The Spirit of Harmony (greater deity)
Spirit of Life, Balance, and the Elements
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose."
Known by many names, including Karana, Fianna, Carae, Sabriane (North/Norsland/Etheria); Mavenna,Camellisa (Izolda/Saspien); Eryth/Ereth (Citadel/Clannash/Thrakkis); Aventine (Avencia/Tolerna); La'al, Ossira (Liscar/Azerbad)
The Spirit of Harmony is the force which inspires mortals to do right, seek balance, and find their special places within the grand scheme of existence. She is called The Giver of Life, The World Spirit, and the Oversoul. She is the font of pure elemental and spiritual energy which sustains all living things across Yg-Raya through an effortless state of Nirvana, one that leaves even the other Icons awed (or envious). She transcends nature and civilization, yet counts both spheres as her own. Perhaps they are the easiest ways to manifest and commune with her followers. Primal and ancestral spirits are her messengers.
The Spirit of Harmony's previous incarnations were worshiped throughout the worlds by a host of peoples, humans, dwarves, and druids in particular. The Spirit of Harmony is praised by almost every civilization in some form or another, be it a well-established church in dwarven Citadel, a peace-keeping organization such as the Circle of Ten, or in small, secret places, beneath the notice of oppressive regimes and demanding gods, as in Izolda and Thrakkis.
Her calling is to bring the whole of Yg-Raya closer to Nirvana, creating universal peace, joy and harmony through interconnectedness. This often seems impossible, yet so long as the sun is shining there is life and hope.
- Ally of The Radiant Mother, The Mysterious Traveler, The Dragon Prince, and The Emperor
- Opposed by The King of Eternity, The Prince of Murder, The Mother of Witches, The Consortium, and The Brotherhood of Man
The Radiant Mother (greater deity)
Goddess of the Sun, Moons, and Stars
"Let it be."
Served by creatures of light and fire, the Seldarine (elven demigods), the fey court of stars, phoenixes, cloud giants, the elves of Corellon, good lycanthropes and shapeshifters (swan may, selkie, etc), those who navigate the seas, Astral Seas, and depths of the Void, numerous charitable, knightly, arcane, and holy orders across the mortal worlds, and a growing number alien saints, demigods, and other orphaned powers, alongside their respective holy orders and mystery cults...
Known by many names, including Kalia, Kalinda, Kiriel, and Kelda (North/Etheria/Norsland/Avencia/Thrakkis); Magda (Citadel/Izolda/Clannash); Celebreth (Corellon); Istinnia (Saspien/Tolerna/Liscar); Arasha (Azerbad)
The Radiant Mother is the source of light and warmth on Yg-Raya and a beacon of hope in a largely dark and barren universe. She is rightly referred to as The Light of All by most, but her titles also extend into innumerable variations of Queen of Stars, Empress of the Sun, and Maiden of the Moon. She is a nurturing, protective, and creative figure. She is light in the darkness, fire in the cold, hope amidst despair, and love despite cruelty.
Since the dawn age of the worlds, The Radiant Mother has been worshiped far and wide, particularly by the elves. The goddess's strongest presence lies on Corellon, (the elven continent) where she is honored exclusively. On Othyr, she is part of the Etherian Pantheon and matron of The Holy Mountain. While sharing ideals with The Spirit of Harmony, theologians consider The Radiant Mother a more celestial figure and The Spirit of Harmony a more terrestrial one. Truly, they could almost be two aspects of the same "Supreme Mother".
Her most ardent wish is to wrest Heaven away from The King of Eternity and again raise love above order in that sacred place. She would also seek the means of empowering The Spirit of Harmony enough to create a new world for her cosmic refugees, though The Secret Fire possessed by her previous incarnations was extinguished by agents of the Devourer.
- Ally of The Spirit of Harmony, The Mysterious Traveler, and The Dragon Prince
- Enemy of The King of Eternity, The Prince of Murder, and The Brotherhood of Man
The King of Eternity (greater deity)
God of Heaven and Hell
"The kingdoms, the power, and the glory are mine, forever and ever."
