With real gods existing, there will obviously be some religions that form around them. However I would also like to have religions that exists where their principal god(s) does not exist. So I'm going to be classifying the religions into three different categories:
- Accurate
- Semi-accurate
- Inaccurate
Accurate religions will be ones that worship, fear, or otherwise build themselves around a real god(s) that actually exists. Not every single belief they hold has to be 100% accurate, but they at least get the broad strokes correct.
Semi-accurate religions will be ones that worship, fear, or otherwise build themselves around a real god(s), however they have major misconceptions about said god(s). For example, they may worship one of The Worldly Gods, except they believe that that god is actually the creator of everything. These misconceptions may come from misinterpreting events, texts, teachings, or other signs/clues about said god(s), or they may come from deliberate deceptions introduced by said god(s). For example, a Worldly God with an ego problem might convince their followers that they are the ultimate power in the universe so that they will be more revered.
Inaccurate religions are one that follow a god which is entirely fictitious. These religions may have once been an accurate, or semi-accurate religion, and over time their texts and teachings simply changed so much that they were no longer even remotely accurate. Alternatively, they may have simply arose from a desire to find meaning and understanding in the world around them. When a volcano erupted, they decided a fire god was angry. When the tides rose to irrigate their crops, they believes the ocean gods were happy with them, etc.
I also want to find ways to integrate these religions differently in different worlds, or even between different nations/areas within the same world. As well as to play with mirroring or contrasting elements of various religions between different worlds or nations. For example, having two religions, on two different planets, which are virtually identical, however the settings they exist within are strikingly different. Or having worlds with very similar settings, (i.e Middle Earth-esque) except with religious structures which are at complete odds. And of course there will be yet other locations that lack religion entirely.
Finally, I want to explore how religions exist when they both know concretely that the god(s) they worship are real, as opposed to once which simply have faith, whether or not that god(s) actually exists. Additionally, locations without religions, which are however aware that gods really exist; except instead of worshiping or fearing the gods, they simply acknowledge their existence.