Chronology of the Divines

(The book is at times difficult to read, as if constantly changing to reflect the emergence or recollection of gods old and new)

"The gods, even those lost in one way or another, fall into one of two categories: Astral and Lunar. The two forces naturally oppose the other, though this does not always imply conflict. Rather, the imbalance of one can cause the other to decline in strength. The following lists all gods and goddesses, each row corresponding to the same row of the other table to signify their opposition (For example, Ektia opposes Yemis)."

Astral Gods

Lunar Gods

Domain: Life

Mission: To make all beings fulfill their potential

Mythology: One day, a human man was wandering in the forest, lost and dying of thirst and hunger. With no strength left to carry on, he sat down next to an oak tree and prepared to die. A moment later, a wolf wandered into the clearing and stared at the dying man for a long time before leaving. Thinking that the wolf had gone to alert his pack that a meal was on the way, the man closed his eyes and accepted his fate. Instead, the wolf returned, dragging a small bush of berries. Confused, but desperate, the man began to eat the berries, and small as they were his health was immediately restored. And so began the domestication of canines, and it is believed that dogs are agents of Ektia for their loyalty and desire to guide humanity through troubled times.

On Ammir

Domain: Arcane

Mission: To unravel the mysteries of magic

Mythology: One of the most basic spells is Prestidigitation. For such a simple spell, it has a myriad of uses, and this contradiction of the fundamentals of magic (that spells of greater complexity take more time to master) has lead many to believe that it is Ammir's doing. The current theory is that Prestidigitation is Ammir's way of promoting aspiring mages to continue their studies, acting as a gateway to discovery and wonder.

On Asldir

Domain: Nature

Mission: To preserve nature and its bounty

Mythology: Asldir's mythology is complicated, with many different origins, beliefs, and duties spread across numerous sources across human history. One such belief is that Asldir was not always a lone god, that he had a companion known as Anima. While Asldir guarded nature in a physical sense, Anima was said to guard nature in a spiritual sense. The concept of Anima, however, is rejected by modern religious scholars, and is only worshiped by a select handful of druids and beast tribes.

On Phetia

Domain: Light

Mission: Revelry and joy

Mythology: Phetia has always dreaded the night, seeing sleep as an unnecessary bore. Having always had an affinity for flowers, that always bloom in the daytime, she used her influence to give the flowers sentience. And so was the first of the fey born of the whimsy and beauty of flora. 

On Tanir

Domain: Peace

Mission: To resolve conflict diplomatically

Mythology: When Highborn Sunvird started his conquest, it's said that his first step was to pray not to Gahenar, but to Tanir. Sunvird doffed his armor and laid down his weapons and knelt before Tanir's altar for a whole day in silent meditation. Sunvird's mission was always to bring stability to the tumultuous and constantly warring factions in what is now known as the Three Kingdoms, but he knew that there would inevitably be blood shed to achieve this purpose. Only when the sun shone through the stained glass of the temple did Sunvird finally rise and leave to begin his crusade.

On Unir

Domain: Order

Mission: To keep the laws of physics and nature in check

Mythology: While most gods and goddesses enjoy their human worshipers, Unir often shows disdain even to his followers. It is believed that Unir's throne in the heavens is attended by celestial machinery known as the Modrons. To that end, engineers will often pray to Unir to give them guidance as they work on their inventions. More devout followers will even go so far as to replace their own limbs with prosthetics. Such fanatics are regarded with high suspicion.

On Zaheia

Domain: Grave

Mission: To promote the acceptance of death

Mythology: Many folk unlearned in Zaheia's intricacies express confusion at her place in the Astral alignment. After all, death is full of grief, and it's hard to believe that such sorrow can be considered "astral," which is often associated with positive forces. What they often fail to realize is that Zaheia's followers, often called upon to organize and manage funerals, go out of their way to provide comfort to the bereaved. The calm that follows the shared expression of despair is understood to be Zaheia's true purpose. Death brings loved ones together, and remembering the deceased is seen as an essential part of the mental healing process.

