Deochism

Deochism is a polytheistic religion primarily practiced by the Aislings of Temuair. .

Overview and origins

The primary religion of Temuair is Deochisn, named for the Aisling god of creation, a polytheistic religion consisting of a pantheon of eight "major" gods and goddesses, we well as two defeated "Overgods". Eight of these deities are directly related to one another and are responsible for a variety of attributes in Aisling life. Two "Overgods", Danaan and Chadul, are more akin to the Christian idea of God and Satan.

According to Deochism lore, Danaan was the creator of life on the planet, what are known as humans, and Chadul sought to corrupt that life to serve him. Chadul enlisted the power of two of the major gods, Sgrios, the god of death, destruction, and chaos and Deoch, the god of debauchery, to form an army known as the Dubhaimid. Chadul's gambit was successful, and rendered the people into mindless slaves of his will.

Danaan seduced Deoch and convinced him that Chadul was wicked, breaking the bonds that allied the two. Danaan choose to do battle with Chadul, defeating him, but at the cost of her own life. With her dying breath, she conferred her power of creation, known as the spark of life, onto her lover, Deoch, entrusting him to break the spell that Chadul had placed on the humans of the world, keeping them in servitude. Deoch, using the spark, created the Aisling people known today, free of Chadul's power, thereby becoming the god of the Spark, creator of the people of the world. It is said that both Danaan and Chadul live on, merely in slumber far below the earth. Chadul's resting place is traditionally believed to be deep within the Astrid Mountains, whereas Dannan's place of slumber is unknown. It is believed that she wlll return to combat the Dubhaimid should they arise again. It was believed by many that all other people's remained under the control of Chadul, as they ahd not yet been set free by Deoch's spark. This belief is a major contributor to the perceived Aisling Arrogance.

The other deities are reasonable for aspects of Aisling life, such as law, knowledge, warfare and nature. Each deity has two allies and two enemies. These relationships do enter into everyday Aisling life, though generally only cause conflict among the clergy. An Aisling may dedicate his or her life, or identify strongly with, one of the gods or goddesses, but can not forsake the others. For example, a solider may venerate Ceannlaidir, the god of war, more readily than others, but he can not simply choose to ignore Glioca and Cail, Ceannlaidir's enemies. Clergy will dedicate themselves to the service of one of the deities. Each major deity has a main temple located within the nation, and smaller places of worship scattered throughout. A chart known as the Octagram depicts these relationships, clearly illustrating one god or goddesses relationship to each other. Regardless of this, some deity's traits transcend the relationships. For example, Glioca, the goddess of love and compassion, is the patroness of all clergy. Deoch, as creator, is the patron god of all Aislings.

Pantheon

Danaan

Danaan is recognized as the Goddess of the People (Aisling Deus do Pobo) and is credited with the creation of life on the planet. Before the Twilight War between herself and the Dubhaimid, she led her people with compassion and grace. It is said that the people of Danaan, the Aislings, had an easy life under Danaan's care; that food was plentiful and work was simple, and the people did not fear disease or even death. In their arrogance, the Aislings attributed their accomplishment to be of their own creation,slowly losing touch with Danaan and ultimately allowing Chadul's plan to come to fruition.

During the war with the Dubhaimid, Danaan seduced Deoch and convinced him of Chadul's wickedness, convincing him to betray his master. Danaan battled Chadul at the climax of the Twilight War, defeating him at great cost. Before she passed into eternal sleep, she gifted her powers of creation to her lover, so that the Aislings may continue to thrive.

Chadul

Chadul is considered the root of all evil in the world, and is associated with darkness and despair, but not death. Chadul sought to corrupt that life to serve him. Chadul enlisted the power of two of the major gods, Sgrios, the god of death, destruction, and chaos and Deoch, the god of debauchery, to form an army known as the Dubhaimid. Chadul's gambit was successful and rendered the people into mindless slaves of his will.

During the climax of the Twilight War, Chadul battled Danaan, ravaging the land. Ultimately, he lost and was banished to the underworld where it is said he resides to this day. According to lore, Chadul is not dead but merely slumbers in his unholy tomb deep within the Vi Castis Mountains of Temuair.

Cail

Cail is the god of nature, as well as the offspring of a union between Glioca and Ceannlaidir. Cail represents harmony with nature, and the idea that all things have a natural, as opposed to man made, solution. He is the patron of farmers, miners, and others whose livelihood depends on the land, or creag.

According to lore, Cail has great strength and that is father, fearing the Cail's power would surpass his own, used his magic to bar him from ever taking up arms. In modern times, the practitioners of, Mande, a martial art developed in Temuair, venerate Cail as the master of unarmed combat. Mande is a defensive art and emphases that one should never be an aggressor in conflict, but only should only use your strength for the defense of oneself or another.

