Religion

Religion is a potent and omnipresent force in Ymirea. Only the insane doubt the existence of the gods, the ancient powers who conceived cosmos.They control all aspects of existence. Additionally, there is the power of the priests, many of which wield considerable influence.

Faith

All Ymireans realize that the deities are real and important, and pray and give offerings for purely practical reasons. The gods are seen as somewhat bribable overlords, who can be swayed to favour the supplicant, either in this life or the afterlife. It is folly to start a travel without placating Ishum, to plant a field without placating Kishar, to bury a person without placating Ereshkigal, to build a house without placating Marduk etc. Some people see religion as a kind of blackmail, and placate Namtar to avoid bad health, Zaltu to avoid strife, Nergal to avoid bad weather, etc.

Religion is also an important social factor. In the everyday life, religious festivals are the primary holidays for the common people, and places of worship are important meeting places, where oaths are taken, marriages are arranged, and various ceremonies throughout a person's life is held. On a political level, sacral and secular conflict are often tangled into one another, and which deity a person honours may be seen as a strong statement of political alligance.

Most people also choose a certain deity or saint as their foremost god, whose idol they carry at all times. To most, this is merely a reflection of their general attitude, social status or line of work, but to some, the deity is seen as a very personal guardian, who is not only respected, but loved and adored, and whom is believed to take a special interest in the affairs of the worshipper.