Bathysian

Bathysianism is a pantheonic religion originating from the sea based nation of Mapetra. While not solely based within the nation its history, beliefs, and references are inextricably leaked and part of Mapetra and its history.

History
The faith of Bathysian comes solely from the ancestors to the Mer, how far back though is lost to time. What is known that as long as the Mer have existed, Bathysian in some form has existed. The original form is drastically different from modern day, instead of gods only representing major ideas, there were hundreds of gods holding sanction over even the most mundane of things. The gods would be regularly venerated with sacrifices for good luck and to make sure their wrath would not be raised. Ancestors were venerated also, being treated similarly in veneration as gods, being called to for guidance in hard time. Shamans existed and their job was to dictate the voice of the gods as a whole and were always well respected by the community. Though over time the religion changed becoming less and less focused on shamans and ancestors as time progressed, when contact was made with outside world again, these beliefs had been almost completely forgotten. When the modernization era began in Mapetra, Bathysian modernized with it. Conflict would arise in the faith as Shamans began to lose all respect, being seen as fakes trying to gain influence and power by pretending to have contact with the gods. Believers began thinking that it was their own duty to understand the faith rather then any other authority. Some individuals even began making making the effort to speak to the gods themselves, congregations forming all focused on the same goal. These groups would soon learn though that it was too difficult to understand all the gods at once so they decided to focus on one, eventually leaders would form in these groups and would take the mantel of priests. By this time, understanding became the most important aspect of the religion and as it has always had, was a integral part of Mapetren culture.

Gods
The Bathysian religion is based around a pantheon of gods with Angility being the head deity. The different gods are the children of Angility created to embody different ideas and aspects of life. They are the full embodiments of concepts found in life, therefore they worshipped for the positive impact they have on the world but also are known for what pain they bring also.

Angility
The creator of the universe and the omnipotent mother of all of life. Believed to be the creator deity, Angility has domain over all of existence, and is respected by all believers of Bathysian for the gift of life. She represents overarching existence and the gift of life. She is worshipped as the mother of life and is usually worshipped by caregivers, mothers, and doctors.

Themis
God of order, structure, and systems. She is usually credited with the rise of Mapetren civilization and its continued dominance and progress. She represents repetition, the constant rhythm of life and its constant pattern of repeating itself. She is worshipped as a god of order and is usually worshipped by bureaucrats and lawyers.

Dinlas
God of chaos and change. She is usually remembered as the agent of change, evil being righted and the spark that creates heroes. She represents chaos, the truth that there is no constants and there is no promise that tomorrow will be any similar to today. She is worshipped as a god of change and is usually worshipped by vigilantes and the mistreated.

Caerus
God of emotion, art, and humanity. They are usually credited with humanities ability for thought and feeling. They represent the complexity of the human mind, its fears, its hopes and desires, and ability to express itself. They are worshipped as the god of muses and is usually worshipped by artists.

Alcyone
God of war and violence. They are usually credited as the first murder and instigator of the great arms race that is evolution. He represents the violence at its basic form, when two wills decided over the other. They are worshipped as the god of warriors and is usually worshipped by soldiers and tacticians.

Beliefs
The religion of Bathyisan is based around understanding. To be a believer is to constantly attempt to grasp the nature of life. Its almost impossible to understand life its complexity but it is the attempt that is important. To educate oneself, to listen, and question, to be human is the goal of the faithful. That is all that she asks from her followers. To understand takes many forms and mortals may understand one aspect of life or many but no mortal knows all. Wisdom is understanding is to understand many aspects of life. This can be the understanding of the world, understanding of oneself, understanding of power, understanding of virtue, understanding of others and many more. Due to the emphasis on embodying the values the religion is based on rather simply believing in the faith, many those who dont even believe in Bathysian are still given respect since they can still be considered faithful in a way.

Sects
Sects are groups of believers that center their focus on one god to get a complete grasp of the aspect that their god represents. This usually this makes it so that they will become hyper focused one thing whatever that might be and make it harder to grasp views different from their own. Due to this, joining a sect is a sort of sacrifice, getting a complete understanding and proficiency of one field but losing access to all others. This also lead sects getting flack from believers that aren't affiliated with any sect and the same being likewise, also sects are known for fighting each other and even themselves but this normal mortal behavior.

Sect of the Mother: This sect worships Angility and by understanding Angility, they think they can get a understanding all of life likewise. The sect usually acts

Sect of Order: This sect worships Themis and they say that order is above all. Without her holy guidance, mortals would have been lead astray long ago and their demise inevitably. Therefore to understand order is to ensure the perseveration of life itself and with her holy light the faithful will triumph above chaos and finally find peace.

Sect of the Forgotten: This sect worships Dinlas and they say that action speaks above all. Nothing matters but what is know and what could be done. When evil is still in the world and action has not been done, why wait? Why question, extrapolate when when those who suffered have not been righted.

Sect of the Soul: This sect worships Caerus and they the soul is what connects us to each other and the gods therefore, everything. What else could be more important, the thing that makes us, that makes those who have created us, and makes the world we live in MEAN something. To understand that, what greater wisdom could there be?

Sect of the Warrior: This sect worships Alcyone and they say that strength comes above all. Everything else from the beliefs we hold to the land we inhabit is the way it is cause of the power it holds. We exist cause the powers above deem it so and you exist cause the power above you deem it so. Meaning means nothing if you do not have the choice to have it.