Editing D&D5:NoMansLand (section)

==Religion, Gods, and Worship==
The nature of religion in Aukroa and the rest of the world is somewhat fluid. There are seven generally observed gods known throughout the world, though the names differ by region or culture, and even the nature of the gods might be seen as different in different areas. For example, in the City-State of Sylverda, Aenri is the goddess of the Sun, the sky, and weather, whereas in the Khanate of Rau, they are worshiped as Anriu, god of the Sun, judgement, and victory in battle.

Besides these gods, any sufficiently powerful creature, such as ancient dragons like Auraryuma the Golden Calamity, may also be worshiped as a god. Similarly, the spirits of natural areas, such as the Mother Forest where Sylverda is located, may also be worshiped as gods. Even mighty heroes can be worshiped as gods.

Religion and worship is not generally focused on a specific deity, but takes a more holistic approach, combining aspects of pantheism and animism. In a community, a cleric or druid fills the role of one who acts as a go between for the people and the gods, conveying their wishes, asking the gods for blessings for their people, sometimes for curses against their enemies, and leads the people in rituals to honor the gods so that the people's gratitude will reach them.

A typical temple or shrine with honor all of the Seven, ancestral heroes of the community, local spirits, and any sufficiently powerful creatures that may have influenced the community in the past or present.

The Jhorzan Empire is a notable exception. There, the only acceptable form of worship is of Jhorzan heroes, with all other worship suppressed. The state creed of the Empire is one of Jhorzan supremacy, and its central tenet is that only the weak seek power by submitting to so-called gods, who are seen as no more than monsters. If the weak wish to bow their heads to a greater power, then they need look no further than the Jhorzan Empire, as personified in the Emperor.
===The Seven===
As noted, how the Seven are seen in the World varies considerably, and the following is just some common views of them. The gender ascribed to the deities varies from culture to culture, often times in relation to how its aspects are seen in that culture.

====Aenri (Sylverda), Aarim (Wyffleum), Azarn (Zukrut), Anriu (Rau), Ahnar (Darkwood), Atzea (Quetzlan)====
Broadly the deity of the Sun, Dawn, Light, and the Sky. May sometimes cover elements derived from those, such as Weather in Sylverda, or Victory in Battle in Rau (the Orcs are predominantly nocturnal, so battles are fought at night, ending when the Sun rises, leading to the idea that the Sun judges who the victors of a battle were).

====Ymalia (Sylverda), Ynarie (Wyffleum), Ykarna (Zukrut), Yneru (Rau), Ytmata (Darkwood), Yssele (Quetzlan)====
The deity of the cycle of death and rebirth, nature, and the harvest. In Sylverda serves mainly as the goddess of nature, including non-living elements, such as streams, the wind, and rocks. In the Darkwood, seen as the god of gifts and reciprocity.

====Malam (Sylverda), Wyllam (Wyffleum), Marut (Zukrut), Maht (Rau), Muzam (Darkwood), Mzalam (Queztlan)====
Deity of farming, fishing, and more generally crafting. In Wyffleum, also the god of war and raiding, for they traditionally till the land in the growing season, and go raiding on the seas in the winter, so for them farmer and raider are near synonymous.

====Oshan (Sylverda), Ollym (Wyffleum), Ozhut (Zukrut), Othak (Rau), Ofran (Darkwood), Otlan (Quetzlan)====
Deity of wanders, refugees, exiles, couriers, peddlers, and adventurers. In Sylverda, also the god of guards, and seen as the patron of the Warden who protect the Mother Forest. Among the Quetzlan, she is the goddess of sorrow and longing, as they see themselves as exiles from their true home.

====Suleri (Sylverda), Suterm (Wyffleum), Samza (Zukrut), Serarm (Rau), Svula (Darkwood), Ussele (Quetzlan)====
Deity of writing, knowledge, and tradition. In Zukrut, also the god of merchants due to the connection to ledgers and mathematics. In Rau, the goddess of secrets, representing the hidden knowledge of each of the clans.

====Tsuma (Sylverda), Thuma (Wyffleum), Tzuka (Zukrut), Taeme (Rau), Tsulam (Darkwood), Tlalu (Quetzlan)====
Deity of the night, the stars, the twin moons, and love. In Sylverda, also the god of mischief, trickery, and children, due to ever changing faces the moons present at night. Darkwood has the same associations, but views the deity as changing genders with the phases of the moons.

====Feorn (Sylverda), Fyern (Wyffleum), Feork (Zukrut), Faena (Rau), Felu (Darkword), Ftaek (Quetzlan)====
Deity of fate, magic, and law. In Wyffleum, the goddess of the sea and the wind, for sailors are always at their mercy as fate decrees. In Quetzlan, the god of rightful rulership whose visions guides kings on the proper path for the betterment of their subjects.
===Other Worlds and the Afterlife===
====The Afterlife and the Flow====
When a creature dies, its soul enters of the flow of energy that courses through the world until it is reborn. This might take a matter of days, weeks, months, or even years. While a soul is in the flow, it can be reached by such magics that allow one to commune with the dead. It is even possible, though risky, for sufficiently powerful magic-wielders to enter the flow and seek out an as of yet unreborn soul.

As such, there is no concept of an 'afterlife' in the World, just of an unending cycle of death and rebirth. The exact number of souls in the world, and whether it is possible for a soul to be reborn as a higher or lower creature, is the subject of much religious debate.
====The Void and the Bright====
Besides the Flow, there are two other recognized parallel world: the Void and the Bright.

The Void is a world plunged into perpetual darkness and haunted by all manner of horrific creatures, known collectively as the Voidborn 

The Bright is, similarly to the Void, a world consumed by perpetual light, and populated by terrifying creatures, known collectively a the Brightborn.

Both the Void and the Bright contain ruins hinting that they were not always as they are. Most adventurers powerful enough to even attempt to explore those ruins never return.