Faith of the Divines

The Faith of the Divines, also just called the Faith, was the dominant religion of Bastia and a source of ideals and principles that helped bind each Hold's different cultures into a single identity. Each of the Gods and Goddess of the Faith, sometimes just called the Gods or the Divines, were worshiped openly in Bastia, except Azkada, although he was often left offerings and tributes, with Ragnar, Gefjun and Elun being the most widely prayed to and revered. It is not uncommon for the Divines to be referred to by their formal title, such as referring to Elun as "the Sweet" instead of her given name.

## Beliefs

The Church of Bastia teaches that in the beginning, there was only Ju. A free floating, abstract abyssal primordial that simple exists and holds the known universe on his back. Ju gave birth to 3 sons and 3 daughters, Ragnar, Azkada, Rez, Gejun, Elun and Heker. Shortly after their birth, they realized their creator refused to acknowledge them. Determined to have a purpose, Ragnar gathered his siblings and coordinated the creation of the world. Ragnar molded the earth and mountains to wrestle on, Heker created forests and oceans to explore, Elun created life to adore while Rez painted the stars in the skies and as an afterthought gave the gift of knowledge to life. Azkada, spiteful of his twin brother Ragnar's respect, put swamps, deserts and storms onto the world. Shortly afterwards, Ragnar took Gefjun to be his wife, and Elun created the Sun as a present for their wedding, with Rez fathering elves and Heker mothering faeries to befriend Ragnar and Gefjun's progeny, mankind. Upon spying the beautiful gift that Elun had given to the couple, it's said that Ju began communicating to the Goddess of Life and only her.

In a jealous fit of rage, Azkada cursed all life with envy, wrath and greed, spit demons into existence, stabbed Elun and swam into the deepest depths of the oceans to hide. Although Ragnar and Gefjun greatly desired to plunge into the ocean and drag Azkada out to face justice, Elun had forgiven her brother and insisted that they leave him alone. She would say that it was foretold to her that one day he would repent for his hatred and the siblings would be reunited and make amends. This would bring an end to all suffering, all demons and all evil.

Sometime nearly a thousand years ago, Ragnar grew tired of seeing his kindred kill one another and fall victim to Azkada's influence, so he named a Champion, Tiberius Tavaran, a man with a pure bloodline descended straight from him, to unite humanity and bring peace into the world.

## Deities

* Ragnar, **the Sovereign**; God of Gods, humans, the Sun, adventure, battle, joy, mountains, courage, drink and loyalty. He's often depicted as a large man, a bronze dragon or a bear. (Or controversially, a boar.) Ragnar's symbols is an axe or a mountain.
* Gefjun, **the Justice**; Goddess of humans, tradition, beauty, fire, order, marriage, fairness and justice. She is often depicted as a tall and beautiful woman, a golden dragon, a lioness or an ant. Gefjun's symbols are a mirror and pillar of gold.
* Azkada, **the Harbinger**; God of demons, hunger, doubt, suffering, anger, swamps, greed, storms, wrath, rats, madness, envy, frogs and betrayal. He is often depicted as a bald man with pointed features, a swarm of rats or a frog the size of a country. Azkada's symbols are a dagger and a frog.
* Elun, **the Sweet**; Goddess of life, compassion, light, mercy, love, birth, innocence and forgiveness. She is often depicted as a young girl with a bleeding side or a white dragon that drips blood. Known as the Bleeding Daughter, Elun's symbols are a dove or a white dragon.
* Heker, **the Wanderer**, Goddess of faeries, curiosity, jungles, oceans, animals, harvest, food, friendship and exploring. She is often depicted as a faerie with long black hair and piercing green eyes, a praying mantis, a butterfly or a mockingbird. Heker's symbols are vast, nearly any animal or fruit can be used as a symbol of Heker.
* Rez, **the Idea**; God of elves, intellect, medicine, the Moon, sleep, wine, peace, thoughts, dreams and night. He is often depicted as an extremely old elf, a snake or a giant owl. Rez's symbols are a quill and the owl.