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.

Mondism, also known as The Religion of the Gods of the World and The Mondish Religion, 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 The Titans, who are seen as evil and vile creatures that act to sew 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 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 three 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 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)

Seen as distant and rather cold to the mind of mortals, the 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:

• Alzerien, creator of time.
• Nyrakiel, creator of magic/space.
• Mariori, creator of life (that is, “life essence,” not necessarily specific physical beings)

• Valderin, Father of Men and god of courage, valor, and the hunt. He is the creator of 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Kalesar, Surrogate Father of the Dwarves. He is the most important god to the 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.
• 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.
• Ernoron, god of war and protector of mortals. Ernoron is unique among the gods in that he was once a mortal 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.
• 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.*
• 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.*
• 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.”*