Eryanism

Eryanism is a polytheistic religion which is predominant around the city of Eryana which is the capitol of a Karldom named Eryante located in the southern parts of the Kingdom of the Gates. It is a part of the wider Vidstossi religious system and has been the dominant religion of the region since at least year 100 BBV.
== Deities ==
Módhr Súl (Mother Sun) - the highest deity. Also known as Álla (or Aula). Is responsible for warmth, creativity, poetry, divine love and the pure light, which emanates into all living beings. Is said to have birthed the other Gods. The light of her face is said to turn away the grógora (giants, ogres, trolls, monsters). She is seen as a golden-haired Queen with a blue dress, who walk barefooted over water. Her eyes are red-golden. It is thought that Gold is a sacred and pure material which is containing a bit of her holy light.
Fádhr Hephtán (Father Heaven) - husband of Módhr Súl and king of the Gods. Also known as Ráell (or Rakli). God of the sky, of rains and of thunder. Is welcoming the fallen warriors to his halls and is the judge of the book of the dead. His material is bronze. He is often depicted as a horned god, and is said to be able to turn himself into a bull.
Váel - Earth God, responsible for fertility, livestock and crops.
Flámr - Fire God, son of Súl and Hephtán. Known for being a trickster god who once gave mankind music, beer and gambling after he lost a bet with Svírdr.
Kélldr - the Handsome Messenger. Son of Súl and Hepthán. Is blessing the newborns, and married a mortal woman, thus shedding his immortality. Reborn as God of the Underworld.
Rílka - hind-legged goddess of hunting and the wild animals. It is speculated that the wild animals are praying to her to gain evasion. Is the lover of Flámr in certain parts of the mythos.
Gáir - known as the Fierce. God of War and Duels, but also of justice and truth. 
Svírdr - The Silver-haired. The Old One. Father Time. Is the God of Time, aging, contracts and silver. Is measuring the fates of all humans with his braids.
== Theology ==
Eryanism - like all Vidstossi religions - divides mankind into a racial hierarchy where those who are fair, blonde and blue-eyed are considered spiritually and racially superior to those with darker complexions. Eryanism however differs from the other Vidstossi religions in the interpretation of this relationship. It is seen as a duty for those who are deemed superior to serve and protect those who are inferior, and there is a proto-chivalric ideal of archetypes, for example the just and fair Queen, the brave King and the vihnds who have forsaken their wealth and comfort to serve the commoners and even the thralls.
Eryanism has a gender-based division where the ideal ruler system is characterised by a male and female co-regency, where the female is primarily responsible for spiritual rulership, healing rulership and administration, whereas her male partner is responsible for warfare, retributive justice and dealing with vassals.
There is a female priesthood, centred on an island outside of Eryana, which is responsible not only for religious duties but also for hospices, healthcare and some social administrative functions. The religion is mostly present around Eryana.
== Origin ==
The origins of Eryanism are shrouded in mystery, but it can be noted that the region has a small Vidstossi upper class and large minorities of originally non-Vidstossi peoples, of whom many retained their position as free farmers during Vidstossi rule. 
The karldom of Eryante accessed to the Kingdom of the Gates during the reign of Pelir the Fair, following his son Sturozi's marriage to the daughter of the local karl. Thus, the Kingdom of the Gates has not controlled the region for long, and even during Pelir's reign, his rule was more or less symbolic as karldoms enjoyed a significant autonomy.
== Alliandre Brezilid ==
Alliandre Brezilid, who took over as hereditary ruler of Eryante in the beginning phase of The Anarchy, also overtook the Temple of Módhr Súl on the Isle of Rabbits, and helped to spread the religious practices to Berasante and even to some of the central parts of the Kingdom of the Gates, by emphasising the religious rites, but more importantly the social ramifications and the transformed relationship between the ethnic groups. While still hierarchical and affirming the top position of fair-skinned Vidstossis, Alliandre emphasised a relationship based on reciprocal principles rather than the pyramidal principles held by other versions of the same faith.
While it is seen as a revolutionary act that her husband Pelir II liberated the thralls of Eryante during his reign, the truth is that thralls only constituted about 3% of the population of Eryante when they were freed, most of whom already living in their own villages and subject primarily to the Brezilids themselves. Alliandre's father had already instituted gradual amnesties during his reign, reducing the amount of thralls from a tenth of the population. The liberation of the thralls in Eryante was a minor change which improved the livelihood of a part of the population, and also served to strengthen the resolve for thrall liberation in parts of the Kingdom of the Gates controlled by Pelir's rivals. 
== Eryanism as seen by its critics ==
Eryanism is a suspected foreign-invented religion that holds the southern parts of the Gate Kingdom.
It has become famous abroad and hated within for its radical liberation of slaves policy, but holds considerable central power due to an official peace between all Karldoms.
Eryanists desire for pleasure and comfort has also long alarmed the military, noble and religious authorities.