Ishla, the ancient Mother Goddess, is worshipped in rich temples and at lavish shrines with rituals of blood sacrifice and orgiastic frenzy performed before sensuously carved idols of ivory.
For those who serve her, Ishla bestows bountiful harvests and many children in exchange for sacrifice. The voluptous temple prostitutes which are found in Ishla's temples are well known even outside the lands where the goddess is worshipped.
Ishla is worshipped almost everywhere, and has small cults in even the the most remote areas. She is also known under such diverse names as Ishna, Shupna and Shubba.
Her followers believe that their goddess actually inhabits their beautifully carved ivory idols.
Spheres of Influence: Fertility, sensuality, earth
Manifestations
Ishla can take any form, male and female, although she is most likely to appear as a young, voluptous woman dressed in white robes, wearing a golden crown. Birth of hideously deformed children, as well as drought, are regarded as bad omens from Ishla.
The Priesthood
Ishla has both male and female priests. Their ceremonies include the blood sacrifice of animals.
JHEGGER
All animals, including man, once worshipped Jhegger, the Lord of Beasts, and spoke the same language. Now, most have forgotten, and only the largest, smartest and strongest animals remember the earliest days.
Those who remember are bound together, however, and can be controlled by one who serves Jhegger and knows the language of the animals.
In most cases the only men to remember the ancient language of Jhegger are those who are descended from his loins. According to legend, there are groves throughout jungles and the far wilderness where the old Beast Lord sometimes still visits and takes his pleasure among the females of the animal kingdom. Sometimes he mates with a pantheress, doe, or a woman. And from these matings come a steady supply of exceptional creatures who are brothers in spirit as well as blood. By demonstrating the power of the Call of Jhegger, the priests of Jhegger prove to be of the old god's blood.
A god of all beasts who lurk in the wild places, and men who act as beasts, fang and claw are the laws of Jhegger. The satisfaction of his primordial needs are his goals. For millenia he has loped through his wild lands in the form of one great beast or another; for such is his pleasure. When man came he added them to his stable. From him they learned to rip and tear one another like beasts.
Jhegger is the leader of animal gods and all of the other animal totems serve him.
Jhegger is worshipped almost universally in the far wilderness, as well as among the tribes of the Qett Wajh (cat people.)
Spheres of Influence: Mastery of wild beasts, freedom, and speed
Manifestations
Jhegger can manifest as one or several natural animals. He might also send one of the lesser animal gods or their servitor creatures. It is said that Jhegger likes to come out at night; there are tales from men and women who have seen his eyes burning like yellow coals in the darkness.
The Priesthood
Priests of Jhegger are usually shamans or witch doctors of a tribe. They hear the whisper of the Beast-Lord on the wind, bring meat to his altars in sacrifice, and bring women to his sacred groves.
In addition to being able to summon and speak with the animals who serve the Lord of Beasts, the priests of Jhegger also learn the secret of the magical Symbol of Jhegger, an ancient, mystic sign which even the wildest animal is cowed before, and draws not near.
MAZDA
Mazda, the primary god of the Turallens, is a benevolent god, believed to be all-pervasive and without form, although he is often pictured as a tall man with wide-set, piercing eyes, curly hair and a patriarchal beard. Mazda takes no living sacrifices, although the temple takes extensive tithes in money and services.
Mazda is worshipped throughout the known world.
According to Mazdarian belief, each person is called to a virtuous life. It is the obligation of each individual to follow the tenets of the faith of Mazda, which include truthfulness, honor and trustworthiness. In Mazda’s tenets, telling a lie or betraying a friend are mortal sins.
Mazda holds his priests to even more strict behavior. Priests of Mazda must remain celibate and must abstain from all alcohol and mind-altering drugs.
One of Mazda’s most potent aspects is as the Defender, protecting Turallens from evil sorcery, most specifically from his ancient enemy, the Ancient Angra Mainyu.
Spheres of Influence: Healing, truth, law, and protection from evil sorcery
Manifestations
In his battles with Angra Mainyu, Mazda prefers working through mortals, so that those who are called to be his champions can both defeat Angra Mainyu and act as living proof of the validity of his follower’s tenets. Mazda oftens sends visions and revelations through dreams.
The Priesthood
In addition to performing their service to the deity, priests of Mazda act as keepers of ancient lore and wisdom. Above all, they seek to oppose the evils of the priesthood of Angra Mainyu.
Priests of Mazda must tithe 1/4th of their income to one of the god's temples. The greatest temples are found in the Aramid Caliphate.
ALAHH
Alahh (the new god) is considered by a growing number of Aramidians and the Grand Caliph himself as the creator of the world, maker of ones destiny, and the giver of rain. The notion of the term is still kind of vague in the Aramid Caliphate.
Alahh is associated with companions, whom some Aramidians considered as subordinate lesser gods. Uniquely denizens of Hafa believe that a kind of kinship exists between Alahh and the djinn. Alahh is thought to have had sons and that the local deities of Vice, Hafu, and Hakalah were his daughters.
The citizens of Hafa associate the ancient Grey races with Alahh.
Alahh is starting to be invoked by many in times of distress.
Rumors are spreading that the Grand Mullah is now a worshipper of Alahh and that the Caliph might pass an edict forcing everyone to worship this new god.
OTHER LESSER GODS (Some becomming known as the offspring of Alahh)
The following are considered lesser gods simply because of fewer followers.
Hakama: God of bravery
Hakalah: Goddess of honesty
Hafu: Goddess of freedom
Jemmahn : Goddess of wealth
Jisar: Goddess of fruitfulness
Koshen: God of wisdom
Nalla: God of adventure and curiosity
Vice: Goddess of beauty
Math: God of intelligence and learning
Additionally, there are an untold number of local demigods, sometimes worshipped in an area as small as a few miles across. More prominent among those are:
Bell: Goddess of music
Reshida: Goddess of the desert sands and its violent denizens, passion, chaos and revenge
Ares: God of war and duty
EVIL GODS AND ENTITIES
-Some selfish Djinn are worshipped
-the Cult of Ancient Angra Mainyu (Major Demon)
-the rising Cult of Iblis (Major Devil)
-lesser demons (various)
