Religion in Conliah
MEDIOCRATES: What makes a person holy?
DYSTHYPHRO: To be holy is to root out and destroy unholiness: whatever is Cthonic, corrupt, and wicked. The people who dedicate their being to fight against it are called holy. Likewise, failing to root out and destroy unholiness is also unholiness. That definition seems sound, to me.
-- The Fifth Cloudruled Dialogue: The Dysthyphro
Agathos Worship
The pantheon of the Yargyez Empire recognizes six major Agathoi named the Six Guardians. They are worshipped in public temples and holidays recognized by the Empire. Each Agathos has its own clerical hierarchy and rites, and provinces often combine these with syncretic traditions. Besides these Six Guardians there are also many minor Agathoi who are acknowledged by the Empire as having legitimate cults. The below list of minor Agathoi is not exhaustive, but includes the better-known ones.
| Name | Title | Gender | Domain(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iazus | Sky Mother | Female | Storms, Law | Iazus is one of the Six Guardians. She is called the "first among equals" in the Imperial Cult pantheon, and is revered by emperors and inquisitors. The Order of Iazus sanctions Imperial Cult Inquisitors to hunt down Cthonic threats of various kinds. Her symbol is a thunderbolt and stormcloud, and her elemental domains are wind and lightning. |
| Inidilt | Mountain King | Male | Agriculture, Seasons | Inidilt is one of the Six Guardians. He is revered by soldiers and farmers. His symbol is a scythe. His elemental domain is earth. |
| Burrue | Sun Sister | Female | Beauty, Philosophy | Burrue is one of the Six Guardians. She is revered by bards and philosophers. Her symbol is a lyre. Her elemental domain is sunlight. |
| Lidnozie | Moon Brother | Male | Wilderness, Full Moon | Lidnozie is one of the Six Guardians. He is revered by lumberers and hunters. His symbol is a bow and arrow. His elemental domain is moonlight. |
| Ereng | Great Presider | Male | Marriage, Family | Ereng is one of the Six Guardians. He is revered by widows and healers. His symbol is an ox. His elemental domain is water. |
| Izdoeng | Hearth Keeper | Male | Peace, Fraternal Love | Izdoeng is one of the Six Guardians. He is revered by embassadors and second sons. Izdoeng's symbol is a hearth flame, and Izdoeng has a cult of missionaries called Friends of the Hearth Keeper. His elemental domain is fire. |
| Dimie | Clever Agathos | Male | Magic, Artisanship, War | Minor cult is popular in Fair Island |
| Ivezdazing | Forge Master | Female | Forge, Fire, Craft | Minor cult is popular in Helscar |
| Vlutodie | Prince of Joy | Male | Beauty, Infatuation, Hedonism | Minor cult is popular in Middlestone |
| Uzioting | Lady of the Seas | Female | Oceans, Navigation | Minor cult is popular among fishers |
| Ilnizing | Swift Agathos | Female | Travel, Trade | Minor cult is popular among merchants |
| Etizing | Lady Necessity | Female | Life, Death | Minor cult is popular among undertakers |
Outside of the Imperial Cult, there are religious factions of High Elves and Wood Elves who advocate Burrueism, considering the Imperial Cult to be a distortion. They seek to restore the original practices of Agathos worship as spread by the Magellian Empire, including a belief in Elven racial superiority to other mortal races and a belief that Burrue is an emanation of Gora herself.
Archon Worship
Worship of the Archons is forbidden by law. Even so their cults persist, as their power is too alluring to resist. Shrines to them can be found in ancient ruins, concealed temples, and the basements of shady nobles.
There are many contradictory accounts regarding mythic history and cosmology given by Archonic cultists. They vary between different cults, and even within the same cults. Many Archon-worshippers do not hold any opinion whatsoever on the topic of religion, and relate to the Archons in a purely transactional way. However, for cultists who do give an account, there are several points of agreement which never vary. The Archons themselves attest to these points.
