PANTHEON & PLANES
in 9VThe Nexi : Gods of the Neptaverse
Though the Silverhost's multiple versions of the Creed diverge in intent at times, at the root, there is a basic commonality. A balance is respected, the threat of evil is a concern that influences customs and cultures everywhere. Another commonality, that is considered fact within the whole of the Empire, is that the Divine Nine are the supreme Nexi, all others deities are their Descended.
To the Church of the Reflection Creed, most of the old gods of the Pre-Time are dead and, because of the Argent's blessing, the Mater and its Reflection Planes now exist and remain balanced. The unknown truth, even within the Church's hierarchy itself, is that anyone who prays to 'the old gods' are worshipping the same Pantheon with mostly the same gods or goddesses as the Creed under different interpretations, terminologies or names. The 'old gods' have, termed simply, evolved into the current representations found in the holy books of the Church.
The indivduals of the Divine Family are represented by different, smaller institutions of worship within the more grand and larger Church of the Reflection Creed that worships the Nexi as a whole. The fractured institutions all have holy books that feature the historical legends their Nexi performed during the time of the War of the Nexi, a war between the balance of good and evil. Interpretations of these tales form the prayers of devotion that devoted souls will offer to their deity.
There are many cultures within the enormous borders of the Silverhost but despite their diversity, all have places of prayer commonly found to have many similarities including reflection pools, prayer temples, and communion houses.
The Ascended and their Descended
The Nexi are the nine Supreme Deities of the Divine Family who have been given a role by the Argent, the God of Balance. They have all reached a devotion mass elevating them to the peak of their dominions. They are worshiped, most often directly, but have at times siphoned off the influence of their Descended. The Descended is a broad term that encompasses all Greater and Lesser deities and a number of classifications in which a Nexi may reveal themselves. Nexi choose to most frequently be represented as an avatar of their will on the Mater or the Reflection Planes. The ascension of a Greater, Lesser or Quasi deity that rule splintered realms amongst the planes are another representation of their power.
The Descended, in whatever form, have a divine influence that is reflected by the amount of mortals that worship them and their Ascended. This devotion imbues the Descended with more power and influence in the cosmos. This power can then cycle Divine Magick to their mortal devotees known as Heralds through the Weave.
During the War of the Nexi there was a death of the Prime Nexi that exploded into a rotation of Greater and Lesser Deities. That shift shook the hierarchy of roles within the Planes of Existence and created a linear timeline focused on the frequency of the Mater. Some did not survive the energized culling, being absorbed into the new state of existence; others were created and given roles to maintain the balance.
The Descended, in whatever form, have a divine influence that is reflected by the amount of mortals that worship them and their Ascended. This devotion imbues the Descended with more power and influence in the cosmos. This power can then cycle Divine Magick to their mortal devotees known as Heralds through the Weave.
During the War of the Nexi there was a death of the Prime Nexi that exploded into a rotation of Greater and Lesser Deities. That shift shook the hierarchy of roles within the Planes of Existence and created a linear timeline focused on the frequency of the Mater. Some did not survive the energized culling, being absorbed into the new state of existence; others were created and given roles to maintain the balance.
Supreme Deities
Divine Rank 11+
The Nexi. These are the gods that are powerful beyond mortal understanding. Even their closest Descended are not informed in the true power of the Nexi. They rule the planes with roles that suit their energies, roles delegated by the Argent, God of the Balance, since the Fall and the beginning of time. These Supreme Deities have an uncountable number of devoted souls across the Planes of Existence. This immense devotion grants them their Divine Power. Despite this, they tend to stay out of the affairs of mortals, leaving the delegation of their wills and protection of their assembled realms to their various Descended and their Heralds.
The Nexi. These are the gods that are powerful beyond mortal understanding. Even their closest Descended are not informed in the true power of the Nexi. They rule the planes with roles that suit their energies, roles delegated by the Argent, God of the Balance, since the Fall and the beginning of time. These Supreme Deities have an uncountable number of devoted souls across the Planes of Existence. This immense devotion grants them their Divine Power. Despite this, they tend to stay out of the affairs of mortals, leaving the delegation of their wills and protection of their assembled realms to their various Descended and their Heralds.
Greater Deities
Divine Rank 6-10
First and most powerful of the Descended are the Greater Deities. They are the rulers of the scores of realms that compose the Planes of Existence. Their most powerful physical representations, their Avatars, are the generals of the Nexi given mortal form. They lead armies of souls devoted to the Nexi and their role as overseers have them ushering these souls over the chessboard of the Neptaverse in faith's eternal war.
Greater Deities rule realms with borders most accurately defined by emotional and theological energies. The Lesser Deities under their charge are wardens of domains divided out from these realms and the original Sacred Geometry of the Nexi's principle role.
