The Gods of the Pantheon

The Gods and Their Worship, an introduction to Pantheonic study by Brother Caldress of the Daemedran High Sanctuary of Tanthik

Though they once lived among the mortal races and walked the lands of Solitude, the gods are a distant history for most. They have rarely left the heavens since the Compact, relying instead on clerics to spread their teachings and guide mortal societies forward. Despite their absence, regular worship has actually increased in many places as the migrant races continue to adjust to a world no longer under their direct guidance. Worship (or study of) the Pantheon takes on many forms depending on race, culture, profession or even the god in question. Of course there are also many cultures who pay little or no heed to the gods and have their own philosophies.

The gods vary widely in temperament and in how closely they interact with the mortal races. Some, such as Ahma and Kaneth, are very active in observing and communicating with those faithful who catch their interest. Others, such as Meerdin, hardly pay any attention to us at all.

It is rare that one prays to one god in particular, since their domains sometimes overlap. For example, a merchant sailing to a faraway city to trade his wares may pray to Manetaril for calm seas, Zephir for favorable winds, Ageria for fair trade, and may even whisper to Kaneth for some secret insight. However, the process through which prayers are heard and answered are misunderstood by most and so the majority go unanswered. For the gods or their angels to hear a prayer requires the supplicant to have an understanding of, and kinship with, the god to which they are appealing. The best way to accomplish this is to listen to the teachings of those who know them best – clerics. Through study and an honest desire to understand, one can become attuned to their patron god and, on occasion, have their prayers pierce the nexus (the mental network shared by the gods and angels). Clerics of course spend a great deal of time training to cast their minds into the nexus as this is the manner by which they are granted divine spells.

On the other hand, there are the rare few who the gods seek out. For example, Oorton may share knowledge with a talented artisan, Tanthik may offer council to a promising young knight, or Ahma may guide a dedicated ranger through a harsh wilderness.

Of course, not all the gods are worshiped equally. For example, despite being being higher ranked and more powerful, Meerdin is far less favored by the common people than Natar. The reasons for praying to a particular god vary, but play an important role in the way many cultures operate and interact with their clerics. What follows is a brief summary of the gods, including the roles they play within the Pantheon and the way in which each relates to the people of Solitude.

Tahmay and the Chief Gods of the Pantheon

Tahmay

The Leader of the Pantheon

Tahmay is the leader of the Pantheon and the most powerful of the gods. She is the god of leadership, courage, and balance, and above all else she prizes bravery, sensibility, and strength of character in her patrons. Any who hold positions of power and responsibility pray to Tahmay for guidance. She is especially venerated by the Arvairian Empire and its leaders. Amongst the gods, Tahmay serves as the final word on all matters of importance, and enforces the rules by which they govern their existence. Conflict among the Pantheon is rare, but when it happens Tahmay is always quick to step in.

The god herself is said to act almost as a mortal when she walks the surface of Solitude, though when she wills it her mere presence can be overwhelming. Among those she has dealt with closely, she is referred to in an almost friendly and familiar manner.

When dealing with mortals, Tahmay was said to appear differently depending on the race of the beholder. Humans saw her as an attractive woman with rich brown hair, dressed in plate armor and a white cape. For dragons she was silver-scaled, well-muscled, and breathed flames of purple and white. To eyra she was tall and tan-coated, and her fur was of the finest lustre. In all her forms, she always wore a depiction of the four-pointed star. She is most commonly associated with Tanthik, Ahma, Ageria and Meerdin.

Tanthik

Chief of the Martial Gods

Tanthik is the god of law and justice, and is an important figure in many cultures. He is also the chief of the Martial Gods, the section of the gods who were originally responsible for protecting Solitude and its inhabitants. The role of the Martial Gods has changed since the Compact - now they serve more as advisors to the mortals who have taken on their responsibilities. Knights, druids, soldiers and many others who protect the realms of Solitude pray to them for guidance and safety.

