Fantasy religions often feel like reskins either of ancient Greek or Norse pantheons or of the medieval Catholic church. But what more interesting choices can we make when we're building faith within an invented world? Deva Fagan joins us to explore some of the options! How your people envision deities, the afterlife, and the very bones of the universe can illuminate a lot about their overall values and how they self-mythologize their place in the world.

It's not all just cosmology, either: religion can touch so many other parts of a world, from government and power structures to idiomatic language and metaphors. Religions are also things that live and change: How can cults, schisms, and syncretism not only help you create a world that feels more diverse and lived-in, but also maybe give you some plot and character hooks?

[Transcript for Episode 162 -- Thank you, scribes!]

Our Guest: Deva Fagan writes fantasy and science fiction for all ages. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, doing geometry, playing video games, hiking, and drinking copious amounts of tea. She is the author of several books, including Rival Magic, Nightingale, The Mirrorwood, A Game of Noctis, and The Delta Codex. She lives in Maine with her husband and their dog. You can find her online at DevaFagan.com.

Deva's List of Cool Fantasy Religions!

Dragon Age

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Hannah Kaner: Godkiller

Lois McMaster Bujold, Curse of Chalion

N. K. Jemisin: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (And Dreamblood duology)

Robert Jackson Bennet: City of Stairs

Little Thieves (YA) Margaret Owen

A Psalm for the Wild-Built  Becky Chambers

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (Earthseed, god is change)

The Burning Kingdoms by Tasha Suri 

The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse