Religion

Religion on Kishar takes many forms. Some people choose to pray to one or more deities, while others instead hold to some variation of animism, shamanism, ancestor worship, or other system of belief.

Deities

Deities are powerful divine entities that can shape and alter the universe in significant ways, though almost all do so indirectly through their worshipers. Gods, goddesses, and the practices of their faiths are important aspects of cultures across Kishar.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of gods in Kishar: deities are categorized as either pantheonic or non-pantheonic. This difference is purely conventional. Pantheonic deities are those who are worshiped in a number of aspects around the world, taking different forms and emphases but generally considered to be fundamentally the same god as seen by multiple cultures. Non-pantheonic deities, meanwhile, are gods whose faithful are geographically or socially far more limited in scope, usually with significantly fewer varying interpretations and variants of their faith. While pantheonic gods all have long histories in the places that venerate them, worship of non-pantheonic deities tends to grow, evolve, and decline more rapidly.

On Kishar, some deities are seen as remote entities, effectively unreachable by any means except through worship and by acting in accordance with their edicts. They are cosmic forces embodied, not people to be conversed with. They have no forms or realms. Conversely, other deities can be very approachable. Some continue to walk the mortal world, simply people, creatures, or objects who have somehow obtained a divine spark.

Worship

The act of worship is fundamentally important to the gods - without those that believe it to be divine, a deity is merely a concept, person, creature, or object. Divine boons, like spells for clerics, are manifested by the believer's faith, not through any conscious action by another entity, though this is not how it is commonly perceived.

Though it varies greatly by culture, in general most people do not worship one deity exclusively. Rather, it is typical to pray to a number of gods, depending on one’s location, profession, and status in the world. Despite this it is common to have a deity with which one feels an especially close connection. Frequently this deity is one whose clergy has a particularly influential presence in the community.

Organized churches hold great sway in some parts of the world, but not all. In Kishar, the term "church" refers not to a building or congregation but instead to the structure of clergy that links and organizes temples or shrines to a particular deity. Some faiths are more centralized in this manner than others. For example, temples to Harinna almost entirely fall under a church, while those to Laverna almost never do - typically faiths that tend to be more chaotic-aligned eschew churches, while lawful-aligned religions prefer them.

Pantheons

The divines are not perceived and thought of in the same manner around the world. Different peoples and cultures have their own particular concepts that are important to them, which heavily influences which gods might be worshiped and in what way. Yet connections are often drawn between similar deities across cultures. A god of crafting in one culture may be worshiped and depicted differently than a god of crafting in another culture, but their similarities may cause them to be widely connected and believed to be the same deity. The faithful of these two gods typically consider each other to be of the same core religion, just with some variation in the details. Enough similarities are present across cultures that most people believe there to be a relatively small set of pantheonic deities. Over the history of the world these faiths have combined, drifted apart, and otherwise formed into a number of regional and ancestral pantheons. Pantheons often have different mythoses, cosmologies, and depictions of the divine.

Though the Chaskan pantheon has achieved the most widespread reach and influence, and the Chaskan names of the pantheonic deities are commonly used to refer to them generally, it is by no means the "default" interpretation of the gods. The many aspects of a deity across pantheons are equally true and accurate, not corruptions or misinterpretations but simply more focused readings of a given concept. Of course, certain people within Kishar do not always see it this way, and there is sometimes strife between sects connected to the same deity over their differing means of worship.

Not all pantheons include the same deities. In some cultures, the values embodied by particular gods may simply not be of particular importance. In these cases, few deny the existence of such deities (though some do), but simply do not consider them worth worship. If an individual from one of these cultures wishes to venerate a god not within their pantheon, they usually adopt a depiction of the god from a neighboring culture. Some cultures, meanwhile, have very different views on the divine that often confound associations with other deities.

Saints and shards

Through their actions and accomplishments, some non-divine figures have managed to attain a particular closeness to their deity. In doing so, some become worshiped in their own right as pinnacles of their faith. Multiple terms are used for these figures around the world, but "saint" is a typical appellation.

