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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Levistus's_Leviathan" data-source="post: 8318084" data-attributes="member: 7023887">Okay, this is kind of a strange topic, but I find it interesting. Basically, earlier today I got thinking about how most religions (both in D&D and the real world) have a sort of "if you obey these rules/this faith, a higher power will reward you", typically with that higher power being a deity and the reward for following the religion's rules/faith being a "Heaven" of some sorts. In D&D and other fantasy TTRPGs, deities can literally deny their followers access to their religion's reward if they decide that they're not worthy. However, not all D&D religions have to be like this, and there are D&D worlds that don't have explicitly real gods (if they have them at all), like Eberron and Ravnica.Now, the idea that inspired this thread is of a religion that's main divine reward/"Heaven Promise" isn't actually decided by the deity or whatever thing the religion is worshipping/venerating, instead it's decided by the community as a whole that is a member of that religion. The only example I can think of that sort of embodies this concept are the <a href="https://eberron.fandom.com/wiki/Aerenal" target="_blank">Elves from Aerenal in Eberron</a>, where the "Heaven Promise" is becoming one of the Undying, and the people that decide if you become one of the Undying is the Aereni elven community as a whole, instead of just a deity or demigod. It doesn't quite embody exactly what I was thinking of, but is the best example from the top of my head of an official religion from D&D that fits this description. The Kryn Dynasty from Exandria also has similar themes to this, but doesn't quite fit, IMO.So, are there any other examples of this concept in D&D? Are there any from other TTRPGs or fantasy sources?</blockquote>

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