The people of Skyss worship a pantheon of gods that they know exist. Those gods at times manifest themselves and have been known to inter-breed with mortals. Mostly those are in the ancient sagas, but demi-gods and heroes with lineage from the main pantheon demonstrably exist. The Skyssian Creation Story is called The Mother's Dream.

I've not created an entire pantheon, I've simply used a handful of handy gods and goddesses, so this list isn't exhaustive. There are 9 gods in the Skyssian pantheon (and more in other pantheons). These gods are real. People have met them when they manifest (not so recently, they tend not to manifest except under extreme conditions - all the pantheons have made tacit agreements to largely stay out of the affairs of men, other than to offer advice and to work through priests).

The metaphysical landscape of The Continent of Osnines is defined by the verifiable existence of divine entities who have historically intervened in the progression of mortal civilisations. These gods are recognised not as abstract concepts, but as biological and spiritual realities who have featured prominently in the ancient sagas and inter-bred with humans to create noble lineages of Heroes. While the various deities have entered into agreements to limit their direct manifestations in the current age, they continue to exert influence through advised priesthoods and the practitioners of high-level rituals. The strength of an individual's connection to these powers is determined by the specific potency of their bloodline, allowing those with sufficient divine ichor to achieve effects that ordinary folk can only approximate through simple belief.

The following table provides an overview of the recognised divine structures currently active across the known world:

The Nine Gods of Skyss constitute the central spiritual authority for the northern realms and the Skyssian maritime empire. This pantheon is led by the Mother of All, who is credited with dreaming the world into existence and coordinating with the trolls to build its foundations. The nine deities possess distinct affinities, such as Malfin (Darkness), Aeolf (Flames), and Fafnir (Justice), which directly influence the magical abilities inherited by their heroic descendants. Skyssian society is deeply integrated with these powers, using specialized amulets to facilitate two-way mental communication between individuals who share a divine arcane connection.

The Old Gods of the Daelians provide the ethical and legal framework for the Kingdom of Dael Riata. Unlike the more personalised affinities of the Skyssian gods, the Daelian tradition is heavily focused on the administration of justice and the maintenance of societal order. This pantheon sponsors dedicated justices who use the law to settle disagreements amongst the ordinary folk, ensuring that reasonable behaviour is maintained throughout the earldoms and duchies.

The Clewgist Faith is a religious and philosophical sect following the wisdom of Clewg, who is believed to know every individual’s specific and predestined place in the universe. Based around the Temple of Clewg near Estreham, the faith teaches that reality is a “garment of illusion” and that perfection can only be attained by mastering oneself through rigorous self-scrutiny. The highest-grade adepts of this tradition renounce the world entirely to focus on a contemplative life, providing high-level healing and cartographic expertise that is respected across the continent.

When Gods or Goddesses breed with humans the offspring are demi-gods, and always of the same gender of the divine parent. Demi-gods have very long life spans, and inherit some of the powers of their divine parent. They aren’t immortal, but they tend not to get ill, and live for a very long time unless they are killed. Some have become Gods in their own right, but not of the Nine. According to the old legends the Goddesses who choose to bear demi-gods do so within a day of the liaison, several have been left with their mortal father to grow up in the world.

Offspring of Demi-gods and humans are Heroes. Anyone with 1/16th divine blood is classed as a Hero. Heroes tend to marry into the nobility or other Heroes. They have extended lifespans by human standards, and tend to be immune to most diseases. Depending on their lineage, and how far removed they are from the original divine coupling, they may heal faster or be able to call on the powers of the Gods & Goddesses that they are descended from. It is not the number of connections that count, but rather the strength of the connections.