Your favorite fictional religions in literature/games/media
- Thread starter TheIronRuler
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I've got to say the Lovecraftian Pantheon. It's so varied and fascinating, and I've always loved stories based on insanity.
Capcha: mumbo jumbo...how ironic.
Capcha: mumbo jumbo...how ironic.
I was going to post seriously, stating my enjoyment of the Five Gods from the Curse of Chalion novel series (by Lois McMaster Bujold) and the Companions of Elua from the Kushiel's Legacy novel series (by Jacqueline Carey), but as I feared the thread has already devolved into Warhammer 40K Emperor jokes.
Although, the comment about Muad Dib was pretty awesome. Go Leto II!
And if anyone wants to hear more about the Five Gods or the Companions of Elua, let me know. They're both very interesting fictional pantheons, and both series are worth reading if you enjoy fantasy novels.
Although, the comment about Muad Dib was pretty awesome. Go Leto II!
And if anyone wants to hear more about the Five Gods or the Companions of Elua, let me know. They're both very interesting fictional pantheons, and both series are worth reading if you enjoy fantasy novels.
The god hierarchy in Dragon Ball, primarily based on Buddhism. There?s nothing cooler than a blue catfish-like martial arts master with a fondness for bad jokes, or the highest god in existence having a mohawk.
You are right, brother, a xeno's mind is a maze of lies and deceit. I shall not falter in my duty again. Glory to the Emperor and His holy Imperium!dalek sec said:
The Narn religion from Babylon 5, the one G'kar practices. G'kuan (spelling?) i think it's called
Holy crap is it you Aylaine!?Aylaine said:This gets my vote too. I really liked reading up on Unitology because it depicted a people who has just given up on other beliefs so they decided to believe in unity rather then any direct figure or doctrine. Then boom, they became crazed necromorphs.ForgottenPr0digy said:
I thought you left or something, praise the Emperor for your return!
OT: Still the God-Emperor of Mankind.
Actually the whole setting is pretty excellent, but those passages from the Hammer Book were the thing that sold me on the game.Signa said:
Brandon Sanderson is pretty good at creating interesting religions.
In Elantris, there's two religions branched off an older one, Shu-Korath and Shu-Jaddeth. Shu-Korath is your standard love thy neighbour stuff, but Shu-Jaddeth is interesting. It preaches that ambition is a divine trait and has a big emphasis on hierarchy. Only one man, the Wyrn or Pope/Emperor serves their god Jaddeth directly, all other serve the priest above them in a long chain to the top. All of their priests are trained in martial arts. Some assassination, spying and magical experimentation. The Gyorns or bishop/cardinal equivalents were full plate armour as their uniform.
In Alloy of Law. The Mistborn trilogy sequel. It's interesting to see how there's churchs dedicated to important character from the original. There's the church of the survivor, the sliverists and the one we hear most about the Pathians. Their only requirement is that they spend 15 minutes a day in reflection and contemplation of anything while wearing an earring (which is relevant as metal plays a big role in the series).
Warbreaker has Austre who is a pretty standard unseen deity. But it has the Returned. People who has returned from death after some heroic act with perfect idealised bodies, who must feed off the breath (sort of like a soul but not) of their worshippers to remain alive. But they can sacrifice their own lives in turn to heal a single person of all their ailments. People petition the gods to save their or their loved ones lives. The majority get turned down, but the fact that's a small chance to be miraculously saved encourages them.
Finally in Way of Kings, there's some pretty standard religons. But he also writes an atheist who defends her beliefs quite eloquently without being preachy.
In Elantris, there's two religions branched off an older one, Shu-Korath and Shu-Jaddeth. Shu-Korath is your standard love thy neighbour stuff, but Shu-Jaddeth is interesting. It preaches that ambition is a divine trait and has a big emphasis on hierarchy. Only one man, the Wyrn or Pope/Emperor serves their god Jaddeth directly, all other serve the priest above them in a long chain to the top. All of their priests are trained in martial arts. Some assassination, spying and magical experimentation. The Gyorns or bishop/cardinal equivalents were full plate armour as their uniform.
In Alloy of Law. The Mistborn trilogy sequel. It's interesting to see how there's churchs dedicated to important character from the original. There's the church of the survivor, the sliverists and the one we hear most about the Pathians. Their only requirement is that they spend 15 minutes a day in reflection and contemplation of anything while wearing an earring (which is relevant as metal plays a big role in the series).
