Religion in Archaeus

Various **religions** are followed by the inhabitants of Archaeus, most prominently worship of the Three (Aea, Errak, and Yu'Yama), but also including a wide array of other gods, forces, creeds, and entities.

## The Three

The Three are the most widely followed pantheon in Archaeus; though most followers only worship one of the Three, they acknowledge the existence of all. Even adherents of other gods may believe in the Three, or even see their gods as merely aspects of one of them. Followers of the Three generally believe that they co-operated to create the world as well as the major races.

Depictions and worship of the Three vary wildly across cultures, though Aea and Errak are most commonly depicted as female and Yu'Yama as male. Some denominations see all three as aspects or remnants of a single divine being, while others believe them to be ascended mortals; virtually no evidence exists regarding their origins at all. Belief in afterlives is similarly varied, though certain aspects such as the soul are agreed upon by most.

Recent evidence from divinations and rituals would seem to imply that the Three have become corrupted in some way by the Mortuus Arvum. The cause, extent, and effects of this corruption are as yet unclear.

### Aea

Aea (Eye-a) is the goddess of peace, associated with the sun (and therefore daylight, heat, and similar concepts). According to legend, Aea stole two items from the other members of the Three as revenge for causing the Great War: from Errak, the Shotal, her most favoured blade, and from Yu'Yama, his pair of hooks used to extract a mortal's soul. To escape their wrath, she transformed into a rabbit and hid in the Sylven forests in the east; however, remaining in this form too long, she became trapped. It is said that the Almiraj, or Rabbitfolk, are descended from Aea, and are her most devout worshippers. Apart from the Almiraj, Aea is often worshipped by healers, diplomats, priests, and some warriors.

### Errak

Errak is the goddess of war, associated with storms (and therefore rain, thunder, and similar concepts). According to legend, Errak, bored of the lack of conflict in Archaeus since the creation of the major races, conspired with Yu'Yama to create the Ninkilim and cause the Great War. Errak is said to possess a variety of legendary weapons in addition to the Shotal, some of which have ostensibly descended to Archaeus and been wielded by legendary figures; though now disproven, the Herald of Errak was said to be one of these. Errak is often worshipped by soldiers, warlords, battle-casters, crime lords, and bandits.

### Yu'Yama

Yu'Yama is the god of death, associated with the night (and therefore darkness, the moon, and similar concepts). Yu'Yama conspired to cause the Great War because he desired to fill his Samovar, a bottomless pit containing the souls of the dead. Originally said to remove the souls of the dying using a pair of hooks, he has used a different method since they were stolen. Yu'Yama is often worshipped by necrobotanists, eulogists, undertakers, or those wishing for safe passage to an afterlife for loved ones.

## Other Gods and Religions

Archaeus is home to an enormous variety of religions, ranging in adherents from thousands to dozens. Some align with the Three, while others are entirely separate or even opposed to them. The following is a very incomplete list.

### Ulkenwell

Ulkenwell, god of truth, is worshipped by a number of historians and scholars (including Grand High Artificer Magnus Brock), especially those associated with the Guild of History, in conjuction with the Three. According to their beliefs, Ulkenwell, ascending from Archaeus after creating the major races along with the Three, took an individual and said 'You - watch them!', thereby founding the Guild and its first member. Followers of Ulkenwell are noted for never lying.

### Dìonadair

   A minor god known as Dìonadair (Dee-on-a-dare), or the Winged Lion, is said to have appeared to each member of the Order of the Winged Lion, charging them with the duty of preserving peace and justice and defending the forest from its enemies.

### The Ossuarium

*Main article: The Ossuarium*

The Ossuarium, a powerful Lich and the first Fext, is worshipped by all Fext as their Omnissiah. He speaks to them in their minds to guide and inspire them, and is capable of raising new Fext from the dead. All Fext feel a sense of respect and gratitude towards him, and their government is arranged in a theocratic system with him at its head. One way in which the Fext show their devotion is gesturing with their right hand from their forehead to the ground when his name is mentioned, also showing respect for the ground from which they were raised.

### Arvum Cults and the Death King

Multiple cults worshipping the Arvum and a 'nameless god' inside it exist in Archaeus, including the Way of the Arvum Dawn and the Way of the Arvum Dusk. The former, and possibly the latter, believe that the Arvum will cause a 'great levelling' in which all souls will ascend to heaven, breaking the tyranny of the cycle of life and death.

The Death King, also known as the One, could be the 'nameless god' the cults refer to; worshipped by the Pale Elves within the Arvum, the Death King is seemingly a kind of god, though his powers are unknown. A collection of what could be religious texts in cipher have been recovered from the Arvum, containing ominous but vague prophecies.

### Truth Seers

Truth Seers are extremely powerful human ritualists, capable of seeing far into the future or across the world. Though not gods, their Council of Truth is looked to for guidance by many human monarchs and is often considered to be the highest authority among humans in Archaeus. Lower ranking Truth Seers, called Word Bearers, spread knowledge of the Truth Seers to other civilisations.

### Older Power

The entity Sorrowfall believes that the Three stole power from an older entity, and wishes to return that power. Whether said entity is Sorrowfall itself, the Death King, or something entirely different remains unknown. Sorrowfall also holds a passionate hatred for the Arvum and all related to it.

### Death

Apparently distinct from both Yu'Yama and the Death King (though it may be an aspect of the former), those who have almost died speak of meeting an avatar of death. In most cases, Death challenges the individual to a test of skill, often a game against Death itself, for their soul; the test varies from individual to individual. Some individuals are not challenged and sent back as they have an unfinished purpose. Regardless of if they won their first challenge, no individual has ever met Death twice and lived to speak of it.

## Non-Archaean Religions

Several undocumented religions exist on other planets in the galaxy. According to the beholder Rrrr'k't Zygyjy p't'!, though many of these religions involve gods, none have ever descended to the mortal realm or performed obvious feats of divinity.

### All-Seeing Eye

Many Beholders in the galaxy worship a god whose name is difficult to transcribe, but translates as 'All-Seeing Eye' or, literally, 'Big Eye, See All'. The eye is believed to exist in the sky, watching over everything and everyone.

## Common Elements

Many religions in Archaeus contain common elements, either because the religions themselves are related or because external evidence exists for said elements. These include:

### The Soul

Almost all religions in Archaeus believe that each individual possesses a soul, granting life, and that said soul can be removed, resulting in death. The soul's destination after death varies from Yu'Yama's Samovar Pit to a heavenly or hellish afterlife. The soul itself has a certain power; in Sylven who die for the first time, it exits and swiftly re-enters the body with such force that the Sylven returns to life. The soul can also be rewritten, changing an individual's very identity, through a ritual known as a Spirit Wash.

### Creation

Most religions ascribe the creation of Archaeus and the major races to a god or gods, for varying purposes. However, this has recently come into question as the Kenku and Naga have been theorised to have been involved in the creation of one or both.

### Worship

Gods in Archaeus are worshipped in numerous ways, including prayer (both individual and congregational), ritual, animal sacrifice, music, storytelling, art, pilgrimage, holy war, and the study of holy texts. Many historic works of architecture, literature, and music have been created for religious reasons.