The Dawning Pantheon

Religion in Courceia is centered around the worship of the Dawning Pantheon. This pantheon consists of six gods and goddesses and a seventh figure who represents the mother of the gods. Some villages, organizations, and people pay tribute to one god over the others, but most people acknowledge if not revere all the gods of the pantheon. Styles of worship vary widely across cultures. While overlap exists, the details of rituals, sacraments, and traditions differ from place to place.

The Six Gods

Ophya

Ophya is the goddess of life. She represents fertility, kindness, and forgiveness. The devout pray to her for health, safety, and protection. Her symbol is the sun she is married to Omaz, the God of Death. Celebrations and festivals in her name are most often held during the summer solstice. Her name is invoked for fertility rituals, childbirth, and coming-of-age celebrations.
Her angels are traditionally depicted as silver-winged humanoids.

Omaz

Omaz is the god of death. He oversees the domains of the dead and ushers souls into the afterlife. He is married to Ophya, the Goddess of Life and is frequently associated with the moon. His name is invoked during funerals and his guidance sought in times of mourning. Solemn and macabre holidays to appease him are held during the fall equinox.
Many cultures believe Omaz's raven-winged angels usher the departed's souls to the afterlife.

Adar

Adar is the god of Craftsmanship. From mechanical ingenuity to the beauty of the arts, he represents all that which man has made. He is often depicted holding a hammer. Parables frequently show him competing with Adona, asserting that man could create something even more beautiful than nature. Buildings are frequently dedicated to him and bear his symbol carved in the masonry. Winter solstice celebrations are often held in his name.
Artists often depict the Angelic Amalgamations of Adar as chimeras with the body of an eagle, the tail of a scorpion and the heads of a serpent and a wolf.

Adona

Adona is the goddess of Nature. She is worshipped by outdoorsmen, farmers, and nature loving individuals. Harvest celebrations and spring festivals are often held in her name. She is closely associated with forests and her symbol is a tree. She takes pride in the beauty of nature and is at odds with Adar, the God of Craftsmanship. She is closely associated with the spring equinox and the devout pray to her on that day.
Her angels are the terrifying Jeweled Borers, giant subterranean worms with jeweled teeth and bodies of rock, vines, trees, and leaves.

Nysa

Nysa is the goddess of chaos, the trickster goddess, and the embodiment of cunning. Favored among the clever and desperate, Nysa is often seen as capricious, but is much beloved nonetheless. She is often associated with a branching path. She is the sister of Niktus, the god of Order. She is the god of revelry and wild, extravagant parties are thrown in her honor. New year's eve celebrations are especially raucous. It is said she is quick to encroach on the other gods' territories and is apt to answer a prayer meant for another.
Angelic shapeshifters known as Dark Revelers are believed to interact with mortals on Nysa's behalf, steering them down wild and unknown paths. In its natural form, a Dark Reveler is known as a Gloomstrider. These appear as a shadowy mass of hands and fangs that walk upon long spindly legs.

Niktus

Niktus is the god of order, law, and justice. He is represented by a crest of two swords and a shield. He is frequently depicted as the god of war as well. He is the brother of Nysa, the goddess of Chaos. His name and symbol appears above courthouses. Judges and magistrates are quick to invoke his name during trials. He oversees weddings and marriages. It is said that the first day of the year is the day of order when all is as it should be.
The Golden Knights of Niktus are relentless angelic beings that carry out their god's will. They are headless with bodies consisting of dark gray metal bands. Thier necks emit a bright golden light from which the knight can manifest a weapon of its choosing. Artists frequently show them wielding hammers to dispense justice, swords to wage war, and daggers to enforce contracts.

The Mother of the Gods

The earliest depictions of the Dawning Pantheon often have them centered on a seventh figure that scholars have named The Mother of the Gods. Artifacts that survived the Twilight Fall frequently show her both alone and with the other six gods. However, most records of her have been lost. Her name is still occasionally invoked, but today little is known about her origins.

Dizhi

Aside from the Dawning Pantheon, the world is abound with lesser demigods, spirits, demons and devils who some choose to worship. Collectively, these beings are known as dizhi. There are countless dizhi of varying levels of power. Some are spirits that have been worshipped for generations. Others are relatively young and opportunistic entities. Below is a partial list of dizhi that mortals have encountered.

The Queen of Night

Depicted as a veiled woman with a revealing dress, The Queen of Night is worshipped by creatures seeking the cover of darkness, safety in the shadows, and the element of surprise. She is fickle and cruel, but quick to lend power to her worshippers

Old Red-Eyes and The Cave Mother

Old Red-Eyes is an orcish spirit of war that represents the collective rage of their ancestors. The Cave Mother is a nurturing spirit that represents the perseverance of the orcish people against the trials they have endured.

The One Who Grows

An aggressive nature spirit found in dark forests. It is quick to grant power to its devout and harbors a hatred of Adona.

The Lady of Eights

A lesser spider deity worshipped by those who seek vengeance, power, and transfiguration.