How do you see the Twelve?

[WanderingWordsmith]

A character is born with a patron deity, but how does your character envision the pantheon, if at all? Do they hold an umbrella belief or opinions about each one?

 

For this prompt, take a moment to peruse our fair wiki's articles on the Twelve, and consider what your character might say in relation to their feelings on the matter. Try and get one in for each of them!

 

I'll get mine in momentarily. Have fun!

[FreelanceWizard]

L'yhta venerates the Twelve to varying degrees; she'll offer a quick prayer to the one most appropriate to what she's doing from time to time, and she sometimes speaks about being blessed by Nymeia or Memphina smiling upon those who are in love. And, of course, like any good Eorzean, she profanes Nald'thal on a regular basis ("Thal's bloody balls!"). She's never been especially devout, though; in the village where she grew up, they had more important things to do than hold elaborate religious ceremonies, and the mages of the Wizards' Choir (save one) were typically more interested in expanding the power of Man over exploring the lore of the Twelve. L'yhta discovering that she has the Echo (which is the closest thing to a religious revelation she's ever had) has changed her point of view considerably, however.

 

In general, L'yhta's opinions on the Twelve are more oriented towards their fervent followers than the deity itself. For example, she has no issue with Halone (people get angry, anger can be power, etc.), but she hates Ishgardians and the way they use what they claim to be Halone's teachings to justify trials by execution and just generally being jerks.

[Erik Mynhier]

A little real life background to help explain. I belong to a religion that in the US is called Asatru. Long short of it is it's a polytheistic religion. We have several gods and goddesses. Each has a place, is considered sacred, and are prayed to. That said it's not uncommon to have a patron, though it is important to note we do not have personal relationships with our gods as say a Christian may have a personal relationship with Christ. We see our gods as giants among ants. They operate the macro universe, while the personal side is handled by lesser spirits and local gods, very much akin to the situation in the Shroud with elementals.

 

So that said, that is the lens I see the twelve through.

[cuideag]

Jajara is quite pious and offers prayers to whole of the Twelve on a fairly regular basis - though not as regular as she herself would like. Those of her clan favor Byregot, Oschon, and Nymeia above all: Byregot and Nymeia for their ties to arts and crafts, which is the lifeblood of the clan, and Oschon accredited to their safe passage and dominion over the desert sands in which they dwell. She stands firm in her belief that the Gods play active roles in the lives of all Eorzeans, and while there are gods she worships 'less' than others, she makes an effort to pay respect to each and every one and takes great care not to be profane ("Thal's balls!").

 

Delial is a little more wishy-washy with regards to most of the Twelve. She believes, of course, and recognizes their place in the cosmos, but only feels obligated to bow before a select few. Rhalgr is her favored God and to some small degree so is Nymeia, though lately her views towards fate has soured. A grudging respect of Halone has been stirring in her as of late though she has never actively sought her favor.

[Antain]

Vaughn (for reasons I don't even understand) has become extremely religious the more I play him. He honors all the Twelve, but pays the most respect to Llymlaen. Perhaps this is due to his ten cycles at sea, being told he must pray to her or face divine punishment (a sick joke perpetrated by his Captain). I have no idea. It just happened. I can't explain why Vaughn does the things he does anymore. He's his own person now

[Guest Ragnar]

Alexei politely watches other people pay respects to The Twelve, but does not pray to them himself. He's not altogether sure they exist, and believes that if they do, they don't take any real interest in mortals and doesn't see a reason to pray to them. He mostly keeps that to himself though.

 

Ragnar believes firmly in the Twelve, and favors Rhalgr and Byregot. As a warrior and craftsman respectively. He rarely prays to them, preferring to succeed or fail on his own merits, but he does see them as a kind of ideal to strive toward.

[DreamedReality]

Jaques believes in the existence of the Twelve. But he doesn't find any comfort in their existence. He doesn't believe that anything comes from devotion or praying to them. And depending on the day and his current musings he swings between two different outlooks.

 

1. He's not even certain that the Twelve exist beyond a the concept and archtype they represent. Were they able to think or ration outside their archtypes? Did they indeed think or even had a sense of self? Perhaps the depictions people gave to the Twelve were projections of those trying to give meaning to these larger cosmic forces. And why would these larger cosmic forces give a damn about their individual existences? His answer is they don't.

 

2. And if they were capable and -did-... that thought greatly unnerves him now. He views them as unmoving, unforgiving, uncaring beings. Beings that do a whole lot of taking and manipulating. Holding a lot of expectations. And offering little to no reasons or answers. And he holds a certain amount of fear for Nymeia.

[Jana]

Jana is sure the Twelve exist, but isn't very religious herself. She might mutter a quick "Help me, Twelve" in a life-threatening situation, the way we might say "Oh God" in real lie, but as long as there's no direct divine intervention in her life, she can't take prayer seriously.

[Kellach Woods]

Just a question, are the Twelve considered the world religion or just Eorzea? This is kind of important.

[Guest Ragnar]

I do not believe the Twelve are a world-wide thing, but I could be wrong.

[LiadansWhisper]

Liadan's patron is Nophica, and she is most devoted to that deity in particular.  But, she pays respects to each of the Twelve.  The only gods that she despises are Halone (because Coerthas) and Ala Mhigo's patron, the god of destruction.  They're both pretty inimical to both Liadan's personal beliefs, and Nophica herself.

 

Liadan believes that the gods care, to an extent, but because of the pact they made in ages long past, they can no longer really influence much on Eorzea.  Still, it's a comfort to have someone to pour your worries out to, right?

