Another popular form of religiosity on Athas is Ancestors Worship. The lack of proper planar ties force souls of the dead in the Grey or in the Black neither of dhich were conceived as the Land of the Dead. So, souls often lingers ater their body dies, and some come back as undead, but others stay close to their living relatives. The souls inhabits objects tied to themselves and are revered and worshipped as Ancestor Spirits forming collective will of considerable power… (Recently after Rajaat anscension the most revered spirits found out they now can act and communicate with their worshipper even without the collective will of the spirits)
The most notorious Ancestor Cults in Athas are:
Balican Honourable Ones
In Balic every free citizen honour deceased members of their families with small marmorean effiges kept in internal sacraries which also house the cinders of the dead ones; The city honour its most distingushed citizens with similar, bigger statues in the city Hall of Heroes. The Hall Recorders are the City official priesthood, not directly linked with the city Pretorians (Templars), but responsable in front of the Senate. The Cult of the Honourable Ones is a L/N religion which enfatize honour, duty, tradition and abiding to the laws. Its holy symbol, is a book with a crown of bricks. (The Book is a real one which contains the names of all Honourable one.) (After Rajaat’s Ascension many people in balic claim that the Honourable Ones are awakening, speaking to their descendants throught their statues)
Dwarven Stoneancients
Dwarves deeply honour those who reached a life-time objective, an endeveour, a task or a project; this great examples of dedication are burned and theyr cinder used to build a statue of them; Their tools are blessed, held by the statues and used in rituals. Stoneancients inhabits their tools and speak throught the Toolkeepers. Toolkeepers praise dedication and loyalty their holy symbol is a decorated stone pillar. The Stoneancient Cult is Lawfull Good. (After Rajaat’s ascension, some toolkeepers is rumored to have been possessed by a Stoneancient)
Elvish Travelfriends
Elves have a rich oral traditions about their ancestors, starting with Corannon, the First Elf and going on for millennia. When an elf dies of old age or in service of their people, their body is burned, but a token is made using obsidian, and it is anointed with the cinders. The tokens are called travelfriends and are kept in custody by the elven priesthood, the Guides of the Free Path. The cult of the Travelfriends teach the value of feedom, authonomy and self-relience and the value of guile and wit. Its holy Symbol is the obsidian token of a dagger. It is Chaotic Neutral. ( After Rajaat’s ascension all the various obsidian token have misteriosly changed thejr shapes all taking the shape of a dagger, Corannon token and the first one ever made)
Gnome Crystal Jokers
Gnomes are a deeply spiritual people and humour is the center of their spirituality. They deeply honour their best humorist allowing their wit to carry on in special psionic resounding crystals. Gnome priesthood, the Laughting Wiseones, keep their memory alive and cultivate their values: joy as the candle which keep the darkness at bay, laught as the flame which keep the candle alive. They can chain your body but not your spirit if you do not let them. The Path of the Crystal Jokers is Neutral Good, and its holy symbol is a jester hat with crystal bells. ( After Rajaat’s Ascension, the Silent Crystal, an inactive Crystal Joker dedicated to the memory of Gaarlan, the last Trickster King of the Gnomes, whose spirit never was able to bind with it, have started to talk)
Halfling Guideskulls
Halfling culture is deeply spiritual. It particularly honour their most distinguished ancestors, which after their death, have their skulls ritually removed and carved with glyphs which allow the dead halfling to keep advising their people. The Which Doctors are the Halfling priesthood and they regulate every aspect of halfling society in the lighg of halflig customs and traditions. They are suspicious of strangers and changes and they deem breaking from tradition blasphemous. The Path of the Guideskulls is Lawfull Evil and their holy symbol is a carved halfling skull. (After Rajaat’s ascension the Guideskulls have started to talk even when not asked for)
Tyran Fallen for Freedom
The younger ancestor cult accounted for in Athas the Cult of the Fallen for Freedom arose in Tyr after Kalak’s fall. People started spountanously to build cairns to honour the fallen and those who died to keep that freedom. King Tithian entrusted a group of self-appointed Followers of the Fallen to keep the memorial monuments, and it evolved in a proper cult, with the aforementioned Followers as priesthood, the defense of Tyran freedoms as dogma and a cracked Ziggurat as symbol. It is a Chaotic Good cult, based on spontaneity in spite of Tithian attempts of institutionalize it. ( After Rajaat’s Ascension the Followers have experienced prophetic dreams nearby the Cairns of the Fallen)