Human Religions
Human religions vary mostly along cultural lines, with each nation holding its own relatively independent pantheon. Polytheism is the dominant form of religion, offering a group of deities for individuals to worship. Most people have one patron god that they follow and worship, with others gods within the religion falling slightly behind them in importance. All of the religions share similar roots, making some have similar traits across borders.
Deities
Swidnica
The Swidnican pantheons are related to those of the Noreya, but retaining an element of nature worship that that empire lacked. Living somewhat isolated lives, they rely on the spirits and those who can commune with them for support. Hags, living on the fringes of communities, are the primary worshippers of these spirits, conducting rituals and providing spiritual guidance for any who seek it. There are few actual Swidnican deities, the pantheon limited to a few who govern major aspects of the natural world. Most of its cosmology is made up of individual spirits, each representing a specific feature or place of the world around them.
Moros
Moros is the god of earth, storms and war. He represents strength and destruction, and is worshipped as the most powerful of all the deities. Treated as the father of all life, he gifted the earliest peoples with the world, providing them with bounty. As befits the father of a harsh landscape, he is stern and tough with his children. Moros is the personification of the active masculine force of nature, depicted as a strong hunter or a bear. Other deities are seen as simply aspects of Moros himself, each a fragment of his true domain in the world.
Dewin
Goddess of forests and animals, she is a fickle trickster goddess. She is considered to pit herself against hunters and fishermen, controlling their prey to escape their clutches. Despite her role as a cheat, she also oversees love among the Swidnicans, giving courting its mercurial tone. Weddings often occur in copses of trees or streams, where her control is deemed its strongest. Forests and water are her domain, and her worship is strongest in the spring when they come back to life.
Chur
Chur is the god of fire and the sun, and the most benevolent of the Swidnican deities. He has a place in the hearths and homes of all Swidnicans, taking a guardian role over their protection against winter and the night, both domains of Mazlen. Despite his benevolence, Chur is deadly to those who do not treat him with respect, burning homes and people alike. Cremation is a major rite of Chur worship, the sun god bringing the dead to join him in the afterlife.
Mazlen
Mazlen is the spiritual embodiment of evil, goddess of winter, night and death. She is the enemy of Moros, and just as powerful, seeking to destroy all that he created. She is followed by outlaws and others who seek her favour for their own ends, usually to sow chaos and disorder. Depicted as a beautiful naked young woman, she is followed by a pair of black wolves. Wolves are her servants and are hunted mercilessly as a result. She is said to have corrupted the Noreya, and created the monsters that now dwell in the Aetherbreach.
Arran
Arran religion consists of a single pantheon, with each deity holding a specific domain of responsibility. The gods resemble the Dwarf ones, both in their domains and personality. This is due to a long history of cultural trade between the two groups. Dedicated priests administer the rites and rituals of the religion to followers, with their control over the country being significant. Most of the aristocracy keep monks or priests in their court to help advise on their course of action, allowing the religion widespread access to the delicate affairs of the region.
Koraldur
Known as the Silver Hand, Koraldur is the Arran god of honour, war, light and protection. His is a common cult, universally worshipped by the aristocracy and knightly class. He is also a favourite of any sort of warrior in the country, followed for his dedication to martial perfection. His church espouses chivalric duty, urging its followers to aspire to his example. Paladins of Koraldur led the crusade against the Orcs in the Midlands, establishing several of the crusader states there. His cult has spread beyond the borders of Arran, having a presence in Premyslid and even some western Routot cities. The priests of Koraldur play a role politically as well as spiritually, using their access to their noble patrons to steer the course of certain situations. Koraldur is depicted as a fully armoured warrior, stoic and proud. His symbol is a mailed fist, or a shield bearing the sun.
Sarana
Arran goddess of healing and sanctuary. She is the protector of the dispossessed and sickly, working to keep all races safe and whole. Her temples double as infirmaries and shelters, while her followers act as healers and defenders of the downtrodden. Her clergy will travel the land, healing others for small donations or as acts of kindness. As such, they are welcome almost everywhere, and respected by nearly everyone. She is depicted as a youthful woman dressed all in white. In her role as defender, she carries a sword the colour of blood, and a shield of pure light. Her symbol is the dove, or a drop of blood.
