Religion

• Faalorian Worldview
• Adrahil, Queen of Light
• Maelwar, Lord of Atrophy
• Aergot, The Beginning
• The Others, the Lesser Pantheon
• Table of the Gods

The religion of Faalor is primarily a dualistic one. While there exists a pantheon of gods, goddesses, spirits, saints and anti-paladins, angels and demons, the whole system is revolves around the continuous struggle between Light and Darkness. Both of these forces are represented in a personal and nearly omniscient being.

Lesser gods do exist, though they would be more on the level of angels or demons as a modern equivalent. They are the sons and daughters of Adrahil and Maelwar. Each is quite limited (relative to their parents) in power. They all have their own personal names and history. I should have more information on these beings in game. I would also encourage any player to add to the campaign by helping to flesh out any personal, "house" gods which may be appropriate to their character. Faalorian theology insists on the immortality of the soul. For some, their soul is stuck on the material plane until they complete a specific task after death (ghosts). But the vast majority of souls end up going to Heaven or Hell.

Faalorian Worldview

The Old Way

When the first humans landed on Faalor 250 years ago, they were a more fierce and noble folk, from a tribe called the Tuesse. They were men and women who went steadfastly into certain death. Heroism was standing before evil, evil against which they were completely helpless. Because a mortal was helpless against evil, it was better to die, even plan your own death in the face of such overwhelming odds. Human morality stemmed from a person's honor alone, not his condition or caste. Humans were just humans, part earth, part sky, ever longing for the chance to be with their ancestors, neither inherently good, nor inherently evil. The early Faalorians humans were from a race that worshiped their ancestors, venerating mother and father equally. This tradition stemmed from the worship of the First Mother and Father, the first created humans. This first couple created by the gods were thought to have been left on earth, out of contact with those that created them, left to face the hardships and certain death that life only presented. For the early Faalorians, one must fight to take a seat after death besides them and your direct ancestors, and do battle with the very gods who had forsaken the human race, knowing full well that in the end final death awaited. Only through courage can a person bring the ultimate dream of honor to themselves.

It was easy to see how these ideas about warfare and honor lead the Tuesse people, now calling themselves Faalorians, could begin to imagine the elves and dwarves as honorless, as somehow morally unfit.

The True Way (the new way)

For the past 150 years or more, the old ways have gone by the wayside as progress and philosophy have evolved with the influx of Simsulanians. Starting just after the Great Pestilence of 93, philosophers and religious leaders began to rethink the world. It seemed indeed, that evil existed in the world, but there had to be hope. Adrahil did not let humans flounder, starve, and turn to dust. She actually cared for her people. In contrast, it was Maelwar who was the enemy. The Church of Adrahil was a relatively small group at the time, with temples dedicated to many gods and ancestors equally distributed. During the reign of Padral, the Enlightened, himself the son of a Simulan nobleman, the love of wisdom grew to new heights--at the expense of the old ways. Indeed, it was Padral himself who put forth the philosophy of first causes (meaning that all the humans, gods, ansestors, demons and angles must have an orignial creation, and it followed that only that first causes should be worshipped, not those things that were caused) and modern ethics ("what is good is praiseworthy").

While the old ways focused on personal honor, the new ways focused on personal salvation. A redeemed and penitent soul--one who partakes in Adrahil's goodness--replaces a honorable, courageous one. The fight was no longer hopeless. Goodness was rewarded with a spot in Heaven, not a chance to die once again. Evil was rewarded with punishment in Hell. There was no longer a choice between honor and dishonor but a choice of sides.

Because of the redemptive nature of the new thinking, people began to believe that once accepted into the Church, no evil can come from that person. Doctrinally, it was said that if a person went through the rituals of the Church one was saved. A tradition of working out an individual's salvation, that is upholding personal honor and fighting the fight--a hold over from earlier times--still remains today, but it is often given lipservice. In stead, the Church has taken over the duties assigned before to the individual. The Church dispenses grace, salvation, punishment, knowledge and, in some cases, eternal damnation.