Worshiping these saints grants divine favor just as if one prayed and gave offerings to a divinity. These saints are not, however, gods themselves. Rather, they become so tightly intertwined with their god that by worshiping the saint one can simultaneously worship the deity. Saints are usually prayed to by those particularly attracted to a certain aspect of a god personified by the saint.

Nearly all saints only occupy this role after their death, but this is not necessarily always the case. Among mortals it is exceedingly rare to become a saint while still in the company of the living, but it is more common with powerful extraplanar creatures. Demon lords, archdevils, and other extraplanar lesser divinities can be thought of as effectively saints, worshiped as an aspect of a divinity yet simultaneously important for their own strength and influence. Extraplanar creatures that fit into this category are usually referred to as "shards" of a deity instead of as saints, however. For example, a powerful demon might achieve the status of a demon lord and gain the ability to grant divine spells to its cultists. It is not a divine entity in its own right, however, but is instead a shard of Lotan or some other evil deity.

There is no universal process for sainthood. In regions of the world with hierarchical church structures, some faiths maintain official saints, given their status by the head of the clergy. Most, however, are essentially folk saints, popular enough with the people that they are considered as such regardless of whether or not they have been sanctioned by any church.

Every saint and shard has a "patron", the deity that is believed to grant divine boons to their followers.

Mythos

Every pantheon and every culture has their own stories of the divines. Though most can come to a consensus on some basic details, these tales can diverge greatly at times. Creation myths especially are prone to contradiction, as the faithful of a god often have mythoses that give an outsized influence to their particular deity. None are necessarily incorrect. Theological debates about the nature, history, and motivations of the pantheonic divines remain very lively, with much disagreement both between followers of different deities and between sects of the same god. The degree to which these mythoses are believed in a literal sense does vary, but it is not uncommon to interpret them more as providing a foundation for understanding a god and much less as completely truthful recollections.

Other forms of worship

In some parts of Kishar, religious life does not heavily involve the commonly-worshiped deities. Animism, shamanism, ancestor worship, and the reverence of natural phenomena are widespread, either in addition to or instead of the worship of deities. Druids in particular usually hold animistic beliefs, occasionally called the Green Faith or the Old Faith in this context, though they do sometimes worship deities as well. These forms of religion still grant spells and boons to divine casters - as long as one's worship is based upon sincerely held beliefs, the veneration of more abstract entities can very much grant benefits to those that follow them, according to the tenets of the follower and object of worship. These forms of religion vary too much from region to region, and from person to person, to succinctly summarize.

Worship of powerful extraplanar entities is less widespread but not unknown. Cults of this nature are usually reclusive, though, despite the widespread view of them, are not necessarily evil. Particularly ancient and influential fey are often given offerings, for example, as are demons and elementals.

Pantheons

Aserdian pantheon

See also: Aserdian pantheon

The Aserdian pantheon foregoes any origin story of the mortal realm. Instead, followers of this pantheon hold that the universe has no beginning and no end. Cyclical change is a fundamental part of their theology - the world and everything within it decays and grows anew, never remaining static yet simultaneously never really coming to an end. Deities in the Aserdian pantheon are thought of in much the same way. They are not unchanging entities with defined beginnings, but rather are endlessly shifting in interests, tenets, depictions, and even names as the cultures that venerate them encounter new challenges and opportunities. Perhaps as a result of this, the adherents of the Aserdian pantheon tend to be extremely tolerant of divergent beliefs and quite willing to syncretize their deities with those of other cultures.

As a general rule, followers of the Aserdian pantheon eschew holy texts. Many deities are not considered to have sacred written or oral works, and amongst those that do these texts are rarely seen as prescriptive in matters of worship.

Religious tensions are largely absent amongst followers of Aserdian gods, both with the adherents of other deities in the pantheon and with followers of other pantheons. It is common to pray to many gods simultaneously, in fact, instead of primarily focusing the object of one's veneration on a single deity.

