Deity Culture

deity culture
interacting with a deity
Your character can either interact with a deity personally or pray to them.

When interacting with a deity personally, it's a good idea to pick your deity carefully! Some are more sympathetic or forgiving than others. If one deity refuses to give your character what they want, you can always just go and ask another one. Having something to barter with helps. Deities especially love Emerald Leaves, and most will do almost anything to get one - they're like catnip for gods!

Prayers are not really understood. Deities can choose to listen to their prayers (so it may take a while for yours to get through!) or sometimes prayers can interrupt them while they're doing other things. Again, it's wise to pick your deity - a prayer is more likely to get through quickly if:

You're praying to a deity you personally believe in;
If your request is urgent; or
If you or the subject of your prayer appeals to that deity's characteristics (for example, Mallos is more likely to hear a child's prayer, and Rhaegar is more likely to hear a soldier's).

how to approach a deity
It is extremely culturally rude to use a deity's name. This is a very long-standing tradition, dating back from ancient polytheistic religions where humans feared to use a god's name, and instead used epithets - a description of a trait attributed to that deity. It is still considered inadvisable to use a deity's name unless they give you permission to do so.

There are three ways to address a deity: by using a term of respect (in their language or yours), such as 'sir' or 'madam'; by using an epithet (in English or the ancient language); or by using the generic term sebauza/za'ensebau (male), sebauzat/zatensabu (female), or the gender neutral seba'iqer. It is always advisable to use the deity's own language or the ancient language when addressing them.

When talking about a deity to another deity, it is best to use epithets to refer to them.

deity epithets
Epithets are just terms which describe a person's attributes. Deities have hundreds of epithets which they have accumulated over the years, and your characters are free to invent more. It should also be noted that deities don't choose their own epithets; these are given to them by worshippers. The ones listed on this page are the more well known or well used ones, and are all in the ancient language.

Generic terms
Gender neutral: seba'iqer ("excellent star"), netjer ("god")
Male: sebauza/za'ensabu ("son of the stars"), neb ("lord")
Female: sebauzat/zatensebau ("daughter of the stars"), nebet ("lady")

The gender neutral seba'iqer is generally preferable, as it has a connotation of respect attached. Sebauza/za'ensebau and sebauzat/zatensebau have no connotation of respect and simply mean "original fairy".

Allianah
Native language: Arabic (Sudanese)
Native term: sitt
Epithets: wer-pekhti ("one who has great strength"), khepesh ("strong arm"), kheneti ("the Nubian")

Aura
Native language: English
Native term: lady, madam/ma'am
Epithets: weret-hekau ("great of magic"), sedjem-seperu ("one who hears prayers"), semesu ("eldest one"), wer'er-netjeru-nebu ("one who is greater than all other gods"), sanekhu ("the life-giver")

Charlton
Native language: English
Native term: sir, lord
Epithets: mesefen-wa ("the gentle one"), di-tu ("one who gives")

Gwythr
Native language: Italian
Native term: signore
Epithets: ma'at-inety ("bringer of order")

Khasekhemwy
Native language: Arabic (Palestinian)
Native term: sayedy
Epithets: rekh ("the knowledgeable man"), zekhau ("the scribe"), sedjemu ("the hearer, obedient one")

Lorraine
Native language: Russian
Native term: ledi
Epithets: hemet-sewab ("the pure lady"), nefer-wa ("the beautiful one"), seret ("noble")

Mallos
Native language: Spanish
Native term: señor
Epithets: ra ankh ("the living sun"), akh-tu ("one who is effective"), neb-hedjedjut ("lord of rays"), ab-em-neferu'ef ("one who boasts of his perfection"), kha-tu ("one who shines")

Rhaegar
Native language: Old Norse
Native term: jarl, dróttinn, yfir-maðr
Epithets: ma'i-ib ("lionheart"), mika-ib ("braveheart"), meketi-sen ("one who shall protect"), nebu-wa ("the golden one")

Tsi
Native language: Mandarin
Native term: xiansheng
Epithets: a'am ("the Asiatic"), qeded-tu ("one who causes to sleep")

Zed
Native language: Portuguese
Native term: senhor
Epithets: bekhen-shenu ("one who does not accept bribes"), dju'u ("the mountain")

deities in polytheistic cults
Polytheistic cults are so varied and widespread that almost every variation occurs. Here's how deities often appear in polytheistic cults. Please note, each list comprises of different features which they may be worshipped for - the list is not a comprehensive list of things they are worshipped for in all polytheistic religions. So for example, in one religion Aura may be the goddess of creation and the stars; in another she may be a goddess of the sun and the hot seasons. It varies by religion.

