The Incomplete Guide to the Gods

[DM CiCi]

I am still working on this so all info is tentative. I gave up on this in favor of more character info but this gives the basic idea

An Introduction to the Gods of the World

The presence of the gods is everywhere in this world. A common expression is "One cannot hear the roaring of the sea and not think of Altana, nor can they feel a gentle breeze and not hear Sophia's voice in their heads. A farmer would be ill advised not to praise Gaia for his harvest for fear that Friaa might destroy all." Indeed an atheist would not make it far in the world, although some give more stock in the gods than others. All of the gods are given fair worship all though an individual god maybe praised more by members of a given race, profession or culture.

Alignment is seen by the gods as a human institution and most gods are considered at base to be neutral. However certain gods will promote an agenda of good over evil and vice versa. Law is seen by the gods as necessity although there are few that promote a strictly lawful agenda and in fact some would choose a natural chaos over law. The alignments presented below for the gods are the alignments most compatible for the majority of this god's worshipers.

[DM CiCi]

The Four Mother Goddesses:

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Gaia- The All Mother, The World's Womb
• Symbol: Pentacle
• Alignment: Neutral
• Portfolio: Agriculture, Fertility, Mothers
• Worshipers: Farmers, Midwives, Druids, Rangers
• Domains: Earth, Plant, Protection, Healing
• Favored Weapon: Scythe
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• Dogma: Gaia rules over the cycles of growth and decay in this world. The whole world is considered her child as it was she that gave it shape and populated it. Farmers and others who labor to provide food revere her and give her due worship. Also anyone who lives in the woods and protects the lands is said to be under Gaia's special care. Elves also have a special reverence for her and many elven settlements particularly ones in the forest have a small shrine to her that is well tended.
• Clergy and Temples: In cities Gaia has few temples as she cares little for urban life. However these urban shrines do hold special significance for the people who dwell in cities as centers for those wishing to conceive children and as a refuge for those needing healing. Her clerics are loosely organized but where ever they settle they are well received and they supervise rites and festivals that concern the harvest, and give blessings to new plantings, and expectant mothers.

Sophia- The All-Knowing, The Oracle of the Ages
• Symbol: Sword
• Alignment: Neutral
• Portfolio: Air, Knowledge, Wisdom, Learning, Civilization
• Worshipers: Scholars, sages, wizards, bards
• Domains: Air, Knowledge, Magic
• Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff
• Sophia's gifts to the world are numerous and great and include magic writing and arithmetic. From her comes the knowledge and wisdom of the ages and she is often depicted with many arms- each reaching into a different plane of existence to gather it's information and share it with the world. She is the founder of the civilized world and takes great interest in the politics of the world's kingdoms, yet she has little interest in rule herself. It is said that upon seeing the strife enveloping the world over which god would rule she climbed to the highest peak of Celestia and turned herself into a statue so that she could always look out to the world.
• Dogma: Sophia is the goddess of wisdom and learning in addition to her element of air. Her followers are in constant search of new knowledge and ancient lore. Some seek knowledge for knowledge sake but most strive to better the world and become great leaders. Wizards hold her in high regard as she teaches that through study great things will come.
• Clergy and Temples: She is held in high regard in civilized lands, and most cities boast a university in her name that also serves as a temple. Her purple and white robed clerics serve as professors in these universities, and some provide private tutelage to nobles, while others set up free schools in the slums.

Altana-
• Symbol: Bejeweled Goblet
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Portfolio: Sea, Rivers, Storms
• Worshipers: Sailors, fishers, coast dwellers
• Domains: Water, Weather, Chaos
• Favored Weapon: Spear
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• Dogma:
• Clergy and Temples:

Friaa- The Phoenix, Heart of Roaring Flame
• Symbol: Fire Wand
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Portfolio: Fire, war, renewal
• Worshipers: fighters, barbarians, military units.
• Domains: Fire, War, Strength
• Favored Weapon: Great Sword
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• Dogma:
• Clergy and Temples:

[DM CiCi]

Court of the Sun and Moon
Also known as the Elven Pantheon for the following gods are rarely worshiped outside of the Elven lands except by a few rare individuals who value the elven arts or those who sympathize with the elven cause. As such the following presents the elven view of these deities and not the views expressed by those who see these gods as evil or the views of certain cultists.

