The Old Faiths
These disparate religions are dedicated to a pantheon of primal deities who have whispered to mortals through nature for untold generations, such as primal Nodens,
vengeful Kromac, honorable Nuada, and nurturing Danu, but there are countless more. These worshipers’ beliefs and practices vary widely based on the tenets of their patron god, but myths often surround the elements, seasons, land, and ancestor worship. Many such beliefs originated with the ancient peoples of the Continent, such as the dwarves. Others are closely connected to mysterious entities who inhabit extraplanar worlds such as Dreamland or the Feywild, and are often kept by the elves. The pantheon of the Old Gods forms an interrelated family, yet the stories and myths of the Old Gods make varying claims as to how exactly the gods relate to one another. At least half of the Old Gods claim to be the ones who made the world and all life upon it.
Deity |
Typical Alignments |
Associated Animals |
Symbols |
Weaponry |
Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arwyn the Moon Hunter | CG, CN | Stag, deer, faun, elk, moose | Crescent moon, stars | Spear, longbow | Hunting, rangers |
| Danu, Mother Earth | NG, LN | Elephants, cattle, butterflies, doves, bears | Cornucopia, bushel of grain, fruits | Sickle | Natural life, fertility, animals |
| Dian Cheht the Healer | LG, LN | Snakes | A rod with a coiled snake | Dart, dagger | Medicine, healing, poison |
| Gaibhne the Smith | LN | Moles, groundhogs, beavers, gophers | Anvils, hammers, volcanoes | Warhammer | Craft, masonry, stone, earth, forges and smithing |
| Kromac the Ravager | CN, CE | Wolves, lions, boars | Fangs, claws, teeth, fur | Battleaxe | Slaughter, feasting, beasts, monsters |
| Lugh the Sun | NG, N | Eagles | The sun, a bonfire | Morningstar | Agriculture, fields, harvest, community, leadership, fire |
| Morrigan the Witch | N, LE, NE, CE | Ravens, spiders | Skulls, spellbooks, pentagrams | Flail, whip | Fate, death, sorcerous magic, warlocks |
| Nodens the Tempest | CN, CE | Krakens, sharks, dragon turtles | Crashing waves, a shipwreck, coral, lightning bolts | Trident, spear | Storms, sea, water, monsters of the deep |
| Nuada the Silver Handed | LG, NG, LN | Horses, hounds | A silver hand, sword, a banner | Shortsword, longsword, lance | War, justice |
| Ogham the Sage | LG, LN, LE | Owls, foxes | Eyes, octagrams, stone tablets | Quarterstaff | Arcane magic, wizardry, knowledge, science |
| Phantasia the Dreamer | CG, CN, CE | Cats, fireflies, swans, and songbirds | Clouds, paintbrushes, harps, bells | Shortbow | Sleep, dreams, nightmares, imagination, creativity, music, art |
| Shegorach the Trickster | CG, CN, CE | Racoons, rats, and rabbits | Dice, bones, masks, diamonds | Mace (a jester’s stick) | Mischief, luck, deception, mockery, laughter, revelry, wine |
Arwyn the Moon Hunter
Arwyn stalks the fey realms and edges of dreams, hunting monsters and nightmares. She is the sister of Phantasia, the daughter of Danu, and fierce enemy of Kromac. She is often depicted as a woman carrying a longbow with legs like a faun and silvery antlers. In most artwork she is surrounded by stars and the moon. Her eyes appear as starry pools of night and her bow is said to fire pure starlight. They sometimes call the moon the Eye of Arwyn. Worship Many who worship Arwyn adorn their heads with crowns of antlers and paint their faces with deer’s blood. Places of worship tend to be found in wooded groves and are often seeded with plants that attract deer and stags. Oftentimes carvings of moons and stars can be found upon shrines to Arwyn, and worshipers attend midnight gatherings on nights lit by the full moon. Ritual A common ritual for Arwyn’s faithful is to slay a deer on the eve of the spring solstice. Practitioners will feast on the meat of the deer, create garments from its pelt, and splash its blood upon a holy site. This is meant to bring good hunts and safe travels for hunters through the remainder of the year. A superstition is that no hunter should attempt to hunt under the new moon, as Arwyn slumbers during this time, and it is bad luck to hunt without her watchful eye.Danu, Mother Earth
