Avvarian Religion

[The Maker]

It is nearly impossible to speak of the Avvarian people without speaking of their belief. Faith is the vibrant cornerstone of their existence, filling their harsh lives with sacred implications, for the Avvars believe as the Alamarri once did: The gods live in all things. Wind from an unexpected direction, birds flying in unusual patterns, a sudden silence amidst the high peaks in the spring – these are nothing but chance to a lowlander, but are messages from the gods to an Avvar.

The Avvars believe without question that their gods have protected them and kept them strong, for do they not thrive despite their numerous enemies? Wise lowlanders avoid pointing out that the hillsmen have been pushed into some of the most inhospitable terrain in all of Thedas. In truth, the Avvars love the Frostbacks and would only take offense at the thought that they were “forced” into the mountains.

The Avvars have a complex pantheon, which includes both nature spirits and legendary mortals who have ascended to the heavens. This is further complicated by the fact that the pantheon varies somewhat from hold to hold, as every clan has its own sacred tales and heroes; however, all Avvars agree on the three greatest gods. These are Korth the Mountain Father, Haakon Wintersbreath, and the Lady of the Skies. Imhar the Clever and the Great Bear Sigfost are also revered in most communities.

Korth the Mountain Father
Eldest and strongest, the foundation upon which all is built, Korth is theg od of the mountains and the caves, lord of the Frostbacks. Through the Mountain Father`s benevolence, the Avvars are provided with everything they might need, though it is unwise to tempt his wrath by demanding more than one`s rightful due. It is Korth who sends game to needy hunters, leads goatherds to lush the fields, and approves of a hold`s secret animal. The majority of the Avvarians believe that Korth has always been; that he is as aged as the fountains of the mountains. Only in the ancient Frosthold do they sing otherwise. Their Winter Song, sung only during Wintersend, may be the oldest known to any Avvar. It tells that Korth was once a man, a hunter without peer, who led his people into the mountains when the world was young.

Haakon Wintersbreath
Korth`s firstborn son Haakon is the Lord of Winter, master of the twin,, biting colds of ice and steel. The Wintersbreath is the god of arms and battle, for to the Avvars winter and war are near synonymous. It is cold that protects the Avvarians from their enemies, it is cold that they use as a weapon against the lowlanders when they raid from the mountains, and cold is the fear they wish to inspire in the faithless. Haakon is not simply a deity to be worshiped; he is the fearsome, icy killer young Avvars aspires to become.

The Lady of the Skies
After the mountains beneath, only the skies above are as sacred to the Avvars. TheMistress of Birds is their patroness and protector; her flocks assist the Avvars in keeping a lookout for their many foes. Birds are the agents of the Lady, bringers of omens and foretellers of woe. Deceased Avvars are “offered to the Lady”, in solemn ceremony that the Felden schoars refer to as an “air burial”. Rather than being cremated or buried, their bodies are completely dismembered and offered to the carrion birds of the mountains. Flesh, organs, and even bones are powdered so that the avians can consume all that remains and carry it off to the Lady`s realm. Thus, the Lady of the skies is also the Avvars goddess of death.

Imhar the Clever
Tales of Imhar have brought cheer to the Avvars on many a cold night, for his is the way of the trickster, and they delight in stories of his cunning. A slight man of infinite jest and vicious wit, Imhar`s mockery cuts deeper than any blade. Imhar`s greatest feast was arguable to single-handed rut of a mighty horde of demons after an evil seductress tricked him into facing them weaponless. He retreated, making them thin that he was a coward and fleeing. When they finally caught up with him in a narrow mountain pass, Imhar`s laughter defeated them by causing an avalanche.

The Great Bear Sighfost
Wisest of all the mountain spirits and so large that the mountain father once mistook him for one of his smaller peaks, Sigfost lounges at the foot of Korth`s throne Characters seeking wisdom can challenge Sigfost to fight for it, but the bones of the devoured and unworthy litter his vast den. Avvars hold bears to be sacred and though they sometimes hunt them, great ceremony always accompanies such efforts. All Avvars judge bereskarn to be blasphemous horrors. A very few Circle magi claim to have met Sigfost in the Fade; these are invariably open-minded magi known to get along well with people from other cultures, and none of them will discuss the experience lightly

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