Lunniea Flora- The Lunnar Flower, Prince of Dreams, The Silver Prince, Watcher of the Endless Cycle
• Symbol: Crescent moon on a black disk, some elves include a lilly in this symbol
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Portfolio: Supreme, Moon, Dreams, Prophecy, Cats, Death, Elves, Music, Magic
• Worshipers: Elves, bards, sorcerers, wizards- in particular diviners, poets, musicians
• Domains: Oracle, Dreams, Magic, Death (although the Repose domain is given to his clerics)
• Favored Weapon: Elven thin blade
Lunniea is the half demon, half angel son of the first man and the Angel queen Stoliea and his very nature is the reason why there are so many different views of this god. Regardless he was given rulership of the cosmos by the Four Mothers for he was seen as mostly good after the evil part of his soul was sealed within his sword- the Silver Souled Blade.

He is depicted as a beautiful silver haired youth with the ears of a cat which allude to his demonic heritage. He also is generally seen with his left eye covered, as it is said that this eye can see things for what they truly are. The sword he is always carrying, while said to be able to take on any form to befit it's wielder is depicted in the shape of a feather. Perhaps what is most peculiar about him is that he truly has no gender but is canonically referred to with male descriptors, while pictured dressed as a female. Needless to say he is jokingly referred to as the god of paradoxes.

In addition to his role of ruler of the gods, Lunniea was also given power over life and death and in particular the judgment of the souls of the recently departed. He guards this position with his full power and under his doctrine the practice of necromancy is strictly frowned upon as he detests those who would interfere with his work. He is also said to appear at night to his faithful to reward them with glimpses into the future. For those who have earned his wrath he appears as a vengeful entity.

Clerics of Lunniea are active in elven communities as leaders that over see daily life in their villages. They officiate in many important ceremonies including weddings, rites of passage into adulthood, and elven funerals. A few of his clerics also share a close relationship to their god and become great prophets of their lord's will. Lunniea's temples are often furnished with divination rooms, and serve as community centers.

White lilies and cats are sacred to Lunniea, and his clerics often are seen with a cat as a familiar.

Solarius Lance- The Golden Prince, The Shining One,
• Symbol: Circle with four radiating lines
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Portfolio: Flowers, sun, half-elves, arts and crafts, war
• Worshipers: Elves, half-elves, gardeners
• Domains: Plant, Protection, War, Sun
• Favored Weapon: Long Spear
Solarius Lance holds a sacred spot in elven mythology. He was at one time the mortal son of the groundskeeper of the gods who rose to godhood after he won Lunniea's heart and saved him from an attempt on the ruler's life. He has served as Lunniea's consort since then. He became the champion of the gods for winning a victory over the demon lord Erebus. During this battle it is said that he was impaled through the back by Erebus's Poisson tipped spear, yet still managed to fatally wound Erebus with a counterattack. After this battle Erebus was forever cast into the abyss by Lunniea. Solarius Lance still carries the wound he received and since then the spear has become his token weapon.

He is regarded as a fearless war deity but also a lover of plant life and he still tends the celestial flower gardens. He is a master of many weapons favored by the elves. His marksmanship and sword skill are nearly unmated by the lesser deities. It is said that only Friaa can best him. He has achieved this standing despite the fact that his the unhealing wound he suffers from has left him without the use of his legs. Instead he fights while sitting on an enchanted shield. He remains the brave defender of the gods.

He is depicted as a radiant youth with golden hair jade eyes, and wearing robes of green and gold. He caries with him his many weapons, including his spear, sword, and longbow as well as a quiver of flaming arrows. It is said that because as a mortal he was a half-elf and as such is regarded as the guardian of the half-elves.

While seen as a martial deity himself, his clerics on the battlefield are seen tending to the wounded. In times of peace they officiate ceremonies in half-elf lands, and aide in the cultivation of crops in elven villages.

The rose is his sacred flower as it is said he won over Lunniea by giving the god a golden rose.

Lance is also the father of four children through Lunniea- Strength, Justice, Temperance, and Judgement. They are known collectively as the Four Lunnar Virtues.