Adherents of the Old Gods believe that all life sprang from her creation, though varying myths attribute Gaibhne, Lugh, Nodens, and Kromac as both her consorts and children. Danu is sometimes depicted as a being with the face of an elephant, four arms, each clutching one of the elements, and large butterflylike wings. Some depictions differ and instead show this god as having a face similar to a cow or even depicted as a motherly bear. Many believe the planet is Danu in her true form, and that the center of the earth is her glowing heart that warms all things. Worship The worship of Danu often surrounds harvests, birthdays, marriages, and family gatherings. Shrines to Danu are often found in places with flourishing edible plant life, such as fruits, grains, corn, nuts, and legumes. Other shrines boast impressive gardens filled with all manner of fragrant flowers to attract the butterflies sacred to Danu. Even hardworking farmers who follow the Sacred Flame might have a small token or keepsake of Danu as a good luck charm. Ritual At the changing of the season, worshipers of Danu conduct a seance in the fields of their community. They bring flowers which represent the season and pray for prosperity. Often communities will gather on the edge of their farms and gardens, and hold the changing of seasons as a collective event. It is common for midwives to recite poems and chants to Danu during childbirth.Dian Cheht the Healer
Dian Cheht is usually depicted as a serpent-headed figure, some appearances have more human elements with only an ophidian nose and eyes. Others show a full snake-like head upon a human body. Some simply represent the god as a serpent formed in a circle eating its own tail which represents the endless cycle of life and death. Worship A few notable apothecaries on the continent pay tribute to Dian Cheht for guidance in their practices. Dian Cheht’s druids often practice healing magic, and have been well known to help those in need. A druid of Dian Cheht is easily identifiable; more often than not they keep snakes as pets, often coiled around them everywhere they go. Ritual Rituals invoking Dian Cheht often involve invocations performed when healing another. However, the rituals of Dian Cheht are no mere superstitions, but rather sound practices couched in mysticism. The ritual most commonly associated with Dian Cheht occurs when a family member or close friend has fallen ill. Loved ones of the sick or wounded fast for two days, then drink an ounce of snake blood to tap into the wisdom of the Old God.Gaibhne the Smith
Many dwarven legends claim the dwarves were fashioned in the forge of the deep earth by Gaibhne in the primordial days of the earth itself. Aided by the dwarves and giants he meticulously crafted, Gaibhne is also the mason who laid the very foundations of the earth itself. His followers say it was a wedding gift to Danu, so she might pour her heart into it and fill it with life. Myths surrounding the two gods often position them as mother and father to all life. Worship Effigies to Gaibhne hang in many blacksmiths’ workshops. Even ones who do not worship the Old Gods often have a motif of a beaver or gopher somewhere in their shops. Many smiths believe it is good luck to keep these animals in your view when you are smithing. More devout worshipers have been known to keep beaver tails or gopher pelts on their belts while they work. Ritual Dwarves have often paid tribute to Gaibhne whenever they enter a mine to offer them safe passage and a prosperous haul. They will sprinkle crushed iron dust on themselves and burn the tip of their left ring finger, showing their devotion to the forge and flame. You can always tell a dwarven worshiper of Gaibhne by the blackened finger on their left hand.Kromac the Ravager
Kromac is the Beastfather and Ravager. He brought monsters into the world; lycanthropes are his chosen children. He is fierce enemies with Arwyn, as he wishes to take the moon for himself. He is depicted as a giant wolf or sometimes a hybrid wolf-man. In art he is usually depicted bathed in blood, lighted by a silvery full moon. It is believed that each full moon is an offering from the cosmos to Kromac, who slowly devours the moon bite by bite until a new one is formed. Worship Those who worship Kromac often adorn themselves with animal furs and paint blood on their face whenever heading into battle, or setting off on a dangerous task. The animal blood and hides bring them closer to their god. The more animalistic one can be, the closer they are to Kromac. Ritual Many worshipers hold a seance on the eve of a brutal battle. Warriors who worship the Beastfather often howl at moons or sit around fires growling and imitating beasts while druids splash them with boar or bear blood. The warriors drink blood from the head of the beast or from the skulls of rivals they have slain.Lugh the Sun
The light of the world stems from Lugh. Embodied as the sun itself, Lugh and Danu are the sustainers of all life. Some organizations of the old pantheon place Lugh as the head of the gods. He is depicted as either simply the sun itself, or sometimes an otherworldly being of light with six feathered wings and one hundred eyes. Worship Lugh’s faithful often keep shrines atop open hilltops where the sun can easily shine down upon it. Many keep stringed together eagle feathers in their homes and keep symbols of a blazing red sun upon their mantles. Worship of Lugh is considered especially blasphemous amongst the Faith of the Sacred Flame, who view the Old God as a perverse personification of light and fire. Ritual Every year on the longest day, worshipers will dance around their shrines and drink honeyed mead and eat fresh fruits in a joyous celebration of the sun and all it offers. Often, they infuse their drinks with herbs and wild mushrooms and strip themselves of all clothes and belongings and bask in the sun to be one with Lugh.Morrigan the Witch
Morrigan pulls the strands of fate and measures the length of each mortal life. She is the Crone-Goddess and the Mother-Witch. Sister to Danu, Morrigan wove magic into the fabric of the world itself. She is depicted as a woman with a mane of feathers, raven-like wings sprouting from her back, and her hands are formed into clawed talons. She is often accompanied by ravens. Alternatively, Morrigan is occasionally portrayed as a half-woman, half-spider with many red eyes upon her head and long spindly limbs. The Mother-Witch is sometimes conflated with various demonic and shadowy entities. Worship Those who worship Morrigan often do so in hopes of prolonging their life, learning occult secrets, and appeasing her desires in exchange for her blessing. Worshipers are superstitious about killing spiders, and instead will welcome the presence of a spider in their home as a protector and guardian. They tend to keep ravens and will wear raven feathers in their hair or on their caps. Ritual When someone is fearful they have reached the end of their life, or that fate is playing a cruel hand for them, they often cut their palms and spill their blood into a boiling pot filled with raven feathers.Nodens the Tempest
All waters are Nodens’ domain. His worshipers insist that it is by his doing that all life came to be, and that Danu is his rightful bride. Nodens controls the seas and weather, and is often depicted as an ancient tentacle-bearded king wearing an eyepatch. He carries a spear or trident and rides upon a fearsome and foul-tempered giant seahorse. Two great gulls perch on his shoulders, one whispering the knowledge of the deep, the other the fate of every sailor. Worship Sailors still utter prayers to Nodens lest he send storms to take their ships during their voyages. Sea captains, pirates, sailors, and fishermen often wear a shark’s tooth around their neck whenever they set out to sea. They believe the tooth disguises them as a sea dwelling creature and helps them avoid Nodens’ wrath. More devout worshipers believe it must be the tooth of a shark you yourself have caught and slain, otherwise Nodens will see through your disguise and sink your ship into the sea. These seafaring folk commonly tattoo krakens or tentacles upon their body in honor of Nodens. Their homes often have seashells or dried starfish as decorations. Ritual The night before a sailor sets out to the sea, they bathe naked in the waters they plan to sail, allowing the ocean to gain their scent and know them. The sailor will adorn their bedchamber with seashells and other aquatic treasures. Dinner is a small cup of water from the sea and fresh fish, often raw. When they arrive safely after a voyage, the sailor must soak their clothes in vinegar for a day to rid it of the sea, and not take any of Nodens’ domain with them onto land.Nuada the Silver-Handed
