TFTAOS: Religions

VELDR

A legendary dragon, worshiped primarily by reptilian folk. Known as the Winged Calamity, the Fanged Father, or the Archdragon, Veldr was one of the most powerful dragons to have ever existed, claiming dominion over kingdom after kingdom. He was as great as he was terrible, imparting wealth, wisdom and power to his allies, but unyieldingly razing those who rejected him to the ground. Entire civilizations are said to have been wiped from existence by Veldr's might alone.

In the end, tales differ of what became of Veldr. Some say he still resides somewhere in the world, having withdrawn from the public eye after decades of conquest, while others say he was slain, or cast out into another realm of reality. Some even claim Veldr never existed at all. Whatever the case may be, Veldr's legacy remains intact, as he is worshiped as a deity representing valor, wrath, and conquest.

THE THREE

A trio of feminine figures present in many religions around the world. Best known as Maiden, Mother and Crone, Sky, Seas and Earth, or Dove, Owl and Crow, the Three in many iterations are one being, yet three, and represent the concept of fate. Depictions of them differ; some versions of the Three show them as mere observers, presiding over existence yet ironically unable to intervene, while others depict them as an inevitability, manipulating the past, present and future to their own unknowable ends.

Each of them in turn represents an aspect of life itself. In their most common iteration, the Maiden represents birth, youth, and potential; the Mother represents power, fertility, and new life; and the Crone represents wisdom, rest, and death. These overarching concepts are present in the majority of their other iterations.

MORDIGGIAN

A dark entity of colossal power revered by many in the Necropolis Litharge. Known as the Ghoul-God, the Black One, and the Lord of the Charnel-Houses, Mordiggian is a god representing death, decay, and shadows, as well as reincarnation. Worship of Mordiggian includes mastery over a variety of rites for the deceased, including the many methods of disposing of a corpse. Mordiggian's worship also includes blood offerings and even living sacrifices; his most fanatical worshipers include flagellants, necromancers, blood-binders and corpse-eaters. Despite his horrific domain, and immense powers of destruction, Mordiggian is not malevolent by nature. He is a calm and benign god, rewarding his worshipers well and rarely unleashing his wrath on those who offend him.

The symbol of Mordiggian is a black, nine-pointed star, with a white nine-fanged maw in the center. Mordiggian himself, when summoned, manifests as an enormous ever-changing vortex of pure black.

THE FOUR WINDS

Manifestations of the eponymous winds. The Four Winds in most tales have mastery over all that is, as they are omnipresent and eternal, lording over everything from above and impossible to be bound. The Winds are fickle, unknowable and genderless gods, and collectively represent the changing of the seasons; the northern wind is associated with winter, the eastern wind spring, the southern wind summer, and the western wind autumn. Birds are seen as their emissaries, and the aforementioned myth of the Dove, Owl and Crow is linked to the winds also. Cuckoos are an exception, seen as wicked and deceitful, while eagles are seen as omens of death.

Worship of the Four Winds is widespread, though not common in most civilized parts of the world; it is relegated to many disparate tribes, and frowned on in some parts for being outdated.

K'SANI

A goddess whose worship has become increasingly prevalent in parts of Abyssinia. While her worshipers are mostly peaceful, sin and retribution play a large role in the religion, and many of her worshipers are known to band together and form vigilante groups, commonly known as Keepers. She is called the Betrayed, or the Merciful Mother. According to her followers, K'sani is dead; she was once married to another unnamed god, whose name is never uttered; he is known only as the Horned God. The legend claims that the Horned God killed K'sani out of spite, and in death, her spirit entered all living things. It is said that her most loyal followers will one day band together, and enact justice upon the Horned God.

K'sani is commonly depicted as a many-legged, twintailed cat, usually in a variety of poses. It is customary for her followers to carve at least one effigy of her and keep it on them at all times. Those who transgress the faith of K'sani are often made to suffer a Penance Carving; this consists of being sequestered somewhere and made to sculpt her image several times over, usually out of wood, and reflect on each one until they find inner peace.