Zodiac pantheon

The **Zodiac pantheon** is the pantheon followed by every major religion and cult on Aard. The interpretations of the roles of each god and the history of the pantheon vary from religion and religion, but it is always comprised of the same 9 primary deities. Its name is derived from the fact that all of the gods have manifestations in the night and day sky.

There are 9 gods in total, but they are not all equal. Sonaan is the omnipotent deity from which all else, including the other gods, originate. From his original act of creation were born Cherimi and Porthan. Porthan is the bright sun around which goes Cherimi, and around Cherimi goes Aard. From the union of Cherimi and Porthan were born three pair of twins, each pair having a brother and a sister. The Brothers and Sisters, collectively referred to as the Siblings are the deities which most people venerate in their day-to-day life.

### Pantheon

Primary deity:

* **Sonaan** - First of the gods, who split part of his soul to create Cherimi and Porthan. He is the chief god of the pantheon but very little involved in earthly and godly affairs.

Secondary deities, the Parents:

* **Porthan** - Bright sun around which goes Cherimi, his wife. He is the god of the day, strength, order and justice. Associated with integrity and fanaticism. With Cherimi he forms the Parents, second only to Sonaan.
* **Cherimi** - Dark sphere around which goes Aard. She is the goddess of night, mothers and family. Associated with familial love, compassion and oppression. She is with Porthan one of the Parents.

Tertiary deities, the Siblings:

* **Brothers**
	+ **Perenor** - God of the skies and thunder. Associated with righteousness and rage. First of the Brothers.
	+ **Veremor** - God of the seas and rivers. Associated with friendly love and fear. Second of the Brothers.
	+ **Merenor** - God of the earth and the underground. Associated with tranquility, patience and complacence. Third of the Brothers.
* **Sisters**
	+ **Nurmanil** - Goddess of life. Associated with sexual attraction, romantic love and jealousy. First of the Sisters.
	+ **Beseril** - Goddess of civilisation and prosperity. Associated with happiness and arrogance. Second of the Sisters.
	+ **Muuril** - Goddess of magic and knowledge. Associated with wisdom and pride. Third of the Sisters.

Along with the deities, there are many spirits and other divine beings. These are, just like the deities, associated to certain emotions and concepts. They drastically vary in their power and scope. In some cultures some spirits are venerated as extensively, if not more than the deities themselves.

## Religions

There many religions on Aard, and the vast majority of them strictly adhere to the Zodiac pantheon. However the interpretations of how the deities should be worshipped has differed depending on race, region, culture and period.

### Old elven religion

Elven traditional religion was centered around the worship of the two Parents. It was practiced at the time of the Old Empire. One of its major differences with most other religions is that it limited the worship of the deities to elves, whilst humans, dwarves and others were limited to the worship of the various lesser spirits. However most humans and dwarves still worshipped the deities clandestinely.

The old elven religion was also notorious for dissociating the deities from anything other than the concepts and emotions they are associated to. For instance, men and dwarves considered Beseril the goddess of trade, artisans and cities, which was considered heretical by the old elven religion. Whilst under Aislin I and Varian I there was relatively little persecution of heretics, it is under the reign of Morien the Foolish that persecution became truly widespread.

Old elven religion has virtually ceased to exist in its old form. Whilst it remained popular with the elven upper class and later imperial elves, it was gradually phased out, and most imperial elves transitioned to Miratiri. Humans, dwarves and lower class red elves immediately adopted Miratiri, as they were essentially already following it.

### Miratiri

Miratiri (literally. "new faith" in old elven) is a reformed version of the old elven religion. It allowed for people of all races to worship any deity or spirit, and made additional associations for each deity a matter of personal interpretation. This did not stop some deities from being overwhelmingly associated with some concepts, such as Nurmanil being associated to good harvest.

Miratiri appeared in 534 of the Old Age in consequence of Varian II the Just's reform. After the widespread persecution under his predecessor's reign, it became increasingly clear that the traditional elven faith was drastically weakening the Empire. A tremendous number of revolts throughout both Var and Sol Venàil began, which were overwhelming even for the Empire. The Cold Steppes broke away from the Empire altogether in 776 OA, and whilst they were nominally reconquered they were never truly reintegrated into the Empire. Varian, in an attempt to fix his predecessor's mistake proclaimed in 534 that worship of any deity or spirit was now sanctioned for anyone in the Empire. Whilst this was successful at stabilising the Empire, this was extremely unpopular with the upper elven class, which murdered the Emperor.

Today Miratiri is the dominant faith in several countries. The most notable are Aranwaën, the Dwarven realms, Silur, Semania and others. Several sects of Miratiri appeared over time, and together they are followed by the vast majority of the population of Var Venàil.