Nuada is a valiant warrior-goddess. She is depicted as a goldenhaired figure with large, feathered wings wearing shimmering silver armor. She brandishes a flashing blue blade, and carries a feather-emblazoned shield. She rides a pegasus and leads a host of valkyries into battle against giants, demons, and trolls. Her followers identify angels as members of her warhost. Scholars have pointed out the striking similarities between Nuada and Saint Tarna. Indeed, there are heretical claims which suggest Saint Tarna is an entirely mythological figure inspired by tales of Nuada, or even propose the blasphemous idea that the entire Faith of the Sacred Flame is a greatly distorted cult of Nuada. Worship Many paladins and warriors devoted to the Old Gods worship Nuada and strive to be courageous and ruthless like her. Knights devoted to Nuada often incorporate a pegasus into their heraldry. Often these warriors have a horse or war hound they keep as a pet; the companion is treated as a sacred blessing. Sometimes worshipers have been known to feed their hounds better than they themselves eat, as each of these creatures represents a part of Nuada, and to treat these animals with respect ensures your survival in your battles. Ritual When one of Nuada’s faithful dies in battle, they are placed in a boat with pegasus wings painted on the sides. Their horse or hound, if they survived their companion, is humanely slain in a somber ceremony and placed in the boat alongside them, and their blood used to cover the body of the deceased. They are then sent out towards the setting sun, which is a gate to the Shadowlands. It is believed that there Nuada appears and carries her warrior and their trusted animal into the next life.Ogham the Sage
Some speculate the first warlock pacts were made to Ogham, who granted them otherworldly powers of the cosmos. As the keeper of all secrets and god of knowledge, Ogham is depicted as a wizened man with a third eye on his forehead and an endless beard, woven with clay braids counting every event that has ever occurred. Alternatively, he is thought to be a floating eye soaring through space with swirling motes of energy surrounding his alien form, observing all of existence, time, and space at once. Ogham is also sometimes depicted as a hybrid human-owl creature carrying a stack of stone tablets said to contain the ultimate truth of all things. Worship Ogham’s followers believe owls to be good omens; to hear an owl at night is a sign of good luck in the day ahead. Foxes are also a sign of good fortune. It is said that if you ever find a fox in the wild you must follow it, as they are the guides of destiny and knowledge, and where they go is the correct path of your destiny. Amongst the mages of the Amethyst Academy, there are a handful who are faithful to Ogham. Wizards devoted to Ogham will often keep owl familiars. Ritual The most important sacrifice a worshiper of Ogham can make is to put out one of their own eyes. Every priest and druid of Ogham performs this rite, and it is customary for elders to eventually blind themselves so they may see the spiritual world of knowledge more fully. Ogham’s most zealous followers despise books, viewing them as impermanent and soft repositories of knowledge — they are inappropriate vessels for writing. Instead, they etch records on stone tablets, and raise great stone monoliths to record their learning and legends.Phantasia the Dreamer
Phantasia dreams of all the things that never were. It is said that she knows the desires of every mortal. Rather than knowing all that has happened, Phantasia knows all that could have been, but was not. Phantasia sees all the possibilities laid before each person like an eternal web of choices and consequences. She sends dreams to sleepers to fulfill their needs, spur their creativity, or teach them lessons and guide them, but she also sends nightmares to taunt and torment those who have been led astray. She is the ultimate muse, inspiring painters, poets, and musicians to create masterpieces, and bringing invention and innovation to mages, smiths, and apothecaries. It is believed that all major innovations are because of her will and design. Worship Dreamcatchers are often placed in the windows of worshipers of Phantasia to help draw in good dreams, and protect sleepers from nightmares. Sprigs of lavender are placed on windowsills, as the scent is believed to aid the sleeper’s spirit in transcending to Dreamland, and also ensures their soul is not lost there during the night. Cats are often kept as pets by worshipers of Phantasia, and worshipers must allow them to sleep upon the bed to ward off nightmares and evil spirits. Ritual If a worshiper is suffering from nightmares, they must capture a firefly in a jar and place it next to their bed, chew on lavender root, and place the chewed root under their pillow as they sleep. This will ensure the nightmares are warded off by the firefly and absorbed into the root instead. In the morning, after bad dreams have gone, the root is to be planted in the forest or a garden where the bad dreams become new lavender plants.Shegorach the Trickster
