The Religion of Selyirin

Mythology & Lore

The officially recognized religion of Selyirin is that of The Celestial Library. This sect is primarily devoted to Savras and Mystra, and their purpose is cultivating the kingdom’s library of spells. Many other deities are worshipped in the Selyiri pantheon, in smaller regional temples. After Mitheach's secession, the Empress led an initiative to improve the "religious diversity optics" of the nation that included the installation of multi-faith places of worship in the smaller cities that did not already have dedicated temples. These establishments are called Interfaith Houses of Prayer, affectionately known by the locals as "IHOPs." All ten of the deities in the Selyiri pantheon have dedicated shrines, and the upstairs is a chapel for other deities' worship.

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Savras and Mystra are the primary deities in this pantheon. Savras as the god of manipulated magic, and Mystra as the goddess of natural magic. Their first union produced twins: Lathander, god of birth and renewal, arrived first and assisted in the difficult delivery of his brother Loviatar, god of pain. These four gods formed the original pantheon of Dabhogard, and the rest of the deities in the table below were later accepted into what is now the official Selyiri pantheon. (fun fact: The pantheon of four was influenced by the Ainarindë of Ostirion.) The Celestial Library - This is the nationally recognized religion. Worship of unrecognized deities in groups larger than three individuals is considered cult worship and is prohibited by law. In addition to the many IHOPs, there are also two Celestial Library locations in Iuctas and Theriounn that house books and scrolls of theological history, as well as more general information. These two Libraries are connected to each other and to the four Schools of Magic by teleportation circles. Sathverism - The oldest recognized religious group in Selyirin are the First Sathveirites. Those of this faith do not recognize the majority of the Salonikan pantheon, instead worshipping only the “original pair” (or Sathveir) of Savras and Mystra. Since these deities are both technically recognized by the Empire, this faith is not considered a cult, but members are not exactly popular in society. There are two sects of this faith, the First and the New Sathverites, which separated shortly after the Great Calamity. Those of the New faith have established a strong community in southern Nixques and are not known to modern Selyiri or Mitheachans. Followers of the First, however, with their strong theocratic views, formed smaller and more dispersed communities in the urban centers of Dabhogard, where their faith could be practiced without upsetting the monarchy. In modern Selyirin, you can find a Sathverite neighborhood in many of the larger cities. These usually consist of humans and halflings only, although dwarves, gnomes, and half elves have been known to convert to the Sathverite faith. These neighborhoods are avoided by most people in the way that Jehovah’s Witnesses are avoided, but not usually ostracized or harassed in any way.

Worship

Worship in Selyirin is a highly personal thing. While there are temples and meeting places, preaching to a large group is uncommon. There are representatives in the Celestial Library as well as in every IHOP that welcome questioning souls and offer spiritual guidance, but it is up to the individual the type of relationship that they have with the divine, as well as the worship and practice that defines that relationship.