The Iron Way
The Iron Way is the religion of the Rana; its teachings have since grown more widespread thanks to their adventurous way of life, but its roots have lead to it being deemed as heretical by the Holy Church. The Iron Way is unique from most religions in the sense that it emphasises belief not in a deity, Crann, or entity, but belief in one's own strength and personal force of will.
Beliefs
Iron is unshakeable, unbendable, and unyielding; such is the Iron Way. Those that follow the teachings of the Iron Way believe that there are no Gods to follow but one's own personal decisions and ambition. Despite this practical line of thinking, the Iron Way emphasises the idea that one can shape the world through equal parts determination and sheer power alone. Deities, Crann, or other such entities that bestow boons and benefits are certainly acknowledged as existing, but the Will of Iron teaches the idea that reliance on such things would only leave you at the mercy of those entities. Should the Gods see fit, they would be more than capable of enslaving those that pray so desperately for their favor. The Iron Way remedies this by answering to no God but yourself.History
The Iron Way was originally founded by the Rana during an era where deities were seen as tyrants. While much of this long forgotten history is lost and left spoken only through the mouths of the few whose ancestors have managed to preserve it, the Iron Way's finding is somewhat shrouded by myth.
If the myths are to believed, when the Rana were first created, they were formed with the sole purpose to serve. The Rana -- and any life unfortunate enough to be caught in the slimy tendrils of their masters, were nothing more than slaves. In time, the Rana people yearned for a means to free themselves from the chains of their masters. In doing so, they prayed to the dark, cold nothingness of the endless ocean.
In time, their languishing prayers ended with the Rana's yearning for freedom reaching a fever pitch; after freeing themselves from their masters, the Rana grew the belief that Gods and idols will only inevitably leave their faithful a slave to their powers, and thus began the founding of the Iron Way, one of the world's most ancient religions.
Mythology & Lore
The Iron Way's mythology is steeped in just about as much history as it is myth; this is because veneration is granted to not Gods, but warriors or notable worshipers that can be found within the faith.
Exalted Gods
When the faithful grow prove themselves through seemingly impossible deeds and die a valiant death, they become an Iron One. Iron Ones are the collective warrior-Gods that have proven themselves able to sculpt the world through their actions. Despite them considering to have ascended into deific status, the Iron Ones are typically not worshiped as such; but venerated for their actions. Rana are particularly fond of preserving people that have ascended to the status of Iron One in special brine basins called; these crypts are designed to preserve the flesh and body of anything kept within them. To the Rana, those that have proven themselves worthy enough to be called Iron are to be kept as unbreaking as they were in life.Cosmological Views
Put simply, those that follow the teachings of the Iron Way believe that the world is to be shaped and sculpted by the people that inhabit it rather than the deities that would control it. Every person in Veska -- even beings outside of the Rana, have a potential divine spark that they can use to shape the world into their ideal place through their own hard-fought battles.
Tenets of Faith
Iron does not bend. Never show weakness.
Slaves and servants are for cowards and fat kings that cannot fight on their own. Take neither.
It is truly cruel to take one's free will; but do not bend or falter. End the lives of ALL Slavers or masters, and should you be captured yourself, wreak vengeance upon them and their families.
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