Racial Outlooks toward Religion

Racial Gods

Aasimar: are Outsider (Natives) descended from the good aligned Outer Planes. While they are descended from good creatures they are just as likely to worship any god as anyone else.

Androids: are a new race to Golarion and are just as likely to worship a god as anyone else, there are no known religions for androids, however there is a belief that there is a central hidden factory that creates new andriods.

Aquatic Elves (from Inner Sea Races)

Most aquatic elves live in the Arcadian Ocean, especially along the costal shelf of the west coast of Avistan, where they nurture opulent coral estates and guard against the depredations of aboleths and sahuagin. A few aquatic elven settlements have formed in the Inner Sea, itself, including a sprawling territory in the Swells of Gozreh, a god of nature, north of Osirion.

Caligni: are native to the underdark. There are many evil creatures at work in the underdark, however the dark folk are not necessarily evil. The birth of a caligni is a momentous sign, celebrated by many dark folk. Dark folk are by nature Chaotic Neutral so they have few religious bonds.

Catfolk (from Inner Sea Races)

Myths claim they were once cats that prowled the corners of the world when Golarion was still warm from creation, running down pests that gnawed at the edges of reality. But over time, as the great cats hunted the weakest of those foul unravelers, the verminous creatures that went uncaught grew too powerful. The spirits of creation, which had shaped Golarion and didn’t wish to see their work undone, poured shards of themselves into these great hunters, giving them hands and families and language to better guard the world. And so catfolk continued to wander, patrolling and attempted to heal the ragged edges of creation, forever seeking to complete the godly portions of their souls. They call themselves the Amurrun, but prefer to keep this racial name secret from strangers. They accept the term “catfolk” with grace and a hint of amusement.

Catfolk faiths varies widely. Most follow some form of animism, respecting the wild places and saying prayers for the beasts they slay, though the respect of catfolk includes less reverence than most humans direct toward their gods, and a certain amount of affectionate teasing. Catfolk usually honor some gods as powerful spirits standing atop a pantheon of thousands of small gods. They have adopted other humanoid deities into their faith, particularly those Osirian deities with catlike features or qualities. Shelyn—whom they depict as a catheaded woman-stands chief among those most catfolk worship, but they also honor Cayden Cailean, Erastil, and Desna, while more aggressive tribes call on Calistria in times of need.

Changelings (from Inner Sea Races)

Changelings are all born female since eventually, with some helpful intervention, they will turn into Hags. Most changelings have human fathers, and so closely resemble their fathers that a changeling can grow up alongside human siblings with few suspecting the changeling has a different mother. Changelings of elven, dwarven, and even goblin blood blend in just as well as they young women become unusually tall and graceful, their fingernails harden into claws , and pick out distinct forms in shadows. Even then, a changeling is nearly indistinguishable from members of her father’s race, and she can live, marry, and raise children among them if she wishes. Yet changelings are infused with twisted inhuman magic. Though many learn to control this power and become potent witches or sorcerer, it allows their mothers to subject them to brutal transformative rituals. The hags torture the changelings’ spirits and scourge their flesh until hatred and sorrow kindle those magical embers into a blinding flame. The process transforms a changeling into a new hag as she sheds her old skin, life, and personality to become a creature of primeval cruelty.

Deep Ones: are created from humans by dark forces that work for the Elder Gods like Cthulhu. Most of their members worship the Elder Gods.

Dhampir (from Inner Sea Races)

Would tend to worship the gods from the region in which they originated or are based. Jiang-Shi-Born are descended from vampires native to Tian Xia. Moroi-Born and Nosferatu can be native to the Inner Sea Region. Noseferatu tend to have a deep hatred for humanity so they may hate their dhampir offspring. Vetala-Born dhampir often result from the result of magical experiments than mating.

Drow (from Inner Sea Races)

During the Abandonment, right before Skyfall, most of the elves left Golarion. Some of the desperate elves sought aid from the Demon Lord Andirifkhu, demon lord of knives, illusions and traps. Haagenti, demon lord of alchemy and change introduced these elves to the secrets of fleshwarping. However, each great house has its own patronage with a different demon lord.

