There are no formal religions in the Shards of Orn. Characters may adhere to certain spiritual philosophies, follow certain Immortals, and powerful beings may occasionally make an appearance, but there are no deities or forms of worship in play. This choice is intentional and designed to make the fantasy setting inoffensive to players regardless of their real-life religious beliefs.
That being said, certain pseudo-religious elements are present in the game. Things such as wizards, fiends, serathine, and magic exist in the game world, not because of their potential religious implications, but because they are integral elements of fantasy gaming.
Often, choosing to avoid religious content or include fantasy content is a fine line. The game staff respects each and every participant's religious beliefs and has no desire to offend anyone. However, this is a game of fantasy. As such, most of our players have certain expectations from fantasy literature and other fantasy games that must be met in order to achieve suspension of disbelief.
We encourage players who take offense to the potential religiosity of the game content to voice their concerns. At the same time, we encourage those players to recognize that it is the intention of the game staff to promote fantasy, not religiosity.
Also, just as game staff avoids religious content, players are expected to do so as well. Open display of religious icons and religious practices while in play is prohibited. Players are, of course, free to wear religious icons, so long as they are not visible while in play. Likewise, players are free to observe religious practices, so long as they do so out of play.
In the end, we are a diverse group of people who come together in the spirit of fantasy and fun. Every game participant is expected to respect the unique background of every other, while at the same time respecting the non-denominational nature of the game.