Religion

Under revision.

Religion in Atharen

The Faith of the Living Gods, or 'The Path', has long been the primary faith on Atharen due to the Adac's creation of the planes and the races within them. As the parent-creators of all of the mortal races, they have acquired fervor and zeal throughout time, though since the Sundering of the Planes, that zeal has only continued to diminish. The truth is - the Sundering largely drew the Gods away from mortal affairs, unwilling to intervene in them, perhaps even afraid. Speculation says that the Gods have turned their back on mortal-kind for what they believe to be their failure and betrayal.

With the Gods turning their back on the mortal plane, and abandoning the world, other religions have begun to prosper and grow. As such, Atharen has a diverse climate of faiths and beliefs, with the Living Gods becoming more and more resented as the years go on.

Religion and the Sundering

Under revision.

The Divine Abolition

WIP.

The Path

WIP.

The Cults of Bel

WIP.

Other Faiths

Aside from the worship of the Living Gods, which acts as the standard faith for much of the world, there are several large faiths that tend to dominate particular races and regions. They will be detailed here.

The Omen

Divided between two major sects, Ulendreaism in Daravin and (though it is rarely referred to as this) Blathe-Feiz in Lorien, the Omen is the largest religion in the world outside of the faith of the Living Gods. It is also the fastest growing in recent centuries, emerging as a small faith centered in the dilapidated city of Carine and quickly expanding to cover nearly the entire region of Mornoth.

The Omen is a monotheistic, apocalyptic religion, one that foretells of the cleansing of the world in an event known as The Return, where the Returning King - or Ulen as he is called in Daravin - will rid the surface of the planet of all maladies and imperfections, rebuke all evil and will create the conditions necessary for true Paradise. The Omen also features ten mythical figures known as the Achra, beings similar to saints but with divine origin, inspired after the imagery and themes of the Living Gods and Corrupted Ones.

Though Ulen's existence is far from confirmed, and is labeled myth by virtually all scholars outside of the religion's strongholds, the Omen continues to grow at a considerable pace and threatens to become the dominant religion of Atharen within the coming centuries. The faith strongly varies between Ulendreaism and Blathe-Feiz, with Ulendreaists being far more pious and following an enshrined doctrine well-defined by the Oaths of Carine.

Eldashan

Eldashan is the name of the faith of the Eldhan Weald, or Elven Gods. Originally one of the world's dominant faiths, Eldashan has since receded greatly in popularity and influence, though it remains the faith of nearly a fifth of Atharen's population. It is the dominant faith of the Kingdom of Vendigad and is popular in large parts of Tyrclaid. Eldashan is often followed by Elves throughout the world and - accounting for nearly half of its following - is the key faith practiced by most Druskai, though they tend to worship individual Elven Gods such as Veravend and Lotheric. Many practitioners of Summoning also follow the teachings of Eldashan, believing that it brings them closer to their Archetypes and respective Patrons.

The faith of the Elven Gods is one of nature-worship, a focus on personal freedom and self-fulfillment, understanding of the world and the Elven concept of enlightenment gained through experiences and hardships. It is a religion almost entirely focused on personal growth, but one through the lens of coming to terms with the world and becoming a key component of one's community, whatever that group may be. Unfortunately, there are many modern interpretations of Eldashan that are not so benign. Many see the wroth state of the current Elven Gods and believe that the focus of the religion has changed necessarily to one thing: the eradication of humanity, and the restoration of Elven hegemony first in Mornoth, and then the continent.

The Old Ones

The Old Ones is the dominant faith of Tyrclaid, and only Tyrclaid, but due to the Kingdom's large population it is one of the largest religions on Atharen, roughly matching Eldashan in the size of its following. The Old Ones focuses on the 'mortal spirit' or the 'mortal soul', and the Old Ones themselves are often ascended from great mortals; rulers, paragons of their trade, great warriors and other pioneers of their time. Permanently enshrined as sort of Ancestor-Gods to the Kingdom's people, these saintly beings act as the divine inspiration for the generations to come.

The monarch of Tyrclaid is symbolically wed to one of the Old Ones, and as the Kingdom's monarchs become one in death, they join their symbolic spouses as beloveds in death. Scholars say the mortal-focused religion may have formed due to human discontent with the Living Gods, though with the addition of Rathari into the faith, symbolic representatives of the Living Gods have been added to the religion's canon in recent centuries.