Religion
The Patron Spirits
“How could one gaze upon the grand majesty of Tyr - its blue radiance illuminating our sky, its discs inspiring art and wonder - and not feel that we are privileged a special place in this universe?”The people of Cantara are a spiritual people. They do not believe in omniscient gods, or all-powerful beings that created all things. They honor a pantheon of Patron spirits, the personification of the energies of the world. A person is typically devout to a single patron, whichever aligns with their passion or profession. To them these are not beings to worship, but aspects of the natural world to connect with. The guides who channel the forces of their domain.
While one typically follows a single patron, it is common for a person to turn to others when their guidance is needed. One may wear a charm of Arra when luck is needed, wait for Orinsday to make an important deal, or reach out to Illyo with matters of the heart.
Listed below are the most noteworthy Patron Spirits of this religion, along with examples of the symbols associated with them and common types of people who follow them. Of course the world is full of spirits, and someone may find a connection with another spirit outside of the common pantheon, whether they are spirits of one of the primary domains or fit in elsewhere. For example an obscure tree spirit, or a wandering spirit of the wind.
Arra: Fortune, Both Good and Ill
Alignment: True neutral
Symbol: A spoked wheel
Followers of Arra believe in embracing the unpredictability of the universe, that no matter the outcome of matters of chance - fortunate or unfortunate - that outcome is as it should be. To them, chance is the great leveler ensuring all remain on more equal footing.
As you might suspect, most others also turn to Arra when luck is needed.
Orin: Justice, Order, Trade
Alignment: Lawful
Symbols: Scales, balanced triangles
Followed by: Paladins, law keepers, merchants
To achieve true and fair balance is to be close to Orin. Just as a fair trade should equally benefit both parties, true justice should see the scales balanced. Followers of Orin don't believe in forgiveness for transgressions, and in fact believe that it is unfair to all others if sins go unpunished.
Tyr: Honor, Truth, Vigilance
Alignment: Neutral good
Symbol: Concentric rings, the shield
Followed by: Paladins, soldiers, rulers
The might of the planet Tyr is always with us, ever vigilant. To be true to yourself and others is the binding tenet of this spirit. To help others and protect those who are in need, whatever the circumstance. Followers of Tyr believe that it is never easy to know what the right thing to do is, but that honesty and integrity will always help you find it.
Moul: Conflict, Contest, Destruction
Alignment: Chaotic
Symbol: The sword, the torn banner, the fist
Followed by: Orcs, soldiers, mercenaries
Followers of Moul believe that contest is the best way to grow. Testing your skills, might, or ideas against an opponent will not only decide who is superior or what is right, but give both the chance to learn, change, and strengthen. Many also believe that destroying what is inferior prevents it from holding one back.
Orcs have always been tightly aligned with Moul.
Illyo: Passion, Love, Arts
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Symbol: A dancing humanoid, an open hand
Followed by: Bards, artists, mages, the love-stricken
To connect with Illyo is to connect with your own spirit and the spirits of others. We are souls of emotions and desires living in a beautiful world full of potential, and to not try to make something good out of that is a waste. Expression, connection, wonder, and novelty.
To follow Illyo is to get to the root of spiritualism itself, which is why they are considered by many the spirit of magic.
Thal: Ingenuity, Knowledge
Alignment: Any
Symbol: A burning torch
Followed by: Scholars, craftspeople, wizards
A burning curiosity and an unquenchable desire to learn, create, and innovate drives the followers of Thal. There are endless mysteries in this world, and not engaging with them would not only be impious, but selfish.
Antimos: Storms, Chaos, Change
Alignment: Chaotic
Symbol: A bolt of lightning, an arrow
Followed by: Sailors, storm wardens, druids
Billowing winds enable us to sail the great seas, pelting rains feed the flora and refresh our reservoirs, and furious tempests bring about necessary change. The followers of this nature spirit believe that the storm drives us from stagnancy and to great things.
Fena: Wilderness, Balance, Decay
Alignment: Neutral
Symbol: A tree with deep roots, an owl, a fox
Followed by: Druids, rangers, members of the Wandering Order
Fena is the fickle spirit of the wilderness and the creatures within it. Their followers believe that balance comes from a symbiotic natural order and entities that disrupt that order should be resisted. A fox must hunt the rabbit to survive, but the fox's death also brings new life. When balance is reached, everyone thrives.
Lyra: Sea, Life, Peace
Alignment: Lawful neutral, lawful good
Symbol: Coral, a crescent moon, a breeching whale
Followed by: Sailors, surgeons, druids
To Cantarans, the sea is the implacable source of life, livelihood, and opportunity. To Lyra's followers, their spirit is in the strength of the waves, the order of the tides, and the uncompromising promise of new beginnings.
Helias: Sun, Harvest, Growth
Alignment: Good
Symbol: A shining sun, a flower
Followed by: Farmers, healers, druids
Just as the sun provides warmth, light, and sustenance, Helias' followers believe in providing for others. Growth comes from community, and community must be tended as carefully as a garden.
