Arith is a world of many faiths, while the sentient races on each continent may follow the local pantheon of gods, others give thanks to the primal spirits of the world, and others hold onto philosophies as their primary faith.
Faith is what drives the powers of a cleric or paladin, no faith , but "capital" Faith. Faith is the collective power of belief from a large population. A priests' belief in that Faith allows them to channel the power of that Faith into miracles. It doesn't really matter if Arvan believes and has faith in the flying bat-toad god of the Torvan Hills. If enough people believe in the bat-toad monster, have faith in it, and offers prayers, fears, awe, or supplications, then they may generate enough Faith for Arvan to become its first priest or cleric.
Faiths of Arith
The Old Ways, The Way of the Spirits
Druids, rangers, and barbarians tend to follow the old ways. They call on the local spirits, or their ancestral spirits to affect the world around them. Primal spirits tend to grant control over their elemental nature (calling on Stormhawk to cast lightning bolts down on your enemies, or asking Deepwinds to fill your sails with a favorable gust. Ancestral spirits tend to provide guidance, healing, or access to hidden knowledge or skills, asking Grandmother Spirit to heal your wounds, or the Hunter to guide your arrows true. Animal spirits, such as Great Bear or Wolflord, can grant abilities of their animal kind, or control over their kind. Many of the great animal spirits also have other, more mystical powers. Wolf is known to aid communication and organization, while Bear is known to be a healer.
Followers of the Old Ways tend to leave offerings for the spirits, and most will only hunt and kill what they need. They live in harmony with the land, unless they are a follower of the Great Hunter, Rageclaw, Blood Cousin, or other, more rapacious, spirits.
Followers of the Gods, The Pantheons
Many of the sentient beings of Arith worship the gods or other creatures of the heavens (or hells). Godsworn tend to follow Pantheons of Gods, and select one of the Pantheon as their Patron. Their Faith allows them to channel divine power, which is a representation of the Faith of those who worship that Pantheon. Clerics and Paladins are the most common example of divine channelers, although that local village priest with absolutely no combat experience may have enough Faith to perform miracles.
Pantheistic priests can and do perform the rites and rituals honoring all of the gods of the Pantheon and their holy days. They gain special favor from their Patron, but are expected to honor the others in the Pantheon as well.
Three Pantheons dominate much of the continent of Caldonia. The northlanders, including the Jendarri and the Northern Reaches worship the Aesir. Ruled by Odin, the Aesir are also known as the Norse or Nordic Gods.
Central Caldonia is dominated by the worship of the Olympian Gods, who were said to dwell on Mount Olympus. There are stories that during the Age of Creation, Mount Olympus was part of Caldonia, possibly in the Sunwell Mountain range, but when the gods departed for the heavens, they took their mountain home with them. The Olympians are ruled by Zeus.
Southern Caldonia is dominated by the worship of the Khepneferan Gods, also known as the Gods of Heliopolis or the Solar Barge. Most of the gods of Heliopolis have a human form and a beastfolk form, and a hybrid form between them. They are ruled by Ra. The Beastfolk tend not to worship them as a pantheon, each gravitating to the god of their people.
Other Pantheons exist, the people of the N'Goto Jungle have their own pantheon, while the Daravani Collective are said to worship a pantheon of their own.
On Draconis, the Draconic Pantheon is dominant, while other pantheons exist on Togoshima.
There are clerics who worship only their own Patron, but they are often considered fanatics.
The Lord of Light
There is a growing Faith in Caldonia which worships the Lord of Light. Not named, this Lord of Light is considered the greatest of Gods and the followers of the Light consider him to be beyond the other gods. The Sun Fane of Arvanor is an example of the followers of the Lord of Light. Most who follow the Lord of Light seek to replace the Pantheons with his worship. On the Golden Coast, he is called the Lightbringer, or sometimes the Lorebringer. In lands where the Lord of Light gains control, other religions are banned and persecuted.
There are different sects of the Lord of Light, though no one knows if they follow the same Lightbringer, or will they eventually clash over whose Faith is the correct interpretation.
The Forces of Evil
There are very few gods in the pantheons who could be considered wholly evil. Certainly the Khepneferan god Set stands out. Most Pantheons speak of an afterlife of torment and pain for those who violate their beliefs. Those who fall from grace typically move to the veneration of other demipowers, such as the various Demon Lords, Archdevils, Daemonic Overlords, and others. Those who venture further into madness will often call upon the Outer Gods or their servants, the Great Old Ones.
Philosophies
Some divine channelers don't channel the Faith of a God or Pantheon, but find their Faith as part of a philosophy. The Darvani of the Daravani Collective predominantly follow the Path of Light, seeking the perfection of the body and soul (although some skeptics say this is but another aspect of the Lord of Light), and their holy men channel the power of that philosophy in much the same way that an Olympian Cleric channels the power of his Pantheon.
DM's Note on Domains
The Domains given in the descriptions of the powers are suggested Domains, and are based primarily on the PHB. New Domains continue to be published, and sometimes a player has a cool idea for choosing a different domain. Clerics and other worshipers should choose different domains that fits the "feel" of the God or Power, but avoid making choices just to be different or contrary. Think about choices with the guideline of "suspension of disbelief". A cleric of Odin who takes the Forge Domain to represent Odin as a creator of magic and runic items makes sense, but a Cleric of Loki who chooses the Order Domain just for kicks doesn't.
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