Sylvester Archipelago

Beliefs

According to the prevailing theory in the field of magic and internal energy, all influence exerted by so-called gods and similar beings is reduced to the people themselves, whose beliefs are strong enough and whose faith is sincere enough that their hidden magical abilities, even insignificant ones, somehow and to some extent affect reality. Put simply, people create what they believe in. Recent experiments only confirm this theory. Using the art of manipulation, mage-scientists forced subjects to believe that small birds lived in their noses; soon, these birds actually appeared. And they were capable of interacting with the real world. However, after a reverse process of persuasion, the birds disappeared, and the subject became extremely weakened and depressed. This field is little studied; it is too early to draw definitive conclusions regarding the mechanisms of this phenomenon, its strength, potential, and prevalence among the population. Experiments continue, however, some mages express bold hypotheses that the sincere faith of a large number of people is capable of giving rise to so-called gods or something similar to them.

Also known as the Maker and the One. A religion that originated about a thousand years ago on the western continent, in the Kratian Empire. It is based on the teachings of seven sages. Followers of the Church of the Creator believe in a single, all-benevolent, and all-seeing god who fights evil and injustice, punishing people for sinful acts and blessing them for good ones. They deny the need for violence and coercion, condemn excessive luxury and wealth, and welcome moderation and modesty. In the sacred scripture of the Church of the Creator: "Truths and Instructions of the Seven, Sent by the One," strict moral and ethical norms are prescribed, regulating the life of a believer (the text also contains many instructions and prohibitions regarding the daily life of believers). Among the main prohibitions, the following can be highlighted: it is forbidden to worship other gods, lie, insult or humiliate other people, become excessively wealthy, engage in sexual relations before marriage, commit adultery, steal, and kill. Deviation from the commandments is strictly punished by the Inquisition—the body that controls the fulfillment of the covenants, persecutes free-thinkers and heretics, and distinguishes truly believing people from those merely covering themselves with faith. In turn, good deeds and virtuous acts are blessed, and sometimes even materially rewarded. However, the Inquisition quite often punishes and rewards selectively.
Believer's Bonus: each righteous act temporarily increases a random character stat by 5 and gives a chance for a permanent health bonus (+5) | +5 to Strength; the character gains a chance (Will) to deal triple damage to followers of other religions.

An ancient religion widely spread in Madinia before the appearance of the Church of the Creator. It is from this religion that the country received its name. Followers of this religion believe that two opposing forces exist in the world—good and evil, eternally fighting each other. The personifications of these forces are two gods—Madi-Latu and Trad-Latu.
Madi-Latu is the creator of all living things, a merciful and benevolent god of light, life, and knowledge, the creator of the laws by which the world develops, the patron of the righteous person and all forces of good fighting evil, lies, and destruction. He supports all mortals in their strive to do good and live for the benefit of themselves and others. It is believed that he is especially favorable to those who have chosen the path of a fighter against evil. The path of the Madi warriors, of whom there were once enough to maintain order and justice in society. Madi warriors bravely fought invaders, protected common people, caught and punished criminals, and returned those lost in darkness to the path of light.
Trad-Latu is the god of darkness, chaos, and destruction. The spirit of evil, lord of death and gloom. The complete opposite of Madi-Latu. According to ancient texts, everything originally created by Madi-Latu was perfect. But the evil envier and destroyer Trad-Latu, unable to create, began to plant seeds of destruction in all created things. Since then, the world has been in a constant struggle between the forces of destruction and creation. There existed a cult of Trad-Latu, which long ago was an organization of assassins who considered themselves successors to the work of the dark god, his viceroys in this world. They engaged in both contract killings and murders in the name of their patron.
Very few followers of Madiism remain. In its time, this religion was displaced by faith in the Creator, and soon after, the spreading godlessness left no chance for revival. Small communities of Madiyans live in the south and southeast of Madinia. There are also rumors of a surviving cult of Trad-Latu somewhere in the north.
Believer's Bonus: +5 to Intelligence, additional 3 skill points, 1 talent point | +5 to Strength, healing spells cast on the character do not consume magical energy, all "negative" characters take double damage | the character gains a chance to completely destroy the enemy's armor or weapon; all foreign items the character touches decay very quickly.

The deity worshipped by the Heliotrians. According to research by mages in the field of religious history, this cult appeared almost simultaneously with the appearance of Madiism. This gives grounds to believe that the Lord of Shadow is a modified image of Trad-Latu, who, under the influence of the original polytheistic worldview of the dark elves, transformed into the patron and sole god of the Heliotrians.
Some say that the Lord of Shadow has no face, body, or any form at all. Others say he is many-faced but often appears as a wanderer dressed entirely in black. According to beliefs, most of the time he dwells in the world of eternal shadow, from which all shadows existing in the real world originate. These shadows are part of the Lord, his countless children. They are all connected. This is why Heliotrians are able to move using same shadow; the Lord gave them his consent for this in exchange for worship and reverence.
The cult of the Lord of Shadow is widespread in Heliotria and on all its islands where dark elves reside.
Believer's Bonus: +5 to Agility and Perception; free assassin/thief skill or free art of manipulation talent.

