Human Paganism

The Old Gods

This was the original religion of all humans. It revolves around the natural spirits of plants, animals, and places. They believe every aspect of nature has a spirit, and those spirits are often invoked to bring favor.

The followers themselves don’t call it "human paganism"—that is the academic term ascribed to it by scholars. They have no unified name for it, only traditions passed down by word and deed.

Shamanism

By nature a shamanic faith, those called shamans are religious men and women who are believed to be able to commune with the spirits and perform sacred rituals. These rituals may differ slightly between tribes, but the shamans are so conservative that, in fact, they have changed very little over time. Some tribes have developed unique practices to address local needs, but the spiritual framework, and the original rites have remained consistent.

Shamans are an independent faction. Each tribe has its own shamanic ring, which is autonomous and seeks to aid the tribal chief when necessary. They often hold no formal political power, but are seen as powerful and wise by their people, respected even when not obeyed. These shamans rarely fight in battles, but those who do, do so using magic and are called warlocks.

All shamans are capable of magic, even if not all are warriors. A shaman may take on an apprentice if they find a suitable candidate. This must be someone with magical potential, but also with an aptitude for the spiritual and mystical. No one can request to become a shaman, the path begins only when a shaman chooses you.

Training takes many years. Upon completion, the apprentice must undergo a graduation trial, the details of which are entirely unknown to outsiders. Only then are they inducted into the order.

Because shamans are so selective in their recruitment, most tribes have only a handful, usually around half a dozen, with a dozen in very large or urbanized tribes. The shamanic ring of Fellkarth is known to be one of the biggest in the world, with around fifty. Second is Scyandil, with around forty.

Among themselves, all shamans are considered equal. However, one acts as the representative of the ring to the local chief. This representative is chosen by the shamans of the ring and can be replaced at any time, which happens from time to time, as the current representative loses interest or busies themselves with other matters.

It is said that shamans are the keepers of ancient knowledge—secrets they guard jealously and share only among themselves, and only with those fully trained.

Branches of Faith

As an ancient, decentralized religion, human paganism has naturally diversified into multiple regional branches over time.

Dendorian

This branch is the most widespread and considered closest to the original faith. It focuses on nature and spirituality, and living in balance with the wild world and the elements in order to cultivate inner strength and communal harmony.
Rituals are performed to appease spirits for favorable weather, healthy crops, successful hunts, and personal fortune. Ancestors are remembered but not venerated.

Khellan

The Khellan branch diverges sharply from the others by deifying the spirits. As the Khellans moved into alien terrain—where forests are rare and greenery is sparse—they began to give the spirits names and identities. Their gods are not distant moral authorities, but powerful forces of the world given form.
Crops are seen as divine gifts, grown from the hands of a grain god. Animals, too, are seen as sacred creatures who eat from the same divine bounty as humans.
This belief system leads the Khellans to show extreme reverence for their kills. To waste any part of an animal is not just careless—it is blasphemy.

Khellan shamans are deeply involved in daily life. They interpret the gods’ will, offer guidance, and serve as the voice of divine authority in the marshes.

Aneira

This branch is similar in most respects to the Dendorian faith, but has evolved a unique practice: ancestor veneration. The Aneirnians are the only people known to mummify their dead, keeping them in crypts instead of cremating or burying them.

They believe that if the body is preserved, the spirit can return from time to time to advise their descendants through dreams or omens. Shrines to famous individuals are maintained in most villages, and family lineages are carefully recorded within their oral traditions.

Yavinian

This is the rarest surviving branch, now followed almost exclusively by the House of Onifnechi and their subjects, as well as a few ancient vampires.

Yavinian paganism was once considered the most influential form of the faith, but it has all but disappeared outside of these circles. It places particular reverence on celestial bodies, especially the moon, which is viewed as a living deity.

Unlike other branches, Yavinian paganism has largely abandoned shamanism. Over time, as the Onifnechi became religiously isolated and less reliant on tribal structures, shamans fell into obsolescence. Now, the Yavinians practice a more introspective, personal form of faith, focused on individual connection to the spirits, with guidance from trained mages instead of spiritual intermediaries.

This branch is still followed by a few remaining believers in Rendia, especially among the more isolated communities.