Chaskan pantheon

In the Chaskan pantheon's conception of the divine, gods are knowable, unchanging entities with knowable, unchanging tenets. Few individuals believe they have the full understanding of the divine, yet nearly all believe there is one singular truth. Sects and those that follow non-pantheon gods are therefore either errant believers to be proven wrong, or perhaps possessors of some previously unknown secret that provides a glimpse at ultimate knowledge. While in Chaskan theology the gods themselves are perfect beings, and therefore could not possibly change, religions do not necessarily always reflect their gods' faultlessness. This quest for final, definite answers to questions of the divine is a significant factor in Chaskan theological thought.

As with the Khapeshan pantheon, Socharin is believed to have been the ultimate creator of the world, aided by the other gods, each assisting for their own reasons. Unlike Khapeshan cosmology, however, in Chaskan thought Harinna is now the steward of creation. All gods have existed since before creation and, with the exception of one deity, seek to maintain its existence for the indefinite future.

Hellean pantheon

Followers of the Hellean pantheon heavily anthropomorphize the divine. Gods are not faultless, perfect entities, but rather fundamentally people, albeit with power and influence that could not possibly be matched by any mortal. The gods are as fickle as anyone, prone to sudden passions, angers, and every other emotion experienced by those in the mortal realm. Worship often centers around attempting to placate and please these gods, in the hopes they will bestow their favor in some tangible way as well as to avoid inviting divine retribution.

Though the Hellean pantheon shares the Chaskan and Khapeshan pantheons' belief that Hemera is the leader of the gods, and thus is centrally important in their cosmology, it differs as to her current activities and role in the creation of the universe. Hellean beliefs hold that it was Hemera that created the universe, not Socharin or an equivalent deity. She does not battle against the great divine beast Zarex either, having already defeated the creature in the distant past.

Khapeshan pantheon

To those that follow the gods of the Khapeshan pantheon, the divine and mortal realms closely mirror each other. Chaos or stability in one causes the same state in the other. Followers of the gods, therefore, attempt to alter mortal society to better fit the nature of their chosen deity or deities. For example, as a goddess of law and order Harakhte is believed to grow stronger when there is stability and harmony amongst mortals, while she grows weaker when her tenets are neglected in favor of the forces of chaos.

The Khapeshan pantheon's cosmology is quite similar to those of the Chaskan and Hellean pantheons. It maintains the same legends about the creation of the universe, as an effort led by Sokar until he was murdered by Apep. The Khapeshan pantheon even shares the Chaskan pantheon's belief that Harakhte now defends the universe against the Eater of Souls. Unlike the Chaskan pantheon, however, adherents to the Khapeshan pantheon widely consider Sokar to retain his position as leader of the divines, even if most of the functions of his role have been delegated to Harakhte.

Laurentian pantheon

The gods of the Laurentian pantheon are dispassionate deities who rarely take notice of the mortal realm. Still, they are prayed to in hopes they might deign to distract themselves from their internecine struggles long enough to grant boons to their faithful. In the Laurentian conception of the divine, the gods are absorbed by feuds and conflicts between each other, wrapped up in complex webs of shifting alliances, loyalties, and rivalries.

Though otherwise quite similar to the cosmology of the Chaskan, Hellean, and Khapeshan pantheons, believers in the Laurentian pantheon consider the defeat of the gods by Skohsla to be inevitable. At some point in the future, the World-Encircler will gain enough strength to finally push through the defenses of the other gods, who will by this point be too caught up in their own squabbles to notice.

Dwarven pantheon

Of the major pantheons, the Dwarven pantheon stands out as the only one that believes the gods were once mortal. In the time before creation, the divines are thought to have been ur-dwarves, quintessential embodiments of everything that makes a dwarf a dwarf. The single exception is Vonduram, a formless void who resents the roles of the other gods and therefore seeks the annihilation of the divines and all their followers. After creation, the gods are believed to have permanently departed the world in order to allow their new devotees to have it for themselves, shedding their physical bodies as they did so.

