The Church

**Religion is archaic** but that isn't to say it doesn't have it's followers. The Ctuhbertian era of Blyth has cemented some long-lasting beliefs in the God of Zeal. While many of the deities of past are forgotten, some mysterious beings known as "contracts" have started to become a cult-belief; especially among adventurers. Contractos, or contractors, typically don't have a place of worship but instead contact their followers directly or on their own individual plane.

Since the Era of Cuthbert is a quite controversial time for Blyth many citizens have become quite skeptic and believe that most meta-physical events are all tricks and only concern themselves with economical prowess. On the opposite side of the spectrum, other citizens have become quite fearful of paranormal, supernatural and overall mysticism. However neither of these beliefs are as specific as a contract or the Church-- they instead dismiss or fear anything that cannot be explained with science or math.

 The Church of St. Cuthbert

## Contracts of Blyth

While never as widespread as the belief in St. Cuthbert nor as acknowledged by the government; Blyth has other deities. Most refers to them as the "Contracts" since many traveling priest and paladins claim to have entered "in contract" with a deity of their choice and met them or a representative personally. This is generally heeded with skepticism among many of the denizens of Blyth, though that isn't to say that the Contracts are particularly obscure.

It is never indicated how powerful the contractors actually are and how much it varies between them; however it was revealed in *The Displaced* that Philemon had the power to effectively save Rosa from being erased from existence-- giving viewers an idea of how powerful these entities actually are.

### Bel-Temp

**-time and space-**

Bel-Temp is the god of time. Many also speculate that he is the god of the Sun, the moon and the stars-- though most of his pilgrims would simply state that he governs "only time, those things merely adjusted to it's flow."

Bel-Temp's clergy are called "Pilgrims of Bel-Temp." The Pilgrims are generally travelers who wander seeking anomalies in time and seek ways to fix them. As with many of the other deities, those who agree to sign a contract with Bel-Temp don't have much to go off and many are set to determine what is "right and wrong" in regards to time for themselves. Some think that time is changeable and others believe that it is fixed-- most fall somewhere in between. Bel-Temp leaves the contract signer a large token that they can use to cast spells.

### Corcil

*"To break a promise is to forfeit the part of your soul that you used to form it, and it is now mine."*

**-promises-**

Corcil looks over pledges, trust and promises. A promise broken is serious to Corcil and believes that promises keep balance in the universe (that isn't to say that sometimes promises are broken to keep that balance as well.) Some assume smaller promises are usually looked over by the left-half of the scale known as Corcil-- though others think ever promise has it's merit.

The "Pledges of Corcil's Oath" have varying origins before coming across their power. The poster-children of the contract are those who seek it out themselves and become a pledge in honor of a promise they made to another, an ancestor or themselves. However it isn't uncommon for Corcil to appear before those who have broken promises and form a contract with them in order to find redemption. In rare occasions Corcil will find those who have abused the purposely ignored a contract with another Contractor (deity) and absorb them into their own service.

### Enia

*"I call those to rejoin us-- as everything was created from us, and shall end as one of us. When is irrelevant."*

**-madness and the void-**

Enia is never referred to as a singular being by its followers and perhaps that is due to it's nature being too complex for humanity to decipher. The Being of the Void calls out to it's devout with very unpredictable tasks. As far as anyone is concerned, Enia has no reasoning. It is also a patron of insanity.

Enia's disciples are called "Servants of the Void" and while they generally have no problem announcing their purpose often times it is regarded as nonsensical.

### Kahotep

"*Where there is darkness, there are shadows. I shall always stalk you from behind."*

**-masks and shadows-**

The god of Masks and concealment. Kahotep is said to linger in the shadows and is thus associated with them. Humanities fear of darkness is often times thought to be his doing.

The disciples who call upon Kahotep's powers are simply called "Masks of Kahotep." More often than not their interest are not in humanities best concern-- though that doesn't mean that the "Masks" are always evil. Many scoundrels concerned about concealing their identity or where abouts will sign a contract with Kahotep-- though it is wise to keep your wits about you when dealing with the God of Shadows.

Like his opposition, Philemon, Kahotep is one of the more mysterious deities.

### Lavenza

*"For the sake of your future, you must remember..."*

**-dreams and memory-**

Lavenza is the goddess of dreams. Though she typically only appears to humanity while in a dream-- that isn't to say she only governs metaphysical dreams but also ones hopes. Lavenza also finds importance in memory and looks at an individuals interpretation of memory as an art form.

Those who agree on contract terms within the dream world are called "Musers of Lavenza." The Musers are rivals to "The Barren Keepers," but not enemies. Often times they end up working together just as their patrons do. However their clash of ideals can sometimes make the relationship rocky, or perfect in symmetry.

### Oralista

*"Such troubling thoughts are best forgotten. To embrace is deadly, but powerful. Anything in between is the start of eradication."*

**-nightmares and forget-**

Lavenza's younger twin. Oralista holds those memories forgotten and dreams that terrify. Nightmares can also represent suppressed fears and trauma such as Lavenza's dreams can represent hope. Oralista thinks in extremes telling followers that those nightmares are to make you stronger and be embraced and if that path is not followed it will surely destroy the soul if not forgotten.

The "Barren Keepers" are Oralista's chosen representatives. They often times try and cause forgetfulness for the weak who cannot handle Blyth's deepest secrets, or induce nightmares to make beings with potential strong.

