Religion

Religion is an integral part of life on Etrallia. Sects, cults, denominations, and sub groups abound in every religion present on the continent, but spirituality can be broadly categorized into six major religions: The Attendants of the Living Lord, The Thatchers of Childress, The Vanklings, The Enosicthiates, Baha Pis'Dimme, and the Disciples of Sylvia

The Attendants
"Let those worthy rise to fight again; let their blood spill seven times before victory so that I know they fear not death" - Book of the Living Lord III.IV.XI

The Attendants are a relatively new religion on the continent. They began practicing their religion within the past ninety years. The advent of The Attendants caused a split in the Vankling religion, with many followers of Vankor being indoctrinated into Attendance. It is one of the smaller religions, but it holds significant influence.

The Attendants' holy ground is the Hallowfort in northern Midland. It was once a military fort, but it was taken and repurposed in the fourth era by the Thirdblood. It is the permanent home of many non-errant Attendants.

While staying in place is acceptable in the their religion, many Attendants are called to errancy. Those who are knighted in the faith become Living Knights, who are errant warriors tasked with roaming the land to bring glory to the Living Lord and fight to defend the Sixblood's honor.

Attendants worship a mysterious figure called the Living Lord, who revealed himself to one of the Brothers Schenn. This brother became the Firstblood, the first prophet of the Living Lord. He spread his religion across the land established a huge amount of followers among Vanklings and commoners. By 4e345 he had an army of followers. One evening the Firstblood disappeared mysteriously, never to be seen again. He was succeeded by his brother, Wymark Schenn, known as the Youngblood. The Youngblood presided over the Attendants for five years before he was killed in battle with a group of Vanklings. While it appeared hope was lost for the Attendants, a miracle occurred. The Youngblood was raised from the dead, presumably by the Living Lord, and drove away the Vanklings. From then he was known as the Thirdblood. This Thirdblood conquered the Hallowfort and unified the Attendants into a proper religion. Since this time, The Youngblood has perished three times and currently holds the title Sixblood.

The Attendants believe that death is not permanent. Knights Errant whose quests are not complete have been known to be resurrected by Living Priests. In addition, their Prophet is raised each time he dies. It is believed that the seventh iteration of the prophet will hail the end times.

Attendants are aggressive. It is not uncommon for Vanklings and Attendatns to leave a trail of blood in their wake should they meet. Their belief that the worthy shall be resurrected makes Attendants ruthless, killing absolutely anyone as they believe those who did not deserve it will live again.

Vanklings
"Justice shall bring joy to the righteous" - Vankling Proverb

Justice, wrath, and integrity are the tenants of the Vankling religion. The Vanklings worship a deity called Vankor. He is depicted as a shining platinum dragon with ruby eyes and a bloodlust for the wicked. He dispatches justice swiftly and mercilessly, punishing those who disobey his commands with no remorse.

Vankor is a god whose worship dates back countless generations. It began in the northwest of Etrallia at the volcano now known as Mt. Vankor. The religion has since spread all across the continent, with followers in every nation, Though most Occlanders shun Vankor worship. Many sects are notably non-violent and tamer counterparts, but Vanklings are, at their core, violent.

Vankling fundamentalism leads knights on quests to avenge injustices across the land with strict punishment. As such, Vanklings are often feared, and rightly so. It is not uncommon for peasants to suffer a cruel death at the hand of a Vankling Errant for stealing a loaf of bread, or breaking an oath. Knights in the service of Vankor range from Librarians to Paladins to Errants to Scribes. Each Knight is equiped with a Visage, a holy symbol crafted in the Platinum Dragon's likeness. Their colors progress from bronze to copper to tin to silver to gold to platinum to a solid carved ruby Visage held by the Potentate of Wrath, the leader of the Vanklings who sits upon Mt. Vankor.

The Vanklings despise undead in all forms. They believe death is final, and that resurrection is injustice and that it spites Vankor, who decides death. As such, they fundamentally oppose the Attendants, leading to intense conflict.

Thatchers of Childress
"Beware the bleeding sky" - Thatcher Greeting

The Thatchers are a relatively small, non-violent cult. They are mostly concentrated in central Midland, though some have ventured further into the world. They have existed for centuries, but their religion was almost entirely secret for most of that time. It was contained within the houses of Tsoukalos and Childress for nearly five hundred years, but has recently gained a small public following. As it is a cult, their religion is very secretive and not much is know a bout their practices or even their beliefs. What little is known about them is that the worship an otherworldly being called the Great Abberation, and they fear the Blood Red Light of the Evening.

Enosichthiates
"Born of salt and brine, the Kraken is the embodiment of the Occlanders. A stubborn seafarer, shaped by the water and unchanging in his ways" - Sir Reginald's Legendary Bestiary and Mythos, Chapter 3, "The Kraken"

The sea is the most important thing in any Occlander's (Sometimes called Islanders) life. And the Enosichthon owns the sea. This mysterious beast is a figure of legend, and the father of all krakens. Some accounts of the legend hold that the Enosichthon lives in a whirlpool in the sea by Occland, while some claim that Occland is built on the back of the beast. Either way, the Occlanders worship him with intense fervor.

There is no written tradition for the Islander's religion, instead their verbal tradition passes down a simple practice: sacrifice blood to the kraken, travel safely. Occland is notorious for its human sacrifice. Blood is shed for nearly every voyage, of which there could be dozens in a day. Though it is a simple faith with little nuance of variation, worship of the Enosichthon is central to Islander life.

Evil
Most religions agree that evil exists on Etrallia. Many disagree on what that evil is. The Vanklings and Disciples both believe in Nine Devils (Metherul, The Lightbane, Krakor, Enosichthion, Grem, Thyrek, Satrius Sartorikun, The Black Miller, and The Sleep) who are the spirits of nine of the original betrayers of Sylvia. The Nine Devils are the basis for traditional evil on Etrallia.

The Attendants do not acknowledge Sylvia or Vankor, leading them to dismiss the Devils as well. Attendants believe that evil originates from a being called the Quietus, an evil entity that is ultimately the cause of all death and suffering.

Thatchers believe that evil is simply accidental to humanity, that no outside source affects it. They are more concerned with the Red Light, which is more of an immanent threat than it is a source of evil.