Religions of the "Known World"

On Aestas, deities are active only through their worshipers and clergy, who receive mystical abilities and benefits through proper worship. They do not otherwise intervene in the affairs of mortals, though most people believe that in the past the deities were much more directly involved in the world. There are two main traditions among the humans of the "Known World"... the Keller Pantheon, and the Pershamon Tradition.  Each is explained below, with major deities and their respective domains. In addition, there are several minor religious paths followed by humans and other races worth noting. These are detailed after the major traditions.

The Keller Pantheon: The Keller Lands share one common religious tradition, a nameless polytheistic faith based on the worship of numerous gods. Unfortunately, a political/religious schism has divided the Keller Lands between three separate traditions, all addressing the exact same gods. The Keller creation myth holds that Sky and Earth formed out of primal chaos, and from their union created several lineages of gods. These lineages warred amongst themselves, until the current pantheon was finally victorious, casting the defeated deities into outer darkness, where they plot and scheme to return to power. There are very few Keller religious fanatics outside of the clergy and monastic traditions; the general pattern is that each deity has a particular area of influence or concern, and when a worshiper has need of blessings, they propitiate that deity. The practice of "patron deities", devotion to a single deity, is not the norm, but neither is it uncommon. For example, farmers might devote themselves to a harvest or fertility deity, while warriors might devote themselves to the god of war. This is only done by the truly devoted, however, and most Keller freely pray to whatever deity is most relevant. Keller conceptions of the afterlife are similarly syncretic. After death, they believe that souls are judged by the gods. Most souls simply return to this world, reborn to another life. Certain worthies are elevated to divine status and live among the gods, while others who are renowned for their evil are cast into darkness for eternal torment. This varies from place to place, but the general pattern is easily visible.

• • Aurintuli: "King of the Gods", Aurintuli is the son of Taivas and Maa. He is the ruler of the Keller pantheon, and the god of the sun, fire, and and truth. He is a patron specifically of oaths and righteous warfare, and is regarded as proud, stern, and somewhat unforgiving.  The arch in the sky is regarded as his band which holds the world together. Domains: Fire, Sun, War, Artificers, General

  • Komusta: "Queen of the Gods", goddess of the moon and the night sky, patron of wizards and diviners. She is represented by the larger moon Atoros, and is regarded as the keeper of secrets and hidden lore. Domains: Night, General

  • The Tahti: The "Handmaidens of the Night" are the messengers and couriers of the gods. They are represented by the stars in the night sky and the frequent meteors and comets that can be seen. There are many of them, each governing some very specific aspect of communication, secrets, and messages. Most worshippers regard them as a sort of angel that only manifest themselves at night. Domains: Messengers and Rogues, General

• Taivas: "Grandfather Sky", is the father of the current pantheon. The union between he and Maa created the current world, after which both of them retired from active participation in the world. It is believed that he will awaken at the end of the world once more, to destroy it and make way for a new one. As such, he is believed to be a remote and somewhat fearful figure. Domains: Storm, Night, War, General

  • Maa: "Grandmother Earth", is the mother of all creation. While she sleeps like her mate, she is believed to be the source of life and is hence venerated as the fertility principle. At the end of the current world, after Taivas destroys this world, she will birth the new one. She represents the cycle of life and death, and is considered pitiless to the fate of individual humans. Domains: Earth, Agriculture, Death, Druidic

  • Kuolema: "Death", Kuolema is the judge of the dead, ruler of the world beyond life, and twin brother of Aurintuli. He is feared as the god of the dead, but strangely thought to be more forgiving than Aurintuli. He forgives minor transgressions, allowing normal people to pass on to their just rewards, while weeding out the truly evil for exile into the outer darkness. Domains: Death, General

  • Vannemid: Komusta's tempestuous younger brother is an important deity for the highly nautical Keller people. He is the god of storms and the sea, and is the patron of travelers, seafarers, and anyone else who's livelihood depends on the sea. Domains: Sea, Storms, Agriculture (Sea/Coastal), General