The Dwarven pantheon shares many aspects of its cosmology with the Chaskan, Hellean, and Khapeshan pantheons. After the creation of the universe, led by Surgar, Vonduram attacked the other gods, leading to Surgar's death and Vonduram's exile to the deepest levels of the underground. Unlike the three other pantheons, however, followers of the Dwarven pantheon grant Tharrus, not Hurra, the position of leader of the gods, largely for his role in forming the second creation.

Draconic pantheon

Draconic religion is a dualist faith centering around the eternal battle between the ordered forces of good and the chaotic forces of evil. Dragons occasionally pay homage to other gods, but in general consider only two to be of central importance. Marduk represents the organized and lawful forces of good, while Tiamat is the embodiment of evil chaos. They fight eternally yet neither can win. Not only are they perfectly evenly matched, but more fundamentally they cannot exist without the other - there is no good without some evil to compare it to, and vice versa. While most dragons worship one or the other, some that seek to maintain balance venerate both.

Both Marduk and Tiamat are thought to be creator gods who brought the universe into being together, though not intentionally. They are said to have torn pieces of planar essence out of the cosmos as they fought, which then eventually congealed into something resembling the current state of existence.

Elven pantheon

See also: Elven pantheon

Rather similarly to the Aserdian pantheon, the Elven pantheon's theology centers around cycles of creation and destruction. Unlike the Aserdian pantheon, however, followers of the Elven pantheon put a strong moral judgement on these cosmic phenomena. Those that bring new things, new life, new places into existence are seen as morally good, and those that would seek destruction are condemned as evil. Still, both forces are innate to the universe and have always existed. Despite any efforts, creation can never outpace destruction, only keep it at bay. Even divine creators like Ais can only forestall the inevitable end of the universe.

Adherents to the Elven pantheon believe that the gods and the universe have always existed, though not always in their current state. The universe was once much larger, having been slowly decayed and reduced in scale. The deities themselves have weakened in power, and perhaps even reduced in number - the latter notion remains a matter of intense theological discussion. Voltumna is believed to have slowly eaten at the margins of the universe over an indefinite amount of time, countered by Ais and the other gods, who constantly bring new matter into existence to delay the effects of Voltumna's voracious appetite.

Orcish pantheon

To those that follow the Orcish pantheon, the gods are guides against both divine and mortal threats. Though their motivations and tenets may not always appear to align with the interests of their followers, the gods know of things yet to come and act accordingly. As embodiments of the traits required to survive in a land surrounded by dangers, the deities of the Orcish pantheon fundamentally represent varying stages of the personal struggle against non-existence.

In Orcish cosmology, the world was created collaboratively by all the gods. After Vemdu, the devourer of past universes, turned his attention to the current incarnation of creation, Mortuga stepped into her current role as defender of the cosmos and all within it.

Tengu pantheon

See also: Tengu pantheon

Tengu beliefs are highly syncretic. Maybe all gods exist, maybe only some do, maybe none do. The best way to ensure prosperity for one's self and one's community, then, is to simply worship all of them. Followers of the Tengu pantheon wholeheartedly adopt new faiths they encounter, incorporating them into the tapestry of their existing beliefs. A single deity in the Tengu pantheon may have half a dozen names and just as many different depictions. The Great Storyteller is usually thought of as something approaching the concept of a supreme deity, but not in a controlling way. Rather, she is the lens through which the chaos of divinity can be interpreted, a way to make sense of the dozens, perhaps hundreds of conflicting stories that adherents of the Tengu pantheon believe simultaneously.

The Tengu pantheon has no single creation myth. Most followers of this pantheon tell creation stories somewhat similar to those of the Chaskan, Hellean, and Khapeshan pantheons, though often varying widely in the details.

List of pantheonic deities

While every deity has certain areas of concern that are universally considered important by their followers, most pantheons also add additional areas of concern that are more specific to a region's culture. The table below includes both general and specific areas of concern. Some regional variations of gods have no additional areas of concern, but they may be worshiped or thought of very differently regardless.

