Nearly all fantasy worlds have them: different religions or belief systems. Religion in fantasy novels really makes the world richer, more unique, and a much greater joy for your readers.
Most Common Religions in Fantasy Novels
That said, coming up with a religion for fantasy novels is a bit difficult. The way I see it you have 3 main options for religion in a fantasy novel:
- Western: By this I mean something based on the Judeo-Christian religion. That would probably be something with one main god-like figure that governs over the world, and is responsible for its creation.
- Eastern: By this I mean just about everything in the modern world that isn’t from the Judeo-Christian religion. You really have to think of Asian religions, perhaps Confucianism, Daoism, Taoism, Buddhism, and many more. These types of religions for your fantasy world will be more like belief systems than anything.
- Other: Alright, this is pretty broad, but what I’m getting at is anything that you create yourself. This will be an original religion or belief system for your fantasy world. Oftentimes it’ll be based on elements from the other two types, but just as often it’ll be completely different.
Defining Your Fantasy World’s Religion
What I tried to do was have a dualistic religious system for my fantasy world that reflected the East/West setting I’d already developed. I had a few different categories to help me with that:
- Deities: I decided to have four main deities in my fantasy novel. Two were good and two were bad. Each of them had temples and followers. Each deity would also be represented by an avatar or likeness that walked on Pelios, or my fantasy world.
- Blessings: I thought it would be fun to have blessings. These would be things that characters said in the dialogue when good things happened.
- Curses: While blessings are fun, they’re just not as much fun as curses. That was probably the original idea behind my putting religion in a fantasy novel.
Here is what I did in defining my fantasy novel’s religion:
- In Adjuria many of the old religions have died out over time.
- Hundreds of years ago people were more inclined to worship spirits of nature, such as those believed to inhabit forests, rivers, lakes and the like.
- There is still some of this amongst the more uneducated and nomadic peoples
- Today there are four main deities or gods
- Light
- This would be the god of the day, or the sun. It is thought of and represented as a female goddess.
- She is presented as good and beneficial
- Travelers, soldiers, and peasants all view her favorably and invoke her help.
- Temples exist in most of the major cities
- Blessings – phrases to seek favor
- Light’s eye on you
- Light be with you
- Warmest Light
- Curses – phrases to show contempt
- Light burn you
- Light blinded
- Light’s soul
- Dark
- This is the god of the night, or the dark. It is thought of and represented as a male god.
- He is represented as evil and harmful.
- Thieves and other nefarious characters view him favorably
- Temples exist in the seedier parts of major cities and some remote rural areas and forests
- Blessings
- Lighting of the Dark
- Dark’s demise
- Dark be gone
- Dark’s End
- Curses
- Dark be damned
- Dark’s shadow
- Dark you all
- Dark’s honor
- Dark’s Born
- Born
- This is the god of life. It is thought of and represented as a small baby boy
- He is presented as lucky and favorable
- Women, children, and gamblers view him favorably.
- Temples exist in most major cities and many small towns and villages. Many homes will have a small shrine or icon depicting him.
- Blessings
- Born’s blessing
- Born be bright
- Born’s Light
- Curses
- Born’s blood
- Born’s curse
- Born’s hurt
- Born’s folly
- Death
- This is the god of the dead and the dying. It is thought of and represented as a withered and decaying old man.
- He is presented as harmful and crippling
- Only those of the most foul and evil temperaments view him favorably.
- Temples in cities have been banned, although there will be some hidden away. In the deep forests, dry desert depths, and coldest tundra one can also find an occasional temple.
- Blessings
- Death’s demise
- Death be gone
- Curses
- Death’s wish
- Death’s seed
- Death’s friend