Gods and Faiths of Ariath
Faiths and Gods of Ariath
The gods of Ariath maintain the world and support its life and people. While some of their purviews (such as Sorrow or Death) seem to have ominous connotations to outsiders, none of the gods are malevolent. They are allies, who work together to make Ariath a place in which life can continue to exist. Even gods who might seem opposed by nature (for instance, Life and Death) are at peace with one another, respect each other's work, and expect their followers to do the same.
It's common for Folk to revere more than one of the gods, even those in seeming opposition to one another. Many Folk even revere all six, and some are strong enough in their faith to gain powers from more than one. There are no restrictions on which god or gods any one person may revere, or be Faithful to.
On Symbols and Colors:
There is no unified rule of heraldry in Ariath, and these colors and symbols are not exclusive to the gods or their followers. For example, the phoenix heraldry of Kolobros is similar to Corona's colors, and no offense is meant or taken. However, it's rare to see someone prominently wearing both the colors and symbols of a deity who isn't either a Faithful, or at least showing open respect for them.
Faithful of more than one of the gods may wear a combination of the colors and symbols of both of their patrons. It's also common for people in service to a group or nation to wear a tunic or tabard of their group's heraldry, and a token to indicate faith in one or more of the gods, or vice versa.
On the Gender of Gods:
Ariath's gods are not mortal, and are not bound by mortal concerns, gender among them. However, Folk can more easily understand the gods if they can relate to them, so they frequently refer to them using pronouns of their own choice. The gods do not take offense at this, and when on rare occasion they appear to mortals, they are thought to appear as Folk and take on gender as though mortal.
The information here refers to each deity by the gender they are most commonly referred to.
Corona
God of the Sun
Purviews: The Sun, day, truth, courage
Symbol: Solar motifs
Colors: Yellow / Gold and Orange / Red
Elegy
God of Death
Purviews: Death, time, change, remembrance
Symbols: A book or scroll (symbolizing a list of the names of the dead.)
Colors: White with black trim or accents
(Note: Skulls, other morbid iconography, and all black imagery are taken as symbols of undeath or heresies, and are not well received by mainstream Faithful of Death.)
Gala
Goddess of Joy
Purviews: Joy, kindness, companionship
Symbols: Stylized hearts
Colors: Bright blue or green
Lacrimosa
God of Sorrow
Purviews: Sorrow, justice, regret
Symbol: A teardrop
Colors: Violet and grey
Umbra
Goddess of the Moon
Purviews: The moon, night, dreams, secrets
Symbols: Lunar motifs
Colors: Deep blue, black, and silver
Vivia
Goddess of Life
Purviews: Life, health, nature
Symbols: A leaf, or a stylized beast's eye
Colors: Red and brown