Known by many names, including Asmodeus (North, Etheria, Norsland, Saspien); Ashmedai (Izolda), Asmodon, Azoram (Citadel/Clannash), Astaroth, Ahriman (Liscar), Ezariel (Avencia, Tolerna), Abraxas (Thrakkis); Amon-Zar, Zul-Kethid, Zoth-Amon (Azerbad); The Adversary (Corellon)
The King of Eternity is the epitome of intelligence, strategy, wealth, and law in Yg-Raya. His mastermind orchestrates Heaven, Hell, and the souls of the mortal worlds with stunning efficiency, yet his order is not the wholesome Nirvana, but a merciless, deliberate, and unrelenting machine of plots within plots, torture, punishment, and ironclad edicts. He's turned the most sacred reaches of Heaven into the pinnacle of law and re-calibrated Hell into an empire many times greater than its original design to extract pure agony from souls who fail to live up to the holy tenants of The Empyrean. Few souls escape The King of Eternity, each one a cog in what he calls "The Grand Design" (his divine superstructure of good and evil).
Despite The King of Eternity's predilections for tyranny and extremes, The Grand Design is not entirely evil. Good, hope, and reward have their place and the forces in Heaven remain full of light. Not all angels enjoy their lord's harsh authority, however none can deny the results of his leadership. The forces of light and life have never been stronger, planar ramparts fully manned, worldly congregations increased, and not a single aberrant has been seen in two decades. Some, like The Judge of Souls, have come to appreciate the skill with which The King of Eternity runs the underpinnings of existence, but more refuse to trust him despite enjoying the fruits of his endless machinations. He certainly isn't humble about it, yet he remains the Master of Words, who some also call The Patient One, and does not force himself upon any sphere where he is unwanted. There simply is no need. If The King of Eternity has any further ambitions, The Radiant Mother suspects they lie with stealing her powers and crowning himself the supreme god.
The King of Eternity is worshiped across Othyr, his strongest presences in Liscar and Tolerna, where his church overshadows all others. Avencia honors many of his empyreal lords alongside the goddess Aventine. Heavenly and infernal cults speckle the entire continent, finding recent popularity in Azerbad, though his worship is outlawed in Saspien and Corellon.
- Ally of The Judge of Souls and The Consortium
- Enemy of The Spirit of Harmony, The Radiant Mother, The Mysterious Traveler, and The Dark Queen
The Mysterious Traveler (intermediate deity)
Goddess of Journeys, Cats, Horses, and Destiny
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
Known by many, many, many names, too many to list, but some of the most popular including Eilessa, Cerriwen, Theya (North/Etheria), Gwenth, Lyonesse, Selen (Norsland/Avencia), Sansora, Catia, Merraset (Tolerna/Liscar), Ziv, Flins, Oldares (Izolda, who worship a male persona), Rheath, Sudz (Clannash/Citadel), Jozlyel, Taloris (Thrakkis), Tanyl, Tannis, Telemris, Tal'mra (Azerbad), Bastet, Bis, Basra (Tir'buk)...
The Mysterious Traveler is the allure of the unknown, the promise beyond the horizon, the wisdom and celerity to overcome the trials of a journey, and the luck which often saves travelers if their courage holds. She is Quest-Giver, Rumor-Starter, The Lady of Legends and Lore, and chiefest matron of adventurers, explorers, seekers, wanderers, couriers, scouts, bards and storytellers. She keeps safe the roads and trade routes, and brings tidings good and ill. She values quickness of body and wit, raising cats and horses sacred.
She considers inns, taverns, and festhalls her churches. Thus she is also the goddess of beer and wine, music and song, celebration and victory (particularly to the dwarves, who've developed a long list of affectionate titles for her including Ole' Lay Barrelbelly, Her Unsoberness, and Lady of the White Froth Beard). Conversely, in the lands of Izolda she is a much grimmer persona (and in fact a male persona, at that), The Gray Man of a Thousand Names whose appearance is often thought the forebear of great turmoil. In the tropical jungles of Tir'buk, the tabari consider her the supreme mother over all other goddesses, as do most centaur tribes.
