Religions of Iourn

This page is the gateway to further information on the religions available in an Iourn campaign. This section is currently unchanged from its form on the original website. The religions are an area of the site that definitely needs attention, and I hope to be able to address this soon.

Presented below is an overview of each of the Urovan religions (the moon gods) as well as the ancient druidic and monastic traditions. The various Orders of Paladins are also examined to see how these holy knights fit into society as a whole. Please follow the links for more information about all of these faiths. The non-human religions of Iourn are largely unchanged from their presentation in much of the published second edition material. As time allows I will add more specific information on the non-human religions to the site but for now this section is presented as follows:

The Major Faiths

The Moon Gods

Vítaeous (life), Terranor (earth), Zephyre (air), Calafax (fire), Sharrash (water) and Mortis (death). The six moon gods, and their six primary spheres of influence - although this is a gross simplification of their roles. Over the 204 years since the moon gods first appeared to Uros atop Mount Korvast, eighteen large and autonomous churches have evolved, along with countless numbers of cults and secret brotherhoods. The worship of the moon gods has spread to all humans (most hobbits) and countless other inhabitants of civilised Urova. The small pantheon works as one, there are clerics and acolytes of each god, but the laity tends to worship the entire pantheon. Almost all PC clerics in the game will belong to one of the churches that worhip these gods. [More]

The Druidic Tradition

Older than the gods, older even than the world (some say) the druids are a group who do not worship nature but work with it in symbiosis. They are a spell-casting order who put back as much as they take, who believe in balance and who inherently distrust the gods. [More]

The Monastic Tradition

To call the pursuit of monks a religion would be to offend them, but such a regimented way of training the body and mind can be referred to as little else. There are many dfferent monastries and enclaves of monks dotted around Urova and the world at large, not all are pleasant, and some are downright nasty. [More]

Paladin Orders

Throughout the length and breadth of the land there are those to whom the very idea of deceit and injustice burns like the fires of hell. These brave men and women don armour of shining metal and ride to face the forces of evil head on. These are the paladins - holy knights and crusaders all. A number of different orders exist in Urova, almost all worship Terranor as god of Justice and are, therefore closely aligned to the Justician faith. Beyond Urova paladins are less predictable, but all work toward the joint tenets of good and order. [More]

Hadradanism

Far to the east of the fractured continent is the land of Hadrada. The religion practiced there is unique among the relgions of the world by being entirely monotheistic. Originally sun-worshippers, the Hadradans believe in a single omnipotent deity they simply call God. Hadradanism began as one religion but schism after schism has split it a number of times. The official religion of the Empire is Timanism. [More]

Gods of the Elves

Information on the elven pantheon can be found in such sourcebooks as Monster Mythology, On Hallowed Ground and Demihuman Deities. The elven pantheon includes Corellon Latherian (creator), Aerdrie Faenya, Sehanine Moonbow, Erevan Ilesere, Fenmarel Mestarine, Hanali Cenali, Labelas Enorth and Solonor Thelandira. The elves of Urova disappeared from the face of history some time ago. Among humans there very existence is a matter of debate, their beliefs a completely untapped enigma.

Gods of the Dwarves

Information on the dwarven pantheon can be found in such sourcebooks as Monster Mythology, On Hallowed Ground and Demihuman Deities. The dwarven pantheon includes Moradin (creator), Abbathor, Berronar Truesilver, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Dugmaren Brightmantle, Dumathoin, Muamman Duthal and Vergadain. The dwarves of Urova are split into two vast empires: The Gunstadtan Hills and the Auld Kingdom. There has only been official contact between the dwarves and the human of Norandor for the last 32 years, making any great understanding of the dwarven faith hit-and-miss at best.

Gods of the Gnomes

Information on the gnomish pantheon can be found in such sourcebooks as Monster Mythology, On Hallowed Ground and Demihuman Deities. The gnomish pantheon includes Garl Glittergold (creator), Baervan Wildwanderer, Baravar Cloakshadow, Flandal Steelskin, Gaerdal Ironhand, Nebelun the Meddler, Segojan Earthcaller and Urdlen. Most contact between humans and gnomes are with the industrious and mercantile Five Colour Kingdom. Humans (particularly those who live on the shore of the Central Sea) have known about gnomish beliefs for centuries. On the most part they are considered quaint.

Gods of the Halflings

Information on the halfling pantheon can be found in such sourcebooks as Monster Mythology, On Hallowed Ground and Demihuman Deities. The halfling pantheon includes Yondalla (creator), Brandobaris, Cyrrollallee, Cheela Peryroyl and Urogalan. However, most Urovan halflings will worship the moon gods. Very few have even heard of their traditional deities; and those that have are normally considered to be dangerous radicals hell-bent on stirring up trouble for decent folk.

Gods of the Orcs

Information on the orcish pantheon can be found in such sourcebooks as Monster Mythology and On Hallowed Ground. The orcish pantheon includes Gruumsh (creator), Bahgtru, Ilneval, Luthic, Shargaas and Yurtrus. None of them are very pleasant. An orc clan may worship all, some or one of these gods, and may have a cleric or a shaman (an adept in 3rd ed-speak) in their number. Orcish religions don't tend to be organised around temples and churches as orcs are often moving from place to place. However, such sites are not impossible particularly in The Land of the League of Tooth and Claw.

Other Faiths

The thing about religions is that every even vaguely civilised society, race or culture wants to have one. In Urova and out of it, there are countless dozens of faiths practised by a progressively more derranged bunch of lunatics. In addition to the orcs; the goblins, gnolls and Kobolds all have their own faiths. The dragons too have a pantheon, as does anything listed in the Monster Manual that has better than animal intelligence. There are so many religions and pseudo-religions out there that players wanting to create their own faiths have a certain amount of leeway - at the GM's discretion, of course.