Religion

Religion in the Outer Realms

The Church of Abbas Dei dominates and pervades nearly every aspect of life in the Outer Realms. Its rituals and strictures shape the daily lives of both peasants and nobles, just as its bishops and cardinals shape the policies and decisions of rulers. A small number of people began worshiping of Abbas Dei  in the senescent years of the Illyrian Empire, but the Church of Abbas Dei did not formally exist until after the Illyria’s collapse, when the Empire’s desperate, hungry survivors began to find the idea of a benevolent, shepherd god increasingly appealing.

Commonly known as The Father God or The Shepherd God, Abbas Dei is a benevolent, theistic god who is said to love each of his worshippers like his own children. Most clerics of Abbas Dei are simple priests who lead a congregation and minister to its needs.  Some, however, are warrior priests who fight side-by-side with paladins and other holy warriors in military orders that resemble the historic Knights Templar or Knights Hospitaller. Many of these orders serve the church by garrisoning the towns and outposts that it controls (such as the town/monastery of St. Rufinus), while other orders serve more  specialized roles, such as protecting specific holy sites and artifacts.

Although the Church of Abbas Dei aggressively represses heresies, cults of strange, unheard of deities - some benevolent, some sinister -  do exist in shadowy places beneath the church’s vision. Beyond the church’s vision, in places like the highlands of Wealas and the moors of Northymbre, worship of the old gods still persists.  In the high mountains of the Outer Realms, the dwarves still worship their own gods, though few humans know much about them. The elves are even more enigmatic; no one can say whether the savage, reclusive tribes have any gods at all, and few are inclined to ask.

Clerics in the upcoming campaign may worship Abbas Dei or any other god/goddess that suits the character’s backstory.  Below are lists of other deities of the Outer Realms.

Gods of the North

Thunor.  (CG) Hammer wielding god of thunder. Associated with thunder, lightning, and storms.  A popular deity among common folk.

Woden  (NG) God of poets, seers, sorcerers, and healers. Many tales depict him as a shape-changer who walks unnoticed among humans. He is a particularly popular deity among royalty.

Beowa.  (NG) God of barley and agriculture.

Frey.  (LG) God of sacred kingship, virility, and prosperity who bestows peace and prosperity on mortals.  Also associated with sunshine and fair weather.  Often depicted with a large phallus.  

Frige.  (NG)  Goddess of childbirth, midwifery, and the household.

Tiw.  (CN)  God of single combat, victory, and heroic glory.  Often depicted as a one-handed man.

Gods of the Highlands

Angus Mac Og (CG) God of youth, love and beauty. Pronounced Makohk.

Anu.  (NG) Mother Earth, goddess of fertility, prosperity, comfort. Pronounced An-oo.

Arawn.  (LE) God of the underworld.

Arduinna.  (CG) Goddess of the hunt who is often pictured riding a wild boar.

Belenus.  (LG) God of sun and fire.  Associated with healing and purification.

Branwen.  (NG) Goddess of love and beauty.  Pronounced Bran-oo-en.

Camulus.  (CN) A war god.  His clerics are generally war priests who battle shoulder-to-shoulder with the warriors of their tribe.

Cerunnos (N) God of nature and wild things.  Associated with hunting, wild animals, and woodlands.  Pronounced Ker-noo-nos.

Cerridwen. (N) Goddess of death, fertility, regeneration.  Strongly associated with magic. 

The Crone  (NE) Goddess of old age, death, winter, and the end of all things. Symbolized by the waning moon and her cauldron of rebirth.

Druantia (CG) Goddess of fertility, passion, and sexual activities. Symbolized by a tree.

Govannon (N) God of blacksmiths, weapon makers, jewelry making, brewing, fire, metalworking. Pronounced Gov-ann-on.

Gwydion  (LG) A warrior-magician, and greatest of the enchanters,. Associated with illusion, changes, magic, and healing.  Pronounced Gwi-dee-on

The Horned God.  (CN) Lord of the wild hunt. Associated with the masculine, active side of nature.

Macha. (LE) Goddess of war and death. Associated with cunning, sheer physical force, sexuality, fertility, and dominance over men.

Manannan Mac Lir. (N)  God of the sea, navigators, storms, weather at sea, sailing, weather forecasting.  Pronounced Mannan-awn maklir.

Taliesin (CG) God of the bards. Associated with poetry, wisdom, music, magic and knowledge.  Pronounced Tal-i-ess-in.

The White Lady.  (CE)  Goddess of death, destruction, and annihilation.

The Gods of Old Illyria

Angita.  (N) Goddess of magic and witchcraft.

Orcus.  (LE) God of the underworld, and punisher or perjurers.

Liber.  (CG) God of wine, fertility, and freedom. 

Feronia.  (NG) Goddess of fertility and abundance, primarily worshipped by commoners. 

Pales.  (NG) God of shepherds, flocks, and livestock.

Aequitas.  (LN) God of fairness, equality, conformity, and symmetry.

Bellona.  (CN) A goddess of war.

Clementia.  (NG)  Goddess of forgiveness and mercy.

Cloacina.  (N)  Goddess of the sewers.

Concordia.  (LG) Goddess of agreement, understanding, and marital harmony.

Cybele.  (N) Goddess of forests, mountains, and wild animals.

Discordia.  (CE)  Goddess of discord and strife.

Febris.  (CN)  Goddess of fevers.  Causes and relieves sickness.

Furina.  (CN) Goddess of thieves, unlawful gain, and trickery.

Invidia.  (NE)  Goddess of jealousy and envy.  Associated with the evil eye.

Mithras.  (NG) War god who protects soldiers.

Mefitas (CE)  Goddess of poisonous vapors.

Minerva.  (LG)  Goddess of learning, wisdom, art, science, and medicine.

Nerio.  (LG)  War goddess associated with valor.

Quirinus.  (CN) The principle war god of Illyria, similar to Mars in Roman mythology.

Silvanus.  (CG) God of woodlands and forests.

Soranus.  (NG) God of the sun.

Suadela.  (CN) Goddess of persuasion, particularly seduction.

Tellus.  (NG) Goddess of the earth.

Verminus.  (CE) God of cattle worms.

Volturnas.  (CN)  God of the sea.