Halennia
Halennia is the goddess of fire, justice and truth. She is as omnipotent and omnipresent as the sun, peering down mercilessly on the world below. She gave the earliest peoples the gift of fire, to allow them to see truth even in the darkness of night. A great festival is held in her honour every year, with candles and lanterns lit in effigy. Her favour is sought in passing legal judgement, with several punishments revolving around fire and flame. She also governs the dead, with most Arrans being cremated to join her in the heavens.
Teutan
The god of Arran fertility and nature, Teutan is a mercurial god. He is the world itself, giving life to crops and game alike. His fickle nature shows in the random abundance people are met with, whether it be bountiful or failed crops, or elusive prey on hunts. He provides chaos and entropy to the world, disrupting order and allowing nature to take its course. He is somewhat feared by the populace, worshipped to appease his wrath. Depicted as either a white stag or a black goat, his domain is in the deepest parts of the woods. Here, even the bravest of hunters dare not tread for fear of disturbing the deity. His children are said to be half-beast and live in the woods, hedonistic and savage creatures who do Teutan’s bidding.
Premyslid
The Premyslid religion is a mix of its neighbours. Sharing a cultural history with Swidnicans, they hold many of the same beliefs and practices, especially in the more rural and isolated regions. Aside from this, Arran gods have made their way up from the south, their priests having support in the towns nearer the south. Koraldur especially has made his presence known, with several monasteries and chapter houses dotting the landscape. Aside from these, a new religion has taken root in the mountains, converting many to its monotheistic viewpoint.
Starya
Starya is the deity at the head of the new religion sweeping through Premyslid. A single god in a monotheistic faith, Starya is said to be an ancient titan fighting a spiritual battle against evil in the world. This evil, it’s claimed, is spreading from the Aetherbreach in the north, and only through Starya can it be defeated. The god appeared to its prophet Piotr, beseeching him to go forth and spread its message. Piotr gained a small cadre of followers, though he was executed for his beliefs before he could accomplish his goal. Since then, his followers have continued to spread their message, recruiting several prominent Premyslid nobles into their ranks. While the Prince of Premyslid remains unconverted, the tolerance he displays towards the faith belies a certain level of understanding and acceptance.
Routot
The Routot gods are the most widespread of all the human deities, the religion spreading from the sprawling Routot confederacy. Its worship is much more compartmentalized than other pantheons, with each deity having its own dedicated cult and worshippers. All are considered to be important, though worshippers will often pick a single deity as their chief patron. Some are considered ubiquitous, while others have a more controversial claim to divinity. Some Routot dedicate themselves fiercely to their chosen deity, confident in the superiority of their choice of any others. These followers aggressively hock their own religion, and tend to be dismissive or even violent towards other cults.
Vigge and Oringr
The Gods of the sea, Vigge and Oringr are dualistic deities. They are the gods of sailing and storms, and are worshipped along the coasts by sailors and fishermen. Vigge is worshipped as the winds, giving sailors his favour by blowing their sails and moving them safely from place to place. Oringr is the water, ferrying ships across his domain. Both are famously tempestuous, coveting the others sacrifices and gifts. They must be worshipped equally, with an offering to both usually made before a voyage. Vigge’s symbol is a bird, while Oringr’s is a shark.
Offig
Offig is the Routot god of commerce and trade. As much of the trade between the Routot happens along the country’s riverways, he has become connected with them as well. He is said to govern businesses, and is a generally followed by tradesmen and other artisans. His cult is common in cities, especially major trade ports like Caulois. His cult is the issuing authority for coins in the Routot confederacy, which has made them quite wealthy. His symbol is a pair of scales, or a small stack of coins.
Vir
The God of the Underworld, Vir is a giant snake, devouring the souls of the unworthy. Caves are seen as his domain, with those worshipping him tending to build temples and shrines out of stone. A product of the earth, Vir dictates that the dead must be buried for him to feast on. Untrustworthy, he is seen as a necessary evil by many of the other cults among the Routot. His symbol is a coiled snake.