The teachings of Tanthik were used as a template for the laws of Arvair, Kantle, Costavil, Akuul and several other nations. His priests are highly sought after as mediators, and as judges in criminal courts. Tanthik also founded the knightly orders to combat the demons and is their patron god. Tanthik has always been close to the mortal races and was often quick to offer his aid and council prior to the Compact. Even now, many of his clerics are granted direct communication with him during their meditations.

Tanthik’s chosen form is well known; he appears as a tall figure dressed in a full suit of mercurial plate armor. He carries his famed sword, Justicar, sheathed at his hip. His face has always remained hidden beneath a helm topped with a crest of golden feathers. Tanthik is most commonly associated with Tahmay, Tzu, Ahma and Fenthyr.

Ageria

Chief of the Provider Gods

By far the most widely worshiped being of the Pantheon, Ageria is the god of farming, labor and commerce. She is also the chief of the Provider Gods - those charged with caring for every living thing on Solitude. The Provider Gods maintain the natural cycles of Solitude alongside the Elemental Gods, and advise mortals on matters concerning their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Ageria’s clerics are the most in touch with the common folk of Solitude since they tend to be most relevant to their day to day lives. Humans, eyra, elfkin and many jur’ngans pray to her for good harvests, plentiful food, and wealth. Though she is the chief of the provider gods, Ageria herself is not as individually powerful as many others, certainly not as much so as Tanthink and Meerdin, the two other gods ranked immediately below Tahmay.

Ageria is often depicted as a small red-haired elf dressed in simple clothes. She is described as having kind green eyes and a calming presence. She is most often associated with Ahma, Solya, Manetaryl and Oorton

Meerdin

Chief of the Creator Gods

Though he is believed to be the most powerful of the gods besides Tahmay, Meerdin is still one of the most mysterious beings of the Pantheon. He is the chief of the Creator Gods, the beings responsible for crafting the world and manipulating the fundamental laws that govern the fabric of existence. The extent of their purposes are obscured from mortals, as the magics and knowledge they posses are far beyond our understanding.

Meerdin is best known as the father of arcane magic, which he is said to have created as a tool for the mortal races prior to the awakening of the elves. Worship of Meerdin is rare, as he and his angels only rarely respond to prayer and clerical communication. Accounts of Meerdin interacting with mortals even before the Compact are practically non-existent.

There are no reliable depictions of Meerdin currently known, but he is often imagined as an old and wizened mage. He is most often associated with Tahmay, Gemina, Char, and the Elemental Gods.

The Elemental Gods

The Elemental Gods sit below Tahmay and the Chief Gods and work with each other closely. They rank amongst both the Provider and Creator Gods and shoulder the greatest share of responsibility for the creation and maintenance of Solitude’s physical aspects.

Manetaril

Elemental God of Water

Manetaril is the god of water and is largely responsible for the creation and care of Solitude’s seas and waterways. She is the most important of the gods to any who make their living off the seas, lakes, and rivers that are her domain. Jur’ngans, siska and many human cultures pray to her often. Some jur’ngan tribes have clerics of Manetaril who can read the waves and predict rough seas. Despite her popularity, Manetaril is known as a silent and somewhat detached god. She rarely communicates with her clerics directly.

Depictions of Manetaril are uncommon, those few who have seen her describe her as wreathed in a cloak the color of deep ocean waves. A more popular, but fictional, representation shows her as a giant manta ray swimming majestically in the deep. Manetaril is most often associated with the other elemental gods, as well as Ahma and Ageria.

Fenthyr

Elemental God of Fire

Fenthyr is the god of fire and the caretaker of the sun. He is also credited with creating the magma lakes and obsidian reefs that lie within the domain of the dragons under the rule of King Seraph. He is respected by all who walk Solitude’s surface, but is especially revered by the dragons, who consider him their father. Interestingly, Fenthyr is also known to be a powerful warrior, though he is not considered to be a Martial God. Many tales tell of him battling demons during the Demon Flood and even confronting the jur’ngan Prophet-Kings during the Reaving.

When amongst mortals, Fenthyr has long taken the form of a dragon of great size and radiant beauty. It is said that King Seraph resembles him closely. Fenthyr is most often associated with Tanthik, Tzu, and the other Elemental Gods.

