Amaranth's religion is polytheistic and is followed by almost everyone to some degree or another. The four main gods and goddesses are elemental and are the parents of a multitude of demi-gods. There is also a myriad of slave deities who are not commonly worshiped outside of the mines.

-A small note here. While your characters may put a great store of faith in their patron god or goddess, it is important to remember that they cannot have any real sway over game play.

The four main gods and goddesses are Maeko, Hashi, Aviv, and Iuana.

Maeko (my-ECHO) is the earth goddess. She is patient and kind and appears in the form of a woman with rich chestnut hair, green eyes, and skin the color of dark honey. She is slow to anger, but there is no stopping her temper once she gets started. She presides over the earth, plants, land animals, soil, farmers, rocks and over the mines to some extent. Considered a sort of earth mother she also is said to watch over children and mothers.

Hashi (hAH-shee) is the fire god who appears in the form of a powerfully built man with flame red hair, golden eyes, and pale skin. He is quick to anger and quite temperamental and often ends up destroying more than he creates. Those who follow Hashi consider him the god of renewal. To the rest he is said to preside over flame, weapons, metal, smiths, warfare, and drums.

Aviv (ah-Veev) is the water god, a laughing, easy going god who balances out Hashi's temper. He appears in the form of a tanned, slender young man with pale blue eyes and yellow hair. He is the most regular and predictable of the gods and is always careful to build and renew whatever is destroyed. He looks after all the creatures and plants of the ocean and other bodies of water, healers, peace, love and art.

Iuana (EE-ooh-AHN-ah) is the air goddess and is the most unpredictable of the gods. Her moods can change as fast as the weather can and she swings from happiness to fury to brooding malice at a moment's notice. She is said to be a delicate young woman with pale hair and skin and golden eyes. She is not a goddess to take lightly; however, she takes good care of her followers. She presides over weather, the sky, storms, birds, music, and horses.

The four main deities have many children, both among themselves and with mortals. However, their children are mere demi-gods who are granted with immortal life and uncanny abilities in one or two areas, but not much else. The Changelings, like selkies, are daughters of Aviv who can live both on the land and in the water. The Shollen, who are daughters of Iuana, each have control over a certain form of music. The Ansel, children of Maeko, supposedly live wild in the forests of the northern countries.

The slave gods and goddesses are a much move varied and vibrant bunch. They are usually perceived as less powerful and slightly more human then the four elemental gods. They are also more specialized. There are dozens of slave gods and these are just a few of them. If you have one in mind that you'd like your character to follow, but cannot find it here, then please, make something up and email it to me.

The Trickster: A good who looks out for all thieves, spies and young children, especially mischievous ones. He is in the habit of giving his teeth to his best followers.

Duran (DUR-ran): the god of all things shiny.

Chandra: The goddess of the night, the celestial bodies, and dreams. Some say that the mood is Chandra's palace, which the trickster stole for her.

Delano: The god of food, cooking, and kitchens

Pia: The goddess of children and childbearing (pregnant women might also pray to Maeko)

There are temples to each of the four major gods in cities and towns, and smaller shrines in most villages. People can go any pray there anytime they like, although there are certain days when the priests hold ceremonies and offerings are made. There are some wandering monks and the like, as well as at least one priest/priestess of the patron god in each temple and in some at the village shrines. Some people choose a patron god or goddess; others call on whatever god they think would be able to help them the most at the moment. One of the characters on Amaranth, Chandri, follows Iuana exclusively.

A person's manner of worship is pretty much their own choice. Most people will make either yearly or monthly offering of grain, cloth, wine, flowers, ect, depending on their status or what they can spare. If one follows a particular god or goddess, they might wear a pendant with their god or goddess's symbol on it beneath their clothing. Levels of religiousness vary from person to person, but almost everyone believes in the gods to some extent.

Slaves, who have no shrines or temples to worship at, have created songs and prayer/poems to show respect. Their religion is much more informal and very little is actually known about it by free Amaranthians because the slaves tend to keep it to themselves.