People are inherently evil due to the original sins of the First Father, the first human being created by Adrahil. Because the first Father was tempted by Maelwar to disobey Adrahil, all humans are, at base, creatures worthy of the horrible conditions on the material plane. Thus suffering is the natural condition of the mankind. Redemption comes only from the Church as the agent of Adrahil and the end of suffering is only found in Heaven.

Salvation comes first through the Church, in the form of rites and ceremonies which mystically convert a being from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light. Though this is the doorway to salvation, a person still must show good fruit as a sign of Adrahil's favor. Doing good, helping those in need, devoting time to thought and study, prayer and fasting all show a person to be a good person, one on their way to Heaven. Veneration of the gods and ancestors is ineffective compared with the true power of those who are one with Adrahil, those who shun the dark dealings of Maelwar and embrace creativity, contemplation and compassion.

Adrahil, Queen of Light

Adrahil is the embodiment of goodness, life and creativity. The deity is usually refereed to in the feminine gender, though she can appear as either a firm father figure, brave, stern and strong, or a loving mother who actively cares for her children. She is responsible for the creation of life, the majority of the plants, animals, as well as all the intelligent races. The vast majority of people worship Adrahil; when one refers to a "church", almost without exception they are talking about a Church of Adrahil.

There exists such a strong identification with this goddess, that is not unlikely to be accepted that she is the only "true" god. The Church is perhaps the lest male chauvinistic institution on Faalor. That may be because most of the those in the lower ranks are female and because of the character of the goddess they serve. Women are, though, not encouraged to enter the higher ranks of Church hierarchy and, as such, no female has ever risen to the rank of Vicar or Bishop (the heads of the Church on Faalor). The Church has three main branches: Ministers, Templars, and Scholars. As the largest branch, the Ministers are responsible for the day to day activities of the Church. They meet the needs of the poor, sick and down-hearted. A priest or priestess of this branch is usually works in one capacity or other in the local church, poorhouse, library, hospital or other church-run establishment which has direct contact with the local populous. Three Bishops (one in Duath, Faalor and Kyrdanna, there is also a dwarven Bishop in Mourningthain) oversee the actives of the local ministries. A number of Prelates work under the Bishops, while the title Priest is reserved for those who work on the local level. Rectors are an intermediate title for those who rise above the Priest and who are in charge of their own parish church. The Templars are the Church's military arm, dedicated to protecting the Church and it's members from the corrupt Hand of Darkness. Usually male dominated, the Templars tend to either be guards for the Vicariate or wandering Inquisitors who seek to root out any taint of corruption. The final branch of the Church, as the name implies, concerns itself primarily with apologetics, history, theology, philosophy and teaching. Several sects exist within this branch. The most famous is currently headed by Ilumnrath, a well-known, if somewhat unpopular teacher/philosopher, called simply the Monastisists, who believe that the flesh, though created by Adrahil, is itself corrupt and only the spirit is pure and praiseworthy. Monastisists tend to congregate in monasteries where they can complete a vow of poverty, study and community service. Other Scholars are assigned to Templars, called Inquisitors, in order to identify and, occasionally, study the forces of Maelwar--a very dangerous job indeed. At the head of the Church is the Vicar of Adrahil. He, and it is always a he, presides over the Church from the cathedral at Gravemist.

Two final category exists within the Church: Saints and Laymen. Essentially the distinction resides in the demonstration of the "miraculous touch" (magic). Laymen are those with no outwardly visible signs of magical manipulation. Saints are those with special powers (they could be a priest, druid, wizard, paladin, bard or sorcerer, any spell-casting class). A special council in Gravemist meets at certain times to confer the title of Saint upon those who appear to have magical aptitudes. Generally, this does not effect the actually standing in the Church (i.e. one need not be able to cast spells to reach the office of Bishop). In many circles, magic (from any spell-caster) is something to be wary of. Only the prideful and self-serving would be poses such power. On the other hand, many, including the current Bishops, believe that, if used properly and with due desecration and instruction from the Church, magic can be a sign of Adrahil's special favor. It should be noted that though magic is generally accounted for positively in Church theology, it still may draw the attention of local Inquisitors to make sure one has not fallen under the sway of Maelwar.

