Aethertide Pantheon
The Aethertide Pantheon is worshipped by the people of The Marches (Ranoke, Risand, and Ryfile), both Humans and Marelis. Tideans worship a pantheon that consists of two major dieties, Meari the goddess of the sea and Rhagnar the god of the sky, and many minor dieties which are children, grandchildren, and so on of the major dieties.
Major Virtues: Loyalty, Bravery, Honesty, Responsibility, Passion
Major Sins: Thoughtlessness, Sloth, Indifference, Recklessness, Avarice
Prevalence
Practiced by most residents of the continent/region but not many outside of the region.
Outsiders
Tideans believe that other gods and goddesses exist, so they are respectful of other religions and happy to co-exist. Some will pay respects or add another religion's deity to their personal practice if they feel a particular connection to them.
Oral History
Traditionally, information is kept and passed down verbally in the form of songs and music by bards and Aetherwalkers. There are some famous and important journals and books written by historians and clergy, but no single written holy text.
The Afterlife
Tideans believe that those who are 'finished' in when they pass go on to the after life, which is a peaceful place much like life except without hardships, where they can rejoin their loved ones who went before them. Those who die 'unfinished', whether that is because they have unfinished business in life or because they did not live a virtuous enough life can be reborn or reincarnated to try again. They also believe that the 'veil' between life and death is weakest when the moons of the world are darkest, and that if one or more moon is dark or eclipsed, it is possible for the living to communicate with those in the afterlife in dreams; the less moon, the more likely it is you will be able to communicate.
Function
In general, Walkers are responsible to maintain their family or community shrine, serve as ceremonial leaders and spiritual advisors, and act as aides to the people wherever needed. Walkers who serve a specific diety also interpret the will of their god(s), serve as justices and peacekeepers, and train new clergy.
Distinguished By/& Vestments
Walkers can be mainly distinguished by their fully or partially shaved heads, with distinctive patterns shaved into the short parts of their hair. They rarely wear formal vestments outside of ceremonial purposes - such as marriages and funerals - but may wear an embroidered sash, scarf, or vest, or some sort of jewelry, to denote their occupation.
Training
New Walkers' training is usually started by the senior Walkers in their family or community, or the nearest adult Walker deemed appropriate if they are particularly remote or lacking in senior leadership. When they come of age, before taking formal Vows, a young Walker will usually serve a formal rotation of 3-10 years in a formal temple amongst the Temple clergy before returning to their family.
Family & Lifestyle
Walkers who remain esconced in their family and community often live a totally normal life. They might even marry and have children, though just as many choose to remain more 'beloved aunt' or 'beloved uncle' and slightly more on the periphery. In a society where polyamorous relationships are common and accepted, it is more common to see them choosing not to be the biological parent, especially a birthing parent, but not unheard of.
Selection
Most Aetherwalkers are self-selected or recommended to the occupation by their families; if they believe they are called or interested, they will begin to train with the current Walkers and unless they change their mind or the senior Walkers feel strongly that the trainees are unsuitable, they will eventually be allowed to take vows. A self-selected Aetherwalker can be removed from clergyhood by their own choice or by a Council of Thirteen, which is any 13 Walkers from different families who come together and agree with a 'heavy majority' (11 of the 13) to remove that individual from the clergyhood.
Walkers of the more rare variety, those connected to a particular diety, may be a 'normal' Aetherwalker who feels strongly called to the tenets of a particular god or goddess, or those who have actually been "called" by that particular god or goddess. Those who have been called, or communicate directly with their god or goddess, tend to end up at a more formal temple or in some life other than just 'normal' clergy life.
Tenets of Faith
In general, a summary of the teachings of Aethertide fosters individuals who are passionate, bold, loyal, and above all, group and community-minded. It holds that each individual has skills and beauty to give the world, but it discourages individuality that takes a trait so far as to the detriment of the community or the group.Major Virtues: Loyalty, Bravery, Honesty, Responsibility, Passion
Major Sins: Thoughtlessness, Sloth, Indifference, Recklessness, Avarice
Prevalence
Practiced by most residents of the continent/region but not many outside of the region.
Outsiders
Tideans believe that other gods and goddesses exist, so they are respectful of other religions and happy to co-exist. Some will pay respects or add another religion's deity to their personal practice if they feel a particular connection to them.