With a very active hand in the mortal worlds, she initiates change in the most unlikely places. Tugging at the unpleasant knots of fate's skein is the surest way of undoing them, her brand of destiny... though it's never quite sure how the tapestry of creation will look afterward. She spends much of her time journeying across the known (and unknown) worlds. It is said everyone will meet The Mysterious Traveler at least once in their life, under one guise or another. Be careful how you treat a stranger.
- Ally of The Spirit of Harmony, The Radiant Mother, The Dark Queen, and The Dragon Prince
- Enemy of The King of Eternity, The Prince of Murder, The Consortium, and The Brotherhood of Man
The Dark Queen (intermediate deity)
Goddess of Rituals, Sex, and the Night
"I put a spell on you. And now you're mine."
Served by The Court of the Dark Queen (goblinoid and drow demigods, chiefest Maglubiyet, Nomog-Geaya, Hruggek, Triglav, and Mask), The Maidenmother Crone, female monsters (gorgons, lamia, sirens, furies, etc), fey of the nightmare, autumn, and winter courts, vampires, duergar, stone giants, witches and sorceresses, creatures of the night (owls, bats, etc), goblins, bugbears, hobgoblins, select drow, and those who earn their livings after sunset...
Known by many names, including Hecate, Hekkate, Nephys (North/Saspien/Tolerna/Liscar/Etheria); Nix, Cthoni (Citadel/Clannash); Vashka, Zorya (Izolda); Morgiss, Nemethance, Lith, Sawain (Norsland, Avencia, Thrakkis); Ishkal, Shalim (Azerbad)
Known by many names, including Hecate, Hekkate, Nephys (North/Saspien/Tolerna/Liscar/Etheria); Nix, Cthoni (Citadel/Clannash); Vashka, Zorya (Izolda); Morgiss, Nemethance, Lith, Sawain (Norsland, Avencia, Thrakkis); Ishkal, Shalim (Azerbad)
The Dark Queen is everything men fear and lust after in the feminine ideal, amplified by all the powers of the night and an astronomical knowledge of the Arcane through use of rituals and rites. A powerful array of demigods, fey, and immortal heroes are devoted to her beauty, sensuality, intelligence, and ferocity. They bend their knees whether love-struck, lust-struck, or magically enchanted. To men, she is the unknowable Queen of the Night, the irresistible Midnight Tantra, and the terrifying Black Bitch. Those lucky enough to earn her approval enjoy untold rewards, most prized of all her dominatrix's bed.
To women, The Dark Queen is mother, sister, daughter, and sensual lover. She ensures their protection, respect, and prosperity throughout her realms and offers wisdom and power to those seeking it. Witches, oracles, sorceresses, amazons, she-wizards, as well as a colorful array of priestesses ranging 'holy whores' to 'warrior nuns' honor her as Sorceress Supreme. Her presence is most heavily felt in Saspien, Clannash, Izolda, and independent covens throughout Othyr and beyond.
Despite her veiled nature, The Dark Queen's most ardent desire is widely known among the pantheon. She wishes to reclaim Hell in the name of her previous incarnations, in the process humiliating and destroying The King of Eternity. Unfortunately, a very powerful, very binding contract struck between the two deities in the last age keeps those aspirations chained, for now. She is not overly pleased with sharing the dais with The Mother of Witches in any capacity, either...
- Ally of The Mysterious Traveler, The Prince of Murder (sometimes lover), The Judge of Souls, and The Mother of Witches
- Enemy of The King of Eternity and The Brotherhood of Man
The Prince of Murder (intermediate deity)
God of Revenge, Rage, and Blood
"Fuck you! I won't do what you tell me! Motherfucker."
Very few know The Prince of Murder's true name. To speak it is to draw his attention and, very likely, your untimely end. He prefers titles and epithets such as Endbringer, Excrutiator, Ruin, Sorrow, and Scourge.