First and most powerful of the Descended are the Greater Deities. They are the rulers of the scores of realms that compose the Planes of Existence. Their most powerful physical representations, their Avatars, are the generals of the Nexi given mortal form. They lead armies of souls devoted to the Nexi and their role as overseers have them ushering these souls over the chessboard of the Neptaverse in faith's eternal war.
Lesser Deities
Divine Rank 1-5
Lesser Deities are the Gods who walk the path as leaders of domains separated by the Sacred Geometry of existence. They have their metaphoric fingers working the various puppets that are often given specific tasks beyond seeking the devotion that empowers them. They bless souls who can properly serve their purpose or those who continue to spread their word. Greater and Lesser deities are often relatively new to their divinity when compared to the Nexi. Godhood is unpredictable but the vast majority of Lesser Deities are gifted a fraction of power from a Nexi. They are granted Divine Powers to serve as extensions of the will of whichever Nexi created or elevated them into Godhood.
Lesser Deities are the Gods who walk the path as leaders of domains separated by the Sacred Geometry of existence. They have their metaphoric fingers working the various puppets that are often given specific tasks beyond seeking the devotion that empowers them. They bless souls who can properly serve their purpose or those who continue to spread their word. Greater and Lesser deities are often relatively new to their divinity when compared to the Nexi. Godhood is unpredictable but the vast majority of Lesser Deities are gifted a fraction of power from a Nexi. They are granted Divine Powers to serve as extensions of the will of whichever Nexi created or elevated them into Godhood.
Vestiges
Divine Rank 1-3
The death of a deity is not an impossibility. Greater and Lesser deities who compete for devotion in the eternal war of faith have perished. A death will have a small ripple of Divine energy follow, centered on the location of the demise. The death of a Supreme Deity however, is a cataclysmic cosmic event that has effects that ripple across the entirety of the Neptaverse with varying degrees of consequence. Another Supreme Deity would be the only being capable of this feat. It was Letharik who killed his sire, Cuomo, that sparked the explosion that blew the Mater as known today into existence. Dead gods may be found as Vestiges within the Astral Plane or the Void, stripped of most of their divine energy to the point that they contain only a small fraction of their previous existence. With old and ancient rituals it is believed the devout can contact these beings and draw on their latent power.
The death of a deity is not an impossibility. Greater and Lesser deities who compete for devotion in the eternal war of faith have perished. A death will have a small ripple of Divine energy follow, centered on the location of the demise. The death of a Supreme Deity however, is a cataclysmic cosmic event that has effects that ripple across the entirety of the Neptaverse with varying degrees of consequence. Another Supreme Deity would be the only being capable of this feat. It was Letharik who killed his sire, Cuomo, that sparked the explosion that blew the Mater as known today into existence. Dead gods may be found as Vestiges within the Astral Plane or the Void, stripped of most of their divine energy to the point that they contain only a small fraction of their previous existence. With old and ancient rituals it is believed the devout can contact these beings and draw on their latent power.
Quasi-Deities
Divine Rank 0
In the Time of the Argent, Godhood has become more abundant, more shared. Cuomo, before time, restricted the Divine Judgment and monopolized the energy of worship. Under the Rule of the Hourglass, a new breed of Divinity was created as a check and balance to Divine power. There are different types of Quasi-deities, yet all share the similar trait of being created with a singular focus. Quasi-deities possess enough divinity to be spectacularly powerful, but lack the need of direct worshippers. They are created for a role given to them by their creator, most often their ascended. Growing a flock of devotees does not concern them. They cannot answer prayers, grant spells to clerics, or control divine aspects of mortal life. The Idols of the Argent that protect the Divine Palace are a type of these Quasi-deities. Living solely to protect the the Palace and the Silver One's Avatar.
In the Time of the Argent, Godhood has become more abundant, more shared. Cuomo, before time, restricted the Divine Judgment and monopolized the energy of worship. Under the Rule of the Hourglass, a new breed of Divinity was created as a check and balance to Divine power. There are different types of Quasi-deities, yet all share the similar trait of being created with a singular focus. Quasi-deities possess enough divinity to be spectacularly powerful, but lack the need of direct worshippers. They are created for a role given to them by their creator, most often their ascended. Growing a flock of devotees does not concern them. They cannot answer prayers, grant spells to clerics, or control divine aspects of mortal life. The Idols of the Argent that protect the Divine Palace are a type of these Quasi-deities. Living solely to protect the the Palace and the Silver One's Avatar.
