Church of the Stahl Riesa

""Through Sweat and Blood, Iron and Steel, Shall my worshippers become stronger than they once had before. Speak my name as I grant you mastery over both the earth and forge""

- -Vulkan

The Church of Stahl Riese is a polytheistic religion that centered around the worship of Vulkan, known as the Stahl Riese (Steel Giant). It is believed that Vulkan was born during solar alignments hundreds of thousands of years ago and it is the reason the earth is habitable in the first place. The religions is primarily worshipped in Reingard, and a few villages spread out worldwide. The religion was officially announced to the world on (21/5/21).

Gods
There are nine gods in the religion, one supreme and his eight children. Seven of Vulkans children are still worshiped by devoted followers, while the eighth is considered forbidden. However, the Forsaken's banner will still hang with the others in Stahl Riesa churches. This is, so people do not forget who he is and what he has done.

Each god has its own ideals and teachings. So while it’s custom to worship all eight, except Veles, followers can dedicate their time and effort to the instructions of a single deity.

Vulkan
The Stahl Riesa, god of Creation, Craftsmen, and Blacksmithing. He is a giant whose skin is made from black steel, a beard made of Iron, and arms covered in strange symbols. He has a pair of large dragon-like horns on his head. Images of Vulkan will show him in two ways. One shows Vulkan standing before a giant forge, crafting some form of tool or weapon. The other shows Vulkan working at his forge, within the heart of Valnir. Vulkan is said to use a Spear called Oathkeeper. It’s said that Vulkan uses this spear to bind people under any oath they make with Vulkan.

Teaches people the value of creation/creating, being skillful craftsmen, and the knowledge of forging powerful objects from the ores of earth. As a result, people who follow Vulkan are keener on the finer details in smithing and more creative.

Vidar
The Heir, god of Wisdom, Weather, and Prosperity. He looks like a slightly smaller, four-armed, non-metallic version of Vulkan. Images of Vidar often depict each of his hands holding something he represents. For example, two hands are often pictured, with one having a bag of coins while the other is a small tree. Another hand is holding up a book. Finally, the last hand holds a storm cloud, pouring rain on a plant setup beside Vidar. Vidar uses an axe called Stormguard. It’s foretold that Vidar used this axe to create the first storm.

Teaches people the power of wisdom and the value of prosperity. As a result, people who follow Vidar are more prevalent to reading & learning about what the world has to offer and are more driven to succeed in marketing.

Norns
The Judge, goddess of Law, Order, and Nature. She is essentially a dryad, sharing very similar traits, except for a large pair of antlers. She has vines wrapped around her arms that sprout a mixture of black and white flowers. Images of Norns depict her standing before a giant tree, holding a law scale in one hand and a bill in the other hand, or with her brother Borr giving life to a dead landscape. Norns uses a crossbow called Peacekeeper. It’s believed that this crossbow will end any conflict.

Teaches people to respect the law of nature and the principles of law and order. Therefore, people who follow Norns are more nature-oriented and seek to ensure that natural order is undisturbed and preserve law and order.

Iris
The Beloved, goddess of Love, Fertility, Beauty, and Health. She is best described as the first angel with four white wings. Iris has a vine wrapped around her right arm like her sister Norns that sprouts red roses. Images of Iris depict her either healing the sick or marrying a couple. Iris doesn’t use any weapons but instead uses magic.

Teaches people the value of pursuing health, compassion for others, and enjoying the beauty of what surrounds us. People who follow Iris work more with health potions, be more compassionate for those around them, and ensure proper weddings.

Borr
The Reaper, god of Life and Death. While he doesn’t show his face, all that is known about his appearance is that he is a sizable cloaked figure, wears metal gauntlets and boots, and has large dark-gray wings. While Borr is a Death God, he is also the God of life. Images of Borr depict him escorting the souls of the dead to their final destination or with his sister Norns, giving life to a dad landscape. Borr uses a sword called the Deliverance blade. He uses it as a key to the afterlife, locking the gate so that the afterlife can not force itself back onto the world of the living while keeping the living out of the afterlife until it is their time.

