Key Religions.
Four religions dominate the setting. Unlike
in a typical Fifth Edition campaign, there is no planar travel,
and magic to summon extraplanar creatures is exceedingly rare
and brief; only once in recorded history has a god actually physically
appeared in the world — just before she was killed. While it is undeniable
that powers and forces exist beyond this world, their shapes
cannot be proven, and must be taken on faith.
The Clergy.
“Every mortal can empower himself, even reach godhood, if he confronts the challenges of the world. Beyond this world exist many planes, each a more perfect manifestation of some aspect of our reality, and they are presided over by powerful gods, angels, and spirits that can be entreated for power.”
According to the Clergy's holy text, one thousand years ago a human fisherman named Triegenes from what today is Danor discovered the secret of divinity while lost in a storm at sea. He returned and preached about the divine spark within all mortals, and how by constantly challenging oneself, a person can become like a god. He inspired followers to fight beside him, and together they toppled tyrants, slew legendary monsters, and eventually established a new nation, based upon a hierarchy of divinity, where rank and reward were based solely on merit.
After his kingdom was established, Triegenes undertook the greatest challenge left in the mortal world: to defeat the demonocracy that oppressed the lands to the east. He confronted the abyssal lords who had taken residence on this world, sacrificed himself to banish them forever, and then left his mortal shell and ascended to godhood.
The Clergy believe in many gods, with no pinnacle godhead, but they preach foremost the teachings of Triegenes, that every man has greatness within him, and he merely needs to be challenged to awaken his potential. And while a thousand years have burdened this original message with a complex celestial bureaucracy, vaguely-interpreted visions of a multiverse of planes, and a strong emphasis on the superior potential of humans above all other races, the simple dogma that anyone can improve their life, and that indeed this is the main purpose of life, holds strong appeal. The Clergy is now the most widespread faith in Lanjyr.
Over a thousand years, dozens of religions and their pantheons
have been absorbed by the Clergy. However, churches and cathedrals are dedicated to one deity or to a handful. The sheer number of gods
meant that, aside from Triegenes himself, none were universally
venerated. Different regions had their particular favorites, and
sometimes even small sects would splinter off from Elfaivaran,
Drakran, or Risuri religions and make a few doctrinal changes to
fit with the broader Clergy.
Indeed, bureaucracy and politics is one reason no gods ever
cemented their place as a major part of the Clergy’s pantheon.
Many gods have overlapping portfolios and their priests compete
for parishioners, and factions among the faith’s hierarchs
would work to undercut any growing power base, often with the
blessing of the Prime Cardinal. The unspoken goal of such efforts
was to prevent factionalism that might lead to a religious schism.
The primary unifying factor in Clergy beliefs is power. Through the right rituals and sympathies, the gods can be forced to share power with their priests. Because the priests have power, in their mind it is only right that they rule over the laity.
The Fisherman
Founder of the Clergy, Triegenes was a humble fisherman who was a self-made hero, then a saint, and finally a god. He would go on to unite the other gods and set the heavens in order. Though there is no formal apex god in the faith of the Clergy, Triegenes has the most followers. Many believe he has ascended to become king of all creation.
Guerro.
Religion in Ber is not as prominent an institution as in Crisillyir,
but it helped create a common identity in the region stretching
back to ancient times. In the Guerro faith, there are thousands
of gods, their origins lost to history. These divine beings expected
mortals to vie for land and power, but they were far from
all powerful. They could control pathways to different afterlifes,
and would grant boons and blessings, but they were dependent
on worshipers.
If one tribe’s priest were abducted or if some great totem they
revered was stolen by another tribe, that second tribe would be
able to command the loyalty of that god. Gods would be fought
over, traded, sometimes killed or forced into marriages. Tribes
that splintered would bicker over who got to keep which gods.
Even small tribes might dream of one day wresting control of another
tribe’s strongest deity and then rising to prominence.
After the time of the dragon tyrants, Ber’s relationship with
hoarding changed, as did how they view the idea of “owning” another
being. While few Berans are particularly devout, they still
passed laws that formally emancipated the gods. Organized religion
is barely present, though the Panoply philosophy
has persuaded some Berans to find value in foreign techniques of
worship, creating syncretic faiths that resemble Clergy churches,
with Guerro gods.
The Old Faith.
“Honor the spirits of the land, and draw power from nature. The stars above trace patterns that predict events on our world, but the only other worlds are the ones we can visit: the Dreaming and the Bleak Gate.”
The Old Faith is a naturalistic philosophy based on the belief that natural forces are worthy of attention and respect. Practiced throughout Risur, of vital importance is the propitiation of the intelligences reflective of natural phenomena, such as elemental spirits and fey.
Devotees of the Old Faith meditate daily, gazing up at the starry night sky in the hopes of receiving inspiration and insight into future events. Adherents commune with natural forms of power and show respect to nature in all things. Even in the cities, common folk often hang fresh herbs from the lintels of doorways as a sign of respect for nature. It is customary to heed the land spirits and the appease the denizens of the Dreaming before starting any construction or agricultural projects, less they sabotage the work and cause misfortune to all involved. Those who seek favor from the fey often leave them gifts such as bowls of milk and honey, sweets, jewels, alcohol and tobacco, though it easy to insult the capricious beings by leaving the wrong gift or doing so at the wrong time. Some fey love children, and mortal infants are especially favored as gifts to these darker beings.
The Old Faith is, with little argument, the oldest form of worship in Risur, as evidenced by the numerous druidic symbols found in the cave drawings of early humans and Lithians. However, it is a faith in decline. Many modern Risuri are progressive-minded and see the old ways as a thing of the past, and the age of the fey ended long ago.
Primalists
The term “primalist” refers to those followers of Risur’s Old Faith who believe that their nation’s path of technological advancement and industrialization is an affront to natural forces and the Unseen Court. While most primalists protest peacefully, some, like Ethelyn of Shale, are willing to take extreme actions to circumvent King Aodhan’s technological reforms.
Seedism.
Folk religion of Elfaivar. Our actions seed change in the world,
though it may take ages. Elves and eladrin have long memories. Before
the rise of humans, the gods spoke, and we still remember their
names and teachings. Srasama, the three-faced mother-warriorqueen,
was slain by human treachery, but it is our duty to endure
and outgrow this injury. The archfey of the Dreaming were once
vassals of the gods, and so we revere and respect them.
Dominant Philosophies.
Certain groups promote secular ideologies independent from the
metaphysics of religion.
Heid Eschatol.
Developed in Drakr, popular in Risur. It is important to plan for
good endings, whether that’s for a business venture, a story, a love
affair, or your own life.
Panoply.
Nascent philosophy from Ber, concerned with examining how and
why cultures differ. Followers often feel dissatisfied with the traditions
of their homeland, and defend the value of foreign ideas.
Pragati.
Official position of the Jierre ruling party in Danor. Gods are the
creation of men who were unable to comprehend the real structure
of the world. Those who hold false beliefs, be they in gods, in disproven
economic theories, or anything else, are a threat to progress.
Vekesh.
Guiding principle that helped the eladrin survive after the fall of
Elfaivar. After a tragedy, the best revenge is to heal and grow stronger
than you were before.
Millerite Heterodoxy.
Based on the teachings of William Miller, this philosophy has two core tenets: that the role of the priesthood is service to the laity and the divine, and that all conflict in the world can be ended through proper communication and empathy for others' situations and beliefs.
Comments