Brach
A trickster god of sorts, Brach is a great shaggy wolf. Far more than most other trickster gods, who lure and play games on other gods in their folklore, Brach is simply cruel. He mirrors the wolves that give him his form, spreading misfortune and mayhem wherever he goes. Ruthless and perpetually hungry, Brach wanders the world looking for victims to play games with. He is known for his riddles, which he poses to travellers lost in the wild. If they answer correctly, he will guide them from the woods. If they answer wrong, he devours them. A wolf’s head is his symbol.
Chairon
A major figure in the Routot pantheon, Chairon could possibly be considered its chief deity. The god of war and politics, he is seen as dominating a huge portion of life in the confederacy, linked as those two are. He is wise and cunning, with stories about his wisdom and guile a major part of Routot folklore. He also possesses great anger, with a stubborn and obstinate way of dealing with those who oppose him. His followers are typically warriors, with a major portion of the nobility following him. His symbol is a boar, with pigs often sacrificed to him.
Zeme
Goddess of food and fertility, Zeme watches over her followers. Her worship is generally positive, invoked during childbirth or around harvest time when she can aid and protect her people. Despite her benevolence, her symbols are quite morbid. Cow skulls and scythes of sickles are commonly used in shrines to her, confusing her as a death goddess to foreigners. This, combined with her widespread worship, has some convinced that the Routot worship the afterlife with joy and mirth.
Firdach
The Gods of the Firdach are ancient and archaic. More superstition than a true religion, their customs cling to an ancient belief in the natural world. Their gods were once worshipped across the continent, though now they are the last remnants of this old faith. They believe, as the Swidnicans do, in the worthiness of spirits, believing them to be embodied throughout the world. Witches and hags live in exile among the swamps and high places of the Firdach, practicing their rituals and preserving their gods’ way of life. In the more urban centres, the gods of the Routot have begun to replace the older faith. Here, the ancient names are being relegated to a past that has no place for progress.
Wit and Asni
Wit and Asni are intertwined deities, a married pair who represent the duality of the natural world. Wit represents the wilds, giving life to beasts and storms. Asni nurtures people and crops, encouraging the taming of nature. Together, they create a balance, encouraging the harmony of people and their environment. They are perhaps the most ancient of the human gods, their worship going back to ancient days of sun and moon rituals. They are a harsh and unforgiving pair, fit for a land as inhospitable as the Firdach can be. Their symbol is a deer skull wrapped in vines and flowers.
The Morrigan
The Morrigan are a trio of sisters, whose worship is native to the bogs of the eastern continent. They are enigmatic goddesses, with no clear motive or domains. They are depicted as three witches, accompanied by crows, who appear from the deep parts of the swamp. In legends, any or all of them may appear to impart prophecies or otherwise influence events. They are both feared and respected among those who live in the Firdach, their powers over fate and death seen as absolute. Their symbol is three crow feathers and a crow skull.
Comati
The Comati are refugees from an ancient and advanced kingdom in the south. Over time, they have gradually shifted from their old traditions, creating a new culture in amongst the societies that host them. Their gods are no different, with many being forgotten as their domains are no longer relevant. There is a very real attitude that their gods failed them in the past, and so some are even forgotten purposely and out of spite.
Salome
Salome is the deity the Comati cling to from their ancient days. She is an heroic figure of folklore and myth, who helped the Comati people to survive during their flight. A princess of a hill tribe, she is said to have had a vision of a great invasion, and an exodus of ships fleeing the advancing horde. Leaving her home, she built a great bonfire on the beach, a signal for the vagrant Comati to come ashore during a storm. For the miracle, she was deified, considered the savior of the Comati peoples. Her worship is universal across them, as a living saint in artwork and folklore to this day. Celebrations are held in her honour, with bonfires being a major feature of them. She is worshipped as a protector, but also as a fertility goddess and a patron of mothers.
Korin
Originally a Comati goddess, Korin has been adopted into the Routot pantheon as well. A goddess of justice, knowledge and strength, she governs soldiers and laws. She is depicted as a youthful but stern warrior, eager to uphold a strong moral code. She was the bodyguard of kings in ancient days, and a cadre of her elite followers can be hired as mercearry bodyguards even today. While popular in among the Routot, her cult has a major foothold in the Midlands realm of Muerthe. Here, her crusaders brought her worship with them, making her the chief deity of their new state. The largest house of her worship is in Osse, which houses several relics attributed to her. Her symbol is the spear or owl.
