2012-12-04

Religions of Jorth: Theogony

The most common aspects of Theogony on Jorth among the civilized peoples are presented here.  In general, there is a view that the gods support the existence of the world.  The hierarchy of divine power is often visualized as an inverted pyramid, with the most powerful, fundamentally important, and unknowable beings at the base, supporting and creating the levels above them, all the way from the Creator to the physical world.

Most Humans and Demi-Humans believe in the Creator, the maker and source of all things on the face of Jorth.  The relationship of Creator to Creation is poorly understood, even by the most wise theologists on Jorth.  In general, the Creator does not have specific priests, and is honored and revered more than culticly worshiped.

The first creations of the Creator, before He put His will into the creation of physical form and energy,  were the Greater Gods.  The Greater Gods generally have portfolios of power that cover areas such as the four elements, light, energy, and other basic, fundamental forces and aspects of the physical and metaphysical world.  The Greater Gods are powerful beings, and are worshiped (or at least honored and revered) throughout Jorth. 

The Creator next made the Intermediate Gods, to serve the Greater Gods in their work, and support the ongoing life Creation.  The Intermediate Gods generally represent geographical features like mountains, rivers, great forests, etc.  They also represent the protective deities of the various forms of life on Jorth.  Intermediate Gods are worshiped throughout Jorth, though some who have responsibilities of a regional nature may be unknown in places outside their influence.  The god of whales, for instance, is not often worshiped by desert dwellers.

After making the Greater and Intermediate Gods, the Creator set to work bringing the world of Jorth into being.  While the creation and ordering of the world were simple acts of will for the Creator, the gods who worked to advance, monitor, and support the world labored mightily to prepare their domains for the arrival of the myriad forms of life that would occupy the world. 

When the first life awoke at the command of the Creator, He ordered the First Beings to spread across the world, occupy it, order it to their satisfaction, and enjoy it with his blessing.  He gave them the commandment to always honor Him, themselves, and all other parts of Creation as His reflection.  He gave them the gift of Apotheosis, so that those living being who exemplified certain arts, behaviors, and characteristics could become Lesser Gods, sharing in the ongoing Divine work of following the plans of the Creator.  The Lesser Gods represent the many and varied aspects of everyday life, political, and economic power, and are worshiped throughout the world wherever activities concerning their areas of power take place.

Below the divine gods are the spirits of those who have lived before.  Each plant, animal, and person that has lived has had a soul, a sacred spark of life implanted in them by the Creator, or the gods (even the wise don't know the exact process).  When death comes to a living being, its soul passes on to the next level of existence.  Some who have lived lives of exemplary dedication to once particular area or ideal are sent back to help sustain the world.  These spirits, less powerful than the gods but more numerous, are the main focus of Elven religious practice.