religion
being as the gods in teres are physical, actual beings that created the planet, religion is a bit of a tricky subject to navigate around. to not believe in them is to deny the reality of the world's history, but freedom of belief is important as well. on the other hand though, fervent belief and worship is seen as a little strange if you aren't a shrine worker.
that being said though, the gods are dormant in current day teres due to the physical strain on them after the dragon merging with the planet. to the gods, it's comparable to getting a horrible flu and needing to sleep it off; no one knows when they will awaken next, or if they will at all. due to their perceived absence, and the fact that only a select few people are allowed to see the resting gods, many younger people don't have a strong belief in them.
there are a few other religions in teres as well, and many individual ways to practice religion on top of that.
physical gods - the nine craftsmen and the observer
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this religion is centered around the gods that created Teres, with seven being represented by the colours in the rainbow, and three being represented by white, black, and gray. each colour god has an element linked to it, which can be read about on the MAGIC page.
* the gray god is an exception to this, with more info on this later.
often, the word "worship" is shied away from by followers of this religion, as it seems almost rigid or fanatic to them, despite the fact that it most certainly is not. this is in part also due to the fact that the gods themselves exist regardless of faith; some of them have, in the past, expressed that being worshipped is honestly a little uncomfortable! they see themselves more as artists than anything else, and would prefer really if people just engage with their art and the take part in crafts they pioneered.
- respect is given to the gods by way of offerings and practicing the god's respective crafts, with offering of said craft being generally believed to be extra special.
- visiting shrines is not a necessary part of worship for this religion, often being seen as kind of a hassle due to distance or transportation costs. people who live in shrine-cities sometimes take on an elitist attitude over this.
- rituals can be done to show extra respect and gratitude to the gods for their work, such as festivals, traditional dances, sometimes even competitions. there are rituals for changing or adding pacts (see MAGIC page for more info on pacts), or for nullifying them, but these are usually a more private affair. more somber rituals do exist, though these also tend to be more personal as well - the most prominent example would be funerals.
- sacrifices in the name of the gods is seen as unnecessary and a little too gruesome, though it's not unheard of for some regions to practice them.
- these gods can and do manifest physically, but usually exist in just an almost spiritual, noncorporeal form within their shrine. there is one exception, the god of electricity, who is always in a humanoid form for personal reasons.
- gods can choose an avatar (or multiple, but it weakens the bond between each of them and the god), who will go out into the world for them. these avatars can channel the god at will and have much stronger magic usage than the general population. however, this also paints a target on their back for anyone who would want to take their place and get closer to the god. that being said, avatars are chosen solely by the god, and it is not a title that can be transferred or claimed by others for any reason.
* the gray god is a mysterious entity who can be felt but not seen, and has no shrine of its own. it exists as the 'void,' an in-between, and a catch-all for indescribable phenomenon. human experiences and strange events fall under the gray god's blessings.