Teaches people not to fear death and to live life to the fullest extent. Those who follow Borr are less likely to fear death if faced with it and will have a better outlook on life, even in the most difficult of times.

Tsun
The Warrior, god of War, Honor, and Justice. He looks similar to his brother Vidar but is bulkier, has tattoos along his arms, and has bull-like horns. Images of Tsun depict him leading a war party against an opposing force. Tsun uses a Warhammer called Willbreaker. Legends say that when Tsun wants to show favor towards a military force, he’ll use Willbreaker to lower morale for the enemy force.

Teaches people the value of honor and justice and bravery in war. Therefore, people who follow Tsun are more vengeful against those who commit injustices against others, more honest when speaking to others, and willing to fight for what they have.

Saga
The Huntress, goddess of Hunting, Archery, Strategy. She looks similar to her sister Norns, but without the vines or Dryad features. She has tattoos identical in design to her brother Tsun. Images of Saga depict her shooting a bow at a fleeing deer. Saga uses a bow called ArrowsMark. Any arrow fired by this bow will hit its intended target, no matter how far it is or how fast it’s moving.

Teaches people the values of a proud hunt, becoming skilled Archers, and mastering Strategies. People who follow Saga usually focus on their ability to hunt an animal or opponent, becoming a better archer than they were, and will seek opportunities to test, develop, and deployment of different strategies for any event.

Gerd
The Partier, god of Alcohol, Partying, Art, and Tricks. He looks like an average human, except he has snake eyes. Images depict him in one of three ways. The first is of him at a party, creating drinks out of thin air, and getting drunk. The second is of him playing a trick on a thief, making the thief believe he has just pickpocketed a bag of coin from someone, but, in reality, the thief stole a bag of stones. The last one is of Gerd taking leftover metal scraps from Vulkans forge and turning them into a flower sculpture. Gerd uses a sickle called the Collector. He uses this sickle to gather large amounts of wheat to turn it into alcohol.

Teaches people the values of artistic creativity, comedy, and fun. People who follow Gerds will usually focus on being more creative, becoming better brewers, and/or having an eye for detail when throwing parties/events/holidays.

Veles
The Forsaken, god of Chaos, Destruction, and Madness. Born of Vulkan and Trogg, he is the smallest and angriest of the gods, a creature of madness best described as a demonic 7ft tall Gollum. Images depict him sitting upon a burning throne with a fiery hellscape in the background. (He’s basically the Stahl Riesa more insane version of Entropy). Veles uses a longsword called Dragons Wrath. The sword is said to have been made with the souls of 1000 dragons and infused with his own rage.

Teaches people nothing. All that one can learn from following this god is chaotic madness, shellfish desires, and terrifying temptations.

Worlds
There are 5 realms or worlds within the religion. Valnir, the world of Vulkan. Crystal Isles, the world of creation. Earth, the world of races. The Phantom Realm, world of judgment. Netherworld, world of the Forsaken.

Valnir
The realm of Vulkan, a fragment of our realm that separated from our realm after Veles' rebellion. It is described as full of wondrous stone, marble, and golden structures. In the center of the world, a Kingdom-sized palace filled with the cheers of warriors. To enter Valnir, you must have lived a dedicated, honorable life or died in honorable combat. Upon entering Valnir, you will be greeted and led to the grand palace where you'll enter a festival held in honor of those who either died, there you will meet Vulkan and his seven remaining kin.

Crystal Isles
A realm of Amethyst crystals. A land full of Amethyst gardens, with massive pillars of crystals, some as large as mountains. It's argued that the Crystal isles are where all of creation started, as breaking off a piece of crystal seems to cause a realm or planet to form. But unfortunately, not much else is known of this realm other than its beauty.

Earth
The world of races. Earth is home to the various races that populate our realm and some outer realms. It is a world of vast oceans, green landscapes, frozen tundras, ever-stretching deserts, and deep caverns.

Phantom Realm
a fog-filled land where the souls of the fallen await their judgment. With what appear to be remnants of ancient cities, souls wounder this landscape, waiting for their day of judgment to come where they shall either be sent to Valnir or the depths of the Netherworld.

