Intro to Divinities & Religions

What are Divinities? This age old question is one that scholar upon scholar has tried to wrap their minds around for epochs and eons. Heroes, saints, angels, demons... More words have been used to describe these higher beings than can reasonably come to mind, but one thing that is certain is that they are among us. Whether they are watching over us from the light of the stars or walking among us in our city streets, Divinities are immortalized not just by what they are, but by the teachings they’ve left with us.

The most commonly known religions on Aropria are as follows:

The Followers of the Twins: Coined by some as the religion for the Everyman, this gratitude-based faith is common just about everywhere, though it is most prominent in Caliharah. The Divinities followed are immortal shape shifting twins who are rumored to roam the continent in the shape of cats.

Eos - Religion of the Harvest: Another common religion in the region of Caliharah, though you can find it heavily practiced in any agricultural area, Eos teaches a devotion to the harvest, practicing different rituals in their life based on the season of the year. Practitioners of Eos follow the Divinity Eosaani, an immortal being who can speak to birds and, through them, performs miracles for her devout followers.

The Dirt: A slightly less prominent religion, though still practiced by many, The Dirt is believed to be an offshoot of Eos. Rather than showing devotion to harvest, the reverence is paid to the soil itself. Meditative prayer is very significant to them and they believe death, and particularly burial, to be sacred.

The Faith: More often known as the Cult in Rowlem, The Faith believes the dogma that humans are the only real race and that all other races are false constructs that must be cleansed from this world. They swear loyalty to the Divinity known as Row, but there is a mild, if unspoken, contention on just who Row is.

The Garshallan Tribes: The religion of choice in the northern island of Zingare. A member of the Garshalla will select one member from a family of Divinities that are believed to have waged a great war in order to lay claim to the island. Each band characterizes different ways to live the Garshallan life.

The Rangalan Chateaus: An ideology that acts more as an elite club than a religion, The Rangalan Chateaus are a member-exclusive group that donn fabulous cross-body sashes and operate in high stratas of society, following the teachings of the Book of Rangal. Rangal is an immortal Divinity that delights in plotting and scheming and operates simultaneously in a male and female form to advise their Chateaus.

Wayfinders: A religious call to those with an explorer's heart, the Wayfinders follow Elvitri, or the ‘finders light,’ and hold a reverence for exploration. Wayfinders are common in Alvania, southern Nashriam, and various coastal regions.

The Religion of the Alium: Intrinsically linked to the Alium's lost colony ship, the Alium Religion revolves around the mythos of what was lost and the collaboration between builders of a new ship, those searching for the lost ship, and the ones trying to communicate with their home planet.

Mueta Alta: Often noted as the religion for the adventurer, Mueta Alta believes that anything is possible if you want it hard enough and that your greatest desires are out there waiting if you’re brave enough to take them. While an exact Divinity is difficult to link to this religion, those who practice this faith show the same reverence to the Book of Mueta that others would to a specific Divinity.

The Well Devoted: A religion based around the Well of Souls, the Well Devoted people revere this very Well with the same devotion that others would regard a religious divinity. The Well of Souls acts as an answer to life’s many unknown questions, whether that be what comes after death or how to reconnect to somebody who has already passed on.

While the Well Devoted practice a religion around the Well of Souls, the well itself is commonly revered and mutually believed in by the general public. There are common death rituals practiced by the public that honor this, as well as a change in procedure when it comes to bidding farewell to departed folks.

The religions listed above are the most common across Aropria. However, there are a number of minor religions spread throughout the continent. Similar in nature to the minor religions are the Congruence Stormchasers, who have their own set of beliefs, but don’t quite categorize as a textbook religion.

Another interesting notion about Divinities in the Fourth Epoch is that not every divine being has a religious following. In fact, there are a multitude of non-religious Divinities within the universe at large. From the elusive Divinity living on Whioma Island to the confined family of Divinities known at The Pantheon, non-religious Divinities are just as abundant, if not moreso, than their aforementioned counterparts. When it comes to Divinities in the Fourth Epoch, the sky really is the limit… Or perhaps even beyond!