Faiths of Ludwag

## ***Divine Hierarchy of Ludwag***

Ludwag predominantly worships a single pantheon of gods, each religion being a group of people representing one god and their interests. Occasionally, these groups will clash to serve the interests of their god.

On some occasions people have been found to practice polytheism, or otherwise worshiping more than one of the gods in the pantheon (for example, worshipping Selvas and Stratalus together).

## ***Major Gods***

The major gods are the main pantheon worshipped and known throughout Azura. They include; Astraleus, Stratalus, Menthava, Ankouan, Temaur, Parthan, and Selvas. They have direct influence on their realms within the Aether, the dimensions, and Azura itself. They hold the greatest amount of divine power.

### **Stratalus, King of the Earth** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Stratalus is the earthen god, controlling all aspects and manners relating to that of the earth. He wields a longsword capable of splitting mountains or causing thundering earthquakes. It is told in the stories of old that, in rebellion, he lifted the continents of Azura from the sea. He is often represented by a large humanoid made of stone.

### **Astraleus, The King of the Heavens** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Astraleus is the God of Fire and the Heavens. He controls all of the things related to fire and light, his most notable of legends is that he was born from the sun itself. He is also said to bring those he values to become constellations in the sky as apart of the Heavens. He dominates the realm in which the Gods originate as well, deeming him the king of the Gods. He is often depicted as an entity with golden, fiery wings carrying a spear.

### **Ankouan, Keeper of Souls**

Ankouan is the Goddess of Death, and the gatekeeper to her fields. Although many depictions of her are used to scare children or disobedient people, she is not always an evil or malicious God. She is mostly concerned with the collection of all souls that are released from their corporeal bodies. Interfering too often with her collection may bring the holy wrath of Ankouan upon any poor soulmancer. She is often depicted as a ghost wielding a scythe.

### **Selvas, The Life-Giver** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Selvas is the God of Life, and one of the most worshipped of the Gods. Often, kings or queens may make mass offerings to Selvas prior to an attempt to make an heir, in the hopes they will be made to be healthy and strong. Selvas represents numerous things to the people of Azura, such as the harvest, the hunt, or other big cultural events. Selvas is usually depicted as a human adorned with numerous flowers and vines, carrying a woodsman’s axe. Also of note, he is usually depicted as an intense alcoholic and bringer of wine.

### **Temaur, The Storm Caster** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Temaur is the God of the Winds, and weather. He is a god known for his peculiar anger and wrath, often causing large storms and much destruction in response to those who disobey him. He, however, is also seen as a good god in many respects, as his rains, along with Selvas’ blessing, brings good harvest. They are often depicted as a large man, perched in a storm cloud with a lightning bolt, or an eagle.

### **Parthan, Queen of the Sea** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Parthan is the Goddess of the Sea, and one of the least worshipped Gods. However, many coastal villages or cities worship Parthan in the hopes she will provide them with bountiful catches and calm waters. Of peculiar note, she is also known as a god of the Cold. She is often depicted as a woman, covered in scales wielding a trident.

### **Menthava, the Bookkeeper** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Menthava is the Goddess of Wisdom and Humans. Often depicted as a normal human woman with a large staff, many appeal to her in times of war and strife for wisdom. She is said to be the eldest of the Gods, behind the archdeities. She is known for often interacting with mortals on a more personal level, perhaps providing riddles and the like in exchange for items of value, or key knowledge. In general, she is known for knowing all.

## ***Minor Gods***

The minor gods are beings constructed and made by the main pantheon to assist them in any affairs that they feel as if they do not need to focus on themselves. The minor gods consist of Vulcan, Eran, Salacia and Cherog. They reside in their major god’s realm (with the exception of Cherog), but are able to construct their own dimensions for whatever purpose they see fit. They are seen more often interacting with mortals on Azura than the Main Pantheon.

**Vulcan, Forge-Master**

A reliable minor god of Stratalus, Vulcan is the patron god of volcanoes and the forge. Often in legends he is depicted as a giant, wielding a massive hammer to strike blades and weapons fit for the Gods. He is one of the few petty gods often left in the mortal realm to his own devices as well, occasionally training mortal blacksmiths or sending adventurers on quests.

**Asteria, The Goddess of the Two moons**

Asteria is a minor goddess created by the king of heavens, Astraleus himself, who holds control of the Azurian moons - Lunanides and Rulara. As rumors say, she was forced to stay in the shade of her creator which caused her to become a rather unpopular God in Ludwagian religions and beliefs. She's known to be one of the weaker gods for her common interactions with a mortal realm, as well as showing particular care towards her preachers. She's usually presented as a pale-haired woman with two glowing tattoos on her forehead, each one for a one Azurian moon she controls.