First, the Archons and Cthonia are primordial. Ksylia and its inhabitants were created afterwards. Second, the structure of Ksylia is that of concentric spheres. The outermost sphere separating it from Cthonia is the Hade. Then the Neaths, with its hollow surface of Arbigard. The Skies are at the center. Thus, "up" is at the center of Ksylia, and "down" is away from its center. The third point of agreement is that blue soul material was somehow invented by the weakest mortals of Ksylia, in order to oppose the Archons. The Magellian Empire weaponized blue soul material against the Archons, and taught the false doctrine that weakness is good, and strength is evil. The Agathoi were an invented story to justify this inversion. Of course, the Firmament and Asteria do not exist. Therefore, Archonic cults reclaim the innate laws of nature which were wrongly suppressed by the Magellian and Yargyez Empires.
The below list of Archons is not exhaustive. There are many lesser-known Archonic cults in Conliah, and Lodumpans know of Archons that Conlians had never heard of.
| Name | Title | Gender | Domain(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Igedeng | Father of Bones | Male | Necromancy | Igedeng's sphere is called the Deadwoods, an endless forest of dead trees partially illuminated by the crescent moon. He is the patron of necromancers and witches. Igedeng's cults are called the Tenkerlads, necromantic researchers who seek his blessings of knowledge of evil magic. His symbol is a crescent moon. |
| Lozie | Strife Maker | Male | Chaos, Pranks | Lozie's sphere is called the Clashcircus, an enormous circus tent where mortals dress as jesters endlessly battle each other with ridiculous weapons like food and children's toys. The Clashcircus is populated by Fluttermice, enormous flying mice who harass mortals who refuse to fight in the arena. Lozie's cults are called the Spokefuglads, bands of pranksters who wander between towns creating unnecessary strife between townfolk. Mortals corrupted by Lozie become Laffids, granting them the power to shape-shift while making their true physical forms repulsive. His symbol is an apple with a bite taken out of it. |
| Ogzim | Lord of the Void | Male | Darkness, Silence | Ogzim's sphere is called the Starless Abyss. There is no land there, only an immense ocean covering the entire sphere. The sky is pitch black, and even the light of fire seems to be absorbed into the void. Nightcreeps inhabit the Starless Abyss on permanent wooden rafts. Ogzim's cults are called the Tyvenlads, criminal syndicates who steal in his name. Mortals corrupted by Ogzim become Zoners, which turns them completely invisible. His symbol is a face with closed eyes. |
| Lize | Harvester of Mortals | Female | War, Torture | Lize's sphere is called the Reaping Grounds. Endless fields of wheat are fed by the blood of mortals who her cultists have tortured and slain. Mortals who are phased into her sphere are subject to eternal torment by her Cthonic minions, the Tormentors. These Tormentors are eight-foot-tall muscular humanoids with horns, crimson skin, leathery wings, and hooked tails. Lize's cults are called the Overvelderlads, aspiring conquerors who summon Cthonian servants to aid in their conquest of all of Conliah. Her symbol is a helmet, shield and spear. |
| Uluzing | Mistress of Ends | Female | Fate, Death | Uluzing's sphere is called the Quaking Peaks. This is a narrow mountain path which leads to an endless abyss on both sides, where mortals must carefully tread without wandering too far in either direction. Furthermore, they are subject to continuous earthquakes that threaten to send them onto one or the other side of the abyss. Uluzing's cults are called the Morderlads, cold-blooded killers who perform assassinations for hire. Her symbol is a knife dripping with blood. |
| Lundazing | Queen of Destruction | Female | Rebellion, Power | In the Age of Might Makes Right, Lundazing was a popular deity of the Dwarves. Lundazing's sphere is called Cinderthrone. It is a landscape of obsidian and lava, where the air is thick with smog. Ruins of castles and destroyed statues dot the landscape. Cinderthrone is populated by Dragons, who are powerful flying lizards who breathe elemental attacks. She has the power to corrupt mortals into Draklings, which are Dragon-like humanoids. Lundazing's cults are called the Brannenlads, an association of nobles across Conliah who aspire to usurp the Yargyez Emperor. Her symbol is an upside-down torch. |
| Ulviazing | Dream Caller | Female | Dreams, Illusions | Ulviazing's sphere is the Blissful Hollow. Blissful Hollow is filled with petrified trees and spiderwebs created by Arachnaurs. Arachnaurs are centaur-like creatures with the torso of a human and the lower body of a spider. Arachnaurs spin webs and play their strings like musical instruments. Those corrupted by Ulviazing's promises of blissful dreams become insect-like Husks. Ulviazing's cults are called the Gladlads. Her symbol is a red, pointed cap. |