Netherworld
A literal nightmare, described as being a place of fire, ash, and burning red soil. If you lived like a Heathen and the unhonorable, your soul shall be sent to the Netherworld. Once you enter the Netherworld, it is said that your soul is cursed to wander the plains of red soil and ash-filled air, tormented by the Forsaken God Veles and his legions of draugr, until the Eternal Frost comes.

Sacrifices
When praying to a particular god, certain rituals must be followed to ensure a proper blessing on you, your family, or your clan. This, however, is not the case with all the gods. Only a tiny minority of gods demand a sacrifice to receive a blessing. The remaining majority don't require worshippers to honor them.

Vulkan demands a simple sacrifice of metal or well-crafted gear, thrown into one of the many Vulkan forges worldwide. Performing this will give a blessing of luck in finding ore or forging more powerful weapons and armor. During the sacrifice, participants say, "God of Creation, Master of the Forge, We offer our precious in the name of Vulkan"

Tsun demands that you sacrifice an animal after a massive conflict. Performing this will give a blessing of favor from Tsun, gracing the individuals with safe travels home or to their next battle. During the sacrifice, participants say, "Master of war, Bringer of Honor, We giveth this beast in the name of Tsun"

Saga demands that you sacrifice some of the meat from the hunt by offering it to the goddess, cooking it, and then throwing it into the fire at the ritual site. Performing this will give a blessing to the hunt, where the animals you hunt will provide more meat and material. During the sacrifice, participants say, "Goddess of the Hunt, Master of the Bow, We offer this bountiful meat in the name of Saga"

Veles demand the sacrifice of blood(Redstone); it does not matter whether it be your, another's, or a creature. This is done by praising Veles before killing the sacrifice. Performing this will give a blessing of the forsaken, providing you with terrifying strength and willpower, but at the risk of forgoing your mind and helping Veles escape the Netherworld. During the sacrifice, participants say, "Emperor of the Netherworld, Bringer of the Eternal Frost, We offer the blood of (person name) in the name of the Veles"

Marriages
Stahl Riesa worshippers don't follow traditional weddings. Instead, the couple will come together either in an underground cave/room or in the forest at midnight. The only participants should be the couple and a priest; anyone else isn't necessary. The Priest then speaks, after which he will ask the two if they will accept each other. Upon accepting, the couple will then be declared wedded.

Death
When someone dies, the deceased's body is to be cremated in a forge of any kind, and their ashes are to be thrown to the wind for Borr, the God of death, to collect later. Upon collection, Borr will bring you to the Phantom realm, here Boor will evaluate your life and then decide whether to send your soul to Valnir or the Netherworld.

The Choosing
The Choosing is a Ritual that takes place when a Village Shaman is near the end of their life, is ready to step down, or dies before the event occurs. It entails willing priests of the Village to gather before the shaman hut/house. First, the High Shaman shall enter and evaluate the participants. The High shaman will then hand each person a blessed drink, said to contain the essence of Vulkan, collected from the Vulkan forges. Upon drinking, they will begin to hallucinate. Next, the High Shaman will walk around each priest with a rune in hand. When the rune starts to glow, it is a sign that this person was chosen by Vulkan to become a new shaman. The High Shaman will then hand the rune over to the selected shaman, where they will place the rune upon their head and be gifted the divine knowledge of the Stahl Riesa and the right to speak on behalf of the gods.

Purification ritual
The purification ritual act is done when an item, structure, or person has been cursed or corrupted by an outside entity. Performed for corrupted or curse items, this ritual involves more performance than speaking. The ritual can be done by 1 person, but it’s suggested that at least 4 to 6 people be present. The ritual setup is relatively easy to do. First, remove any light around the curse/corrupted object (torches, lanterns, ext). The only light source in the area should be the candles placed by the participant(s). Next, place the banners of one or multiple gods around the curse/corrupted object. The ritual requires all participants to have lanterns, bows, flaming arrows, and masks (carved pumpkins). The ceremony starts with everyone participating wearing a religious mask. Each person will then walk around the cursed/corrupted object in a circle holding a lantern. After a few steps, each participant will take out their bow and fire a flaming arrow over the cursed/corrupted object. This is done four times, after which participants will say, “purify this oh mighty gods, purify this  to make it pure .”If the cursed/corrupted object hasn’t been purified, re-perform the ritual. If necessary, repeat the ritual 4 times.

