Shrines (or groves) are found in many forms over Vendrith, and act as sacred locations that venerate family, history, nature spirits, titans, saints, icons and the like. Many shrines are known to grant blessings to those who visit them. Break the shrine’s anathema however, and one may be cursed instead.
Dwarven Statue Shrines
When Dwarves die, their bodies harden and become like Dwarven Statues, sometimes becoming the centre of small shrines. Since other cultures often remove Dwarven statues if they’re in prominent places (despite this being disrespectful to dwarven custom), the dwarven statues that remain are often in secludes places such as wooded groves or mountainous cliffsides. Some dwarves will for their most cherished tools, weapons or creations to be left at their statue side, hoping to inspire a visitor to pick them up and continue their legacy. It is believed using these for a purpose blatantly anathema to the dwarf’s wishes may curse the wielder.
Ferwethi Shrines
Shrines in Ferweth are commonly dedicated to its saints, whom acted as guardians that defeated or warded off specific monsters of Ferweth. As their stories often involve finding the special anathema (weakness) of a monster, it is common to leave offerings of such symbols, materials or implements at the shrines. To illustrate, a shrine to Saint Jonathan may well have silver weaponry to fight Werecreatures and vampires with.
Some Ferwethi shrines do the opposite, and instead act as a way to show servitude and provide offerings to appease the monsters that haunt the region. As an example, during grizzly periods of history certain shrines have been used to leave offerings of virgins or men to eat to placate flesh-eating monsters.
Canathi Wishing Wells
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Mogxan Garden Groves
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Fenruni Runestones
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Galaen Cairns
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Vilhi Guardian Shrines
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Vilhi Bell Towers
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Eydwin Hidden Oases
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