The Creation Myth
All races, cultures, and religions in Mystara have a creation myth. Although there are some similarities, such as the Multiverse springing from Chaos and the First Immortals hands in forming Mystara, they all begin to diverge from there toward racial and cultural bents. It is in the nature of all thinking beings to wonder about the unknown and search for answers. For the Forging a Kingdom Campaign, the why and how for the most part are unknown and poorly understood. Players Characters are invited to draw their own conclusions as for the purpose of the game, this is fodder for religious philosophers and mystical researchers. What you do know is that there one class of Divine being: the Immortals, and they created the Known World.
The Nature of Immortals
These are the gods of the realm - worshiped and reviled, loved and feared. While they exist beyond the Material Plane, the majority of the Immortals in Mystara are elevated mortal beings, reborn in body and spirit as eternal divinities. Some Immortals have never been shackled to a mortal existence. These beings belong instead to the so-called First Generation of Immortals, born from Chaos at the dawn of time when death had yet to make its appearance.
Though they have enormous power, the Immortals are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. They have need of faithful worshipers in order to increase their own vigor and to enhance their ability to exert influence on the Multiverse and the mortals therein. To do this they impart some of their energy upon special groups of faithful (called priests or clerics) who go out among their fellows, preaching their patron's ideas and seeking converts, and thus increasing the importance of the Immortal within the Multiverse.
Religions of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos
Church of Traladara
The Church of Traladara is a venerable institution which has existed in the civilized coast lands of the country since 400 AC when Thyatian Missionaries translated and put to writing the Song of Halav. It based on the Hero Cults, having risen out of the Traladaran people's unshakeable belief in the heroism of Halav, Petra, and Zirchev and the eventual return of the Traldaran people to the glory of the Golden Age. Over seventy percent of the Karameikan population subscribe to the faith of the Church, nearly all of them Traladaran.
Name: Halav
Alignment: Lawful or Neutral
Symbol: A sword plunged into an anvil
Portfolio: Warfare, Weaponsmithing, Strength, Willpower, Sacrifice
Domains: Thought, Law, Strength, War, Nobility
Patronage: Patron of Warfare, Patron of Weaponsmiths, Patron of Traladara
Name: Petra
Alignment: Lawful or Neutral (no Lawful Evil)
Symbol: An owl embossed on a circular shield
Portfolio: Defense, Patriotism, Courage, Virtue, Besieged settlements
Domains: Time, Law, Protection, War, Courage
Patronage: Patroness of Defenders, Patroness of Besieged Cities
Name: Zirchev
Symbol: A hawk riding a wolf
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Hunting, Survival, Tolerance, Magic, Nature, Animals, Outcasts
Domains: Energy, Animal, Magic, Hunting
Patronage: Patron of Hunting, Patron of Magic
Church of Karameikos
The Church of Karameikos is a Lawful religion founded by Oliver Jowett, a former member of the Church of Thyatis. Leaving Thyatis to follow Duke Stefan Karameikos, Jowett and his followers decided to form a new church that combined the doctrine of the Church of Thyatis with the needs of the Karameikian people. In short Jowett tried to unite the Thyatian immigrants and the Traladaran natives under one flag and one philosophy by creating a religion appropriate to the new nation (Karameikos, not Traladara or Thyatis) and give its followers a new cultural identity to its faithful: that of the modern Karameikian (a fusion of Thyatian and Traladaran).
Name: Tarastia
Symbol: Black executioner's axe
Alignment: Lawful
Portfolio: Law, order, truth, justice and just vengeance
Domains: Energy, Law, Justice, Vengeance
Patronage: Patroness of Justice and Revenge
Name: Chardastes
Symbol: A silver bell
Alignment: Lawful or Neutral
Portfolio: Healing, purification, health, medicine, life cycle, eternal life
Domains: Time, Good, Water, Healing
Patronage: Patron of Medicine and Healing
Name: Asterius
Symbol: Moon or a silver coin
Alignment: Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic
Portfolio: Trade, money, communication, travel, messengers
Domains: Thought, Good, Travel, Trade, Stealth
Patronage: Patron of Trade and Money, Patron of Communication
Name: Vanya
Symbol: Two short swords crossed over a vertical spear or a black rampant lion on a white field
Alignment: Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic
Portfolio: War, conquest, victory, glory, honor
Domains: Time, War, Strength, Courage
Patronage: Patroness of War and Conquerors, Patroness of the Knights
Name: Kagyar
Symbol: Crossed hammer and chisel
Alignment: Lawful or Neutral
Portfolio: Dwarves, Crafts, metallurgy, miners
Domains: Matter, Earth, Craftsmanship, Metals
Patronage: Patron of Dwarves, Patron of Craftsmen
Name: Patura
Symbol: A blazing hearth
Alignment: Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic
Portfolio: Women, families, babies, maternity and fertility
Domains: Energy, Good, Family
Patronage: Patroness of Women and Motherhood, Patroness of Hearth and Family
Name: Ilsundal
Symbol: Silhouette of the Tree of Life
Alignment: Lawful
Portfolio: Elves, Nature, wisdom, learning, tradition, serenity and peace
Domains: Energy, Law, Good, Knowledge, Plant, Magic
Patronage: Patron of Elves
Church of Thyatis
The Church of Thyatis is a Lawful religion instituted by the will of the Empress Valentia in the II century AC, as the means to indoctrinate the Thyatians with a new ethic and a sense of state – to cement the nationalistic glory and reinforce the basis of the conservative policy introduced by her. The followers of the Church of Thyatis are therefore raised in a more complete respect for the “published matter”, the religious morals, and the cult of the ancestors and to live a quiet life. The Church isn't oppressive or excessively intransigent like some monotheistic cults, but exacts a spirit of sacrifice from its faithful and utmost loyalty to its maxims of life, which are preached for a better peaceful co-existence and the
consolidation of the prestige of the Thyatian nation.
The Church of Thyatis is an active political body, although outside of Thyatis, its priests do not have the same standing as they do within the Empire's bounds. The Church is hierarchically organised, with larger temples having administrative control of surrounding lesser temples. The main Church is in Thyatis City itself, and the devout sometimes make pilgrimages there or to other holy sites.
Because the Thyatians tend to incorporate the local gods into their pantheon as they spread across the land, the actual mix of honored gods in any temple can vary dramatically. There are also a number of specific temples to particular gods as well as cults, brotherhoods and military orders dedicated to one or another of the Thyatian deities.
While there are many Immortals worshipped in Thyatis, there are three principal Immortals known as the Trias, who are worshiped above all: Ixion, Valerias, and Tarastia.
The Trias
Name: Ixion
Symbol: A flaming wheel
Alignment: Neutral or Good
Portfolio: Light, sun, fire, power, war, knowledge
Domains: Energy, Good, Fire, Sun, War, Knowledge
Patronage: Patron of Thyatis City, Patron of Warriors
Name: Valerias
Symbol: Rose with thorns
Alignment: Chaotic or Good
Portfolio: Love, passion, desire, fertility
Domains: Matter, Chaos, Good, Protection, Arts, Persuasion
Patronage: Patroness of Passion and Desire
Name: Tarastia
Symbol: Black executioner's axe
Alignment: Lawful
Portfolio: Law, order, truth, justice and just vengeance
Domains: Energy, Law, Justice, Vengeance
Patronage: Patroness of Justice and Revenge
Other Immortals
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Other Religions
Demi-human Religions
The Goblinoid Pantheon
The Dark Triad