Thule Island - Cult of the Old Faith

Old Faith

The polytheistic religion of the Keltoi. Said to have over a hundred deities although most are nature spirits and not actual deities in the normal sense. The religion is based on worship of Nature Spirits but a handful are considered worthy of special attention. Most people incorrectly think this handful represent all the entire pantheon.

There is a single clergy for the Old Faith although Priestess and Priests are assigned to a specific temple or shrine to represent a specific spirit or one of the handful. All of the clergy are female except for those that represent Kanaris the God of War. In the past Kanaris was a second-tier diety but since the invasion of the Empire Kanaris worship has increased drastically.

The Priestess prepare the dead but not for the afterlife so much as to promote the dead ability to communicate with the living. The Priestess feel great knowledge comes from such communications. They have no rituals to assist the dead in moving on. They bury bodies three to six feet deep.  One of the main reasons Lough worshipers detest the Old Faith is the preparation of the dead as the worshipers of Lough believe that unless properly prepared the dead will become unable to move on to the afterlife, something Lough worshipers find unacceptable.

The handful of major deities of the Old Faith are:

• Pallas Regina, Queen of the Gods
• Bestlis, God of the Wild
• Kanaris, God of War & Honor
• Wagos, Goddess of Luck & Trade
• Lustria, Goddess of Love

Believers in the Old Faith are all vegetarians.

Temples of Old Faith - The Old Faith is a rural Cult but in the last century this has changed. They've made a lot of money by 'selling' blessings to merchants and so a number of temples have sprung up in the settlements