Types of Faith (CRH)

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Many rangers venerate nature itself. Others develop private faiths, more follow recognized religions that are based on established traditions and doctrines. Rangers aren't necessarily affiliated with churches or monasteries; in fact, rangers generally avoid formal religious organizations, preferring to worship alone or with a small group of trusted followers. Certainly the travels of most rangers often take them far from the centers of organized religion. As a result, a ranger's worship may differ from that of a priest, even if they technically share the same faith.
Regardless of how a ranger practices his faith, there will be some power that is the beneficiary of his devotion. Most rangers worship the divine in nature; monotheistic rangers worship one particular god, while polytheistic rangers may worship several. A few base their faith on an individual philosophy. All of these approaches provide support to their disciples, as well as access to the spells available to the a ranger. In game terms, they all function identically.
==Nature==
Many rangers choose nature itself as the focus of their devotion. Nature worshipers revere nature as a process and a source of life; whether it was designed by a greater intelligence or arose from the interaction of primal forces is largely irrelevant. Ethics and morals are derived from observing the natural order, and the perception of the majesty of the natural world and its relationship to the ranger is a closely personal one. The natural life force of the world can be felt by the ranger who becomes attuned to it. Any ranger may be drawn to the worship of nature. For some rangers, particularly those with few ties to the civilized world (such as Beastmasters, Feralan, Greenwood Rangers, and Mountain Men), the pull is especially strong.
==Gods==
Gods are supernatural beings considered by their worshipers to be the supreme sources of might and authority. Often, a god embodies a particular principal that is manifested or promoted in the material world.
The total number of gods is impossible to know, as are the number and identities of the rangers who worship them. These factors will vary from campaign world to campaign world. DM's who design customized pantheons for their own campaigns should consider including gods specifically intended for rangers. Gods concerned with agriculture, animals, plants, birth, fertility, geology, weather, and hunting are appropriate, providing they're of good alignment. One place to go for ideas is The Complete Priest's Handbook, which contains many suggestions for adding religions to a campaign, and dozens of sample priesthoods.
Rangers with gods worship them in a variety of ways. Some may erect simple shrines to their deities that complement the natural features of their primary terrain. For instance, a ranger whose primary terrain is Forest might plant a private grove. An Arctic ranger might build a towering ice pillar.
Religious practices for the same deity may also vary from ranger to ranger, depending on their primary terrain. Prior to an important hunt, a Desert ranger might immerse his hands in the sand, a Forest ranger might conduct a spirited dance under a tall tree, and a Plains ranger might snap an arrow in two to attract the god's attention (a smooth break may be interpreted as an omen of a favorable hunt, while jagged edges may indicate that the god discourages hunting at that particular time).
==Philosophy==
A belief system derived from intellectual concepts rather than supernatural forces or the natural world may also be the basis for a ranger's religion. The sheer intensity of the believers' devotion is sufficient to attract the magical energy necessary to cast spells.
Worshipers of philosophic faiths tend to concentrate in small sects in isolated areas of the world. For example, the Iulutiun rangers of the Great Glacier, for example, follow an animistic philosophy called qukoku, which holds that all creatures share a life essence called eaas. The teachings of qukoku maintain that all creatures are morally equivalent, and that animals and men share the same emotions and intellect, which their eaas compels them to express in different ways. (For more about the Iulutiuns and qukoku, see the FORGOTTEN REALMS® FR14 Great Glacier sourcebook.)