### Philemon

*"I am you. You are me... I shall always watch over you from within."*

-**consciousness and lack there of-**

The deity of Consciousness and Unconsciousness. Philemon is said to live in the rift and be everything that is between life and death. He is also widely associated with mirrors. Many poems about a person in the mirror who is always watching are thought to be products of Philemons influence. Those who study the divines know that Philemon is sometimes referred to as "The Innocent Sinner."

Philemon's disciples are called "The Violet Dwellers." The Dwellers generally all have different task as told to them by Philemon but in general they are known to act as observers in many situations. They directly oppose the Masks of Kahotep.

### Sebin

*"The answer is out there and though it may not be direct, I shall guide you through the maze of thought."*

**-sanity and discovery-**

Sebin most commonly makes contracts with Arcanist, scholars and academics -- in hopes of guiding them through their questions and finding the answers to the big questions in life. Likewise, Sebin is very adamant about trying to protect the sanity of their followers as often times the unknown can leave ones brain consumed by it-- Sebin offers what protection they can against madness as a shield to insanity.

Sebin's disciples are called "Prospectors of Seeing" as they are in search of answers to the questions that are seemingly impossible or forgotten. Prospectors typically aren't given a task by Sebin but rather are guided by their own passions and questions and Sebin helps them along the way, though they are called upon to fight madness and insanity and help other see clearly in desperate times.

### Tel-Kosta

*"Without revenge; without grudges and recrimination-- existence loses balance. Give into your primal emotions and keep the scale even."*

**-revenge-**

Tel-Kosta is a unique figure that finds revenge is needed to keep balance in life. Often time they are thought to be one side of the scale while Corcil is the other. It is of no concern to Tel-Kosta if the acts of vengeance are just or not-- as they believe it is simply the anger and motivation behind the sought payback that keeps balance.

The "Nemeses of Kosta" are commonly individuals who seek out revenge, feeling that the were served an unjust plate in life. In return for being granted power to help seek vengeance Tel-Kosta usually has them continue as a figure to search the world and help secure revenge for others-- regardless of law and chaos or good and evil.

### Ulione

**-peace and tranquility-**

Ulione is determined to keep peace and tranquility no matter the cost. Sometimes a hostile action must be made to achieve peace and it is foresight like this that Ulione grants to their scribes. That isn't to say that Ulione favors these actions but is often times concerned with looking at the better of two-outcomes. The ultimate goal for Ulione is universal peace and for a universe void of conflict.
The "Scribes of Concord" concern themselves with the life's of others and maintaining civil diplomacy at first glance, though when things get heavy they are known to be the quickest to take a side that they think needs to win in order to secure long-term peace. Ulione doesn't have a pattern for choosing their scribes though they are typically promised a world that they eventually can lose less through the harshness of life.

### Vecna

*"To say Knowledge is power is ignorant; however all power has a secret behind its strength-- and that secret can see that it flourishes or decays."*

**-secrets-**

Vecna is unique among the other deities as they are said to exist somewhere within Blyth and doesn't hide behind the divines. Tracking down the god of secrets is no easy feat, even most of his followers are clueless to his whereabouts. Many have claimed to have seen Vecna, though any memory of arriving or leaving is non-existent. Vecna knows ***everything*** that happens within in Blyth and finding answers to impossible questions is generally the reason to seek him out.

Since Vecna is often sought but rarely found, he has a group of followers called "The Network" that have signed contracts with him. They are constantly collecting data and information to feed to their god. Things as large as scandals in the peerage and conflict within the Kingdom down to things such as names of new fish and chips shops and your neighbors new pets name.

## Mysticism

Blyth is skeptical yet superstitious-- a paradoxical nature that defines the kingdom. The belief in gods and the divines is minimal, especially after the Aggravation and the Era of Cuthbert that took place roughly one hundred years later has left Blythians cold and neglectful to the idea of divine presence.

While society doesn't believe in, or simply ignores, the divines; that doesn't mean they don't get paranoid about a "ghost story" or "curses." A persistent fear of arcana exist throughout Blyth and this causes a stigma towards many adventurers as they are known to be accepting of magic and it's properties. Many people of Blyth will run in fear in the presence of the supernatural, occult, paranormal or anything slightly arcane in nature; others will declare it is fake or some sort of science can explain it (though that might be another coping mechanism to suppress fear.)

Exceptions to the skeptics are the witches and believers who can feel arcane presence so deeply that they learn to live, and sometimes communicate, with it-- creating a pseudo-religion (that is often times thought of as cult like) throughout the world.

## Forgotten Deities

### Gruumsh

Gruumsh is said to have been the god of the orcs from long ago. Through Gruumsh's teachings, a half-orc named Lush managed to unite orcs, half-orcs and tribal orcs during the aggravation to strike what we now know as humanity while they were fighting the disease the aggravation brought. As Gruumsh was used as a means to communicate ideas of "Orcish Rule," it is since become forbidden to learn about the old god so publicly. The Religion is deemed as extinct as the species that worshiped it.

### Erathis

Most of the old pantheon has been forgotten. Gruumsh hung on with infamy and St.Cuthbert with righteousness-- Erathis hung on with a concept that will always follow society-- Law. The bearer of the scales has become a symbol for law students in modern Blyth and while the teachings are considered to be nothing but fables at this point, Erathis quotes and passages are still relevant when studying law.