Titles and Ranks in the Church of Adrahil

Maelwar, Lord of Atrophy

Opposing Adrahil is Maelwar, a brooding and prideful being of dark immorality. Maelwar (usually thought of as male, but having his female attributes as well) is the Prince of Atrophy; what Adrahil has created, Maelwar seeks to destroy or corrupt. He is responsible for a variety of off-shoot races (simple creatures he was able to warp and twist for his own uses, goblins for example), disease, hatred and death itself. Usually, Followers of Maelwar's rites and beliefs are so abhorrent to the average person, that great care must be taken to conceal their presence. The Dark Priesthood has no real structure to speak of. Small covens may meet secretly here and there ruled over by powerful spell-casters but no formalized system of ranking exist outside of the Illrigger sect. The struggle goes to the strongest, while the weak are destroyed or dominated. While Maelwar has a use for a priest, the mortal may grow in power, but favor can be fleeting and often end without apparent cause. Most who follow the Dark Lord, do so out of greed for power. At night, Maelwar may tap out those who would serve him by whispering promises of wealth, influence and dominion over their fellow man. Almost never does Maelwar make good on these promises though. Two of Maelwar's greatest attributes are deception and manipulation; a lesson every priest of Maelwar should learn quickly. In the recent past (the war with the elves and the rise of corrupt and selfish magic-user leaders), magic and Maelwar were seen to be intertwined in some way. This has led most of the citizens of Faalor to become wary of any magic. In the minds of the common folk, Maelwar is the creator of magic (though this could never be the case, because Maelwar is incapable of creating anything).

There are four major factions among the followers of Maelwar that are known to the Inquisition: the Illriggers, the infernalists, Thanatons and the corrupters. As the smallest, most elite group the Illriggers sect (sometimes known as Anti-paladins or Black Guards) alone prides itself on ordered offensives, detailed planning, and obedience to superiors. It is the only sect which makes use of definite hierarchies. At this time, there are only 7 Illriggers with an equal number of acolytes. It is rumored that the Illrigger Lord maintains a small keep in the Black Morass or deep in the Crags. The inferalists are those deranged individuals who, through the thoughtless pursuit of power, have attached to themselves a personal demon. It is through the mortal that these powerful creatures--Children of Maelwar--act. These are simply selfish, cold-hearted, cancerous people who by their own volition have chosen to serve Maelwar. They quite often go out of their way to create and maintain a coven of "true believers" right under the nose of the Church. The Thanatons are the least evil of the four factions. They venerate death as the gateway to the Afterlife. For, if not for Maelwar's hand in destroying the flesh, the soul would have no way of finding the Afterlife. Finally, there are the corrupters. These are people who have been groomed by the Dark forces for specific tasks. Usually, they are not consciously aware of the presence of Maelwar and his minions but, sometimes quite happily, aid in the cause, spreading disease, hatred, hopelessness and error throughout society. Small groups of these vile folk are known to serve infernalists or are agents of an Illrigger. They are witless pawns in the great game.

Aergot, The Beginning

A neutral being, called Aergot, is said to be pre-existent to both Light and Darkness. Aergot is pictured as a wizened old clockmaker, the father of both Adrahil and Maelwar. Most people revere his power and creativity for it is said, he did create all energies and matter in the universe. On the other hand, Aergot is also known for his complete aloofness and dispassion, making those who venerate him a decided minority (though still more popular than that of Maelwar). According to tradition, soon after Aergot created the universe, he became quite sorrowful at the state of humanity and began to regret his creation.

