Color Focus - Religion and Spirit Worship

Deity Worship

The people of Ville des Marie are quite religious, and follow many Gods and Goddesses. While there are quite a few churches in the city, certain Gods and Goddesses are considered too dangerous and there are no official churches that have been built in their name. These "outlaw" deities still have plenty of worshipers, but their worship is kept secret for the most part. They are denoted in italics on the following list.

• Amtia - Goddess of love and childbirth.  Alignment: Chaotic Good. Favored weapon: None. Domains: Family, Good, Pleasure
• Bridia - Goddess of sacrifice and protection.  Alignment: Lawful Good. Favored weapon: None Domains: Denial, Devotion, Protection
• Cavdes - God of paladins.  Alignment: Lawful Good. Favored weapon: Longsword. Domains: Exorcism, Good, Sun
• Danreus - God of the journey and animals.  Alignment: Neutral Good. Favored weapon: Staff. Domains: Animal, Travel, Wood
• Edmos - God of power and domination.  Alignment: Lawful Evil. Favored weapon: Mace. Domains: Domination, Evil, Law
• Idros - God of luck and chaos.  Alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Favored weapon: None. Domains: Chaos, luck, Trickery
• Iyja - Maiden of winter. Mother of Northmen.  Alignment: Neutral Evil. Favored weapon: Icicle. Domains: Death, Ice, Trickery
• Khorus - God of evil and destruction.  Alignment: Lawful Evil. Favored weapon: Flaming morningstar. Domains: Destruction, Evil, Fire
• Maxdal - God of bards, music and communication.  Alignment: Chaotic Good. Favored weapon: None. Domains: Charm, Communication, Knowledge
• Olene - Goddess of honor and strength.  Alignment: Lawful Neutral. Favored weapon: Longsword. Domains: Exorcism, Law, Strength
• Omtia - Goddess of home and hearth.  Alignment: Neutral Good. Favored weapon: None. Domains: Good, Healing, protection
• The Father - The sun father.  Alignment: True Neutral. Favored weapon: Spear. Domains: Balance, Fire, Sun, War
• The Mother - The moon mother.  Alignment: True Neutral. Favored weapon: Sickle. Domains: healing, Knowledge, Magic, Moon
• The Nameless One - Diety of corruption and decay.  Alignment: Chaotic Evil. Favored weapon: None. Domains: Corruption, Destruction, Pestilence
• Tielia - Mother of pain.  Alignment: Lawful Evil. Favored weapon: Dagger. Domains: Denial, Evil, Pain
• Tyzotl - Diety of magic and mystery.  Alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Favored weapon: None. Domains: Confusion, Magic, Mysticism
• Uhther - God of war and judgement.  Alignment: Lawful Neutral. Favored weapon: Two-handed sword. Domains: Inquisition, Law, War
• Uthgon - Barbarian god of war and destruction.  Alignment: True Neutral. Favored weapon: Bearded Axe. Domains: Death, Destruction, War
• Vyrtia - Goddess of death and the undead.  Alignment: Neutral Evil. Favored weapon: Dagger. Domains: Death, Necromancy, Undead

Iyja - Maiden of winter

Vaudou

Roughly ¼ of the population of Ville des Marie follow a belief known as Vaudou. Vaudou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by loa (spirits), mystè (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased.

The primary goal and activity of Vaudou is to sevi loa (“serve the spirits”) - to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at Kiliitu and also particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favor. Spirit possession plays an important role in the religion, as it does in many other world religions. During religious rites, believers sometimes enter a trancelike state in which the devotee may eat and drink, perform stylized dances, give supernaturally inspired advice to people, or perform medical cures or special physical feats; these acts exhibit the incarnate presence of the loa within the entranced devotee, and the loa are inferred to be "riding" the devotee. Vaudou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and the spirits of the unseen world.

Vaudou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. In the cities, local hierarchies of priestesses or priests (houngan or mombo), “children of the spirits” (ounsi), and ritual drummers (ountògi) comprise more formal “societies” or “congregations” (sosyete). In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwèl, that perform a religio-juridical function. Another practitioner of Vaudou is the bokor. Bokors are often associated with the creation of zombies and various other undead, and as such are reviled by the common peasant. It's not unusual for a bokor to have a small army of zombies accompanying them, much to the disconcertion of those nearby.

A Houngan

Vaudou teaches that there are over a thousand loa (or lwa). They are regarded as the intermediaries of Kiliitu, the supreme creator deity in Vaudou. The sage Clément Gagneux argued that by learning about the various loa, practitioners come to understand the different facets of Kiliitu. There are no buildings dedicated to the loa, and religious services always take place outside of the city walls. This is done out of necessity, as vaudouists and deity worshipers are sometimes at odds. Vaudouists are tolerated by law, and visual acts of intolerance are illegal (bigotry runs rampant, however, in the form of higher prices, lower wages, being ignored or passed over for important functions, etc).

