In this chapter you will learn about the deities, their influence on the world and above all about the servants of the gods.
Since time immemorial the world has been surrounded by gods, beings of immeasurable power. Each of the gods upholds a certain principle. Some represent the principle of life and healing, others fighting, some spread fear, others again trade and the power of money.
Mortals have always been drawn to the gods and seek from them answers to the questions „Why am I in the world?“ and „What happens after death?“, and ask them for help and protection. But the gods manifest themselves in various ways and few can understand them. Those who set out on the path of understanding and serving a god are known as priests. Priests pass on the teachings of the god to other people. They teach people to understand the intentions of the god and their principle, help them overcome the fear of the unknown and give help in hard times.
Faith
The gods rarely manifest themselves directly. Everyone suspects or knows that they exist, but that in itself is not enough. True knowledge of a god comes not through the senses or knowledge, but through faith. Faith determines how devoted a person is to a god, how close their bond is and how hard they try to fulfill the god's intentions.
Paths of faith
A mere mortal cannot judge the gods, let alone understand their motives and essence. Much therefore depends on the stance of worshipers and priests, how they approach the god, and what attributes and goals they ascribe to them. If a priest says „Our god wants ...“, it means „I think that is how it is“.
This leads to a division into various cults, and even within one faith there are often great differences of opinion.
Good and Evil, Light and Darkness
People need to simplify things and most like to divide gods into good, evil or neutral. A god considered in one land a patron and protector may elsewhere be a bloody god devouring sacrifices.
It therefore depends on the god's followers and their deeds what kind of god it will be - whether it fights for truth and honor or rules with an iron fist.
Sphere of influence
What clearly sets the gods apart, however, is the sphere in which they act and grant their power. The goddess of healing makes truly miraculous healing possible, while the gods of fighting provide help in battles. If a priest does something that contradicts the sphere of influence of their god, they provoke the god's displeasure (followers of the god of war cannot sit at home all their lives reading verses; a healer should not torture people or kill).
Divine interventions
Everyone knows that the gods are almighty and can do anything. What is not so obvious, however, is the fact that the gods rarely show their power directly; rather, they manifest through their priests or appear in dreams, instead of majestically stepping onto the earth and punishing presumptuous mortals or rewarding them.
Gods of Illiador
(These rules apply to the sample world of Heroes of Fantasy - Illiador)
The inhabitants of Illiador believe in and worship the following deities; for the deities marked with * you will find a detailed description in these rules.
Note: If your adventure does not take place on Illiador, the deities may be different (or have different names). In that case it is up to the GM to introduce them to you.
Overview of deities
Alvin god of hunger, deprivation, pain, Spirit of death
Andril* god of Light, wisdom, truth, knowledge, art, poetry and music
Dulthar god of vice, lechery and obscenity
Dwatah* god of blacksmithing, Lord of Fire and Earth, Supreme Lord of the Mountains
Eleis* god of heroism and justice
Finvael gods of nature,
and Gallind of herds, forests, fields and fertility
Helkaglin Lady of frost, queen of the icy plains
Irnaliel* goddess of healing, love and fidelity
Karvos* god of glory and fighting
Lianea* Moon goddess, guardian of peaceful sleep, also called the Silver Lady
Melek god of wit, oratory, cunning, and also of archers and thieves
Nefelktrah* ruler of Darkness, lady of Power and bearer of Damnation
Sansri* Serpent goddess
Sobek* god of Water and Wind, Lord of oceans and rivers and protector of seafarers
Tanalé* goddess of beauty, joy, feelings, youth and luck
Tanron* god of wealth, money, trade and also foresight and seers, Protector of cities
Urxuros* Spider god, lord of vengeance, hatred and damnation
Zaag* god of blood and fury, Lord of war
Other divine beings
Demigods
Besides the gods, above people stand demigods, who form the retinue of one of the more powerful deities. They themselves do not wield divine power and cannot lend it to priests. Among the best-known demigods are:
Alathar, herald of Sobek
Xanaia, sister of Helkaglin
Dorvek, steward of Tanron's cities
Ortix, helper of Andril
Verhas, vassal of Nefelktrah
Heroes
Below the demigods stand heroes who joined their god after death. In times of greatest need they can set out into the world to help people.
The Trinity
Also worth mentioning is the Trinity, three mysterious gods who do not take part in events on Illiador. Their names are not known.
People and gods
The vast majority of common people believe in the existence of the gods, as they are taught to, and a different opinion hardly ever appears. What matters is whom a person worships. Here approaches vary greatly. Some people prefer to worship all the gods equally so as not to anger anyone, others have their own circle of favorites, others pray each time to whichever god they need at the moment (before a sea voyage they sacrifice to Sobek, before a fight to Zaag, when wounded they call Irnaliel for help, when seeking revenge they invoke Urxuros, and many beg Alvin not to take them yet). Some, however, choose their own patron, to whom they pray most often or even exclusively.
Priests
While an ordinary person holds the gods in respect, occasionally brings them an offering or prays to them, priests devote their lives entirely to the gods and their service.
Prayers and miracles
As we have mentioned before, the gods only exceptionally manifest themselves directly and by themselves; they prefer to lend their power to priests. You, as a priest, utter a prayer, and the god's answer to it is a miracle. How you can use prayers in the game you will learn in the following chapters, but do not forget one basic thing:
The god can punish its abuse or waste - they may reduce their help to you for a time or reject you completely.
Of course, even a simple believer can ask for help and be heard. Nevertheless, divine help for ordinary people is not nearly as frequent and common (perhaps also because they often ask too much and give little, and think more of themselves than of others).
The priest's first precept
The power you use is not yours, but your god's.Priestly orders
Even though all priests of the same faith serve the same god, their views on the true faith often diverge. Often it is only about the way prayers are led, the way property is managed, or the hierarchy. Sometimes individual factions can have such different views on a matter that it comes to violence and fighting. Some gods overlook such behavior, others firmly control the priesthood and forbid any quarrels.
Different interpretations of the faith or ways of service give rise to religious orders.