| Inizozim | Prince of Last Strike | Male | Retribution, Plots | Inizozim's sphere is the Mirror Marshes. The Mirror Marshes are a wetland filled with perfectly balanced logs on top of stones. Nagas wander around, ensuring that the weight of each logs is perfectly distributed. Those corrupted by Inizozim become fish-like Gutterplots. Inizozim's cults are called the Grublelads. His symbol is a measuring rod. |
| Nabazie | Prince of Beasts | Male | Lust, Rage | Nabazie's sphere is the Howling Hall. It is a tremendous, ornate castle populated by Lykoids, humanoid creatures with the faces of wolves. These Lykoids endlessly chase prey animals up and down the halls of the castle. Nabazie's cults are called the Jaktlads. His symbol is three red claw marks. |
| Eovumid | Mother of Ills | Female | Sickness, Blight | Eovumid's sphere is the Apothecary of Knives. The Apothecary of Knives is an endless row of prison cells. The guards of this prison are Pulsecutters, beings made of toxic blades bound together. They walk cell by cell, gently cutting the prisoners with their toxic blades, making them more and more sick. Eovumid is the patron of Blood Monsters - undead creatures who spread their illness through contact with their blood. Eovumid's cults are called the Syklads. Her symbol is five snakes tied together by their tails. |
| Dreze | World Bearer | Female | Endurance, Pain | In the Age of Might Makes Right, Dreze was a popular deity of the Dark Elves. Some still worship her in Valorgale. Dreze's sphere is called the Crucible of Tears. It is a land of barren, wind-swept hills dotted with crumbling ruins. Tremendous chains stretch across the land, intended to hold beings of a size beyond mortal comprehension. The Crucible of Tears is populated by Percussors, which are twenty-foot-tall stone statues of a humanoid form that walk in a single direction at a constant pace. They crush anything in their way, and then move on. Her power is called upon by those in bondage. Dreze's cults are called the Tofflads. They are pugilists who engage in bloodsport as a form of devotion. Those who seek her blessing of endurance are transformed into Pertinaxes, which grants the petitioner strength to perform a single task. Her symbol is a solid white circle. |
| Omuzast | Mistress of Revelry | Female | Madness, Wine | In the Age of Might Makes Right, Omuzast was a popular deity of the Halflings. Some still worship her in Middlestone. Omuzast's sphere is the Shining Mansion. It is an ornately decorated mansion full of wine, food, dance halls, and bedrooms. Crawling throughout the Shining Mansion are Fouskalas. These Fouskalas are gelatinous slimes that force themselves into the mouths of mortals who spend too much time in the Shining Mansion, eventually leading to their suffocation. Those corrupted by Omuzast become Sunspawns. Their skin glows radiantly, causing those around them to be instantly attracted them. However, those who walk close to a Sunspawn begin to feel confused. Omuzast's cults are called the Drikenlads. They organize parties where excessive amounts of wine are consumed. Her symbol is a bunch of grapes. |
| Embe | Queen of Forests | Female | Wilderness, Plants | In the Age of Might Makes Right, Embe was a popular deity of the Wood Elves. Some still worship her in Westerwood. Embe's sphere is the Whimsical Grove. It is an inescapable forest with towering trees. Mortals who find themselves in the Whimsical Grove are preyed upon by Angstworms. These are worm-like creatures are twenty feet long and have reptilian hides. Angstworms have no head, face, or eyes, but they have a mouth with razor-sharp teeth. Angstworms are also capable of levitating for short distances. Being in the presence of an Angstworm causes immediate terror. Embe's cults are called the Villiglads. They demolish mills and introduce dangerous animals and aggressively growing plants to the surrounding area. Those corrupted by Embe become Troggles. They begin to walk on all fours, develop a hunched back, and lose their vision. Troggles become very timid, and seek to escape by burrowing underground. Her symbol is a pan flute. |
Ancestor Veneration
While the Imperial Cult does not officially recognize its practice, the veneration of ancestors is widespread across Conliah. It is tolerated as long as it's of a more respectful and sentimental nature, and does not interfere with transmigration. Rituals that bind souls to a location are illegal, and inquisitors of the Order of Iazus punish those who practice such ancestor veneration. Ancestor veneration is complicated to regulate, because many of its practitioners either do not understand they are binding souls or do not understand the harm of doing so. These are the major races which practice ancestor veneration:
- Dwarves believe that their honored dead are granted a unique sphere in Asteria named Erunhall, which is an eternal feast. Their practices include feasts held at burial mounds and burying possessions with the dead.
