Religion

Religion in Saulus is based almost entirely on faith. Deities do not walk the material plane and so they have no direct contact with their worshipers in Saulus. Deities are almost entirely conceptual and reside on planes of far and/or unknown origin. Their true existence, however, is ultimately unknowable, as is the source of power divine casters draw upon to cast spells.

Churches and other organized religious congregations are usually more important for a cleric than their actual deity. The hierarchical powers of the church usually heed to the authority of a higher authority. Some of these authorities have access to outsiders who may direct some of their divine affiliation to those on other planes. However, it is uncertain where the actual divine magic a cleric has access to originates from. Most will claim it is from their deity. Others are more open to the idea of a divinity 'tap' in which anyone from any church can receive their magic from.

In Saulus, a cleric need not be in alignment correlation with his or her deity, or even call upon the same deity when praying for spells. There may be evil clerics working in a good-aligned church and vice versa; chaotic clerics working within lawful religious ordinances or under lawful deities (and etc.), without being stripped of power. They still cannot, however, use spells opposed to their alignment.

Revered Deities
The following deities are subjectively mentioned by their respective organizations. The truth of their existence (including their proposed will, gender, physical description, etc.) is arbitrary. The following descriptions are based on the suggestions of their respective churches and followers.

Aetas
A neutral good deity, Aetas (ay-tas) is the deity worshipped by most pious Celephaen people. He is not depicted in any image or form (although there is nothing preventing anyone from physically describing Aetas, followers of Aetas generally do not do this). The word of Aetas is to promote care for others, even if they are opposers of his faith. Clerics of Aetas usually attempt to be as selfless as possible. His domains include: Community, Earth, Good, Healing, and Sun.

Boccob
Boccob (bow-kob) is a neutral entity who is said to be the guardian of the secrets of the Arcane. He is said to have no physical body but instead he lives within all arcane magic. His clerics are generally regarded as cultists, but generally in a shared interest in esoterics-sense. Boccob's domains are: Knowledge, Magic, Protection, and Rune.

Cevaelos
Cevaelos (kev-uh-los) is a deity of Ethryn origin. He is lawful neutral. He stands undepicted in icon and imagery, and is described as "nearly androgynous" in nature and being. His followers are nearly exclusively Ethryn clerics of higher social status, as most Ethryn in modern societies refrain from practicing religion. He prefers strict accordance to the traditions of Ethryn social structure, but grants those who follow this wish with his blessings. Ethryn who reject this notion (generally poor and downtrodden ones) are the churches main conflicting force. His domains include: Law and Protection.

Clanggedin
God of the Dwarves, Clanggedin (clang-uh-den) is lawful neutral. His followers are nearly exclusively Dwarves. He is depicted as a huge dwarven man with golden eyes and mithral-flaked hair and beard, wearing elaborate plate armor and carrying twin axes. Clanggedin's faithful are devoted to his craft of war, and are always defending the dwarven societies from those who wish it harm effectively. Clanggedin is said to protect all dwarves and trusted allies of his people. His domains include: Glory, Strength, Law, and War.

Nehys
Nehys (nays) is neutral. Nehys is the deity of Birth, Life, and Death. It is said to appear as an entity that produces strong light and grants visions to its followers. Good clerics of Nehys may aid those in grieving and help relief organizations. Evil clerics of Nehys may take it upon themselves to kill those who are weak and polluting. Nehys' domains include: Death, Healing, Knowledge, and Repose.

Gru
Gru (grew) is a chaotic evil deity. Mostly worshiped by goblinoids and orcs. Gru promotes destruction and selfishness. His orders are loosely based and unorganized. Gru is said to appear as a massive Goblinoid creature with several heads and arms, all wielding intimidating weapons. His domains include: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Trickery, and War.