Name	Alignment	Areas of Concern
Harinna	LG	The sun, rulership, law, duty, hunting Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Chaskan Harinna Enforcers of laws Hellean Hemera Dawn, seasons, other natural cycles Khapeshan Harakhte Creation of life Laurentian Haihaz Deserved rulership Draconic Marduk Good dragons, source of all good Dwarven Hurra Stoic leadership, the fires of forges
Socharin	LG	Death, rebirth, change, renewal, plants Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Saclateni Natural processes of creation and renewal Chaskan Socharin No additional specific areas of concern Khapeshan Sokar The Aur River's cycles of droughts and flooding, agriculture, hope Dwarven Surgar Agriculture
Aduntarri	NG	Families, protection, dreams, hospitality Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Tarazet Visions, hallucinogens Chaskan Aduntarri Marriage Hellean Xenia Hospitality for travelers and the homeless Khapeshan Tawaret Children Laurentian Taufran Mothers, young children Dwarven Zulka Communities, armor, marriage Elven Aritimi Lucid dreaming Orcish Mortuga Mothers, wisdom, advisors
Aya	NG	Curiosity, art, music, invention, philosophy Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Anka'a Sun, light, color, language Chaskan Aya Peace, mediation, diplomacy Hellean Eutychia Good fortune Khapeshan Meshkenet Gardens, butterflies Laurentian Gudjon Conjuration magic Dwarven Brulnan Fine craftsmanship, apprentices Elven Ais Protection, warding Orcish Agtazu Hope
Marya	CG	Liberation, martyrdom, food, agriculture Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Izar Farmers, pastoralists, hunter-gatherers Chaskan Marya No additional specific areas of concern Hellean Parrhesia Debates, oration, clashes of ideas, chefs, fine foods Laurentian Maron No additional specific areas of concern Elven Isan No additional specific areas of concern Orcish Ranash Hunter-gatherers, hunting
Taliash	CG	Travel, whimsy, storytelling, fresh water, storms Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Tucana Nomadic groups Chaskan Taliash Alcohol, merriment, taverns Hellean Areto Public performance, theater Khapeshan Qadesh Oases Laurentian Austron Camps, bonfires, ghosts Elven Nethans Flight Orcish Dzakar Bards, skalds Tengu Great Storyteller Trinkets, collections
Nisaba	LN	Writing, history, research, investigations, education Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Nashira Teaching, learning Chaskan Nisaba Alchemy, investigations, mathematics Hellean Peitho Teaching, learning, schools Khapeshan Shentayet Scribes Dwarven Solnas Family history, genealogy Elven Celens Arcane magic
Hasamel	LN	Cities, trade, families, wealth Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Rasalas Stagnancy Chaskan Hasamel Development of unorganized lands Hellean Khalkeus Industry Khapeshan Khenmu Craftspeople, architects Dwarven Tharrus Smiths, engineers, master craftspeople Elven Thalan Laborers
Shai	N	Judgment, souls, the dead, inevitability, the moon Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Saiph No additional specific areas of concern Chaskan Shai No additional specific areas of concern Hellean Psais Personal sacrifice, planar travel Khapeshan Shai Proper procedure for the interment of the dead Laurentian Saiwalo No additional specific areas of concern Dwarven Annom No additional specific areas of concern Elven Satres Cycles of the moon, tides Orcish Yadalser Destruction of undead
Mithrai	N	Conflict, weapons, tactics, healing Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Markab No additional specific areas of concern Chaskan Mithrai Adventurers Hellean Meda No additional specific areas of concern Khapeshan Maahes Beer, alcohol Laurentian Vihansa No additional specific areas of concern Dwarven Mismora Guards Elven Maris Strategy Orcish Nadkol No additional specific areas of concern
Usumu	N	Nature, weather, air, water Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Auva Natural weapons, poisons, toxins Chaskan Usumu Fish, forests Hellean Ino Mountains Khapeshan Iabet Sky, clouds Laurentian Nemedaz Self-sufficiency, harsh landscapes Dwarven Nobatir Underground locations, earthquakes Elven Hurtate Wildfires, cultivation Orcish Umuth Sleep
Erra	CN	Decay, ruins, aging, disease Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Errai Natural processes of destruction Chaskan Erra No additional specific areas of concern Khapeshan Isfet Antagonism to other deities Dwarven Edri Neglect Orcish Rautha Struggle against nonexistence
Laverna	CN	Trickery, personal freedom, self-interest, spite Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Kalausi Seclusion, isolation Chaskan Laverna Piracy, banditry Hellean Leucothea Thievery Khapeshan Amathaunta Outcasts, outlaws, those that live on the margins Laurentian Runo Raiding, lycanthropes Orcish Lashza Betrayal
Malavisch	LE	Tyranny, law, beauty, contracts Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Mothallah Vanity, immortality Chaskan Malavisch Corruption Hellean Rhadamanthus Diligent merchants, trade Dwarven Katharn Inflexible leadership
Tarhunz	NE	Power, ambition, schemes, rivalry Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Aserdian Eltanin Tyranny Chaskan Tarhunz Ruthless leadership Hellean Zarex Betrayal, misfortune Khapeshan Sutekh Deserts, sandstorms, unification for a shared goal Laurentian Gautaz Unsavory necessities Dwarven Ranven Outcasts, usurpers Elven Thevrumines Iron-fisted rulership Orcish Orzah Advisors
Nyxras	NE	Hedonism, decadence, nihilism, catharsis Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Chaskan Nyxras Necromancers, undead Khapeshan Nakith Hunger, revenge Dwarven Sardora Pain, sadism Elven Vanth Blissful ignorance
Lotan	CE	Destruction, chaos, anger Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Chaskan Lotan Sea monsters Hellean Typhon Volcanoes Khapeshan Apep Night Laurentian Skohsla Linnorms, curses Draconic Tiamat Evil dragons, source of all evil Dwarven Vonduram Underground perils Elven Voltumna Invisibility, meteors, comets Orcish Vemdu Foreign invaders
Ubellur	CE	Madness, forbidden magic, dangerous secrets Pantheon Name Additional specific areas of concern Chaskan Ubellur No additional specific areas of concern Laurentian Witagon No additional specific areas of concern Elven Urusthe Mysteries of outer space
Blind Witness	Unaligned	Lost opportunities, forgotten dreams, the spaces between the stars