The Great Houses and the demon lords associated with them are: Abraxas (House Azrinae), Andirifkhu (House Dolour), Areshkagal (House Vonnarc), Cyth-V’sug (House Udrinor), Flauros (House Caldrana), Haagenti (House Parastrick), (Jubilex (House Tracinoa), Nocticula (House Mistraria), Mazmezz (House Moivas), Shax (House Vexidyre), Socothbenoth (House Sardavic) and Zura (House Rasivrein)

Duergar: Are the slavers of the Underdark and look upon all races as either those who are owned, or those who are not owned yet. This would factor into the religions that they would honor. Most members of this race tend to worship devil or demon cults. They absolutely hate dwarves and very few would honor dwarven gods.

Dwarven Gods (from Faiths of Purity)

All dwarves honor the entire dwarven pantheon, a temple and clergy devoted to a single dwarven god other than Torag, himself strikes all right-thinking dwarves as a slap in the face of the true faith.

Torag: the primary deity of the dwarven pantheon.

Angradd; the Forge-Fire, Torag’s younger brother and the god of aggressive warfare.

Bolka: the Golden Gift: the goddess of married love and the daughter of Torag and Folgrit.

Dranngvit: The Debt Minder: the goddess of misery, Torag’s half-sister, a goddess of misery and bitterness who the dwarves propitiate for forgiveness of their wrongs to one another.

Droskar: The Dark Smith: the primary god of the duergar, whose teachings are a mockery of Torag’s exhortations.

Folgrit: The Faithful Watcher, Torag’s wife and the goddess of motherhood and family.

Grundinaar: The Peacemaker, the god of diplomacy and friendship.

Kols: The Oathkeeper: who enforces oaths and obligations.

Magrim: The Taskmaster: overseer of the dwarven afterlife and Torag’s older brother, the god who taught the dwarves how to commune with the gods.

Trudd: The Mighty; the youngest son of Torag, and the strongest of all, who stands watch over his father’s hall.

Elven Gods (from Faiths of Purity)

You can be of any class and worship the elven gods, but are more likely than not to be an elf. The elven gods have few markers and emblems beyond their holy symbols—as with many things in elven culture, each individual approaches the gods in her own way.

Alsetra; the Welcomer

Findeladlara: The Guiding Hand, goddess of traditional art and architecture, whose soul focus is on the elves, and their needs, and who believes that the best of the world springs form the elves. She does not respond to nonelves, nor does she grant them any powers.

Ketephys: The Hunter: a quiet and intense god who favors those seeking to destroy the powerful and the strange, and who watches over those who draw their strength from within.

Yuelral: The Wise: a goddess of the woods and their arcane strength, who disdains unnatural or overworked materials and imbues with holiness the places of nature, and who is the most accepting of half-elves of any in her pantheon.

Fetchling: are native to the Plane of Shadow and advanced members of this race can even travel between the Prime Material and the Plane of Shadow. The Plane of Shadow is rumored to have connections to the Negative Material Plane and Undead. This means that most folk believe they worship Undead gods, this is not necessarily true though. Fetchling are as likely to worship any gods as much as anyone else.

Ganzi: are mutations caused by exposure to the chaotic planes. This means they tend to favor chaotic gods and causes.

Gathlains (from Inner Sea Races)

Created from the seeds of an enormous magical tree in the First World, the enigmatic fey known as gathlains are only encountered on the Material Plane, much less the Inner Sea region. Driven by curiosity and a need for entertainment, gathlains who do travel to Golarion seldom stay for long—when they do, it is often in the company of gnomes. That most gnomes find gathlains too undisciplined, foolish, and unpredictable speaks volumes of the fey race’s notoriety. As fey they are likely to worship Gozreh, other gods of the Fey or elven gods.