  • Rokheas:  Symbolized by the red moon Quarten, Rokheas is the pitiless son of Aurintuli and Komusta. He is the Keller god of war, strength, and bravery. While pitiless and unconcerned with the fate of individual humans, he is not the god of mad butchery and slaughter that some war gods are. Rokheas takes after his father somewhat, loving valor and might and cunning, while opposing the murder of noncombatants as unworthy of a true warrior. Domains: War, Storms, General

  • Elain: The goddess of animals and the hunt, and daughter of Aurintuli and Komusta, Elain governs the wilderness and all wild places. She is a fierce, proud deity, generally portrayed as a beautiful young woman with a lion's mane and a deer's antlers. She disdains her sister Korjata. Domains: Druidic, Hunt

  • Korjata: Another daughter of Aurintuli and Komusta, she is the goddess of the harvest, farming, good health, and fertility. In some aspects, she is also the goddess of the hearth and home, and as such is one of the most popular Keller deities. She is disliked by her sister Elain for her empathy towards humanity. Domains: Healing, Agriculture, Love and Fertility, General

  • Kultaraha: The only child of Kuolema and Korjata (somewhat like the Persephone myth), Kultaraha is the god of wealth, commerce, and buried things. He is greedy and not inclined towards acts of mercy, but rewards those clever enough or lucky enough to seize opportunity. Kultaraha is a god of fair but ruthless commerce, and dislikes dishonest merchants; his name is invoked to seal mercantile transactions. Customarily, Keller merchants donate 1% of their earnings to the priests of Kultahara at the end of the year. After enriching themselves, they then pass it on to the priests of Korjata, who use it for charity. This is a symbolic way for Kuolema to make amends for the mythic rape of Korjata, and generally seems to work out well for everyone. Domains: Earth, Cities, General

  • Mayravanha: A collective name for the various evil beings cast into the "Outer Darkness" by Taivas and Maa when the world was created. Regarded as demons and dark gods, these beings hate humanity and all of the existing gods, and seek to destroy humanity. Both Keller and Pershamon scholars have noted the similarity between the Keller "Mayravanha" and the Pershamon "Madravainu", both linguistically and conceptually. Both camps hold that while the other culture has completely wrong (and vaguely blasphemous) ideas about the nature of the gods and theology, they at least have this part correct. This category includes the infamous Vorokhoi Cult, probably the best known example of recent centuries.  Domains: General, Death, Night, and otherwise see "DF9: Summoners" for Necromancers and Demonologists

The Pershamon Traditions: Pershamon civilization is organized around the principles of the dominant religion, called "Deyamadra" (Great Order) in High Persha. Deyamadra is similar to Hinduism in many ways, sharing concepts of numerous deities, karma, dharma, and reincarnation. Unlike many belief systems, the Pershamon believe that the universal order transcends the Gods, predating and ruling even them. According to Deyamadra, all beings are born into a station in life. It is their job to carry out their destined role as best they can. If they do so, they will advance in their next life. Failure to do so results in demotion to a lower status. All beings, from lowest insect to the Gods, are part of this structure. It is the job of the faithful to find their place in this cosmic order and fit within. Unlike some pantheons, the natural cycles of creation and destruction are seen as impersonal forces rather than deified. Even the gods are subject to them to some degree, despite their eternal nature. Several of the greatest deities tend to either be genderless or possessed of both genders. Because the cosmic order is not uniformly divided up into the traditional male-war/female-hearth divisions, Pershamon society tends towards gender equality. Nevertheless, certain archetypes remain universal. In addition to the deities below (which are only illustrative, not inclusive), there are countless lesser deities concerned with very specific aspects of existence. 

