Essentialism
In the western half of the continent, most people are followers of one of some form of ‘‘Essentialism’’ - which is more of a family of religions than a single religion. Essentialist religions are either polytheist or henotheist, believing in a pantheon of gods, the major gods of which rule over the four elements.
The Sun King
The Shining One, Lightbringer, Lord of Morning, Fist of Light, these are all names for the Sun King, god of the sun and the element of fire, and associated with light, healing, and goodness. Combined, his are by far the most influential churches on the continent.
Unique in the Elementalist pantheon in that he is almost universally referred to as The Sun King, this god rules over the element of fire, and is often seen as having other domains like light, healing, and goodness - but also of wrath and war, for the Sunlord is known for his temper.
The lesser gods in his domain are often referred to as saints by the organized churches that follow him, which blurs the line between actual lesser gods and humans the church has beatified.
Subordinates and Saints of the Sun King
- Saint Isaure, lady of light, beatified in 100~IA~
- The Saint of Flames
- Saint Jayden, former Bishop of Illyria
The Sea Queen
The Sea Queen is known by many names, with many faces. Also referred to as Mari by the Einir or Sha’mar by the Marshandi, she is the tempestuous stormy sea, the steady but churning river, or the life-bringing rain. She rules over the element of water, and is goddess of chaos and darkness, but also of love and emotion.
The Lady of the Moon
As seen by many followers of Essentialism, The Sea Queen is served by her lover, The Lady of the Moon. But the Einir revere her as Ysenenobeth, and see the relationship in the opposite direction. The Lady of the Moon holds sway over magic, time and cycles, and sometimes the more calm aspects of the element of water.
The Four Winds
The Four Winds, Stormhammer, and The Soaring One are all names for the god of the infinite sky and the element air. A dynamic god that is seen as having many facets that come and go, they are masculine by day, and feminine at night. He is lord of the sky, winds and clouds. Hers is the province of the starry night, the evening breeze, the driving rain.
Seen as aloof and capricious, this god rules over the element of air, as well as neutrality. They are often also thought of as the god of higher thought, philosophy, curiosity, learning, and travel. Unlike the other three major gods of the pantheon of Essentialism, The Four Winds does not rule over any lesser gods, though their faces and aspects worshipped individually are many.
The Underlord
Ruler of the element of earth and of cold, unfeeling order, no other god is at the same time as feared and respected as the Underlord. He rules over the domains of darkness and death, but is also the keeper of the natural cycles of life. His is the way of destruction - not for evil, but to make way for the endless cycle of death and the birth that the Sun King brings.
Many lesser gods that pay fealty to the Underlord, however, are seen as evil. Whether this is true can only be known by the Underlord himself - but on mortal time scales their actions and intents are often indistinguishable from evil.
Branches of Essentialism
- In the Empire of Narin, and many of the former vassal states of the empire, the Narin Orthodox Church dictates a henotheist view of Essentialism, following the Sun King as the primary deity, and putting the others barely above the level of the Sun King’s saints.
- The Church of Illyria broke from the Narin Orthodoxy about 10 years ago over the beatification of the Saint of Flames, which the orthodox church refused to recognize for political reasons.
- The Marshandi people practice another henotheist form of Essentialism that places the Sea Queen above the others.
- The people of Rygalta practice an almost monotheistic version of Essentialism, so important is the Sun King to their religion.