Religion

[aemilia]

Edessans are polytheistic, and they've never met a ceremony or religious service they didn't like. Most of their piety is for show, however. They don't really emphasize personal belief -- it's okay if you don't believe in the gods, so long as you make the right offerings and show your face in the right churches. Edessans tend to pick one god or goddess with whom they feel a particular affinity and worship them especially. The major Houses also practice ancestor worship. Morality and religion are almost completely separate in Edessan culture. A goddess might smite you for failing to offer her a proper sacrifice, but not because you're a philanderer or murderer.

A (very) brief list of Edessan deities and their specialties:

The Great Mother -- Your usual mother-goddess and creator of the world.
Theros -- War, glory, death. He takes the shape of black stallion.
Ardalia -- Goddess of the harvest, the races are celebration of her
Syl and San -- Twin god and goddess of competition and victory
Kykos -- God of healing and weaving.
Lereious -- God of justice, law, and punishment
Hylous – God of spring, flowers, birth, renewal, etc
Lemna – Goddess of summer, song and the arts
Elarion – God of civic duty
Clothis – Goddess of punishment
Diate -- Fertility, cosmetics and fashion