Faith in the Lakes Region
“I am sometimes asked: ‘Why is it that Elieff decided that somethingness was preferable to nothingness?’ and I am forced to answer that I do not know, that attempting to answer to the motivations of a god is the height and very definition of hubris, and that I can only be grateful that he did so. But, caught on a reflective sort of day, I will confess that I have sometimes speculated, and my speculation is generally thus: ‘We may not always be wise, kind, pious, good, or virtuous, but to the Great Watcher, who sees all from a perspective we cannot begin to comprehend, we must surely be entertaining.”
- Candlebearer Mikrahm, Questions I Have Been Asked (1958)
If you were to ask a denizen of the Lakes Region what god they worshipped, they might reasonably give you a short list, often dependent on their trade, or perhaps where they lived. A smith might wake, thank Bard for their dreams, be grateful to Alejandro for being in a loving relationship, thank Atha for the ore that they work, Callis for the fire that heats it, and Marius that they sell the fruits of their craft for an equitable price. Many parts of everyday life have a focus that is the domain of a god, and while not every person going about their day will keep the gods at the forefront of their mind throughout it, the pious do not need to be choosy to find a god to whom to give thanks, if they are so inclined.
Devoted clerics, whose studies have brought them into a closer relationship with a god, are similarly not required to ignore the contributions that the combined pantheon bring to their lives, but their focus is naturally more limited. They may acknowledge the contributions of all of the gods, but by the nature of their relationship, choose their god’s priorities over and above all others, where those priorities differ. Failing to do so may sour their relationship with their god, for clerical investment is at least in part an affirmation of priorities – and stating that the god they serve best reflects their priorities.
Faith and the Law
While different nations in the Lakes Region recognize different gods as lawful and unlawful to worship, it is generally the case that even if a faith is lawful, not all possible actions that could be construed as acts of worship are similarly lawful. A Callis priest might argue, and persuasively, that the lighting ablaze of buildings, heretics, and sacred incenses are all equal acts of devotion to the god of flame – but of the three, the first is still arson, the second is still murder, and the third most likely permitted, provided that the flames are not allowed to spread.
In more permissive states, this tends to be the metric against which acts of faith are judged; the faithful may believe whatever pleases them best, but may face sharp censure for their actions. Some exceptions are made for acts of faith that might better serve the interests of the state, such as a priest of Jerroh, god of orderly burial and natural death, studying tenets of necromancy to better do battle with their traditional foe. Nevertheless, this is very much the exception, rather than any reflection upon the rule.
As far as which gods fall within and without the boundaries of law (or which may face significant restriction, as the case may be), the line is generally set at what a government believes it may allow, without undermining its own rule. Although some nations may recognize Iccula, the goddess of pain, as a cruel necessity of maintaining their rule, few nations that acknowledge any property rights can suffer to tolerate the actions of Astrid, god of thieves – and Astrid, in turn, may appreciate this. What is a thief, after all, in a land where there is nothing that can be deemed ‘stolen’?
Divine Intervention
Although some faithful may tell you otherwise, direct divine intervention from the gods is rare. While the gods certainly support their causes on the prime plane, it is most often the case that their support comes in the form of miracles granted to followers – in the form of the spells that their followers can cast through the strength of their beliefs. The gods would very much like their followers to succeed, but direct meddling from one god invites direct meddling from another, and many gods find themselves with interests that oppose at least one other god. Much neater then, to let the mortals stand for the principles and beliefs that they claim, and sort it out among themselves.
Some few have encountered celestials, potent beings manifested by a divine will. These divine servitors will most often act in a support role, delivering messages, guarding an important location sanctified to a god, or acting as a muse and teacher to the faithful of Ariel. While legends tell of celestial legions marching in lockstep to take a military objective or to smite the unworthy, many scholars agree that such a direct action would surely indicate that the god in question had decided that subtlety was unneeded – or that their actions would place them beyond reprisal.
Only the most devout would say with no hesitation that this latter would not be a situation of grave concern.
Clerics
Invested clerics have taken the next step in devotional faith; by aligning themselves with the ideals of a holy power, they have asked the deity in question to grant them the power to work miracles in that god’s name. Their actions reflect on their faith, and a god who feels poorly served – or that a follower is only in it for the magic – may express their displeasure with such a churlish follower.
Although disproportionately represented among adventurers, empowered clerics are relatively rare among a god’s followers. Invested clerics may be faith leaders in a community, or they may be privately devout; similarly, faith leaders need not necessarily be granted miracles to give guidance to other followers. The ability to work magic through the hidden mysteries of that faith, combined with deeply held belief, is granted with the understanding that those workings will be used in the world to further the god’s interests.
As a cleric grows in power, so too grow the responsibilities that a god may place upon that cleric to use that power wisely and well. While all clerics are expected to be devout, an invested cleric just beginning their journey of faith may be more casual about that faith; by the time they are among the most senior of invested clerics, many are zealots, and few expect that their deity’s favour would remain if they were to stray from the cause.
Other Powers
Some whisper that the known gods are not unique in their ability to grant power. Both Strega and Bard were hidden from common knowledge, until they made their debuts upon the world’s stage. Perhaps more concerning, rumours speak of cultists following powerful infernals, faerie regents, and even the ruinous powers that were the Twins – and receiving spell casting abilities in exchange for this devotion. Whatever the case, the gods guard their primacy jealously… and for now, the rumours remain unconfirmed.
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Holidays of Ariel
Authored by: Andrew Dunlop
Fantasy Alive Lore Team 2026
Copyright © Endless Adventures Ontario