Children of Hallah: Religious Pantheon
Hallah in her bower wept, her grief a screaming cry that wrent the air, tore asunder the ground outside her bed. Nothing could comforther grief, not time, not the soft kicking in her belly for she knew in her heart of hearts that this child too would see her end in the harsh winter, atop the highest peak, a sacrifice in the depths of winter. And Hallah would once again be alone, helpless to stop the turning of the wheel. She knew deep within her soul it was the cycle they were meant to play, again and again. That did nothing to quell the ache in her heart. It was too soon, snow still covered the ground, and her sleep still upon her. She would not wake until her belly swole, heavy with her child and the cycle would repeat. Until then, until the joy of that moment eclipsed and softened the pain she knew, she wrapped the grief around her, wallowed in the sharp edged comfort of its familarity.Except from Cycles and Grief, Hallah's Journey
Mythology & Lore
Hallah is the goddess of All, she made the very ground, formed mountains, carved out the seas. She along with her siblings formed the air, and oceans. Asar the deity of fire joined with Hallah and two create volcanos that spout lava from the bedrock and formed islands and spit sulfer into the air.
The Eight Gods have many stories about them, some carved into the very stone of the mountains the Darovich all home, some written down. Others are sung, or woven into tapestries. The mythology forms the basis of their understanding of the world and how things were formed.
Divine Origins
During The Great Cleaving, when magic and monsters destroyed the very fabric of the known world, the people who survived landed on a barren land, full of the skulls and relics of war. There are stories, mostly spoken word that have been carried forward. They speak of a time when the world was dark and terrifying, and the people huddled near the mountains for shelter as storms ripped everything apart. It is said that during those beginning storms, giants walked the earth, visions of the Gods walking the very plains as they fought back horrific monsters as they broke the sky.
Following these events the gods are said to have protected the people huddled under the Mountain, they say the Goddess, Hallah, transformed and took the shape of a mortal and lay with the survivors, all genders, and in succorring them, changed them, made them strong, and part of her. Gave them bones made of metal, and lungs powerful enough to handle the deep pressure of her earth. Capable of withstanding poisons that would destroy others should they try and dig into the earth.
They in turn, promised to honour Her and her siblings. Give the Gods the gifts of their craft and ability. They honour the moons as pieces of Her creation, the chief siblings of Darkness and Death, part of the world and yet above it, controlling the pace at which time changes.
Tenets of Faith
- The Goddess and her siblings have chosen to share their gifts with the world, is it good and necessary for the Children of Hallah to share their craft and their gifts.
- To honour the deity under which you were born, children will carry the name of their deity.
- All Children of Hallah are not bound by the strict ideals of gender, all children are part of the pattern and come to the pattern in their own time, with their own words
Ethics
- Respect the child's right to choose. A parent or guardian will not interfere or attempt to influence a child's choice of craft, gender, or decision to join one of the sects for the gods.
- It is possible though rare for someone to honour another god to intercede on behalf of a child.
Worship
Each clan/family has a house deity, honouring one of the eight above the rest. Although the rest are important to the day to day functioing of society. But for the purposes of day to day worship, craft, and naming conventions, clans choose a house deity.
Priesthood
Religious figures and Priests are specifc to their patron deity, more will be listed within those sections.
Political Influence & Intrigue
Since the schism, there have been three main views of the religion which has varying degrees of influence on the political fabric of the realms. The Children of Hallah are an orthodox sect with stricter rule set and specific codes of conduct.
Sects
There are eight sects, one to each of the gods, with rules and guidelines that are important based on the roles and guidelines of the Deity of the sect.
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