Strength- Corllinn Thalon (Legendary Light-Blade-Keeper)
• Symbol: Lunnar disk with four radiating lines and a star in the middle, signifying the union of his parent's symbols
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Portfolio: Valor, honor, war, daring, zeal, discipline
• Worshipers: Elves, half-elves, fighters, rangers, paladins
• Domains: Protection, Strength, War
• Favored Weapon: Longsword
The boy god known as Strength is the foremost of Lunniea and Lance's four children. While his father tirelessly defended the godly plane of Celestia, it is said that Lunniea sent his son to the realm of mortals to defend his worshipers there. But it is here that it is said in legends that Strength met his end as he battled the hordes of undead sent by Erebus. Some say that he fell valiantly in battle only to have his corpse defiled by the Dark Lord, and some say that Erebus himself slayed the youth. But what ever the reason for his untimely end, his father foresaw what was to come and upon Strength's death his divine power was divided in two pieces and hidden in the bodies of two mortals. Upon the deaths of these mortals the power is passed on in and endless cycle. It is said when these two individuals are brought together, than Strength can be revived.

Even in his current state, Strength is still worshiped as a powerful martial deity evoked in times of great need. His worshipers hope for a time when he can be revived, and continue to battle on in his stead. Lunnarian prophets actively seek the location of his split power with revival a top priority on their minds.

As his father's champion, Strength saw undead as an abomination and they drew special attention from his blade. As such his followers seek to destroy undead and those who would control them. Clerics of Strength are often seen leading their men into battle.

Justice, Temperance, and Judgment- The Triad of the Endless Cycle
• Symbol: Scales weighing a feather
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Portfolio: Justice, balance, judgment, death, rebirth, fairness
• Worshipers: Paladins, judges, attorneys, those who deal with the dead
• Domains: Law, Magic, Repose, Knowledge
• Favored Weapon: Long Sword
Although three separate goddesses, these three are seen often as working in consort and rarely worshiped apart.
While Lunniea resides over life and death, he long ago delegated the judging of the recently departed to his three daughters who came to be known as Justice, Temperance, and Judgment or collectively as the Triad of the Endless Cycle. Along with their brother Strength- they are known as the Four Lunnar Virtues.

Each member of the Triad has a distinctive role in deciding what happens to the souls of the departed. Justice argues for or against the soul depending on the deeds the soul has committed, Temperance weighs the soul's actions- finding a balance between rights and wrongs, and Judgment rules on the final decision and gives the answer to her father for enforcement.

Anyone who argues the law or wishes to be a champion of justice worships these three goddesses, and their clerics act as judges and officers in court. In human lands they are seen as agents of Sophia.

Lafrusa- She Who Walks on Cat's Feet, Messenger of Lunniea
• Symbol: White Cat
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Portfolio: Love, beauty, travelers
• Worshipers: Elves, artists, lovers, bards, travelers
• Domains: Charm, Luck, Travel
• Favored Weapon: Staff
The mythology of the elves is filled with stories of Erebus's jealousy over his son Lunniea's position. Lunniea's attendants, servants, and even children are often innocent bystanders in these many crimes. Strength was killed, Lance was forever wounded, and Justice was blinded by Erebus in an act of spite. But none of these victims suffered more, and ultimately triumphed more than Lunniea's high priestess Lafrusa.

Lafrusa was once a beautiful young maiden who rose through Lunniea's priesthood through the strength of her own convictions. She was kind and loved by those she served. She was offered much by her people, but still her heart pined with a secret desire. Upon being welcomed into Lunniea's inner circle, she instantly had fallen hopelessly in love with her God.

Erebus saw this and decided to mock and torment the poor mortal even further. Taking the form of one of the male priests, he turned all of manhood against her. She was chased by errant lovers, taken advantage of by these men, and eventually defiled by the mob. As she lay covered in bruises and dirt she thought that things couldn't get worse for her. She was taunted by Erebus inside her head, and he made her feel like she had committed a grave sin against her god, and she cried great tears of grief. Finally Erebus showed himself to her and in one final act, turned her once beautiful body into that of a helpless animal- the humble house cat as if to mock his son, himself half-feline-demon. Her tears turned into yowls that eventually reached Lunniea's ears.

He saw what had happened to her and took pity on her and took her back to his palace where he nursed the animal back to full health. To his dismay he found that he couldn't reverse his father's curse. From that day on cats were seen as sacred to him.

As for Lafrusa- Lunniea saw her goodness and granted her immortality. In return she acts as his messenger, delivering messages swiftly in her lithe cat form. She also has become the patroness of lovers, as her love for her god still has not wavered. She is merciful to lovers and even officiated the ceremony that bound Lance to Lunniea- all despite her feelings.

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The Jeweled Court of the Zodiac

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Court of the Abyss