To understand the cultural religion practiced within Alberlond, one must begin with two basic items: First, that the gods are all long dead; and second, that the gods must soon return.
The first item constitutes the historical foundation of the religion. It is said that during the Great Desolation, all the gods from all the worlds descended upon this mortal realm, for to fight the devils and demons of Pandemonium. The battle was long and mighty, scarring everything and everyone from the earth to the stars themselves. The continent was severed from itself, and the years have since been measured Anno Sejunctio—that is, year of the separation. Though some minor deities may have survived, all major gods died in this conflict. Now only their ghosts remain, as incomplete visages of their consciousnesses. The powers of the gods linger, felt by those of faith, but their agencies are deceased.
The second item is then the foundation of the religion in its cultural expression. Terrible as the Great Desolation was, the folk of Alberlond believe it to have been only the prelude to a greater war. The Coming Doom. By ancient prophecy it is assured that Pandemonium, though presently dormant, was not then wholly defeated, and will soon return. For this reason, the worship of the gods performed by priests and pilgrims must be understood as an attempt to resurrect them. Speech directed toward the gods is like the musings of a widow to her husband; assertions of their presence are wishful compensation for the reality of their absence. It is hoped that by adherence to the rites of worship, life will be breathed back into the gods, before the Coming Doom. The faith is therefore one stuck between two apocalypses.
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