The True Giants

The True Giants is the belief system most popular in Magnum Opus. It is based on the worship of the True Giants, titanic creatures that existed at the dawn of time, and the constant cycles of nature they represent. They're one of the more ordered religions in Edda, focusing on maintaining cycles, protecting mortal lives along with nature itself, and keeping a balance of forces such as Mana and natural energy. Ironically, the most common domain of clerics within the religion is not the Order Domain, which focuses on enforcing balance on things where true natural cycles are chaotic and uncontrollable, but instead the Nature Domain, where the god representing the concept of cycles lies.
There are two gods that are not typically worshipped due to having been killed within their history. Those gods are Cerdded, the ancient god of Life and Death, and Torcalon, the ancient god of War and Unity. It is their battle with each other and mutual death that created several of the current gods, so they are regarded more as the origin of those gods rather than worshipped deities in their own right.
While they have gods that represent the esoteric branch of divinity, being Fate and Unity with their creator deities taking the domains of Space and Time, along with minor gods and religious figures, the main worshipped deities are as follows:

1. Arfwisg, the True Giant of personal Protection and the Defense of the innocent. A Dire Wolf with five eyes and the first child of Torcalon, born from his severed head, inheriting his desire to protect. He presides over the War Domain.
2. Coedwig, the True Giant of Natural Life and the creation of Medicine. A female figure with skin that's like bark and hair that's like branches, the first child of Cerdded, born from his top half and inheritor of his power over life. She watches over the Life Domain.
3. Creawdwr, the True Giant of skilled Creation and the power of Dedication. A masculine figure the size of a mountain, constantly hunched over an ever billowing forge. The second child of Torcalon, he was born of the gods flowing blood and inherited his father's devotion. He presides over the Forge Domain.
4. Teithiwr, the True Giant of Death and distant Travels. A figure cloaked in a deep gray shroud that takes the life of what it touches, Teithiwr can be seen as a more malicious presence, but from their cloak springs new life from what is taken, much like their progenitor as they are the second and final child of Cerdded, born of their fathers bottom half and inheritor over the power of death. They observe the Death Domain, unsurprisingly.
5. Dirgelwch, the True Giant of hidden Mysteries and the concept of Sexuality. An ever-changing individual, Dirgelwch is often referred to as the smallest of the True Giants, preferring to mess with mortals on their own scale. They are always adorned with a rainbow cloak and will change their appearance to that which appeals most to their preferred target. They are the final child of Torcalon, born of the gods nether regions and inheritor of the gods love for mortality, even if it has grown much more literal in Dirgelwch's hands. As the purveyor of mystery in the True Giants, they preside over the secrets of the Arcana Domain.
6. Cae Blodau, the True Giant of Flowers and the concept of Cycles. While not the progenitor of the other gods or the faith, she is the most commonly worshipped figure, as she encapsulates all cycles while other gods represent a few sparse ones. She is typically regarded as a feminine figure, but with a body adorned by various types and colors of flowers and moss in the form of an elegant dress. With her power over an aspect of nature, and her representation of Nature's chaotic cycles, it's no surprise she represents the Nature Domain.
7. Pydredd, the True Giant of Decay and the science of Alchemy. The twin to Cae Blodau, Pydredd is regarded as an individual with branches of dead trees coming from their head like hair, wearing a pure white coat that covers their entire form. They represent the cycle of decay and revitalization of life, along with the process of creating potions, salves, and other materials via alchemy. As they represent such transformative things, they represent the Grave Domain.
8. Araith, the True Giant of created Speech and the ideal of Discovery. A slender figure with 8 spider-like arms, the threads weaved by Araith write out truths of the world and are considered the origin of language. They're an enemy of Dirgelwch as one who would hide their truths after they spent so long weaving them. As the creator of discovery, they preside over the Knowledge Domain.
9. Nefol, the True Giant of the Weather and divine Inspiration. No one actually knows what form Nefol took, as they are associated with ephemeral concepts like a gentle breeze, a warm sunbeam, or the crackle of thunder. As such they are typically shown as an orb or sundisk with symbols implying the necessary element. Nefol is regarded as giving people the push or final piece to their aspirations, which is known as Nefol's Light. Due to being associated with that, as well as the light of the sun, they are the representative of the Light Domain.
10. Cenfor, the True Giant of the Water and tumultuous Storms. Sometimes portrayed as a child of Nefol due to the specific weather association, Cenfor is an oceanic goddess typically represented as a large mermaid-like figure who creates the storms with her song, while the purification of the waters comes from her effervescent scales. She presides over the Tempest Domain.
11. Camarweiniol, the True Giant of Festivities and the importance of Self-Expression. A child of Diregelwch, he takes the form of a large human, wearing clothes like a jester with a mask of comedy. While he's generally a benevolent god, bringing festivities and good fortune to irreverent festivals, and encouraging others to be themselves, he's notorious for having no concept of morals in regards to Self-Expression, and often uses misleading tactics to force others to embrace their truth. As such, benevolence aside, he is the god of the Trickery Domain.
12. Llyfrgell, the True Giant of the art of Writing and the ideal of Balance. Represented as less of a physical being and more of a living library of different forms of writing, they are the deity of the Order Domain, operating and sharing the belief that even as cycles of nature are chaotic, there is an ebb and flow that must be predicted and maintained for the success of mortal life.

