Old Gods/Core

Central Tenets

The Primary Function of the Old Gods faith is not to save souls, or, specifically, to worship any god, at least not worship in the sense of most religions. Rather, those who follow the ways of the Old Gods have a simple quest-to win Beluterra for humankind, and bring her to our full control, away from monsters, as any other continent. This is of course not an easy task, and to do so, we must win the love of a higher power, the Old Gods. The Old Gods are the rulers of Beluterra, uninterested in the other continents but supreme here. They do not wish for worship through sacrifice, or prayers, but rather through the dedication of a great life. A man who lives his life to the fullest, fighting for the love of the Old Gods every minute, be it on the battlefield or the the plowfield, will truly have the respect of the Old Gods. They are harsh judges of such things, but fair, and with limited exception impartial. However, of course, those we wish to prove ourselves against are not humans. Our greatest enemies are monsters, who be merit of their creation by the Old Gods, are known as their Children. With their strength they hold this position, but our faith is that we will overcome them, and the Old Gods, harsh judges as they are, will see humankind as truly their strongest servants, and those worthy of ruling Beluterra. This is why we fight. One day the tests of the Old Gods will end, and humankind will see itself the victor. One day we shall be the favoured of the Old Gods, and Beluterra shall be ours to command, through our strength.

Core Belief

Humans are fooling themselves if they think force of arms alone will defeat the monsters. For mankind to truly control the continent we need to win the love of those who control this land, the Old Gods. If we do not, the monsters will continue to thrive, and we shall never know peace.

The Gods

The Old Gods are a mighty forces that stand behind the workings of the World, rewarding the brave, destroying the weak and confounding the corrupted. They respect strength, courage, independence, and determination; those who display such qualities receive their blessings; those who do not, fall to the harshness of the world.

Monsters

The gods created the Children to be strong and free, the masters of Beluaterra. Yet the incursion of humans has cast doubt in the eyes of the gods as to the strength of their Children. So while man fights to win the favour of the Gods, the Children fight to keep it.

Worship

The Gods are swayed by acts of courage, and strength of both character and force. For them the battlefield is a temple, the cities of man a testament to their ingenuity, the taming of the wild lands a demonstration of their determination. As each man honours his kin and struggles against the world, the Gods become pleased and should a man distinguish himself in their eyes, he is blessed. To earn the respect of the Gods, one must do great things with and for his kith and kin, honour the holy places, and demonstrate the strength of the human spirit.

Priests

Those who dedicate themselves to the Gods, truly swear themselves to their kin. The Gods have no need for those who hide away tending to the 'flock' rather they respect those who stand unwavering on the front lines, whether they be the battlefield or the farmer's field, struggling against the enemies of mankind. Those who swear to be priests are expected to prove the worth of humanity in all that they do, and never flinch from their duty. (Note: Since priests don't actually fight, this is merely a roleplaying distinction.)