The loa can offer help, protection, and counsel to humans, in return for ritual service. They are thought of as having wisdom that is useful for humans, although they are not seen as moral exemplars which practitioners should imitate. Each loa has its own personality, and is associated with specific colors, days of the week, and objects. The loa can be either loyal or capricious in their dealings with their devotees; Vodouists believe that the loa are easily offended, for instance if offered food that they dislike. When angered, the loa are believed to remove their protection from their devotees, or to inflict misfortune, illness, or madness on an individual.

A Bokor

Practitioners believe that some Vaudou priests and priestesses became loa after death (such as Baron Glegali), or that certain talismans are loa. Vaudouists often refer to the lwa residing in "Jainea", but this is not intended as a precise geographical location. Many loa are also understood to live under the water, at the bottom of the sea or in rivers (such as the famed Rivière Tumultueuse). Vaudouists believe that the loa communicate with humans through dreams and through the possession of human beings.

During rituals, the loa are summoned through designs known as veve. These are sketched out on the floor of the ceremonial space using cornmeal, ash, coffee grounds, or powdered eggshells.

Various Real-World Veve

For game purposes, the multiple types loa are treated as having purviews with the devotee, and as such have many more "domains" than a standard god or goddess do. The devotee is able to honor and bargain with multiple loa, and as such have access to different domains depending on the type of loa.

Loa, Benevolent: Any good-aligned devotee. Domains: Good, Healing, Love, Pleasure, Protection.

• Names: Pyriel, Baltha, Alik, Kielik, Rieliah, Bariel, Nieliah, Kasdiel, Banael, Binem

Loa, Impartial: Any neutrally-aligned devotee. Domains: Balance, Luck, Magic, Mysticism, Travel.

• Names: Kiliitu, Adudis, Inyammid, Suuhazuu, Aralit, Immabius, Tana, Buni, Nyasamsu, Marduga

Loa, Malevolent: Any evil-aligned devotee. Domains: Bestial, Death, Destruction, Evil, Pain.

• Names: Beraie, Anzus, Aras, Vapar, Lithora, Dumplorandt, Mère Grosse, Vapul, Sadya, Black Bête (replace Bestial with Plant)

Loa, Orderly. Any lawful-aligned devotee. Domains: Domination, Inquisition, Knowledge, Law, Strength.

• Names: Lili, Ninki, Lila, Ayastal, Mammyl, Puaba, Ninu, Sabi, Nisab, Ammere

Loa, Turbulent: Any chaotic-aligned devotee. Domains: Chaos, Confusion, Fire, Shadow, Trickery.

• Names: Baron Glegali, Diranwe, Gladuili, Papa Loup Blanc, Erdios, Eneler, Celinerdh, Lineli, Thranwe, Gwindeli

Loa, Benevolent

The Benevolent Loa are among the most widely approached spirits, their presence felt in the soft glow of candlelight, the quiet comfort of a healing touch, and the laughter shared between lovers and friends. They are said to dwell in places where warmth gathers - kitchens filled with simmering pots, shaded porches where neighbors speak in gentle tones, and the quiet sanctity of a healer’s space. Their names are whispered with reverence and gratitude: Pyriel, Baltha, Alik, Kielik, and their kin. These Loa are invoked for matters of the heart and body alike, for protection against harm, and for blessings that bring people together rather than divide them.

Practitioners who serve these spirits often describe their influence as subtle but persistent, like a steady hand guiding one away from danger without drawing attention to itself. Offerings are simple - fresh flowers, clean water, sweet foods, and honest words - yet sincerity is paramount. It is believed that the Benevolent Loa favor those who act with compassion even when no one is watching, rewarding such devotion not with grand miracles, but with small, meaningful moments of grace. In times of hardship, they are the first called upon, for their nature is to mend what is broken and soothe what is troubled.

Loa, Impartial

The Impartial Loa are the wanderers of balance, neither swayed by the warmth of kindness nor the chill of cruelty. They are said to move like the turning of the seasons - inevitable, unyielding, and without favor. Their presence is felt in chance encounters, in the roll of a fortunate die, in the strange synchronicity of events that guide travelers along unseen paths. Names such as Kiliitu, Adudis, Inyammid, and others are spoken in tones of cautious respect, for these spirits are not concerned with morality, but with equilibrium and the unseen threads that bind fate together.

Those who seek the Impartial Loa often do so for guidance in uncertain times, when decisions carry weight and outcomes remain unclear. Offerings to them are symbolic - coins cast into running water, maps marked with both known and unknown paths, or the lighting of a candle at a crossroads. They are believed to answer not with direct intervention, but with signs: a sudden gust of wind, a chance meeting, or an intuition that defies explanation. To follow their guidance is to accept that all things come with balance, and that fortune today may be offset by loss tomorrow.