Structure

The True Giants follow a rather standard path of titles within its structure. You have Apostles, Clerics, Priests, Bishops, Archbishops, Archpriests, Archclerics, and Grand Apostles. They have an increasing amount of duties bestowed upon them, and the religion is mostly led and governed by Archclerics, as Grand Apostle is a special rank. 
Some find it odd that the ranks seem to go backward once you hit 'Arch' status, but that is due to the religion believing that becoming 'Arch' means you are becoming directly subservient to the gods, rather than more enlightened than mortals.

Culture

Those who follow the True Giants are sometimes painfully neutral. They will do their best to be forces of good, as their gods would decree, but the faith is based around the acceptance of natural cycles, meaning they typically take a 'Go with the Flow' attitude, although a decent amount also take this chance to initiate those cycles, so they tend to be more active, for better or for worse.

Mythology & Lore

The legends of The True Giants mostly detail that, following the advent of The Tower, the material realm was lorded by their titanic deities, who created, observed, and maintained the new natural cycles of life that now dictate daily living. Most of the pantheon comes from the union of their deities of Time and Space, Sero of Impossibility and Negative Forces, and Ddiderfyn of The Unknown and Infinity respectively.

Divine Origins

In 10,621 BC was the year when the first scripture of The True Giants, titled The Scroll of Cycles, was widespread and public knowledge, putting the advent of the religion somewhere in that area. It originated in the snowy plains of northern Magnum Opus and spread outwardly from there, but no one knows who or which group of people were the ones to distribute it, although it's obvious that it spread via merchant routes.

Cosmological Views

The understanding of the world as the True Giants decree it is much like a fractal, an ever-expanding and revolving set of cycles that continues ad infinitum. The theory that mana itself came to exist from a source in the distant future is regarded as one such example of this, as are things like the cycle of seasons, water cycle, even the orbits of celestial bodies.

Tenets of Faith

The biggest point of faith for all who dutifully follow the True Giants is To Facilitate the Cycles. While it's considered taboo to interfere in what is already occurring in a way that changes the natural outcome, that is not to say those who follow the True Giants are mere bystanders. If one takes action in an active way, they recognize their part in a grand cycle, even if they are not aware of it.

Worship

Worship in the True Giants consists of two prayer sessions, both one hour long, one in the morning and another in the evening. This session is typically held by one's self, but larger orders tend to do group sermons at least twice weekly. The main way of doing so is to give devotion and praise to one's preferred deity, or to all the pantheon if applicable, over either a prayer wheel or a specific deific item. Following the praise to the deity or deities, then the individual focuses on areas where they wish their personal strength to be maintained or increased, beseeching the appropriate deity. After that, there is a period of quiet meditation. Most people report that they receive guidance, assistance, or deific intervention in these hours.

Priesthood

Priesthood within the True Giants is a lifelong career, but it is one without strict goalposts. In a well-functioning order, there will always be at least two members of the higher ranks, except for the absolutely exceptional ranks such as Archpriest and beyond. Those higher members will see to it that new recruits are initiated and that significant effort is recognized and rewarded. If one has been with the order a certain amount of years and shown steady progress or at least strong devotion, they will be put to the test for ascendancy. This system flows until one hits the Arch ranks, where it takes more significant efforts to prove one's qualification for ascendancy. In the wake of The Border Wars, many Bishops found themselves tested in battle, creating a vast widening in the rank of Archbishop.
As for which orders are active, most locations will have an all-worshiping church, although the majority of a populace might lean one way or another. However, some places do have more specific orders, and especially when it comes to some militant orders certain gods will be favored.

Political Influence & Intrigue

In the past, the True Giants have had a massive pull over the public. However, in the wake of the Border Wars and subsequentially, King Diomedes' rise to the throne, the church has had its authority reduced to just its own interests, and even that has become more heavily vetted under Diomedes ideals of equality. Many newer and lesser-ranked members see this as a positive change, as it allows for the interests of the church to be more frequently and accurately filled, but many older and higher-ranking members long for the power they used to wield over the common populace.

Accept the Cycle (Derbyn y patrwm)

Founding Date

10,621 BC

Type

Religious, Pantheon

Alternative Names

The Minute Ones, The Cycle

Demonym

Giantian

Leader

Archcleric Brynmor Morgan

Leader Title

Archcleric

Related Myths

• The Whispers of Waldemar