The Pantheon
The Ampliterran multiverse is home to a broad pantheon of gods ranging from those that represent life itself to those that stand for something a little more mischievous. Today, I’m going to introduce you to the five primary gods of Ampliterra and a bit of what they stand for. In Ampliterra: Echoes of the Rift, there’s even more about each god, their relationships with other deities, their holy days, and more. Each religion’s symbol below is beautifully illustrated by Sadia Bies.
Watching these religions develop over the original Ampliterra game was a fascinating experience as I hadn’t included any in the earliest sessions of the game. I owe a massive thank-you to player and editor, Caleigh Wells, for being the impetus for introducing religions. She was also completely integral to building out the religions, their stories, and their commandments. Caleigh’s interest in the topic really shines through in these.
Intro to Religion
Magic in Ampliterra has ushered in a renaissance on the eastern half of the world and a brutal war on the western half. And while the people of Ampliterra learned to wield magic at will, the world’s greatest sources of power were forced to make significant sacrifices.
Magical ability was previously reserved for the chosen few of the gods, and developing that talent required years of devotion, prayer and practice. Citizens in Vindurheim and Solandria especially began to drift away from the religions that had defined centuries of culture in favor of the plentiful, powerful, accessible magic offered by the Verdant.
The power of the gods is determined by the number of people who worship them and the strength of their devotion. So they slowly lost their influence, until only the devout few remembered the gods at all. Gods are immortal and cannot be killed, but they can be rendered physically and influentially inert, making their existence all but invisible.
Religious historians have found evidence of five gods when the pantheon of Ampliterra was at the peak of its power. It is possible that there were other gods that have since been lost to the passage of time, but a resurgence would require a unique set of circumstances that even the wisest of scholars can’t fathom.
Potere, the Raven God
In the pantheon of Ampliterran gods, Potere makes his peers uneasy. He is best known for his constant desire to dominate his foes, practice combat and improve his strength. The life of a Poteran follower is one devoted to challenging oneself and constantly striving to improve, and those who surrender to his power find that their devotion is greatly rewarded.
Followers of Potere believe that the highest pursuits of life are in physical prowess and the vanquishing of one’s enemies. Moderate Poterans have tended to congregate in settlements where they can train with one another and challenge their physical limits. While the religion is not inherently malicious, some sects of Poterans have twisted his parable to believe that the most meaningful way to please him is through the domination of other people. This fanaticism has bred intolerance, leading a dangerous minority of his followers who believe that anyone worshipping another god is actively depriving Potere of his rightful power.
Commandments:
Success is awarded to those who possess the drive and will to seize it.
Short-term sacrifice is necessary for the greatest long-term prosperity.
The path to achieving a noble cause is paved with trying decisions.
The good of the many must sometimes come at the expense of the few too weak to understand it.
Kadis, the Dragonfly God
Kadis, the Dragonfly God, or the God of Life, is believed to be the very first deity and the creator of Ampliterra. In the earliest days of existence, Kadis was born out of a random combination of elements that granted her both consciousness and the ability to make life. This event is known as the Dawn. Kadis then set out to build a lush plane for her creations full of variety, opportunity and adventure.
Acolytes of Kadis devote the bulk of their energy to stewardship of her creations. This is frequently done through acts of healing, neighborly service, reverence of nature and artistic expression.
Abris, Potere, and Sophos all owe their godhood partly to Kadis. Because of this, it’s rare that any of the other gods or extraplanar entities try to interfere with Kadis’s work.
Kadis is directly opposed to the devils of the Desolate Isle. As the plane and its inhabitants stand for the punishment and torture of Kadis’s living creations in the afterlife, most Kadisian worshippers view it as a strong external threat to all they hold dear.
Commandments:
To praise the Dawn is to praise all that it births.
With the privilege to experience life’s beauty comes the responsibility to maintain it.
Give thanks for one’s life by improving another’s.
The strongest being is not that which knows no strife, but that which is made stronger by mending from fellow creations.
Celebrate the mystery of life by adding to the expanse of creation.
Sophos, the Spider God
The story of the Spider God speaks of Sophos, the third of four siblings. The eldest sibling of Sophos was brash and prideful. He committed his life to conquest but was killed at a young age after challenging someone to a duel for insulting him. The second eldest sibling of Sophos was overwhelmed by her own greed and paranoia. After years of work to hoard wealth, she died alone of a broken heart. The youngest sibling of Sophos was self-absorbed and rarely thought of others except for how they might be useful to him. He died at the hand of a scorned lover.