Solya

Elemental God of Terra

Solya is the god of terra, and was responsible for the creation of Solitude’s landmasses. He is an important god to farmers, miners, masons, and many others who rely on fertile soils and resources from beneath Solitude’s surface. Solya is lesser known to mortals than most other gods, as his work is as expansive as the world’s surface. His clerics are few in number but are famed for their grand architectural skill. Their monasteries are often set into mountainsides, and many an architect and mason flock to them for inspiration.

On the rare occasions he has interacted with mortals, Solya has appeared in a form very similar to that of a golem. It is said his body is made of large chunks of obsidian, and that his boulder-sized head is set with shining eyes of amber. Solya is most often associated with the other elemental gods, as well as Oorton and Ageria.

Zephir

Elemental God of the Wind

Zephir is the god of the wind and skies, and governs the weather of Solitude. He is a widely respected and worshiped god as his domain ties so directly into the daily lives and fortunes of Solitude’s people. Zephir was fairly well known during the time the gods walked the face of the world. He travelled the world from end to end and top to bottom countless times, visiting each city, village, settlement or colony along his way - though he never stayed in one place long. In modern times his clerics work closely with sky tamers, bringing rain to parched farmlands, calming frigid winds in northern climes, and otherwise bringing fair weather to places that need it.

Zephir took the form a mighty celebrith Sky Master in his travels, and each beat of his wings was said to fill the air with the scents of faraway lands. He is most often associated with Ageria, Natar, and the other Elemental Gods.

The Lower Gods

The “Lower” Gods are only so in terms of their positions within the Pantheon - many possess more power and influence than any individual Elemental God. For example Ahma and Kaneth, while technically subordinate to both Ageria and Tanthik, tend to operate independently, and even occasionally find themselves at odds with their superiors. The Lower Gods tend to be more focused in their responsibilities and interests, and thus are the gods that many mortals tend to lean towards. Ahma, Natar, and Oorton, despite being lesser gods, are three of the most widely worshipped beings of the Pantheon.

Ahma

Martial-Provider God of Nature

Ahma is the god of animals, nature, hunting, and exploration. She is widely revered by any who live in the wilds or depend on nature for their livelihoods. Almost every race holds a deep respect for Ahma, the notable exception being the eyra, who see nature as more of an adversary than a friend. Ahma is one of the most active gods, guiding her druids to lands that require care and keeping a close eye on the rangers who revere her deeply. Ahma is also far and away the most influential and powerful of the Lower Gods - some attribute this to the fact that Tahmay is her elder sister.

Ahma is most often depicted as a tall and lithe human woman whose hair and skin are constantly shifting color and texture, imitating that of animals (tiger stripes, crocodile skin, fish scales etc.). She wears hide and fur clothes and is usually holding her hunting spear, Artemis. Ahma is most often associated with Tanthik, Zephir, Manetaril, Ageria, and Tahmay.

Kaneth

Martial-Provider God of Secrets

Kaneth is the god of secrets, shadows, and illusions, and is another of the Lower Gods whose influence outstrips his ranks. He is the only god that the migrant races rarely worship openly, as praying to him usually means one is up to something nefarious. Before the Compact, Kaneth spent a great deal of time in mortal cities - usually cloaked in an unassuming disguise. Apparently he took great pleasure in watching the intrigue and drama within the high society of humans and eyra. Kaneth’s purpose amongst the gods seems obvious on the surface - he is a finder and distributer of knowledge in all its forms. Yet this alone does not explain the amount of agency that he allowed by Tanthik and Tahmay. Kaneth has been known to break the Compact more than any other god, but he is rarely reprimanded.

Kaneth is a wearer of many forms. He has even been known to disguise himself as inanimate objects - the tale of how he once spent a month as an inkwell on the desk of a Televadian High King is a well known fable. It would be impossible to assign any of these disguises as his preferred appearance, so most often Kaneth is depicted as a living shadow. Kaneth is most often associated with Tanthik, Meerdin, Natar, and Tahmay

Natar

Provider God of Fertility

Natar is the god of art and fertility. She is called by many the god of love, making her extremely popular among the more social races. She is known as a lover and cataloguer of culture in all its forms, but her full purpose amongst the gods has always been a mystery to the mortal races. Dancers, painters, sculptors and storytellers pray to Natar as their patron, and there is hardly a human or eyra alive who hasn’t whispered her a quiet prayer in search of romance. It’s rumored that Natar has recently become influential among certain jur’ngan tribes. Before the Compact, Natar spent a great deal of time with mortals. It is said that her presence immediately put one at ease and that she often served as a mediator between warring factions.

