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.
Cosmology and theology
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, but rather 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 it is rarely seen as prescriptive in matters of worship.
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
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
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
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Socharin | LG |
Death, rebirth, change, renewal, plants
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aduntarri | NG |
Families, protection, dreams, hospitality
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aya | NG |
Curiosity, art, music, invention, philosophy
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marya | CG |
Liberation, martyrdom, food, agriculture
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taliash | CG |
Travel, whimsy, storytelling, fresh water, storms
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nisaba | LN |
Writing, history, research, investigations, education
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hasamel | LN |
Cities, trade, families, wealth
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shai | N |
Judgment, souls, the dead, inevitability, the moon
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mithrai | N |
Conflict, weapons, tactics, healing
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Usumu | N |
Nature, weather, air, water
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Erra | CN |
Decay, ruins, aging, disease
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Laverna | CN |
Trickery, personal freedom, self-interest, spite
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malavisch | LE |
Tyranny, law, beauty, contracts
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tarhunz | NE |
Power, ambition, schemes, rivalry
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nyxras | NE |
Hedonism, decadence, nihilism, catharsis
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lotan | CE |
Destruction, chaos, anger
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ubellur | CE |
Madness, forbidden magic, dangerous secrets
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | § | Nusakan | 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 |