Worship

(This article primarily consists of in-world knowledge that could be gleaned from the world's inhabitants or records, and therefore should not be considered 100% factual unadulterated truth. Some inaccuracies, biases, misinterpretations, and/or utter falsehoods may apply.)

Note: While titled "worship", this article is more general in scope regarding dedication to an Immortal entity for a variety of reasons. It is well understood that one might dedicate actions or services to an Immortal without necessarily heaping reverent unconditional love or praise upon said being.

(The below are excerpts from "Seeking Connections with Higher Beings", by Brother Deoradhain of the Unified Holy Pantheon. The text is a compilation of common beliefs shared across a wide variety of religious circles.)

There are many in the world who would wish to dedicate to, worship, or otherwise become adherents to one or many Immortal beings. How this dedication might be effectively given is often going to vary from Immortal to Immortal, but there are some baseline principles that should be considered by any aspiring adherent.

The common consensus among the majority of religions and clergy is that the Immortals require respectful acknowledgment. Some say the Immortals would cease to exist without it, while others claim that they would lose the majority of their power but still continue on existing in a weakened state. Whatever the case, the vast majority tend to agree - more or less - on some fundamental points regarding what provides essence and/or power to Immortal beings:

• An Immortal must be acknowledged reasonably accurately as a specific, particular identity. Given names are not so important: Some might acknowledge "Vandin", others might acknowledge "the Great Chronicler" - both are presumably accurate enough to empower the same Immortal, even if there are some minor differences in the interprations by either party. Therefore, spreading knowledge of the name or at least general concept or identity of an Immortal can be effective service to that being.

• An Immortal must be respected. Simple knowledge of an Immortal's existence or concept is not enough to keep them particularly empowered or "healthy". If such a being is only ever thought of mockingly, or as nothing more than a fictitious myth, they will likely have only barely enough essence to stay "alive". To retain any kind of significant power or influence, an Immortal must be acknowledged and regarded with some kind of respect. Therefore, helping others realize what an Immortal does or has done that is worthy of the respect and gratitude of mortals is an effective service to that being. (It should be noted that adherents of some of the more powerful or malevolent Immortals argue that fear is a form of respect - and thus, spreading the fear of a dangerous or powerful Immortal is also effective.)

• Specific acts of dedication in an Immortal's name are another effective means of providing an Immortal with essence and power. Prayer services, offerings, sacrifices, feats performed in the Immortal's name - all these things can benefit an Immortal. However, such dedications should be in some way relevant to that Immortal or their associated sphere of influence. Sacrificing a goat on an altar of Nereia would be of no benefit, as the Sea Goddess has no particular interest in goats or animal sacrifices, for instance. Therefore, dedicatory acts and services should be well thought-out and the acts somehow specifically associated with an Immortal, and not simply random acts done in their name.

• Location and environment matter. The Immortals are not omniscient, nor are they privy to every thought and word of every mortal. Long-established dedicated shrines, temples, and sacred sites are the ideal options for maximizing one's likelihood of being noticed by the associated Immortal. Failing that, one should apply thought and logic in seeking out an environment that an Immortal would be connected to and be more likely to have a presence in. A dedicatory rite to Bogvaskr in the square of an urban center is unlikely to be noticed by the Immortal - why would the Huntsman be paying such a place any particular attention or have any presence there? Adherents of Naia the River Goddess would do well to seek out rivers - particularly riverbanks with willow trees, which are associated with her. Those seeking Vodr or Nereia would do well to get as close to the open sea as possible. For Vandin or Aphraen, high places during the peak of day or night, respectively. And so on. While significantly less likely to be noticed than dedicated sacred sites, there is still certainly merit in being in an environment with clear connections and associations to the sought Immortal to improve one's chances at being noticed.

• Consistency is key. The more an individual acknowledges and dedicates acts or services to an Immortal, the stronger their connection may become. Calling on an Immortal only in times of need is not going to be of much benefit to either party. Those who frequently and consistently dedicate time and acts are far more likely to form a connection that may one day become strong enough for the Immortal to pick it out and be able to acknowledge the adherent on the other end.

OOC Tips

• Make use of the pray and/or think commands when performing dedicatory acts to an Immortal. While by no means guaranteed to get a response, these commands do send notifications to GMs and get logged for potential later review. (Do keep moderation in mind, however - neither GMs nor the Immortals enjoy being spammed!)