Host

**The Host** is the dominant religion of Alestros and Esteron. Worshipers of the Host are called Faithfuls and typically worship the pantheon as a whole rather than the twelve deities individually. **The Host** is directly related to the Forsaken, whom the Faithfuls believe were kicked out of the pantheon for various transgressions in an event referred to as the Great Schism.

## Beliefs

**The Host** is widely known even among non-practitioners, to the point that even those who don't identify as Faithfuls may swear by them or pray to them in moments of need. Generally speaking, worship of the Host is diverse—while prominent priests and clerics exist, no central authority has sole control over the canon of beliefs. Still, some themes unite worshipers.

This dominant faith tradition is known as the Olaphassian creed. While this name comes from the ancient Casmorian kingdom of Olaphis, few Faithfuls understand this reference—most simply believe Olaphis was a legendary missionary or some other figure or location in Esteronian history.

### Core Beliefs

* The Host is always present. For example, whenever a forge is fired, Gharlund stands beside it.
* The Host shapes the world and their hand is in all things. No proof is needed, for the proof is in the world.
* Each Divine must be honored at their proper place and time.
* The Host gives strength and guidance to those who listen, and instinct and intuition are their voices. When one is heard most clearly, that one should be followed.

Fundamentally, worshipers of the Host identify them as deities that govern everyday life. Prayer to the Host is contextual: a warrior seeking strength prays to Valkur, while a farmer offers praise to Vilenthia. While most Faithfuls claim to wholly reject the Forsaken, some still make offerings to them.

Formally, Faithfuls follow two central tenets:

* **The Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty**: "As is the world, so are the gods. As are the gods, so is the world." This states that the gods compose reality, rather than "merely" having the power to control it. As an example, Vilenthia doesn't just influence crops—she *is* the crops in the field, and offering her devotion isn't to get her attention but rather her favor.
* **The Doctrine of the Divine Host**: "The Host is one name, and speaks with one voice. The gods are the letters of that name, and the sounds of that voice." This states that the Host should be treated as a pantheon rather than merely a collection of deities. As such, most Faithfuls worship the Host as a whole rather than just an individual close to them, such as a blacksmith and Gharlund.

### Divines

Faithfuls recognize twelve divines as the body of the Host:

AlzathorNyktashaKalitraEnochMyrronVilenthiaIshariaValkurStrogahnGharlundVelkaAvernus
### The Myriad

Faithfuls also recognize a group of deities with direct relation to and alignment with the host. However, they consider them to be nothing more than lesser peers of the Host. As such, Faithfuls do not include them in essential and every day worship. However, Faithfuls will still occasionally honor or pay lip service to these deities when appropriate or convenient.

CaithaMinneraOceirosEldhorAzros
## Church Structure

The Host does not have a central leadership; instead, liturgical councils provide regional leadership. What constitutes a region can vary dramatically. As an example, the Host of Esteron tends to the area of Greater Zenia, while the Devout of the Celestial Crown cover only a portion of Sloan.

Councils wield significant informal political and social power to shape the churches and temples within their jurisdiction. Councils control almost every step of the priestly journey, from the education available to access to congregations to positions on the council itself. Most priests of the host begin their path as an acolyte in seminary, where they learn a mix of theology and community leadership. Some acolytes instead make their way into the priesthood through apprenticeships at a local temple, directly learning from the high priest who heads the congregation. Less respected are the acolytes who learn from priests outside of temples: village preachers, wandering evangelists, or other forms of itinerant priests. Still, regardless of educational background, the council is who determines the legitimate leaders of congregations.

The liturgical councils come together every ten years for a Grand Conclave, exchanging ideas and debating both theology and how to administrate the faith.

## History

Worship of the Host is believed to have originated in eastern Casmoria, in the region of Olaphis. When humans came to Esteron, evangelists spread with them. Rather than try to forcibly convert the religions they encountered, the humans incorporated them into their own faith—for example, "explaining" to the orcs that their war god Grok-sogan is "actually" Valkur by another name.

The diverse nature of the Host has meant that it has never acted as a discrete and focused political force like other faiths, but councils have certainly wielded political and social power to achieve their ends.

## Relationship with the Forsaken

Officially, the Forsaken have been expelled from the Host, but doctrine does not hold that they have been stripped of their divinity. As a result, many faithfuls of the Host still make prayers to members of the Forsaken, though these are usually prayers of supplication made out of fear rather than prayers of worship and true devotion.

Even the oldest available scripture makes references to "The Twelve, The Six, and One", which seems to indicate that the "Great Schism" between the Host and the Forsaken predates human civilization. However, some contend that the original division was not the Host and Forsaken, but of civilization gods and primal nature deities. This grouping is almost identical to the modern division, but has Nyktasha and Strogahn swapping places with The Mockery and The Fury.