Certol

The only religion of the Kingdoms is polytheistic and slightly matriarchal. There are sub focuses of beliefs. Some people will also take up an individual deity to worship. In the north, there will be focus on Aerudan, ascension theory is popular in Telin as well as the plains of Luthamonn. In the North, Alessy is of focus. Adoklalos it the major deity of Torlein. Relgion has deviated among kingdoms mostly by will of the people - the pantheon respond to the people, so if people offer chants and worship most often, that goddess will honour that place more. Of course, the appearances of gods and signs and such keep it balanced in places like Torlein.

Cerla and Touv are the ruling deities, a brother and sister pair of which ruling figures are also modeled after.

The afterlife is a peaceful place for the good, depending how good they have been, and cannot be reached by the living. The wicked are punished in this life and the next. People are truly believing and pious are seen to move towards the afterlife on rungs of a ladder, or leaps on a path, while people who are simply religious or going through the motions take smaller steps towards the afterlife. In this sense, believing people can be knocked back by greater blows as well, such is the risk.

Name
The religion itself is called Certol, the followers called Certolians, a portmanteau of the central figures of the religion. It is more likely people are called 'follower', 'believers', or 'temple attenders'. Since this religion is very old and hasn't had competition, there are not as many names.

The Dedicated are monks that spend their entire lives in silent meditation, listening for the whispers of the divine. No chants, or the usual ritual. They write down the words of the godesses.

Sacred texts
Religious knowledge is passed down through strong oral tradition as well as a written form. The three key books are the Sillion - an extensive collection of mythology, generally agreed to be true and canon, the Samorn - the collection of laws laid out by the gods, both collectively and individually, and the Stole - a history and collection of major visions and prophecies that have come about, rewritten and added to by generations, constantly progressing. There are other smaller books.

Places of Worship
Temples are draped in violet and a simple eleven pointed star, prominent in mythology.

Temples and attached clergy are prevalent everywhere and tend to be larger where there are more people.

The clergy, heavily female biased, have a stronger connection to the gods, spiritual advisers, the keeping and passing religious lore, and sometimes judges in some circumstances. The clergy do live below the poverty line, living off the generosity of patron. Both clergy and their patrons are encouraged to have large families. The clergy are appointed at the age of vision. They live on a diet of fish, insects, grains, leaves from fruits, fruits from flowers, ground vegetables. They have braided hair down the mid line of their head, shaved sides. The children may have theirs free flowing and are not obligated to braid until their appointment.

Divine interactions occur in response to prayer, every month or so for the devout, in the form of dreams or hallucinations. Chanting and recitation of prayer is routine, often patterned, sometimes free form though it is by the religious leaders. Occasionally incense and sacrifices are requested.

Rites and Ceremonies
Coming of age is 13 years old, where vision quest occurs. they cannot marry until 17 though most will not marry until 20-25. Coming of age is associated with a vision quest that occurs in a temple of all gods, or the wilderness where children then fast, eat a ritual meal, and during the vision they are given details about their future including vocation and marriage. The vision usually gives a significant moment of life, often metaphorically, including a god name. They are allowed to eat plain bread and a selection of fruit of crisp leave drizzled in honey.

Marriages are often arranged from birth or at least adolesence even if they are not followed through. If this marriage does not function, marrying for love is considering legitimate. Marriage ritual involves gift giving with the joint blessing of Serla and Touv.

Death rites are performed immediately after death by whoever is there and knew the person. Almost exclusively they are cremated and sent back to the stars, which is the lore is that people are sent back to the stars.

Serla
The head goddess of the rest, and most importantly goddess of Oaths. She is eerily beautiful, very fair, with shoulder length light grey hair and eyes of the colour of bright green leaves, tall, broad shouldered, always smiling. She wears rich robes dyed bright blue and red-violet, depicted holding a paper scroll in her right hand and her left raised to the heavens, as if invoking the gods for an oath. She is associated with honesty, strength, and women. There are many myths involving her relationships with the other deities, and her strong relationship with her brother, She is known to pose riddles to charismatic morals and severely punish those who are untruthful with her. There is always a place to pray to her and her brother in every city and town. There are more priestesses though the society is not strictly matriarchal. People come to take vows, oaths, and promises in her presence.

