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-====== Religions and Gods ======
-Much like the real world, the world of The Map has various beliefs, spiritualities, and religions. While there are clearly higher "divine" powers that act upon the world in aid or attack of mortals, people argue over what these powers are and how they function. The various belief sets of the world of The Map will be explored herein.
-===== The Mondish Religion =====
-[[lore:religion:mondism|Mondism]] is the religion practiced by the majority of the kingdoms in the Western reaches of the continent. It holds that there are various gods, but there is a main pantheon of altruistic gods who ought to be worshiped. This Mondish pantheon is at odds with [[lore:god:the_titans|The Titans]], who are seen as evil and vile creatures that act to sow discord. There are slight regional variants of the Mondish beliefs, but they all contain the same gods who exercise, more or less, the same powers as in other regions.
-Worship of the gods happens in various ways. Many households contain [[lore:religion:shrines|shrines]] to one or more of the gods, and many cities contain various temples to individual or multiple gods. There are many days of celebration throughout the year devoted to different gods, and people put on festivals for them. When festivals are not happening, people may leave offerings or join prayer services at temples or shrines throughout the year.
-Priests and priestesses in this religion generally serve the same purpose, and there may be regional restrictions on the gender of clergy. Each clergy member is usually devoted to a specific god or set of gods, and on average temples have about five clergy members. Smaller chapels might have one, whereas larger parishes might have ten or more.
-There are monastic and lay orders of brothers and sisters devoted to different causes and gods. Each order has its own rules, devotions, oaths, and consecrations.
-The Mondish religion is led by a body of important priests called [[lore:religion:the_council_of_exarchs|The Council of Exarchs]]. Each exarch is the leader of the Mondish Church in his specified region. The Council of Exarchs meets periodically to discuss matters pertaining to the entire Church. The hierarchy of the consecrated clergy is split thus:
-  * Exarch (Regional leader)
-  * High Priest/High Priestess (head of a temple)
-  * Priest/Priestess (member of the clergy)
-  * Acolyte (like a deacon; either priest/priestess in training, or a perpetual assistant to a priest/priestess)
-==== The Mondish Pantheon ====
-=== The Elder Gods ===
-Seen as distant and rather cold to the mind of mortals, the [[lore:god:elder_gods|Elder Gods]] are remembered more as a spirit of action and virtue than actual beings requiring worship. Mind you, the Elder Gods are worshiped, just usually in much more minor ways than the Gods of the World. There are three elder gods:
-  * **[[lore:god:alzerien|Alzerien]]**, creator of time.
-  * **[[lore:god:nyrakiel|Nyrakiel]]**, creator of magic/space.
-  * **[[lore:god:mariori |Mariori]]**, creator of life (that is, "life essence," not necessarily specific physical beings)
-=== The Main Pantheon ===
-  * **[[lore:god:valderin|Valderin]]**, Father of Men and god of courage, valor, and the hunt. He is the creator of [[lore:race:humans|humans]] and is thus one of the most important gods to them. Most often depicted as the “king of the gods” or the leader of the pantheon.
-  * **[[lore:god:quendus|Quendus]]**, god of the sky and master of the seas and winds. He is the aspect of thunderstorms, and is said to be quite keen on dabbling in mortal affairs. He is especially important to sailors, warriors, and farmers.
-  * **[[lore:god:meshedra|Meshedra]]**, goddess of the household. She is a symbol of motherhood, fertility, and happiness. She is an especially important goddess in family life, and is often prayed to by parents, servants, and housekeepers. Also known for providing healing and counsel. She is often depicted as Valderin's wife.
-  * **[[lore:god:aeth|Aeth]]**, god of the skies and winds. He is said to be the younger brother of Quendus, but much more gentle. He is prayed to by those seeking refuge or clemency in almost any matter. He is said to be the most innocent of the gods, and looks kindly upon humility. It is also believed that he acts as an arbiter and intercessor for the other gods.
-  * **[[lore:god:finlyr|Finlyr]]**, god of physical beauty and passion. Of all the gods, he is least often depicted wearing clothing. He is prayed to for charisma and literary prowess. He is an important god to politicians, leaders, playwrights, and entertainers.
