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--- religion [2007/01/11 00:13] – jims
+++ religion [2019/11/05 22:10] (current) – jims
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[start|Back to start page]]
 ====== Religion ======
-==== Overview ====
+==== Introduction ====
-Religion in the [[twenty worlds]] is an interesting concept.  Since there is **no** doubt that
+Religion in the [[twenty worlds]] is an interesting concept.  Since there is
-the gods exist, //faith// does not take the same form as it does in the "real" world.  Instead,
+**no doubt** that the gods exist, //faith// does not take the same form as it
-worshipers have faith that their chosen deity will take the time and effort to watch over them
+does in the "real" world.  Instead, worshipers have faith that their chosen
-and protect them - even though they are but one of millions demanding the same attention.
+deity will take the time and effort to watch over them and protect them - even
+though they are but one of millions demanding the same attention.
-In actuality, the gods **do** watch over and protect their faithful, but are prevented from
+In actuality, the gods **do** watch over and protect their faithful, but are
-taking direct action by a millenia-old agreement known as //The Concordant//.  This agreement
+prevented from taking direct action by a millenia-old agreement known as //The
-is sometimes described as a "gentlemen's agreement" and other times described as a force of
+Concordant//.  This agreement is sometimes described as a "gentlemen's
-nature that physically inhibits the gods' activities.  Whether it can be overcome has been a
+agreement" and other times described as a force of nature that physically
-matter of heated debate amongst the clergy since the beginnings of the worlds.
+inhibits the gods' activities.  Whether it can be overcome has been a matter of
+heated debate amongst the clergy since the beginnings of the worlds.
-Another major difference between the "real" world and the [[twenty worlds]] is that the gods
+Another major difference between the "real" world and the [[twenty worlds]] is
-are known to have limits.  No dogma claims their deities are omnipotent, although most claim
+that the gods are known to have limits.  No dogma claims their deities are
-that the //combined// power of the pantheons is greater than anything.
+omnipotent, although most claim that the //combined// power of the pantheons is
+greater than anything.
+Related to the concept of faith is the **fact** that an afterlife exists for all
+sentient beings.  Because of this, death is not usually considered as significant
+as it is in the "real world".  From this, it is understandable that ideas such as
+"heroic sacrifice" and "slaughter of the innocents" take on new meanings.
+Examples: Killing an captured enemy after a battle is oftentimes viewed as simply
+transporting them to a different prison.  Sacrificing your own life to save others
+is viewed by some as "normal".  The hero's loved ones, after all, **know** he has
+moved on to a better plane of existance.
+==== Overview ====
+The human gods (sometimes referred to as //"The Terran Gods"//) originally lived
+on [[Earth]] (another of the [[twenty worlds]]).  They left that world when the
+mana became depleted sometime around 3000 BCE and came either to the [[Prime World]]
+or [[cosmos#Godsland]] (depending on which stories you choose
+to believe).((This is, of course, not common knowledge -- since most people are
+not even aware of other worlds.))
+While the creation of the [[twenty worlds]] is often attributed to the various
+gods((Many scholars reject the notion that the gods created the [[twenty
+worlds]].  They cite as proof the fact that the gods were unable to deal with
+the loss of mana on [[Earth]].  This, they claim, means that the worlds are
+//bigger// than the gods.)), most dogma is quite clear on the assumption that
+the multiverse existed //prior// to the arrival of the gods.  In fact, there are
+numerous references to divine beings that predate all known current gods.  Chief
+among these are the [[Earthmasters]].
 ==== The Sacred Texts ====
-There are at least four documents that are considered sacred to //(nearly)// all Human religions.
+There are at least four documents that are considered sacred to //(nearly)// all
-These are [[tale of time|The Tale of Time]] (which tells the story of creation), [[tale of
+Human religions. These are [[tale of time|The Tale of Time]] (which tells the
-transgression|The Tale of the Transgression]] (which tells the story of man's relationship
+story of creation), [[tale of transgression|The Tale of the Transgression]]
-to the gods), [[tale of spire|The Tale of the Spire]] (which tells of the gods greatest
+(which tells the story of man's relationship to the gods), [[tale of spire|The
-gift to man), and [[tale of return|The Tale of the Return]] (which tells of something
+Tale of the Spire]] (which tells of the gods greatest gift to man), and [[tale
+of return|The Tale of the Return]]((which was documented by this author twenty
+years ago, but never detailed, so I've forgotten what it actually contains)).
 ==== The Pantheons ====
-The various "families" of the Human gods seem to prefer to keep their followers separated.
+The various "families" of the Human gods seem to prefer to keep their followers
-Because of this, each nation (or kingdom) tends to focus on one pantheon.  However,
+separated. Because of this, each nation (or kingdom) tends to focus on one
-since the other pantheons are acknowledged to exist, and to be //gods//, there is
+pantheon.  However, since the other pantheons are acknowledged to exist, and to
-a healthy amount of respect for "foreign" religions.
