Americana (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Gods

Religion is always a touchy subject, as a rule, and Americ religion is no different. There is no end to the half-crazed groups that worship a massive plethora of gods, and most of them have managed to get results so far. The vast majority of these religions are polytheistic--though monotheistic religions do exist, they have never been nearly as popular, especially following the foundation and expansion of the Geddonites.

The two most populous religions by a vast margin are Atlantean Presidism, which is highly popular in most of east Americana, and the Angelan Holy Audience, which is largely centered around Los Angeles and its outlying territories. A summary of Presidism has been presented as a good general example of what most Americ religions look like--a pantheon split into good and evil gods, built around a central creation story.

DMs are encouraged, however, to cook up whatever sort of madness best suits their purposes.

Presidism

“	Here carved in stone by hand of man stand the faces of our four greatest Presidents, who led us through trouble and strife to our age of glory and light. May these faces of stone endure to bear witness to these great deeds until wind and rain alone shall wear them away.	”
—Inscription found in a ruin near the base of Mount Rushmore

What is a President?

The question has haunted Americana ever since one of the Seven Generals came across a great mountain in the deepest heart of the lands, upon which four great faces were carved. While theories flew right and left as to what the faces were of (and still do today in some circles), the general and his assistants were never in doubt as to who they were.

The faces were those of gods.

This general would go on to found the nation of Atlanta, and as soon as things were relatively in order, sent an expedition to thoroughly explore the site, discovering more ruins in the jungle to the south of the mountain, and discovering the four figures' names--Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Clearly this had been the center of a great religion, a temple unlike any seen before or since, with the gods displayed for all to see in the face of a mountain.

Thus was founded Presidism. The Atlanteans used their fortunes to restore the building and compile the information from the site together into a holy book, which after revisions and additions of further information became the modern-day Presidential Bible. The pantheon has many, many gods, most good, some evil. But the four major gods are all considered good, and they have not changed since the religion's inception.

The Creation Story

“	In the beginning, the world was without form. The great wilds churned and roared, monstrous beasts roamed the land, and there was not a semblence of of order among it. But Lo, from the mists beyond there came the Eagle, bearer of many things and symbol of Freedom. He took the world and gave it shape, and logic, giving mind and calm to its many beings and bestowing on them the Free Will that he valued so greatly as his own. At this time, all were beasts--deaf, dumb, and stupid. These things the Eagle could not change, and it made him greatly sad, for creation had no guardian, and he could not remain forever. In his sorrow he gave a single piercing cry before flying off, to spread to the Universe his great gift of Free Will. And from the mists behind, following his cry, came the Four.	”
—Founding 1:1-4 of the Presidential Bible

The Good Gods

The core of the Good Pantheon are the Major Gods, regarded as the mightiest of them all.

Washington

“	Washington is the First, the founding god of order and honor. He tamed the lands and gave creation the gifts of Civilization and Government. His symbol, the sword, is engraved somewhere on most every government building, to invoke Washington's aid in keeping the government running smoothly.	”
—Who Were They?, a basic informational pamphlet on Presidism

Washington's face is the first to the west on Mount Rushmore and the farthest-put forward. All recovered texts on him indicate one thing; he was the first. There they begin to disagree, but Presidential scholars have used the assembled texts to piece together that Washington founded a mighty "nation" long, long ago in the mists of time after bringing an end to an unjust ruler and a chaotic, self-destructive war, and was declared its First President.

Washington's holy day is February 22nd, colloquially known in some areas as President's Day. It is celebrated as a day to make wrongs right and put things in order, whether that be a will, a relationship, or a messy room.

Jefferson

“	Jefferson is the Second, the wise god of magic and knowledge. He filled the minds of the thinking races of the world with gifts of Organized Thought and Reasoning, allowing them to tame the world they had been charged with. His symbol, the scroll, can be found somewhere on any library or university, be it devoted to the sciences or the magic arts.	”
—Who Were They?, a basic informational pamphlet on Presidism

Jefferson has been declared both the Second President and the Third by various texts, but the varying versions also seem to indicate varying uses of "President", suggesting that the term may have had more than one application. Nevertheless, as far as Presidism is concerned Jefferson is the Second. The texts tell a tale of a greatly wise figure, who aided Washington in his great struggle against the evil tyrant with his great talent for words and writing.

