Each country has a god, goddess or multiple godlings. Sometimes neighbouring countries will share deities. Each profession claims a patron. Like Pre-Christian earth, gods and their related hierarchies come and go, gaining in importance or sinking into oblivion as societies change and evolve. This has resulted in enough gods and goddesses to fill not only a volume but an entire library, and it does. (The library is located appropriately enough on Godliness Boulevard in Thessalia, which not surprisingly runs parallel to Cleanliness Avenue, the road of washerwomen.)
The gods themselves reside on the eighth plane. Needless to say, this plane is bit congested, making the gods a trifle peevish at the best of times, and people go to great lengths to appease them. In truth, though, the many gods and goddesses are usually too caught up with their own internal disputes--usually involving real estate--to interfere with man. However, it is better not to draw a particular god's attention, especially by mucking about in what they would consider their particular area of expertise.
A further consequence of this continuous evolution of the gods/goddesses is that Renegades World can boast some pretty bizarre divinities. One former god, god of bureaucrats, was worshipped with enormous quantities of red tape. Under the unlikely title of Xdizqtojaljluhtkdlfaut--bureaucrats preferring not to be understood--this god reputedly had: the head of a stoat, the body of a gerbil, the wings of dodo, legs of a chicken and the brain of a pea. Others were worse, a horrific miscellany of churning parts.
As man has become more sophisticated, his gods have become more tidy. Current gods/goddesses include:
Og, the Iron god, whose symbol is the hammer. A warlike god, he is worshipped in the far north, common to both Norvon and Szatmar. He is the patron of berserkers, and vicariously of adventurers and mercenaries. Therefore, his worshippers may be found anywhere such people go, even in Daklha. Og is believed to imbue with his followers with fanatical strength and courage, and few who have faced them in conflict would argue the point, which would most likely be at the end of a dagger.
Ullr, the Bear god, is the primary god of Uri, but the bear also worshipped in the southern regions of Norvon. Less savage than Og, he is the god of perseverance and strength. His followers, who trust in his strength, believe all will eventually find the true god and do not seek converts, as Oggites do, at the end of a knife. A severed bear's paw is supposed to have curative powers--relieving pain and healing piles.
Fennec the Fox is the god of craft, cunning and to a lesser extent deceit. He is worshipped in Firth where such traits are considered laudable. In the northern continent, Fennec is believed to be the patron of all merchants, and of thieves.
Brigitta (pronounced with a soft `g' sound), is the only major Northern goddess. Her symbol is the dove or a single sheaf of wheat. She is goddess of peace and fecundity and the mother of the moons. She is mainly worshipped in Shalop and northern Lavanthia. She is patroness of the healers's craft.
Apsu, the Devourer and Serpent King, is worshipped in Quattara and the regions around the Miasmic Swamp of Abdha. Accepted patron of all slavers, and indigestion, Apsu is believed by many to be a god of inherent evil. Thus to a lesser extent, he is the patron of assassins, usurers, insurance salesmen and used dung-camel dealers. Sala, the female manifestation (and wife) of Apsu, worshipped in Abdha and Hamadan. Symbol, snake devouring its tale. Neither good nor evil, she is neutral. She claims rulership over all cycles, hence rules the annual floods and the movement of the planets.
Ramman, the formless one, is primary god of Shamir and a secondary god in Hamadan. The formless one's name must not be spoken. Blasphemers have their tongues cut out for the first offence, and, following such punishment there never is a second one. Quattareans, with typical disrespect, use the term often-- their favourite oath being: "By Ramman's beard."
There are additional minor deities worshipped in the various regions. Often these are the offspring of other gods--such as Ares son of Og and Brigitta. They are referred to as godlings. Where magic is strong, especially near the stone circles , elementals are held sacred. Often deities vie for supremacy and "religious conflict" is common. Of all the crafts, only the Wizards reject the concept of a patron deity. Believing they are "above that sort of thing", they claim all gods as their own.
GOD SYMBOL DOMINION COUNTRIES PATRON GODDESS OF WORSHIP
Og Hammer War & Iron Norvon Berserkers, Szatmar adventurers & mercenaries.
Ullr The Bear Perseverance Uri, Nobility & strength
Fennec The Fox Craft, Firth Merchants, cunning & thieves. & deceit
Brigitta* The dove Peace, Shalop Healers's craft. Sheaf of healing Lavanthia wheat & fecundity
Apsu Serpent Evil Quattara Slavers, the Devourer & indigestion Abdha assassins, usurers, insurance salesmen & used dung-camel dealers.
Sala Snake eating Neutrality Abdha Farmers (wife of Apsu) its tail Cycles Hamadan
Ramman Formless Shamir Herdsman Hamadan * Mother of the moons
The current gods are common to all species. For example, man and elves alike honour Brigitta, but the ways of worship differ between the two. Elves, with their prolonged lives and isolated from human contagion, venerate her in her manifestation as the goddess of fertility. Man, subject to infirmity and disease, focus upon her curative powers.
While there are additional deities revered in the outlying regions. Often these are the offspring of other gods--such as Ares, son of Og and Brigitta. They are referred to as godlings. Where magic is strong, especially near the stone circles, elementals are held sacred. Often deities vie for supremacy and "religious conflict" is common.
Still this is not to say that the immortal planes are without structure, albeit a bewildering one. The planes, after a fashion are divided into gradations of magic and power, starting at the centre with the weakest and going to the outer plane which is the strongest. The gravitational pull dragged elemental earth to the innermost strata. Contained therein, are the feeblest of all species--not only animals, but also man. Travelling outward through the planes, one can perceive the expansion of power. So sorcerous puissance increases the further from the center one gets, and the creatures within that plane gain in strength and abilities over the one previous.
Elemental magic may seem awesome to the mortal eye. It is, in fact, puny in comparison to that of the gods, goddess and godlings who inhabit the eighth plane. Thus, it took the combined strength of all the elementals (not to mention the permission of the gods) to crack time's gate for a day. But a single god--or in this case goddess, Sala--could, by giving a little twirl, turn time back in upon itself. Sala, however, has an advantage in that she is the goddess of cycles, claiming rulership over the daily rotations and the seasons.
The classification of magic and magical abilities of mortal and immortal is outlined below beginning with the weakest:
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