Those who follow Aergot are considered pessimists though that may be a bit of an overstatement. Perhaps, they are the most balanced, being able to see both the potential good and the potential evil in every human heart. The worst sin a priest of Aergot can commit is to give into their primitive side and act rashly and emotionally without due (some say over due) thought. Three main sects divide the followers of Aergot, the Monists, the Elemetalists, and the Idealists. Where as the Elementalists believe that there are four basic types of things (fire, water, air and earth or some variation and some championing one element over another), monist believe that everything is actually one thing (spirit or energy), for all matter really is just slowed down energy they claim. Finally, the Idealist believe that what we experience through our senses is not real but rather only a shadow of the Ideal, the real thing in and of itself in it's pre-existent, perfect form. Spell-casting priests of Aergot are often druids or sorcerers. Lawful neutral monks are almost always followers of Aergot.

The Others, The Lesser Pantheon

For most non-humans, the worship of Adrahil is primary as well though there is a bit more diversity in non-human religious life. For dwarves, Adrahil is giving great respect (because she is seen as the creator of dwarven life) but Aergot (whom the dwarves call Hargoth) is considered more important, for he is the prime mover, the one who created the heavens and the earth. The dwarves of Faalor worship two other gods: Graenuk and Klegsor. Graenuk is the unpredictable God of the Tunnel. He represents the primal power of the underground, it's beauties (including all those coveted gems and precious metals), it's dangerous environs. Priests of Graenuk are often Druids. Usually chaotic or neutral in some regard, dwarven priests of Graenuk are often respected for the power they hold but are often seen as outsiders, moody, mysterious but often free with their gifts. Gnomes often worship Graenuk but emphasize the unpredictable nature of the earth, while halflings who worship Graenuk (called the Grey Hearth) emphasize the ever-lasting and homey nature of the earth. Graenuk is a child of Aergot while Klegsor is a child of Adrahil. Klegsor is the lesser god of righteous fury, the dwarven God of Battle. He is seen as the defender of Adrahil's children and will go to remarkable lengths to see that justice is served and wrongs are righted.

Gnomes of Faalor maintain their own patron deity, Mackelmyr. Like the gnomes themselves, Mackelmyr is a good-natured fellow who is said to have pulled the Island of Faalor up out of the sea and placed his people, the gnomes, on the island. For this reason, gnomes who worship Mackelmyr see themselves as stewards of the land. Mackelmyr is also the god of nature, of natural beauty and balance. As such, a strong druidic cult exists. Strangely, a fairly even mix of races can be found in this cult.

The elven goddess, Myloria, still has a large following among the elves of Faalor. For Faalorian elves, she is their patron, their creator and she is said to be indwelling in all pure-hearted elves. She brought the elves to Faalor to fight the orcs and protect the natural beauties of the Island. 

A number of Teussian gods still remain in popularity. Eldacar, Fraeva, Thyrkh, Ulnthar and Relki still have followers on the island. These gods are more wild, primitive. Courage is more important that morality, standing against impossible odds more important than ministering to those in need. The Church usually acknowledges the existence of these gods but does not actively support their worship. In fact, as long as these gods are given their due place as children of Aergot and Adrahil, the Church will not bat an eye. If on the other hand, the worship of these gods becomes too competitive, too public, the Church will intervene. In general, the gods are placed in worldview not as agents necessarily unto themselves but rather as servants of the primary gods.

A couple of gods survive from the Simsulan colonization. These include Veris, Doathra and F'goth and Finglas. Mention of these gods do not raise eyebrows quite so often as the older ones for they seem more organic to the current dualism. Doathra and F'goth are twins and are considered the creators of magic. Many scholars believe Finglas belongs to the older tradition, but neither the priests of Finglas nor the historians know for sure therefore he is assumed to be of Simsulan decent.

Table of Gods