• • Rusham Deyamadra: Known as "Giver of the Great Order", this deity is the first of the gods, and is the patron deity of magic and hidden truths. Rusham Deyamadra was the deity that gave the Deyamadra to humanity and ordered the gods and the world to it's principles. It is the head of the Pershamon pantheon, invoked by both priests and rulers to enhance the natural order. Domains: General, Cities, Artificers, Agriculture

  • Koor Dashtana: The "Judges of the Dead" are servants of Rusham Deyamadra, who determine one's role in the next life, and guardians of oaths and promises. They are visualized as winged beings with heads of flame and various distinct crowns. The Koor Dashtana are feared for their harshness and role in gathering and judging the dead. Domains: Death, General

  • Senshedra: This dual gendered god is one of the most popular among the Pershamon, being the god of war. It's male aspect, Senshedra Malash, is the god of offensive warfare (symbolized by a spear) and battlefield tactics, while the female aspect, Senshedra Halai, is the goddess of defensive warfare (symbolized by a shield) and the science of strategy. In both forms, Senshedra is venerated by warriors, and is believed to have given the first horses to the early Persha nomads. Domains: War, General

  • Puspamadura: This impersonal deity rules fire, heat, and purity. Puspamadura is invoked during rituals to cleanse an area with fire, which the Pershamon believe to be a purifying force, both symbolically and otherwise. Domains: Fire, Healing, General

  • Deyatendra: Goddess of the sky, both day and night, Deyatendra rules air, birds, and weather. There is a complex mythology concerning the various objects in the sky, including the sun, both moons, and the Great Ring, describing them variously as consorts, children, or both. The specifics depend of the version of myth being related. In general, relations with Puspamadura produced the sun, while relations with Keranandra produced the moons. Domains: Sun, Night, General

  • Keranandra: The deity of the Earth is regarded as dual gendered; fertility aspects are female, rules by Keranandra Hanhaya, while the harder aspects, involving earth, mining, mountains, and metallurgy are rule by her consort/aspect Keranandra Meyat. Domains: Agriculture, Earth, General

  • Vayjatla: "Beautiful One", this former fertility goddess has become the patron deity of art, music, beauty, and romantic love. As such, she is one of the most popular deities among the Pershamon. Domains: Love and Fertility, Messengers and Rogues, Cities, General

  • Chotrakam: The deity of the sea and water is considered to be genderless. Because the Pershamon are a land-dwelling people, their concepts of the sea is relatively undeveloped. Chotrakam is believed to be a creative/fertility force of sorts, and is invoked for success in sea voyages. Specific aspects of the sea are ruled by lesser deities which are more thoroughly developed. Domains: Sea, General

  • Chitrabhaj: "The Beast Kings", the rulers of the natural world, leaders of the "thousand animal nations". Each type of animal is believed to have one perfect example which rules it. Any hunting or agriculture involving animals usually requires a ritual to give thanks, ask for a blessing, or ask forgiveness. Domains: Agriculture, Hunt, Druidism, Storms

  • Madravainu: "Enemy of the Law, Bringer of Sickness and Chaos", this deity is a rebellious being that was cast out of the world when Rusham Deyamadra brought the Deyamadra to the world. Madravainu hates existence and seeks to undermine it through corruption, hatred, sickness, and discord. It is the patron of murderers, thieves, and liars, and is served by a multitude of lesser beings, generally referred to as Vainushelem (demons). Madravainu is occasionally invoked by rebels and those with dark schemes, but has no openly existing priesthood. Rumors of dark cults abound. Domains: General, Death, Night, and otherwise see "DF9: Summoners" for Necromancers and Demonologists

Minor Religious Traditions of the Known World

Aestas Druidism: As in many places, the oldest known religious tradition is nature worship, often called Druidism.  Worshippers venerate the forces of the natural world, often personified by the Keller deity Maa, "Grandmother Earth". In the Druidic tradition, all other deities are merely shadows, projections of the great creative and destructive forces of Nature. Aestan Druids have been suppressed by local authorities in most civilized parts of the Keller Lands, and the tradition has largely faded or been absorbed into the Pershamon religious complex. Nevertheless, Druidic cults still exist in moderate numbers and still wield considerable power in the wild places of the world. Many small villages hew to Druidic traditions, and many nonhuman races have shamanic priests who can be classified as Druids, based on their beliefs and capabilities. Druidic cults are especially popular among the isolated homesteads and hermits who dwell in the vast wilderness between settled lands. Domains: Druidism