Gammalism
Translated from Old Engelian Gammal, meaning old, the Cult of the Gods of Old is one of the main religions in Mellanvärlden, whose roots are long forgotten into history. Sages and followers say that the Old Gods used to have influence and concrete power over all of Mellanvärlden, but their power slowly dwindled, as did their presence in the plane. Nonetheless, they still hold significant sway over much of Människar, especially the northern people of
Treria. Moreover, almost the entirety of the practices and cultural manners of Människar trace their roots to the Gammalist belief, as even present-day arialists will sometimes set aside a chunk of their meal and have utmost respect for their dead. Maesters of the Red Citadel theorize that the Arilalist belief in the Afterlife is simply a slight altered version from much older proto-manniskarian texts.
History
Long before the rise of The Engelian Empire †, most of mankind still lived in tribes and small villages, in which communities were sparse and rarely interacted with one another. This led each of these settlements and regions to develop and worship different religions and gods, mostly pantheistic or nature-oriented. Tribes further to the north believed in an almighty god made of ice living beyond their lands, which would yearly blow the freezing winds of winter down at them, while inhaling them back during summer.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the western coast believed a goddess lived lying down beneath the seas, and whenever she changed her position, the seas would rise and lower accordingly.
And so, each of the peoples of Manniskar developed their own cult, which then merged into one faith. Although there are countless gods and smaller deities, the 6 major oness are:
Engel - God of Winter and the Northern Wind Maur - God of Light, the Sun and Summer Mireus - God of the Skies, of Mana and the Planets Alerimon - God of Knowledge, Fate and the Duality of Life Liv - Goddess of Rivers, of Rain and Spring Hava - Goddess of the Seas and Sirens Trium - God of Fortune, of Fire and Festivity Jorde - Goddess of the Earth and Metals
