Volcano Gods

The Volcano Gods are Fire, Ash, and Stone. They are often called Sigrid, Darka, and Lodril. Not a religion in themselves, they existed throughout the world in various pantheons, with significance and number of roles dependent largely on distance from the nearest Volcano.

Worshipers of the volcano gods have been known from Old Grehk, Cagilan Empire, Darka, and predating Darka in Perdan

A normal altar to the Volcano Gods is a stone fireplace. Sacrifices are burned, and the ashes are scattered. All three gods are often honoured at once.

Other deity roles, such as nature or sun gods, oak spirits, and such tend not to be tied to the Volcano gods, often also existing in the same or greater roles outside volcano affected areas. As such the Volcano Gods form something of a non exclusive pantheon of their own, appearing and taking over local god's roles wherever a Volcano occurs. Priests in volcanic areas may honour primarily the volcano gods, but some may also serve the sun, sea, harvest, etc, possibly at the same time.

Sigrid

Fire, usually takes on the aspect of a fiery-haired young woman, and her dominion is Fire, Light and with it truth, Joy, Warmth, Justice, War, Passion, and Destruction. Sigrid is often served by warriors and bards, and all homes seek her blessing of warm comfort, while fearing her wrath.

Lodril

Stone, the first of the volcano gods, The heat without light, Progenitor of Sigrid and Ash, The Smith, God of toil and strength. Lodril is often served by peasants and craftspeople, the solid folk of the earth. His blessing is stability and durability, and often found on cornerstones or hearths. Despite all his admirable traits, Lodril is also associated with stubbornness and boredom.

Darka

Ash, Sigrid's brother, is usually depicted as a dark haired and pale complexioned young man, in dark clothes or a hooded cloak. His dominion is Darkness, Death and The Dead, Silence, Cold, Misery, Intelligence, Cruelty. He is often served by assassins and thieves, but also cold calculating merchants and politicians.

Darka is not considered an entirely evil god. As Sigrid in her extreme is Destruction, so too is Darka's Death often associated with rebirth, or reincarnation. The scattering of ashes at sacrifices or funerals is for regrowth after fire, conversely lingering ash piles are considered bad and to invoke death. From a sermon by Valglin, Priest King of Darka: "Where Ash falls heavy, there is death, Yet where he touches but lightly, bounteous growth"

The Darkan Heresy

Darkanism as it has recently developed, has stressed the violence of Sigrid, Fire, and shifted her to being the goddess of destruction, and Darka, Ash, a good god of life. Investigations into the reason for these aberrant roles is not yet concluded.