-  * **[[lore:god:kalesar|Kalesar]]**, Surrogate Father of the Dwarves. He is the most important god to the [[lore:race:dwarves|dwarves]], and in some dwarf-populated regions he replaces Valderin as the head of the gods. He prizes the fruits of hard work, and is prayed to by those who labor and toil, including miners, fishermen, farmers, and craftsmen.
-  * **[[lore:god:lindridien|Lindridien]]**, goddess of the arts. She is prayed to by artists and musicians for talent, inspiration, and expression. It is said that she believes all art to be an expression of the soul, and adores music very highly.
-  * **[[lore:god:ernoron|Ernoron]]**, god of war and protector of mortals. Ernoron is unique among the gods in that he was once a mortal [[lore:race:elves|elf]]. It is believed that the Elder Gods granted him immortality after he sacrificed himself to save all mortals from the Titan Menace during the Second Age. Because of his position, he is prayed to for protection in battle, both physical and spiritual. While he is often prayed to during time of war, he is commonly invoked to guard against temptation.
-  * **[[lore:god:taleina|Taleina]]**, fiery goddess of the dance. She is said to be the younger sister of Lindridien and the patron of dancers, athletes, and travelers. Often she is associated with fire, deserts, and oftentimes the sun. There are many legends that propose she crafted or acts/acted as caretaker for the sun. She was said to have been slain by the Titan Kinjrel during the Second Age, but is still prayed to for courage, athletic ability, and protection during travel.*
-  * **[[lore:god:irsi|Irsi]]**, goddess of mystery, illusion, and secrets. A very mysterious figure, Irsi is said to help those who seek. She is a patron of explorers and philosophers and those who wish to expose the world's secrets, but also a patron of those wishing to keep things hidden. She was also said to have been slain during the Second Age by the titans Kinjrel and Vyquja.*
-  * **[[lore:god:atalzerus|Atalzerus]]**, god of justice and judgment. He is the father of the gnomes, and as such holds a special place in their culture. It is believed that he judges all souls before allowing them to move on to the afterlife. If he deems them worthy, they may move on to “a wonderful eternity.” If not, then they must reconcile their deeds, trapped as ghosts in the mortal realm until they atone for their sins. It is said that he sometimes judges the truly evil to never be worthy, punishing them to an eternity of atonement.  It is said that he was killed in battle during the Second Age by the titan Mazroj. Unlike the two other dead gods, many believe to know the location of his physical corpse, locked inside a tomb in what is called “The Clockwork Temple.”*
-*The final three gods, Taleina, Irsi, and Atalzerus, are sometimes known as “the dead gods” and are a special set of gods in the minds of their worshipers. It is believed that when a god dies, they do not “move on” as mortals do. They are simply in a state of distant regeneration, and cannot act upon the world as readily as the other gods. Still, their roles are very important to their followers, and it is believed that they will return in their full glory soon.
-Other legendary beings that are sometimes minorly worshiped or invoked during worship of the gods:
-  * **[[lore:god:wrylindifal|Wrylindifal]]**, the World Dragon. He was created by the Elder Gods and is said to be the greatest of the dragons. It is said that he brings good fortune and happiness to those who see him or manage to catch his attention.
-  * **[[lore:god:the_fae_pantheon|The Fae Pantheon]]**, a group of highly powerful spiritual beings who rule over the [[lore:race:fae|fae]]. The fae are mysterious and their ways are foreign to most mortals. The fae are said to have been created as a byproduct of the gods repairing the world after the [[lore:event:titan_wars|Titan Wars]]. Fae gods are more often invoked in common everyday situations than in high worship at the temples, but they are recognized in Mondism as being (mostly) benign and having divine abilities. Because of this, they are worthy of at least some amount of recognition. The fae gods are:
-    * **[[lore:god:icaria|Icaria]]**, queen of the faerie gods.
-    * **[[lore:god:pixiana|Pixiana]]**, goddess of mischief and games.
-    * **[[lore:god:mardico|Mardico]]**, god of flirtation, twin brother of Melica.
