus to the ultimate bush hunter who slew the most feared demon-god in Ashanti mythology

I heard the Celts thought Jesus was a wildman who clubbed the personification of death. Or was it Satan?