Faiths and Pantheons

Of the World's Creation, and Birth of the Gods

In the beginning Elhim summoned the twin gods from the Source and they likewise did summon companions and kindred spirits and allies to aid them in the creation of the world. They built The Dome of Heaven to cover the world and the Walls of the World to protect it from The Void. They set the world in the midst of the Sea of Mana and created the Ethereal Gate that the gods would have passage from the heavens and to the earth. Elhim set Creation into the world and the gods and their people built many homes and dwelling places about it and within this Gaea.

However, though they created the world in unison, Maugrim began to resent the free will of man. Believing Ea's races were formed for servitude, he began to resent the influence of his brother, Daeus. The Void's whispers fueled his madness and thus, the twin gods, who were the divine rulers of the world, fell to war against each other and their conflicts spilled forth to the other gods and then to the mortal world.

From the Void's whispers and immortal greed were created many fallen gods who joined Maugrim's side. Their original purposes twisted, they became as horrors to this earth. As the war wound to a close, dwelling places for them were made by them as well as prisons for them among which, The Iron Hells is chief as is The Abyss and the Pale World. The legend of the creation of the world and the war of the gods is recounted in The Legendrium known as The Eidolon Hymn.

Now these great beings that come from before the world was made are known as the Gods and Elhim is their Father and God of the Heavens and from the Source did they emerge. They are known as the Holy Order of the Constellations and the Holy Order of Ea. Those who most desired it entered into the world and forged the world but then strife caused the War of the Gods and the age of sorrows and thus did they nearly undo what they created... They have many names among sildanyari, khazad, and giants but among the men their names are legion and men often tell strange tales concerning them...

- Sage Orum

The Pantheon of Gaea

Twenty-one major gods exist amid Gaea, who are also known as The Undying and The Powers. Click on a Pantheon header (Gods of Good, for example) for more information about those groups. Or, click on a deity entry for more information about a specific god. Though more implied than mentioned, there are often differently gendered versions of each deity, both in reality and folklore. This is especially true of Tarien and Diemos.

Gods of Good
Deity	AL	Embodies	Domains & Inquisitions	Relations	The Devoted
Althea, The Foundation	NG	Compassion, Family, Protection	Good, Healing, Protection, Community Conversion, Truth, Illumination, Spellkiller	Wife of Daeus, Mother of Eluna, Tarien, and Gilead	Altheans
Angoron, The Athlete	CG	Valor and Competition, Childbirth, Freedom	Good, Strength, Luck, Chaos, Liberation Anger, Valor, Fervor, Spellkiller	Competitor of Kor, Traveling, Lover, and Boasting Companion of Tarien	Angorites
Daeus, The Knight	LG	Justice, Good Governance, Protection, Good Dragons	Glory, Good, Law, Sun, Nobility Truth, Valor, Banishment, Order, Spellkiller	Husband of Althea, Father of Eluna, Tarien, and Gilead, Brother of Maugrim the Fallen	Daeusites
Eluna, The Seeress	NG	Magic, Dreams, and Wisdom	Knowledge, Magic, Good, Rune Fate, Illumination, Recovery, Spellkiller	Daughter of Daeus and Althea, Sister to Gilead and Tarien	Elunites
Gilead, The Hunter	NG	The Hunt and the Wild	Animal, Community, Good, Plant Imprisonment, Persistence, Recovery, Spellkiller	Son of Daeus and Althea, Brother to Eluna and Tarien; The imprisonment inquisition ability refers primarily to his abilities as a trapper, and capability to capture evil or aberrant aspects	Gileans
Serriel, The Soldier	LG	Honor and Civilization, Advancement of Society	Good, Law, War, Protection Order, Tactics, True Death, Spellkiller	Birthed after the death of Animus, Unknown, Lover of Vardama	Serrielites
Tarien, The Trickster	CG	Luck and Travel, Talespinning	Good, Chaos, Trickery, Luck, Travel Truth, Valor, Persistence, Spellkiller	Son of Daeus and Althea (the middle child), Traveling and Boasting Companion of Angoron (lover of the same), Father of Deimos (according to legend), Reminds Kor to Have a Sense of Humor (failure so far)	Tarienites