On Atlas

Domain: World

Mission: To support the physical world from collapse and ruin

Mythology: How Atlas's followers slowly dwindled and His name lost in obscurity is unknown, but it's possible that it was due to other, more specified Gods gaining more popularity. The world, after all, is large and imposing, and few know the entire extent of just how large it is.

On Mnemosyne

Domain: Memory

Mission: To carry on legacies and heed the lessons of the past

Mythology: Mnemosyne was once a heavily worshipped Goddess, celebrated through written prose and historical ballads. However, as civilizations came and fell, and their legacies lost to time, Mnemosyne's influence began to wane. Now She is hardly acknowledged, to the point where She fell from the heavens to wander the world. Unfortunately those who meet Her are destined to forget Her not long after parting ways.

On Metis

Domain: Prophecy

Mission: To guide others to find meaning in their decisions

Mythology: Once a tyrannical multi-headed dragon, Metis eventually severed all but one of Her heads to form new dragons and resided among the heavens to ponder the meaning of existence. She became known as a Goddess of Prophecy, however it's said that She never appreciated being assigned that domain, and prefers to be known more as a Goddess of Affirmation. She gives prophecies not as concrete advice, but as paths for one to follow in order to find a sense of fulfillment.

On Helios

Domain: Sun

Mission: To provide heat to the world

Mythology: Phetia, being a jealous Goddess, has managed to all but take over Helios's domain. Her followers and her fey creations would go around spreading word that all light and its sources were of her making, and would tamper and desecrate all shrines to Helios. Being a God that cannot be consistent due to the natural circulation of the planet, He did not have enough power to combat their efforts and fell into obscurity. It's believed that winter exists as a result of His diminished presence.

On Yemis

Domain: Death

Mission: To promote death as a means of holding beings in check

Mythology: There once was a race of beings known for their immortality. They did not age, they did not succumb to age-related disease, and they enjoyed the bliss of eternity. As is the case of all gods, as Ektia's power grew from their immortality, Yemis's power waned. What resulted was a famine of epic proportions, as the process of rot and decay slowed, causing fields to become infertile. A subsect of this doomed race decided to give their lives to Yemis, breaking their kind's immortality and saving them from total annihilation.

On Ytaris

Domain: Tempest

Mission: To create moments of conflict in order to enact change

Mythology: Ytaris, though definitely agreed upon to be unpredictable and prone to anger, is not seen to be inherently evil, just a bit overzealous. Through Her actions, innovations to infrastructure and tactical settlement have allowed humanity greater insight on stability and disaster relief. Her followers are often the first to organize donation drives to areas affected by tsunamis and hurricanes, and some churches end up as schools for carpentry and construction.

On Cotar

Domain: Forge

Mission: To take the bounties of the world and create new inventions

Mythology: Though at odds with other Gods and Goddesses associated with natural and geological sciences, Cotar's tenants have allowed humanity to prosper, and so his role in the manipulation of matter become one of tepid tolerance. One such tenant is that one cannot create or destroy matter when using His magic to manipulate it. The only exception to this rule, to the bafflement of scholars and economists, is when one uses His magic to manipulate gold. There is the random chance of there being slightly more of the precious mineral once the transmutation is finished. To combat inflation, most modern-day minted "gold" coins are actually pyrite. Merchants' scales are magically attuned to only accept this type of coin as currency. 

On Cimis

Domain: Twilight

Mission: To promote rest and reflection

Mythology: Several sleep studies have been done across history, and each one has ended with the same conclusion: Sleep is necessary. One such study went so far as to forcefully keep a subject awake. The subject eventually developed signs of insanity, fatigue, and accelerated aging. Even when the study stopped, the poor man had developed an incurable insomnia. He was brought to a temple of Cimis, where he was laid upon a silk mattress. As the sun began to set and the skies illuminated a darkening orange, the man's eyes finally began to close, and he passed peacefully away with a contented smile on his face. No such intensive sleep studies have been done since.

