Gods and Religions

There are many gods worshiped, religions serviced, and schools of thought followed in the world of Remembrance. Different races, nations, and even communities will have different religious and philosophical affiliations, though there are a few major religions that are either followed by majorities of the people, or are state enforced.

## Major Religions

* Human
	+ Aeyarin Principalism - the philosophical school of thought founded by the Imperator, and the official state "religion" of the Empire of Man. The school espouses that all members of the Noble Races are connected by a unifying "force," with humans being filled with the greatest amount of this "force," and that these races are therefore the true rulers of the planet. The school also encourages study of the natural and civic worlds to lead to a better understanding of this unifying "force," and it officially looks down upon the worship of other gods.
	+ Cult of the Imperator - many nations and groups within the Empire worship the Imperator as a living god. While the Imperator himself and the Imperial Ministry explicitly disavow these beliefs, many are allowed to flourish, especially since the disappearance of the Imperator 500 years ago.
	+ The Church of the Four Ladies - the official state religion of Faerun. The Church espouses four core virtues: Justice, Faith, Diligence, and Courage, each of which is personified by four historical women who were said to have ascended to godhood during the foundation of the Empire. Two of these women are explicitly ties to the Imperator: the Lady of Justice is believed to have been his only romantic relationship, while the Lady of Diligence was believed to have been his sister.
	+ Acolytes of the Chase - an imperial cult and Paladin order that seeks to destroy all evil.
* Elven
	+ Millenarianism - the major religion of the high elves, devotees believe that the Asurinya, or the elvish pantheon, will return to the world after all elves return to their ancestral land.
	+ Agonist - major religion of the dusk elves, based upon the opposing ideals of piety and pain. Central figure is Korueth.
	+ Free Folkism - religion of the wood elves. An animist belief system focused around revering and defending nature. Central figure is Hareth.
* Dwarves
* Genasi
	+ Tuila - animist beliefs of all genasi, a belief system that the natural world holds hidden truths and gives energy to sentient races. Different genasi ethnic groups believe different elements are more central and dominant than others.
* Gnolls
	+ Cult of the Hunter - ancient religion of the gnolls, revere the hunter god Gorellik as the "Allfather."
	+ Sect of the Malformed - sister religion of the above, reveres Lamashtu, the goddess of malformed things, as the mother of all gnolls, who was impregnated by Gorellik and gave birth to the first Pharess. The Pharesses are believed to be incarnations of Lamashtu's essence in the Prime Material, and are therefore worshipped.
	+ Cult of the Laughing God - belief system that worships the demon prince Yeenoghu, who manifests when enough blood is spilled in his name. Forbidden religion according to the Pharesses and their priestesses.
* Multiple Races
	+ Pilferer's Library - a religious order that hoards knowledge for preservation. They worship Brandobaris, the halfling god of mischief. They believe that knowledge can only truly be appreciated by those who worship the god of curiosity and scheming. They have branches, which take the form of libraries, in almost every imperial nation, and will share their stores with their governments when convenient, though many people view them as nothing more than thieves.
	+ Armis Artos - also known as the Arms of Artio, a loose group of warriors dedicated to the nature goddess Artio.
	+ The Bloody Hand - named Rqiiwg Tusw in Abyssal, dedicated to Achlys, a cult which hopes to help the "worthy" achieve "apotheosis." A sect known as "the Red Siblings," Yxw Zarqasf in Abyssal, is active throughout Brillante, and are believed to be searching for something in the Undercity of Reine Anonyme.

## Major Deities and Religious Leaders

* Asurinya - the pantheon of the nine elven gods
	+ Artae, goddess of love
	+ Fisvain, god of protection
	+ Jarvia, goddess of fortune
	+ Aeravel, goddess of order
	+ Hareth, genderless deity of freedom
	+ Lanal, god of deceit
	+ Selruil, god of discipline
	+ Malbrar, goddess of malice
	+ Korueth, god of agony
* Imperator Aeyar - ruler of the Empire of Man, founder of Aeyarin Principalism, and the central figure of multiple cults founded in his name. To Aeyarins, he is a thought leader and an example of a thinker to strive for. To worshipers he takes many forms, from a war god to a god of thunder to even a god of law and politics.
* The Four Ladies - the central religious figures of the eponymous Church of the Four Ladies. Each is a personification of a virtue, and each was said to be a human, involved in some way with the Imperator during the Old War, who ascended to godhood at some point afterwords.
	+ Efennes, the Lady of Justice. Stated to be the wife of the Imperator. Patron deity of courts, politicians, and lawmen. According to legend she oversaw the civilian administrations during the Old War, while her "husband" was fighting.
	+ Getry, the Lady of Faith. Patron deity of sinners and the sick. She was a beggar who was apparently saved by the Imperator when he drove out the forces of the Dire Council from her village, and then preached hope to the people.
	+ Gleawnes, the Lady of Diligence. Said to be the Imperator's sister. Patron deity of craftsmen, farmers, artisans, and laborers.
	+ Bieldu, the Lady of Courage. Patron deity of soldiers, children, mothers, and the Lionshields. Was said to fight alongside the Imperator, and was an honorary member, and the only female member thereof, of his Praetorian Legion.
* Brandobaris - the halfling god of mischief, curiosity, schemes, meddling, and travel. His worshippers, though mistrusted throughout the world, have few enemies, since it is said he gifts them his inherent charm and wits.
* Artio - nature goddess of the forest, orphans, and bears. Devotees of the goddess seek to destroy those that harm both nature and the innocent.
* Achlys - demon or god of blood and eternal night. Followers perform blood rituals, which include bloodletting, infusions, and darker arts in order to reach "apotheosis" and ascend to "the form of the Allmighty." This usually includes some form of physical or spiritual transformation. Followers are known to abduct bystanders and either use them as sources of blood or force them to participate in rituals.
* Imix - Prince of Flame, god of wildfires and destruction. Worshipped by various feral cults and the firenewt race.
* Waarg - patron god of the orcs, goblins, and ogres, who believe that the largest and strongest of their kind was Waarg, a massive orc who lived thousands of years ago. He went around the world fighting massive battles, and was always victorious. He eventually grew bored fighting the same opponents and went "to the stars" in order to challenge find new opponents to brawl with, starting with Da Bad Moon.
* Da Bad Moon - a goblin deity who represents spite and mischief. Orcs and ogres view Da Bad Moon as a malicious entity, and ban the goblins in their warbands from worshiping it. The patron god of the Moonclan goblins who dwell in the underdark.
* Orcus - a demon that the orcs believe represents death, pain, torture, and aimless destruction. Believed to have been banished from the Material Realm by Waarg.
* Zuggtmoy - Demon Queen of fungus and decay, who the goblins view as a corrupting influence on the mushrooms they eat. Moonclan goblins believe that any mushrooms not grown under the light or influence of Da Bad Moon are her agents.
* Ráma hála - a massive subaquatic creature, believed by the wood elves to be the worldsoul. It has slumbered in the deepest parts of the ocean for thousands of years.