Not Particularly Religious/Pragati: You know that gods, fey titans, and nature spirits exist, but you don't give them a lot of thought. You might even be anti-religious Pragati, thinking that deities and spirits aren't deserving of reverence, and hoping that advances in technology and learning will lessen our dependency on them. Official stance of House Jierre in Danor.
The Old Faith: The traditional religious practice of Risur - interpreting the heavens is serious business, honoring the spirits of the land is vital, and keeping the fey happy is a political priority. No one in Risur will dislike you for following the Old Faith, although you might be considered quaint. It's kind of like practicing Shinto in Japan.
Millerism: A philosophy based on the writings of the monk, William Miller, who wrote his treatises shortly after the Great Malice. William Miller didn't like the Clergy, questioned their authority, and tried to worship the Clergy's gods without the use of the Clergy. In response the Clergy burned him alive on a pyre of his own works.
Millerism can be summed up in four main points:
- Mortals
must not only have freedom of thought and speech, but also freedom
from influence.
- A
perfect society can exist, but mortals must learn to put aside their
differences to learn what it is.
- Only
faith in the gods as a whole, not the Clergy and not just in
Triegenes, can grant a mortal absolution.
- One
not need be certain of their own beliefs, as long as they do not act
against their own personal values.
The Clergy: A relatively new faith that incorporates an older pantheistic religion of numerous deities, created 1000 years ago when a fisherman ascended to godhood. The church is rooted in Crisillyer and is known for fighting demons and encouraging its members to strive for personal perfection. It's a minority religion in Risur, and has similarities with Catholicism and Tibetan Buddhism in its combination of strict hierarchies, celestial bureaucracies, and personal practice. Very human-centric and monolatristic in that the god Triegenes is often worshipped above all other gods in the pantheon.
Heid Eschatol: One of the main philosophies in this world, following this path doesn't preclude you also honoring any of the other religious figures. It does mean, however, that you're pretty sure that the world is on its way to ending, and therefore you make a studied practice of learning how to end things well. Popular in Drakr and among most dwarves.
Guerro: A henotheistic faith from Ber - every tribe/nation/people has a deity, and the world's conflicts mirror the conflicts in the heavens. Oddly, Guerro mixes pretty well with the Clergy, and a syncretic combination of the two is also popular in Drakr.
Panoply: A panapolist believes in the right of everyone, regardless of class, race, or culture, to have access to the wealth, education, and opportunities afforded to the upper levels of society. Mostly popular in Ber and becoming more popular among the Dockers in Risur. It's an inclusive philosophy that attempts to destroy the class system, make everyone equal, give a voice to all.
Seedism: The native religion of Elfaivar. “Our actions are seeds, and will shape the face of the world, though it may take ages. The Eladrin peoples have long memories. Before the rise of Man, the gods spoke to us, 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.” Seedism and the Old Faith actually share a belief in the archfey, and both religions pay tribute to the powerful Unseen Court.
Vekeshi: If Seedism is the religion, Vekeshi is the philosophy. The cornerstone of eladrin ideology is that living well is the best revenge. After the goddess Srasama died and nearly all eladrin women perished with her, there was a great drive in Elfaivar to fight until the last man in a short-sighted bid for vengeance. As the rest of the nation whipped itself into a frenzy, however, a composer named Vekesh wrote a song of mourning that contained a simple sentiment: defeat is only tragedy if the defeated allow the story to end there. While many eladrin could not be stopped from their self-destruction, Vekesh convinced some of his people that a tale that goes from defeat to revenge to death is a shameful tragedy. Revenge distracts one from one’s grief, but is ultimately valueless. Instead, he said, a tale of defeat, resilience, and renewal is the best way to thwart their enemies’ goals.
The proper form of retribution, then, is to endure, rebuild from weakness, and prosper into strength. His guidance ensured that in at least a few isolated enclaves, the eladrin race pulled back from the brink of annihilation. In the following decades a loosely codified collection of vekeshi teachings spread throughout Lanjyr. The mantras of Vekesh have helped many cope with loss and find a new path for themselves.
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