The Prince of Murder despises the established order and constantly seeks to undermine it, if not destroy it utterly, even at his own detriment. He hates gods. His being one is only the means to an end, the murder of the pantheon. No one should be so powerful that with a whim the lives of countless mortals are crushed, man or monster, good or evil. Worse, the sheep worship them, devote themselves to the undoing of their free will. They revel in their slavery. They admire the games and meaningless conflicts of the over-beings. It's sick. It's perverse. It must be ended.
His motives are made plainer by his recruitment of some of the most violent, hateful, and destructive beings in the universe. Yet his methods are erratic, and he sometimes halts what could be a massacre, preserves something innocent or beautiful, and even aligns with other Icons against great threats for reasons that are entirely his own. This gives hope he could be redeemed one day, if The Dark Queen is to be trusted, but no one else agrees.
The Prince of Murder would end the pain by bringing it all down, a self-destructive impulse all living things harbor somewhere in their darkest depths. There is pleasure in the burning, and he is that gross satisfaction. Though not as mighty as the greater gods, his earthly forces dwarf all others. If he wished, he could gather such a horde it would likely bring about the End Days across all worlds. And yet, he waits... and broods... and feeds the fears and hatreds of the northern hordes, the creatures below, and the cults of the Brotherhood of Man.
- Ally of The Dark Queen and The Brotherhood of Man
- Enemy of The Spirit of Harmony, The Radiant Mother, The Mysterious Traveler, The Dragon Prince, and The Mother of Witches
The Judge of Souls (intermediate deity)
Goddess of Death and Judgement
"How do you plead?"
Known by many names, including Mercy, or simply Death.
The Judge of Souls
- Ally of The Spirit of Harmony, The King of Eternity, and The Dark Queen
- Conflicted with the rest...
- Enemy of *The Prince of Undeath (Not Listed)
The Dragon Prince (demigod)
Lord of Good-Aligned Dragonkind
"We're not all evil."
Served by good-aligned elderwyrms, dragons and like-minded dregoi, couatls, dragonnes, various mage and knightly orders, redeemed and converted monsters, and those judged by anything other than their own merits...
Known by many names, including Arvorane (Corellon); Chroma (Tolerna/Liscar/Etheria/Thrakkis); Chimeron (North/Izolda/Clannash), Galidon, Patharnen (Citadel/Norsland/Avencia), and Tal'amar (Azerbad)
The Dragon Prince
- Ally of The Spirit of Harmony, The Radiant Mother, The Mysterious Traveler, and The Emperor
- Enemy of The King of Eternity, The Prince of Murder, The Mother of Witches, The Consortium, and The Brotherhood of Man
The Emperor (legend)
The Patriarch of Norsland and The Greatest Psion Ever to Have Lived
"Liberis Mentibus."
Served by the Grand Dukes of the Black Forest, Saindoron Plains, Dormud Mountains, and Soveros Forest, as well as Prince Deimos Norson, the Margraves of Nord, Brev and Dorjia, the Earls of the larger Nord towns and the Knights of the villages, and various psionic, political, and martial orders...
The Emperor Endymion Norson has many titles, including the Overmind, the Patriarch, and the Anax.
Endymion Norson is a symbol of redemption, integrity, and stability in Othyr. While two generations feared him for his heinous experiments and merciless rule, this new generation finds his presence comforting in the age of ancient witches, elven god-kings, and dragon monarchs. The crusade against the Devourer is over and with it his obsessiveness, coldness, and ruthlessness. Much of the evil of the old empire has been abolished, re-purposed, or sadly migrated to The Brotherhood of Man. Without the weight of existence upon his shoulders, The Emperor has changed. His reliance on dangerous, theoretical, alien technologies has been replaced with a new-found faith in his people. He would strengthen that.
Over the last twenty years, imperials went from oppressed and uninformed serfs to far more prosperous citizens of a more transparent monarchy. The Emperor uses a rejuvenated feudal system of trusted dukes, margraves, earls, and knights to govern the people. Religious freedom is also in effect (but no Prince of Murder or demon worship). Instead of the propaganda of the old Churches of Nor, Endymion's new quest is to educate- particularly those with the gifts of psionics. Many orders for mentalists have been founded and funded by the Patriarch of late, as well as sweeping projects for new castles, roads, aqueducts, and settlements across the lush plains, teeming forests, and ore-rich mountains of a more manageable country.