Gods of Neutrality
Deity	AL	Embodies	Domains & Inquisitions	Relations	The Devoted
Ceinara, The Artist	CN	Artistic Inspiration	Charm, Luck, Fire, Chaos, Liberation Conversion, Zeal, Fervor, Spellkiller	Daughter of Dana and Reos	Ceinarans
Dana, The Earth	TN	The Forces of Nature (She is also known as "The Green Word")	Air, Animal, Plant, Water, Weather Vengeance, Persistence, Spellkiller	Wife of Reos, Mother of Ceinara	Danan
Kor, War	CN	War and Chaos, Conflict	Chaos, Glory, Strength, War, Destruction Anger, Fervor, Spellkiller	Competitor with Maugrim and Serriel over the dominion of War, and Angoron like that brother you never wanted	Korites
Navos, The Historian	LN	History and Self-Perfection	Healing, Knowledge, Rune, Strength, Law Oblivion, Illumination, Truth, Spellkiller	Once close friend of Daeus, distanced now with His new role among the Twilight and loss of Compassion	Navosians
Rada, The Trader and Sailor	TN	Sea and Travel, Trade and Wealth	Weather, Water, Nobility, Travel Recovery, Conversion, Spellkiller	Glub. Glub glub glub.	Radan
Reos, The Craftsman	LN	Craftsmanship, Artifice, Engineering	Artifice, Earth, Law, Rune Order, Tactics, Spellkiller	Husband of Dana, Father of Ceinara	Reosian
Vardama, The Crone and Mortician	LN	Death, Inevitability, and Prophecy	Community, Healing, Knowledge, Repose, Law Final Rest, Fate, True Death, Possession, Spellkiller	Once wife of Thul, Lover of Serriel	Vardaman

Gods of Evil
Deity	AL	Embodies	Domains & Inquisitions	Relations	The Devoted
Caracoroth, The Nightmare	CE	Nightmares, Monsters, and Madness	Evil, Chaos, Animal, Madness Anger, Zeal, Spellkiller	Mad son of Maugrim, Harries Eluna across the sky	Caracorothans
Deimos, The Betrayer	NE	Betrayal, Secrets, and Corruption	Luck, Trickery, Evil, Charm Conversion, Truth, Spellkiller	Rumored son of Tarien	Deimosan
Gunahkar, The Destroyer	CE	Chaos, Disaster, and Wrath	Chaos, Destruction, Death, Weather, Evil Oblivion, Fervor, Spellkiller		Gunahkarans
Illotha, The Scourned	NE	Murder, Poison, Envy and Loss	Evil, Death, Knowledge, Rune Vengeance, Conversion, Possession, Spellkiller		Illothans
Maugrim, The Tyrant	LE	Tyrrany, Slavery, Pride, Evil Dragons	Evil, Law, War, Strength, Destruction Order, Heresy, Imprisonment, Banishment, Spellkiller	Husband of Taara, Brother of Daeus	Maugrimites
Taara, The Avaricious	NE	Cruelty and Greed, Avarice	Evil, Darkness, Magic, Destruction Fate, Vengeance, Spellkiller	Wife of Maugrim, Lover to Thul	Taarans
Thul, The Cannibal	LE	Gluttony, Undeath, Contracts and Cannibalism	Death, Evil, Strength, Trickery, Law Heresy, Oblivion, Imprisonment, Possession, Spellkiller	Maddened husband of Vardama, now divorced, Sometime lover of Taara	Thulites

History of the Gods

The origin of the world and its races begins its origins to the war between two brothers who both sprang from the will of the creator God known as Elhim.