Touv
The head god, and importantly the god of Strength, Love, and Silence. He is extremely beautiful, dark skinned with waist length wavy cinnamon hair, usually tied up and eyes like bronze discs. He is as tall a his sister, solidly built and smiling. His clothing is simple, patterns of violet and yellow-green, usually holding a calf or young animal in his right hand, and is other arm outstretched in offering. He is associated with men and the importance of promises. He is often worshiped by the devoutly religious and myths about him include great conversations and bringing marriages together. He is known to lend help to mortal heroes. Often in reverence of him, silent meditations are held in his honour, as well as rescuing animals

Lir
Lir is the goddess of names and title. She is shockingly beautiful, with tanned skin, short, light brown hair, and eyes the color of dark forests. She is very tall and of hearty build, and has a composed face. She usually wears a cloak dyed tan, for she is usually away from the other gods and creating and exploring the world she then names. She is known to give help to common people who ask for aid. Children are named in a ceremony in her temple four days after birth. She is sometimes addressed as ‘the one who knows my name’ and for that reason, common people especially feel she will help them more than any other. The oldest of her temples have names carved into the walls, the ceiling, the floor, just everywhere. There’s no actual magical explanation, it’s just an old tradition. When people change their name (which does happen from time to time), they recarved their name elsewhere.

Alessy
The Goddess of Sacrifice is shockingly beautiful, with ebony skin, short, curly black hair, and eyes the color of polished oak. She is medium height and very slender, and often appears fierce. She usually wears chain mail hammered of dark gold. She is known to have relationships with epic mortal heroes who have given everything for a cause, though anyone who has made such a sacrifice is worthy to her. She is depicted with a weapon in one hand, usually a sacrificial knife, and blood and teas flowing from the other. Her most devoted followers abstain from something important for two weeks during summer: food, work, etc that ends in a large sacrificial ceremony. She demands much in the way of sacrifice and gives much in return; not everyone likes the trade-off. In her temples, there is always incense burning, or an offering made to her.

Tilah
The Goddess of Dance, is divinely beautiful, with dark skin, short, swirling black hair, and eyes the color of shining silver. She is tall and of average build, and usually has a cheeky expression. She usually wears a cloak dyed grey-blue. She is also associated with fire. There are widespread temples to her in most major cities, and there are several celebrations of dance she is involved with. She is known to occasionally mislead mortals seeking vengeance. Wherever there is dancing, she is there and with fire. She appears to be one of the youngest of the gods.

Adian
The God of Justice and Music, is almost plain-looking,with bronzed skin, long, pale golden hair, and eyes the color of the stone. He is short and very slender, and looks rather stern. He is depicted holding scales high in his left hand and a sword in his right. He usually wears simple clothes dyed yellow-orange and black. His many followers can be primarily distinguished by the charms they carry with them, a simplified depiction of scales carved out of stone. The spiritual leaders here are famous for giving just rulings, though they sometimes differ from the law. He is the usual god of the Vigilantes, at least somewhat officially. Music is thought to be the right of the righteous (that doesn’t stop anyone from playing it though).

Aerudan
The God of Poetry, is unusually beautiful, with ebony skin, shoulder length, wavy red-brown hair, and eyes the color of a wild wolf's. He is very tall and slightly plump, and is usually smiling. He usually wears simple robes dyed grey-blue and dark bronze. There are no temples for him, ever, though they are certain sanctuaries found in mountains and forest, guarded by his faithful. He is rather solitary. Muses and poets and lyricists all claim meeting him, though he only appears in remote places, usually north of the Arm.

Louks
The God of Law, and Youth, is very plain, with very pale skin, long, flowing dark golden hair, and eyes the color of cold iron. He is very tall and somewhat muscular, and sometimes seems very stern. He usually wears simple robes dyed pale brown. He is often worshipped by city dwellers. His few, but dedicated followers can be primarily distinguished by the way they conduct themselves, in a somewhat haughty and entitled manner that think law supersedes the rest. He is known to send visions to mortals seeking vengeance. They he himself is not bad, he is often in invoked in the evil practices of the kingdoms. Every so often he is at odds with Adian, though they also work together.

Deavaelai
The God of Travel, is unusually beautiful, with ashen skin, short, rippling dark grey hair, and eyes the color of red wine. He is tall and of hearty build, and is usually frowning, one of the more social gods. He usually wears chain mail dyed dark blue. He is often worshipped by business people and merchants. There are many temples to him at port cities. He is known to have relationships with charismatic mortals, and favours travellers and explorers with gifts.

Ji
The Goddess of Mysteries, is divinely beautiful, with ivory skin, long, flowing black hair, and eyes the color of moonlight. She is tall and very slender, and has a faraway expression. She usually wears peasants' clothes dyed dark-brown. Her almost fanatical followers can be primarily distinguished by the holidays they observe. There are more than a few shrines to her with academics. She is known to give advice to epic mortal heroes. Her most devout follows are found in Weshir and Weshin, at night. She likes to pose problems and mysteries to her academics. Her temples are only active at night.

