Bairen Religion

BAIREN RELIGIOUS and LEADERSHIP / GOVERNMENT TRADITION and RELIGION
The Bair tend to worship deities and follow traditions that are unique to their tribe or clan, although there are temples in the cities to the "old gods." The religion varies across clan, tribe, and race.

Although the religion of a certain tribe will always be at least somewhat unique, there are some common threads: more male gods; gods of the sun; the trisckster deities; goddess of the warrior's afterlife; god of seeing and divination, etc.

Bairen religion plays a role, as it templates the interaction between clans and tribes, and tribes and other tribes. When a cusp of change is divined, a great council will be held to discuss the next matters. The Places and Feelings of the deities will be important, and divinations will be made in many times and ways.

Reigion in Bair is based largely on tribe or clan. Each clan usually follows one or two "new" deities, and they bring these deities forth into any dealing they have. The mythology right now is that the deities are getting along and willing to work well with each other, and during this periode there is great peace.

(Some in the priestly class are troubled by the King--who is appointed by the priests as the avatar of Nairus themself--who is slowly aging and will die, diviniations say, within two years.

The vacuum this will leave frightens anyone in the know. Two thousand years ago, a war-like tribe invaded the once-agrarian land of Bair.

The conquerors bore stability, strong rule, and various interesting goods (such as the Barhenna). Most of all, they brought new deities, and these deities were gradually adopted, by this tribe or that, until the entire land had been converted.

Generally a tribe will carry the flame of one or two deities, but some honor even the entire pantheon. The most skilled warrior in the Nation was (still is?) lifted up as a demi-god themself, an avatar of Nairius, The King or Queen of Bair.

This warrior leads the Unified Bairen Armies in battles of conquest, aggression, or defense. They rule alongside a person or several persons who help make laws, and ideally help the people of their Nation.
The Overlord Deities (the "Barhenna") are the Gods of Immediate Prestigue and Power; Rule is usually taken from this lot: Strength, Far-sight, Might in Battle and Weapons and Armor.
The Lesser Deities (the "Karhenn") are the deities of nature, dreams, earth, and growing things. They are less prestigious and rarely ascend the throne, but the sensitive among the Barhenna recognize the crucial role the Karhenn play.
The solid foundation of worship in Bair are the Three: Vekniss of the dark and the evil; Tarus of the light; and Nairius the God of Battle, War, and Valor.

Bair has a long history of battle-leaders and warlords ruling mightily over the land (see Bair), until a new army and leader rise up to depose the former. Tribal alliances have been extremely important, and for many years now Bair has enjoyed great peace and prosperity under the Overlord Marian.

She grows old though, more and more every year, and already the confidence in her is waning. King Holski has usurped her position with an amazing charisma and precocious skill as a warrior.  Soon something will break....

BAIREN CLERICS:
See the charts and tables of Bairen deities, their emphasis, and the domain they gift to their clerics. Before choosing a deity and their domain, you may wish to review the rules for cleric domains. For a Cleric, the domain of their deity is important; it's the aspect of divine power they receive and can use. See the Domain rules in the Core Rulbook (or Nephys webstie) for Pathrfinder 2e, or in either Player's Handbook for D and D v3.5 or 5e.

WINE OF THE GODS and THE HOLY BLOODROT: THE KARRIO

Since the time of the Bairen revolution, and probably before that, sacred vinyards have been kept along the forest borders to the south of the Nation. The soil there is chalky, and it soaks rain readily.

In the rainy season the vines ripen and swell up, and a particular fungus infects them, making them swell to twice their size. The fungus, called Karrio, is bright red, and it quickly takes over the vine. And so the grapes are harvested and a wine-like beverage made. Bairen warriors on the side of the Avatari will drink this "nectar of the gods" before battle, and it grants super-human strength to its user.

The wine is considered exteremely Holy and can only be served to a warrior in a temple or hallowed place, and by a priest of the reilgion.

The old gods (the kraitar) are venerated in the cities, usually with separated temples.  A very old Deity in the Bairen pantheon, the Kraltar pantheon, separate from the World Tree--a pantheon even older than that.
VEKNISS: Cruel and Tricky, usually disguised... Symbol is a Raven, Chaotic Evil...Many across Bair, small and destroyed abandoned over time... No one really knows who worshipped here and why, but the old temples are used as places of horrific sacrifice by Vekkniss's followers... Many across Bair, small and destroyed abandoned over time... No one really knows who worshipped here and why, but the old temples are used as places of horrific sacrifice by Vekkniss's followers
TARUS: Temples are grand structures, usually in an urban setting. a kind of classical structure (somewhat different than regular Bairen architecutre), with a tidy vestibule that leads to prayer rooms. Once a week services in the largest prayer room, fits 30 or so.  Followers Sometimes come off as too serious... Definitely a grim lot, following the good. Sometimes produces paladins of great strength and holiness; grim champions for the truth. ALthough grim much of the time, the followers of Tarus will do anything to preserve the goodness of the world; will bend over backwards to help those in need.  Each temple has a holy sword, the sword of law and good; the sword that will be taken down when the demons arise to take the world. At that time a hero will emerge and take down the sword and fight the unholy, and prove victorious.
NAIRIUS: Three Concentric Circles, of outer grey fading to inner black circle.  Fierce but just; battle-ready at all timesWorshipped all across Bair, both urban and rural.  Temples are often concentric standing stones... Some vary ancient, and some with a hole in the middle that leads to a crypt, a crypt of sacred warriors past, they say... Followers are varied; some revel in battle and feats of stregth, some use ritual to hold the center, as it were, to keep the world of nature and human balanced, and to reap the benefits of such rituals (usually strength and stability)

The Barhenna and Karhen both hold representation in the Bairen pantheon. There are clerics, temples, and followers for each one. Some of the common folk offer gifts just for the deities in general, and others can be found kneeling in a particular alcove with a deity's image, or wandering a forest path deemed sacred to this or that deity. There are many modes of following, many modes of worshipping. The Domains below offer a concrete way of quantfying the Deity's person influence on the life of a cleric, be they a priest or acolyte or just a devoted disciple.
See below for the Bairen deities, their sphere of influence, and the Domains they represent in each game. For a Cleric, the domain of their deity is important; it's the aspect of divine power they receive and can use. See the Domain rules in the Core Rulbook (or Nephys webstie) for Pathrfinder 2e, or in either Player's Handbook for D and D v3.5 or 5e.  

Deity	Description	Domain PF2e	Domain v3.5	Domain 5e
Darvva	"Giver of Cows," supplyer of Karrio; He to whom we sacrifice	Law or Community	Law or Protection	Protection  or Order
Knikta	Divine Thunderbolt or power and destruction, and fire burning	War or Fire	War or Storm	War or Zeal
Taran	The Charioteer; She of Bravery, Flying into Battle	War or Glory	Courage or Glory	War or Fate
Sukkhos	Lord of Death, and of dying in battle	Death or Glory	Death or Glory	Death or Zeal
Shrann	The Blinding Sun, Giver of Energy, Lord of Energy	Fire or Sun	Fire or Sun	Light and Zeal
Bindra	(lesser deity) The Cosmic Mother	Water or Healing or Air	Celestial or Healing or Ocean	Nature or Peace
Traika	(lesser deity) The Moon Goddess, Mistress of Mystery	Magic or Charm	Magic or Mysticism	Twliight or Peace
Fendra	(lesser deity) The Ocean and the Cosmic Pattern	Water or Healiang	Ocean or Water or Healing	Lie or Peace
Daren	The Humble Weaver of Lives' Souls	Law or Luck	Destiny or Planning	Fate or Life