One of the gods of the dark elf pantheon before the appearance of the Lord. The only surviving cult after the widespread establishment of faith in the Lord of Shadow. It survived thanks to some particularly cruel Heliotrian clans and vampires.
The Blood God is ruthless and insatiable. He is constantly hungry and always demands that his thirst for blood be quenched. Anyone can be sacrificed, from small animals to humans. Every follower must bring a sacrifice to the Blood God at least once every eleven days. The classic ritual consists of killing a creature with a specially designed knife. The victim must be conscious and understand that their death is inevitable, provided the victim is a sentient being. During the ritual, the believer fills a vessel with the victim's blood, drinks it, and asks the lord to sate himself through them by cutting themselves, letting the blood flow until it stops on its own. When the bleeding stops, it is believed that the Blood God has been sated. After this, one should ask him for blessings or help if necessary. Under no circumstances should the blood be stopped manually. This is considered blasphemy and a terrible insult to the Blood God. The consequences of such an act can be truly horrific.
Killed enemies are also considered sacrifices to the Blood God, although performing the ritual is not mandatory.
Believer's Bonus: each kill in battle restores 30% of the character's health; sacrificing sentient beings, if successful, gives a permanent health bonus; the character can drink the blood of their enemies or allies, thereby restoring their own health; the character loses 5% health every day.

A religion that underwent many changes during different periods of the development of Halehid civilization. Originally, it was a belief that the surrounding world itself is a god existing eternally, and people are part of this god. Information about the events that led to a fundamental change in the paradigm of this religion has not survived. It is only known that at some point, the Halehids came to the idea that their god had died. They never decided whether he was still alive when they already existed or if he died before their appearance. The god died and his death gives life to the world. All temples dedicated to this deity were abandoned. For a dead god no longer needs worship and prayers. Tens of thousands of Halehids committed ritual suicide. Many did not want to live in a decaying corpse, others considered the death of the god a signal that their own lives should also end, some did not want to be parasites living off death.
After these tragic events, the once great culture that conquered all continents declined. Over time, Halehid priests managed to change their people's perception of the Dead God. He became for them a symbol that the death of some is the life of others. The Dead God sacrificed himself so that they could live. But the former greatness of the Halehid culture cannot be returned.
Believer's Bonus: Will effect is doubled; undead do not attack the character if they remain idle.

White orcs believe in the existence of a soul and spirits, and in the animism of all nature. The soul is a particle of Mother Khsayemsku, who gave birth to this world and breathed life into it. Orcs believe in the patronage of the Mother, who protects them from diseases, hunger, failures, and other vicissitudes of life. It was the Mother who gave them thick and rough skin so they could live in the harsh conditions of the far north.
Khsayemsku is merciful and kind. She does not tolerate her creations being killed for no reason. Before killing any creature, one must ask permission from the Mother, who gave life to this creature, and only then act. Of course, only if such a killing is necessary. Taking a life without the Mother's approval is unacceptable. After death, the soul of the creature returns back to the Mother.
Orcs often ask for help from souls that, for some reason, were unable to reunite with the mother after death and became spirits. It is believed that these are mostly evil spirits who violated the Mother's prohibitions during their life and were left to wander the world eternally as punishment. But there are also good spirits who did not wish for reunification and remained in order to help the living.
Believer's Bonus: free luck skill; character is much more resistant to diseases and poisons; outside of combat, the character's health restores by an amount equal to their Will each game day.

The main deity of the ancient Ryorvalian pantheon. Merciful god of fire and smithing. He is revered by many Ryorvalians who still wear jewelry and amulets in the form of a flaming hammer—the symbol of Yoltir—even if they do not believe in the existence of gods.
Yoltir is the savior of people. It was thanks to him that people were able to survive in the cold northern lands. According to legends, Yoltir gave mortals fire, stealing it from the fiery heart of Hjölrid. There he also forged for himself an eternally burning hammer. Hjölrid is a giant monster living at the edge of the world, whose icy breath reaches people from there. The monster sleeps and does not know that its cold breath harms other creatures. The arrival of the warm season means that during this time Hjölrid inhales all the warm air of the south, and the arrival of the cold means he exhales air that has passed through his icy lungs.
Yoltir is wise and cunning. His patronage is granted to those who are capable of acting deftly and cleverly, finding a way out of the most hopeless situations with a cool head.
Believer's Bonus: +5 to Intelligence and Agility; free first-level internal fire skill.