Geniekind (from Inner Sea Races)

Some are drawn to the elemental lords, especially the element of their nature. Ifrits revere Ymeri, Queen of the Inferno; Oreads revere Ayrzul, the Fossilized King, slyphs revere Hshurha, Duchess of All Winds; and undines revere Kelizandri, the Brackish Emperor. Sulis sometime find solace in one or the other lords, changing between a lord as their mood changes, at least until the lord’s evil natures become clear to them. A small subset of geniekin believe that the Eldest of the First World are the true powers behind the existence. These geniekin scoff at the notion that the Eldest are powerless on the Material Plane, instead believing the mercurial beings merely bid their time until entropy claims everything except for the First World, the fey, and their chosen geniekin worshipers. Among these geniekin, ifrits tend to worship Shyka the Many, who they believe truly understands the destruction and rebirth that fire heralds. Oreads tend to venerate Imbrex the Twins, who they believe created the concept of earth itself. Sylphs tend to revere Ng the Hooded, who truly understands the roaming nature of their souls. Undines admire Ragadahn the Water Lord, although only the most degenerate can stomach his wicked ways. Sulis typically gravitate toward the Lantern King, whose laughter warms their conflicted hearts and whose tricks appeal to their fickle nature.

Gnoll: are masters of the hunt in the plains. They favor gods who would like this. Many gnolls are demon worshippers.

Gnome Gods (from Faiths of Purity)

The gnomes brought no gods to Golarion when they fled the First World, however they have discovered that the gods are fascinating, and can aid you on your journey. Many gnomes have adopted human gods.

Brigh: is popular in areas where technology is respected and is popular with inquisitive gnomes.

Sivanah: often finds favor with gnome illusionists.

Nivi Rhombodazzle: The Gray Polychrome, is the only true gnome god, she was once an ordinary gnome who got lost in the Darklands, and who managed to stave off the Bleaching though her love of the underground realm. She became a godling when she traded a special gem to Torag, and so accumulated her own band of worshipers—primarily svirfneblin, who see her as the mother of their race. Most of her worshipers are svirfneblin, but others do follow her. You can recognize them by the six-sided dice they wear on their collars or in jewelry. Some sects have invented new and intricate ways to shake hands, while others prefer bows or salutes.

The Cult of the Shining diamond ensures their holy symbols are crafted from tiny diamonds, while the Blue Twilight craft their entire brooch from a sapphire. The leaders of the church can come from any class.

Goblins: are typically chaotic and are drawn toward demon cults. There are some goblin heroes gods and even a large group of goblins that worship Lamashtu. Others follow the same gods as the Orcs, Half-Orcs, and Hobgoblins.

Gripplie (from Inner Sea Races)

Ancient accounts tell of a race of long dead reptilian tyrants, suggesting that the gripplie were imported to Golarion from another world. Yet if the gripplie were native to another realm, they show no signs of it now; they thrive wherever there are warm jungles and swamps. In the Inner Sea region, the greatest accumulation of gripplie appears in the Mwangi Expanse, a great jungle. Since the rise of the aggressive charau-ka (ape-like servants of a huge demon ape demigod, the Gorilla King), most gripplie have migrated west, where the nearly constant rainfall of the Sodden Lands and the humidity of the Kaava Lands are especially welcome. As Avistani explorers press deeper into the jungle, an increasing number of gripplie youths have begun traveling to the coast and embarking on adventures. Gripplie are more likely to believe in Ju Ju or the gods of the Mwangi Expanse.

Half-Elves: are just as likely to worship any god as anyone else. Since they are usually raised in either and elven group or a human group they are likely to worship the gods of their parents.

Half-Orcs: tend to like Gorum, many believe that Gorum is an orc, but no one knows for sure.

Halfling Gods (from Faiths of Purity)

Like the gnomes, halflings have largely adopted the good gods of the humans, but their icons of these gods show them as small folk, made more relatable to their people.

Chaldira Zuzaristan: is the primary Halfling god, the Clamitous Turn, Desna’s headlong, headstrong companion, she represents halfling luck, bravado and the importance of making good friends. In general, she is a goddess who appeals to all halflings of good nature, and may worship her in conjunction with Desna. Her worshipers can be of any class, but your goals are you own, requiring no input from her clergy. She demands nothing of her followers except that they live well and wisely, for her existence is meant to be an advisory tale, not that of a role model. You can recognize fellow worshipers by her symbol—a short sword with 3 notches in the blade. Some wear this symbol as jewelry or as a patch over their hearts, while others wield it in battle. If you see it on another, it’s not uncommon to half-pull your weapon as a salute, as if you were imitating your goddess’s impulsive nature. Often portrayed as companion of Desna.