[Yssen]

Just a question, are the Twelve considered the world religion or just Eorzea? This is kind of important.

 

The Twelve are specific to Eorzea and part of the land's creation myth. They may be known of in the rest of Hydaelyn, but they are not worshipped as god universally. We have not heard much about Doman religion, and we know the Empire considers the Twelve to be primitive heresy.

[Kellach Woods]

Cool.

 

In that case, Kellach just considers them as part of the experience of exploring Eorzea. He feels a sort of kinship with Althyk because he doesn't see how a god of space and change would wield a mythril greataxe, mirroring his own background a bit.

[Marisa]

Ryoko's only exposure to religion so far has been the months that she was tutored under an Ishgardian priest. So she devotes her faith entirely to Halone.

[Roen]

Having been raised in Garlemald most of her life, Roen does not believe in the Twelve. But since living for the past five years amongst those who seem to derive great strength and comfort from these gods, she is starting to reconsider her point of view. Or at least, she is learning to respect the religion.

 

She cannot deny that prayer does seem to lend those in need strength and faith, and would never speak negatively about the Twelve or deny their existance to those who believe in them.

[Verad]

Despite his profession, Verad venerates Oschon rather than Nald'thal, feeling that his business is dictated more by the whims of fate and where his feet take him than by the laws of commerce and the typical economy.

 

According to one chapter of his memoirs, he has been banned from Ishgard at least once on the grounds that a series of unfortunate coincidences and his own glib tongue caused Halone herself to descend from the heavens to take him as her champion and consort. He was forced to decline, feeling that she was doing Ishgard's weather a disservice, and Halone hath no fury like herself scorned. He is therefore a little wary of anybody espousing ardent faith in her, on the off-chance she remembers him and decides to act through her worshippers.

 

He is ambivalent-to-neutral on the rest of the gods and their worship.

[WanderingWordsmith]

Wonderful responses, one and all! It's been quite interesting to see how some of your characters approach something that's influence in-game oft stretches as far as the occasional curse or which of your elemental resistances is highest.

 

Averill's opinions of, and motivations for, venerating the Twelve are simple but personal ones. His patron deity and primary focus is Oschon, the Wanderer. From an early age he filled himself on tales of adventurers and epic journeys, locked away in his house and school. They were his escape - one that he turned into a reality when he fled home and family. As a consequence of this, Averill relies on his devotion to Oschon to never lead him astray - taking him where the wind blows.

 

Whilst he is held by the Eorzean reverence of the Twelve, he pays particular attention in his actions to Thaliak, the Scholar. Alongside his patron, Averill is sure to pay his respects to the Scholar whenever he gains an opportunity to learn something of the world.

[Jezune Garinthe]

"Oi, the Twelve...? Ah, those folks up there, neh? Well...if we're down here, and they're all the way up there, it's our business what we do, neh? Their time came and went. It's our turn now!"

[ansemaru]

Aumeric casually throws out "gods" and "by the twelve" in conversation, but he is not one of true faith. Not by a long shot. Though he was born under the signs of Oschon and has such documented on the records of his birth, he honors the god no more than any of the others. His parents are far from devout, and his only real exposure to religious matters was through text. The first deity who had any bearing on his life was a far more tangible one, with a far more tangible role in the world around him- Garuda. While he doesn't precisely worship her, he has a real appreciation for how terrible and powerful the primal goddess is, as a ward of the Ixal and as a summoner who wields the power of her egi. And that has colored how he sees the hierarchy of gods in Hydaelyn- primals are real, and powerful, to be feared or honored or fought or worshipped, and in some ways are more valid gods than the absent Twelve.

[Jazz Egi]

You mean Halone? Halone is great...

 

Oh... Those other ones are okay too. I guess...

[Titor]

"If there were truly gods whom bestow blessings, the battlefield would be a much less gruesome place. Since it is not, I can only deduct that they do not exist, or care not for your vehement praises and rituals."

[Ridegmuve]

Iliette doesn't believe in gods, she believes in self sufficiency. Iliette while not the sharpest knife in the box, does require proof of something's existence to believe in it or trust her faith with it. In that while not a primal worshippers she does believe that's as close as we have to Gods. She does curse with the twelve's name regardless of belief!

[Dogberry]

Dogberry has been a very vocal worshipper of Llymlaen in the past, and had some interesting conversations with Yangh about Menphina. Lately, though, Dogberry's job has been to literally kill actual gods. You kill a god a few times, you begin to wonder what's so damn great about them.

[Steel Wolf]

"How powerful could a diety possibly be if they fail to intervene on the woes of the world?  Granted, they're numerous and seem to spring forth from every rock...but surely a divinity would have the power to assuage at least some of this realm's misery.

 

"But, no...where gods fall and fail against even an evil that nearly wiped all life from the land, we're left to stand.  So by might of arm and blade and book, we will.  And woe betide those who would expand this realm's miseries. 

 

"I will come for them all."

[chaoticsleepy]

Xheja, growing up in a isolated Keeper tribal environment, was brought up believing in the Twelve, but worshipping Menphina specifically. Given that she was (at one point) being groomed to become her tribe's next Matriarch, she was a very vocal worshipper and knowledgeable.

 

However, after Carteneau and her subsequent move to Ul'dah, her faith in Menphina wavered and she began to worship Nald'thal - albeit much less fervently. Now, given the most recent events in her life, Xheja regards all of the Twelve with equal levels of apathy and, occasionally, outright scorn. But she still occasionally goes through the motions, such as mention of Menphina with other Keepers and making offerings to Nald'thal.