Lugos: Shadow, Deceit, the Overlooked
Alignment: Chaotic
Symbol: A blindfold, a black mask with no mouth, a ring
Followed by: Rogues, shinobi, charlatans, the less fortunate, the unseen, and the outcast
Lugos is often dismissed as a patron of evil, but to many Lugos is their only champion. In the shadows and cracks of society, people struggle against laws, structures, and figures that cast them aside, tamp them down, and turn a blind eye to their plights. To followers of Lugos, what is right is not always honorable and survival means using deception and subterfuge to level the playing field.
Iapetus: Shepherd of Death
Alignment: Neutral
Symbol: A diamond, skulls
Followed by: Graverights, assassins of the House of Iapetus
Death is the inevitable outcome of life and should be welcomed as the rightful transition of the spirit to its proper place. In Cantara, the release of the soul is sacred and to keep it from from finding its way to the spirit world is taboo. Graverights come in many forms, but all are shamans who tend to the body after death to ensure the spirit finds peace.
Vidaris: The Antagonist
Alignment: Evil
Symbol: A 7 pointed star that is split in half vertically
The enemy of all things, a demon spirit of hatred and ruin.
Brightrock: Dwarven God of the Forge
“As an ingot is wrought from hammer and flame, so too are we forged by life, every trial and tribulation is a blow working us closer to our full potential.”The Dwarven religion is monotheistic, they pray to Brightrock, the god of the forge, god of the mountain, and god of creation. They believe that a Dwarf's life is spent being forged by Brightrock into the form the god desires. As such everything that happens in life is considered to be intentional, a blow from Brightrock shaping them into their final form.
Many Cantaran dwarves turn to the patron spirits instead, or find room for both in their life.
Ramzamzu: The Cat Lord
The deity of the tabaxi is a fickle entity, as befits the Patron of cats. The tabaxi believe that Ramzamzu wanders the world, watching over them and intervening in their affairs as needed. To Ramzamzu, every interaction is an exchange, and nothing creates strong bonds like a mutual bargain. Clerics of the Cat Lord are rare and typically access the Trickery Domain.Master of the Depths
Most seaworthy folk of the Cantara Isles follow Lyra or Antimos as one might expect, but not all. There are those who turn their muttered prayers instead to a much stranger, darker patron. Simply referred to as "The Master" by its followers, this enigmatic deity harkens to the fathomless depths of the endless seas, the insatiable maw of its crushing waves, and the binding fear of one who peers into the dark below.Even by its devout very little is said or known about The Master, yet they swear by the necessity of honoring the one who inhabits the saltwater depths. What sort of being it is is even of great debate; a great spirit like the other patrons? A dread leviathan lurking below the waves? Or even the very sea itself? Few seem to agree, but all who follow The Master will swear they must be respected and feared.
The Akatesh
The Akatesh is the primary religious practice of the Beladiri. Unlike most other religious practices the Beladiri do not recognize any sort of god or patron, instead their religion is based around the spirits of their ancestors. The Beladiri believe in putting themselves and their clans first, and find the idea of worship to be crass, uncouth, and unproductive. Rather than worship deities, they turn to their ancestors for guidance, knowledge, and comfort. It is believed that upon death, a body must be cremated to allow its spirit to become free. Once free it rejoins nature and watches over the clan, offering guidance and a deeper connection between the clan and nature. Because of this, allowing a body to go uncremated is a rather large taboo in Beladiri culture.Each Beladiri clan holds its own pantheon of ancestral spirits, therefor the spirits of one clan aren't of consequence to another. Beladiri of particular note always hold a special place in the Akatesh of their clan, known as the Akatani. For instance, a particularly skilled hunter may be turned to for luck on a hunt, a renown warrior will be turned to for strength in battle, and a wise elder will be beseeched for wisdom. These revered spirits will often hold this place of honor in the Akatani for multiple generations, but it is never permanent. It is important to the Beladiri that new spirits take their place in the Akatani to allow older ones to rest, as well as allow the clan to evolve and thrive.
The Beladiri interact with the Akatesh in many different ways. The most common is in individual praying; someone seeking aid or guidance from a family member or one of the Akatani. This is done in private while burning herbs and beseeching their ancestor. Larger scale versions of this are also done in groups around a fire, typically led by the Quanah. This is done to ask the Akatesh to give favor or wisdom to a group, such as a talon, or even the entire clan.
The Akatesh provide their guidance in different ways. It can manifest as intuition at the right moment, as wisdom to do the right thing, as strength in time of need, or comfort in times of peril. Beladiri have also received knowledge and guidance from the Akatesh in the form of visions and dreams, or words on the wind. One may never know how their ancestors will help them, but they know it when it happens.
The term "The Akatesh" itself often refers to the pantheon of spirits of a clan (such as "The Waktunwali Akatesh"), but can also be used to refer to the idea of the religion as a whole.
