Author Topic: Gods of Anuire  (Read 13208 times)

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Offline DM B

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Gods of Anuire
« on: September 15, 2008, 08:14:51 PM »
Questions about this topic come up from time to time; and I though I'd just give a very brief summary of how the various gods relate to ANUIRE.

Haelyn - By FAR the single most important god in Anuire. Widely worshiped by almost everyone; high and low alike. Haelyn is the patron of Anuire in particular, nobility in general, and of of war. In addition he has important roles as husband, father, and King (to the other gods).
Nesirie - The second most important god in Anuire. She is the wife of Haelyn, and often mentioned in that regard (but she has an important portfolio on her own). Its a good bet that anyone living close to the sea will be worshipers, but she also has important functions as wife, mother, and Queen.
Cuiraécen - The son of Haelyn and Nesirie, and the third most important god in Anuire. Apart from warriors praying for favor in battle, peasants and merchants pray to him for good weather and/or rain.

Together the three make up the Holy Triumvirate.

Other important gods in Anuire are:

Avanalae (Avani) - Actually a pretty big god in the Eastern Marches. Elsewhere she is important mostly to farmers, who pray to her to send sun in good measure (but not too much). She is also revered by scholars and wizards as the goddess of reason and magic (respectively).
Aeric (Erik) - Important in the north. Elsewhere worshiped mostly by farmers who pray for bounty and protection from dangerous wildlife.
Sarimie (Sera) - A pretty big deity in the Heartlands, where she is worshiped she is worshiped by the growing middle class; merchants and guilders in particular. Elsewhere in Anuire is is primarily a deity of good fortune, whose name is invoked when luck and chance are involved.

Not-so important gods:

Ruonil - With the exception of Medoere Ruornil is only associated with magic-workers and the moon (and things associated with it).
Eloéle - Except for Mieres, Eloéle is usually mentioned (if at all) in conjunction with her mother. The only real exception is among the criminal caste of Anuire - here Eloéle receives her fair share of prayers and offerings.
Laerme - Not a big deity anywhere, except in the border regions of Boeruine/Talinie. Here she is mostly associated with love within the bonds of marriage. Elsewhere she's mostly a goddess of arists and the idle rich; catering to the classical arts and 'romantic' love (whatever that is!).

Those make up The Nine Gods of Anuire

Belinik - The Lord of Strife is not openly worshiped in Anuire; but it is no secret that warriors call out to him when the fear of battle come over them, or that scheming nobles ask his favor when embarking on a new plot.
Kriesha - Only know in the North; not worshiped as such, but rather placated in order to get mild winters and safety from wild beasts and monsters.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2010, 03:56:52 PM by DM Bjørn »
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Offline DM B

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Re: Gods of Anuire
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2008, 08:23:09 PM »
Here is an example:

Henderon, a simple fisherman/farmer from northern Dhoesone, might actually worship ALL the above gods.

Haelyn is important to him because he is the head of the gods and because Henderon is an Anuirean living close to the wild and dangerous Rjurik wilds. So Henderon accords him great respect and honors his holy days; but Haelyn doesn't really play a big role in him everyday life. Nesire is far more important in his life. Of course she is the wife of Haelyn and the matron mother of the pantheon, but more importantly she is the goddess of the sea. As a fisherman in a small boat upon the great northern ocean, Henderon is dependent upon her for protection and for granting him the bounty of the sea. Aéric is another major factor in his life - in addition to farming and fishing, Henderon hunts and traps in the forest, and the rest of the family helps with herding and gathering the wealth of the wild. So for bounty and protection...Aéric is a major figure that needs placating.

Cuiraécen is not an important god to Henderon; he is not a warrior. He does make offerings to him on holy days and prays for good weather when the storms come rolling in from the Sea of Storms. In the event that Rjurik raiders or worse come close, Henderon will pick up his bow and spear and join the militia. Then Cuiraécen becomes the focus of his world. To his great shame, when the orogs come raiding and the black fear burn in his gut, he silently cries out to Belinik for the strength to face the spawn of Azrai. And when he does, the fear goes away, to be replaced by the red rage that strips all reason and compassion from his heart.

Avanalae he prays to during the dark nights of winter; prays for the return of warm summer days and for the good harvest. Kriesha is mentioned at the same time - begging here to spare his family the worst ravages of the long cold winter months. To a southerner it might seem strange that two gods so opposed should be included in the same prayers, but to Henderon it is the way of his ancestors. Ruornil isn't mentioned often, but when the Day of the Dead draws near all the villagers gather at the edge of a series of burial mounds to thank him for protecting them against the restless dead.

Sarimie he prays to before going to market to sell a little surplus produce, and maybe trade it for tools or cloth, maybe even some silvers or something nice for his daughters. Laerme is also important to hearth and family, so Henderon accords here great respect, but it is his wife that prays to her for good husbands and wives for the children. Eloéle is the least god in the life of Henderon, but he remembers to make a little offering to her while in town - both to keep thieves away and to ward against any domestic unrest...

That just about sums up Henderon's religious life...oh, he also offers little prayers to some of the Saints of the Triumvirate (it's not so common up north) or to the servants of Aéric, he honors his ancestors, he puts out small offerings to the fair folk at solstices and equinoxes...and sometimes, sometimes he goes to the dark cave only a few villagers know about, but what they do there no one else knows...

« Last Edit: March 14, 2010, 04:24:51 PM by DM Bjørn »
DM Bjørn