Banishing Wraiths:
The act of expelling a Wraith from the world of the living. To banish a wraith, whether pursuing or possessing someone, it must be first trapped in a circle of candles. Once trapped, priests of Norns or Borr will begin to chant, “By order of (Norns, Borr, or Vulkan) we cast you from this realm, we banish you back to your master.” After chanting a few times, the wraith will be banished, if only for a few hundred years.

Prayer
Prayers are relatively straightforward. "I call upon (the deity you're preying too) I seek your ears for (why your preying) (What your preying)" Example: "I call upon Iris, I seek your ears for help. I have been plagued by an unworldly sickness. Please cure my ailment."

Thunder
The sound of thunder has meaning during two separate events, regular day-to-day life and War. It's believed that during the day to day life, thunder is the sound of Vulkan at his forge, creating something new. With War, on the other hand, it's believed that thunder represents Vulkans presence, watching over his worshippers as they fight.

Sentinels
The army of Vulkan, the Sentinels serve under Vulkan and Tsun. Officially formed from the surviving warriors of Veles rebellion, the Sentinels are made up of fallen soldiers who died in combat. They are tasked with protecting Valnir and the Earth from Veles or other external threats. It's believed that elite sentinels are chosen to become Ash Angels (coming soon).

Charms
Charms are usually kept by worshippers on their person if they choose to. Charms typically have the appearance of a shard, crystal, and other odd items of the sort. In addition, charms have runes etched into their sides to reveal which deity the person had been worshiping when translated.

Meditation:
Meditation is an integral part of the Stahl Riesa belief, as it is believed that you can hear the gods better when you empty your mind. Usually, Shamans meditate to listen to the wishes of all the gods, while priests meditate in an attempt to get closer to their selected god.

Black Forge
The largest of the Vulkan forges so far. The forge is covered in runic carvings and platforms up above for onlookers to watch. Its walls are made from a combination of Blackstone, Nether Brick, Deepslate, and pouring from above. The Black Forge is located under the religious capital “The Black Forge Church.”

Deliverance Blade (Leythe Sword)
It is believed that the Leythe sword is the Deliverance Blade. The Deliverance Blade is the sword used by the god of Life and Death, Borr. Borr uses this blade not as a weapon but as a key to the afterlife. The giant sword in the center of Leythe city is believed to be a gateway or connected to the afterlife. However, it is said that if the sword is broken, a plague of the afterlife will fall upon its land. This was thought to have been seen during the January 2022 incident, when unknown individuals damaged the sword and shortly followed by disease and famine that covered the land and began to spread.

Wraiths and Demons
The agents of Veles, Wraiths are spirit-like beings that travel the world gathering information for Veles while demons act as enforcers. Wraiths act as the voice of Veles, appearing before Veles's followers or those who Veles believes will be weak to resist him. They attack weak-minded people by tempting them with ideas of luxury, their emotional state, or by using their desires against them. If the wraith fails to lure the person, the wraith may try and possess the person. Sometimes, although rare, wraiths will take on a physical form, although it is unknown why. Wraiths in a physical form are said to have pale skin, horns, oddly colored eyes, and in rarer cases, wings and a tail. Wraiths are mostly stopped with the Banishing ritual, although in a physical form, wraiths can be killed by conventional means. While wraiths act as spiritual and mental agents, demons act as physical agents. Gathering armies of demon worshippers to conquer various lands and spread veles' control over the land of the living. Demons can be killed by conventional means. (it should be mentioned that this is Stahl Riesa worshipper's views on demons)

Aska and Revna
While the Eagle Guardian would usually report the events of Earth back to Valnir, it can't hear the conversations occurring nor see inside smaller areas without landing. In response to this, Vulkans will send his two pet Ravens, Aska & Revna, to gather more "clear" information to bring back. Vulkan will send Aska & Revna out in the morning before dawn and have them return at dusk.