Cosis
An ancient Comati god of death, Cosis’ cult has a very unique place among the world. His role was one of importance, with sanctioned ritual assassinations carried out in his name. His followers were among those who fled the fall of the Comati, and they carried with them all the trappings and rituals of his worship. Outside of their sheltered status, however, they were quickly driven underground and banned. Nonetheless, the cult survived, available throughout the centuries as assassins for hire. Their dedication to their work made them popular in the right circles, and their skills are always in demand. They have especially prospered in the tumultuous Midlands area, with many would-be princes falling to their blades. Cosis himself is depicted as a pale face shrouded in darkness. His symbol is a mouthless white face mask.
Miscellaneous
Some gods in Oderen do not belong to any particular nation or pantheon, instead existing on the fringes of society as outsiders. Some of these are the gods of other races, having found a particular resonance within some element of society in the human realms. Others are simply outsiders, their domains keeping them on the fringes of society.
Aeran
Halfling god of trickery and deceit, he has become quite a fixture in cities in Routot and the Midlands. Especially popular in ports, he has a following among sailors and other sorts of travellers. Depicted as a roguish cad, he is always quick with a scheme or some other plan. At his best, he represents luck and a quick wit, while at his worst he encourages thievery and lies. Among humans, he has small shrines in lower class gambling houses and taverns, embraced fully by those who live in the urban underbelly.
Segom
Segom is a deity worshipped across cultural borders. He is considered the antithesis of magic, resisting its effects and despising any who seek to harness its power. His cult is made up of witch hunters and other fanatics, hunting down magicians and putting them to death. They work outside the confines of the law, travelling the land in small packs to mete out their justice unto the world. They find solace among the peasantry, stoking fear of magic users wherever they go. Segom himself is somewhat of a nature spirit, his order being disrupted by the effects of magical energy. He is commonly depicted as a bearded, angry old man made of stone and moss. His symbol is a torch.
Religious Orders
Order of the Silver Hand
The militant arm of Koraldur’s cult, the Order of the Silver Hand is a highly capable knightly order. Made up largely of aristocrats from Arran and Premyslid, the group also attracts the attentions of particularly devout commoners. All of these are welcomed within the orders ranks, training paladins and knights to enforce and protect Koraldur’s dogma and shrines. The group is clustered in abbeys and other order houses scattered across the landscape, with a few notable strongholds in western Arran. The order was at the forefront of the crusades in the Midlands, and has kept a significant presence in the area to defend the area. Aside from being a dominant religious order, they also act as a powerful political faction, helping to exert influence over nobles wherever they operate.
Bright Hundreds
As the Order of the Silver Hand faces continual fighting with Orcs in the Midlands, some elements have become increasingly radicalized. These extremists see threats to Koraldur behind every foreign god, and seek to assert his dominance over all. Following his scripture with fervent enthusiasm, they target non-humans as unworthy of their god’s mercy or love. Orcs are especially the target of this animosity, though other groups are becoming increasingly targeted for violence. Leading endless attacks across the Bolgra, the Bright Hundreds hav earned the ire of many Orc bands. These groups have increased their raids, upsetting the region and threatening to spill over the river in even greater numbers. This intolerance and aggression has caused tensions with the Order of the Silver Hand, who seek to calm the region. The group has found purchase in the southeastern Midlands, taking control over numerous castles and fortified towns. Their emissaries and clerics travel the world, seeking particularly devout individuals to come join their new crusade. Their symbol is the mailed fist of Koraldur, surrounded in flame.
Sarana's Mercy
Sarana’s Mercy is an order of worshippers who devote themselves to Sarana, the Arran goddess of healing. They operate infirmaries and other shelters across the continent, with a presence in nearly every major human city or town. They are exceptionally popular, even among those who are not Sarana’s faithful, feeding and protecting the poor and destitute of all sorts. They claim all races among their ranks, and help any who require it regardless of their status or creed. The largest of their houses is in Arran near Dessen, a massive hospital attracting the sick from across the region. Their members also wander the roads and highways of the world, seeking out isolated villages to help tend the sick and infirm. They rely largely on the donations of wealthy patrons, or the kindness of those they have assisted.
