Saromatian religion revolves around worship of the Nine-Named Goddess, Saromata. Saromata has three "faces," and each face has three aspects. Her many personalities (some contradictory) have led her, in her Unity, to be identified with the ever-changing moon. The nation of Saromatia takes its name from its chief goddess, and her worship dominates the land. A temple to Saromata, at least a modest one, can be found in any town of decent size.

Temples and shrines to the Three Faces and the Nine Aspects are more scattered. Long ago, it was common to dedicate them to one of the Three Faces. But as the theology of Saromata became more developed, the Aspects became clearer. Now, people prefer to worship at a temple to an Aspect whenever possible. It makes accidentally invoking one of the goddess's darker Aspects less likely. Worship of the darker sides of Saromata's Aspects is not forbidden, but anyone who breaks any laws either by doing so or as a result of doing so is still beholden to the law.

The First Face: The Maiden

The Maiden embraces life, youth, and vitality. While a virgin herself, the Face of the Maiden is often beseeched in matters of love. She combines the wildness of the Forest Maiden, the disciplined force of the Warrior Maiden, and the loving care of the Spring Maiden. All of the Maids are typically identified with the cresent moon.

The Forest Maiden is a wild and free creature. She is Nature's force, uncontrolled. While she cedes the chaos of the boiling sea and thunderstorm to the Storm Lord, she revels in the savage joys of the forest and glen. She hunts with wolves, dances with nymphs, and runs with deer. Her nature is chaotic, but neither good nor evil - she is as amoral as the predators and prey she spends her time with. Like the animals, she can and does show tenderness towards defenseless newborns. The Spring Maiden is more generally associated with birth and rebirth, but the wild Forest Maid is the patron of the infant as well. The Forest Maiden is the least sympathetic of the Maids, and the least popular. Her shrines and temples tend to be in secluded natural places, and her human worshippers members of ecstatic cults in her honor.

The Warrior Maiden is the patron of Saromatia's army. She rebukes the Air Lord and Sun Lord when they come to court her, preferring to focus her energies on battle. She shares much in common with her huntress sister, but prefers the discipline of the ranks to wild hunts. She is commonly seen as wise as well, a master tactian and strategist. She also exercises her prudence in picking her fights - the clergy of the Warrior Maiden have a great philosophy of the "just war," and caution the leaders of Saromata from fighting any battles which do not conform. It is thought that the Warrior Maiden will abandon her armies should they wage war unjustly.

The Spring Maiden is the glowing patroness of spring, birth, rebirth, and renewal. Saromatians believe in reincarnation, and it is the Spring Maiden who leads the soul forth from the Death Crone's dark lands to its new life. She has a rather legal turn of mind as well, as she is frequently called upon to witness new contracts and business undertakings. While the Warrior Maiden is most popular with the soldiers, the Spring Maiden is the most popular Maiden Aspect with the populace in general. Her spring rites are celebrated enthusiastically each year.

The Second Face: The Mother

The Mother is fertility and power. This Face is the least dark of the three; there is no wild, capriciousness like the Forest Maiden nor the bitter malevolence of the Death Crone. The Mother has always been an authority symbol, the divine manifestation of the rights of women to rule in Saromatia. Her Aspects merely reflect dominion over different areas. The Mother is associated with the full moon.

The Corn Mother is, far and away, the most widely worshipped Aspect of Saromata. The Corn Mother is the fertility goddess. By herself, she rules over the earth and the crops that spring forth from it; together with the Spring Maiden, she rules over human fertility. Since agriculture and reproduction are important to nearly every being, the Corn Mother is powerful indeed. Her consort is the glorious Sun Lord, for without his heat and light, her fertile fields would yield nothing but shriveled grey weeds.

The Hearth Mother is the Aspect that governs the home. She is a friendly, approachable Aspect, petitioned for harmony in the home and assistance in family matters - a sort of celestial grandma. Indeed, religious art often depicts her just this side of Crone, as a smiling woman with hair going grey. Her consort is Hearth Father, a homely aspect of the Sun Lord. His shrine is the household fire.

The Queen is the least approachable Mother Aspect - and indeed, is rarely addressed as Mother. She is the Divine Queen, ruler of Saromatia. Her domain is temporal power and governance, law and justice. Her consort is the Air Lord, who brings beauty and art to her otherwise severe court. She is worshipped by those in government and those who would like to be.

The Third Face: The Crone

The Crone is a keeper of mysteries. Even as a Face, she is forbidding. Her knowledge is secret and hidden, and to learn it may have a great price. Devotees of the Crone often have great power, but none get it for free. The Crone is associated with the new moon.

The Death Crone knows the mysteries of the grave. She receives the most worship of all of the Crone Aspects, although she is not well-loved. People pray to ask that she forestall her hand, and for the well-being of the souls of their loved ones dwelling in her kingdom. She unhappily shares her domain with the Stone Lord, and is generally bitter and spiteful. She allows the creation of undead (indeed, necromany is one of her secrets), but the price is very, very steep.

The Sorceress is never referred to as a Crone. All of her temple art depicts her as a Maiden or glorious Queen, young and beautiful. The Ars Arcana are hers to command and bestow. Practioners of magic must make regular sacrifices to her vanity to reap the benefits of her wisdom.

The Vision Crone is the most enigmatic of the three. Some say that she's Fate, determining the span of a woman's life. Others say she knows all future events, and can grant them in visions. A few say that she causes all events, that she's a force that causes predestinataion. And some like to call her the Teaching Crone, hypothesizing that she lectures the souls in her sister's kingdom, revealing some secrets to them so they may improve in their next life. The few clergy who serve the Vision Crone do not seem inclined to shed light on the subject.

Saromatia Home | Geography | Religion | Civics | Organizations | Culture | Races | Bestiary | Game World Index