Natar was known to change her appearance frequently. Her most famous forms were that a beautiful Faidmiiri woman dressed in silk, a small crimson-scaled dragon, and an ebony-furred eyra jill with crystal-blue eyes. Natar is frequently associated with Fenthyr, Gemina and Oorton.

Oorton

Creator God of Artisans

Oorton is the god of artisans and is the Creator God best known by mortals. Oorton is revered by any who craft and create for their livelihoods, such as blacksmiths, architects, ship builders and masons. Like Natar, Oorton was known to spend a good deal of time among mortals prior to the Compact. He took pleasure in sharing ideas with the great minds among the ancient Sabbrans and Televadi, who created great structures and monuments which remain to this day. His presence was said to be inspiring, and his manner encouraging and enthusiastic to any who turn their minds to creation, no matter the scale.

Also like Natar, Oorton changed his appearance frequently. He appeared as an elf, but of constantly shifting features and dress (though his clothes were always impeccable). Oorton is most commonly associated with Natar, Solya and Meerdin.

Char

Creator God of the Afterlife

The Creator God of death and the afterlife holds an important place amongst the Pantheon. He is the caretaker of departed souls and soothes disembodied spirits before they journey beyond the stars to their final rest. Char is said to work closely with Gemina in the creation of the stars - each of which are made to commemorate for eternity the passing of great heroes, leaders, and other beloved persons. Even before the Compact, Char was known to spend almost all of his time in the heavens. Nevertheless, he is prayed to frequently by any who grieve for lost loved ones.

Char is often depicted as a cloaked figure holding a gnarled staff, though whether this image has any basis in reality is unknown. Char is most often associated with Gemina and Meerdin.

Gemina

Creator God of the Stars

The Creator God of the stars and fate, Gemina stands on par with Meerdin as the least known of the gods. What little the mortal races have gleaned is that she and Char cooperate in creating new stars to light the night sky, and that she is responsible for the care and maintenance of the Rift Gates. Gemina’s interaction with the mortal races is very limited. Despite being associated with Rift Gates she was never present to greet any of the many migrations and even her clerics agree that she has little to do with the lives and cares of mortals. Some rumors suggest that Gemina can see beyond the void that surrounds Solitude, into other worlds and realities, and even other times. Such abilities would certainly help explain how the Rift Gates find those in need of salvation.

There exist only a few records of Gemina’s appearance, but they are all the same. She appears as a beautiful elven woman dressed in a black gown lit with tiny glittering stars. Gemina is most often associated with Char, Meerdin, and Fenthyr, who is said to be her soulmate.

Tzu

Martial God of War

Tzu is the god of war, strategy, and competition, and is believed to be the most experienced of the gods in warfare and combat. He shone brightest during the Demon Flood, when he felled more demons than any other - Tanthik and Tahmay included. But his mastery of war is only one aspect of his importance to the mortal races. In fact, clerics greatly downplay his status as god of war (as per his instructions), and promote instead his love of good-natured competition. Tzu has always been a lover of games and sport - before the Compact great tournaments were held in his honor, to which warriors, knights, and duelists of all kinds flocked to compete. In modern times Tzu abides by the Compact, but still encourages self-improvement through competition, and is said to watch any who strive to master the martial arts and wage just war.

Tzu is unique, his appearance and style were otherwise unknown in Solitude until fairly recently. His preferred form very closely resembles an Arashin human, and he carries amongst his many weapons an Arashin-style sword. Records of his appearance go back thousands of years to a time before the Arashin’s arrived on Solitude, and it is unknown whether the similarities are simply coincidence. Tzu is most often associated with Tanthik, Tahmay, Ahma, and Fenthyr.