- Halflings believe that spirits linger in Arbigard until they are given proper burial rights, or else they will become restless spirits. Their practices include shrines placed in crypts and annual feasts in rememberance of the dead.
- Dark Elves believe that even after death, spirits remain connected to the physical location they were buried. Their practices include shrines placed in clan tombs and ritualistic chanting intended to ground the spirits of the dead in Arbigard.
- Lizardfolk believe that even after death, spirits remain connected to the ecology of the marsh. Their practices include carving fetishes believed to be imbued with spirits and the consumption of hallucinogenic plants which they believe allow them to commune with their ancestors.
Cloud Worship
The practice of worshipping clouds appears several times in the history of Conliah. It is a mystery how it arose independently several times. Those who believe in Cloud Worship suggest that its independent development is proof of its truth.
- During the Age of Might Makes Right, the Wood Elves of the Ak Ates Mountains in southern Westerwood worshipped the clouds. However, this was displaced by Agathos worship by the Aksu Khaganate, and almost nobody alive today knows that this was practiced.
- The Cloudruled at the end of the Magellian Empire also advocated for cloud worship, stating that lightning comes from the clouds and not Iazus.
- The Uzvu Confederation believe the clouds are the true gods of this world. From their worldview, the Agathos and Archon cults are equally heretical, and they view the extermination of these cults as part of their civilizing mission. While this belief superficially resembles the Cloudruled who taught philosophy towards the end of the Magellian Empire, the Uzvu claim they are unaware of who the Cloudruled were.
Scholars of the Yargyez Empire have attempted to document the religious beliefs of the Uzvu. Their best understanding is that the Uzvu believe that the creator Demvegaz created one world of Ksylia, and inhabited it with mortal beings in the Skies, the Neaths, and Arbigard between them. However, Demvegaz gave all mortal beings free will. The Archons are mortal beings who originated in the Neaths, and rebelled against Demvegaz. The Archons constructed the Hade to divide the Neaths into the "Near Neaths" and the "Far Neaths", and made the Far Neaths their fortress against the wrath of Demvegaz. They caused suffering to the surface mortals of Arbigard, and Demvegaz pitied the mortals. To help them, Demvegaz sacrificed her body and became the clouds.
In Lodumpis, the Uzvu already have extensive experience in rooting out Archon worship. They view Archonic cults as utterly foolish, but they also openly study red soul material with less stigma than in Conliah's history. However, they have never heard of the Agathoi or any similar concept. The Uzvu speculate that the Agathoi are a misinterpretation of Demvegaz's power by false equivalence to the Archons. They deny the existence of Asteria as a separate realm and likewise the existence of the Firmament. Instead, they believe that green souls return to the highest stratum of the clouds, disintegrate and reform, then return to Arbigard. Therefore, each new green soul is a completely different person. Furthermore, blue soul material originates in the clouds instead of another realm.
Devouts of cloud worship have powers identical to devouts of the Six Guardians, but which Guardian their powers resemble changes depending on the formation of clouds and precipitation.
- No Clouds, No Rain: Their powers resemble devouts of Burrue.
- Partly Cloudy, No Rain: Their powers resemble devouts of Inidilt.
- Overcast, No Rain: Their powers resemble devouts of Lidnozie.
- Light shower: Their powers resemble devouts of Ereng.
- Thunderstorm: Their powers resemble devouts of Iazus.
- Rainbow visible: Their powers resemble devouts of Izdoeng.