Worshippers of The Waves

The Worshippers of the Waves are a small religion based in the oceans and deserts of Rathnir. They believe in 5 deities, each dedicated to a part of the depths, a lower place under the waves of the world where people's souls go after death and before birth.

Origins
The Origins of the Worshippers of the Waves are said to be from wandering seafarers who merged with desert tribes to form the Tarakari clan. Originally the seafarers believed that the rising of the tides and end of the world were inevitable but after merging with desert peoples a new understanding of how the sea can bless the world was found. The Tarakari clan in recent years have settled down in the desert but still hold their seafaring traditions.

The Depths
The Depths are a place under the waves of the sea where people's souls go before they are born and after death. The depths have multiple layers, depending on your reason for being there.

The Trial - Before Birth
The trial is where you are tested by one of the deities to see how strong you will be in your life to come. Your soul will be tested, fighting horrific monsters, each one more deadly and terrifying than the last. The trial is frequently described as a grand castle with bright light shining through glass from above. The trial

Layer 1 - Near death experience
Layer 1 is a rarely mentioned part of the depths where people who are in a near death experience will go. To everyone else only a split second will have passed but the person in danger will be fighting for their life. Layer 1 is described to be a dark blue expanse, filled with monsters and harsh drops. If you die in layer 1 you will instantly be taken to Layer 2 of the depths. To escape layer 1 you must find a way up into the dim light from above the waves. A person can go to layer 1 multiple times in their life and it is said that it gets harder and harder to escape each time.

(TO BE CONTINUED)