At sixty-five, having lost a daughter and gained a son, and with no cosmic threat bearing down on him, Endymion's thoughts turn to his legacy for his people. Having surrendered the ill-gotten gains of the empire back into the hands of its native peoples, he now does everything he justly can to maintain the peace of a more diverse (if fragmented) continent. As one of his subjects put it to him, "Try to leave it better than you found it".
- Ally of The Spirit of Harmony, The Dragon Prince, and The Consortium
- Enemy of The Brotherhood of Man
The Mother of Witches (legend)
Queen-Mother of Izolda and Ancient Demonbinder
"I will use any weapon and all weapons to get what I want."
Served by a wide breadth of demons (and several bound demon lords), abyssal tieflings, witches and sorceresses (including her vast, extended family), trolls, ogres, goblinoids, werewolves, winter wolves, various martial and arcane orders (particularly the Iron Guard), humans (Zoldani, Varangians, and many assimilated Etherians), numerous forms of undead, and select evil fey...
The Mother of Witches goes by the name Iggwilv Yaga in this age, though she has used many names over her long life in this world and others, including Natasha, Hedra, Lilian, Morgan, and Circe.
The Mother of Witches goes by the name Iggwilv Yaga in this age, though she has used many names over her long life in this world and others, including Natasha, Hedra, Lilian, Morgan, and Circe.
The Mother of Witches is the oldest and most powerful witch in Yg-Raya. Her secret knowledge was won through the guile, seduction, and torture of archmages, demon lords, and demigods. She keeps a collection of them trapped in various sanctum maleficums spread throughout the planes, two in Izolda alone. She is the quintessential temptress, a symbol of feminine power, and possesses an incredible amount of secrets and forbidden magic. She practically invented the arcane art of summoning.
Iggwilv is the unquestioned tsarina of Izolda, from the taigas of the Vox to the green banks of The Great River. Her rule extends into one or more layers of the Abyss, as well, horrid planes whose demon lords now serve her ends from their cages. There's even talk of her queenship in countries such as Perrenland and Urborg, though one could only guess in which universes they might rest. She spends enough time plane-hopping it's a wonder she's so startlingly well-informed about the goings on in her Othyrian dominion. She is served by myriad spies and agents, not least of all the Iron Guard across Izolda and, in theory, her many daughters and exhaustive descendants.
While not directly worshiped, the amount of adulation, fear, obsession, and resentment heaped upon her nearly qualifies. Godhood has never been Iggwilv's aim, rather whatever state-of-being might reach beyond even that: Planeswalker. She was never one to settle. Everyone and everything else are merely the means of achieving it.
- Ally of The Dark Queen and *The Abyss (not listed)
- Enemy of The Spirit of Harmony, The Prince of Murder, The Dragon Prince, and The Brotherhood of Man
The Consortium (faction)
Conglomerate Monopolizing Trade in Norsland, Tolerna, and Liscar
"Lumber, iron, gold, and wheat an empire makes."
The Consortium is a trading empire, a massive conglomerate extending throughout the nations of Norsland, Tolerna, and Liscar. They control all artisans and industry in any way related to the supply of lumber, iron (and the production of steel, weapons, armor, and parts), gold (all precious ores and gems), and wheat (all agriculture). Guilds and free-trade simply aren't tolerated, quickly assimilated or destroyed through bribes, political pressures, intimidation, and if necessary arson, blackmail, and murder. Primarily a human enterprise, The Consortium keeps close ties with the dwarves and dark dwarves.
The Trade Barons run The Consortium, the Lords of Lumber, Iron, Gold, and Wheat specifically. They don't use their real names. They aren't public figures. They meet secretly once a month for their board meeting, the city chosen at random. They are beholden to no one nation, though are willing to negotiate with governments in return for certain concessions. Each is stunningly wealthy, though the Lord of Gold is the richest. It was his established mining resources which first plumbed the depths of the fallen red elderwyrm's lair in Dorjia, reaping unimaginable rewards. A fair portion was also injected into the company, inspiring additions to an already exhaustive chain of accountants, management, and protection.
