Religious and Spiritual Beliefs of Valtameri

Below are some common religious and spiritual beliefs encountered in the elven kingdoms of Valtameri.

Common Elven Beliefs

There is a singular Supreme Deity, “the Creator” who created all things.
This Creator is served or assisted by numerous High Spirits. These spirits seldom intervene in the physical world.
Upon death, the elves believe that a transmigration of the elven soul occurs.
Kings, holy leaders, and other important elves may become High Spirits. “Bad” elves who have led unwholesome or destructive lives become restless “Low Spirits,” while ordinary elves become a part of the natural world.

Two rival gods created the world, the Above-god and the Below-god.
The Above-god rules the realms of air and water, while the Below-god rules the mountains and subterranean realms.
The surface world, known as the Flatlands, are shared by the two deities. Each of the gods resides in his own kingdom within the Underworld (the Beneath).
Several dwarven daemon-spirits serve each god, and are believed to interact with the two gods on behalf of the dwarven race. Other spirits are said to torment and challenge dwarves at the behest of the gods.
Dwarves believe in the transmigration of souls into the Beneath, where they are judged and sentenced to either reincarnation, or service to one of the gods.

The creation of the world is a mystery.
There are several entities (gods and spirits) which have inhabited the world since creation. These entities are far too numerous to catalog, but they have incredible magical powers that have allowed them to pose as gods throughout history.
These entities live in another world known as Otherworld.
While these entities often provide rewards to those who worship and respect them, they just as often play tricks and deceive those who seek them out.
Halflings believe that a life well-lived results in the reward of being taken into the Otherworld. Most halflings believe this to be a spiritual even that occurs after death, but there are tales of halflings physically visiting the Otherworld.

There is a Creator-Goddess, an uncaring, absent, possibly evil deity with capricious ways. She is represented by the sun.
The Sea-god is her brother/husband, betrayed by his unfaithful brother, poisoned by his cuckolding wife, and sent to sleep beneath the sea.
The Night-god is the Sea-god’s treacherous brother. He betrayed his brother for love of the Goddess, who turned on him and sentenced him to the Eternal Night.
Many spirits vex humanity, making life a mostly thankless and pointless toil.
There is no afterlife, no reward for hard work or good living. Souls are eternally reborn into this life; some believe there is a way to influence this, but most believe this to be Fate.