Viking Roads Religions

At this point in the play of Viking Roads there are three religions available for players to practice. This section will set out the most basic beliefs of each but will focus more on the practices than beliefs. Before doing so however it is important to remind players that the first commandment applies with special force to this section. Keep your OOC feelings about any religion presented here to yourself. There are Christians and neo-pagans in the world. We also ask you to keep comments about religions NOT in play to yourself!

In the historical time period we are presenting religious tolerance was virtually unheard of. What would seem like religious bigotry to us was the order of the day and was officially sanctioned in most cultures of the day, the notable exceptions to this being the Celts in Scotland and to some extent, the Celts in Ireland. Having the wrong religious beliefs got many people killed. Religion is a major source of in character conflict! Let's not allow it to become a source of out of character conflict! If your character hates Christians go ahead and play it out. Do not add comments, which belittle religious beliefs and practices of others. If Olaf the Stout says, "The followers of this crucified madman make me wretch!" it's role-playing. If the person playing Olaf the Stout says, "I'd like to carve a blood eagle on Pope John Paul," as an OOC comment he may well be blocked from playing. This is a game. It is not a forum for debating religion. If you want to discuss religion out of character take it private or to another forum. With that important caveat out of the way let's get to the religions available to the players! Please note that the information below represents only an outline of each religion. For more information, click on the links provided!

In the 7th century, Christianity came to the British Isles resulting in a blended Druid Christian faith. As the generations passed, much of the knowledge that had once made the Druids a powerful race began to be lost, passed down in stories and legends from mother to daughter and father to son. These legends, that spoke of the power of the ancient Druids coupled with what little remained of the magical power of the gods, formed the basis of the white witches found in Dublin and other places through out the British Isles.
While the doctrines and beliefs of the Christian Faith are well known to most, the practices of the faith during this time period are radically different than they are today. We will offer a brief sketch of the beliefs first and then deal with the practices.
While Norse mythology is well documented, there is much we do not know about the actual practice. It appears that officiating at a Norse religious ceremony was exclusively a female prerogative. The hagadises were the prophet priestesses of Norse religion who had the power to inspire men in battle, to see into the future and to lead the religious rites of their people. The Norse religion placed a high premium on courage in battle, honoring one's word, and offering hospitality to those in need. Cultivating these virtues will always help a Norseman to prove his or her piety.
Return to the VR Home Page!