Ahketism (ah-Ket-ism)

Ahketism is one of the major religions in most of Lithria with the exception of some of the of the Principality citizens and the nations of Trandafira and Valistria.
It is a polytheistic religion with several major gods who exist in divine realms and many dozen minor deities who exist within the physical world (sometimes referred to as spirits rather than gods by outsiders).

Structure

The major sect of Ahketism is led by the current ruling priest-king of Khalimar who acts as both the government head and the head of the religion as the embodiment of the soul of Ausir in the mortal world. This interpretation shifts when outside Khalimar into one where the gods each have their own groupings. Ausir is still often seen as the head of the pantheon and the priests close to the god of death. In other sects, Ninanak leads the pantheon as the embodiment of order and law. However, the values of Ahketism and the gods which are worshiped through it remain similar throughout the sects.
From the king or other religious head, the priests form the rest of the religious hierarchy.

Tenets of Faith

Bring order and harmony to the world, rejecting disorder and chaos.
This is the main "tenet" of Ahketism if any can be stated. Most tenets of the religion are bound up in those of the various gods and their stories.

Worship

The major gods of Ahketism exist beyond the material realm and are represented as constellations in the sky. These gods are:

Ninanak, Feathered Lady of Truth. The rainbow-color winged goddess of truth, justice and balance. She is seen as the chief deity in some aspects and is considered it in some sects as she represents the order brought to the universe by the gods against the chaos and darkness.
Ausir, the King Reborn. Seen as chief among the gods to the major sect of Ahketism, Ausir was once a mighty king whom the goddess Nebet fell in love with. When he was murdered by the god Sha, she worked great magic and went through many trials to return him to his form, granting him not only immortality, but godhood. He presides over the judgement of the dead and has great association with the leadership of Khalimar.
Khenri, the Chronicler and Lord of Divine Words. The ibex-headed (or sometimes ibis-headed) god of knowledge and magic is said to have been the god to give language to the Khalim people, and later spellcraft. He is the patron of messengers and record-keepers and chronicles every judgement of the dead.
Nebet, the Mourning Queen and Goddess of Miracles. The queen of the gods who retrieved the scattered pieces of her beloved Ausir and used her healing magics to restore him. She is the goddess of mothers, mourners, and protectors of home and hearth.
Denderah, the Dancer Among the Heavens. The child of Heka and Kothar (or in some tellings Ninanak and Khenri) is a deity which often shifts in the perception of their worshipers. They are a - at times - easily distracted deity of beauty and travel, and are said to have filled the night sky with stars and constellations.
Hora-Re, the Distant One. The firstborn child of Ausir and Nebet is both the rightful king and the headstrong prince. He is a god devoted to the ideals of courage and glory while seeking vengeance against the god Sha for their attempt to usurp his father and will not rest until they have battled their last. His eyes are said to see from horizon to horizon in vigilance for the movements of the traitorous god.
Sha, Lord of the Dark. Sha is the supposed brother of Ninanak and the darkness to her light, deceit to her truth, and injustice to her justice. They revel in plotting against both gods and mortals and ultimately desire to be the ruler of the gods themselves.
Anubis, the Grave-Hound. Often depicted as a hound or jackal rather than their humanoid form, Anubis is the devoted son of Ausir and Nebet. Where his siblings remain headstrong protectors and warriors, he has taken his place as the guardian of his father and of his domain in which the souls of the dead pass. As a symbol of his importance, kings of Khalimar often have their own personal hound sitting at their right hand as Anubis stands at his fathers.
Bast, the Divine Hunter. The third child of Ausir and Nebet, Bast takes the form of a feline in one of two ways: as a golden lioness warrior representing the protection of the home and homeland, and as a dark-furred feline (either cat or panther) which depicts her as a protector from the non-physical such as disease and evil spirits. Some believe that Bast is in fact two separate twin goddesses, and have associated her with good fortune. Cats are common in Khalimar and are viewed as divine messengers and hunters sent by Bast.
Irkalla, the Devourer. Irkalla is the god least desired to be seen by Akhetists as they are the ruler of the realm where those judged unworthy of the afterlife go to be punished. Irkalla also has some association with deals and law, but is widely seen as a punisher.
Kothar, the Creator. The smith of the gods, Kothar is believed to have created himself before the world began and then lay out the foundations for the world, its high mountains and vast oceans. Their intermittent partner is Heka.
Heka, Magic Incarnate. Lady of dreams and imagination, Heka is said to have existed before the world itself and before the gods. She is the embodiment of magic itself and of dreams and creativity.
Isfet, Devourer of the Dawn. Isfet is the traitorous god who seeks the destruction of the gods and all things. They have been banished to a place of darkness since their last attempt, but cults of Isfet, made of the mad and desperate, constantly seek to wake the god from their forced slumber.

Minor gods come in many forms from spirits of rivers, waterfalls, lands, and even cities. Many of these are venerated locally, but see little worship outside of their immediate location.

Sects

Ahketic Ma'at

The Ma'at sect focuses on the ideals of Ninanak, goddess of truth, balance, and justice.

Hunters of Sun and Moon

This sect is far more militaristic. They ascribe to the ideals of Hora-Re and Bast, and hunt creatures who they view as harming the divine order the gods wish to maintain. These creatures are often draconic or serpent-like in nature due to the depictions of scaled monsters in stories about the gods of chaos.