Vaargism

Vaargism is a polytheistic religion from Baelland. It's one of only two pagan religions that still has a substantial following, the other being Maazism in Bodvar. It's origin is unknown, coming with the Baella people from the Blue Continent in the 5rd Century BCE. It revolved around the teachings of the Five Divines, though Vaarg (Baellandic: Wolf) is considered the only god with any prominent influence on day to day life.

5th Century BCE - 1st Century BCE
Vaargism first came to the Red Continent when the Baella people arrived from the Blue Continent and settled what is now Baelland. Little is known about this period, and any substantial history about Vaargism wasn't written until the mid-3rd Century BCE when the Lucan Empire founded colonies on the Padragsson and Kjalfort Peninsulas. The Lucans founded the cities of Tassium (on the Padragsson) and Clovium (on the Kjalfort). Vaargism was outlawed by the Lucan authorities, and anyone who led or took part in Vaargist rituals were executed. In 186 BCE, Emperor Kranius ordered a military campaign to pacify the whole of the Baella people. While many scholars and historians say this was a simply push to gain more territory, others believe that it was an attempt to destroy Vaargism once and for all. The Lucan-Baella War was fought until 173 BCE, and the Lucan Empire failed to destroy Vaargism, and the religion only got stronger. When the Empire was destroyed in the mid-1st Century, Vaargism became the major religion in Baelland.

1st Century BCE - 10 Century AD
Literature on Vaargism and Vaargist tales greatly increased, especially with the writtings of Garolf of Fraedenholm in the 900s. His book titled Yn Historie av de Fem Teologer (A History of the Five Divines), gave huge amounts of information on ancient and early-medieval Vaargism. Garolf, who himself was a Vaargist, never called it Vaargism, but simply paganism, and gave exstensive details on each of the Nine Divines.


 * The most important and recognizable divine is Vaarg, born from a wolf, God of War and Earth, and worshipped by all who follow the teachings of the Five Divines. He sits in the center of the Five Divines, upon the seat called the Golden Throne of Sundgard. He controls every aspect of humanity on the Earth, and his word is law amongst the faithful. The two other Divine Gods sit on his right. First is Orn, born from an eagle, God of the Skies, who is tends to travelers on land and sea. Second is Baern, born from a bear, God of the Mountains, who is worshipped by warriors for his strength and valor. On Vaarg's left sits the two Divine Goddesses. First is Yjorma, born from a snake, who is worshipped by women for her beauty and sharp cunning. Second is Hoka, born from a hawk, worshipped by nobles for luck and good health. Together, they make up the Five Divines.

The reputation of Garolf's Yn Historie av de Fem Teologer has been marred by it's context, making it seem more like almost a bible instead of history. Nonetheless, it provides a detailed description of the gods and goddesses and their teachings.