-    * **[[lore:god:melica|Melica]]**, goddess of enchantment and fae magic. Twin sister of Mardico.
-    * **[[lore:god:acalio|Acalio]]**, god of the woodlands. Guardian of the fae.
-==== The Enemies ====
-These creatures are seen as evil, or ordered toward chaos and discord. The Mondish church believes them to propagate vice and destruction. As well, these beings are generally believed to despise mortals and the gods. It is the duty of the Mondish men and women to defeat these evils in their everyday lives by invoking the gods and living virtuous lives.
-=== Titans ===
-Each titan is ascribed a specific vice, untamed emotion, or value that negates the goodness of the gods. There are four “main” titans who are the most important enemies to conquer. Commonly known titans are:
-  * **[[lore:god:mazroj|Mazroj]]**, lord of wrath.*
-  * **[[lore:god:kinjrel|Kinjrel]]**, lady of death.*
-  * **[[lore:god:vyquja|Vyquja]]**, lady of suffering.*
-  * **[[lore:god:datjryl|Datjryl]]**, lord of chaos.*
-  * **[[lore:god:yjdol|Yjdol]]**, lady of hatred.
-  * **[[lore:god:jrzda|Jrzda]]**, lord of plague.
-  * **[[lore:god:qurj|Qurj]]**, lord of dominance.
-  * **[[lore:god:tzejor|Tzejor]]**, lord of action/freneticism (usually related to self-harm and insanity).
-  * **[[lore:god:jymrez|Jymrez]]**, lady of solitariety (usually loneliness/despair).
-*Mazroj, Kinjrel, Vyquja, and Datjryl are the four “main” titans and vices that are seen as more important to overcome than the others. In the case of Kinjrel, while death itself is not meant to be overcome, it is generally said by scholars that it is what death represents that should be overcome. That is, death is representative of decay, loss, harm, and sadness (psychological pain), and so Mondians should order themselves to comfort and console those in pain in order to combat death.
-=== Negalifal ===
-Known as The Deceiver, [[[[lore:god:negalifal|Negalifal]] is an evil dragon, and counterpart to Wrylindifal. He is said to be trapped beneath the sea for his crimes during legendary times, and represents destruction, hubris, pride, and selfishness. It is said that visions or dreams of him are bad omens. He is said to hate the mortal races, seeing them as “lesser.”
-==== On Cults ====
-There are a number of smaller, isolated, regional, and cult-religions all based more or less off the same belief system as the Mondish religion. Some of note are:
-=== Cult of the Titans ===
-Occasional sects that celebrate the titans as being the true and rightful rulers of the world arise across many kingdoms. Generally they are seen as evil or, at the very least, disordered.
-=== The Cult of the Dead Gods ===
-This is a cult that focuses on worship of the Dead Gods, seeing some special connection between the gods and death. There does not seem to be much central organization, and many branches seem to exist. Some are rather harmless and ordinary, where others seem to pose some threat to peace, even going so far as to preach human sacrifice.
-=== Elder Gods Worship ===
-Especially among very isolated, ancient communities with elven influence, emphasis on worship of the Elder Gods exists. In some locations, even the newer gods are rejected entirely. It is similar to the supposed religion of the Elves, seeing the Elder Gods as the true guardians, creators, and guides of the world.
-=== Various cults to individual gods ===
-Naturally, there are monastic, religious, and lay orders devoted to individual gods, but there are also some cults that reject all but one or a few of the gods, claiming the others to be false deities.
-===== The Teljero Religion(s) =====
-The [[lore:religion:teljero|Teljero]] religion is not as set in stone or structured as Mondism, but is a set of folk traditions based on spirit worship and animism. It is practiced by many of the tribesmen and citystates of the central regions of the continent, particularly those in the plains south of the [[lore:geography:sea:inland_seas|Inland Seas]], between [[lore:kingdom:falorum|Falorum]] and [[lore:kingdom:the_southeastern_kingdoms|The Southeastern Kingdoms]]. Varying regions have vast differences in specific beliefs and gods, but here will be listed some overarching features that are shared by almost all who follow these traditions.