Loa, Malevolent

The Malevolent Loa are feared, even among those who claim to understand them. Their influence is said to linger in places where suffering festers - battlefields long abandoned, alleys where cruelty thrives, and the dark corners of the human heart. Names like Beraie, Anzus, Aras, and Vapar are spoken with caution, often only in ritual or in desperate plea. These spirits are associated with destruction, pain, and the raw, untamed forces that tear down rather than build.

Serving the Malevolent Loa is not undertaken lightly. Those who serve them often seek power, revenge, or domination, and their rituals reflect these intentions - marked by harsh offerings, iron, ash, and blood. It is said that these spirits do not grant favors freely, but instead demand payment in suffering, either from the petitioner or from those around them. Yet, even among their dread followers, there is a belief that these Loa operate with a cruel kind of honesty: they do not deceive, nor do they disguise their nature. What they give is destruction, and what they take is often more than expected.

Loa, Orderly

The Orderly Loa stand as the enforcers of structure and law, their presence felt in the rigid lines of a courthouse, the stern discipline of a well-trained guard, and the careful preservation of knowledge. They are the unseen architects of hierarchy, the voices that demand obedience, and the spirits that reward strength through discipline. Names such as Lili, Ninki, Lila, Ayastal, and Ammere are invoked by those who seek control, clarity, and authority in a chaotic world.

Followers of these Loa often adhere to strict codes, believing that order is the foundation upon which all meaningful progress is built. Offerings are precise and deliberate - objects arranged with care, rituals performed without deviation, and words spoken exactly as prescribed. The Orderly Loa are said to bless those who uphold rules and punish those who break them, not out of cruelty, but from a belief that order must be maintained at all costs. To invoke them is to invite scrutiny, but also the promise of strength, stability, and the certainty that comes from knowing one’s place in the world.

Loa, Turbulent

The Turbulent Loa are the storm-bringers, the tricksters, and the unpredictable forces that defy structure and expectation. They are found in the flicker of firelight, the shifting of shadows, and the sudden burst of chaos that disrupts even the most carefully laid plans. Their names - Diranwe, Gladuili, Erdios, Celinerdh, etc - are spoken with both reverence and caution, for their nature is as wild as the elements they embody.

Those who honor the Turbulent Loa embrace uncertainty, seeking freedom from constraint and the thrill of the unknown. Their rituals are often spontaneous, filled with laughter, music, and acts of mischief or defiance. Offerings may be unconventional - tokens of chaos, objects of transformation, or even acts that disrupt the ordinary flow of life. It is believed that these Loa reward creativity, boldness, and those willing to embrace risk, but they are equally known for turning fortune on its head without warning. To follow them is to walk a path without certainty, where every step may lead to revelation - or ruin.

READER NOTIFICATION

Before anything else, the author wants to be clear that this work is not intended to mock, belittle, or misrepresent Voodoo (Vodou (Haitian), Vodun (Benin/West African), Vodoun, Voudou, Vudu, Voudou, and Vodon) or any of the real-world spiritual traditions that inspire these ideas. These are living belief systems that are meaningful to real people, and they deserve to be treated with absolute respect. Anything inspired by those traditions in this material is done with admiration and a genuine appreciation for the depth, beauty, and mystery they carry.

This setting uses the idea of loa and related concepts as a way to explore themes of connection, nature, spirit, and the unseen forces that shape a world. It’s meant to capture a sense of wonder - of a world where the spiritual is present, active, and woven into everyday life. That sense of magic and reverence is the goal, not imitation, mockery or commentary on or of any real-world practice.

At the end of the day, this is a work of fiction meant to enrich a game, not to define or replace any real belief. The hope is that it can inspire a sense of awe and curiosity, while still remaining mindful and respectful of the traditions that helped inspire it in the first place.

In the world of Ville des Marai, the blending of belief systems that is often seen in real-world traditions did not need to occur. The societies that shaped this setting developed with a strong foundation of mutual tolerance and coexistence, allowing different spiritual paths to exist openly and without the need to disguise or merge their identities. As a result, faiths that might otherwise have been forced together remained distinct, each preserving its own symbols, practices, and understanding of the divine.

This means that the deity worship and spirit traditions of this world do not borrow from one another in order to survive or be recognized. Instead, they stand side by side, each respected in its own right by those who follow it. While these belief systems may occasionally come into contact or even conflict, those moments are generally limited in scope - small tensions, differences in custom, or social frictions - rather than large-scale struggles for dominance or survival. Most of the time, they simply coexist, each continuing its own practices without interference.

Because of this, syncretism never became a necessary or defining feature of the spiritual landscape. The absence of forced blending allows each tradition to remain whole, maintaining its own internal logic and cultural meaning. This creates a world where multiple belief systems live in parallel, and where individuals are free to follow their chosen path without needing to reconcile it with another. The result is a setting where spiritual diversity is not the product of compromise, but of longstanding respect and coexistence.