The Spearhead
The spearhead are a group of highly trained followers of Korin, who acts as mercenaries to raise funds for the cult itself. They tend to be hired as bodyguards for the wealthy, or in roles of seniority to help advise on military actions. Princes in the Midlands are especially known for their services, using the Spearhead to ward off assassins or other would-be murder plots. The Spearhead fights with spear and shield, symbolically and ritualistically, though most are also adept with other weapons. They tend to fight as a cohesive unit when together, highly trained and disciplined as a group. Individually, they are still worthy opponents, and command immense respect across the continent. The group has its base in Osse in the Midlands, based out of the Temple of Korin there. The Spearhead also makes up the permanent bodyguard of the rulers of Muerthe, whose patronage that temple relies on to survive.
Sodalis Natal
The Sodalis Natal is an illegal group, banned across the human realms. Worshipping the Comati death god Cosis, they are a highly ritualized cult of assassins, relying on strict rules in selecting and executing their targets. Forced from their home in ancient Comati, the cult continued to ply their trade in the new world, finding new targets and people willing to pay. They found the humans of the north less forgiving for their religion, and were soon forced underground. Still, they survived and continued to work from the shadow. The relative disorder in the Midlands has especially allowed them to thrive, plunging the region into continual chaos. They operate out of several small shrines, their chapters organizing contracts and dispensing their assassins. Their association as a religious cult, along with a reputation for success and restraint, has granted them a quasi-tolerated role as part of the political scene in the Midlands. Their cult is strongest in the Middle Princes region, though they have members in every human city.
Hedge Witches
Hedge Witches are followers of the Morrigan, lonely crones who live deep in the marshes and hills of the Firdach. They are less of an organized cult, but do manage to keep rituals and customs of the religion intact. Among the villages of the Firdach, some children are born with strange mutations or other oddities. These children are considered marked by the goddesses and left in the wilds to be claimed by the sisters. Hedge Witches will often take these abandoned babes for their own apprentices and servants, raising them to respect the Witch Sisters. Hedge Witches are granted an immense amount of respect by the Firdacians. While this respect is largely kept by fear, the result is the same, allowing the Hedge Witches influence and control over the region.
Druidic Conclave
The Druidic Conclave is an ancient organization, based around nature and fertility worship. Their rites are older than any of the current human realms, calling back to days before castles and cities dotted the landscape. Their members tend to live quiet lives, cloistered away in forests and hills far from the urban sprawl. They travel the wilds and live off the land, avoiding humans in their hermitage. While many are isolationists, there are some who work as shamans, especially among the Firdacians. These clerics of nature administer old rites and superstition for isolated villages, appealing to Wit and Asni to bless their fields and hunts. The Conclave assembles periodically, timing the gatherings with the solstices and equinoxes. Here they celebrate festivals and rituals in dedication to their holy pair, discussing threats to their worship and planning ways to protect their beloved wilderness.
Thieves' Guilds
There is no one true Thieves Guild in the human lands, instead a series of small illegal outfits that, together, form a broad quilt of criminality across the continent. What unifies them together, however, is worship of Aeran. Originally a Halfling God, Aeran’s domains of luck and trickery have endeared him to the hearts of many other followers, each tending to practice an underhanded means of making a living. His priests are found in the gambling halls, brothels, and taverns of the world, each keeping the God alive with their prayers for luck and success in their schemes. Aeran has no formal cult or temples; just the idea that he embodies luck and can influence fortunes is enough to justify his worship. His symbols and superstitions make up the basis for thieves cant across the region, a dialect of code and doublespeak that crosses the usual language boundaries, providing his followers with a secret form of communication.
Witch Hunters
Segom’s followers are frequently led by Witch Hunters, proselytizing fanatics who lead their small group of followers across the land. Their crusade is to rid the world of magicians, cornering witches and hags in their huts to mete out their justice. They rely largely on the kindness and devotion of peasants, segueing their faith in other gods to serve their own means. Their vigilante nature has pushed them beyond the boundaries of the law, earning the ire of authorities across the continent. This makes some operate clandestinely, while others flaunt their faith and mission proudly. The order, what formal parts of it exist, are based out of a keep deep in Swidnica. This base is on the border of the Aetherbreach Wastes, allowing them to fight magic’s manifestations at their source.