Gods of Lorath

Origins

The Cult of Boash or Blind God left a terrible taste in the mouth of the Lorathi citizens. The city's founders had long strayed from their altruistic origins to become corrupt tyrants. Living in opulence while their charges were taxed into poverty. With their reign ended in a popular revolt, Lorathi citizens became extremely suspicious of any form of organized religion. Religion did not disappear from the island moreover devolved into simpler forms of ancestors, spirit, and nature worship.
So the status quo stood for many centuries. Attempts from outside religions found little to no success to bring their faith to the island. Amongst the Lorathi themselves a slow gathering of deities began to gain collective worship. This organization was spearheaded by the Maze Makers, those claiming to have originated from the ancient worship of Boash.
This process was complete during the War of the Three Daughters. Seeking a unifying force the Senate embraced the so-called God's of Lorath. Still the young faith was branded as a philosophy of good citizenship rather than a religion in its own right. The collection of myths,legends, and folk heroes weren't to be acknowledged as God's but as examples of righteous behavior.
Despite the Senate's label the faith has slowly risen to popularity recently becoming the primary religion of Lorath. The faith has caught fire with the lower class but has yet to gain much headway with the Republic's Senatorial Families. Where the many Gods of the island are still viewed as fables and folktales.

Tenets/Worship

Tenets

Syncratic Pluralist
There are multiple paths to salvation and it is wise to judge each one's merits. Those deemed worthy should be embraced by the faithful.
Charitable Duty
The church must care for the faithful and not hoard wealth in lofty temples.
Ancestor Veneration
We are all part of a still continuing story, started long ago by our ancestors. It is our duty to remember them as well as continue the story with our own children.
Liberation
The practice of slavery is abhorrent to the Gods and we must work to see it's undoing.

Worship

At its core, the Gods of Lorath promotes a decentralized faith. Priests are not to enforce a common doctrine rather loosely stitch multiple practices together. Worship towards the primary deities is centered around making charitable offerings to their shrines. These offerings are then distributed to the cities poor and the donator is said to receive said deities favor. Private worship is still closely in line with Lorathi Animism and Spiritualism it has descended from. Each household has its own idols representing ancestors or lesser spirits. It is thought by honoring these idols the household will experience fortune and good health.

Primary Deities

Isaya

An Animist Deity that holds dominion over the seas. Typically depicted as a white, three eyed Leviathan Whale. His worship briefly rivaled that of the Blind God but was quickly overtaken by the more organized priest of Boash. Despite this his worship was never entirely snuffed out, thus earning himself a spot in the new pantheon. Lorath being a maritime nation has earned the God of the sea many followers, quickly elevating him to become a major deity.

Verkala

The second most popular animist deity and a hold over of the Valyrian Freehold. Verkala is a mixture of the Valyrian God Vermax and a wild silver dragon that allegedly arrived in Lorath after the doom. She was yet another rival to the worshipers of Boash that faded after the dragon's death/disappearance. Verkala was said to bring fortune to those she flew over and such her followers left food offerings to keep her on the islands. Time had nearly wiped out Verkala as the “Silver Dragon” was seen more as a good luck charm than actual Goddess. The Orthodox hope to shift this view by opening a temple of fortune to house her silver idol.

Sathaan

The second most popular animist deity and a hold over of the Valyrian Freehold. Verkala is a mixture of the Valyrian God Vermax and a wild silver dragon that allegedly arrived in Lorath after the doom. She was yet another rival to the worshipers of Boash that faded after the dragon's death/disappearance. Verkala was said to bring fortune to those she flew over and such her followers left food offerings to keep her on the islands. Time had nearly wiped out Verkala as the “Silver Dragon” was seen more as a good luck charm than actual Goddess. The Orthodox hope to shift this view by opening a temple of fortune to house her silver idol.

Boash

An extremely controversial inclusion for the Lorathi Pantheon. One that has put off much of the upper class from supporting the Orthodox and conversely providing the biggest pull amongst the poor. The Orthodox argued that Boash's priest were the corrupt ones and not the Blind God himself. Boash stands as the blind God of justice and law. His followers are particularly judgemental of the ruling class and are the biggest defenders of the right to vote. Boash is represented as a singular stone eye scared by a chisel.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion