Diegian

[The Broken Goblin]

[glow=red,2,300]WARNING:[/glow]
Diegian belief system is currently experinceing a major overhaul. Scan to bottom of thread for the most up-to-date information. Lower information overrides older informations.

Until updates are finished, the old information will remain here.





The Diegians cannot truely be summed up into one religion, as they are a polythiestic group who follow differing gods within themselves.
Thier gods emanate from different emotions, and exist solely in their in their extremity. As such, it is impossible for them to truely understand humans, or to communicate with them. They do offer their aid to their followers in many ways though.
Every diety has its conflicting opposite, and their followers of these opposing pair are in constant conflict.
While each offers different magic, they all grant their priests the bility to sumon an Avatar, or physical manisfestation of the dieties extremity (limited by how well the priest personifies that extremity) Which can aid them in dangerous situations.
The dieties(which will be described indivudually later) are listed here with their extremity, gender, and double colons '::' between them and their opposite.

Fanhyl-Love-Female :: Ecknak-Hatred-Male
Alfoi-Serenity-Male :: Aximn-Rage-Male
Mgah-Bravery-Female :: Geuya-Fear-unknown(rumored to be Neuter)
Roak-Generosity-Male :: Yra- Greed-Female

Diegians will sometimes attack other religions, but more often than not are more than happy to fight their gods opposites followers unless provoked into attacking another religion. Diegians will normally only attack followers of their opposites, but will defend themselves against any, and often seek vengeance for past crimes.
Fanhylites will attack the followers of Yra and Aximn as well.

[The Broken Goblin]

Fanhyl
The goddess of love, her followers strive to promote kinship between all beings. Warriors worshipping Fanhyl often seek only to maim their adversaries.
Fanhylites have an odd reputation, as they are seen as peacekeepers and trustworthy, but their strong encouragement of multiple marriages results in problems in many towns and almost all cities. They also support(though not encourage, for political reasons) same-gender marriages. Love is all that matters, after all.
Fanhylite Temples are small, always made of wood, and ALWAYS have a Roakian priest, makeing it also a a Roakian temple
Fanhyl has decided to extend her love to both Afoi and Roak, though since they cannot understand her love(they only know their extremity) they have not returned her love. this alligns her followers with theirs normally, and sets Fanhylites against Yrans and Aximnites more than they normally would be.
Fanhyls Preists hold soem of teh most potent healing magic in existance, and some arerumored to even be able to raise the dead. They can also charm the minds or animals, and can use powerfull blessings on others.

Ecknak
The worship of the god of hate is the most often misuderstood religion of all. Many people view Eckars as mass-murderers, this is not true, at least of most Eckars. Eckars have long understood that in order to show true hatred, killing is not always neccesary. Most Eckars are tax-collectors, hermits, jailers, torturers, or judges.
While Eckars are discouraged from marrying, a companionship with another being is not neccesarily frowned upon, though it is considered improper.
Ecknaks followers are very careful to kill only when it will inflict pain on another, and his avatars, for some reason or another, never casue wounds that bleed, though they may sever all four limbs of their victems.
The magics afforded Ecknars Priests include curses, healing powers comparable to those of Fanhylites, and the ability to harm without touching. They can also exert their will over smaller animals, such as bugs and dogs.

[The Broken Goblin]

Alfoi
Alfoids(looks like Altoids, don't it?) seek to be calm in all situations. Some say that Alfoi is not the god of any extremity, but rather the lack of an extremity. Alfoids heartily disagree, saying that it is the extremity of peace, of harmony. They declare that their is a definate emotion that goes along with the absence of all others- serenity. Some people see Alfoi as an anti-god of the Diegians, and Alfoids choose not to comment on this matter in any way.
Alfoi is often confused as a god of order, as Alfoids use very strucutred, ordered patterns and environments for their study and worship. Alfoids seek to use a level head in all they do, and are seen as stoics. They are often the most trusted advisors of generals and kings due to this. Though they will sometimes lie to prevent a raise in the emotions of others, they are seen as trustworthy people. In battle, they are often one step behind and thus on teh defense, but when they strike there is no possible defense for their accurate, measured attacks.
Alfoids are the only Diegians who will not attack anothers church without being provoked. But the mathematical system with which they do attack leaves nothing in their wake.
Alfoids have no laws concerning marriage. The goddess Fanhyl has proposed to Alfoi, though Alfoi cannot understand her love(not his extremity) and has not returned it.
Alfoi grants his preists the power to discern truth from falsehood(though this is not often 100% reliable), healing powers, and a special blessing which balances their wieght, their gait, their motions and allows them to continue in one activity far longer, with less strength or endurance, or with wounds, than anyone else could. Alfoid priests also have the power to calm any weather they encounter(meaning winds calm, rain slows(doesn't stop), volcanoes stop, earthquakes calm to small rumbles, ect. These powers make the few Alfoid clerics in merchant or postal careers highly prized and successful.

Aximn
A common misconception is that Aximn is an innately hostile, or even angry god. Aximn is the god of rage, but Aximnites define rage as any extent of emotion which clouds thought. Many Aximnites(though this does still represent a small faction of the Aximnite church) profess that Aximn is a 'parent god' to the others, as his extremity intrudes upon the others.
Aximnites are very passionate about anything they do. If they think it is worth their effort, they believe it is worth ALL of their effort. An old poverb says that one Aximnite builds a bridge, a hundred other people must build the road to it.
In battle, Aximnites are fearfull creatures, whose wild, unpredictable attacks and movements are difficult to block. SOme ven say the the rage with which they atack grants them strength such that, even if you can get your shield in place to block their fist, their arm will shatter your shield and strike you. While this is a gross overstatement (we all hope), it does explain their fighting style.
Aximnites marry only once, and cannot divorce.
Aximnite preists carry healign powers, powerfull physical blessings for themselves and their allies, and an unusual ability to focus themselves into a pure though(so they say) which allows them unearthly strength, great fortitude, or incredible speed. However, the unpredictablity of their emotions causs this power to have a backside, as any negative feelings magnify their weakness, and lesson their mobility.

[The Broken Goblin]

Mgah
The goddess of impossible pronunciation. Her one syllable name is jokingly said to be the reason so few join her church.
Mgahians(who cannot agree on a proununciation of their name) hold that bravery does not mean blind courage or recklessness, but simply not backing down. They never give up whatever they set their mind to, be it stopping world hunger or ensuring it for everyone. They are not fearless, and even in Mgahs avatars fear has been detected, but they are able to balance their fear and turn it, use it to contunue their battle.
No respected Mgahian has ever been seen fleeing a battle, and legends tell of an army of Mgahians who attacked a horde of demons. Results vary, but two things are agreed upon by all versions- demons fled, but no Mgahian returned from the fight.
No Mgahian has ever been reported to want a divorce, and teh church ahs no laws regarding divorce. Multiple marriages are frowned upon, but accepted(they are extremly rare, though), and widows/widowers are allowed to remarry.

Mgah grants her priests with no healing powers, oddly, but a mindset which allows them to continue towards a single goal until dath or a week have passed, and teh ability to infect this mindset into lesser animals(bears, dogs, bugs, foxes, ect.) Mgah is also the only Diegian god who grants creation powers to her priests, who can create fire like a mage, but hold no control over it.

Gueya
The god of fear. Noone claims to be certain of Gueyas gender, though rumors aboudn that it is Neuter(naturally). Gueyans strike silently from the dark. Noone has ever seen a Geuyan temple, and some venture so far as to say that Gueyans don't exist anymore, and that the attacks and resulting chaos accredited to them is caused by sprites, gremlins, or assailants who refuse to take credit for their work.
Sayign Geuya is the god of fear does not mean it is neccesarily a coward, though discretion is certainly the better part of valor for him. it may be paranoid, but he also enjoys inflicting fear on others. His avatars do not appear as radiant knights resembline the priest who summoned them, but rather they appear as either giant monsters or fleeing shadows. Geuyan avatars either scare off their victems, or assist thier summoner in fleeing by fleeing in a similar, but different direction.
Gueyans are nto seen in combat often, or if they are, they do not make their religious affiliation known. Rather, they sneak around and strike their enemy from behind, or lead him into preset traps.
They have no known laws regarding marriage, although it is assumed that they marry for life, afraid of the pain of divorce.
Geuyan Priests hold the power to dispell any magic, preistly or arcane, and can wrack their opponents bodies with muscle spasms. They also hold the power to inflict a fear so great that it freezes their opponents stiff. Thier helaing powers are substandard, but sufficient for most traveling wounds.

[The Broken Goblin]

Roak
God of generosity. Roak is married to Fanhyl, though he does not love her(he can't, he's not the god of love). Out of generosity he accepted her proposal, seeing how much it ment to her.
Just because he is 'generous' does not mean Roak will give everythign away for free. He gives what people need, not neccesarily what they want. Roakians often demand generosity back at a later date.(one good turn demands another, for every charity there is a greater and opposite donation when you get back on your feet.)
In combat, Roakians typically use blunt weapons, and seek to disable their opponent, but not injure them. IF they injure their opponent, they wil typically heal them immediatly.
Roakian temples are simple, and made fo wood(mirroring Falhylite temples only becasue Fanhylite temples are only found in Roakian ones). It is uncommon to see one without a Fanhylite temple as well.
Roak priests can create bland, tasteless bread from nothing, and can summon water from the air. They also have fair healing powers.

Yra
Goddess of greed. Yrans are a bunch of tax collectors, swindlers, and overpriced merchants. She takes what she can, and hoards it. True Yrans don't even care what it is, they just want it if they don't already have it, in which case they want a second. Yrans will fight amongst eachother more than they will anyone else, and for this reason they have no temples, no set form of worship, and no governing laws.
In combat, Yrans are carefull not to damage any of their oponents equipment as they disable their opponent in any way possible. They then leave with much heavier packs than they started with.

Yran priests can make objects invisible, and can even turn invisible themselves. They do have mild healing powers, but these are hardly ever used.

[The Broken Goblin]

Warning! Diegian belief system is undergoing heavy reconstruction. Check back frequently for updates.

Updates will be posted below this. Upon completion of the updates, the above posts will be deleted.

[The Broken Goblin]

A religion as complex as it gets. Diegians have not one, but eight gods, each one in an unending struggle against at least one other. The religion hosts a complicated history, which may or may not be true.

Belief System
The Diegian gods are all manifestations of an extremity, rather than a divine extension of any race. Alfoi and Aximn were the original gods, though how or in what order they arose is unclear. From there, as life experienced various emotions, the remaining six gods arose from within Aximn. Whither or not any more gods remain to be created is unclear.
Every one of the gods has a polar opposite, with which it is constantly at war with, though this war may or may not be fought on a battlefield. Diegians choose a ‘patron’ god, whom they strive to emulate, and adopt their gods opposite as bitter enemies.
The varying Diegian 'churches' are called 'cults'. (Admin request: please ignore connotations. These are not evil cults.)

The Gods
Alfoi-Serenity/Peace-Male :: Aximn-Rage/Passion-Male
Fanhyl-Love-Female :: Ecknak-Hatred-Male
Roak-Generosity-Male :: Yra- Greed-Female
Mgah-Bravery-Female :: Geuya-Fear-unknown(rumored to be Neuter)

Divine Aid
All Diegian priests possess the ability to directly affect the emotions of other living creatures, but only toward their gods’ extremity. Other priests or powerful mages may resist this ability partially or even completely.
Every Diegian cult is, however, famous for a few specific blessings. Abilities that come more easily to its' priests than others.

[The Broken Goblin]

Alfoi and Aximn: the Eldest
History:
Through unknown means, Alfoi and Aximn came to be. Maybe they always were. Many believe that Alfoi is from before life, and Aximn, being the embodiment of emotion in general, was born to balance out the divine scale with the arrival of conscious life. Nothing is certain regarding these twos’ origins.
After their arrival, however, they have been bitter enemies. Or, rather, Aximn has bitterly hated Alfoi. Alfoi, being an absence of emotion, or the epitome of a peaceful emotion, has looked upon Aximn with little more than general disdain, as he ahs all the other gods. Aximn exerts only that effort required for his own survival, and spends the rest of his time resting or meditating. Aximn believes that Alfoi is a threat, as if all were ever to truly follow Alfoi, Aximn might cease to exist. He is the incarnation of rage, or passion, after all.

Alfoi:
Alfoi is described as the god of serenity or peace, either indicating an absence or perfect balance of all emotions. The Alfoid cult proposes no myths or legends regarding Alfois’ origin, they simply accept that he exists now. Due to his extremity being the absence of extremes, Alfoi has often been called an ‘anti-god’ in the Diegian religion.
Either the emotion of peace or the peace of no emotion is a hard ideal to strive for, but many Alfoids believe this to be achieved through thought patterns, and conscience manipulations of the body. To this end, Alfoid priests have developed a series of blessings which either speed up or slow down various body functions. Alfoid knights will, as spiritual training or meditation, stand at the ready for hours on end, without moving regardless of what occurs around them. Alfoid mages are normally more interested in theory than in practical uses for magic.
Due to the strict, structured systems used by many Alfoids, Alfoi has often been called a god of order. The calm, level-headedness of Alfoids makes them highly trusted advisors and kings.
The Alfoid Cult holds no laws concerning marriage. The Goddess Fanhyl has extended her love to Alfoi, though it remains unreturned.

Aximn:
The ‘parent’ or six Diegian gods, Aximn is sometimes called a ‘head god’ of the religion. Though the word used in to define Aximn does not translate correctly, either rage or passion correctly describe this gods’ extremity. Rage is the more common of the two, as Aximnites define their gods extremity as “an extent of any emotion which clouds thought.” That is not to say that Aximnites try not to think, but that they give in to their emotions so much that they do not think about what could happen to stop or hinder them. As the old proverb goes “A single Aximnite builds a bridge, but a hundred other people must build to road to and from it.”
This all-consuming emotion gives Aximnites a highly irregular social status. Though one always knows where an Aximnite stands on any given issue, one can never be entirely certain how they will react to something. Aximnite priests hold some of the most powerful healing spells in existence, and their blessings are known for longevity. Aximnite warriors and mages are wildcards in any fight, as they have been known to switch sides at a moments notice, or attempt to force others to fight a battle their way. Aximnites are normally more concerned with action than theory, though a rare few philosophers do exist.
Aximnites marry only once, and do not divorce.