The New Pantheon


 * For seven hundred year, there had been no watchers in the heavens; no weavers of fate; no speakers of the divine. Only humans, warring for dominion over Varia. Then, at the fall of the Empires of old, a new ideology arose, smuggled within the hearts and minds of the re-emerging elves, dwarves, and other creatures of magic: The New Pantheon.
 * - Aelin Wetrose, scholar of The New Pantheon, 952PR

Deities
There are four living deities. That is the word of the New Pantheon, and it is the predominant belief of the people of Varia. Although each of the four deities bear many common titles and pseudonyms, even the most poorly educated human will likely be able to discern a deity from context. Importantly, the deities of the New Pantheon are neither wholly good nor evil. and neither chaotic nor lawful. Instead, each deity is thought to hold dominion over one specific aspect of reality upon Varia, and controls all manipulations of that reality - whether for good or evil; or for chaos or law. Therefore, it is possible for the purest of mortals and foulest of mortals to worship the same deity equally, each in their own way, and each be rewarded equally upon death.

Arvesh - Physicality
Sovereign of Battle; The Highest Marshall; The Long Runner; Breaker of Skulls

Dephnu - Spirit & Thought
Deep Thought; Stealer of Souls; The Final Judge; Crown of the Forgotten; Poisoner of Minds; The Shadow-Weaver

Morn - Nature
The Great Oak; Water's Breath; Harvesters Scale; Withering Hand

Heln - Civilisation
The Builder; The Sheltering Fire; The Corrupter

Varia
The New Pantheon's arrival in Varia can be dated to shortly after the fall of The Rommulite Empire, 700PR, and coincided with the growth of the monumental and magically enhanced Great Forest in central Varia. This is not thought to be a coincidence, as most scholars believe that the magical battles fought in this region by the Rommulite and Bennite imperial warrior mages were responsible for a weakening of reality which later enabled entry to Varia for the New Pantheon and all other magical creatures.

Before Varia?
Many human scholars and theologians have attempted to decipher from the cryptic and elusive creatures of magic where The New Pantheon had originally formed - or, for that matter, from where such creatures of magic originated. Neither question has been answered to any degree of satisfaction or certainty.

As a whole, the four deities of the New Pantheon are far less inclined than the Old Gods to occupy communicable corporeal forms. However, theologians have determined that the four deities have always been, and that they shall always be so long as balance between them is maintained. Furthermore, prior to their relocation to Varia, they had once occupied a much larger pantheon which was in decay and disarray. Rather than remain and tear their world asunder, as they feared they would, they elected to leave for new shores. This decision has often been likened to a pilgrimage, from which many theologians fear the new pantheon shall eventually return, leaving Varia once more.

Daily Life
The ideology of the New Pantheon quickly took a hold of most folk across Varia, with the most notable exceptions being The Sellederre Empire. As a result of this unified ideology, the architects of the New Pantheon have experienced huge influxes of influence and financial power. Great temples, also known as "Bastions", have been constructed across Varia, dedicated to either a specific aspect of a deity; to one deity as a whole; or in some cases to the New Pantheon in its entirety.

Common folk frequently pray to the deities, whether through force of habit or spiritual need. Those who live in rural areas more frequently rely upon the blessings of Morn for good harvests and health, whereas those who live in more urban areas more frequently rely upon the blessings of Heln for prosperity and stability. As all four deities possess multiple aspects, almost every situation can be attributed to one or more of the deities, providing ample cause for prayer.

Military Orders
A great many military forces pay allegiance to specific deities, or aspects of deities. Knights are often representatives of divine knighthoods, and almost all military organisations benefit from diving patronage in some way or another. Furthermore, the vast reach of the New Pantheon provides a degree of international influence that is rarely overlooked by military commanders.

However, authoritarian regimes such as the Grand Imperium Arcarnum do generally discourage religious influence at an imperial level, and such military orders are usually monitored closely.

Hierarchy
The New Pantheon is simple in structure: From a theological standpoint any individual who does not worship The New Pantheon is considered irrelevant - neither enemies, nor allies. Therefore, although practitioners of The New Pantheon may not actively seek to convert those who do not follow The New Pantheon, they are also not expected to feel any spiritual obligation to provide aide to such non-worshippers.

Internally, the structure of The New Pantheon is rigid. Uniformly, any worshipper of the pantheon is considered to be a part of the ideology as a whole, to be provided and cared for as best as possible. The majority of such worshippers are either considered to be uninitiated followers, or initiated servants - the main distinction of which being the formal process of initiation into a specific bastion, or temple, and the acceptance of certain responsibilities within that bastion.

Above the initiated servants are the acolytes, who supervise and cater spiritually to the community of worshippers to which they are assigned. Such individuals may act as spiritual guides to individual city districts, or, in some cases, to entire villages and rural regions.

Above the acolytes are the prime acolytes. These individuals are considered to have dedicated the entirety of their lives to the pantheon, and act as guides to the acolytes below them. Prime acolytes often lead smaller bastions, and may even act within a council of other prime acolytes in times of need as the spiritual guides to entire cities.

Finally, highest of all are the matriarchs and patriarchs. These chosen individuals act as the heads of their bastions. Large cities may have multiple such spiritual leaders, each guiding in their own ways. Smaller communities may be forced to share such individuals with a neighbouring community. Although there are certainly more and less powerful matriarchs and patriarchs, there is no one single leader of The New Pantheon, nor of any one deity. Instead, the matriarchs and patriarchs are each considered to be akin to a prophet, each bearing their own message from the deities.