The World: Divinity

Several times through out the story I've referenced the various gods of my world, in another book that I had considered releasing these gods were better laid out. Since it's relevant that you my readers understand who the characters are referencing I give you the religious text of The World!

First off let me introduce the Pantheon of Light, while one can easily imagine that this is the 'good' gods of the world I ask that one and all remember that even goodly races in my world are not *that* pure. Likewise is the same with the pantheon, despite their affiliations most fall in a huge gray medium, they are good in the eyes of the world but as we all know even the best intentioned forces can use truly detestable methods in pursuit of what they consider is 'right'.

Helatrax, typically appears as what most humans consider as an angel. Normally dressed in pure white armor with full feathery wings. He tends to be a healthy tanned man with golden hair and gold eyes. He is often depicted as having a nearly trimmed beard and mustache. He is the current Human God and the universal God of War. Most generals and royalty give prayer and tribute to him before major campaigns. Most who are faithful to the Pantheon of Light also recognize that he is the Head Prime of the Council of Order.

The Council of Order is made up of the other six gods:

Lusana, another 'human' god, though most cultures have some version of her as she is the Goddess of the Sun while also being the Goddess of Fields & Harvests, thus any race with farmers have at least a small shrine devoted to her. In typical appearances she is often depicted as a gentle woman in homespun garb carrying a large satchel of seeds, depending who you ask, her race varies wildly. Her earth colored hair, a mix of browns and greens is left long and unkempt. She is often depicted as walking bare foot but in many cases she is described as having a plow mule that shone like the sun itself. Her faithful often say this mule is what is seen crossing the sky, plowing the heavens with warmth and brightness.

Sandril is often depicted as a spry halfling. Well fed and plumped up on fine foods he is the God of Commerce and Deals. He is richly adorned in trinkets and baubles and is considered by most to be the fringe element of the pantheon since he exists solely for contracts. He doesn't care if you do good or greedily seek wealth, as long as you honor the holy contracts he will smile upon your dealings. Especially if tributes of coin, jewels or finery come with any prayers offered him.

Umilex is the God of Dwarves and Blacksmiths. His race like Lusana tends to vary but he is often depicted as a short stocky humanoid with hair of flame and a thick majestic beard also of fire. He is either wearing a suit of solid platemail, or a simple smithing outfit with an apron of thick dragon leather to protect his body from his divine forge work. Either case, he tends to favour a stout hammer of mithril.

Estrelie is the Goddess of the Elves and care taker of Woodlands. While she is most often depicted as a beautiful elven woman with long silver hair and lovely silver-gray eyes she is also often depicted as a hooded ranger carrying a bow and surrounded by the beasts of the wood. In terms of divine presence, most have had their prayers go unanswered as of late since a millenia ago she was woo'ed by the God Tyrix then cheated on by the same demonic god. In her sadness the elven god has retreated from her faithful.

The last two gods rarely have active worshippers. Frel, who often takes the appearance of a stooped man, well into his last years leaning heavily on a gnarled cane of twisted wood serves as the God of Time. His brother Gune, is the God of Space. As their domains are more concepts than tangible existences that mortals are active with they are more often displayed together in murals as a sundial with a starry background, the hand on the sundial typically points to a common language rune for 'infinity'.

The second group is the Pantheon of Mortals, these are divine individuals who ascended to god hood following other faiths or through personal life quests. Each were originally mortals, and can be considered as the most active currently in the world, as each delights in continued association with their respective groups.

The leader of the mortal pantheon would have to be the Dragon God. It's both his title and his name in the sacred texts of those of draconic faith. As stated he is a mortal level god, in the world he often manifests as either a huge gray dragon, or as a gray scaled Lizardfolk who has more similarities with humans than Lizardfolk as while he retains scales and a draconic head, he tends to be flawless and without a tail. Most encounter him when dealing with the dragon society or when he's bored. He simply loves giving would be heroes a poke in the right direction.

