This article is a translation of an article originally published in German on www.norisburg.com
For a long time in Aventuria, the world of The Dark Eye, many churches and faiths fought over which was the one true religion. To end these conflicts, Emperor Silem-Horas ruled in 98 b.FB on which were the true gods of his great empire. This led to the creation of the Pantheon of the Twelve Gods and their children, which is still in force today. The Silam-Horas-Edict applies without restriction to the Middenrealm, the Horasian Realm, the Bornland and in Arania, formerly ruled by the Middenrealm.
Though the Twelve Gods play an important role in the rest of Aventuria, the edict has not taken hold everywhere. In Andergast, the druids were able to maintain their belief in the old nature religions. In Maraskan, formerly occupied by the Middenrealm, the belief in the twelve gods has also failed to take hold, as the island is very much characterised by the dualism of the belief in the Twins. The Thorwalians never ceased to revere their whale god, Swafnir. Other peoples also continue to worship their old gods.
Those who believe in the twelve gods never worship just one of them, but all of them. However, personal preference plays a major role in worship. Aventurians prefer to worship the deity that is closest to them because that deity best represents their interests.
Praios is the highest of the Twelve Gods. He is the prince of the gods and also the god of nobility. Praios stands for law and order, truth and justice. He is often depicted as a man with the head of a griffin. The griffin is also his sacred animal. His symbols are the sun and light. The sun is also known as the Praios’ disc or Eye of Praios. Many of his devotees reject magic as disruptive to order. However, moderate members of the faith accept white magic if it is used for genuine reasons and to preserve world order. His main temple is the City of Light in Gareth. The highest representative of the Church of Praios is the Envoy of Light.
Rondra is the goddess of honourable battle, she is the master of thunder and lightning and in some places she is also worshipped as a goddess of war . Her sacred animal is the lioness and she is often depicted as a lady warrior in shining armour. Rondra stands for honourable combat, bravery and the protection of the weak. Strict followers of Rondra reject cunning and the use of ranged weapons. Their highest temple is in Perricum. The head of their church is called the Sword of Swords.
Efferd is the god of the seas, the waters and the winds. His sacred animals are dolphins, but he rules over all creatures of the water. His symbols are the trident, waves and billows. Like his devotees, he is considered to be very capricious and often cannot control his temper. Sometimes he brings the fishermen a rich catch, other times he whips up a violent storm across the sea. Fishermen and sailors in particular worship Efferd. Many of his servants avoid fire. His chief servant is the Warden of the Circle, who resides in the main temple in Bethana.
Travia is the goddess of loyalty, hospitality, home and charity. Her symbol is the hearth fire. Her sacred animal is the goose. Many oaths are made in her name, from the oath of fidelity to the marital Travia covenant between husband and wife. Fidelity in marriage is particularly important to Travia, which often leads to conflicts with the ideals of the fun-loving Rahja. Innkeepers and people who place great value on family cohesion worship the goddess. She is also known for her charity work, which is why many poor relief centres and orphanages are run by the Church of Travia. The church is always led by a married couple who reside in Rommilys called the Holy Couple.
Boron is the god of death, but also of sleep, dreams and oblivion. His symbol is the Boron’s wheel, a broken half wheel with five spokes. He is also symbolised by the beam balance and raven wings. Many of his devotees are talented dream interpreters and soul healers or they are silent guardians of the Boron yards and pronounce the final blessing for the deceased. In their black robes, they often appear eerie and unapproachable. Some even shave their hair out of humility or take a vow of silence. The Church of Boron is divided into two cults. The head of the Punin cult is called the Raven and presides over the main temple in Punin. In Al'Anfa, Boron is worshipped as the supreme god, which regularly leads to disputes with the Punin cult and other twelve-divine churches. In the south, people indulge in the divine intoxication of oblivion and suicide is seen as the ultimate sacrifice to the god. The main temple of the Al'Anfa Rite rises beneath the Patriarch in Al'Anfa.
Hesinde is the goddess of wisdom, scholarship, magic and change. Her symbol is the Ouroboros, a snake that bites its own tail. Their sacred animal is the white snake. It is often found in their temples, either alive, as an image or as a piece of jewellery. Research and teaching is carried out in the name of Hesinde, whereby the Church of Hesinde also decides which knowledge may be passed on or is only revealed to the chosen ones. Scholars and mages in particular worship Hesinde. Their temples often have impressive libraries or cartotheques in which knowledge is diligently collected. Hesinde's main temple is in Kuslik. The highest priestess of the cult is the Magister of Magisters.