Comparison by pantheon

The table below summarizes the major differences between pantheons. Smaller pantheons exist as well - only the widespread ones are included below.

Chaskan	Khapeshan	Hellean	Laurentian	Kea Rachan	Aserdian	Abanir	Kirnashal	Elven	Dwarven	Orcish	Tengu	Draconic
Harinna *	Harakhte	Hemera *	Haihaz	§					Hurra		†	Marduk
Socharin	Sokar *			§	Saclateni				Surgar		†
Aduntarri	Tawaret	Xenia	Taufran	§	Tarazet			Aritimi	Zulka	Mortuga *	†
Aya	Meshkenet	Eutychia	Gudjon	§	Anka'a			Ais *	Brulnan	Agtazu	†
Marya		Parrhesia	Maron	§	Izar			Isan		Ranash	†
Taliash	Qadesh	Areto	Austron	§	Tucana			Nethans		Dzakar	Great Storyteller *
Nisaba	Shentayet	Peitho		§	Nashira *			Celens	Solnas		†
Hasamel	Khenmu	Khalkeus		§	Rasalas			Thalan	Tharrus *		†
Shai	Shai	Psais	Saiwalo	§	Saiph			Satres	Annom	Yadalser	†
Mithrai	Maahes	Meda	Vihansa	§	Markab			Maris	Mismora	Nadkol	†
Usumu	Iabet	Ino	Nemedaz *	§	Auva			Hurtate	Nobatir	Umuth	†
Erra	Isfet			§	Errai				Edri	Rautha	†
Laverna	Amathaunta	Leucothea	Runo	§	Kalausi					Lashza	†
Malavisch		Rhadamanthus		§	Mothallah				Kartharn		†
Tarhunz	Sutekh	Zarex	Gautaz	§	Eltanin			Thevrumines	Ranven	Orzakh	†
Nyxras	Nakith			§				Vanth	Sardora		†
Ubellur			Witagon	§				Urusthe			†
Lotan	Apep	Typhon	Skohsla	§				Voltumna	Vonduram	Vemdu	†	Tiamat
				§	Blind Witness

