Faiths of Midrea

As one might guess from a world with active Clerics, Midrea is a very religious place. Like on Earth , Midrean religions reflect the struggle of institutions and ideas that plague mankind.

The religions are as follows.

1- The Way.
This is similar to Unitarianism with a reincarnation twist. The religion is tolerant, balanced, good (default alignment is Neutral Good) and has a strong wisdom tradition for everyday life.
Unfortunately it also theologically weak and outside of the Black Gate Order lacks the solidity to react against threats
It teaches a single creator without gender who acts through living people, saints, prophets and celestials in that order –
Followers of the way believe that practicing the faith can shorten the cycle of rebirth and lead to unity with the creator

2- Adunism
This is the bi theist faith of the Vara and their cousins the Gallitep, It is a dour religion who practitioners believe that they were brought into creation (taken from the womb of the mother, the void) to preserve it against some great threat. Real world analogy militant Tibetan Buddhism mixed with Judaism and a little Gnosticism. The believe they will be reborn until the mission was complete than they can return to the womb of creation


3- The Lawgiver
This is a religion based on respect for the Book of the Law and the teachings of the Lawgiver. It is a little like a mix of Zoroastrianism, Prison Christianity , Catholicism and Judaism leavened with Islam. Followers are said to be Under The Law.
The religion is militant and expansionist and believes that all lawbreaking (sin) must be paid for in measure in life or in death until purification is achieved with a caveat that real world punishment is easier than celestial punishment, especially with confession. It also teaches preaches that a single God the Lawbringer gave man the Tablets of Law and the master plan of civilization to follow so that all his followers can achieve Harmony in the after life.
However every single other religion on the world is bi-theist with Male and Female divinities, Polytheist or in one case Monotheist with a genderless divinity. This led to a schism in which it is taught that the Fallen Sisters (two dead gods) were The Lawbringers consorts and were killed by him. The Church Under the Law teaches this as serious heresy and its in the midst of an Inquisition to stop it. Note that there are no female clergy or lawyers (secular clergy) as women are believed inherently chaotic.
The religion in general though is very law abiding following the spirit if not the letter of the law. They also operate the Citadel the ultimate prison.


4- The 50
The followers of this path believe the universe was created by the 10 primary deities who than created many children (Divine) than the Shen (and other more recently other) people.
Each diety (good or ill) embodies a trait and is praised (or bought off) to gain divine aid (or be overlooked)
The dead were originally though to pass in Gen’ker the afterworld to await judgment. More recently they are believed to reincarnate. This is creating a bit of a schism in the faith but because the faith is rather local not much conflict has come of it


5- Baleism
Bael (Bay- El) is one of the 50 – the wargod who reaccesended from the fallen to the core pantheon. His followers, mostly soldiers and slavers believe in the Book of Victories and Book Defeats and that Bael (who they call the perfect general) is destined to rule creation and achieve the proper order (the rule of the strong) .


6- Midreaism
Midreasism is a mixture of D&D druidism, environmentalism and Wicca and centers on the worship of the living world and rebirth.


7—Spiritism
This is a general belief in spirits and rebirth practiced by folks in areas without strong religions. Its spiritual heads are Shaman who minister to the spiritual needs of the community


8- Northlander pantheon
This is Asatru with the names changed. Barava also worships Pos, God of Strength


9- The Ancient Ones
This is the faith and following of the many ancient deities predating humanity, The Flame, The Storm, The Spider, The Serpent and many others . Some cults are evil, other not but they are generally not well liked. These deities have not been worshiped in a long time and are weak and hungry for followers


10 – Denomolators
These folks pact with fiends and fallen celestials practicing the left hand path for power and sometimes trying to achieve endarkenment, perfection through the left hand path . Some are pacted with the Dark Realm itself (the Dark Sworn and The Black Guard) and believe they serves as a celestial balance, They are uniformly reviled though law abiding ones are tolerated in a few cities


11- Wicca
This is modern Wicca with a few fantasy twists. There are various versions but none of them actually fight one another in combat or by magic
In the Queens Domain the default version is rather like militant Dianic Wicca
Ardia is Faerie centric Wicca
Ashanan is balanced and the covens can be almost anything


12 – Delan Gods
This is a mix of Roman, Egyptian and Mithraism modified through a modern reconstruction filter. It is the state religion of Delas and is imposed (or at least lip service to it) on conquered territories.


13 The Ancient Defenders. This is a group of gods that defend the various races. These gods are hermaphroditic beings each representing the duality of gender in its race. There are also groups that defend Cities and Sites which use the appropriate specialty Priest. Most are probably long dead as they were followed mostly in rural Amachia.


14 The Order
This is a semi scientific cult based on self improvement


15 Awakened Philosopher
Deists that believe in reincarnation, more or less.


and of course there are others...