Aetherian Faith

The Aetherian Faith—also called the Faith of the Four—is the predominant religion across much of Mundus and the state faith of Directionland. Its pantheon centers on four primary deities—Simonius (“the Father”), Odivia (“the Mother”), Alessa (“the Mournful”), and Darg (“the Enlightened”)—each associated with an elemental domain, a seasonal aspect, and a cardinal direction. Gold is held to be the sacred metal of the gods and is widely used in sanctuaries and rites.

Beliefs and cosmology

Aetherian cosmology teaches that Simonius and Odivia are the “First Gods of Mundus,” the progenitors of both gods and mortals. Their children, Alessa and Darg, complete the Four. Each god is linked to a season (spring/summer/autumn/winter), to either the sun or the moon, to a classical element, and to a direction (north/south/west/east). Surviving fragments suggest the ancient pantheon may once have included additional gods, but their names were lost when early records perished.

The Four

• Simonius — The Father; moon-aspected; element Wind; season Spring; direction North. Patron of seafarers and navigation; often depicted as a tall, warm-voiced man who “set the winds of Mundus in motion."
• ”Odivia — The Mother; sun-aspected; element Earth; season Summer; direction South. Shaper of valleys and mountains; symbol of justice and fertility; typically shown with staff (peace) and a sword with a fiery core (war).
• Alessa — The Mournful; moon-aspected; element Fire; season Autumn; direction West. Creator of the heavens for mortal souls after the first death; a compassionate guide between life and afterlife.
• Darg — The Enlightened; sun-aspected; element Water; season Winter; direction East. God of knowledge and learning, credited with the stars and the crafting of the Sun; patron of temples, libraries, and universities.

Prohibited worship: The Dark One

The faith forbids veneration of Rathsern (“the Cursed One,” commonly the Dark One). Temple teaching portrays him as a wayward, part-mortal figure whose cruelty and nethercraft led the Four to seal him within the Nether. Residual cults and whispered rites persist where Dark Energy pools, but worship remains unlawful within orthodox Aetherian lands.

The Twelve Teachings

The Four are revered as makers, stewards, and guides of Mundus. Their saints are mirrors of their virtues, not replacements for them.

The teachings are inclusive of all peoples and unions, protective of the vulnerable, reverent toward knowledge, and gentle toward the living and the dead. These teachings form the very foundation of the faith.

Under Simonius — Wind, welcome, and keeping faith

• Welcome the traveler. Hospitality is sacred; where the wind has carried a soul, let doors open.
• Keep your word. Truth and oath steady the world; deceit unravels community.
• Seek unity without coercion. Strive to reconcile families, neighbors, and realms; unity chosen freely honors the Father.

Under Odivia — Earth, care, and just strength

• Tend the land and the body. Steward soil, water, work, and rest; heal what you can, beginning with your neighbor.
• Honor families—born and chosen. All loving unions are welcome at the table; nurture homes where care is mutual and free of fear.
• Use strength for shelter. Stand between harm and the harmed; power exists to lift, not to lord.

Under Alessa — Fire, mourning, and mercy

• Hold life sacred. Spill no blood in cruelty; when force is truly necessary, wield it with restraint and answer for it with contrition.
• Keep the rites of remembrance. Bury with dignity, comfort the grieving, and forbid the desecration or abuse of the dead.
• Accept endings with grace. Practice forgiveness; release what cannot be kept, trusting Alessa to guide every soul to rest.

Under Darg — Water, wisdom, and shared light

• Seek knowledge and share it. Learning is a river meant to flow; hoarding truth breeds darkness.
• Let faith and reason clasp hands. Ask brave questions; correct gently; be glad to be shown wrong.
• Honor elders and teach the young. Wisdom travels best across generations; make schools, circles, and quiet hours for study.

Organization

The Aetherian Church is decentralized but hierarchically ordered: a Grand Seer leads the faith within a realm; Realm Seers administer historic cantons from their sancta; and local Seers staff cities, towns, and shrines. In Directionland, the Grand Seer’s seat is The Grand Sanctum of St. Stylinson; within the Empire, lay monastics assisting the clergy are frequently styled Brothers and Sisters of Simonius. Cities often adopt patron saints, and nations traditionally declare a patron deity (Directionland—Simonius; Ruulran—Odivia; Southern Federation of Kingdoms—Darg).

Worship and practice

Aetherians typically choose one god as their Primarch Deity for daily prayer while honoring all Four in the cycle of seasons. Public worship centers on sanctums and cathedrals; gold adorns altars, reliquaries, and processional emblems as a sign of divine favor. Pilgrimage traditions include travel to God’s Landing (site of the Temple of Simonius) and to the Ancient Cross of Simonius, a revered early symbol.

Symbols

• Gold — sacred element of the pantheon, used for sanctuaries and holy instruments.
• Cross of Simonius — ancient emblem associated with the Father; the Ancient Cross north of God’s Landing is described as among the oldest religious symbols on Mundus.

Saints and canonization

The Aetherian Saints are exemplars canonized for virtuous deeds; hagiography was partially lost when archives burned during the War of the Empires, but major and minor cults endure. Notable saints include:

• Saint Stylinson, patron of healing and namesake of the Kingdom of St. Stylinson; often shown with golden sword and shield.
• Saint Niam, patron of the Imperial Army, martyred hero of the War of Grief.
• Saint Ranalia, “Gods’ Steward,” patron of forests; legends say she yet walks incognito, tied to the renewal of Light Energy.
• Saint Nerva, patron of animals, venerated around Raven’s Nest.

Scholars speak of Triads of Stewardship—groupings of saints around themes such as Mercy & Valor, Wilds & Creatures, Tides & Wayfinding, and Hearth & Harvest—a system now fragmentary after the burning of the Grand Sanctum of Alessa.

Holy days and calendar

Seasonal observances recur across Aetherian regions, including Snowtide (Dargmoon), Rainbow Festival (Odiviaward), Harvest Festival (Alessasun), and Saintsmas (Dargward). Founding-era feasts vary by realm (e.g., Directionland’s Founding Day in Odiviamoon).

Sacred places and relics

• Grand Sanctum of St. Stylinson — Directionland seat of the Grand Seer and center of major rites.
• Temple of Simonius / God’s Landing — ancient site with a colossal statue of the Father; nearby stands the Ancient Cross of Simonius.
• Grand Sanctum of Alessa (ruins) — archives destroyed in the War of the Empires; loss of scrolls profoundly affected doctrine and saint-lists.
• Order of Simonius — custodians of relics important to saintly cults and contemporary quests for Light Energy renewal.

Relationship to Light and Dark Energy

Clergy writings and scholarly letters describe a practical, protective stance: Light Energy is cultivated and conserved in sacred spaces (sanctums, shrines), while Dark Energy incursions are treated as threats to life and order—especially amid rising corruption and portal phenomena in recent cycles.

Patronage and civil society

Cities frequently claim patron saints, while states may identify a patron deity; the faith’s influence appears in anthem texts, civic iconography, and political discourse. In Directionland, religious parties periodically advocate greater clerical input in governance, though the established structure remains formally secular-imperial.