* Denotes primary deity in pantheon. This is not typically a formal position, but rather a way of indicating that this deity is particularly important in places that follow a given pantheon. This deity usually plays an especially important role in the pantheon's mythos.
† Traditional tengu religion is an idiosyncratic combination of all other pantheons the tengu have encountered. A single god may commonly have multiple names and aspects to their tengu followers.
§ Since the most recent death of the Eternal Suzerain in Y9606^*, the areas formerly under the Sangiran Empire have been in religious turmoil. Their old pantheons long forgotten under the rule and worship of the Suzerain, in the last few hundred years there has been explosion of variety in religious practices in the old territories of the empire. Some attempt to revive old faiths, while others adopt gods from neighboring pantheons, turn to the worship of nature spirits, or otherwise fill the vacuum with something else.

List of other deities and faiths

Name	Alignment	Areas of Concern
Anamnesan mysticism	N	Souls, ghosts
Consensus	Unaligned	Itself
Cosmic River	CG	Cycles, memory, water, rivers
Cult of the Phoenix	CG	Freedom, societal renewal (specifically for Argengrast)
Day of Eternal Starlight	NG	Stars, souls, heroes
Dead moon cults	CE	The moon, opposition to the use of non-divine magic, the apocalypse
Deathless Mysteries	LE	Undead, personal perfection, power, immortality
Eternal Suzerain	Various	Sangiran Empire, dragons, reincarnation
Groundshaker cults	NG or NE	Groundshakers, massive creatures
Midianism	LN	Wealth, the afterlife
Muntun and Tajra	NG	Treatment and prevention of plagues
Salavaxir	Unclear	Kobolds, caves
Saurian hunts	Various	Dinosaurs, ritual hunts
Servants of the Stag	LN	Agrarianism, family, agriculture, small communities
Ternion	N	The sun, toil, vigilance, healing, doors, transitions, beginnings, endings, peace, rest, thoughtfulness
Unbounded Sky	LN	Aeroliths, Sharruma, flight of Priumne
Vulture King	CN	Souls, the dead, vultures, scavengers
Weaver of Eighty Thousand Threads	NG	Fate, predestination, history, stories, silkworms

List of hero-gods

See also: Hero-gods

Name	Alignment	Areas of Concern
Antikythera	CG	Awakened constructs, freedom
Asterian Lake Creature	CN	Lake Aster, Asteria, solitude
Hephaistos	LE	Constructs, clockworks, engineering
Kynos	CG	Philosophy, self-sufficiency, independence
Lykekro	N	Exploration, maps, discovery
Phileia	LN	Ephardia, duels, martial prowess
Selein	NG	Geodes, crystals, underground beauty

List of saints and shards

Name	Alignment	Areas of Concern	Patron
Green Man of the Mire	NG	Protection of Sikrimon and its inhabitants	Socharin
Huzrotho	CE	Immortality at any cost	Nyxras
Koroibos	LG	Fair sportsmanship, athletics, bravery, bravado	Mithrai

Ishtaran living saints

See also: Ishtaran living saints

Name	Alignment	Areas of Concern	Patron
Atra-Hasis	N	Flood mitigation, conservation, disaster recovery	Aduntarri
Enmerkar	N	Translation, publishing	Nisaba
Mete	CE	Lenses, telescopes, black holes	Ubellur
Muballit	LN	Retribution, justice, punishment	Harinna
Urnum	NE	Giants, preservation of wild places, dangerous creatures of the forests	Usumu
Xisuthros	NG	Darklands, guards, barriers	Aduntarri