Allianah: as a goddess of war and combat, archery, battle strategy, victory and good fortune, healing, protector of soldiers, protector of the weak (traditionally women and children), destroyer of evil, guardian of order. Most known for: war and victory.
Aura: as a goddess of creation, the heavens, stars, the sun, the moon, the dead, the hot seasons, the cold seasons, magic, the cosmos, leader of the gods, guardian of the people. Most known for: magic, creation, the moon.
Charlton: as a god of freedom, independence, diversity, good will, kindness, generosity. Charlton doesn't appear with great frequency in polytheistic cults and always plays only a minor role within them.
Gwythr: as a god of order, justice, fairness, politics, balance, law, morality, tradition, wisdom, knowledge, propriety, a guardian of the tongue (helps people to conduct themselves in a proper manner). Most known for: order, wisdom, guardian of the tongue.
Kahl: as a god of learning, knowledge, water/rivers, the weather, the cold seasons, imperialism, order, justice. Most known for: the weather, imperialism, order.
Khasekhemwy: as a god of learning, knowledge, wisdom, healing, writing, languages, magic, protector of scribes and writers, protector of white-collar workers and administrators, protector of children. Most known for: learning, writing.
Lorraine: as a goddess of snow, ice, the cold seasons, beauty, elegance, good financial fortune, wealth, controller of animals, protector of livestock and domesticated animals. Most known for: ice/cold, beauty.
Mallos: as a god of romance, fertility, the sun, the hot seasons, festivities and celebrations, wine, trickery and mischief, light, guardian of children. Most known for: the sun, guardian of children.
Rhaegar: As god of war, strength and courage, leadership, freedom, good fortune, chivalry, honesty, hope, strategy, daring and protection. A favourite amongst generals. Later associated with: vengeance, death, destruction and darkness. Closely identified with fire, steel, bronze and wolves. Once known as Rhaegar the Golden. Most known for: war and strength.
Tsi: as a god of healing, sleep, dreams, good harvest, construction and repairs, nature, protector of all people, protector of seafarers. Most known for: construction and repairs, sleep.
Xephyr does not regularly appear in modern polytheistic cults because he has been gone for so long. For specific information regarding his presentation and personal cult, please speak to Quil.
Zed: as a god of happiness, good fortune, order, justice, the cosmos, protector of the poor, wards away evil spirits. Most known for: happiness, protector of the poor.

deities in monotheistic cults
Auran Church: the monotheistic followers of Aura
Easily the largest fairy religion, with some 2 and a half million fairy followers on Earth. There are a number of smaller denominations, but generally speaking the main Church, which operates globally, is headed by head honchos over in London. The overall head of the Church is the First Prophet of Aura. There is also a Second Prophet, a Third Prophet and a Fourth Prophet, and beneath them an inner circle of High Priests and the rest of the hierarchy.

First Prophet: Lord Dahshoor
Second Prophet: Lady Dahshoor
Third Prophet: Sir Albert Buckley
Fourth Prophet: Sir Richard Carter

The Auran priesthood of the main Church are fairly corrupt and undertake secret practices of questionable legality and morality. The Church is inflexible, dedicated to converting the world to the 'true' path, and widely dismissive of other religions and of the other deities. Because of their huge following, the pyramid organisation and their access to almost unlimited resources, they are a force to be reckoned with and even the Council of Originals has to be careful how they approach them. Lady Dahshoor is one of the greatest hypnotists on Earth, and a sizeable number of the missionaries have persuasive or hypnotic abilities.

Aurans in general are good people, but the leaders are largely power-hungry, selfish and in it for self-gain. There is no holy book; instead, the Prophets of Aura divine her will and translate it to the rest of the following. Only the four Prophets can interpret the will of Aura, which gives them the ultimate authority. Since she died, the Church leaders can more or less say and do as they please.

Many of the Auran followers are casual regarding their religion, but some are more fanatical. The diversity can be likened to Christianity.

Mallosian Church: the monotheistic followers of Mallos
Operates on a similar set-up to the Auran Church, except that it is more decentralised. Each country has its own denomination, with its own Four Prophets. There is no official leading denomination, which can lead to power struggles, but generally the Spanish division is in control of the others. At the moment, the Spanish division is in control but their authority is contested by the Mexican division. There are churches in Spanish-speaking South America, across the Mediterranean and southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Philippines.

The top leaders of each Church are often corrupt, power-hungry and self-centred, but the lower parts of the hierarchy are much better. The Spanish division is generally counted among the worst for corruption, while the Mexican is among the best. Recently, the Spanish division got a little too big for its boots and Mallos was forced to personally intervene in their decision-making; he ousted a lot of the High Priests, including the Fourth Prophet of Mallos, and replaced them with trusted people. This has led to an internal power struggle and a divide within the Spanish division.

As a general rule the Mallosian lot don't take their religion as seriously as some of the others, and there are a larger number of celebrations. Typical.

