Originally, the Aro tribes were pagan – each tribe had its own ancestral patron deity, and a rich pantheon of spirits, gods, and heroic figures. However, with the formation of Kania, the worldview of its people began to shift. The cause of this change was the rise of the Great Mages and their Conclave. The wonders performed by the Mages, their study and mastery of the world, left little room for divine or supernatural interpretations of reality.

Ancient paganism faded quietly and without resistance: the Kanian people simply stopped believing in the old gods, ceased offering sacrifices (after all, it was easier to commission a mage to summon rain – and the result was guaranteed). There was a brief resurgence of interest in the old faiths after the Cataclysm, which many interpreted as divine punishment for mortal sins. However, the Mages soon reasserted their authority, and by the end of the first millennium, paganism had all but vanished.

After the Great Astral Crusade, the rise of the Tenses cult filled the spiritual vacuum. Tenses’ sacrifice and his gift of resurrection transformed the Great Mage into a messianic figure – a saint. He gained followers and worshippers, and thus the Church of Light was born. The very idea of Light became a unifying force against Darkness, and all who entered the Church were required to acknowledge Tenses as a god – one who gave his life for the sins of the world.

It was also after Tenses’ death that divine magic manifested in the world. This magic became the source of strength for vityaz in battle, and for priests who healed the wounded.