Gods, Myths, & Religion (Patreon)

For some people, religion is a way of life, and the people of Terra are no different. There are many different gods and pantheons, some you may be familiar with and others entirely new. The majority of the world’s population are followers of some form of religion, typically defined by the geographical area they are native to, but as the world becomes more globalized, beliefs have spread. Religious missionaries are not uncommon, though their actions are at least seen as less hostile, due in large part to the near-universal acceptance of the existence of other deities.

Unlike our world, the existence of Terran deities is a verifiable truth. Or at least it used to be; though there are numerous written accounts of mortals speaking one-on-one with the gods, direct communication with a divine being has not happened for some time. However, the presence of paladins, clerics, and seers, individuals who are said to get their powers from the very gods themselves, allow most Terrans to feel confident in their continued existence.

Because of the historical nature of the existence of higher beings, many myths and fables among the various religions are treated as factual, if not embellished, accounts of historical events, including many myths familiar to you and me. There are even individuals who claim to still be able to trace their lineage back to the gods and their descendants themselves. Whether or not these stories are true is something that is hotly debated among Terran scholars today.

As such, there is an increasing secular presence among the Terran population. It is not that these individuals doubt their existence. It is that they are not confident in their supposed absolute divine nature. Why do the creation myths of so many religions contradict each other? Why are there so many parallels that can be drawn between the thunder gods of completely different pantheons? Why are there so many differing accounts of the afterlife? These are the questions the secular population of Terra asks itself. They wonder if these “Gods” are gods at all, and not just otherworldly (and admittedly powerful) beings with a connection to their world.

Despite the evidence, there are still a number of atheists among the Terran population. Unlike the atheists of our world, Terran atheists are much more fanatical, espousing increasingly complex conspiracy theories to justify the presence of the divine. There are also certain groups who, if they do not doubt the existence of the gods, at least oppose that existence continuing and seek to remove the influence of these “false gods” from Terra completely.

Of course, there are also those who consider themselves devout but then see their religion as a reason, or even a tool, to attack others. People who wage wars in the names of their gods, or invade territory in the name of “saving” its people, or claim some divine right to a particular parcel of land. Though things seem peaceful in certain areas of the world and throughout Terra’s history, many wars have been fought in the name of religion. Some people wonder why supposedly benevolent gods would allow such acts to be committed in their names, why they would lend their power to the perpetrators.

Could it have something to do with the fact that no one has been able to speak with them directly in so long? Are they even aware of the actions being undertaken in their names? Or are they simply not as benevolent as their followers believe? Unfortunately, the only ones who can answer are the gods themselves.