Religion in Karameikos

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Religions of Karameikos

by Giampaolo Agosta, excerpted from Pandius.com

This chapter expands the description of the religions and cults present in Karameikos. While the Church of Karameikos and the Church of Traladara together attract approx. 95% of the human population of Karameikos, there remains a 5% of the population that either follow foreign cults (e.g., churches from Thyatis, Darokin or the Minrothad Guilds) or even darker, entropic cults.

The Church of Traladara

Approx. 70% of the human population of Karameikos belongs to the Church of Traladara, the major native religion. While its belief date back to the Traldar Age of Heroes, the church itself has been around for circa six centuries. It has suffered several major setbacks with the Silver Purge, the holy wars, and finally the Marilenev rebellion, which all but destroyed a generation of church leaders.

Pantheon

The Church of Traladara worships primarily the three Great Heroes, Halav, Petra and Zirchev. None of the three is given precedence over the other, as the church stresses the importance of cooperation and strength found in unity.

Several lesser heroes are also acknowledged, and local cultural activities are held to honour them. These may be Immortals, such as Chardastes, or simply long-gone mortal heroes or kings, such as Tarhek the Radiant or Prince Ithron.

• The church activities and rituals focus on the historical events of the Song of Halav, with festivals where the battles against the Beastmen are re-enacted, and, on a smaller scale, on the spiritual needs of the worshippers.
• Traladaran priests are generally down to earth, and so are their teachings -- generally, they are oriented toward tolerance, goodwill, respect of fellow humans and similar virtues.
• The concept of sin is not clearly distinguished from that of crime -- in general, the Traladaran priests did act as judges in the pre-Thyatian clan system, and the modern theology closely reflects that approach, even though modern priests do not have judiciary powers.

History

The Church of Traladara was formed around 400 AC in the town of Marilenev, as a result of the closer interactions between the local Traladaran population and clerics from Thyatis, Harbortown and New Alphatia.

The original Traladaran cult had been much more informal, with clerics generally trained in a master-apprentice system within each major clan. Since the Traladaran culture was orally transmitted, the priests served primarily as bards, advisers and healers to the Traladaran nobles, in many ways like the modern godi in the Northern Reaches. Halav was the most popular patron, though Petra was also well liked by the townsfolk, and Zirchev had some following in the more remote communities.

Organization The church is led by the Patriarch of Marilenev, Aleksyev Nikelnevitch, a capable, middle-aged warrior priest. Unfortunately, there are few other experienced clerics, as the old generation priests are getting too old, and the best members of the generation of the 940 died in the conquest and rebellion. Moreover, Sergyev's schism of 995 brought away more priests -- Sergyev himself was the second highest ranking church official, the Patriarch of Krakatos.

The Church of Karameikos

The Church of Karameikos is a modern cult with roots in Thyatian theology and philosophy. Its is the religion followed by the vast majority of Thyatian-blooded Karameikans, as well as by many Karameikans of mixed blood, and some Traladarans.

It is mainly a Lawful religion, even though its pantheon includes Immortals of all alignments. It basically teaches that the fate of each soul in the afterlife is based on its balance of sins. The Church provides rituals through which worshippers may free their souls from sins. As such, the beliefs of the Church of Karameikos tend to take the form of very detailed precepts of life, with the associated penances for each violation.

In this sense, the Church is much more dogmatic than its Thyatian ancestor -- which simply mediates between Immortals and mortals, generally letting every Immortals' priesthood set its own standard and preach its own doctrine, within a general framework. This policy was chosen by the founders to ensure a greater cohesion of the new Church, and avoid the periodic crises that affected the Church of Thyatis.

The Church of Karameikos is also bent on proselytising. Missionary efforts have been mostly directed towards the Traladaran natives, though recently clerics are being sent to the Five Shires as well -- though, once more, with no success to report.

Pantheon

The major Immortal patrons recognised by the Church of Karameikos are Asterius, Pax Bellanica (Tarastia), Vanya, Valerias, Ilsundal, and Kagyar.

Ilsundal and Kagyar were chosen by the founders to appeal to the demi-human inhabitants of the Grand Duchy, though with very limited success, as the demi-humans have a very different view of religion, more related to personal or family worship than to public, ritualistic worship.

Vanya, Valerias and Tarastia were chosen as the major Thyatian Immortals -- the presence of these Immortals guarantees that the Thyatians who come to Karameikos see the Church as simply a national variant of the Church of Thyatis. The philosophy of the church actually does not agree much with the teachings of Valerias, but the Girder-On of Weapons is so popular that the new Church could not expect much following, had it not included her.

Asterius is the personal patron of Patriarch Olliver Jowett, the leader and founder of the Church. This Immortal is worshipped in his aspect as the patron of trade and merchants.

History

The Church of Karameikos is a recent creation. Up to thirty years ago, its founders were priests of the Church of Thyatis. They were called by Duke Stefan Karameikos to cater to the spiritual needs of the Thyatian settlers who were colonising Traladara.

Under the leadership of Patriarch Olliver Jowett, these priests decided to leave the Church of Thyatis and found a new church. There were several reason for leaving the Church -- political ones, as Duke Stefan wanted the Church to work towards the full independence of Karameikos from Thyatis, but also philosophical and practical ones. The Church of Thyatis was indeed prone to infighting, due to the many different Immortals and philosophies accepted, and to corruption, since position were awarded by the Emperor, the Senate, or by election rather than by the will of the Immortals. The constant quarrels between radical followers of Ixion and Vanya might be tolerable in cosmopolitan Thyatis, but would be a fatal weakness in a frontier land like Karameikos.

Thus, Patriarch Jowett and his followers selected a smaller set of Immortals that would be looked up as models for the new church, and used their own philosophies as the one and only doctrine of the church. Since many of Duke Stefan's followers were Kerendans or Hattians, Vanya included in the pantheon, but Ixion was left out.

The new church was very successful in converting the Thyatian colonist, most of whom had been fairly poor, if not ruined, in Thyatis, and wanted to build a new life in Karameikos, much less in converting the Traladarans.

The Cult of Halav

The Cult of Halav is a small, newer religion. It was born in 995 AC, when Patriarch Sergyev received a vision in dreams, which told him that the Immortals had reincarnated King Halav in Stefan Karameikos. Surprisingly enough, Sergyev was able to persuade a number of clerics of the Church of Traladara, and founded his own cult.

While the priests of the Cult are generally considered madmen, they receive clerical powers, which means that theirs is not a fake religion.

Demi-human Religions

The three demi-human nations of Karameikos have their own cultures, laws, and religions.

• The Kingdom of Highforge is, like most dwarven and gnomish groups, very secretive about its religious practices.

The dwarves worship Kagyar, and the Gnomes worship Garal Glitterlode. The followers of this two Immortals generally do not interfere with each other, and keep their beliefs to themselves.

• The Callarii Elves follow Ilsundal and Mealiden, while the Vyalia follow Ordana and Ilsundal.

Both clans have their own Tree of Life, though the Vyalia tree resides in Thyatian territory.

• Karameikan Hin (Halflings) are mostly clanless.

Most of them remember the legends and songs of the High Heroes, but there is no organised cult.

Few demi-human have any interest in human religions. Those who do are seen as eccentrics, but are generally left to their own devices.