Profit reigns in The Consortium, no matter the other costs. The Lord of Gold did not halt mining operations or prospecting when the first of the red dragon's traps and defenders began to appear. He still hasn't stopped, nor have the deaths, dozens of laborers each week. His practices, without the slightest regard for worker rights or well-being, are indicative of the company as a whole. And not all of these workers are adults, either. It's an easy matter to criticize, but The Consortium's total control of three nation's economies prevents anyone from simply leaving for better employers. Any protests are quickly squashed. And even the slightest whisper of unionization summons The Wolves, a collection of the Consortium's most effective freelance 'problem solvers'. That is, only if these hints of revolt start. Under the typical thuggery at the bottom rungs of the organization, it rarely occurs.
The Consortium boasts a navy larger than any one single nation and thrice as many merchant ships, ranging river barges and longboats to grand caravels and galleons. Their dominion extends across the roadways of three countries and they're only just beginning to experiment with a revolutionary vehicle out of Nibenay called a zeppelin.
- Ally of The King of Eternity and The Emperor
- Enemy of The Spirit of Freedom, The Mysterious Traveler, and *Avencia (not listed)
The Bastard Kings (faction)
Barbarian Chiefs Claiming Blood Ties with Allfather Matthias
"Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women."
- Ally of All Gods (depending on the king)
- Enemy of All Factions (depending on the king)
The Brotherhood of Man (faction)
Human Supremacists in the Backwoods of Norsland, Avencia, Saspien, and Tolerna
"This is Man's world!"
Served by various xenophobes in and around the rural communities of Norsland, Avencia, Saspien, and Tolerna, The Brotherhood of Man is a humans-only cult with the sole purpose of exterminating all expressions of non-humans (especially from perceived 'human lands'). Much violence, pain, bloodshed, and misery is shared between the likes of men, elves, vampires, and the other Othyrian races. It takes on a life of its own, passed down from generation to generation, and not so easily transformed as the Emperor. The Brotherhood is that force given life in the hearts and minds of thousands.
Depending on the location, a Brotherhood lodge might be hidden beneath the veneer of a club or fellowship in larger towns, but in the backwoods these locations can be proudly, even gruesomely, vaunted. Wherever law is lax, brethren can run rampant, terrorizing, burning, kidnapping, and lynching according to the will of their local leadership. Brethren operate in cells, led by an absolutus. Absoluti can be anyone from village bullies to rural landowners, but more often than not are ex-Inquisition or an accomplished member of the former Sons of Nor. Of these, some possess psionics, feeding on the hatred and anger of their congregation to empower themselves. The menace of some of these rumored demagogues makes it hard for any with non-human blood in their veins to sleep soundly on the roads and in the wilderness of the afflicted nations.
Despite many efforts to exterminate The Brotherhood of Man, the cell structure of its organization and the enduring nature of hate and anger ensures its endurance. Some suspect a few very powerful individuals throughout the continent contribute to the survival and proliferation of the Brotherhood, though these secret occulti (singular: occultus) are a total mystery (if real at all).
The Brotherhood's congregations are mostly poorly-armed, the bulk of their members the peasantry. No cell has ever successfully toppled the established authority of any major settlement, though they have infiltrated many, including seats on some very cosmopolitan boards. Though many would love nothing more than to lead the Brotherhood into a continental power, none have managed anything close under the watch of the Circle of Ten, Scarlet Blades, Modus Operandi, and other Othyrian agencies.
More than one otherworldly force takes interest in the Brotherhood, greatest of all The Prince of Murder.
- Ally of The Prince of Murder
- Enemy of The Spirit of Harmony, The Radiant Mother, The Mysterious Traveler, The Dark Queen, The Emperor, The Mother of Witches, *Avencia, *Thrakkis, *Clannash, *Tolerna
No comments:
Post a Comment