His consort is Zee, Goddess of the Beast Folk, like the Dragon God to whom she is wed, she favors a half beastial form retaining much of a beautiful human woman who has several animalistic traits. Though it depends on the tribe worshipping her as to which aspects she has be it canine feline, lapine, bovine or what have you. Most who have met her describe her as a very positive and devoted woman who delights in making people smile, often portraying herself as a cute and simple minded beast folk.

Damak appears as a blind man. Dressed in a featureless robe and carrying a scale he is claimed to be the God of Honor and Truth. Most seek his consul when arbitration disputes and making pledges. While his half brother Sandril handles deals, Damak is usually around to keep the greedy halfling god, honest.

His wife on the pantheon is Luna, as expected from the name she is the Goddess of the Moon and sister to Lusana. Luna is often depicted or seen as a young elven woman of pale features and light blue, almost frosty white hair. She also presides over the Northern Winds so is often heralded as the Goddess of Winter.

Last of the mortal pantheon is Gruck (not to be confused or mistaken for the Gruck of arc 1) the God of Goblinkin. While not strictly neutral, Gruck is very simple minded. His sole concern is propagating his children. He pays little attention to any priests of his religion though he can often be tempted with virginal sacrifices assuming his stupid children think to do such.

Beside Gruck, is Gilgas, another beastfolk god. Unlike Zee who embodies the cute and kind nature of their people, Gilgas is the savage nature, the embracing force behind beastfolk who are more beast than folk. Often depicted as a great werewolf Gilgas is a favored divinity of those that aspire to returning to ones primal beginnings. His teachings are more the following of ones instincts than reason or ambition. There is only your, herd, pack, murder or whatever. Serve your role in it and be happy.

Leaving the Pantheon of Mortals we descend to the Dark Gods, worshipped by cultists, sentient evil races and generally exist to toy with mortals for their own bored reasons.

Heading the pantheon is Helatrax's brother Tyrix. Before his fall, Tyrix was the human God of Paths. Travellers, sailors and the like prayed to him for a safe journey. However something happened to him, something that twisted his body, mind and his divinity. Formerly a handsome golden haired young man he is now most often depicted as either a handsome drow man or a grotesque horror, a bloated misshapen monster who embodies the fact that his divinity is no longer guiding travellers but rather embracing demons.

His consort, more often than not, is Quellia the Goddess of Devils and Deviants, she typically took the form of a drow woman to match her preferred consort Tyrix or more often a winged succubus with blood red skin, curled horns, hooves and no modesty at all. How a God of Demons and a Goddess of Devils became lovers no one figured out but what most oracles do know, of their unholy union they sired four terrors.

Loss, a Goddess who presides over the concept of misery is a vile and petty goddess, vain to a fault and easily slighted she uses her divinity to curse would be heroes. She delights in making good people suffer by helping them make ill advised choices or to follow paths that lead to dead ends. She rarely works alongside anyone else as she is a complete wretched existence to everyone.

Her brother Yule is a giant slime blob, God of Poisons and Plagues he embodies sickness, natural or man made He doesn't really have worshippers but is still closely tied to alchemists, assassins and prisoners.

The second sister is Zewel, often depicted as a faceless mannequin draped in tight fitting leather. She, like her brother Yule, does not really have a faith. She is more a concept that is followed by Torturers and sadistic monsters. She seems to view pain as pleasure and joy as suffering. Her main 'goal' is to ease existence of their apparent suffering and free them from their misguided ways.

The last of the siblings is perhaps the most akin to his parents. Omoul is the God of Shadow Elves, often depicted as a drow with ash gray skin, black stringy hair and a gaunt haunted look. His children are the horrors too disastrous for his parents children to associate with. Shadow elves exist to purge all faith from the world including Omoul himself. Viewed as the most insane god he has more than once put himself into danger if it meant wiping out the other gods.

There you have it, the three most prominent pantheons, there are other gods but they are mostly racial or action specific. The thing to keep in mind is this world is a mosh pit of D&D concepts. Alot does come from Toril but a bit of this is deeply mired in Krynn, while the whole knights and companions storylines peeved me I could not deny that some aspects of that world would work here. So while theres no 'Fizban' running around with an annoying kender... the gods are out there in my world. How many of them will Xing Lei meet...?