On Gahenar

Domain: War

Mission: To experience the thrill of valiant and honorable combat

Mythology: Many rural depictions of Gahenar show an angry monstrosity covered in blood and gore. On the contrary, many temples devoted to Him are kept relatively clean. Gahenar is not meant to be seen as one of rage, but of bravery. To Him, fighting is as essential to the human existence as breathing, and when done honorably and with conviction, it leads to a better appreciation for life. It is said that devotees of Tanir often report small inconveniences being sent their way, as if Gahenar is tempting them to eschew their vows of nonviolence.

On Oenar

Domain: Trickery

Mission: To sow a chaos here and there to keep things interesting

Mythology: There were once two villages side by side that hated the each other for generations. No one could remember the source of the conflict, but the rivalry was kept alive through series of events such as theft, murder, and petty insults. A traveler stumbled upon the two villages and began to research their histories. He discovered that the supposed instigators of these conflicts through the ages were not found in population records. Sensing that something was afoot, he walked to the border between the two lands and, after digging a trench through the entire length, found a single wooden mask, carved to match the symbol of Oenar. The mask was promptly burned, and the villages knew peace ever since.

On Amdar

Domain: Knowledge

Mission: To push the boundaries and to question everything

Mythology: It is said that all the world's knowledge is kept in a special library of Amdar's own design, guarded by his Prophet. In said library are a myriad of books that were written, are currently being written, and have yet to be written. There is a bowl of water where one can relive their experiences to glean new insight on their consequences and the lessons learned. There is also a massive collection of orbs created to give advice, each one personally given by various people through history. They may not have even stepped foot into the library; an intense desire to spread one's experience is enough to conjure a new orb to be placed on the endless shelves. It is estimated that it would take someone 1,945,382 years to comb through the entire selection.

On Theia

Domain: Value

Mission: To assign differentiate the priced from the priceless, to promote trade and bargains

Mythology: Theia and Cotar once enjoyed a friendship that blossomed into a romance. Jealous that the two Gods were encroaching on her own domain through their joy, she tricked Theia into leaving the heavens and barred Her from re-entry. Since then, Theia and Cotar have been unable to directly communicate, though Their love continues on. During Her time on the material plane, She created Her own shop, and tends to pop up in random places when someone needs Her services most.

On !Kh@fd;w?

Domain: Spacetime

Mission: To unlock cosmic forces as the greatest form of sorcery

Mythology: AhrgFhar7Shf/zRETh?;aRGa/;;o[phttPJS;wajSFzhrgu(

On Oceanus

Domain: Oceans

Mission: To promote the exploration of the seas

Mythology: Oceanus and Ytaris were said to be friendly rivals and would engage in occasional bouts that would create vicious storms and hurricanes on hapless coastal settlements. One such bout, however, Ytaris went too far and accidentally struck a mortal blow upon Oceanus, sending Him to the deepest depths. While He recovers, Ytaris tries to manage His domain, but this has only resulted in the oceans becoming too treacherous to travel. As a result of His domain and mission being rendered impossible, He has fallen to obscurity.

On Selene

Domain: The Moon

Mission: Provide nocturnal energies and work with Helios to mark the passage of time

Mythology: Once the world was awash in total darkness every time Helios finished His daily passage. The night was terrifying, unknown, and the denizens lived in constant fear. Taking pity, Cimis managed to encourage Phetia enough that they were able to settle Their differences long enough to create an object of light, and through Their efforts and the prayers of the terrified, Selene was made manifest. Still, never being one to enjoy the night, Phetia would often relinquish Selene's lightgiving abilities every so often, leading to the moon's phases. Though Selene has no real followers or temples, it is said that She is kept alive through the duality of lunar curses and lifesaving moonlight. 

On Prometheus

Domain: Humanity

Mission: {Unknown}

Mythology: And as the last Elf died in his arms, his wailing rang out, but none were left to hear it. All he could do was do what he had done only once before: Pick up some clay, and mold it.