Re: RTJ
Old Gods verse New Gods
In Creation, there are several categories of the divine. The truth of which gods existed or did not at the beginning is a matter of great controversy the world over and much theological debate. What is known is that there are some gods which are undoubtedly older than others and whose worship is spread across creation through various cults and theological doctrines. OF these, the most venerated and powerful gods, by mortal measurement anyway, are Bartimaeus and Tur'Eum. Most cults have either one or both of these beings as the originator of existence, sometimes sharing that honor with the deceased gods of Felka, Savra, or Tamiko depending on the theology. A very few cults view Eris as the first and greatest of all gods, but these are seen as crazy and dismissed. New Gods are gods which are generally agreed to have arisen since creation in one form or another. Some are just demi-gods viewed as true gods by their cults like Mooru, but most can be traced to a point in time if the right tomes are found or openly admit, as do the Oracles, to being created by the elder gods. The organization of gods into pantheons of worship is common amongst the mortals who know no better. Just as which gods are allies, friends, and enemies is more often a mortal construction than truth in the divine realms.
Current Gods and Titles
Amraphel, the Stormfather, Creator of Seasons, Watcher in the Dark
Little is known of Amraphel directly except by Amaranth, the first Phellian. Around the world, he receives recognition as the creator of the Storms and the Seasons of the world. He is known by many names. Often, he is split by the peoples unknowingly as those who recognize him as creator of the sotmrs do not see him as the creator of the Aurora and Stille Rings, so he is often split in the mortal pantheons. Almost all tribes recognize the existence of something behind the storms as well as the aurora.
In the third Age of Creation, Amraphel's presence has faded and while he is still known to be worshipped, his followers have dwindled significantly to just the Phellians of the Shrouded Isles, where he is venerated as the ancient, mythological Father of Amaranth. Amaranth is the main deity of the Phellians and Amraphel is seen as a mythical creation story for her.
Ashling, Mistress of Fortune, Lady of Luck
Ashling was born as a deity before the War of Sparks but not worshiped until after when she was raised to full deity status. She is worshiped as a lady of fortunes and luck. Wherever people have money on the line or want some odds to go in their favor, Ashling's name comes to their lips as, surely, no one person from the War of Sparks was as lucky as this daring D'warf merchant.
As for centralized worship, none exists at this time.
Bartimaeus, the Invoker, Source of the Oath and Contract, Revenant God, Father of Festivea
Bartimaeus is recognized by his name amongst most peoples due to his direct contact with the ORder which bears his name and as the source of the Oath and Contract. His followers who follow the Oath are extremely powerful beings, men and women. The Knights of the order are famous militarily and the sorcerers are potent. The Order has been associated with some serious oppression in the past and that association transfers to Bartimaeus. Still, he is seen as the creator of magic (known as the Contract by Bartimaeans) and is valued for that. Many tribes only recognize him for his creation of magic and do use another name for him.
Bartimaeus is still the primary deity of the Bartimaean Order, the Order of Roraxees,and The Risen. He is associated with Order, Strength, and the Cities of Brass under zorder rules (Alaine and Dragis) as well as the reclaimed Monastery of the Oath and Contract. In this newest age, he is less associated with magic than before, but seen as a God of Justice, Order, and War. His followers and the children of Tur'eum are a bulwark against the evil of Mooru.
As of the War of Sparks, Bartimaeus begins to be overshadowed in his own religion by the various saints and orders dedicated to them. Amongst these, Roraxees and Jibrail are the most prominent. Bartimaeus is now seen as an aged father figure to these younger and more relevant powers.
Eris, the Siren, the Demongod, Shaper of Fates
Little is known of this youngest and most capricious of gods.
Still, little is known, but the Siren acall of the Lighthouse on shinsekai has given her the reputation of being mischevous, some say capricious and cruel. Her ACTs cannot be predicted and her worship is rare and usually confined to appeasement. Her worshippers are not uniform and not organized if they even exist.
After the War of Sparks, Eris is a very rare name to be heard on the lips of anyone, let alone worshippers. Still, her whispers and siren call are part of the shadows of the world still.
Felka, The Dancer, Celebrator of Life, Honorable Mother
Felka is generally seen as a benevolent goddess associated with protection, the Arts, and the Felkan peoples. She is often considered proprietory that way and few races outside the Felkans worship her. Some Faunus and Humans see her as second to their preferred deities. Sylphs are her first children and still venerate her strongly.
This goddess is still venerated as the God of fortune even if nost actual worship is now directed at Felrin and Shinrei, her twin daughters. Stautes of Felka are still prevalent among the scattered Felkan race. The Silesians venerate her but have been drifting away from her to the worship of Augustus, the Sun of Erewhon and Shinsekai.