His opposite is his father, Ceannlaidir, not only for his cruelty, but also because his fathers warlike ways seek to destroy life and natural through artificial means. Cail understands that death, and warfare, are part of life, but that it should be practiced in harmony with nature, like everything else. Likewise, Cail seeks the god of death, Sgrios, as an enemy, believing that Sgrios attempts to bring death to the world are constantly harmony nature. Also, Fiosachd, the god of wealth and luck, is enemy to Cail, as his gambling is adverse to Cail's well-structured order. Conversely, Cail recognizes Luthas, the god of law and justice as his ally, believing that as the quest for justice mirrors his own quest for natural harmony, as nature seeks its own justice. Further his mother, Glioca, with her compassion and love, is ally to Cail.

Cail's primary temple is located in the countryside near the city of Undine.

Ceannlaidir

Ceannlaidir is the god of war, and the patron of all soldiers. He was born during the Twilight War, and led Danaan's people to victory against the forces of the Dubhaimid. He seduced Glioca and impregnated her with a child, Cail, the god of nature and harmony. Glioca, furious at what she perceived as his dishonestly, divorced herself from him following the birth of her son.

Some dismiss Ceannlaidir as an evil deity, reckoning that presiding over warfare is detrimental to life. According to teachings, this is true to an extent, but Ceannlaidir also instills his own code of honor to his followers, as well as providing his own strength and protection to his people in battle.

Ceannlaidir opposite is his son, Cail. Ceannlaidir believes that war is won through tactics and the deployment of Aisling-made weaponry, and not through the "unharnessed power of the earth". He reckons Luathas, god of knowledge, and his former lover Glioca, the goddess of mercy and compassion, as his enemies, as neither ethics, morals or compassion belong on the battlefield. Ceannlaidir find allies in Fiosachd, using his innate luck and skill in deception to his advantage on the battlefield, as well as in Sgrios, the god of death, using his appetite for destruction to fuel the fires of war.

His primary temple is located within the citadel of Piet, whose military tradition is among some of the oldest and most colorful in the world. In modern times, Ceannlaidir is the recognized patron of the Armed Forces of the Temuair Empire. The Ceannlaidir Academy, the foremost military academy in Temuair, is named for him, as is the Imperial Navy's largest active aircraft carrier, the ANV Ceannlaidir

Deoch

Deoch is the god of life, and considered to be the creator of the modern Aisling's after Danaan's victory in the Twilight War. He obtain the power of create life from Danaan and used it to free the Dubhaimid from their enslavement by Chadul. During the Twilight War, Deoch sided with Chadul and Sgrios to form the Dubhaimid; an army used to ravage the world in an attempt to bring int under Chadul's control. Deoch, convinced of Chadul's wickedness by Danaan, turned on his former master and assisted her in defeating him at the end of the Twilight War. Deoch fund that, after his defection, he hated Sgrios for the death he had wrought, but was convinced by Danaan that he must not hate Sgrios, for death is his nature, and death must exist in the world. Before her departure from this world into slumber, she gifted him with the power to save the Aisling's and create life. This is known in literature as "the spark", and the spark is considered to be the origin of the modern Aisling. Because of his actions during the Twilight War and his hand in saving the Aisling people, he is considered the patron of all Aislings.

His opposite is Gramail. Deoch's love of creativity clashes with the structured and rigid outlook of a justice-oriented Gramail. His enemies are Fiosachd, who dependence of blind luck, and the chaos that results from it, stunts creativity and sees many projects left undone. Liekwise, he finds an enemy in Luathas, the god of knowledge, whose adherence to logic leaves no room for the imagination to roam. He finds an ally in both Sgrios and Glioca, reckoning that the spark of life, and the creativity of Aisling's, interacts most fiercely where the friction between death and love is strongest.

Deoch's temple is in Dismar, the capital of Temuair. As befitting his status as the god of all Aisling's, it is perhaps the largest and most ornate of the prime temples. Deoch is the patron of medical personal, especially those dealing with children, as well, he is the patron of newborn children, watching over the tender psark he has ignited within them. In the ancient Aisling calendar, which is largely out of practical use and now only referenced by the church, a year is referred to as a Deoch.

Fioschad

Fioschad is the god of luck and wealth, and is the patron of bot gamblers and mercenaries. Followers of Fioschad explain the wealth accumulated in Fioschad's name, and given by his hand, is earned through work, or skill at deception or the gaming table, and not freely given.

Fioschad's opposite is Luathas, the god of knowledge, as he despises the methodical and scientific approach to life advocated by Luathas. Fioschad prefers to, instead, rely on luck and chance to see him through any difficulty. He finds himself arrayed against Deoch, finding little material use for the creations Deoch has made, and Cail, whose control over nature and dislike of material possessions frustrates and baffles Fioschad. Conversely, he finds himself allied with Ceannlaidir, as Fioschad found that warfare allows for the great risk, and great reward for those skillful or lucky enough to seize opportunities. His second ally is an unlikely one, Gramail, God of LAw and Justice. While Gramail may constantly attempt to thwart Fioschad's deceit, Fioschad enjoys the challenge to outwit Gramail, forcing him to constantly devise new strategies and deceptions. Gramail's law both dares Fiosachd's luck to new heights, as well as providing loopholes to encourage his activities.

