Religious beliefs and traditions across Aelandris are varied and numerous,
though some traditions are more common than others. It is generally accepted
that there exist deities who themselves sprung forth from Aelandra, the Creator.
Many pantheons have emerged, some of them followed by those on a specific life
path, while the worship of others is mainly concentrated in certain regions or
cultures. There are a few that are widely assumed to be core elements of
creation, and versions of them have appeared across most of Aelandris.
Individuals may follow deities directly, while others are adherents to more
animistic traditions, or a belief in a pantheon. Others still, especially with
the onset of the Blight and the lack of divine intervention to prevent it,
eschew religion altogether, focusing instead on the mysteries of the weave and
the powers that guide its flow.
A common thread through all of these traditions is a validation of belief.
Priests of the major deities were known to be able to produce wondrous miracles
on their behalf before the Blight. Others have witnessed miracles within the
quiet of nature. Still others are validated in their beliefs through their
ability to channel the Aether itself.
The pantheons of Aelandris are also known to be fluid, with some deities
entering or falling out of favor for whatever reason. Entirely new deities,
previously unknown to mortals, have also been documented to make themselves
known. Whether they sprung into being spontaneously or have always been there is
a mystery to theologians.
# Subtopics
## Deities and Pantheons
Aelandra, the Creator and Dreamer, is the ur-goddess of creation and life.
Aelandra is said to be the embodiment of the Aether itself, a primordial force
that composes everything and everyone in the material plane. Aelandra is revered
as the creator and mother of the gods and goddesses themselves. She created the
world and its inhabitants by dreaming, and sometimes her creation is
collectively referred to as the Dream. Fittingly, she is thought to be in a long
sleep, having given stewardship over all divine domains to her children to look
after.
Other common deities are as follows:
Anja - The Guide: fate, the life cycle, and death Irides - The 3 Seers: the
past, present, and future. Anja's court.
Altheria - The Everbright: hope, patroness of the eponymous city
Ejendra - The Bard: creativity, art, music, performance, dance, joy, pillows
Phiddia - The Muse: stories, inspiration, history. Ejendra's muse.
Eton - The Daystar: the sun, the day, and work Amis - The Stargazer: the night,
stars, moons, and the sky
Pantheon of Light Direnna - The Dawnlight: truth, righteousness, mercy Koll -
The Knight: valor, honor, justice, atonement Beln - The Healer: medicine,
compassion, charity Nyth - The Keeper: hearth, home, comfort, cats Sjan - The
Wellspring: the harvest, agriculture, fountains
Pantheon of Triumph Zendis - The Warrior: war, victory, determination Ivecht -
The Sentinel: perseverance, duty, sacrifice, loyalty Aevros - The Surestrike:
preparation, tactics, goals Aramae - The Guardian: shields, fortifications,
fountains Caledir - The Champion: courage, combat, purpose
Pantheon of Thought Aithe - The Scholar: knowledge, research, teaching Eruna -
The Sage: wisdom, history, philosophy Phjir - The Bladedancer: skill, strategy,
prowess Weth - The Smith: forges, quality, artisanry Nevrei - The Architect:
planning, forethought, fountains
Pantheon of Nature Aluret - The Hunter: the wilds, protection, nature Urxuli -
The Pendulum: balance, equilibrium, consequence Vaeri - The Seedsinger:
decomposition, renewal, growth, compost Zecknel - The Alchemist: herbs, alchemy,
patience Xeura - The Arborwisp: parks, gardens, fountains
Pantheon of Prosperity Illio - The Merchant: commerce, wealth, deals, risk Rel -
The Trickster: luck, fortune, humor, mischief, games, dumplings Djev - The
Reveler: indulgence, hedonism, celebration, fountains Yrena - The Wavewender:
storms, sea, weather, travel, booze Venx - The Shadowwalker: subtlety, stealth,
opportunity, advantage
Pantheon of Mysteries Hilia - The Tideturner: tides, oceans, inevitability,
vocation (moon) Narassus - The Watcher: patience, inquiry, study, keys (moon)
Aeselid - The Coralbloom: answers, connectivity, symbiosis, ecosystems Thangren
- The Enigma: secrets, puzzles, locks, obscurity Khotos - The Abyssgazer: the
deeps, mysteries, cookies, fountains
## Patrons
Patrons are powerful beings who are typically not as well known as deities,
often because they seek few followers and do not usually make power bargains.
That said, some seek to influence the world according to their own agendas, and
keep an eye on promising individuals who they take an interest in. Despite their
relative obscurity, they are, in a way, closer to the world than the gods, and
some are thought to have been heroes from long ago who ascended into
pseudo-divinity.