Vulcan polytheism
Vulcans, in spite of priding themselves on their logic, are also very invested in preserving their ancient traditions, and religion is no exception to this. Dating back to pre-Surakian times, Vulcan religion recognizes multiple deities and spirits of nature that populate the different areas of oT'Khasi. The beliefs of Vulcan religion are not shared exactly by every individual Vulcan, with some gods being worshiped exclusively in certain areas or social groups, and some Vulcans choose to not practice any religion at all.
It is worth noting that even though Surak has an immense influence in Vulcan culture and possessed many traits that could be considered messianic, he is not worshiped as a god. Spiritual practices connected to Surakian teachings, such as meditation, are non-theistic in nature.
Most of the practices of Vulcan religion take place away from the prying eyes of outworlders, however, we do have information about the main deities and spirits that populate its pantheon and legends:
T'Vet: a warrior goddess, still worshipped in some communities in Vulcan in spite of the prevalent pacifist philosophy of Surakian teachings.
Shariel: god of death, who lived in mount Tar’hana, where he spewed lava to terrify the Vulcans into submission. Legends say that he wielded the Pillar of T’Klass as a weapon to battle the other gods in defense of Sha Ka Ree.
Khosarr: god of war and consort of the goddess Akraana.
Akraana: goddess and wife of Khosarr. It is unclear what she presided over, but it is known that in ancient times her followers excluded themselves from the rest of Vulcan society and lived in self-sufficient colonies in the area of T’paal.
Reah: ancient goddess of the underworld, of death, and bereavement.
Ny'one and T'Priah: god and goddess of fertility, respectively: joined forever in a mystical union.
We also have records of a goddess of the sun, who is said to be woken every morning by her twin sons, and who was worshiped by a sect called Krah-jehl at the temple of T’rinsha; as well as other gods of peace and war who appear depicted in the Stone of Gol.
Some of the nature spirits of Vulcan legend include:
Fletan: Water spirits that inhabit certain oases.
Giidas: Guardian spirits.
Sirshos'im: Fire spirits that attract lost desert travelers to devour their souls.
In addition to the wider pantheon, Vulcan religion also recognizes a small group of five figures known as the Ka-ta-pak or Inner Chorus. These are personifications of the strong emotions that can grip the Vulcan heart and lead to destruction if allowed to run unchecked, and different schools of meditation teach how to deal with them in different ways. Each of them has a joyful aspect and a wrathful aspect, symbolizing how emotions can become destructive if not dealt with appropriately:
Tel-alep: also known as the Watcher, he represents curiosity. He is an old Vulcan chained to a great book that contains all the knowledge in the world. His counterpart is Alep-tel, the Bitter, who is jaded by all the experience he has accrued and eager to give advice tainted with cynicism and futility.
Kir-alep: represents peace and acceptance. Its counterpart is Alep-kir, the Sullen, who represents apathy and pessimism. It is represented as the heat of the high desert that drains the energy from the body.
Valdena: the personification of love, joy and beauty. She is portrayed as an athletic maiden dancing between the clouds. Her counterpart is Dena-vel, the Covetous. She traps the things she loves so that only she may enjoy their beauty, and, at the slightest sign of betrayal, she turns into an a'lazb (a Vulcan creature similar to a Terran spider) and drinks the blood of the object of her affection until they’re dead.
Kal-ap-ton: represents grief. Usually depicted as a tall, gaunt young man in mourning attire who carries a small pouch full of tears. His counterpart is Tyr-al-tep, the Unforgiver, who makes Vulcans forget about what is and brood only on the possibilities of what might have been. He personifies the inability to let go of the past, and is said to voice any deep regrets that a particular Vulcan may have by whispering into the ears.
Ket-cheleb: also known as the Destroyer and the Blood-Drinker. He is the only figure in the Ka-ta-pak who does not have a joyful counterpart, as he is said to have killed him long ago and hung him on a great tree in the center of the world. He is thought to be the most dangerous, as the Vulcan mind is easily seduced by his cries, and it requires willpower to keep him at bay.
Vulcan polytheism is also the source of many myths, like the famous legend of Sha Ka Ree or the Great Oasis, a paradise at the center of all creation. Much like some cultures on Earth, Vulcans associated certain deities to the planets in their solar system and the constellations they could see in the night sky.