His temple is located in Rucesion, considered the economic capital of Temuair. As stated earlier, Fioschad is venerated by mercenaries and many members of the military, especially those associated with intelligence and espionage, as well as traders and other entrepreneurs. Fioschad is the mascot of soldiers serving with foreign militarizes or as volunteer soldiers in foreign wars, such as those associated with the Sieuxerrian Foreign Legion.

Glioca

Glioca is the goddess of life, love and compassion, and is regarded as the only true child of Danaan. She is the goddess of lovers, pacifists and the patron of all clergy, regardless of what god they venerate.

Her opposite is Sgrios, the god of death. Though they are not considered enemies, as death is as natural as life, Sgrious hatred of the living is in direct contrast to the mercy and love Glioca feels for all Aislings. She finds her enemies in Ceannlaidir, who once seduced her, impregnating her with her only child, Cail. The war and carnage he represents and enjoys disgusts Glicoa, as does his disregard for life. She is also enemies with Gramial, whose laws can sometimes stand in the way of love, mercy and compassion. Gramail's search for only justice also denies the capacity to forgive or show mercy. Unlike others, however, Glicoa shows no actual hatred for her so-called enemies, instead displaying a sort of pity or bafflement at their inability to respect and revere the life around the, and how callously they take or regulate it. Her allies are her own son, Cail, who embodies the strength of nature and reveres natural life, as well as Deoch, as she reveres his love for her own mother, and respects his ability and desire to create, or spark, new life into the world.

Glioca's temple can be found in Mileth.

Gramail

Gramail is he god of law and justice, and seeks justice for all Aislings. He seeks to strike a balance, and maintain it, within all Aislings.

He finds his opposite in Deoch, judging that the facts of life are not imagined or created, but are obvious though logic and reason. He find himself at odds with Glioca, seeing her mercy as misguided sentiment, and not serving justice, or the balance of life. Conversely, he fins himself an enemy of Sgrios, whose hatred of all things alive also upset the delicate balance of life. He fins himself allied with Fioschad, whose rash actions can sometimes assist justice in being served swiftly, and who constantly challenges him to refine and rework law to ensure its fair and balanced practice. Further, he finds himself allied with Luathas, not because he believes power is derived from the gods, as many who venerate Luathas do, but because Luathas encourages rational discourse and logic in all things as the only way to reach the truth of matters and to understand all things. It is only natural that logic and justice be well met.

His temple can be found in Loures. He is the patron of all law enforcement and judicial officials. The Gramail University of Law in Loures is one of the most renowned law schools in Temuair, and is famous throughout Pardes. The followers of Gramail are unique in that they come he closest to dismissing the other gods of Temuair as irrelevant, they do not look to other gods for inspiration or affection, following only Gramail, for they see only his advice as neutral and reliable.

Luathas

Luathas is the god of knowledge, both terrestrial and divine, and seeks to understand all of creation. He advocates that true power lies in the pursuit on knowledge, and not in the fires of war and bloodshed.

Luathas finds his opposite in Fioschad, disdaining his belief that blind luck will carry the day. Only logic and reason will allow an Aisling to reach ultimate understanding, and the riches that will bring. He finds himself at odds with Deoch, whose whimsical creativity often defies Luathas' logic. Further, Ceannlaidir's practice of warfare is to the end of victory of might, not of the mind, and therefore is a lesser victory in the eyes of Luathas. Luathas sees Cail's attempts to bring balance and harmony to nature as worthy, as seeking to understand natural life a noble pursuit of knowledge. Further, he finds himself in agreement with Gramail's attempts to use logic and reason to bring balance to life through the neutral administration of justice.

Luathas' temple is in Abel, which is also the home to the Luathas Academy, the premiere university of Temuair. The Luathas Academy is home to the Society of Luathas, a organization akin to Mensa International; a grouping of scientific and logical minds.

Sgrios

Sgrios is the god of death, decay and destruction, but is not necessarily considered evil by Ailsings, as those traits are a natrual part of life. Nor is it apt to compare him to the Satan of Christian religions.

He finds his opposite in Glioca, as death has no use for compassion or mercy. He despises Cail and his attempts to find ways to cheat death by harnessing the power of nature to cure sickness and alleviate ailments. Gramail's justice, seen by Sgrios as attempts by Gramail to control who dies, when, and in what manner, thwarts Sgrios attempts to preside over all death equally. Interesting, Sgrios finds an ally in Deoch, a onetime ally during the Twilight War. Their alliance comes as a basic understanding of the fundamentals of life, the death must follow life. Unsurprisingly, Sgrios is allied to Ceannlaidir's, whose embrace and practice of war provide much death and destruction to feed Sgrios needs.

Sgrios does not have a dedicated temple. His follower's meeting where they will, publish no literature, and erect no monuments. If they do, these things are done away from prying eyes. It has long been rumored the secret shrines to Sgrious exist within the ancient caves and tombs of the Astrid Maintains.