Often the god most honoured in a state or province will be the one that was originally the god of the tribe from that area, since that god's powers and domain will be the most relevant to them. However, each god is considered the equal of the others in power and importance. Ulric was the god of the Teutogen tribe and to this day is the patron of much of the northern lands of the Empire, but while a citizen of Middenheim might invoke Ulric for protection or strength, he will still pray to Mórr when grieving for a loved one, or to Taal for favourable weather. A Bretonnian will appeal to the Lady of the Lake in many situations, but would still be wise to make offerings of sacrifice or prayer to Manann before embarking on a voyage at sea.

THE GODS OF THE OLD WORLD

Manann: Manann is the God of the Seas, and commands the waves and storms. He is usually depicted as a heavily built man wearing a crown of black iron, but can take the form of a great waterspout or sea monster. The largest temple to Manann is in Marienburg, and all his other temples in the Old World pay it tribute. He is worshipped in coastal areas across the Old World, invoked for protection from storms and monsters at sea and for good fishing. In particular those who spend months at sea, such as warship crews, traders and pirates, are careful to make regular offerings to Manann lest their ship be destroyed in a storm or thrown against a reef by the vengeful sea god.

Myrmidia: Represented as a beautiful young woman clad in armour, Myrmidia is the Goddess of War, and her symbol is the spear and shield that she is most often depicted with. She is the patron of the art and science of battle, and is paid homage by many commanders and strategists as well as simple soldiers. Her worship is most popular in the south of the Old World, especially in Tilea and Estalia, although her followers can be found everywhere. There is some antipathy between cultists of Myrmidia and Ulric who view each other, mostly unfairly, as unnecessarily prim and reserved or as barbarous savages respectively. Fortunately this usually manifests as healthy competition on the battlefield rather than open hostility.

Ranald: Thieves, gamblers and illusionists across the Old World venerate Ranald, for he is the Trickster God. Unlike many other gods, his worship is rarely open, instead confined to the underground that many of his followers inhabit. Ranald is associated with crime but considers the acts of deception and trickery more important than the crime itself, and forbids violence except in self-defence. Though he is portrayed as mischievous and charming rather than malevolent, Ranald's followers are seen mostly as a nuisance by the general public and in particular cultists of Verena, who tend to view worship of Ranald as a weak excuse for unlawful behaviour. Shallyans also bear him some animosity as, according to myth, Ranald gained his divine status by tricking the Goddess of Mercy into allowing him to drink a vial of her tears.

Mórr: Mórr is the God of Death and the Dead, who appears as a brooding but stately middle-aged man in dark robes. The act of dying itself is something he leaves to less peaceful gods: rather, Mórr is the guardian of departed spirits. Although death is an everyday fact of life in the Warhammer world, Mórr is not a god to be invoked casually and his symbols are thought to bring bad luck if displayed out of place. Instead he is usually called on by the bereaved and grieving. Many Witch Hunters, though ostensibly Sigmarites, will pray to Mórr to aid them in returning the Undead to their eternal rest, and in thwarting Necromancers who would disturb his domain. Mórr is also the god of dreams for the world of dreams is close to the realm of death, and he is said to be able to weave great magical illusions.

Shallya: Shallya is the Goddess of Healing and Mercy, sister of Myrmidia and the daughter of Mórr and Verena, and icons generally show her as a young woman whose eyes are perpetually filled with tears. She is seen as the patron of women as she is said to watch over childbirth, and her clerics are almost invariably female. Shallya's priestesses are skilled healers, able to tend the ill and wounded and ease their suffering, and are invaluable wherever there is plague, war or strife. They also hear the confessions of those who wish to relieve themselves of the burdens of sin, for Shallya shows mercy to all.

Taal: Taal is the God of Nature and Wild Places. As with his brother Ulric he was the god of a pre-Imperial tribe, and the Empire province of Talabecland still bears his name. He shares with his brother some of the primal aspects of nature. Taal is not a violent god however, and although failing to show the land the proper respect can incur his wrath, his realm is more often the protection and harmony of the wild. His followers are those who depend on and live in accord with the natural world, including many hunters and farmers, and although there is no formal church of Taal, there exist many temples of loose stones out in the countryside, where passing woodsmen can pay their respects to nature.

Ulric: Ulric is the mighty God of Battle, Wolves and Winter. Depicted as a heavily muscled man clad in the furs of the Empire's barbarian founders, he is acknowledged by warriors and soldiers across the Old World. Ulric is the fiercest of the gods; harsh and independent: he is the embodiment of strength, power and courage, and demands no less from his followers. In the north of the Empire, especially Middenland, Ulric is so widely worshipped that his High Priest has a vote in the Imperial Elections, making his the most powerful cult in the Empire after that of the Sigmarites.

Verena: The Goddess of Learning and Justice, Verena, is honoured by many academic and bureaucratic professions, including law enforcers, magistrates, politicians, scholars and wizards. Her symbols are the scales and the sword, representing the wisdom and the vengeance of justice, and she is said to be able to change her shape into that of an owl or an elderly sage of either gender. Followers of Verena value reason above force but are more than ready to take up arms in the name of justice if diplomacy fails.

Sigmar Heldenhammer: Though Sigmar was a mortal man, he was a being of such power and legend that he came to be worshipped by the people of the Empire that he forged. Now none who have witnessed the holy strength commanded by his priests could doubt his divinity; his very name is anathema to the minions of evil. Sigmar is the patron of his Empire, and only there is he acknowledged or worshipped. Within its boundaries, however, Sigmar is supreme, standing for honour, justice, the protection of the weak and the destruction of evil. His cult wields great political power as well as spiritual, and no Emperor has ever held office without the support of the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar.

Next: Other Religion in the Old World.