Guardian of the sea
A massive serpent that stretches around the world to maintain currents and prevent the world from drowning. With the head of a dragon and the body of a snake, the serpent is said to lay at the bottom of the sea, deep in slumber.

Guardian of the Harvest
A giant ram with 8ft horns, provides a bountiful harvest no matter how terrible the terrain. A pelt of gray and horns of black, the ram is said to remain hidden, lest the gods call upon it to reveal itself.

Guardian of Protection
a giant dire wolf, to protect the world's inhabitants and provide companionship. The colossal wolf is said to stock the various forests of the world, ever-elusive of the inhabitants.

Guardian of the skies
A dragon-sized eagle to watch over the people from above, report back events of Earth, and shade the Earth with its wings. The eagle is said to hide within the clouds that cover the sky. Only when it returns to Valnir do the clouds clear up.

Ehecatl & Drakon:
Twin Dragons, created by the forsaken god Veles. With fire so potent, dying from their fire will cause your soul to burn for an eternity.

The Leviathan Turtle:
A titan-sized turtle. Long since lost to the world, having saved us from a horrible end. The turtle was said to be the size of an island, with a shell made of stone (story coming soon).

Organization
The Stahl Riesa Church Clergy is set up with a Four-level. The High Shaman is the head of the church. Then there are the Shamans as the religious leaders for the churches worldwide. The priests as instructors for the teachings of the gods. And Missionaries that travel the world spreading the name of the Vulkan. Missionaries can progress to Priests after a few years in the Clergy, while priests have to pass "The Choosing" to become a Shaman. Finally, shamans vote on a new High Shaman. The position of the High Shaman is held onto until death.

Headquarters and High Shaman
The "Stahl Riesa" headquarters is "The Black Forge Church" In New Reingard (currently under renovation to become a cathedral, new name soon). The High Shaman is the church's religious leader, tasked with guiding the church and being the god's right hand in the world of the living. High Shamans lead until their death.

Shaman:
Shamans are religious leaders chosen during the "The Choosing" ritual. Shamans maintain churches within their area and frequent holy sites. They speak/provide guidance on behalf of the gods. On infrequent occasions, a shaman may be blessed with the ability to talk to the dead to seek advice for an obstacle they or another may face. The hierarchy is High Shaman, Shaman, Priest, and Worshipers.

Priests:
Each deity has its own priest that usually participates in some day-to-day activity.

Vulkan priests take on roles that often involve the creation of powerful objects and weapons.

Vidar Priests are found either maintaining large libraries or watching over banks' wealth.

Norns Priests are found to take on the role of enforcing the law in a court, guarding, or ensuring that nature is in balance (ensuring the land doesn't go barren).

Iris Priests take on the roles of marrying people or working in the fields of alchemy and/or medical.

Borr Priests can be found near the crypt as they take it upon themselves to ensure the dead aren't disturbed. They are also sent out to handle sightings of the undead to put the poor soul to rest correctly.

Tsun Priests can be found teaching warriors, taking on a drill instructor's role.

Saga priests take on judge positions for different sports events (unless they're competing).

Gerd priests usually volunteer to host parties and holiday events.

Missionaries:
The missionaries of Stahl fall under the worship of either a select god or all the gods. They travel around the world to preach the word of the religion. Missionaries are entry-level members of the church. From here, they have two paths, the path of Clergy or the path of orders (coming soon).

Virtues
There are a total of 8 virtues that worshippers of Stahl Riesa can strive towards. (undergoing maintenance)

Shrines
Shrines stand for individual gods. Each shrine must have a banner of their God, and an item relating to the God placed on a pedestal (if needed, use an item frame). For Vulkan, an anvil. Vidar is a book or gold. Norns and Iris are flowers (any flower will do for Norns while Iris is specifically a rose). Borr is a clock. Tsun is a sword (preferably an unused one, or one that's seen many victories). Saga is a bow (one that's taken down a trophy animal {not really, just hunt some livestock, you'll be good}). Finally, Gerd is a bottle of alcohol (any kind).

