Zakharan gods differ in some very obvious ways from the gods players might be used to from other fantasy settings. They are separated into three groups; The Great gods, the Local gods, and the Savage gods. The Great gods are, unlike most of the lesser gods, above such meagre considerations as good or evil, chaotic or lawful. In stead, they each have an ethos, a set of principles, which their followers must abide by.

All enlightened Zakharans, no matter what gods they worship, still joins together in one religious centre; the belief in Fate, the Loregiver, and the Grand Caliph. Neither of these are worshipped, nor are they considered gods, but are still very central. Fate is the natural force that decides the future of every man or woman. The Loregiver was the woman who originally wrote down and defined the Law that is directed by that natural force. And the Grand Caliph is the direct descendant of the first Grand Caliph, who brought forth the Law, as described by the Loregiver and defined by Fate, to the be people of Zakhara. The Grand Caliph is the ruler of Zakhara.

Here is a list of the Great gods and their ethos:

- Hajama the courageous; "Bravery wins over opposition".
- Hakiyah of the Sea Breezes; "Truth will always win out".
- Haku, Master of the Desert Wind; "A man and a woman must be free to be considered alive".
- Jauhar the Gemmed; "Money changes everything".
- Jisan of the Floods; "Hard work brings abundance".
- Kor the Venerable; "With age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes strength".
- Najm the Adventurous; "Make the Unknown known".
- Selan the Beautiful Moon; "There is beauty in everything".
- Zann the Learned; "Understanding is the key to all doors".
There are other faiths, variations on these faiths, and extremes of these faiths. The members of the Pantheist League for instance, persecutes those that do not follow the gods Hajama, Jauhar, Kor, Najm and Selan. Jauhar is considered a Great God only within the Pantheist league, while the other gods are worshipped as great all over Zakhara.

Then there are idol priests, who worships idols; there is The Temple of Ten Thousand Gods, who worship absolutely ALL gods; there are thousands of local gods, Savage Gods, Elemental gods, Ajami gods and others.

bjornts@ii.uib.no