Religions & Gods – Advent of the Mists

The Immortals and Gods of Visola are those who look out over the world. They are known to meddle in the lives of mortals, looking over the world like a chess game.

Immortal

Sphere

Varick, The Silver Gauntlet, High Judge of Caelestis

Order, Honor, Justice, Retribution, The Sun

Crystal, The Huntress, Maiden of the Wilds

Nature, Survival, The Hunt, Growth, The Moon

Alyasne, The Free, Restless Spirit of the Four Winds

Adventure, Chaos, Freedom

Faledric, The Mountain God, Lord of Prophecy

Dreaming, Prophecy, Nightmares, Fear, Temperence

Cedric, Harbinger of War

Rage, Conflict, Sacrifice, Courage, Transcendence, The Red Dawn

Orenda, The Divine Sorceress, Lady of the Mists

Mist and Magic

Gannor, The Divine Hammer, Patron of Craftsmen

Craftsmanship, Innovation, Gemstones and Devotion

Siramus, Sovereign of Power

Power, Wealth, Ambition

Anari, Goddess of Storms, Lady of Love and the High Seas

Love, Lust, The Sea

Murelu, Son of the Shadows and Regent of Revelry

Deceit, Trickery, Revelry

Ereleia, The Twilight Diamond, Goddess of Art and Beauty

Art and Beauty, The Constellations

Isorian, Guardian of Knowledge, History, and Time. Keeper of the Underworld

Knowledge, History, Time, The Underworld, Death

What are Religions?

In-Game Religions are basically what the name says. Much like Greek Mythology, we have Gods that cover various aspects of the world. Mortals can devote themselves to a particular church/deity, or they can honor them all through prayers and sacrifice. If you need to pray to Varick, God of Justice and Retribution in order to find out who murdered your lost love, by all means, do so.

If you want to exclusively devote to Ereleia as the Goddess of Art and Beauty and be marked by her, then go for it.

If you want to fight the idea of religion in-game and denounce all of the Gods, it’s an option! Keep in mind, our Gods are also interactive with the game. If you start cursing Anari the Goddess of Love because you are heart-broken, it’s entirely possible she will come down and do some ill-will on you (it has actually happened).

Also keep in mind that since our Gods are active in the game, they also fight with each other in larger storylines. So if Cedric and Isorian happen to be fighting about something, it could very well trickle down into the church and cause some friction between the two churches.

Why should I join a Religion?

Joining a religion is not a requirement, but it can be a lot of fun. Not only do you get to provide some character development for yourself by devoting to a church, but you will now have a bond with other characters in the game that are in the same church. You may also interact on a very small scale with that God and they may put you in some storylines simply because you are a follower.

You may also get some extra abilities that pertain to that religion.

How do I join a Religion?

Right now, joining a religion consists of simply starting the roleplay that you are devoting to that particular God. Maybe you pray to them regularly or make sacrifices on their behalf. Maybe you preach to other people in-game about the wonders of your God.

We are working on a way for players to “devote” to a God, which means you are given a small mark that signals you wish to join the church. Either an Elder or High Priest in that church can then be notified that you wish to join and start interacting with you. The God will also notice and may start interacting with you to see if you are a fit for their church.

Once you’ve been accepted, you will be given the full mark and rank of Initiate.

How do I participate in a Religion?

Participating in a religion can vary depending on how your character chooses to interact with the church. Some may choose to be very introverted, maybe do a pray here or there, or simply do small sacrifices and such in honor of their God. This is perfectly acceptable.

Others may go all out and organize grand feasts and festivals in honor of their God. Maybe they walk around preaching about their God to other players in the game.

Some past ideas we’ve seen are:

Followers of Ereleia building a theater in honor of Ereleia
Followers of Crystal doing a great scavenger hunt or wild hunt
Followers of Cedric putting on fighting tournaments
Followers of Isorian investing money into the library in order to build a big observatory and to expand the knowledge of the library
Followers of Varick praying at noon every day since their God’s sacred number is 12
Building altars and temples to Gods that didn’t have one in a specific location
Dress up in garb associated with your deities correspondences

What are the Religious Ranks?

Devotees: Devotee’s are those interested parties who wish to join a church. By marking themselves as a devotee, Elders, Priests, and the God themselves are now made aware of their wish to join, and may choose to interact and test the devotee to make sure they are a good fit to the Church. Devotees are not considered part of the religion yet, just simply wishing to join and may be seeking out other members to develop a reciprocal relationship so they may be accepted.
Initiate: An Initiate is the first position within a Church, and represents a time of probation and learning. Initiates are expect to be very active within the church and act on the whims of their superiors when called upon to assist the church. While they receive all correspondences sent to the church, and have been marked by their God, they are not quite full-fledged members.
Acolyte: An Acolyte in the church has proven themselves as a member of the church, and receives a magical blessing from their God. They are still considered new to the church, and may be assigned to other cities to help recruit or spread the word of their church. Acolytes are expected to be subservient to their superiors in the church. Acolytes will receive any special blessings from their God except for those spells or skills taught by the church. Those are reserved for Disciples and higher.
Disciple: Disciples make up the whole of membership of the church. They not only receive blessings from their God, but have access to more advanced capabilities that may be taught throughout their particular church. They are expected to be active within the church to help it grow.
Elder: An Elder in a church is one who has proven themselves loyal and active for a length of time. They have the ability to bring in new members of the church, but not promote them among the ranks. They are the right-hands of the Priest, and may be assigned to different areas to maintain a presence of their church there. They actively work with Disciples and Acolytes to recruit new members into the church, but they ensure the recruits meet the standards of the church.
High Priest: A High Priest is the highest member of the Church, receiving all of the blessings and abilities learned throughout their Church. They are the only member who can promote other members to a different position or even remove someone from the Church. They are considered the ultimate authority on the Church, and are believed to speak regularly with the Gods themselves.