Religion 

Religion in the World of Ere
There are numerous minor religions and so called ‘small gods’ on Ere, ranging from philosophical ideals propagated by who dreamed them up, to the worship of local heroes and ancestors. Most of these are relegated simply to quirks of culture and nothing more. Some small gods, however, actually have clerics who actually have the ability to receive spells from them. Such beings are exceedingly rare so as to be of little consequence outside their communities.

There are three ‘mainstream’ religions on Ere; the Greater Pantheon, the Church of the Three-fold Moon, and the Cults of Dragon. These are the religions that have dealings across the continent and thus are considered mainstream.

This section details how each of the mainstream religions operate and gives some information on some of the smaller religions.

Refer to the article: Alignment in the World of Ere for information on how alignment is handled on Ere.

Allies, Recusants and Enemies
On Ere, gods do not determine their enemies based on alignment. Instead, they use a system that designates enemies, allies and recusants and treats them accordingly. Thus, while both Hessa and Justicar can be considered ‘good’ gods, a Holy weapon of Hessa hurts different creatures then a Holy weapon of Justicar.

Most characters will not have any status whatsoever.

Allies
A deities allies are those who seek the same ends as the core religion dedicated to the deity or are under special protection of the deity. This naturally includes clerics and other clergy, warriors in the church’s service and wards of the church, but also extends to creatures and people who are part of activities in the deity’s portfolio. For example, most artists are considered allies of deities of art.

In some cases, through their own actions, a character that would normally be an ally is instead treated as a recusant or enemy. For example, a warrior in the service of a deity with children in their portfolio who is cruel to children would be a recusant of the deity.

Effects that effect a deity’s allies typically aid them.

Recusants
Recusants are people who by thought or by action go against the will of the god or are a determent to their portfolio. Crusading against actions of the church, seeking to curtail activities in the god’s portfolio, or doing malicious harm to a member of the clergy or faithful all earn recusant status. Being an exclusive member of church of a recusant deity earns recusant status.

Gods typically don’t take action against recusants, but many effects that harm their enemies have smaller secondary effects against recusants.

Enemies
Allies of enemy gods, creatures declared anathema to the church, and singular individuals who have gained the personal ire of the gods are Enemies of the faith. Actual actions against the church and not just doctrine earn enemy status as well. For example, an orator who uses their speeches to speak blasphemies is only a recusant, but one who advocates harm to the church and its people is an enemy.

Ironically, even the faithful of some deities can be considered enemies.

Effects that effect a deity’s enemies typically harm them.

Replacement Spells and Domain
Using the Allies, Recusants and Enemies system instead of alignment involves replacing a number of spells as well as the Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law Domains and the Holy and Unholy weapon qualities.

Suggested replacements can be found here.

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The Greater Pantheon
Formed of the gods generally credited with Saint’s Landing, plus the goddess Dey, the Greater Pantheon is the most widely worshipped religion on Ere. While they are sometimes mildly opposed to one another, the six deities of the Greater Pantheon generally accept one another.

The gods of the Greater Pantheon seldom speak directly through their clergy if at all, relying largely on their doctrine and those they invest with powers to do that for them. As Saint’s Landing is widely accepted as fact, however, there is little doubt that the five involved in it exist and Dey’s direct intervention prior to and at the end of the Hailene War of Ascension dispels all doubt in her existance.

Below are listed the six gods that make up the Greater Pantheon and their core philosophies. Different races and religions worship different aspects of these deities and sometimes are rewarded with different domains than the ones listed.

As a pantheon, the Greater Pantheon grants all domains the individual deities grant. Its favored weapon is Denaii’s long sword.

Allies: Greater Pantheon (all deities), humans.
Recusants: none
Enemies: Kayda (deity), outsiders, creatures with the discarnate subtype.

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Denaii, Lawgiver
Denaii is a deity of honor, tactics and logic. He is the patron of warriors and inventors, particularly those who develop weapons of war. In some circles, he is also the patron of wizards and alchemists, who value an underlying, mathematical logic to the world.

The core Denaiian church espouses the value of personal and family honor as well as discipline in ones profession and striving for personal profession. Other sects teach the innate power of mathematics and physical sciences as they apply to the worlds. Still others demand strict adherence to tradition and total submission to authority.

Denaii grants the War, Protection, Knowledge and Strength domains. His favored weapon is the long sword.

