Given that nature of many peoples migration to Astoria, religion is a major part of the live of many Astorians.

Religious Organizations

Those that practice a religion (and many don’t) worship one of three pantheons.

The Family

The Family, (also know as the Family, when referring to the three individuals as a group) is made up of three related deities, known as the Mother, the Father, and the Child, most often depicted together, as a mother and father holding a newborn child.

Once the most common religion in the Empire, the Family’s numbers have dwindled in recent decades, and it’s worshipers became targets of the new Emperor’s Crusade.

General worshipers of the family respect each in equal measure, and pray or provide offerings to each as appropriate. Those who enter the service of the church choose one to embody in their service to the church.

Those that embody the Mother learn the healing disciplines, and act as moral and spiritual advisors to the community. Those that embody the Father are trained in combat, acting as physical protectors of the church and it’s interests. Finally, embodiers of the Child delve into history and the sciences to better predict future outcomes. Only a very small number of clergy follow the Child, as the learning is grueling, and often seems pointless until it becomes useful.

Trom

Trom, often referred to as the 'Destroyer of Evil' is a singular deity that declares other worship to be heretical. The clergy of Trom are warriors first, as force overcoming evil is a core tenant of the religion.

Few in Astoria worship Trom, as the origins of his faith lay far south. Additionally, Lord Astor’s proclamation of refuge for worshipers of the Family is in strict opposition to Trom’s teachings.

The Seven

Little is known about the faith of the seven, as worship of them is quite recent, and limited primarily to original residents of Astoria.

Aeto-Krah

The artificer, Aeto-Krah prises the intricate and beautiful over everything else. His worshippers often become crafters in their own right, often working in mediums that require extreme precision.

Irad-Maan

Known as the Lady of Destruction, Irad-Mann is a cold and calculating spirit. Those who worship her eventually come to covet power above all else.

Obot-Bach

The god of knowledge, Obot-Bach offers the tools to learn anything, including forbidden and hidden knowledge. Those who worship him find themselves searching for the truth, even when they know it’s dangers

Thedas-Pal

The Unyielding Titian, Thedas-Pal stands for fortitude. Many worshipers of Thedas-Pal often take up dangerous professions to prove their own fortitude.

Worship Among Astorian Demi-Humans

Most humans worship the Family, or are without religion, however each race has cultural ties to the gods that differ from their human counterparts.

Elves

The traditional god of the elves was nature herself, and while many still pay lip service to the deification of earth, it is more formality than belief. Otherwise, most elves are atheistic unless they witness divine intervention, the elongated lives of the Fae reduce the fear that comes with age and death.

Dwarves

The dwarven communities of scale will often have a patron saint, but not an organized religion as such. Instead, moral advisors and healers act as services of the lord, and are often paid with taxes on raw goods and exports. Dwarves that explore beyond the mountains will often worship local deities initially to ingratiate themselves with the locals, but many turn to positions in the church, as a form of giving back in communities where such actions among commoners is uncommon.

Halflings

The halfling communities once had their own pantheon, but most ended up converting to the human deities, and such knowledge is mostly limited to historians.

Orcs

Few orcs who grew up in orcish communities believe, and many are openly hostile to the idea of worship. The suffering the orcish people faced during their enslavement preclude them from believing in just gods, however on occasion, an orcish community will become invested in a cult that worships a god of death or destruction. This worship is usually on the basis of preventing the deity from rising to power, but those who fall vitim to their base instincts may take up a mantel as champion of such a deity.