Maugrim and Daeus had been known as Twin Dragon Gods. Together, this unified pantheon created the prehistoric world, struck down their rebellious first-born children, the Scions, and bound the Wyrms (Dragons) to allow lesser races to thrive. At some point, however, one of the two of the mightiest of the gods grew hungry for additional power. Maugrim resented the free will of the mortals and believed that all were created to serve the gods. For a while this corruption stewed quietly, though after receiving a prophecy from the Fates, Maugrim attempted to turn it to his own will and the seed of corruption blew wide. He made war against his brother then, and sought to crush the will of mortals, and gods, beneath his boot. His actions incited a devastating civil war known simply as the War of the Gods.

This war ended with the newly crowned gods of evil being either imprisoned or bound. The rest of the world reeled from the resulting devastation, growing dark and chaos-ridden. The remaining gods were forced to craft anew. Despite their efforts, the gods could not fully heal the world and remnants of the ancient conflict remain to this day. Leftovers from this era of chaos and devastation create a number of different phenomena that still saturate the world. In the aftermath of this new creation, the remaining gods retreated to the heavens and retired to their holy city, which lay beyond the reach of all save a blessed few. The departure of the gods would bring about an end to the early prehistoric ages and usher in the rise of the mortal races as the dominant forces in the physical world.

Today, the gods are known in many guises and worshipped in different ways. They are frequently known by different names, and honored by a variety of traditions.

The Holy Order Of Ea

The Holy Order of Ea consists of the greater pantheon, as led by Daeus and Althea at its head. Most of the world follows this tradition in one guise or the other, though individuals may favor one god over another, depending on preference and many are known to honor whichever best suits their needs at the time.

The Holy Order teaches the history of the gods in a similar fashion as laid out by Sage Orum's excerpt (above). It further divides the deities into pantheons of Light, Twilight, and Darkness. The deities of Darkness are seen as in rebellion and twisted from their original purpose.

The influence of The Order is profound, and this model, though modified locally by race or culture, permeates much of civilization and beyond.

For the most part the Order is largely symbolic, existing as a neutral go-between for affiliated temple orders. Each individual deity maintains their own order and religious following. Yet, the Order of Ea seeks to reconcile the differences between like-minded faiths and to provide some unity for the common masses to look to. The de-facto leader is the Chosen Prophet of Daeus who also is the spiritual leader of the Church of Daeus. In practice, he (or she) leads more as a spiritual guide and guardian rather then attempting to impose edicts upon other faiths: this is the foundational difference between himself and his brother, the respect of the free will. To state it more simply, Daeus guides as Maugrim conquests.

The Order of Ea headquarters' lay in The Holy See, which is in the Myrrish nation of Ecclesia. Here, they shelter a number of temples, shrines, religious orders and teachings while also acting neutrally on matters of politics and national affairs and as mediators when conflicts between the various faiths arise.

Other Models

Though the Order of Ea is known throughout the world, other models exist. The gods are vast and wear many guises. That is, Kor is not just the god of War; in many respects, he IS War. It is then not unreasonable to assume that War may have many faces, forms, and visages. This is true even within the Order of Ea. For example, different races and nations give Kor differing names, and honor him with varied traditions.

The following are simply different ways of viewing the world.

The Green Word

The Green Word is a primarily druidic faith dominant among races of the wild and less urban areas. The Green Word refers to the Voice of the World, which is a combination of worship of Dana as the Wild, Gilead as Hunter, and with a lesser nod towards Vardama, who represents natural Death.

Even more formal temples of the gods Gilead and Dana are part of this loose affiliation of like minded priests, druids, rangers and more. The order is only loosely organized and split between both clerics and druids. Within the larger religion are a number of smaller sects and denominations that have different goals and agendas and at times they come into conflict with one another. However, it is taught that this is the way of the world.

Prominent groups include The Ygdrassil Union, which teaches more harmony, and Circle of Thorns, which teaches more destructive hard stances against those who they deem unworthy of nature's bounty.

