The Religion of Sammu-marat

There are six gods of the Tigris pantheon, though only 4 are known to foreigners.

These four are known as the Koruyucu Ilah, or patron gods in Common. They are worshipped throughout Sammu-Marat but their faith is strongest in their respective yöre or region. The two creator gods are written in their holy scriptures as the Yaratici Ilah and are only spoken of during the holiest days of devotion by the Royal Family.

## Koruyucu Ilah

In southern Kish, the patron is Ataruk, god of war and strategy, the lawmaker and forge master, the Enforcer of Peace and Protector of the Land. He is portrayed to be a figure donned in heavy armor with the visor of his helm pulled down to obscure his face. Common depiction has him with one hand of the pommel of his sheathed sword and his shield braved in his other arm, alert for all dangers. As the region most heavily involved of militaristic and industrial concerns, they pray to him for wisdom in battle, strength of body, and clarity of mind.

In genteel Eridu, the patron is Marduk, He Who Grows and Collects. He is responsible for the renewal of the land and decides on the bounty come harvest. He is depicted to be an old man, with calloused hands and a gentle expression. He wears sturdy clothes and keeps a scythe in one hand while the other is opened to the supplicant. His statues are always in the middle of a large garden, with ripe fruit trees and colourful blossoms always growing. In the practice of his faith, one plants a seed in his garden and take son fruit in return. This god is the one who governs life and death, as he decides the how much food is grown and shepherds the flock whose time has come.

Within the mountain range Enki, the Ozturk worship Halide, the goddess of magic and mystery. She is depicted as a veiled figure, her form highlighted by the folds of cloth that flow around her. Depending on the temple where she stands, her form can be in mid-dance, reaching out to invite her followers to listen to her song or reaching out in a whisper to tell them something wondrous. She is the Keeper of Secrets and She Who Cradles the Night. Those in the cold north do not fear the dark because they know that the goddess resides there to whisper newfound knowledge. She safeguards their dreams and they pray to her for the thrill of discovery, bravery in spite of the unknown, and inspiration for the future.

To the shores of Tigris, where the Harbour Cities reign, its denizens pray to Ninurta, the goddess of storm and sea. She is The Wave Walker and Treasure Finder, guiding ships to safe harbor or dragging them into the fathomless depths. She is characterised as someone with wild curling hairs, always being tossed by the winds, she wears long wide pants, which resemble skirts and tight leather vest over a sailor’s blouse. In her lowered hand, by her waist, is a compass. Wherever a statue stands, the needle of the compass always points in the direction of Ellasar, where her main temple waits for her.

## Yaratici Ilah

The creator gods are a pair: Inan and Inanna. Inan’s domain is chaos and freedom, for which creativity and potential are sources. While Inanna is design and order, they are the architect and culturer, forming what is unknown into the known. They have no genders and lore places them as having always existed as equals and in a constant game of push-and-pull. Their names are sacred in Sammu-marat and only used by the Royal Family during holy days of celebration and mourning, such as the Ascension of the Anointed and the Burning of the Late Ascended.