Hate
Hate is a chaotic evil deity worshiped by a society of cultists devoted to his agenda. Hate has no appearance, but instead has an essence, which is said to reside in every sentient living being. His followers fear his 'hands', which are demons that shift into the material plane to kill those accepted into the church who stray from its ideology (the ones who stray are typically the ones forced into the church). Cultists of Hate may congregate under the high priest to summon his 'essence'. Once this spreading entity of Hate is summoned, however, his clerics have no control over the manifestation. Hate's domains include: Chaos, Death, Destruction, Evil, and Madness.

Issek
Issek (eye-zeck) a lawful good god who preaches perseverance under hardship. His followers usually live lives of humility and morality, however it is said Issek empowers anyone who means well and promotes freedom. In one famous legend, he manifested himself by replacing innocent victims on torture racks, destroying the rack, and killing the torturers. He may appear in the form of good-aligned creatures who can perform miracles. His domains include: Glory, Good, Law, Liberation, Nobility, Protection, and Strength.

Isyrel
Isyrel (eye-ser-el) is a chaotic good deity of life, magic, and growth. Her church depicts her as a feminine-looking humanoid outline with a glowing face and long, wavy hair. Her clerics heal those in need but also take in orphans and homeless. Her domains include: Charm, Community, Good, and Healing.

Kauthes
Kauthes (caw-thess) is a lawful evil god who promotes the use of tactfulness and tenacity to achieve one's desires, whatever they may be. His followers pray to him and make contact with his messengers to form contracts with him indirectly to meet their own wants and wishes. These contracts tend to assign the receiving to carry out Kauthes' orders, no matter how heinous. Kauthes' domains are: Charm, Destruction, Evil, Law, Strength, and War.

Lolth
Lolth, also known as the Spider Queen, is the chief Drow goddess. She is chaotic evil. She is said to appear as a half-drow, half spider (Drider). Her followers include most drow and other intelligent evil subterranean creatures. Her domains are: Chaos, Darkness, Evil, and Trickery.

Nomori
God of the Noths, Nomori (na-moor-ee) is a Lawful Neutral deity. His existence was introduced via a Noth messiah and visionary named Praegus Bov, who summoned an extra-planar outsider named Nomi, who claimed to be the extension of Nomori. Nomi passed along a creed that was to become the foundation of modern Nothian society. Thus Nomori is still worshipped today as the backbone of the Noth peoples.

He promotes order and righteousness in building a progressing society while still being mindful of history and tradition. Most of his clerics seek to help settle political conflicts and assist the protection of established settlements and social structures. Some of these Nothian clerics do missionary activity in other societies as well. Nomori's domains include: Artifice, Community, Knowledge, Law, and Protection.

Ro Mokli
Ro Mokli (row mow-klee) is a chaotic neutral deity worshiped mainly by humans outside of civilization. Ro Mokli was "encounted" by a Woen human dubbed 'Kep' (meaning 'god' in Woea), who passed along his visions to his people, who later forced their ideas on other tribes.

Ro Mokli is said to appear as a giant man with many scars and five eyes, each constantly changing in color. His followers receive spirit guides who grant them 'visions' which foretell the future (however, the shamans use hallucinogenics in contacting Ro Mokli's guides, but his seers are always noted for seeing the same type of spirtual entities). These divine shamans are often on top of the hierarchical structure of these tribes because of these spirit guides. Ro Mokli's domains are: Chaos, Destruction, Glory, Strength, and War.

Seek
Seek is a chaotic good god representing the portfolios of good-natured trickery and rogues. He is often represented as a humanoid covered in writhing grey robes with an ever-present smile. His churches are few and far between, and typically only exist in human civilizations. His clerics often multi-class as rogues, and provide aid to rogues guilds. Some people may pray to Seek for his good fortune. His domains are: Chaos, Charm, Good, Travel, and Trickery.

Symira
Symira (sim-uh-ra) is a neutral deity worshiped by druids and rangers. She embodies nature. Her physical appearance is also undefined, however it's said she takes form on the material plane in the bodies of powerful natural forces, like storms, wind, and natural fires. Symira's domains include: Air, Animal, Fire, Plant, Water, and Weather.

Other Philosophies/Concepts

 * Arcanism
 * Bindism
 * Naturalism
 * Yfelism