+be //gods//, there is a healthy amount of respect for "foreign" religions.
-This open attitude, though, has been sorely tested in recent years in [Spindrift]] and [[Rota]],
+This open attitude, though, has been sorely tested in recent years in
-where an influx of foreign refugees from the wars have brought with them their unusual gods.
+[[Spindrift]] and [[Rota]], where an influx of foreign refugees from the wars
-In some places, tolerance has given way to bigotry, and in others open hostility has broken out.
+have brought with them their unusual gods. In some places, tolerance has given
+way to bigotry, and in others open hostility has broken out.
 Here is a list of pantheons by nation:
-^ Pantheon ^ Nation ^
+^ Pantheon ^ Nation ^ Deities ^
-| [[Asgardian]] //aka "Norse"// | [[Rota]] |
+| [[Celtic]] | [[Spindrift]] | The Daghdha, Arawn, Belenus, Brigantia, Diancecht, Dunatis, Goibhniu, Lugh, Manannan mac Lir, Math Mathonwy, Morrigan, Nuada, Oghma, Silvanus |
-| [[Celtic]] | [[Spindrift]] |
+| [[Greek]] | [[Lowland]] and [[Teleme]] | Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hades, Hecate, Hephaestus, Hera, Hercules, Hermes, Hestia, Nike, Pan, Poseidon, Tyche |
-| [[Pharaonic]] //aka "Egyptian"// | [[Backbone]] and [[Teleme]] |
+| [[Egyptian]] | [[Backbone]] and [[Teleme]]  | Re-Horakhty, Anubis, Apep, Bast, Bes, Hathor, Imhotep, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Ptah, Set, Sobek, Thoth |
-| [[Olympian]] //aka "Greek"// | [[Lowland]] and [[Teleme]] |
+| [[Asgardian]] //aka "Norse"//  | [[Rota]] | Odin, Aegir, Balder, Forseti, Frey, Freya, Frigga, Heimdall, Hel, Hermod, Loki, Njord, Odur, Sif, Skadi, Surtur, Thor, Thrym, Tyr, Uller |
-| [[Babylonian]] and [[Sumerian]] | [[Resh]] |
+| [[Babylonian]] | [[Resh]]  | Anu, Anshar, Dahak, Druaga, Girru, Ishtar, Marduk, Nergal, Ramman |
-| [[American Indian]] | [[Etenaî]], [[Dyanaî]], and [[Comani]] |
+| [[Sumerian]] | [[Mosaî]]  | Enlil, Enki, Inanna, Ki, Nanna-sin, Nin-hursag, Utu |
-| [[Central American]] | The [[Ouraî]] in [[Teleme]] |
+| [[American Indian]] | [[Etenaî]], [[Dyanaî]], and [[Comani]]  | Raven, Coyote, Hastseltsi, Hastsezini, Heng, Hotoru, Shakak, Snake-Man, Tobadzistsini |
-| [[Chinese]] | [[Dumaka]] |
+| [[Central American]] | The [[Ouraî]] in [[Teleme]]  | Quetzalcoatl, Camaxtu, Camazotz, Chalchiuhtlicue, Huhueteotl, Huitzilopochtli, Itzamna, Mictlantecuhtli, Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc, Tlazolteotl, Xochipilli |
-| [[African]] | [[Arela]] |
+| [[Chinese]] | [[Dumaka]]  | Shang-Ti, Chao Kung Ming, Chih-Chiang Fyu-Ya, Chih Sung-Tzu, Chung Kuel, Fei Lien & Feng Po, Huan-Ti, Kuan Yin, Lei Kung, Lu Yueh, Ma Yuan, No Cha, Shan Hai Ching, Tou Mu, Wen Chung, Yen-Wang-Yeh |
+| [[African]] | [[Arela]]  | (see [[wp>Orisha#Pantheon|This Wikipedia article]]) |
+| [["New Gods"]] | [[Mosaî]]  | Asmodeus, Avandra, Bane, Erathis, Ioun, Kord, Melora, Pelor, Raven Queen, Sehanine, Tharizdun, Torog, Vecna, Zehir |
 ==== Non-human deities ====
@@ Line 57: / Line 91: @@
   * [[Elven Gods]]
-  * [[Dwarved Gods]]
+  * [[Dwarven Gods]]
   * [[Gnome Gods]]
   * [[Halfling Gods]]
@@ Line 65: / Line 99: @@
 ==== Oddball Pantheons ====
-In addition to the actively worshipped pantheons, there are several classes of
+In addition to the actively worshiped pantheons, there are several classes of
-divine beings that either no longer have worshippers, or never truly had them.
+divine beings that either no longer have worshipers, or never truly had them.
 These are:
@@ Line 73: / Line 107: @@
   * The [[Lords of Chaos]]
   * The [[Earthmasters]]
-[[start|Back to start page]]