Allies: Hessa (deity), Justicar (deity), combatants, fighters, constructs, minotaurs
Recusants: Being a recusant of Denaii implies being an oath-breaker or a coward or someone who puts themselves constantly ahead of even the ones they love. Those who act solely in their own interests and who hold no value in honor or tradition are recusants of Denaii.
Enemies: aberrations

Dey the Grey Hand
The Grey Hand is a goddess of necessity and duty. She is the patron of mercenaries, assassins and adventurers; people who do often unsavory jobs because they need to be done. In some groups, her forgiveness is used to justify many cruel acts, while in others, penance and tithing is still required.

Dey’s temples offer safe haven and aide to wayward souls in need as well as a private venue for more illicit activities such as the sale of black market goods. Deyic tradition honors personal sacrifices, even those of a moral nature. More than any other temple, Dey’s clergy are heavily involved in politics on the behalf of its faithful.

Dey grants the Luck, Travel, and Healing domains. She favors the dagger.

Allies: Hessa (deity), Pandemos (deity), rogues, barbarians, children of all races
Recusants: Being a recusant of Dey is actually much harder than other deities. Characters who harm and defile for pure enjoyment, those who dole out heavy handed punishment, and those who harm children are recusants of Dey.
Enemies: Kayda (deity), outsiders

Hessa of the Goodly Morn
Hessa is a deity of healing, protection and art. She is the patron of healers, guardians, parents and artists of all kinds. Her core church is extremely organized and encourages the value of community and the defense thereof.

Hessan churches are known for fielding healers and warriors to protect outlying villages and for inspiring wandering heroes. Combat is the last resort for a Hessan faithful, but never off the table, especially against those who threaten those who cannot defend themselves.

Hessa grants the Sun, Protection, Healing and Air domains. Her favored weapon is the longbow.

Allies: Denaii (deity), Dey (deity), all clerics with the healing or protection domains, intuitives, bards, elves.
Recusants: Being a recusant of Hessa implies being of a nature that is anathema to community and light. Recusants of Hessa include characters who actively shun aiding their fellows, characters who use [shadow] subtype spells or class abilities that involve shadows and incorporeal undead.
Enemies: Kayda (deity)

Justicar
Justicar is a god of righteousness, community and order. He is the patron of guards, judges, political leaders and other keepers of the status quo. He is often confused for Denaii in rights of worship and has few actual remaining followers.

Justicar’s faithful teach strict adherence to tradition, the need for hierarchy and the wickedness of all forms of crime or secrecy. They also advocate the ultimate punishment of death for those who do wrong.

Justicar grants the Knowledge, Magic and Death domains. His favored weapon is the glaive.

Allies: Denaii (deity), Sylph (deity), wizards, hailene.
Recusants: Being a recusant of Justicar implies a flaunting of law and order and a rebellious nature. Those who actively work against legitimate (in Justicar’s eyes) authority, who often find themselves on the wrong side of the law and who gives themselves over to sin and vice is a recusant of Justicar.
Enemies: creatures with the discarnate subtype

Pandemos the One Dice Rolling
Pandemos if the god of revelry, luck and freedom. He is the patron of entertainers, gamblers, travelers and halflings. Sometimes, his affinity for luck is construed as a favoring of probability instead of chance.

Pandemian temples are bawdy, semi-nomadic affairs that usually serve as diversions for those of all faiths to set down their burdens an live their lives. A typical Pandemian religious ceremony is little more than a party with religious emblems. Making oneself or even better, others happy is the basic tenet of the Pandemian church.

Pandemos grants the Trickery, Luck, Travel and Magic domains. His favored weapon is the quarterstaff.

Allies: Dey (deity), Sylph (deity), bards, sorcerers, inborns, halflings
Recusants: Being a recusant of Pandemos implies self repression or encouragement of repression in others. This includes characters who seek to abolish drink, gaming or dance, who use domination magic heavily, who enslave other sapient beings, or who actively seek to quash revelry.
Enemies: constructs, slavers/slaveholders

Sylph of the Forest Folk
Sylph is the goddess of all of nature’s metaphysical aspects; life, death, growth and decay. She is the patron of druids, the sylvan races and farmers. Most worshippers of Sylph emphasize one aspect of this over the other while some take these aspects to mean that Sylph opposes ‘unnatural’ things such as arcane magic or construction.

The core temple of Sylph is made up of druids, who tend life and various martial classes who assist in its inevitable end. Sylph teaches that life is sacred, but so is death and the express denial of either is wrong. Thus, the temple abhors undead and teaches that they should not be suffered to live.

Sylph grants the Animal, Plant, Death and Destruction Domains. She favors the sickle.

Allies: Pandemos (deity), Justicar (deity), druids, rangers, miare
Recusants: Being a recusant of Sylph implies debasement and disrespect foe nature. Those who hunt for sport, defy the natural order, exploit nature for personal gain and bring harm to the natural beasts of the world are recusants of Sylph.
Enemies: undead

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The Church of the Three-fold Moon
Founded in the early days after Saint’s Landing, the church of Kayda, the Three-fold Moon has two distinct faces.

First, it publicly exists as an institution that preaches the concept of life as a trial by fire; that the only way to survive is to grow stronger by seeking out conflict. This ideal appeals to a great many of Ere’s population and has gained the church a large following. The faithful of the church in this capacity are merely recusants of the Greater Pantheon deities instead of enemies.

In secret though, among the most loyal of the faithful, the church teaches that the Greater Pantheon is a sham and a blight on the face of Ere; that only by their destruction can the world be cleansed. To this end, they encourage the transformation of the truly faithful into Kaydan Demons, highly augmented beings that serve as partial avatars of the Lord of Shades. The demons are the secret, martial arm of the church, hunting down, tormenting and destroying those who serve the Greater Pantheon.

Kayda grants the Strength, War, Death and Destruction domains. His favored weapon is the bastard sword.

Allies: outsiders
Recusants: To be a Recusant of Kayda simply means that you are not one of his faithful. If you are not with the Lord of Shades, then by his word, you are against him and therefore a recusant.
Enemies: Greater Pantheon (all deities)

Cults of Dragon
Across the plains of Taunuan, tribes of humanoids pay homage to the Dragon Nations as the ultimate exemplars of living things. The elders teach that the dragons represent wisdom and strength, which all beings should strive to attain.

Most dragon cults subscribe to strong ideals of community and appeasement of the dragons, whom occasionally visit their worshippers.

All dragon cults grant the Strength and Knowledge domains, plus two dependant on the color of the dragon as detailed below:

Black: Water and Earth
Red: Fire and Air
Green: Air and Earth
Silver: Air and Water
Brass: Earth and Fire
Bronze: Water and Fire
Copper: Trickery and Travel

Allies: dragons, dragon-sired beings, sorcerers
Recusants: Those who tap their belief in other deities to channel divine power are all considered recusants of the Cults of Dragon.
Enemies: non-dragons with elemental subtypes

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Small Gods
Ere is home to too many Small Gods to list here. Many are local hero-gods, ancestral or racial spirits, or actual helpful spirits. Occasionally, simple ideals are enough to grant some minor clerics spells and a single related domain. Below are some of the more well known small gods:

The Mother of Blades
The Mother of Blades was a leader during the last days of Draconic Control. Her expertise with the greatsword earned her the moniker that she is known solely by today. The religion built around her dictates that strength and leadership are the keys to survival and happiness.

The Mother of Blades grants the Strength, War and Protection domains. Her favored weapon is the greatsword.

The Mother of Blades is not strong enough in the world to effect allies, recusants and enemies.

Sefar, the Passionate Night
Sefar is a goddess of dreams and joy worshipped by the Sylvan Naga of Vini Tresolm. Worship of her dates all the way back to Saint’s Landing when the naga believe Sefar created them. Sefar’s symbol, a black dream-catcher, appears surprisingly often in older depictions of Saint’s Landing and the Pantheon, but disappears near the onset of Draconic Control.

The naga believe that Sefar’s edict is to follow one’s dreams and to help others attain their own dreams. They have shaped their society around these ideals and feel they are better for it.

Sefar grants the Healing and Luck domains as well as domains mentioned in the magic section. Her favored weapon is the unarmed strike.

Allies: Pandemos (deity), Dey (deity), Hessa (deity)
Recusants: Being a recusant of Sefar means actively denying oneself or others their life’s true ambition. Tyrants, overly strict employers, slavers and bullies are recusants of Sefar.
Enemies: Sefar’s enemies are those who would normally be recusants, but are denying the dreams of a follower of Sefar.

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