**Salacia, The Lady of the Lake**

Salacia is a minor god constructed under Selvas, given watch over the forests, lakes, and other biomes within the life giver's domain. She focuses on keeping these regions pure, clean and protected. There is a small unity of blessed men known as the Paladins of Salacia whom protect the life of Azura. The paladin-ship is not held by specific people, rather passed on through generations of those worthy to serve the Lady.

**Cherog, King of Chaos** **❔ (Unknown)**

A minor god of Menthava. One of the more influential minor gods, Cherog is one of the few minor god left to their own devices, without much oversight of the main pantheon. It is uncertain if this is intentional or not, but when Cherog does appear there is chaos to be made. Cherog is known to be depicted in several mischievous ways, none nearly the same as the other.

**Eran, King of Peace**

A minor god of Menthava. The ying to Cherog’s yang, Eran is as equal an influential minor god as Cherog. Often sent down in the hopes that their influence can entertain their mother goddess, or to help aid in a war that they support, he is usually depicted as a noble.

## ***Petty Gods***

Petty Gods are beings who are agents of their major god and have ascended to a fraction of godhood, or are beings constructed for basic godly tasks and purposes that a minor god would not care to oversee. Agents are able to ascend through satisfying their major god or completing a goal they are given. These gods can create pocket dimensions within the Aether.

**The Wraiths of Ankouan**

A specially made group of petty gods underneath Ankouan, they are her main task force before her involvement is called upon. They are the souls of those that had defied her, embodied into a body of her creation, enslaved on her will to destroy those who steal her souls.

**Zilazar, The Love Binder** ✟ **(Deceased)**

Zilazar is the name of a petty, lesser worshiped god that was forged by Selvas as a god that would aid his master in watching over the mortal plane and its mortal beings. However, Zilazar's focus follows two things - friendship and love.

**Dryslyn**

Dryslyn is a shunned petty god of Menthava, a being that builds upon knowledge with philosophy and intellectual thought that it provokes. Considered an incidental birth having never planned upon, it is the youngest of the three smaller gods of Menthava. As such, it was shunned by Menthava, never being able to grow with its brothers Cherog or Eran. Instead, they wallowed in its own existence, manifesting as a depressed and truly lonely petty god - as deep as their contemplation.

## ***Spirits and Elementals***

Spirits are near-divine personifications of a certain mancy that embody the astereal element of Vitor. Created by the gods to manifest and monitor the usage and development of mancy, turned against them, locking the gods within the Aether for some time. During an event known as The Great Shift, the gods broke free from their prison and decimated most of the spirits in Azura. Some however remain in Azura, and have begun revealing themselves once more.

Elementals are beings of Vitor that are the result of the near-extinction of the Spirits. The remaining energy left in Azura by the spirits upon their destruction by the gods developed over time, forming into a much less divine being, and into a mad beast of elemental vitor.

## ***Angels and Agents***

Angels or agents, as they are called by mortals and in legend, are beings sent down by a god for a specific purpose and return to the Heavens. Or to spread influence of the god throughout Azura. These beings are seen often regarding times of great struggle, or when mortal beings stray further away from the main pantheon. Blessed Men and highly regarded Thaumaturges are able to become angels upon death or in the sake of a blessed man, completing their given goal. They are physically present usually, and are, as far as understood, killable. They have the same internal makeup as human and most other mortal beings, and usually take on a form that resembles their respective gods form or element.

## ***Blessed Men and Thaumaturges***

Blessed men are mortal beings who are given a boon of some kind directly from the god. They are able to directly communicate to their god. This being through the knowledge of the Divine Tongue, the language of the gods. Blessed Men are often individuals gifted with an item or ability of great power to complete a certain goal or purpose that a God deems required to complete. Upon completing this task, they will either be promised after-life in their god’s realm instead of the fields of Ankouan, or ascend to Agenthood upon their death.

Thaumaturges are individuals who have proven to a god that they are of worthy significance above the flock of humanity amongst Azura. They do this through completing great and fantastical deeds, or through intense worship and devotion to their god. Thaumaturges are often seen as Prophets, Paladins, or Religious Leaders. Through further devotion and great feats, thaumaturges are able to gain power from the certain sphere they are appointed to. Moving from Disciple, to Herald, and finally Prophet of that sphere. Upon death, Herald’s souls are promised to be brought to the realm of their god, and Champions can possibly attain Angelhood.

## ***The Fields of Ankouan***

The ‘Fields of Ankouan’ is a general term that refers to the place in which all souls are delivered to in the afterlife. It is apart of the Immortal Plane in which all Gods come from, and it is the sect that the God of Death Ankouan rules. It is the only way that mortals have access to the Immortal Plane, besides being allowed by another God.

* Everyone who dies, whose soul isn’t taken by a soulmancer, has their soul ferried into the Fields.
* It is inescapable besides when you are permitted by Ankouan.
* It is a hellscape, of pure chaos and nature. Your soul can be killed here, however it is always revived in the Fields.