Oral History
Traditionally, information is kept and passed down verbally in the form of songs and music by bards and Aetherwalkers. There are some famous and important journals and books written by historians and clergy, but no single written holy text.
The Afterlife
Tideans believe that those who are 'finished' in when they pass go on to the after life, which is a peaceful place much like life except without hardships, where they can rejoin their loved ones who went before them. Those who die 'unfinished', whether that is because they have unfinished business in life or because they did not live a virtuous enough life can be reborn or reincarnated to try again. They also believe that the 'veil' between life and death is weakest when the moons of the world are darkest, and that if one or more moon is dark or eclipsed, it is possible for the living to communicate with those in the afterlife in dreams; the less moon, the more likely it is you will be able to communicate.
Clergy
Clergy who serve the Aethertide Pantheon are known as Aetherwalkers, sometimes shortened just to Walkers. They fall generally in one of two categories: general clergy who serve all dieties in the pantheon, and those who are called to serve a specific god or goddess. General Walkers stay esconced in their families and communities, serving only rotations in bigger more formal temples.Function
In general, Walkers are responsible to maintain their family or community shrine, serve as ceremonial leaders and spiritual advisors, and act as aides to the people wherever needed. Walkers who serve a specific diety also interpret the will of their god(s), serve as justices and peacekeepers, and train new clergy.
Distinguished By/& Vestments
Walkers can be mainly distinguished by their fully or partially shaved heads, with distinctive patterns shaved into the short parts of their hair. They rarely wear formal vestments outside of ceremonial purposes - such as marriages and funerals - but may wear an embroidered sash, scarf, or vest, or some sort of jewelry, to denote their occupation.
Training
New Walkers' training is usually started by the senior Walkers in their family or community, or the nearest adult Walker deemed appropriate if they are particularly remote or lacking in senior leadership. When they come of age, before taking formal Vows, a young Walker will usually serve a formal rotation of 3-10 years in a formal temple amongst the Temple clergy before returning to their family.
Family & Lifestyle
Walkers who remain esconced in their family and community often live a totally normal life. They might even marry and have children, though just as many choose to remain more 'beloved aunt' or 'beloved uncle' and slightly more on the periphery. In a society where polyamorous relationships are common and accepted, it is more common to see them choosing not to be the biological parent, especially a birthing parent, but not unheard of.
Selection
Most Aetherwalkers are self-selected or recommended to the occupation by their families; if they believe they are called or interested, they will begin to train with the current Walkers and unless they change their mind or the senior Walkers feel strongly that the trainees are unsuitable, they will eventually be allowed to take vows. A self-selected Aetherwalker can be removed from clergyhood by their own choice or by a Council of Thirteen, which is any 13 Walkers from different families who come together and agree with a 'heavy majority' (11 of the 13) to remove that individual from the clergyhood.
Walkers of the more rare variety, those connected to a particular diety, may be a 'normal' Aetherwalker who feels strongly called to the tenets of a particular god or goddess, or those who have actually been "called" by that particular god or goddess. Those who have been called, or communicate directly with their god or goddess, tend to end up at a more formal temple or in some life other than just 'normal' clergy life.
Mythology
Creation Myth
To me, to me, a tale I weave;
In the beginning, there were just two. There was Meari, the Lady in her ocean; and there was Rhagnar, the Lord in his sky. And Rhagnar watched the Lady below with her dark depths, and wanted to learn more of her hidden mysteries. And Meari watched the Lord above with his sun and storms, and wanted to learn more about his winds and weathers.
So Rhagnar courted the Lady with thunder and lightning, rain and shooting stars. Meari, not to be outdone, courted the Lord with crashing waves and creatures of the deep, glowing jellyfish and the ebb of the tide revealing deep tidal pools of wonders. They fell in love, and wanted to have children, but both knew any child of both of them would could not be just of their Father's sky, nor just of their Mother's sea; so together they dreaming and schemed - and the sea roiled and the waves crashed, and the sky thundered and lightning flashed - but in the end there was also the land.
The land, which Lord and Lady could walk together but also the dominion of their many children-to-be, and their children's children, and their children's children's mortal children who would come to call it home alongside the Father's sky and the Mother's sea.
And that is how we came to be.
