Alright guys, I’m back again with another blog post!

Today I want to talk to you guys about the titans. One aspect found in many fantasy worlds (including our own) is the presence of religion and the worship of gods and/or titans. While roleplaying in a religious aspect isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (which is understandable), religion still plays a large role on Valence- more particularly the worship of titans.

What is the difference between titans and gods?

The difference between titans and gods can be a bit confusing for people, since in the end they are both sources of (often organised) religion and worship. The difference between the two actually comes into play when talking about their existence.

• Gods need worship to exist. Oftentimes when enough people believe that a god exists, the god will simply come into existence- usually staying true to what the most common beliefs are. Because of this, there can be multiple gods of similar things, kind of how both the ancient egyptians and the ancient greeks both have a god of the sun- Ra and Helios (or even Apollo). The worship of gods in Olvunter is the most common type of worship, and there are many gods all throughout the known world.

• Titans don’t need worship to exist, and in fact- they exist in Olvunter even though titan worship is almost unheard of, and considered something of the past. The titans can be equated to be the main forces in Olvunter, beings that make the world work. They are ancient, and were seemingly there since the beginning of the world, they created it- and all the creations within it.

Sanaquas

This is the most common titan that you will hear about in Kara. Sanaquas is the Ocean’s Mother. She shaped the waters, and created much of the ocean life that exists now- like dolphins and even sea elves. The Mother is worshipped mainly for ideas such as creation, luck, and the sea’s bounty. There is some variation in her worship though- the difference between the warm, shallow, and calm waters vs the dark, deep, and frigidness of the ocean. The first is usually shown during acts of kindness and charity, and the second in the harshness and strength shown in times of adversity.

Admittedly there is significantly more information on the history, lore, and stories of Sanaquas- seeing as the biggest religion in Kara is that of The Deep. A lot of this information can be found by talking to members of the Church’s congregation, or even sitting down and talking with Exarchs or Paladins. Or if you like to read, the Church of the Deep has a library on their campus in the city, filled with different books of worship written by members of the community.

Gunterra

Gunterra (along with Tanignus, which I will cover later) is the second most common titan you might hear about in your time on Valence. Gunterra (as deducted by the name), is the titan of much life and the creator of the land. They are known as ”The Shaper”. This titan supposedly created humans, halflings, and gnomes- along with other various sentient life. They are worshipped as the creator of life, and are often associated with things such as plants, earth, and minerals.

In Olvunter, the worship of Gunterra is usually found through Dwarven societies- such as the Dwarves of Kystian Gvaldets. In Kara, the worship of this titan is most often found in the Duchy of Stendahl, in the Order of Gunterra- so I would suggest heading over there and asking around for more information.

Tanignus

The titan Tanignus is known as the titan of fire and energy. Tanignus created many forms of energy, but never necessarily mastered the art of creation, they worked together with other titans to create fiery creatures- such as dragons. Because of this, Tanignus is often worshipped as improvement, passion, transmutation, energy, and carelessness- sometimes Tanignus is also worshipped for war, destruction, and revenge- though this second part is usually worshipped by those less informed on the nature of them. True followers of Tanignus typically practise their worship in monasteries to practise control of the flame, meditating and training their minds and bodies- eventually they might have a ”coming of age” ceremony where a brand is burned into their skin, a mark of their devotion.

Much like Gunterra, the worship of Tanignus is most commonly found in the Duchy of Stendahl- under the Temple of the Flame. If you’d like to know about more Karan worship practices, search out those in this temple.

Alaurus

The titan Alaurus is the least common titan that is worshipped in Kara, though there is knowledge about them available. Alaurus is the creator of the skies and wind, and created the elves and various winged creatures. This titan is also the only one to work with all the other titans to create life- such as the dragons with Tanignus. Alaurus is thought to be the most knowledgeable of the titans, due to their broad work with the other titans. Because of this, Alarus is often worshipped for their knowledge and stories.

Since the worship of Alaurus is almost none in Kara (and generally rarer than the other titans in worship in Olvunter), there isn’t much precedent set for this titan. There is really only one group in Olvunter that still worships Alaurus called ”The Wanderers”. These worshippers of Alaurus act as nomads (hence the titan of the skies and wind) and monks- travelling the lands to gather and share information, knowledge, and stories with others- along with setting up small shrines, of course.

Apophis

The last titan, also commonly known as ”The 5th Titan” is Apophis. First, I should say that the worship and association with Apophis in Kara is illegal and is often punishable by execution- however this does not mean that your character cannot attempt to try and spread the word (though expect your character’s motives to be sniffed out quite quickly). Apophis is known as ”The World Eater”, the titan of destruction which will one day end the world.

Apophis is known as the titan of destruction and chaos. The 5th Titan is known to be the source of all evil in Olvunter, and is thought to be the creator of dragonborn, lizardmen, and kobolds. This titan is also thought to guide mortals into evil deeds.

Currently, the Church of the Deep believes that Apophis is locked away (similar to how in Greek mythology the titans such as Cronus are locked away in Tartarus), deep below the ocean- pinned to the ocean’s deepest floor by Sanaquas, after The Betrayal. Apophis is the only titan known to commonly speak and whisper to mortals, attempting to manipulate and exploit mortals to spread their word and eventually free them, often without any regard for the possibly evil uses such mortals might have for this information. This has led to a common saying amongst mages in particular: “Do not listen to the whispers.”

So there you go! A brief overview of the titans within Kara, and what they are worshipped for. Keep in mind that while your character is able to worship these titans- titan worship outside of Kara is basically unheard of. Most groups of titan worshippers are often seen and thought of as cultists, though this isn’t necessarily true- so many characters that aren’t from Kara find the worship of titans a little strange.

I hope this document helped you all out a little bit, and I hope that you are now all prepared with the knowledge you need to get involved in some fun religious roleplay.

Love, Kayse