Ivalice, The Nullifier, Tamer of the Seas, The Faunus God
Ivalice is not known strongly outside the Faunus races and some seabound humans. Her association with the sea and taming it with ships is her strongest source of recognition outside those races and many sailors pay her homage when they are sailing. They seek her protection, especially, from Raselgas and Leviathans. Even the SkyShips of the Felkans send her more than a little respect.
Ivalice is venerated, though not worhsipped, by the Free Faunus of Erewhon and Midorisekai. She is still associated with the sea, but is also venerated for her patronage and gifts to the Faunus themselves. The Nulus and Daunus have long moved away from her worshsip to other divine beings.
As of the War of Sparks, Ivalice and the worship of Koichi are often mixed up badly and the two are either seen as two sides of the same coin or siblings as Ivalice is the Lady of Pirates while Koichi is the Mistress of Thieves. A few cults even see Ivalice and Koichi's daughter rather than the truth. Amongst the Faunus who were always Ivalice's most strident followers, most turn to a form of spirit/ancestor worship centered around the four guardians of Draviina while a few venerate Kaiden the Wolf.
Jaory, Fathers of Dreams, Lord of Nightmares, the Dreamer
Jaory is a rather new god, relatively speaking, and his worship is uncommon. A few cults of Faunus, Nulus, and humans worship him and practice walking in the Dreamscape where he is lord and master of all. All peoples in Creation keep Jaory in mind when they think of the Dreamscape and all the good and evil it can cause.
Strangely, upon Erewhon, his organized worship seems concentrated in Arachno where the Daunus venerate him. He is not their goddess as the long memories of the spider-folk remember Savra and still venerate her, but they see Jaory as their protector while she sleeps eternally. Still, a people who worship decal and putrefaction would not stop worshiping a goddess just because she is dead.
Mooru, The Unliving, Bane of Erewhon
Mooru is a god of unlife, not undeath. His army is composed of Nulus, Raselgas, the undead, and humans, as well as a few traitors of other races. He seeks only dominion and true divinity. He is an enemy of Creation.
After the War of Sparks, Mooru's empire is defeated, his followers scattered to the wind, and his worshippers hunted like rabid hounds but they still exist.
Roraxees-Kaliana, the Lovers, the Travelers, the Star-Crossed pair
These two beings exists as a single divine power and their influence extends to all domestic situations throughout creation. The world over, the Lovers are trusted and worshipped as a beacon of light and hope in Creation as well as a positive influence. Because Roraxees and Kalianna were once mortals, the races from which they arose have a deep fondness for them and many elves, especially, speak their name with happiness while there are whole cults within the Order dedicated to Roraxees as a patron saint.
Organized worship is hard to come by outside of the Order cults though as elves are a chaotic folk by nature, not given to churches or ceremony, while few of the other races see the young Lovers as more than a novelty.
Savra, The Lich, Mistress of the Undead, Consumer of Souls
Savra is a dark goddess and mistrusted the world over. Few tribes will use a name for her, referring to her as the Lich only and shuddering in fear. She is associated with death, disease, suffering,and the Raselgas, who worship her as a mother. Her other followers are the Daunan who know her as Olith, the Spider Queen, and venerate her. Too, the Kitsune know Olith and respect her after their own creatoress. She is patron goddess of necromancy and misery as far as most are concerned.
Savra has not been heard from, but she was never an overtly direct goddess. The Daunus still venerate her, but outside them she has been forgotten completely. The Raselgas of Erewhon now worship Mooru and the Raselgas of Mortissekai worship only their Spirit Plants. Savra is still remembered by Inara Mai and the Oracles of Bones, but they never worshipped her.
Tamiko, the Druidess, Mother of Life, The First Elf
Tamiko's worship is limited on Erewhon but prolific on Shinsekai. In fact, she is about the only god worshipped on Shinsekai outside of a few people who curse Tur'Eum for creating the D'warfs. Elves and Kappas both on Shinsekai thank her for the idyllic place that is their world. On Erewhone, she is sometimes recognized for creating flowers and the world tree, but it is minor recognition at best.
Tamiko is venerated by the descendants of Shinrei for sacrificing herslef to make the Tamiko Tree and giving them a home. Other than that, the elves recall her as the mother of their kind, but think of her not as the creator of the first elf, but the first elf itself. Elves worship noone.
Tur'Eum, The Forgefather, Father of Creation, the Righteous Light
ur'Eum occupies the most mysterious of place amongst the world. He is the only god to be adamantly associated with a physical object. Mount Fire, to most mortals, is Tur'Eum. He does not live there or leave there but is the mountain. His worship is limited to the Tur'El, D'warfs, and the few tribes and kingdoms around Mount Fire. The Alexandrans venerate him deeply at this point. He is associated with fire, creation, and in many mythologies is the source of all creation itself.
Struck Through Any god whose name has been struck through is either deceased, dead, or inactive such as they might as well be dead or deceased. They are always open to be adopted any time I am seeking new players.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:54, Sun 08 Feb 2015.