Shegorach’s worshipers claim that he created life as the greatest joke of all, so that he could be endlessly entertained by mortal suffering and struggles. He is also a god of luck, revelry, and wine. depictions of this god change depending on where you go and who you talk to. Some have represented him as a large fat beast with rat-like features, others have depicted him as a grim jester laughing, or a masked entity with many limbs. Shegorach is often equated with He Who Laughs Last, a demonic figure. Worship People who worship Shegorach see signs and omens in the presence of raccoons or rabbits. Whenever one of these creatures crosses the path of a worshiper, they believe Shegorach has brought them good luck. However, having rats in your home is a sign that Shegorach is upset with your deeds and you must appease him by placing coins, some fresh bones, or delectable treats on an altar outside your door. Ritual A common practice among the Trickster’s worshipers is to adorn themselves with strange masks on the eve of autumn’s harvest. Some devout have even been known to try to trick others by releasing rats into their homes, and then stealing the coins or food placed out to appease the god.Divine Origins
Legends, myths, and devotion to the Old Gods transcends recorded history. Ancient stories tell of them walking the world, drawing mortals into their schemes and conflicts. The worship of the Old Gods rose to prominence alongside sorcery, as the first druids sought the wisdom of the gods to harness magic.
However, during the rise of the Arcane Empire, the sorcerer-kings positioned themselves as gods, above the old pantheon. They drove the druids deeper into the wilderness, and expelled temples and shrines to the Old Gods from any city they ruled. During the darkest days under the sorcerer-kings, many commonfolk came to believe the Old Gods had abandoned them for some unknown trespass. Since then, the organized religion of the Sacred Flame has swept the settled lands and cities of the continent. However, there are still a few who remember the old ways.
Tenets of Faith
Amongst those who keep the Old Faiths, the exact nature of their beliefs and tenets vary based on the gods they follow. Indeed, the notion of the “Old Faith” is a moniker given by the Faith of the Sacred Flame, and those who worship the Old Gods do not see themselves as part of a singular religion. Indeed, even two communities worshiping the same Old God might have extremely different rites, practices, and beliefs.
Regardless, several practices are common among those who keep the Old Gods. Shrines and temples are often built in remote and wild places, among cairn stones, faerie rings, ancient trees, and other natural landmarks. Worshipers often make offerings to the Old Gods, such as a bowl of herbs, bones, or blood. Animal and even human sacrifice are not unheard of, as well as rituals where worshipers mark or scar their bodies. Many times, rituals are performed in accordance with the seasons or celestial movements, such as during an equinox or full moon.
Followers of the Old Gods do not necessarily believe there is balance in nature, or seek any notion of harmony. Their rites and rituals are appeasements to their gods to spare them from nature’s uncaring brutality, and a grim reminder of the animal in every human heart.
Priesthood
The Old Gods do not form a tightly organized religion — there is no central authority. Conclaves and communes in remote areas spring up around the worship of one of the Old Gods.
Tapping into the fundamental forces of the cosmos to work divine powers is a path which requires tremendous will, dedication, and faith, but also knowledge of ancient rites,
prayers, and rituals. The followers of the Old Gods take passing down these rites very seriously, and often a cleric, druid, or paladin of the Old Gods has a mentor or instructors. Later in life, such individuals bear the burden of passing on their traditions, and many seek out a young acolyte or apprentice to instruct in their ways.
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