-Every village or encampment has at least one [[lore:religion:shaman|shaman]]. Shamans supposedly commune directly with the spirits and the gods in order to heal their tribesmen, predict the future, or ask for boons.
-==== The Skymother ====
-**[[lore:god:the_skymother|The Skymother]]** (or a close equivalent, including “The Sunbringer,” “The Sky Father,” “The Rainmother,” “Keeper of The Skies” and many other epithets) is a central feature of all known variants of the Teljero religion. She is the creator of all life and watches over the world from afar. She is associated with the skies, and some believe that she is the sun itself (or the moon), bathed in so much glory that mortals can only see a shining ball of light. In many traditions she has two brothers, **[[lore:god:the_earthbrother|The Earthbrother]]** and **[[lore:god:the_underchief|The Underchief]]**, who are associated with fate and death respectively. They are never placed at as high an importance as The Skymother, though, who is worshiped as being more important than any god or spirit.
-==== Common Gods ====
-While there are various gods for all the different tribal and local traditions, there are a few that are found in the large majority of the Teljero traditions, with few or no exceptions.
-=== Sankus/Sagus/Saugnos/Sakanu the Mighty ===
-[[lore:god:sankus|Sankus]] is said to have been a legendary chieftain who conquered the world and was thus blessed by The Skymother with immortal life. He spent many years improving his skill and his wisdom. The Skymother sent her servants to question his wisdom, and was so impressed that she ascended him to godhood. He is usually a god of war, wisdom, protection, and might. He is also often said to be ruler of the dominion of storms. He has a temper to match his might, and when he becomes angered, thunder claps in the skies and lightning strikes the earth.
-=== Kara/Iraka/Karaya ===
-The goddess [[lore:god:kara|Kara]] is said to have been chosen to be the wife of Sankus. When he was not a god but still immortal, Sankus had many wives throughout his life, but none could truly satisfy him, as they were mortal. He became saddened by their deaths. Finally when he was a god, he was able to visit the spirits of his mortal wives in the afterlife, and so he asked them where he could find a perfect woman. Although the legend varies, it usually ends with the spirit wives guiding him and Kara together. Like Sankus, Kara was originally a mortal. She was the beautiful young daughter of a chieftain and had an unusually strong connection with the spirits. As she grew, she used this connection to bolster her image among the people by healing and protecting the tribe. Although spirits almost never all agree on the same things, Kara inspired them, and they voted for her to become their leader. Now as the Spirit Queen, Kara was able to live as a beautiful young woman forever and was effectively a goddess. Sankus came upon her and made her his wife, solidifying the allegiance of the spirits, who greatly feared and respected Sankus. Kara is often a goddess of mothers, women, households, daily tasks of running a tribe, spirits, rest, beauty, sexuality, fertility, and healing.
-=== Nenaka/Nagan/Nanaga ====
-[[lore:god:nenaka|Nenaka]] is seen as the enemy of mortals. He is a spirit who gained power when the world was young and men barely understood the spirits. Spirits respected him for his beauty, wisdom, and/or power. He is older than both Sankus and Kara and very proud. When the Skymother created life, Nenaka chided her and rose an army of dark spirits to battle her. He was cast away by her brilliance, and his armies dispersed, but even to this day he guides invisible forces against mortals from afar.
-=== The Spirits ===
-[[lore:god:the_spirits|The Spirits]] are not gods, but rather mysterious and magical creatures that live in a magical world laid overtop the mortal realm. They have their own kingdoms, hierarchies, politics, and social structures, but sometimes they can reach through to the mortal realm. Shamans are known to be attuned to the spirit realm more than other mortals, and often deal with spirits, asking for aid or battling them in order to benefit mortals. Many tribes have a set of spirits they deal with or know of, and create totems to them or invoke special privileges from them. Often spirits are associated with a specific object, location, or concept, such as a particular tree (e.g. the elm outside the eastern town wall), a river, or a sickness that has overtaken someone. Spirits understand the power of names, and to speak a spirit's true name is to have dominion over it. Because of this belief, many shamans are called things that are not their given name, such as Wolf-heart, Wind Chaser, or Briarthorn. It is said in some traditions that Kara knows every spirit by name, and that is why she is their queen.