Most races possess some sort of cultural faith that reflects their values, fears, and hopes. Races sometimes personify their faiths in the form of a god, but members of the race understand that their “god” is really just a symbol of their philosophical beliefs, not an actual being. Some, however, see actual beings as gods or demigods that do exist (either as a God, gods, or demigods is debatable among the races themselves), such as those who view Cenarius as a demigod. Others, such as the titans, are seen as beings that actually exist, not symbolism for philosophic beliefs. Others, such as Firelord Ragnaros, are seen by some to have achieved a god-like status. Most racial faiths include the concept of an afterlife, along with cultural mores and taboos to indicate the correct path to the afterlife. Spiritual leaders who guide their race along the proper philosophical path tend to be shaman or druids. Few races revere an actual deity to whom they can dedicate their lives as priests.[1] In the quest The Formation of Felbane, the quest giver, Loramus Thalipedes, mentions the concept of a singular god as a blessing; "May your determination and faith, carry you through this ordeal. Should you fail, know that your God smiles down upon you, mortal." Strangly enough, in the first two Warcraft games (including expansions), humans referred to a singular God behind the [Holy Light].
Faiths
The following are the currently known religions in the Warcraft Universe:
The Light and the Shadow
The Light
- Members: Humans, Ironforge dwarves, Forsaken, Wildhammer dwarves, high elves, naaru, draenei, half-elves, blood elves, worgen
- Organizations: The Church of the Holy Light, The Silver Hand, The Argent Dawn, The Argent Crusade, The Scarlet Crusade, The Brotherhood of the Light, The Sha'tar, The Aldor, The Scryers, The Hand of Argus, The Blood Knights
The Shadow
- Members: Many Undead and Shadow Priests
- Organizations:The Cult of the Forgotten Shadow
Arcane and Fel
Religions or ideologies that study arcane magic and it's corrupted version the Fel magic
Arcane
- Members: Humans, high elves, naga, gnomes, blood elves, draenei, undead, trolls, dwarves, night elf, worgen, goblins, orcs
- Organizations: The Kirin Tor, The Echo of Life
Fel and Demonology
- Members: Warlocks, Demonic Sapient Races, and those corrupted by Fel
- Organizations: The Burning Legion, The Illidari, The Shadow Council
Nature Worship
Religions that worship nature and feel the need to take care of it.
Shamanism
- Members: Orcs, trolls, tauren, draenei, furbolgs, Wildhammer dwarves, tuskarr, quilboar, goblins, and ogres
- Organizations: The Earthen Ring, The Mag'har, The Kurenai
Druidism
- Members: Night elves, tauren, half-elves, Wildhammer dwarves, furbolgs (debated),worgen, high elves (somewhat), trolls
- Organizations: The Cenarion Circle, The Cenarion Expedition
[Geomancy]
Major Deities and Religions
The Major deities and religions worshipped by the races.
Elune/Mu'sha
The Worship of the Moon White Lady as a divine entity.
- Members: Night elves, wildkin, Tauren
- Organizations: The Sisters of Elune, The Sentinels
Old Gods
The worship of the Old god, mysterious, godlike and great malefic horrors
- Members: Naga, Fire and Air elementals , qiraji, nerubians, Black Dragonflight, Twilight Dragonflight
- Organizations: The Twilight's Hammer
Loas and Voodoo
- Members: Trolls
Dragon worship
The worship of Dragons, reptilian creatures, usually winged, with magical or unusual abilities
- Members: Humans, orcs, draenei, night elves, dragonspawn
- Organizations: The Wyrmcult, The Sect of the Dragons
Mystery of the Makers (The titans)
The Study of the Titans, metallic giants that travel across the cosmos bringing order to worlds.
- Members: Ironforge dwarves
- Organizations: The Explorers' League
Minor Deities
Arkkoroc
- Members: Sea giants, murlocs, makrura
- The Arkkoran
Nath
- Nath is the ogre war god revered by both ogres and half-ogres. The term mok'nathal means the "sons of nath".
- Members: Ogres and Half-Ogres
Tuskarr Deities
Arakkoan Deities
Terokk was the greatest hero of the arakkoa, closely associated with their god Rukhmar. He left his people when worship of Rukhmar began to wane, leading to speculation that he was Rukhmar in mortal form. It is unknown if they are the same being, or are separate beings that were combined in stories as the legends of Terokk were retold throughout the years.
- Members: Arakkoa
Anzu is a god of the Grishnath arakkoa. The Oracles of the Raven prophesied that the Raven God would soon rise again.
Murloc Deities
- Deep Mother
- The One in the Deeps
- Sea Witch a mysterious goddess, a powerful naga spellcaster.[2]
Murmur
Murmur is a being from a dimension of the cosmos unfathomable to mortal minds. Its very entrance into existence shattered all reality around it. Murmur is a god that, when summoned by a mortal possessed of arcane and dark knowledge, eventually destroyed the world of the summoner. The Shadow Council is now trying to bring forth this entity into Outland.
Cult of the Damned
See also
- Shamanism and nature worship
- Religions category for a list of other categories or articles on religions.
References
- ^ Johnson, Luke. Dark Factions, 88. ISBN 9781588464460.
- ^ Bennie, Scott; Richard Farrese, Bob Fitch. Horde Player's Guide, 141. ISBN 9781588467720.
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