Churchs
Standing tall in the sky, the churches watch over their worshippers. Ranging in size, Stahl Riesa churches are nordic themed and possess all 9 banners for each God. An altar with 6 candles is situated in front of the banners where the local shaman or priest will speak. In addition, each church has a meditation area that can contain at least 3 people.

Vulkans Forges
The forges of the God, long thought lost to the sands of time, have since begun to be rediscovered. The Vulkan Forges are described as enclosed forges, ranging in size, design, and material. The interior of the forge is with molten metal flowing down its side and pooling under a platform with an anvil sitting upon it. The forges are said to be infused with the essence of Vulkan, allowing for the creation of powerful weapons. It's believed that if a gifted blacksmith were to use one of these forges, they'd be able to craft "legendary" weapons. While most of the forges remain buried beneath the ground, some are still used by villages spread out through the world, protected by the dedicated worshippers of Stahl Riesa.

Creation Day
A holiday in which worshippers celebrate the creation of life on earth. Worshippers flock to the nearest village with a Vulkan forge for a day of food, drink, and cheer. The holiday ends with everyone entering the Forge for prayer from the village Shaman. The prayer goes along the lines of "We have gathered here on Creation day to give thanks to Vulkan and his kin, for he is our creator, and they are our protectors." Afterwhich, one randomly selected person will be picked to throw a valuable piece of gear or a precious metal into the forges molten river, the holiday ends, everyone has one last drink, and everyone returns home.

Summers End
This holiday happens at the end of summer. On the last day of summer, all the worshippers in the village/city will gather at their town's square. The day is full of activities and sports such as pig races and archery, while food and drink are being handed out to enjoy. The holiday usually ends at midnight, when the season officially changes into fall.

Remembrance
Remembrance is a holiday where worshippers remember the fallen or are missing. It takes place a week after spring begins and the weather begins to warm up. This holiday, unlike the rest, isn't full of cheer, games, or joy for the people morn for their fallen. While there will be drinks, consumption is limited for respect to the dead who can not join them on that day.

Rebuildance
Rebuildance is the holiday worshippers celebrate the defeat of veles. The holiday is said to land when Veles was banished from the realm, and the world began to rebuild. This holiday like many others is full of cheers, drinks, food, and sports, but with one difference. At the end of the holiday, a wooden statue of Veles is brought out and then burned. The burning of Veles is meant to represent the forsaken being cast out from our realm.

Festival of Gerd
The festival of Gerd, like most holidays, worshippers gather at their religious sites or cities to have a fun time and enjoy a contest. The contest in question is a brewing and artistic one where brewers and artists are given 2 weeks to create two drinks or a work of art to please the god Gerd. First place will earn the artist a reward of some value (say 20k or a powerful item). Other participants will still be congratulated and rewarded for their efforts (5k, for example). The best brew wins the brewer the title of "Brewer of Gerd" and a reward (same as before). The untouched winning bottle is then stored for future offering to the gods. Other competitors are then given a choice to either give their brews out to the people or take them home to reward their efforts. After this, the rest of the festival is spent with sports, music, and drinking.

Relighting of the Leythe Sword
On (1/9/22), It was discovered that the Sword of Leythe, A giant sword statue that radiated with magic was desecrated by an unknown individual. While the structure was quickly repaired, the magic had left the sword, leaving Leythe with no light. Disease and famine began to set in on the inhabitants of Leythe, and fear began to spread that this plague would spread further, and so, with permission from Higher-ups in the NAR, Drake Von Marux set out to relight the sword. On (1/12/22), the ritual began at 8pm Est. Drake and a group consisting of members of the NAR government and the Stahl Riesa church would gather. Drake would stand before the sword and speak the following.

Drake said, “I Call Forth the Founding Father Vulkan, Master of the Forges, Creator of the lands we settle. We seek your help, for our lands have become darkened with despair. Our Beacon of hope extinguished. Come Forth, Take our offerings, Relight the Sword of Leythe, and Return us from the darkness that plagues us.”

It was silent for what felt like an eternity. Then, suddenly, the offering disappeared, and the sword sparked to life. Vulkan had answered their call and restored the light to Leythe.

Mythology
The mythology of Stahl Riesa can be found in the religious scripture (coming soon)