Members of the Green Word recognize the existence of other deities, though they are not their primary focus.

See the Various Practitioners of Divine Magic for more information.

Maiden, Mother, and Crone

The Maiden, Mother, and Crone is a pantheon group, which though it recognizes the other deities, focuses on Eluna, Althea, and Vardama, respectively. Followers tend to be primarily female, though not exclusively.

Eluna is seen as the Maiden, a woman beginning her life. She is known for her visions, though is unsure how to interpret them. She travels across the sky, driven by her curiosity and ideals.

Althea is the Mother, practical and a guardian of Hearth and those in need. She teaches compassion and hard work. She works with, but stands opposite Vardama, the two of them representing also symbols of life and death.

Vardama is the Crone, who brings wisdom and also the passing of years. She interprets Eluna's visions, and is seen as the wisest of all three.

Clerics and similar classes will tend to follow a particular aspect of the pantheon, though this may change over time as they age. Indeed, aging and the transition of what followers term as the Wheel is part of the study of this pantheon. Gilead also features, though takes a minor role as the Kindly Hound who sometimes ventures alongside Eluna in Her travels.

More will be available here in time. This option is under development.

The Dragon Gods

The dragon pantheon is largely dualistic, with Daeus on one end, representing goodness, truth, and nobility, and Maugrim, representing betrayal, force, and tyranny. Other deities may be honored in differing guises. For example, Tarien might be seen as a slight, silver dragon known for his equally silver tongue, and Vardama appears as a lean, elderly dragon who sings the souls of the dead to sleep. More will be available here in time. This option is under development.

Others

The above represent aspects of larger and more influential faiths, orders, and ideas on Gaea but by no means represent them all. For example, though the gods of light loosely agree upon their affiliation within the Order of Ea and accept veneration as part of this Order, each one maintains individual churches and orders and some deities are known by countless names in other cultures far off. Each deity is also an embodiment of a concept or many concepts; it is only natural they would possess many guises and means of worship.

Non-Deities

The Fates

Three goddesses who represent the past, present and future, they, as a rule, do not interfere with the doings of the world but simply observe, comment on and occasionally offer guidance to mortals and gods alike. The Fates have no religion tied to them and have no mortal followers although some who wield magic consider themselves under their wing.

Scholars believe that debate whether they represent aspects of Elhim Himself or that they are gods removed from The Order of Ea who did not come to the world in the beginning of the Great Making yet instead remained apart from it all to observe history. Thus, they are outside of history while the Order of Ea is bound to the world and history. The Fates are known of and often used in conversation as part of daily culture; ie “The Fates must be playing a cruel joke on me.” And so forth. Belief in destiny, fate, pre-ordained events varies from culture to culture but as Eas is a mythical world, prophecy, destiny and the power of vow making and the spoken word is a tangible thing.

The Covenant of Mana

A philosophy founded by the original progenitor of magic, the Covenant of Mana is a collection of guiding principles that govern the power of Mana. Mana is a phenomena that saturates the world and provides the source of arcane magic and becomes the conduit by which divine magic can be transferred from divine sources to their followers. As a result, this philosophy is decidedly neutral in nature though good and evil alike adhere to its defining principles in regards to magic. To put it more simply, it is a philosophy many wizards and arcane users adhere to and swear by, without which the personal skill and attachment necessary to work arcane wizardry would be impossible. As a philosophy, the Covenant works within many faiths and belief systems, though how exactly is left to the practitioner's ideals.

The Void and the Source

Elhim and Lachesis stand as opposites of one another. Distant and far removed from the doings of Ea, Elhim is responsible for the Source and Creation, while Lachesis embraces Destruction. Worship of them is rare, and they do not grant clerical powers. Many of Ea have only a passing reference to them, and the two remain highly distant. Elhim has only been known to intervene in such epochs as the War of the Gods or similar efforts, and then indirectly.