Sophos, though, committed their life to careful and methodical study. They were able to discover incredible secrets of the universe and used this knowledge to ascend to godhood and achieve everlasting life.
The religion of Sophos encourages its followers to seek and share knowledge wherever and however they are able.This can be through academic pursuits, the mastery of a craft, or by spreading knowledge through teaching. Any of these acts are seen as an embodiment of Sophos and are regarded as profound offerings to the god.
Commandments:
Knowledge is the highest pursuit of mortal life. Seeking knowledge and spreading truth is the most honorable service that one can provide to Sophos.
Knowledge can be found in the smallest and most unexpected places. The wisest person recognizes the value in investigating what others deem unworthy of knowing.
Never stop questioning what feels safe to assume.
Devotion to knowledge brings goodness to those destined to live in the dark.
Abris, the Fox God
Abris, the Fox God is worshipped by those who believe that the world would be a better place if its inhabitants could learn to take life less seriously. Long ago, it is said that Abris was a human man who made it his business to harass his town with a constant barrage of tricks and pranks. His antics were so extensive that he caught the attention of Kadis, the source of all life on Ampliterra. As an act of mercy to her creations, she transformed Abris into a fox. Unfortunately, though, her interference had the unintended consequence of granting him immortal life and sufficient power to become a god. Abris used this newfound power to enable generations of pranksters and merrymakers.
His followers believe that their work adds joy and spontaneity to the lives of others, and they take their responsibility very seriously. Community backlash to Abrisians has generally led to low numbers of worshippers across Ampliterra. Those who do brave the ostracism from their neighbors in service to their god are deeply devout and practice as frequently as possible.
Today, Abris is most active on Ampliterra in the Skadi Forest. He operates there under the guise of Ludin, a mischievous forest spirit who is known for offering a vast array of challenges to the lucky few who are privileged enough to encounter him. To those who respond positively, Abris might offer them the opportunity to become a cleric of the Fox God. He is always looking to add to his meager group of followers and ensure his unique brand of chaos achieves its rightful prevalence on Ampliterra.
Commandments:
There is no nobler pursuit than to seek and spread joy for the sake of joy itself.
Life’s greatest obstacles are made conquerable through wit and humor.
The temptations of confrontation are best satisfied through mischief.
The antidote to greed is imposed humility.
Marina, the Serpent God
Long ago on Ampliterra, there was an explorer named Marina who devoted her life to sailing the oceans through meticulous planning and execution. Through her many years at sea, she explored most of the world from vast continents to tiny islands and everything in between. One day she became lost at sea during a terrible storm. Scared and unable to find her way home, she let go and put her faith in the ocean in a final effort to make it home alive. Her tactic was successful, and the ocean carried her back to the mainland safely.
For the rest of her career, the sailor traveled this way, allowing the wind and the seas to choose her destinations. Followers of the Serpent God, Marina, believe that this sailor set out on one final voyage at the end of her career and sailed straight into the cosmos where she achieved godhood in the form of a sea serpent.
For centuries, the tenants of the Marinian faith have held that the best way to experience life is through exploration, adventure, and exposure to other cultures. As the uncharted corners of the world have grown smaller, Mariners have become fewer and farther between.
In modern-day Ampliterra, Marina has been relegated to a myth old seafarers tell young sailors about a vicious sea serpent to instill in them a fear of the seas. Very few actively worship her, but sailors still observe superstitious traditions to encourage fair weather for their voyages. Some sailors speak of foggy nights upon the oceans of Ampliterra where they could have sworn they saw a massive serpentine figure with glistening blue-green scales swimming through the mist above the waves.
Followers of Marina pray to her partially out of reverence, partially out of hope for protection during their journeys, and partially out of fear for the storms they believed Marina might conjure for sailors who fail to appease her.
Commandments:
Quenching a thirst for the unknown is the greatest nourishment for the soul.
Life’s purpose is an accidental discovery amidst intentional exploration.
The ideal path is only for those brave enough to allow it to reveal itself.
To embrace the unpredictability of the seas is to find meaning in random tide and chance.
