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Robrenn

by Marco Dalmonte English translation by Gary Davies

Breig (Ordana) - Nature, life, fertility
Cernuinn (Faunus) - Forests, sylvan creatures, drunkenness revelry, arts (music and poetry)
Tuatis (Thor) - Battle, courage, honour
Arduinna (Diulanna) - Hunting, will, courage
Belnos (Asterius) - Travel, trade, healing
Leug (Zirchev) - Wisdom, tolerance, demihumans
Taranos (Odin) - Sky, storms, winds
Belsamas (Kagyar) - Crafts, metallurgy, construction, dwarves
Notes:
1. The Robrennians worship several Immortals, but all pay respect to Breig, supreme Immortal also called Mother Forest, Great Oak or Spirit of Eyf. Indeed from her descends all life, according to the Robrennian mythos, and she sits at the head of the pantheon of Immortals that watches over the Confederated Kingdom of Robrenn. All the priests present in Robrenn are druids affiliated to one of the Immortals worshipped here (with the exception of Belsamas), and give obedience to Breig. Based on an accord between Ordana and the rest of the Immortals of the Robrennian pantheon (with the exception of Kagyar), they only admit druids to their service, who based on their main patron has a different task:

2. All the druids gather annually in the Hallowed Forest of Carnuilh, an enormous forested territory that reaches into the heart of the Confederation of Robrenn. We’re talking about a holy place that no one can violate, land in which only the druids and those affiliated to their order (like the Druidic Defenders) can enter. At the centre of Carnuilh is found an ancestral holy site where on mid-summer’s eve the druids of all the region (not just Robrenn) met in order to discuss religious questions, report on the state of the ecosystem, receive omens from the Immortals, resolve internal disputes and discuss anything regarding the order under the watchful eye of the Great Druid Maud, daughter of Trestana (half-elven follower of Breig). The Great Druid of Robrenn is occupied with the task of watching and protecting the entire region that extends from the Gulf of Hule to the Orc’s Head Peninsula.
3. The druids hold the spiritual power and part of the temporal power within the confederation of the Robrennian states, having the right of issuing laws and sentence the common criminals. Even the nobles that rule the many regions must listen to the advice and the impositions of the druids, who are the direct voice of the Immortals. It is always the druids that crown the sovereign of Robrenn, which every twelve years must take part in a quest in order to demonstrate of still being worthy of ruling or leave the position to his successor, giving his own life to Breig so that his essence will be absorbed by the land and the nation will be fertilised (according to the laws of nature). If the king doesn’t fulfil his grave duty plight they would topple him on Robrenn, while if the royal bloodline doesn’t leave an heir, it is the druid’s task to select a new sovereign who guides the confederation among the nobles (as they had initially crowned Robrenn I). Moreover, no noble can make war on other populations without first having gained the permission of the druids, and they can even declare a holy war via the mouth of the Great Druid Maud (according to the local laws in fact, only a woman can be the head of the Robrennian druids). The druids moreover also moderate the internal diatribe among the regions that make up the Robrennian federation, and are the only ones able to authorise internal clashes in case they aren’t able to peacefully resolve the questions between the nobles in conflict. Considering the respect and the reverential fear that all the Robrennians fostered in the struggles of the druidic caste, to disobey their orders is considered by all a heresy and which is stained of such a crime would certainly become the enemy of every good Robrennian, probably causing a manhunt or a true civil war (which as yet has never happened).
4. In the Robrennian mythology, Asterius is associated with the moon, which besides symbolising change and travel, is also the symbol of prosperity and health, given that in the plains of the Barony of Sedhuen (sponsored by Belnos and Breig) grows the flowers known as “moon buds” (particularly because they only bloom during the nights of the full moon), with great curative properties. For this reason Belnos is also associated with healing in Robrenn, as well as travel and trade.
5. The cult of Kagyar was already present in the region when the ancestors of the Robrennians settled there. However, given the nature of the dwarves and their strong aversion for the naturalist practices of the followers of Breig, Kagyar was never able to enter into the number of the Immortals of the Robrennian cult, even if the faith in Belsamas is tolerated, given that the dwarves have greatly contributed to the economic development of Robrenn (while from the other part the followers of Breig have always refrained from technology). The priests of Belsamas therefore do not belong to the druidic order and are forced to take orders from the druids. They are considered in the same way as free humans (commoners) and their predilection for the art of metallurgy that is alien to the druidic faith, even if the few devotees of Belsamas (among which are all the dwarves) keep in great consideration the advice of the clerics and pay them the same respect given to the druids.
6. The priests of Nyt (Hel), patroness of death, darkness and reincarnation as a form of aberration (the exact antithesis of Breig), aren’t well received in the Robrennian confederation, and for this are hidden in the wildest areas, plotting on behalf of their Immortal for bringing chaos and corruption to the world. The druids recognise the importance of the balance of the forces, and allow the existence of the cult of Nyt, opposing however to the efforts of the cultists of corrupting the ecosystem of the region and of altering, in one sense or another, the natural order of things.
7. The Carnax and Cassivellonis orcs that infest the northern Robrennian border all worship Karaash, while the Pictis goblins are followers of Wogar, but the holy sites consecrated to the two Immortals are outside of the borders of Robrenn, in the middle of their plateaus.