Thamir Gixx: the Silent Blade: friend or slave of Norgorber—but good-hearted gnomes don’t like talking about him. Often portrayed as a companion of Norgorber.

Hobgoblins: Tend to follow the same gods as their goblin brethren; like Gorum.

Humans: Worship a wide range of gods depending on their area they come from and the gods that rule in those areas. They are the most diverse population, as well as the largest, and worship the widest range of divine beings.

Ifrits: check the gods discussed under Geniekind.

Kasathas (from Inner Sea Races)

Kasathas come from the fourth planet orbiting Golarion’s star and live in a desert climate so we are not sure of what gods they worship.

Kitsune (from Inner Sea Races)

Are from the Dragon Empires, the home of the Tian, so it is probably that they will worship their gods. Of course those raised in the Inner Sea may have their own ideas of who to worship.

Koblolds: worship a wide range of gods. Since they are of dragon blood, many of them worship dragons and the dragon gods. While dragons are reluctant to admit that they share an ancestry with Koblolds they seem to be willing to accept their worship, when it suits them.

Kuru: are native to the Mwangi Expanse and follow the gods of that region from Ju Ju to the giant demon ape who claims to be a god in that region. Many are attracted to demon cults.

Lashunta (from Inner Sea Races)

Lashunta come from the second planet orbiting Golarion’s star and are closely related to the elves so it is most likely they will worship gods of the Elves.

Lizardfolk: tend to follow nature gods like Gozreh, some are attracted to Gorum, some to Rovagug, the rest are as likely to worship a specific god as any other.

Merfolk (from Inner Sea Races)

Adapted almost exclusively for a life underwater a few can walk. Most follow the patterns of the Aquatic Elves worshiping either elven gods or Gozreh.

Monkey Goblins: are native to the Mwangi Expanse and tend to follow the religions of that area from Ju Ju to following the giant demon ape, to following the usually gods of goblin kind.

Nagai (from Inner Sea Races)

Nagai come from the Dragon Empire, the homeland of the Tian, so it is likely they will worship the same gods as those favored in the Dragon Empire, of course those raised in the Inner Sea may have different ideas.

Orcs: most tend to worship Gorum. Many are attracted to demon or devil cults, some follow Rovagug or Lamashtu.

Orang-pendak: tend to follow Gozreh and other nature cults.

Oread: see Geniekind for the gods they typically follow.

Ratfolk: like communal religions, since to them community is very strong. While they may worship any god then tend to favor the neutral gods.

Reptoids: tend not to discuss their religious choices. They are very secretive, which sounds like they would tend to favor Calistria or Norgorber.

Samsarans (from Inner Sea Races)

Typically, when a soul reincarnates as samasran, she does so into a new body that initially appears to be that of a child or young adult; thereafter, the body ages normally. When samasrans perish far from their homelands, they are often reborn alone in the wilderness or amid a non-samsaran society—a frightening and disorienting experience, to say the least (samsarans are native to the Tian continent). A newly reincarnated samsaran often recalls fragments of her multiples past lives in the form of half-remembered dreams, and among these fragments are inevitable memories of life among other samsarans. Samsarans from the Tian society would tend to worship Tian gods, while samsarans in the Inner Sea would tend to worship gods native to that region.

Shabti: As immortal plane explorers Shabti are exposed to a wide range of deities and religions and so their worship may vary.

Skinwalkers (from Inner Sea Races)

Skinwalkers are most common in the areas of lycanthropes, like in the Shudderwood, Andoran, Cheliax, in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and the Ironbound Archipelago. Although they can be found all over the Inner Sea region. They are simultaneously figures of legend and facts of life, with an equally mixed reputation. Those who take on the aspects of their clan’s totem animals or act as protectors are honored, while those like the cannibals of Kalva use their fearsome abilities to prey on other tribes. No particular gods look to the Skinwalkers and it is unknown what particular gods various skinwalkers may look to.

Strix (from Inner Sea Races)

Strix are native to the Devil’s Perch in Chelax and are violently xenophobic, especially about humans. All of the strix of Avistan (the continent with Chelax on it) know of their distant homeland is what’s suggested by faded cave paintings at their oldest settlements, art depicting thousands of strix circling towering aviary—cities and bowing before masked lords. The Strix refer to these mysterious figures as syrinxes, as word that means something between “speaker” and “master” (see page 251, as well as page 51 of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Bestiary for more details). Strix society is led by roka, and elder female strix who functions as a spiritual social and military leader. Strix would not worship Chelaxian gods; devils, but they could be prone to worship anyone else.

