Gaeanism

The most common faith of Humans and in the continent overall, Gaeanism is a religion that focuses on a single creator, Gaea. Some believe that Gaea split herself into dozens of goddesses they call icons, each of which preside over a facet of existence, or that Gaea is a single unitary deity. Gaeans also believe that when the world was first made, the first humans were cruel and greedy, and from their sin formed a dark reflection of Gaea, Diabla. Gaeans believe when sin is eradicated and all follow Gaea, Diabla will vanish and the faithful will live eternal in Paradise.   The Gaean faith is matriarchal, and as a result power structures in human realms weigh towards women, both in matters of faith and state. The temporal representative of the heavens to the followers of Gaea Undivided is the Vox Prima, a woman said to be the ‘first voice.’ Despite this alleged authority, there are quite a few human realms that exist outside of the Divinate’s control. These realms follow various icons of Gaea, but do not acknowledge the Vox Prima as a temporal authority or her teachings, being called adherents of Gaea Divided.   Due to evangelization and forced conversions, there are significant populations from all folk that worship Gaeanism, making it one of the few properly universalist religions in the Westerlands. Each sect of Gaeanism shares at least one ceremony in common though. In hidden chapels the most ardent of zealots partake of the ‘Sacrament,’ a rite which they claim allows them to commune with Her. The secret of the Sacrament is tightly guarded, and each sect claims that theirs alone is the true holy rite and that the others are corrupted.