The Old Faith
The Old Faith is one of the few religious systems in the world which has nothing to do with Octarchism or the Eight Divines whatsoever. In fact, it predates the worship of the new gods by at least 20,000 years. The Old Faith is the ancient religion of the druids, the rangers, and the hunter gatherers of prehistory. It has no formalized, pantheon, scripture, or doctrines, and little in the way of an official priesthood. Adherents of the Old Faith revere the natural world itself, and the primordial energy of nature which unites all living things. The Old Faith acknowledges the existence of the EIght Divines and the other cosmic powers as a matter of incontrovertible fact, but views them as rather small and irrelevant, paying little attention to their concerns or conflicts with one another.
The closest thing the Old Faith has to “clergy” are the druids, a collection of ancient mystical sects who draw power from communion with nature and the primordial energy of the universe. These druids are typically mendicants, traveling between the scattered tribes and rural communities where the Old Faith still holds sway.
Thousands of years ago, variants of the Old Faith were practiced throughout the world. As civilization developed, the races of mortals gradually came to understand the universe that surrounded them and became aware of the presence of the Eight Divines. The Octarchist rites were born and slowly spread across the world. Wherever the followers of the new gods came they pushed back the Old Faith, often by the sword. By the 16th Century GR the Old Faith is nearly extinct in the Old World. Its last adherents are clustered in the far north and other remote, rural areas. It still has some strength in the New World, however, where its practice persists among the savage tribal lizardmen of the deep interior, despite multiple attempts to eradicate it by their more urbanized kin. Though civilized peoples generally regard the Old Faith as a primitive, pagan superstition, the power commanded by its druids cannot be denied. The mysterious priests of the old ways are often sought after for their wisdom, unique skill set, and immense magical capabilities.
The closest thing the Old Faith has to “clergy” are the druids, a collection of ancient mystical sects who draw power from communion with nature and the primordial energy of the universe. These druids are typically mendicants, traveling between the scattered tribes and rural communities where the Old Faith still holds sway.
Thousands of years ago, variants of the Old Faith were practiced throughout the world. As civilization developed, the races of mortals gradually came to understand the universe that surrounded them and became aware of the presence of the Eight Divines. The Octarchist rites were born and slowly spread across the world. Wherever the followers of the new gods came they pushed back the Old Faith, often by the sword. By the 16th Century GR the Old Faith is nearly extinct in the Old World. Its last adherents are clustered in the far north and other remote, rural areas. It still has some strength in the New World, however, where its practice persists among the savage tribal lizardmen of the deep interior, despite multiple attempts to eradicate it by their more urbanized kin. Though civilized peoples generally regard the Old Faith as a primitive, pagan superstition, the power commanded by its druids cannot be denied. The mysterious priests of the old ways are often sought after for their wisdom, unique skill set, and immense magical capabilities.
Comments