In the beginning, there were just two. There was Meari, the Lady in her ocean; and there was Rhagnar, the Lord in his sky. And Rhagnar watched the Lady below with her dark depths, and wanted to learn more of her hidden mysteries. And Meari watched the Lord above with his sun and storms, and wanted to learn more about his winds and weathers.
So Rhagnar courted the Lady with thunder and lightning, rain and shooting stars. Meari, not to be outdone, courted the Lord with crashing waves and creatures of the deep, glowing jellyfish and the ebb of the tide revealing deep tidal pools of wonders. They fell in love, and wanted to have children, but both knew any child of both of them would could not be just of their Father's sky, nor just of their Mother's sea; so together they dreaming and schemed - and the sea roiled and the waves crashed, and the sky thundered and lightning flashed - but in the end there was also the land.
The land, which Lord and Lady could walk together but also the dominion of their many children-to-be, and their children's children, and their children's children's mortal children who would come to call it home alongside the Father's sky and the Mother's sea.
And that is how we came to be.
The Pantheon
The Aethertide is usually depicted inside a four-sided polygon, framed in brass or brass-colored thread. Inside is usually an image of sea and sky; the most popular version is a nightime sea with the three moons, but daytime sea with a sun or other weather is not unheard of. Inclusion of seabirds is common.
Aethertide Pantheon
pronounced EE-thir-tide
Classification
PolytheismDemonym(s)
Tideans (Practitioners)Aetherwalkers (Clergy)
Primary Worshipers
MarelisHumans
Scope
The Marches (Ranoke, Risand, and Ryfile)Deities
Meari, goddess of the seaRhagnar, god of the sky
Kellyn, god/dess of magic, mischief & fate
Shamath, god of death, conflict & law
Raiji, god of the sun, healing & travel
Joni, goddess of fishing, farming & fertility
Misken god of moon, stars & dreams
Alya goddess of art, music & craft
Cagney god/dess of love, sex & friendship
Significant Colors/Materials/Symbols
(Individual deities have different representative colors, materials, and symbols, but the following are seen generally as common to the whole faith.)Blue & Gray
Seabirds (Pelicans, Puffins, Terns, Auks, Gulls, Etc.)
Fossilized Coral
Brass
Header image by frank mckenna on Unsplash. Other images by devinsxdesigns.
Marriage & Knot-Tying Rites
Not all unions are recognized as marriages, especially due to the high number of and acceptance of non-permanent unions and polyamorous unions.
Marriages
Are typically more socio-political affairs, involving legal joining of estates and titles, establishments of inheritance rights, and so forth. They may also involve a knot-tying rite if appropriate or if one has not already taken place, but they may not: the couple involved may be Tied to different people entirely.
Knot-tying Rites
Take place any time a couple is join or an individual is added to an existing union. The family and friends of the involved individuals will throw a party that includes a meal (usually dinner) and spirits, and everyone will come together to tell stories about the individuals and have a great time. At the beginning of the Rite, all of the individuals to be joined in the Rite are literally tied together, wrist to wrist; forming anywhere from a duo to a long chain depending on the union. Small gifts are given to new members of the union that are supposed to be helpful in the new life, good luck, or of emotional relevance.
Before leaving, all guests write a message of good luck or advice on a slip of paper that will be sealed into a bottle and loosed into the nearest large body of water; finding one washed ashore is considered great luck. It is traditional for the individual(s) involved to replace the ceremonial Knots at the end of or after the celebration with jewelry that is Tied permanently onto their partner - the material (string, rope, fine metal chains, etc.) may be determined by personal preference or the wealth of the group.
Funeral Rites
Funeral rites start with a solemn procession of the deceased to whatever body of water will be used for the burial process; the mourners will then either take meditative silence until the sun sets or play traditional funereal instrumental music until the sun sets; it is expected that adults in the immediate family and close friends attend this mourning meditation, though children are often excused. After the burial itself, the mourners retire to a different location and host a joyful wake, to which anyone is invited, to celebrate the life of the deceased; stories are told and food and alcohol is brought by guests.
Burials
Human worshippers will almost always elect for a floating cremation - the deceased is floated into the open water on a specially crafted barge, designed to burn until the body has cremated and then to sink; alternatively, sometimes magic is used for the cremation and then the remains are still sunk. Marelis worshippers will usually choose simply burial at sea, floating their deceased out to the ocean and then sinking them to the depths.
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