Neand
The Goddess of Passion, is quite beautiful, with ashen skin, short, flowing bright red hair, and eyes the color of fresh snow. She is tall and slender, and tends to look intrigued. She usually wears red scarves or nothing. She is also associated with fertility, and life. There are many myths involving her daring adventures with certain mortals. She is known to appear to mortals in dire need. Although she is associated with an active sex life, and indeed a lot of that occurs in her temples, passion extends beyond that and she offers aid to anyone with a passionate cause.

Punoor
The God of Dreams, is an exotic beauty, with tanned skin, short, wavy white hair, and eyes the color of shining silver. He is surprisingly short and slightly plump, and has a faraway expression. He usually wears armor and a helmet dyed dark gold. He is known to sometimes place obstacles in the way of mortal heroes. He is rather obscure and has neither temple nor shrine. It is he who is in charge of conveying dreams to animals, as well as the vision quests of the young. People ask for dreams and visions from him, but there is no defined way of making this more or less likely.

Shakav
The Goddess of Souls, is divinely beautiful, with tanned skin, short, black hair, and eyes the color of black opals. She is surprisingly short and of hearty build, and tends to look sad. She usually wears stylized armor dyed golden-brown. She is also associated with resurrection. Her almost fanatical followers can be primarily distinguished by the rites they perform, usually a set of chants. She is the closest thing there is to a god of death, and is responsible for who ends up where in the afterlife, Though her temples are full of people who are sick, dying, looking for their purpose of life. It is believed she has a hand in fate, more so than other deities. Her armor symbolizes how she fights for the soul.

Seassin
The God of Opposites, is quite beautiful, with fair skin, short, flowing cinnamon hair, and eyes the color of green leaves. He is medium height and slightly plump, and sometimes seems very sad. He usually wears a hooded cloak dyed dark red-violet. His most devout followers can be primarily distinguished by their ritual scars at their time of vision quest. He is known to give help to mortal leaders. His temples are full of opposites; involving fire and water as its simplest, love and pain. Because of the extreme of the opposites, there is not a lot of followers here, but those who do engage in some of the most obscure rituals. He is well known to give and take away opposite things, to the point where people pray for certain things and may or may not get its opposite. The more mainstream version prays against things like storms (hoping for good skies).

Lairav
The God of Wisdom, and Wishes, is an exotic beauty, with pale skin, short, swirling light brown hair, and eyes the color of new-forged copper. He is tall and very slender, and almost never frowns. He usually wears armor dyed medium blue. Typically, his temples are visited by those needing guidance and those who deeply wish for something. Many chants and prayers and donations and small sacrifices are given in order to receive wishes, which are granted. The temple head is very wise, who spends time with Lairav who often counsels the other gods in wisdom. Tends to be a rather peaceful god.

Trykrel
The Goddess of Diplomacy, is divinely beautiful, with tanned skin, short, flowing black hair, and eyes the color of purple. She is surprisingly short and willowy, and usually has a guarded expression. She usually wears rich robes dyed violet. Her many followers can be primarily distinguished by the shrines in public places. There are widespread statues of her in capital cities. She is known to pose riddles to virtuous mortals. She is invoked at every gathering, especially those between kingdoms. She is likely the only god who is utterly and completely against war, preferring any other means.

Adokalos
The Goddess of Truth, is extremely beautiful, with pale blue skin, long, flowing gold hair, and eyes the color of storm clouds. She is of average height and broad-shouldered, and is usually laughing. She usually wears leather armor dyed dark copper. She is known to give advice to random mortals. She is openly declared a virgin, her only interest is the pursuit of truth. She is kind to those who speak truth in her midst, and often supplies truth in murky situations, is seen a bit as the ‘little virgin sister’ of the other gods. Matters and debates and ethics are sometimes solved in her midst.

Crasao
The God of Knowledge is very beautiful, with brown skin, short, straight cinnamon hair, and eyes the color of sapphires. He is very short and very muscular, and looks somewhat malicious. He usually wears dark red cloak. He is known to hinder mortal heroes. His temples are what we would call libraries and though he promotes knowledge, which overlaps with academic, but does not overlap with the worship of the goddess of mysteries – two separate views on things. Those who are devout and religious and appease him are given bits of knowledge. Sometimes these are shared between libraries, sometimes not.