Rhaegaran Cult: the monotheistic followers of Rhaegar
The cult is scattered through Scandinavia, and whilst concentrated largely in Norway, Denmark and Sweden has a presence in Greenland, Iceland, and a very small outpost in Canada. The Principal Rhaegaran temple is located just outside of Odense in Denmark. It is visible only to faeries and only they may enter. The organisation is run by a council of twelve elders (Allmikitólf) who are elected from amongst the ranks of the priesthood (presti). The Sword Brothers (Mækibróðer) are guaranteed two council members at all times. They dedicate their lives to maintaining the temples and please their God. They are also believe themselves to be their God's advanced guard and are therefore trained thoroughly in combat. Their elite are known as the Company of the Wolf (Fylgirvitnir ) and are based at the Odense temple. The Council elect from amongst themselves their chief priest (Goðapresti). There is a strong oral tradition and whilst the sacred words (Helgarspioll) have been recorded in writing over the years, the majority of the cult have memorised them and know them by heart. The officials of the cult all wear a shackle around one wrist, and a chain around the other, they all carry swords at all times. The cult believes that Rhaegar has a key role to play in the ending of the current world, but that he will keep the faithful safe and give them a reborn world in which to prosper. The nature of his exact role is under constant dispute, and there are numerous groups of thought. Their God's change in personality is noted, though there is some division over its meaning that had split the council. Some believe that it is a sign that he is displeased with them, others that the end of days has begun, and the remainder argue that it is not their place to attempt to explain the whims of their god and that he will reveal his purpose to them in time.

Allmikitólf (the very great 12)
Helena Akselsen (Goðapresti: Chosen on October 21st, 1986.)
Klaus Eklund
Frederick Ibsen
Casper Jensson
Nikolaj Omdahl
Mari Kron
Mathias Riber
Henrik Bentsen
Leander Sinason
Maja Landvik
Elias Vinter
Lucas Eld

Others
Most of the others are better defined as cults rather than religions.

Allianah's cult is very small and focused almost solely in tribes and villages in the Sudan. It is completely decentralised and the cultic worship varies from place to place. Her worship in polytheistic cults is more prominent and widespread.
Charlton's cult is almost non-existent, and exists only in remote regions of the USA. Probably less than a hundred people still worship him, and all of them are extremely dedicated, considering he no longer performs deity duties (answering prayers etc).
Gwythr's cult is the opposite as Tsi's. It was classed as a religion but is now declining down towards cult status, and is threatening to be decentralised. An extreme denomination has emerged, is rapidly gaining power and is threatening to overtake all the other churches. Gwythr's cult tends to be very conservative, and a lot of his followers are convinced that he was framed in the Shaman scandal.
Kahl's cult is still going, although it is very small and focused only in the region of Germany which was originally Prussia. These lot are fanatical, and believe that the other original fairies conspired to have Kahl murdered.
Khasekhemwy's cult is very small, but its members are extremely dedicated. His worship in polytheistic cults is more prominent and widespread. It is spread between Egypt and Palestine, extending a little into other eastern countries, and he is considered the patron protector of scribes and writers globally. Because he heads the administrative side of the council and the Divine Scribes, he tends to be quietly revered amongst those workers even if they belong to other religions.
Lorraine's cult is reasonable sized and focused in Russia. It plays a much larger role among the upper class, since she has very little to do with the lower classes, and so tends to be quite conservative
Tsi's cult is on the rise globally, but at the moment is decentralised and operating mainly in Asia. It is on the verge of forming into a single religion and there is currently a power struggle to going on to determine which denomination will rise up as the main religion, and who will lead it.
Zed's cult is fairly small but widespread, and extends across the whole of South America. Mallos is equally (if not more so) popular in the Spanish-speaking South America. They are extremely decentralised, generally focused on individual towns, and have a relaxed attitude towards their religion.

reputations on shaman
The majority of fairies in Shaman are Aurans or polytheists. The following is an outline of how the population as a whole regards the individual deities.

Aura is the original god of Shaman and is widely viewed in a positive light for her many contributions towards keeping the planet safe. She was not an affable or likeable person and those who knew her personally were often disappointed or had mixed views about her. However, she is still remembered as a force of good who eventually gave her life to protect others.
Gwythr is the original villain of Shaman. His name still strikes fear into the hearts of many, and he has become the bogeyman or the monster under the bed. Under his dictatorship many lives were ripped apart - so much so that even the newer generators born after his time are feeling the profound effects.
Lorraine is the second big bad villain after Gwythr. She is most known for "Lorraine's winter", when she froze Shaman, rendering most of it uninhabitable - just because she lost her hairbrush and blamed the king. Queen Lilith and the crowned Prince Gawain were believed to have perished in her winter. She is regarded with deep hatred and fear.
Mallos is a mixed bag. Because Gwythr used his name and face to commit many crimes, the cultural taboo around both has been hard to break, even though everyone now knows it wasn't him. Many people of the war generation still find Mallos intimidating and use his name in the place of monsters (e.g. "eat your greens or Mallos will come and gobble you up!). The negative connotations attached to him are gradually fading, however, and he is generally beheld with a kind of wariness. His close relationship with the royal family is respected, but he is seen to have a volatile, unpredictable personality that many are unsure of.
Tsi is seen in a largely positive light after he ended the civil war and imposed peace on Shaman.
The other deities are not well known enough to have an impact on public opinion.