God of military valor, courage, and resilience. Brother of Yoltir. Patron of all warriors protecting themselves and their lands. His cult is widespread among the warriors of Ryorvalia. The symbol of Ryortir is an axe or a sword.
Ryortir is the protector of the world. Once every thousand years, the monster Hjölrid wakes up from hunger. A thousand years of hibernation awakens an insatiable appetite in the monster. The monster's gluttony knows no bounds. He eats mountains, seas, forests, and rivers. And only brave Ryortir is capable of opposing him. He fights Hjölrid for a thousand years until he overcomes it. The defeated monster retreats, returns to the edge of the world, and falls back into hibernation for another thousand years.
Ryortir patronizes bold and decisive people who are not used to hesitating but are used to acting.
Believer's Bonus: in battle, the enemy's strength is equalized with the character's strength if it was higher, and the character's agility is doubled.

Cunning and calculating god of war. Cold, disciplined, and restrained. He demands the same from his worshippers. He patronizes people who prefer to think everything through carefully before acting. Strategy and tactics are an important part of conducting military operations; he devotes most of his attention to them. Those who believe in Lokur's patronage always ask wisdom from their god when making difficult military decisions. For five thousand years, Lokur has remained in his halls, calculating all possible variants of events on the battlefield, recording in the Great Book of War how one should act in a certain situation to achieve victory. In this, he is helped by the wisest warriors who ever lived in the world. After long reflections lasting five thousand years, Lokur steps away to rest and lie with his wife. According to legends, soon after the night of divine love, his wife gives birth to a child, whom she sends into the mortal world in the guise of an ordinary human. This person is destined to become a great warrior, conquer all lands in the world, and subdue all peoples.
Believer's Bonus: +10 to Intelligence; free leadership skill; character always counterattacks; character cannot be dealt critical damage in melee combat.

Bloody goddess of war, rage, and discord. Wife of Lokur and his complete opposite. Wild, rebellious, cruel, and frantic. Most of all, she loves to shed others' blood. She feeds on the energy of fear, pain, and suffering. Some old warriors claim they saw her fighting in particularly terrible battles. Warriors who once grew cowardly and fled from the battlefield end up in her halls after death. There they are subjected to torture by small demons, assistants of the bloody goddess. To escape suffering and leave Tekura's halls, one must fight her. But the goddess is so terrifying that none of the suffering ones dare enter into battle with her.
Tekura patronizes the most furious and fearless warriors who throw themselves into the heat of battle without hesitation. Her followers are merciless and cruel; they take no prisoners, killing all enemies to the last one. The best among them enter their goddess's halls, where they indulge in eternal pleasures.
Believer's Bonus: free berserker skill; damage from ranged attacks is halved; character is unable to flee the battlefield.

God of wealth, trade, cunning, and creation. The cult of this god has survived in the large cities of Lakelia. The Inquisition ruthlessly destroyed almost everything associated with the old gods of the Lakerians. Only the cult of Chir managed to survive, as it had too many noble and influential worshippers to be completely eradicated. This god is worshipped mainly by people who are somehow involved in trade. Very few beliefs and legends related to Chir have survived. It is known that previously traders sacrificed their goods to him, burning them on a ceremonial bonfire. After the introduction of setrs, or paper gold, as the confederation's currency is sometimes called, during the celebration of Chir's annual day, believers began to burn a certain amount of money. They believe that soon their patron will compensate for the sacrifice twofold.
Believer's Bonus: the character gains a chance (Will) to find hidden valuables or items, as well as the ability to determine their approximate value; the character gains the ability to sell their things or found items at an inflated price.

A large military-political organization. Three hundred years ago, it was created by a group of high-ranking mages with progressive views. Initially, the organization was a gathering of ordinary mercenaries, but over time it expanded significantly. With the growth of influence and opportunities, new ambitions appeared. The members of the council at that time grew too tired of constant and meaningless internecine wars, despite the fact that participation in various conflicts was their primary activity. They were even more dissatisfied with the policy of the Madian Empire and the growing influence of the Church of the Creator. They managed to organize a coup, abolish the monarchy, and remove churchmen from power. Later, with the support of the Halehids, they overthrew or subordinated the governments of all countries on the continent. Separate pockets of resistance flaring up here and there were successfully suppressed. Soon the order established control over all countries. Formally, they remained independent states, but in fact, they fully obey the supreme council of the order in matters of foreign policy and some internal issues. At present, all ruling dynasties and leaders of countries are, in one form or another, members of the order.
On the back of the left wrist of every member of the order is depicted the coat of arms of the order, which appears if necessary. For example, when a member of Setranomicon needs to prove their membership in the order to others, or receive information from the order.
The motto of Setranomicon: "The Order beheld. Setr fulfilled." Sometimes this phrase is spoken in the ancient Halehid language: "Ordo hati. Setro hatrio."
Atheist's Bonus: +5 points to all stats; +2 talent points; immunity to spells affecting the mind; reading the thoughts of other order members without spending magical energy; the character, regardless of the player's wish, is obliged to follow the orders of the order.