However, the texts also tell the tale of a god who toes the line between good and evil very closely--Jefferson is contradictory by nature, and in his searches for knowledge and what was best for the people of Americana he often "crosses his own track", as the expression goes. Nevertheless, Jefferson's ends almost as a rule justify his means, and his gifts of organization and reasoning are among the most valuable ever given.

Jefferson appears in multiple pantheons as the god of Magic--though only in Presidism is he called Jefferson, his symbol is always that of the scroll (other gods of knowledge use the feather pen). He is credited with giving Reasoning to the world, allowing them to make their own choices and tame the world without help from the gods.

Jefferson's holy day is July 2nd, and is celebrated as a day to learn and elaborate. A particular emphasis is put on history in schools if this day falls during the week, often with trips planned to museums.

Lincoln

“	Lincoln is the Third, the noble god of judgment and morality. He halted the people's quarrels and gave them the gifts of Justice and Unity, allowing them to band together to achieve greater things than any of them could alone. His symbol, the hammer, is engraved on every justice's chair in every courthouse, and can also be found in every Union house.	”
—Who Were They?, a basic informational pamphlet on Presidism

Lincoln undeniably came third in Presidism, coming after Washington and Jefferson had given the thinking races their gifts. Unsure of what to do with them, the people had turned on each other, and Lincoln stopped their fight by giving them Unity, showing them how much more they could accomplish when united rather than alone, and Justice, which gave the people a sense of right and wrong to help them down a good moral path.

Depending on the interpretation, Lincoln was also killed--murdered after accomplishing his greatest feat of unification. Some sects of Presidism do not believe this, but most all scholars agree that Lincoln's death was not an accident--and that his martyrdom ensured that his ideals would remain burned into the spirit of the free-willed peoples forever.

Lincoln's holy day is April 15th, the generally accepted date of his martyrdom. It is a day to do what is right rather than what is wanted, and to try to be as noble and just as Lincoln himself was.

Roosevelt

“	Roosevelt is the Fourth, the brave god of the Frontier. He filled the hearts of the thinking races with Curiosity and Ambition, giving them the desire to better themselves and to seek out new discoveries. Roosevelt's symbol, the arrowhead, can be found engraved on every compass, sextant, and chronometer, at the center of every map's compass rose, and in every scientist's lab.	”
—Who Were They?, a basic informational pamphlet on Presidism

Roosevelt actually can refer to two different gods in the Presidential pantheon- the Fourth Major good god or the mightiest of the Minor ones. But after much debate the official bible refers to the Minor god as Delano (colloquially FDR), and Roosevelt is the Major God.

After the other three Major Presidents had given humanity their gifts, they were somewhat confused. What was there to do with these if not to become the best? Enter Roosevelt, the god of the Frontier, who through his teachings and bravery showed the people that becoming the best doesn't necessarily mean stomping on everyone else. It means making yourself a better person, making new things, and finding new discoveries.

Roosevelt is also viewed as the Good pantheon's God of War. He is often depicted atop a horse, drawing bow and arrow against the evil gods to ward them away from the thinking peoples in the "Eagle's Nest" (the Presidism founding paradise, from which hatched the Eagle who shaped the world).

Roosevelt's holy day is September 14th, and is regarded as a day to make new discoveries. Making new friends, building new things, exploring new places, trying new foods, testing new equipment--if you're discovering something, you're doing it right.

The Eagle

“	No-one joins Presidism by force, or they would not be joining Presidism. The religion is to be accepted of one's own free will; to do otherwise would be to go against the whole idea of the religion, the spirit of the Eagle.	”
—Reverend Leonard King, Presidential preacher

The Eagle is not regarded as a god in the Presidential pantheon- rather, it represents the spirit of the religion, that being Free Will. The Eagle is the symbol of Presidism overall, and is depicted on the religion's pulpits, behind the planet, with a broken chain in his beak and clutching a banner in his talons with five stars upon it, representing the five core tenets of Presidism- Honesty, Integrity, Logic, Endurance, and Free Will.

Minor Gods

The Minor Gods of Presidism are a strange variety. Some are supposedly true gods, while some--including the most powerful of them--can be considered more along the line of demigods or avatars--living men who, through mighty deeds, became gods. Three of the most important ones are listed here.