Firun is the god of ice and winter, but also of hunting. His symbols are the bow and arrow, but also the ice crystal. His sacred animal is the Firun bear (polar bear). His followers consist of rangers and hunters. But Firun is also worshipped by hunting-loving nobles. You rarely meet his devotees in the few temples and shrines. They are usually found wandering in the wilderness. Just like their church leader, who is called The White Man. You never know whether he is travelling as a human or in the form of a polar bear. Firun's main temple is in Trallop.
Tsa is also called the young goddess. She is the goddess of change, renewal, birth and beginnings. She also stands for peacefulness. Her symbol is the rainbow. The lizard is her sacred animal. Her priests are fun-loving, freedom-loving, creative and open to new ideas. As Tsa loves all living beings equally and is considered peaceful, her blessed-ones do not eat meat and are pacifists. Tsa is often invoked at births and asked for her assistance at the start of new endeavours. Their priests rarely stay in one place. They have no supreme representative or main temple.
Phex is the god of merchants, thieves and secrets. His symbols are the mist, the night and the stars. His sacred animal is the fox. Phex's blessing is often invoked when trading, gambling and before risky endeavours. Many towns have two Phex temples: a public one, where deals can be made and sealed, and a hidden one, where thieves, secretive persons and fences pay homage to the god. The highest temple of Phex is a mystery, as is the identity of his highest devotee, the Moon.
Peraine is the goddess of fertility, agriculture and medicine. Her symbol is the bundle of ears and her sacred animal is the stork. Most of their followers are farmers. Their priests are mainly found in rural areas, where they look after small temples or a shrine, bless the fields or care for the sick. In cities, the church runs larger temples and often also houses for the sick. However, many of the priests are on the move to help wherever they are needed. The highest blessed of Peraine is called the Servant of Life and is based in Ilsur in Tobrien, where the main temple is also located.
Ingerimm is the god of fire, craftsmanship and ore. His symbols are the flame, but also the hammer and the anvil. He is the only god of the Twelve to whom no sacred animal is attached. He bears a strong resemblance to the dwarven god Angrosch. His depictions often appear sturdy and stocky, as if he were a dwarf himself. Many craftsmen worship Ingerimm, especially blacksmiths, master builders, tailors and bakers. His priests always carry a lantern with them, which must never be extinguished. They do not think much of preaching, but prefer to serve their god in a practical way. Their main temple is located in Angbar, which is run by the Keeper of the Flame.
Rahja, the cheerful goddess, is the goddess of joy, love, lust, intoxication and beauty. Her symbols are the grapevine and the rose. Her sacred animal is the mare. She is worshipped by lovers and hopeful artists as well as revellers of all ages. Rahja is especially revered in the wine-growing regions of Almada and the Horasian Empire. In the Tulamid lands, a more mystical faith prevails. There, intoxication and divine ecstasy are celebrated in honour of the Passionate One. The main temple of the cult, seat of the Beloved of the goddess, is in Belhanka.
The Nameless One is the great adversary of the twelve gods. He stands for power and domination, but also for selfishness, revenge, temptation, lies, betrayal, treachery and hatred, even self-mutilation. His real name seems to have been forgotten. He is whispered as the god without a name, Faceless One, Rat Child or Thirteenth. His followers refer to him as the Promising One, but also as the Purple One, He-Who-Lies or Ruler of Rulers. He is also reverently called the Golden God or the Golden One. His sacred animal is the rat.
Angered at being denied sole dominion over Alveran, the seat of the gods, the Nameless One cut a large breach in the starry sky. He used it to give demons from another plane access to creation. With their help, he wanted to gain power. But the twelve gods punished him for his betrayal and erased his name from the memory of the world, syllable by syllable. Then they chained him to the Great Breach, which he himself cut into the sky. But chained to the firmament, he is not idle, but continues to spin his intrigues and gather followers so that one day he can free himself.
His followers operate in secret and hide under the mask of righteousness. Secretly, however, they praise the downfall of the existing world order and hope to play an important role in the new world order. They gather in secret places and make bloody sacrifices to their god. It is said that his priests have to mutilate themselves in order to rise up the ranks of the cult. The promise of limitless power in his new age causes many to fall for his dark teachings, be they decadent nobles, unscrupulous bourgeois, hateful mercenaries or oppressed freemen who believe they deserve better. The priests of the Nameless One are known to be masters of lies and manipulation. Through their intrigues, murders and dark miracles, they help to undermine and bring down religious communities, rulers and sometimes even entire empires.
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