Religion

A religion is an organized collection of beliefs that relate the intelligent denizens of Hyrule and other worlds to the order of their existence. Most intelligent people of Hyrule worship their own Gods or system of beliefs, and are derogatorily referred to as "Lesser Deity Worshipers" by the dominant organized religion of the world, the cult of the Golden Goddesses. Many races worship a more powerful entity such as a Druthulidi or the Golden Goddesses, venerating it as a "Deity" beyond their mortal limitations and understanding.

Cult of the Golden Goddesses
The cult of the Golden Goddesses - Din, Nayru and Farore - is by far the most popular religion in Hyrule. Its adherents can be found amongst numerous races, most notably the Hylians, whose laws mandate all must worship the Goddesses, which has brought them into conflict with many other races like the Moblins. Other Goddess worshippers can be found amongst the Gerudo, the Gorons, the Zora, the Kokiri, the Huskus, the Ordonians, the Sheikah, the Wizzrobe and the Oocca; and formerly the Ikanians.

The practice of Goddess worship vary inbetween races: the Hylians revere the three Goddesses, others like the Kokiri and the Huskus predominantly worship Farore, while amongst other races the veneration of the First Sages, specifically Maphaeus, Malkorbagia, Evaleen and Kovaloo is commonplace. The Kingdom of Hyrule follows a particularly fanatical doctrine known as Strict Goddess Worship, has largely avoided religious schisms during its long history, partly due to their strict adherent to the Doctrine of the Goddesses, an article of regulations drafted by the Sages of Hyrule.

Cult of Hylia
The heretical cult of the Goddess Hylia arose circa 4960 BG in the Kingdom of Hyrule, after she held the hordes of invading Moblins at bay. The Hylians began to become patrons and eventually worship her, and it was not uncommon to hear the name Hylia praised above even the Golden Goddesses.

After the disappearance of Hylia in 4955 BG, while her loyal followers romanticised and glorified it as a self sacrifice needed to destroy Demise, she asked for asylum amongst the Wizzrobe who willingly granted it. In return Hylia provided the Wizzrobe with much of their modern abilities and they worked to slowly erase all trace of her from history, and the cult of Hylia gradually dies out. It has since seen a resurgence since the end of the First Golden Age when Hylia starts to take on a more active role in Hylian politics, though none of the ignorant Hylian acolytes know about the true nature of their new mistress.

Majora Worship
Despite its obvious and honest display of insanity, the Druthulidi Majora has managed to gather a large amount of followers throughout the ages. Majora's followers can be found in almost all races of Hyrule, though the only race with a Majora-worshipping majority is the Ikanians, who renounced the Goddesses and started to worship Majora in 4955 BG due to its machinations.

Bellum Worship
The bestial Druthulidi Bellum, prior to its arrival on Hyrule, had conquered many other worlds and enslaved their races to its will. Its most notable minions are the Parella, its most loyal and oldest servants and leaders of the Empire of Bellum, and the River Zora of its previous conquest, who serve as the military branch. Bellum employs lesser creatures to do its bidding as well, though the Parella and River Zora are its favourite.

Bellum's past followers included the Zora Dominion, who for some unknown reason betrayed the dark god to worship Nayru, which has earned them the eternal hatred of their loyal cousins, the River Zora.

Darknut Code
In the past, the Darknut civilisation almost fell apart through civil warfare, and conflicts with border races such as the Gerudo and Moblins nearly resulted in the extinction of their race. Facing the end of their people, the warring leaders decided to put aside their differences and declared that from there on out every single Darknut would be trained to be a disciplined and unstoppable warrior at adolescence. After devising a rigorous code from which to follow, the Darknut Legion and its infamous armoured warriors were born. From an early age, Darknuts are trained to wield the best armour, the biggest swords, and maintain the highest order of discipline to preserve their creed. Darknut philosophy places focus on the individual: if one soldier cannot master himself, then it is impossible for him to function in a group.

Tarm Worship
To many, Tarm is an enigma. According to legend, the Tarm Ruins fell from the sky and around its resting spot in northeastern Holodrum the ancient Tarminians worshipped the structure as if it were a deity. In return for their fealty, the Ruins of Tarm would save the dying Tarminians just before their last breath.

Lizalfos Pantheon
The Lizalfos of Faron Woods worship a pantheon of five deities: Dynalkulshut, the deity of blood; Volvagia, the deity of war; Garnyle Og, the deity of the hunt; Jeakrock, the deity of beasts; and Trinexx, the deity of natural disasters. Lizalfos warriors come to pray, offer sacrifices and practice their skill against other warriors in front of their gods' idols.

Demise Worship
In 4955 BG, Demise, another survivor of the ancient Druthulidi conflicts, awoke from his slumber and came upon the Moblins. Respecting and fearing his power, the Moblins easily started to worship and serve Demise. After expanding their empire and amassing an army, Demise began a campaign of conquest against the Ancient Hylians. His forces were held at bay after the Ancient Hylians created the Goddess Hylia to oppose him. Hylia eventually set out to commit genocide against the Moblins and kill all of Demise's worshippers. Demise immediately respected Hylia's superior strength and withdrew from Hyrule after his defeat.

With their lush farms and cities destroyed, the surviving Moblins began to starve and fell into woe. Faith in Demise diminished until it was resurrected by King Ganon, Demise's protégé, five millennia afterwards.

Odolwa Worship
Odolwa is a creature of unknown origin worshipped by the Deku Scrubs as their God of the Hunt.

Ocean King Worship
King Oshus, the last ruler of the Oshus Empire, was worshipped by his people as an immortal God-Emperor, with many cities and temples dedicated to him, until the Ocean King unleashed the robotic Phantom Army upon the Great Sea as a last means to hold Bellum at bay. While they succeeded, the Phantom Army went out of control and exterminated the Lokomo, Cobble Kingdom, and the last of the Ocean King's people. They protect the ruined cities and temples once devoted to the aquatic deity even long after his people have faded.

Kholdstare Worship
The Druthulidi-like creature Kholdstare came to be appeased and feared by the Anouki. The Kholdstare Forsworn in particular have pledged their lives and souls to it. Fragments of its icy form are used to power the Anouki's Blizzardmonger war machines.

Atheism
Not all cultures in Hyrule worship a Deity or follow a set of beliefs that relate to their place in the cosmos. Very advanced cultures, such as the Labrynna Regime and the long-dead Lokomo Empire, tend to embrace the power of deductive reasoning and the scientific method to explain the world around them. Other cultures are simply too fractious, violent, or alien to have any concept of religion, such as the mindless undead Stalfos, the bestial Gohma or the geometric monstrosities of the Eclipse.

Gameplay
Every settlement in the Freeform campaign adheres to its native population or faction's religious beliefs. Factions of the same religion that conquer the settlement will experience higher public order and faster assimilation, while those of a different religion, particularly an opposing religion (such as Strict Goddess Worship-Faction taking over a Majora-Worshipping settlement) will face lower public order and a greater chance of uprising from religious strife. Ensuring the spread of your faction's religion through both your own territory and your enemies' with Priests and Religious buildings is vital to managing public order.