Delano

Delano is the mightiest of the Minor Gods, and according to the texts is also the oldest, though not the first. According to the texts, he was a man who, despite being badly crippled, ignored his own problems to inspire his fellow men on to incredible feats. His symbol is the anchor.

His domain is Strength--both the outer strength of muscle and the inner strength of spirit, both of which allow men to do great things.

Eisenhower

Eisenhower, according to the texts, was a powerful man who led his people in time of war against an unthinkably evil opponent. When the war ended, he led them to peace, helping rebuild the ruined enemy into a peaceful, prosperous nation. Eisenhower's symbol is the five-pointed star, and has been widely adopted as a general symbol of Presidism.

His domain is Courage--the courage to do the things that are right even when you risk losing everything, and the courage to do what is right when everyone else thinks of doing wrong.

Kennedy

Kennedy, like Lincoln, is one of several Martyred gods in Presidism. He is often depicted standing on a mountain, looking up towards the sky, as the legend tells that he dreamed of bringing his tribe to the distant stars. His symbol is the crescent moon.

Kennedy is viewed as an associate god to Roosevelt, elevated to godhood upon his Martyrdom to serve as an example for the ambitious and visionary. His symbol, along with Roosevelt's, appears on the crest of the International Explorer's Society. His domain is Ambition--the ambition to bring great things not just to yourself but to those around you.

The Evil Gods

In the inverse to the four major Good Gods, there are also four major Evil Gods in Presidism. Unlike Good, however, far fewer evil gods exist.

Nixon

“	And the greatest of these was the Deceiver, Nixon, who sought power for his own ends rather than for those he ruled.	”
—Amendments 2:2, Presidential Bible

Nixon is by far the most notorious and mightiest of Presidium's evil gods. Also known as the Deceiver, he was a man who attained godhood and turned it to his own ends, attempting to ensure that no others would reach his same heights. But when the others found this out, they turned on him, and he fled his position before he could be cast from it.

Nixon is thought in some sects to be a fallen Good God, as his time as a President was marked by multiple deeds of great import, including the quelling of a horrific conflict. But his final fate is well-known and universally accepted, making him firmly part of--and the greatest of--the Evil pantheon.

Nixon's domain is the untrue--lies, propaganda, and rumor. His symbol is the bent nail and his holy day is January 9th. A known liar is often referred to as a "nixon" in most areas ("Don't listen to him. He's trying to sell you snake oil, the dirty nixon.").

Hoover

Hoover is the god of Loss, and like Harrison (and, according to some, Nixon) is a fallen god. The exact details of his fall are not clear, save for one line:

“	And the new god found himself unable to stop the fall, and so the world slid into a period of decay and loss. And the people wailed, gnashing their teeth and damning this new god Hoover, declaring "He has ruined us".	”
—Amendments 2:14, Presidential Bible

Hoover's failure was later redeemed by Delano, according to the texts, but the President could not be saved, and the name Hoover forever became associated with decay, ruin, and loss. However, Hoover has also been associated with the recovery from loss in certain sects, seeing as how he had been later redeemed. His symbol is the open circle, and his holy day is October 20th.

Harrison

Harrison is Presidism's God of Death. He himself was a new President--according to most texts, he had been intended to be the God of War, due to his extensive military history as a man--who was "laid low by a great ill" and soon thereafter died. In his death he cursed the world so that it too would know death, and was given dominion of the Netherworld.

Harrison's domain is death, pure and final. He is generally viewed as a sort of partner to Hoover, god of ruin and decay, but he is also not viewed as fully evil thanks to the Martyrdom of Lincoln, which showed the world that Death is sometimes a necessary thing. His symbol is the hourglass. He does not have a holy day given in any scripture, but the generally accepted date is April 4th, the day of his death.

Johnson

Johnson is the God of Strife and Inequality. His first appearance came about following a massive conflict that nearly destroyed Presidism as we know it, and though he came bearing a pretense of reconciliation and renewal, his actions caused such chaos that it nearly caused another war to erupt.

Johnson's rise comes following Lincoln's decline, and he is generally viewed as the direct opposition to that god and his followers, attempting to undo the works achieved by Lincoln. His holy day is November 21st, and his symbol is the wide-eyed needle.

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