Faith of the Old Gods

Kieverlandt

Zyabak

The Faith of the Old Gods is the ancient faith which pervades most of northern Arvinder, and once spread through most of the continent.

## Pantheon

### Wuugral, Lord of Beasts

Wuugral is seen as one of the most prominent deities within the pantheon of the Old Gods. He is the God of the Wild, Animals, the Hunt and Fertility, and holds such titles as the Lord of Beasts and the Heavenly Hunter. He is believed to be the lord of all creatures with blood in their veins, including men, and gifts each creature with the primal instincts needed to survive. He is the lover to both Bjerda and Maven, and is the Father of Werebeasts, those men he blesses with his primal power. Additionally, he is also believed to have taught the druids, the voices of the Old Gods, their power over animals, and how to change their shape. Given all the power he has gifted to men, and the primal vigor associated with him, Wuugral is called upon for guidance and strength for a variety of activities. Hunters call on him to hone their instincts and senses, so that they may better pursue prey. Warriors call upon him to fill their limbs with primordial strength and their hearts with primal battle fury. He is even called upon when pursuing a romantic partner, for the vigor needed to secure one's right to a mate.

### Maven

Maven is the Goddess of the Earth, Fertility, and Healing. Known as the Woodland Witch and the Lady of the Trees, she is the Matron of all things that grow from the earth, and as such, is revered for her life giving qualities. She gives power to the druids over the land and that which grows from it, and is can with a whim decide the fate of a crop, choosing whether or not to give it the ability to withstand the vicious winds and savage storms of Bjerda, her rival for the affections of Wuugral. Maven's association with the earth means she is often called upon to ensure bountiful harvests and protect crops from harsh weather and disease. Due to her nature as a healer and mother, Maven is also associated with the medicinal arts, especially childbirth.

### Bjerda

Bjerda is one of the most feared gods in the entire pantheon, and is the Goddess of the Sky, Storms, Cold, Snow, and Ice. She is a bitter and jealous spirit, and men must make constant efforts to placate her, and even then, she often is unsatisfied. Bjerda inflicts Rhatnheim with its harsh weather, mostly due to the fact that she is bitterly jealous of Wuugral's preference for Maven over her. Like her lover and her rival, she gifts power to druids, giving them influence over the elements of the wind, ice, rain, and storms. The phrase "Bjerda's Bunghole" is a common curse within Rhatnheim, referencing the fact that Bjerda's frigid nature and form is cold enough to freeze off a man's penis.

### Homjir

Homjir is the most popular god within Rhatnheim, believed to have once been a mortal hero, many thousands of years ago. Such were his heroic feats that he rose to divinity, becoming the God of Courage, Honor, and Strength. A patron of warriors, Homjir watches upon all battles, and plucks the souls of those who die honorably to take them into his realm of Valdresflye, and his Golden Hall. There they are treated to endless feasts and battles, recounting tales of glory for all time. As Valdresflye is the chosen afterlife in the society of Rhatnheim, most every Rhatnoran worships him.

Homjir is prayed to for strength, courage, and skill in arms, and sacrifices are commonly made to him before battles in an effort to gain his blessing. He is also invoked on occasion for the swearing of oaths, with anyone who breaks an oath sworn in his name being forever barred from the Golden Hall.