Religion in the Eight Kingdoms
Every civilization has its own creation story, and the Eight Kingdoms as a whole are no exception. Instead of each land having its separate explanation, all eight seem to agree as to where their origins came from. To start, the people of Lunaretine worship four gods, two male gods and two female goddesses. They are:
Aerielos: The god of the winds and air we breathe
Finiria: The goddess of the earth and fertility
Aquitaine: The goddess of water and life
Brohemond: The god of fire and light
These four gods came together and brought life as we know it to the planet. The legend of the creation goes like this:
At the time Lunaretine was created by the great gods, it was an empty shell, void of all
life. Upon seeing this, the four realized that something had to be done. First, Finiria created the
earth, providing fertile soil to bring life forth from. Next, Aquitaine brought about the mighty
waters. Seas, rivers, oceans and lakes now were spread throughout Lunaretine. Aerielos breathed
the breath of life onto the planet, providing the winds. Last, Brohemond shot into the sky, and
created the fire which gave light and warmth to the planet. After coming together and viewing
their creation, the gods decided to bring about the most important creation of them all: life itself.
From their combined power, fauna, flora, and man were given to the planet. The gods then
granted a certain amount of men their powers, in order to help care for their planet. These people
who gained the powers of the gods were known as sorcerers. Yet, even the gods knew that men
were not perfect beings, and only gave few of them the full extent of their powers. These most
powerful sorcerers could not only control the elements, but also call forth supernatural beings for
aid, protection, and anything of the sort. Groups of humans went off in their own directions, each
eventually founding their own kingdoms.
Eventually, the Eight Kingdoms as we know it were created by these people on the planet Lunaretine, and continue to exist today. Each kingdom worships the four gods of creation, and it is said that the modern sorcerers of our time are direct descendants of the gods themselves. The religion is polytheistic in nature, yet some have separated from the main religion and formed their own sects. The Cult of Aquitaine, for example, pays homage to only the water goddess and sorcerers with water as their home element. Over the years, religion hasn't paid much of a large role in the lives of the royalty of the Eight Kingdoms, but among the common people it is very popular. Some kingdoms even elevate a certain god as their "patron". One example of this is the elevation of Brohemond over the other three gods by the Kingdom of Sands and Dark World. Sorcerers also do this, but only to the god of their home element (if one is distinguished). Sorcery is an entirely different and complex matter which will be dealt with at a later time.
Numerous shrines have been set up to commemorate the gods. Each god has his or her own "Day of Recognition", when special homage is given. This practice is popular among the common people, but once again, with the higher educated and elite, it is a custom which has gone out the window long ago.
Beliefs About the Afterlife
It is hypothesized that every living thing has an Essence. After our bodies die, this Essence leaves the empty shell behind and travels to the Netherrealm. Supposedly this "Netherrealm" actually exists, and it is rumored that there is an opening to it in one of the Eight Kingdoms. Legends even go on to tell that the entrance to this world is guarded by the "Eight Horsemen", which are believed to be spirts related to the four gods. No one knows exactly if these horsemen were once real or just a part of fiction. Also, regarding the supposed opening of the Netherrealm, no archeological evidence has been found proving this myth. Beliefs about religion and the afterlife are all a matter of faith within the individual.