Suli: see the gods worshiped by Geniekind.

Sylph: Are used to nature gods and many are attracted to the faith of Gozreh, the Green Faith and other faiths that reflect the natural world.

Tengus (from Inner Sea Races)

Tengus are native to the Tian homeland, the Dragon Empires. As such they will most likely worship their gods. Of course those living in the Inner Sea Region may have different ideas. Especially, those residing in the Sodden Lands. Kwanlai on the eastern shores of Tian Xia is the new homeland for the tengu nation. At the moment their power lies on paper, they need to unite and set aside their internal power struggles or there land will be overrun by their enemies.

Tiefling: While they may have bloodlines that trace to Daemons, Demons, and Devils, they are often by nature rebels and many are not attracted to the religions of their fiending forefathers or foremothers.

Triaxians (from Inner Sea Races)

Are from a planet known as “The Wander”—which has an extremely eccentric orbit, meaning that its distance from the sun changes drastically over the course of a single planetary year. Currently their world is in a summer state. They may worship any gods on Golarion.

Trox (from Inner Sea Races)

Native to Liavara’s hive moon Nchak, the trox were originally a docile race of insectlike burrowers. Long ago, an incarnation of Nchak’s ruling Forever Queen declared an era of interplanetary expansion, and selected a contingent of trox for the task. The nation’s spellcasters immediately set to work altering the chosesn individuals, magically enhancing their natural shells into vast armor plates and expanding their mandibles into bone scythes. By the time the casters were done, the original eight-legged trox were strange arthropodal humanoids, their two central sets of arms allowed to atrophy in order to provide more mass to their heavily muscled legs, primary arms, and fleshy tail. The explorers were divided up and ensconced in the center of magically shielded shepherd moons in Liavara’s rings, which were then shoved violently out of obrit on trajectories for other worlds.

One of these asteroid ships eventually found its way to Golarion, plunging through the crust and down into the Darklands, where the trox dutifully emerged and began cataloging the strange new world. Unfortunately, their ship came down near a vast duergar city, and they evil dwarves quickly overpowered and enslaved the unsuspecting trox. Bred for strength and brutality the mistreated trox degenerated over just a few generations into hulking workers and warriors bound to the duergar by fear and pain, memories of their extraterrestrial home fading. While isolated groups have escaped captivity over the years, seeding small pockets of free trox throughout the Darklands and across Golarion’s surface, these individuals tend to be reclusive and mistrustful of outsiders. The trox are prone to worship any gods found on Golarion.

Undine: As creatures of the water realms they tend to favor the same gods as the aquatic elves and those of the water elemental planes.

Vanaras (from Inner Sea Races)

Ever curious, scores of vanara explorers and fortune-seekers have taken the Obari Crossing from their homeland of Vudra to Katapesh. Even so this simian race proves relatively rare in the Inner Sea region, with a few tiny settlements and neighborhoods scattered across northern Garund and Jalmeray. One of the greatest impediments to varana’s success in the region is their vague but unfortunate resemblance to charau-ka, the notoriously violent ape-people of the Mwangi Expanse. Varnas fight this case of mistaken identity as best they can. The gods these people follow are most likely native to Katapesh, Vudra, or the Impossible Kingdoms, although many of them support the gods more strongly supported in the Inner Sea region.

Vishkanyas (from Inner Sea Races)

Thanks to their largely human appearance, vishakanyas have gradually moved throughout Avistan and Garund with few being any wiser. Knowledge of vishkanyas remains uncommon, so even if someone spots their faint scales or pupil-less eyes, most people assume they’re tieflings, dragon-blooded sorcerers, or other such individuals.

Wayang: Trace their ancestry to the plane of shadows. Many are deeply spiritual and follow a philosophy known as The Dissolution; which teaches that in passing they may again merge into the shadow. They readily express their beliefs through ritual scarification and skin bleaching, marking their bodies with raised white dots in ornate spirals and geometric patterns. Shy and elusive, they live in small, interdependent tribes. Wayangs rarely associate with outsiders.

Waynags (from Inner Sea Races)

The diminutive wayangs are originally natives of the mysterious Plane of Shadow who slipped through the boundaries between Golarion and their home during the Age of Darkness. When the sun returned these people found themselves trapped in a fiercely inhospitable land. They are a close knit people who tend to view wild predators and civilized humanoids alike as coconspirators arrayed against them to exploit, torment, and kill their kind. They gather in small tribes recognizing an entire tribe as family rather than focusing specifically on blood-relations and relying upon friends and neighbors for support as needed. They prefer the shadows of dusk or the glories of deep midnight to the searing light of the day, and while as a people they are no more predisposed toward evil than they are toward good, their preference for all things nocturnal has only enhanced other races’ beliefs that the wayangs are at their core a sinister people not to be trusted. Of course player characters make up their own mind and worship whoever they want; good or evil.

Wyrwoods (from Inner Sea Races)

Built long ago by the Azlanti. Having long since won their freedom from their creators, they replicated in secret using formulas that the race guards carefully, and practices only a few variation on. Because of their physiology, these living constructs can seem emotionally distant and alien to humanoids, and their drive to preserve their race’s autonomy and existence leads many to xenophobia.

Only a handful of wyrwoods have made it to the Inner Sea, as most prefer the relative isolation granted by Arcadia, the continent they consider their homeland. On other continents, wyrwoods receive unwelcome scrutiny especially in the centers of learning that would otherwise appeal to them; ambassadors to Absalom’s Clockwork Cathedral departed soon after arriving, and a pair of wyrwoods narrowly escaped Nex several decades ago after an Arclord’s agents tried to have them vivisected. A day may come when even a cosmopolitan city such as Absalom won’t bat an eye at a free-willed race of constructs, but at least for the foreseeable future, wyrwoods are extremely rare in the region. It is theorized that the gods they will worship are most likely those gods of the Azlanti. Exceptions probably do exist, so no one can be sure who a specific wyrwood will look too as a deity.

There are many faiths in the World of Golarion most people worship the entire Pantheon of deities found in the Gods of the Inner Sea, they focus on one deity for one aspect of their life; for example, a merchant wishing to keep her vault secure might say a prayer to Abadar for him to provide protection for her shop. She might also pray to Norgorber so that the thieves of town might overlook her shop. She may be paying the temple of Asmodeus to send a guard by her shop during the night. She might have contracted with a priestess of Calistria to put a curse or a symbol spell on the lock to her vault to prevent thieves from accessing it safely. She may also be paying the local thieves guild protection money so that they overlook her shop. She may do all these or just some of these.

In other regions like Tian Xia and the Mwangi Expanse other gods may be worshiped, just like the Pirates of the Shackles may worship Besmara. There are foreign deities, nonhuman deities and other strange forces at work in Golarion. Even learned folk have arguments over which gods were worshipped in Azlant, during the previous empires of the serpentfolk, during the Age of Serpents, or what gods the Aboleth and their servants worship.

Wyvarans (from Inner Sea Races)

Wyvarans were displaced time and time again and their population has gradually declined. Younger members have traveled to Alkenstar, Nex, Kaptapesh, and beyond and their eagerness for treasure is only surpassed by that of dragons and dwarves. The Wyvarans are likely to follow the deities of their bloodlines either dragon or kobolds. Of course they are just as likely to worship other gods.

In the Inner Sea region, vishkanyas have gravitated toward population centers that reward their particular talents; poison, espionage, and the arts. Daggermark is home to several dozen vishkanyas, most of whom work for or teach at the city’s infamous assassin’s guild. Generations of Jalmeri Thakurs have also recruited vishkanyas to work at the Grand Sarret, and island academy for courtiers and spies. Although the rumors cannot be verified, some say there are even vishkanyas that don the mask of the Red Mantis Assassins. Not all pursue these deadly arts, but even those who choose a more peaceful path sometimes attract the attention of recruiters. No one knows exactly what gods these people claim to honor, or actually do honor. Of course if some of them are actually member of the Red Mantis Assassins then they probably worship their gods.