Name:The Duodecos
Summary: The Duodecos is a religion revolving around the worship of a pantheon containing twelve gods. They are worshiped in the Marosian, Alyrian, Lenosian, Hararan, and the Shoshoan cultures, and are also recognised within the Istarian, Tosian, and Zyelar cultures. It is the most influential of all the religions, and is the most known. The months of the year are each dedicated to a specific god, from which they receive their name.
History: The Duodecos is a religion that arose from a much smaller Marosian religion revolving around two gods: Eratos, the god of war, and Gwendell, the goddess of law. These two aspects were highly regarded in early Marosian society, having been blessed with them by the gods. It is strongly believed that a contract exists between mortals and the divine; gods are willing to grant favour if they are offered gifts and worshipped. Thus, the Marosian successes in warfare and in the stability of their civilization was a direct result of their pious respect of the gods.

As the Marosians conquered new lands, they came into contact with foreign gods, which they added to their growing pantheon of gods in order to obtain their favour as well. New major Marosian deities also began to rise to prominence and were also inducted into the pantheon as early Marosian culture solidified. By the time the Marosian Empire had become a dominant force, although before the Haldish-Marosian Wars, a religion comprised of twelve major deities had been thoroughly established.

At the height of the Marosian Empire, Marosian influence and religion began to spread to many other cultures. This was in part due to the many gods that had familiar traits to those recognised in the foreign religions, though there was also the hope that in accepting the Marosian pantheon that the receiving culture would also rise to prominence, having gained favour with the most powerful gods of the land.

Much information regarding the gods comes from the Era of Heroes, referring to a primitive time when many of the major cultures were still in their beginning phases, or yet to exist. In this period, the gods were well known for meddling in human affairs; choosing champions, posing as unassuming humans, bestowing abilities, etc. In the present era, evidence of their presence is much more restrained, though there are sporadic accounts from individuals who have claimed to meet a god, or other supernatural phenomena.

In the present era, The Duodecos have lost much of their sense of solely being Marosian gods. They are widely accepted in the cultures that have adopted the religion, and are well integrated in society, far from being considered foreign. Temples exist throughout the world, with major temples throughout Maros, Alyra, Lenos, Shoa, southern Harar, and one each in Toh and Istaria.
Guiding Principles:
- There exists a contract between mortals and the divine; if one seeks a favour from the gods, they must offer something of themselves to the gods. Likewise, if one offends the gods, then they must seek to make amends, lest they suffer at the hands of the gods.
- There are twelve major gods, who are the custodians of the realm, however there are other lesser gods and spirits that also exist.
-There are other Elder Gods who are thought to be even more powerful than The Duodecos, they created the world and all its peoples, shortly thereafter, they abandoned it.
- Eratos, Gwendell, Aros and Dylia are the Sacred Quartet. They each rule a season, a cardinal direction and are each patron of one of the four ancestral peoples that birthed the present cultures.
- The ruling god's influence is the greatest on the other gods during the season in which they reign.
- Each member of the Sacred Quartet is supported by two other gods, who are thusly supported by various other lesser gods and spirits.
Holy Texts/Lore: There is no one book containing all the lore of The Duodecos, however there are many different legends pertaining to the gods that are collectively recognized.
<Insert story of how the Sacred Quartet chose the four ancestral peoples who birthed the present cultures>
<Insert story about how the other gods came along later as they grew interested in mortal affairs>
<Insert lots of stories of how The Duodecos involved themselves in various moral affairs "Era of Heroes">
<Insert story how The Duodecos left the mortal plane after balance was distorted and almost led to war among the gods>
Holy Sites:
Altosumos – (The Most Greatest [of Holy Cities]) A day's journey from Maros, the ancient capital of the Marosian Empire, Altosumos is the location of the Temple of Twelve, a grand temple dedicated to all twelve gods of The Duodecos. The city itself developed as a result of the amount of people who came to the temple, and serves as a home for those who support and protect the temple. The temple itself is an architectural wonder, and is well known for its beauty across the land.

Lyrumdyll – Lyrumdyll is quite old, an ancient city built relatively near the marshlands held to be sacred by the Alyrians. The temple was originally built for Dyrrys, however it was later expanded for the Alyrian Sacred Triumvirate including Syr and Arryst. After the adoption of The Duodecos, the temple was further expanded to include all twelve of the gods. The largest of the Spring festivals dedicated to Dylia happen here.

The Duodecos are venerated through temples ranging from monumental temples to small local shrines.
Local shrines are often simple in their design, usually a statue depicting the god or goddess with a single altar and offerings left in front of the statue. Conversely, the temples are often quite massive and imposing, with sweeping arches and solid columns of marble, decorated resplendently and serving not only as a place of worship, but also a place for communal gathering, education, healing, protection, etc. These auxiliary purposes change depending on the god or goddess for whom the temple is dedicated to.

As the religion is incredibly flexible, so is the structure in which one may choose to venerate a god. Temples may be dedicated to one god, a specific quadrant, the Sacred Quartet, or the entire pantheon. Even gods with similar natures, aspects, or bonds may have a temple dedicated to them.
Religious Personnel: The mortal servants of The Duodecos are called Dedicates. They spend their lives dedicated to a single god or goddess, ensuring that the gods are appeased as they maintain the temple and the veneration of the gods. Becoming a dedicate requires an individual to not only dedicate themselves to the service of their god, but they must also take on the unique characteristics and nature of the god. For example, example a Dedicate of Delia is a practitioner of healing magic, and a Dedicate of Eratos is a skilled in weapons combat.
Centre of Influence: Altosumus, Lyrumdyll
Festivals/Ceremonies:
Rite of Initiation – The ceremony acknowledging the transition of an Initiate, a Dedicate in training, as they become fully fledged Dedicates to a particular god. There are 12 different ceremonies for each of the twelve gods.
<insert festivals here>
Symbol: 12-pointed star with the cardinal points slightly extended.