Religions

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Revision as of 13:39, 11 February 2012 by Apowers (talk | contribs) (→‎Rus'Ker)

Religions

Gods are associated with emotions, feelings, and moods; they delight when people feel these emotions. Clerics and disciples of the gods are devoted to instilling those feelings and emotions in others.

By their nature the gods are ethereal and shapeless but they have taken, or been given, physical representation. These physical metaphors vary as greatly as the gods themselves; some are human or humanoid, some are animal, some are elemental, and most are a combination of each.

Although gods are universal they tend to attract disciples of a particular race, nation, of disposition. The gods themselves aren't particular about race or nation but the races and nations are particular about their gods. Each nation usually gives patronage to one of the six families of god, the "cosmos". These cosmos are, in turn, aligned against each other.

Deity Alignment Influence
Acedia NN Apathy,Boredom,Depression,Indifference
Ankou CN Despair,Anguish,Dread
Arwenna LG Awe,Wonder
Erida CE Hatred,Loathing,Rage,Fear
Eros CG Passion,Arousal,Desire,Lust
G'Kar LN Disappointment,Annoyance,Frustration
Hotei NG Happiness,Contentment,Gratitude,Satisfaction
Hybris LN Boldness,Fearlessness,Pride
Irae LE Contempt,Disgust,Pity
Laetitia CG Joy,Ecstasy,Euphoria,Pleasure
Lyssa CN Panic,Anxiety,Hysteria,Worry
Malu LE Shame,Regret,Remorse,Embarrassment
Nedolya NE Sadness,Sorrow,Suffering
Penthos NE Grief,Guilt,Misery
Rus'Ker CE Terror,Shock,Surprise,Horror
Sekhmet NE Anger,Angst,Hostility
Sirona LG Love,Affection,Hope
Vor NG Curiosity,Interest,Excitement
Zelos NN Envy,Jealousy,Shyness,Loneliness

Cosmos

The six families of gods, the Cosmos, are aligned in three oppositions. Gods and clerics of each cosmos are eternally fighting against the gods and clerics of the opposed cosmos. Only Acedia is neutral.

Health vs. Pain
Health Cosmos Pain Cosmos
  • Eros
  • Hotei
  • Laetitia
  • Nedolya
  • Penthos
  • Rus'Ker
Selfless vs. Selfish
Selfless Cosmos Selfish Cosmos
  • Arwenna
  • Vor
  • Sirona
  • Malu
  • Zelos
  • Irae
Fate vs. Fanatic
Fate Cosmos Fanatic Cosmos
  • G'Kar
  • Ankou
  • Lyssa
  • Sekhmet
  • Erida
  • Hybris

Health Cosmos

The gods of the health cosmos are aligned to promote the health, welfare, and propagation of life.

Pain Cosmos

The gods of pain kill and destroy.

Selfless Cosmos

The gods of selflessness are those of nature and learning.

Selfish Cosmos

The goal of the selfish cosmos is personal gain and attainment, often at the expense of others.

Fate Cosmos

The gods of fate believe in the togetherness of the universe, and that individuals have but a small part to play in the whole.

Fanatic Cosmos

Fanatics are dedicated to a single purpose at the expense of all else and, usually, the prosecution of those not aligned to the purpose. The specific purpose varies greatly by god and cleric but is always something "greater" than the clerics themselves.

Descriptions

The driving purpose of each god is to instill specific feelings and emotions in people. The gods gain power from these emotions and use that power to infuse their clerics with supernatural abilities.


Acedia

NN -- Apathy,Boredom,Depression,Indifference

Avatar

Symbol

Ankou

CN -- Despair,Anguish,Dread

Avatar

Symbol

Arwenna

LG -- Awe,Wonder

Avatar

Arwenna's symbol is a twelve-point star-burst in gold and silver.

Erida

CE -- Hatred,Loathing,Rage,Fear

Avatar

Symbol

Eros

CG -- Passion,Arousal,Desire,Lust

Avatar

Symbol

G'Kar

LN -- Disappointment,Annoyance,Frustration

Avatar

Symbol

Hotei

NG -- Happiness,Contentment,Gratitude,Satisfaction

Avatar

Symbol

Hybris

LN -- Boldness,Fearlessness,Pride

Avatar

Symbol

Irae

LE -- Contempt,Disgust,Pity

Avatar

Symbol

Laetitia

CG -- Joy,Ecstasy,Euphoria,Pleasure

Avatar

Symbol

Lyssa

CN -- Panic,Anxiety,Hysteria,Worry

Avatar

Symbol

Malu

LE -- Shame,Regret,Remorse,Embarrassment

Avatar

Symbol

Nedolya

NE -- Sadness,Sorrow,Suffering

Avatar

Symbol

Penthos

NE -- Grief,Guilt,Loneliness,Misery

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Symbol

Rus'Ker

CE -- Terror,Shock,Surprise,Horror

Rus'Ker is often associated with death and dying, especially in a gruesome and unexpected way. Disciples of Rus'Ker also defile the dead and more than any other priests make use of undead minions.

Avatar -- Rus'Ker takes the form of a hulking skinless golem of bone and muscle. His appearance is horrifying to see with broken bones and torn flesh formed in unnatural ways. He moves supernaturally fast and can change his shape to resemble any creature or person, especially somebody familiar.

Symbol -- Rus'Ker's followers identify themselves with the image of a cracked skull painted red on a black background, the eyes are starbursts of pure white.

Sekhmet

NE -- Anger,Angst,Hostility

Avatar

Symbol

Sirona

LG -- Love,Affection,Hope

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Symbol

Vor

NG -- Curiosity,Interest,Excitement

Avatar

Symbol

Zelos

NN -- Envy,Jealousy,Shyness

Avatar

Symbol

Eternals

The gods are beings created directly from the Forge. The outer planes sprung once from the forge and the eternals are creatures of these planes. Eternals are beings like Demons, Devils, Angels, Divines, Elementals, Fey, and Dragons who, although very powerful, usually can not bestow powers directly to their followers. Eternals empower their followers by teaching them how to access arcane and divine powers that already existed; in the rare case that an eternal can "lend" a power directly to a follower the power may be taken back or lost at the will of the eternal.

It is worth mentioning that not all creatures from other planes are eternals; just as not all creatures of Asmythe is dragon or fey so too does each plane have it's own ecosystem with only the strongest worthy of the title "eternal".

Native Eternals

Dragons and Fey are native to the realm of Asmythe.

Celestials

Eternals of the "upper" planes, the celestials are angels and other beings of light and goodness.

Abyssals

Abyssals are eternals of the "lower" planes; demons and other beings of darkness and evil.

Elementals

All other eternals are collectively called "elementals" even when they are not strictly creatures of water, fire, shadow, tapioca, etc. The outer planes are infinite and the creatures of the planes doubly so.