Warbreaker has Austre who is a pretty standard unseen deity. But it has the Returned. People who has returned from death after some heroic act with perfect idealised bodies, who must feed off the breath (sort of like a soul but not) of their worshippers to remain alive. But they can sacrifice their own lives in turn to heal a single person of all their ailments. People petition the gods to save their or their loved ones lives. The majority get turned down, but the fact that's a small chance to be miraculously saved encourages them.
Finally in Way of Kings, there's some pretty standard religons. But he also writes an atheist who defends her beliefs quite eloquently without being preachy.
The Church of Avacyn, from the Innistrad block of MTG. I mean, it doesn't preach of any afterlife. It's whole purpose is to give humanity the means to fight werewolves, vampires, zombies and demons. It's practical, is what I'm saying.
then i shall throw you a curve ball!!Xpwn3ntial said:
The Goddess Morrighan
well >.> it is kinda the 'low hanging fruit', lotta 40K fans on this site.Ironman126 said:
Do "Sith" count as a religion? Because they're easily my favorite.
Either you have the likes of Darth Caedus, Darth Revan, or Darth Traya, who are a good mix of believable ethics alongside extreme ideals and philosophies that are a lighter gray than you'd expect from someone with a red glowing doom sword and a title like "Darth", the likes of Darth Sidious, Darth Plagueis, or Darth Tyranus, who are thoroughly evil and cunning, and probably passively manipulate their breakfast servant in three completely different yet thoroughly complex ways simply by being in the same building before putting on the robe and stepping out into the extreme, winner-take-all chess championship, OR the likes of Darth Maul or Darth Malak, who have methods and goals marginally less complex than your average Saturday morning cartoon villain, and rely entirely on the "because I have power and you don't" shtick.
Any way you slice it, they're a fun and lively bunch.
Either you have the likes of Darth Caedus, Darth Revan, or Darth Traya, who are a good mix of believable ethics alongside extreme ideals and philosophies that are a lighter gray than you'd expect from someone with a red glowing doom sword and a title like "Darth", the likes of Darth Sidious, Darth Plagueis, or Darth Tyranus, who are thoroughly evil and cunning, and probably passively manipulate their breakfast servant in three completely different yet thoroughly complex ways simply by being in the same building before putting on the robe and stepping out into the extreme, winner-take-all chess championship, OR the likes of Darth Maul or Darth Malak, who have methods and goals marginally less complex than your average Saturday morning cartoon villain, and rely entirely on the "because I have power and you don't" shtick.
Any way you slice it, they're a fun and lively bunch.
And of course, there's always the Discworld religions, laughable though they may be.MixmasterInTheSky said:
The Covenant's religion.
"None will be left behind when our Great Journey begins! That is the Prophet's age-old promise. And it shall be fulfilled!"
"None will be left behind when our Great Journey begins! That is the Prophet's age-old promise. And it shall be fulfilled!"
Tell me about it. A medieval-fantasy-steampunk setting has never been done so aptly. To this day, I don't think there has been a better stealth game than Thief, because everyone insists on making theirs a modern day, or post-modern setting. Pro tip guys: Thief works as a stealth game because if the guards see you, they can't draw a gun or radio for help. Their only choice is to chase you around with their sword, screaming at the top of their lungs.Mordekaien said:
I suppose there were magic casters and archers, but they were "advanced" enemy types, because you don't encounter them very early in the game.
"Praise the Sun!"
ok I guess thats not a religion, so I'll go with...
umm... The cult of andraste? They worship a dragon. And they drink blood. Awesome...
ok I guess thats not a religion, so I'll go with...
umm... The cult of andraste? They worship a dragon. And they drink blood. Awesome...
Silvianoshei said:
These.Arfonious said:
My avatar might have made my...devotion...obvious, but I deem it well that there are others who glean the Truths. Truths the self serving lies humanity has always hidden its eyes from.
I know not these petty "God Emperors" so many here speak of.
"Outside the ordered universe [is] that amorphous blight of nethermost confusion which blasphemes and bubbles at the center of all infinity?the boundless daemon sultan Azathoth, whose name no lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time and space amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin monotonous whine of accursed flutes."
Indeed, what so-called 'God Emperor' can begin to equal: "The Ultimate Chaos, at whose center sprawls the blind idiot god Azathoth, Lord of All Things, encircled by his flopping horde of mindless and amorphous dancers, and lulled by the thin monotonous piping of a demonic flute held in nameless paws."