Avatars and Heralds
Divine Rank 1-3
All deities who create extensions of themselves on the Mater and or its Reflection Planes, create Avatars. These creations fluctuate in power and form depending on the forging deity. At times they are physical representations of the gods themselves that commonly take form in dreams or the unconscious state. Other times they are powerful mortals that come to test their devout or grow their influential power. It is common that when great astral storms hit a planet or when fiery comets pass close to a population that it is an omen of the 'will of the gods' and the birth of an Avatar. It is proclaimed within the Reflection Creed that those imbued with extremely powerful Divine Magicks are a form of Avatar of the Divine called Heralds. Saints of the Church that have performed great feats of battle or miracles of life, blessed with great powers are believed to be Heralds of the Gods and revered in bardic songs and tales across the Empire.
All deities who create extensions of themselves on the Mater and or its Reflection Planes, create Avatars. These creations fluctuate in power and form depending on the forging deity. At times they are physical representations of the gods themselves that commonly take form in dreams or the unconscious state. Other times they are powerful mortals that come to test their devout or grow their influential power. It is common that when great astral storms hit a planet or when fiery comets pass close to a population that it is an omen of the 'will of the gods' and the birth of an Avatar. It is proclaimed within the Reflection Creed that those imbued with extremely powerful Divine Magicks are a form of Avatar of the Divine called Heralds. Saints of the Church that have performed great feats of battle or miracles of life, blessed with great powers are believed to be Heralds of the Gods and revered in bardic songs and tales across the Empire.
Descended Mortals
Divine Rank 0-1
Mortals that ascend to a small form of godhood by some awe-inspiring ritual or other immensely powerful method begin their Divine Journey as a Descended Mortal. It is in this state that the other Descended of their domain will offer Divine Judgment and through a planar pilgrimage that ensures the validity of their ascension, judgment is made. Upon this completion, membership within their ranks and the attributes of the Divine will be granted. Another path to ascension; If the unlikely occurrence of a mortal slaying a deity happens, the latent divine energies are absorbed by the mortal who made the deathblow. If they survive this, they become infused with Divine Magick forgoing the planar pilgrimage made by most of the other Descended Mortals.
Mortals that ascend to a small form of godhood by some awe-inspiring ritual or other immensely powerful method begin their Divine Journey as a Descended Mortal. It is in this state that the other Descended of their domain will offer Divine Judgment and through a planar pilgrimage that ensures the validity of their ascension, judgment is made. Upon this completion, membership within their ranks and the attributes of the Divine will be granted. Another path to ascension; If the unlikely occurrence of a mortal slaying a deity happens, the latent divine energies are absorbed by the mortal who made the deathblow. If they survive this, they become infused with Divine Magick forgoing the planar pilgrimage made by most of the other Descended Mortals.
Planes of Existence
Domains of the Gods
The Trinity Planes
At the furthest reaches of the Outer Planes are the Trinity Planes in which the Nexi of Venhailo reside and exert their will or influence over their Descended and all the other Planes of Existence.
The Fiendish Planes
At the frequential opposite of the Outer Planes as the Trinity Planes are the Fiendish Planes of the Abyssus and Nilhevete. Playing the role of balance in the scale of good and evil, fiends of both planes are forever breaching the planar barriers and wreaking havoc on the Reflection Planes.
The Reflection Planes
The Reflection Planes of the Mater, the Ferrix and the Umbrak are those most bound by the natural laws of physics and time. They are the metaphoric theatre in which the Divine Family and the other gods source their divine powers.
The Astral Plane
The Astral Plane, also called the Astralise, is the transitory plane. It is the space taken by the linked paths in between planes and planets. The Empie is in possession of a set of gates called L'Astra Porta. These astral tunnels link all the Planes of Existence together, and are a major asset of the Silverhost.
The Ethereal Plane
The Ethereal Plane is the bound dimension, the space best understood as, in between all the planes. It acts as a metaphoric body of water contained by the borders of the Planes of Existence; its shores overlapping the Mater and the Reflection Planes, so that every location on those planes has a corresponding physical location on the Ethereal Plane. The Deep Ethereal, or Aether, is most commonly crossed by the soul on the way to birth and on the way back after death.
The Inner Planes
The duo of Inner Planes that surround and enfold the Mater and its reflections the Ferrix and the Umbrak, provide the raw elemental substance from which existence is crafted. This duo are the Planes of Malium and Nu.
Within the Plane of Nu and Malium are consequential to the physics of the Mater and its reflections are the four Elemental Planes. They form an illusionary ring around the Mater, suspending it within the outer planes and the infinite emptiness of the Void.
Air: The Elemental Plane of Air is completely air of various types. Life in this plane cling to impurities that form pockets or bubbles in the otherwise pure atmosphere.
Earth: The Elemental Plane of Earth is an infinite expanse of solid matter pockmarked by bubbles of other elements and riddled with fissures.
Fire: The Plane of Fire is made primarily of loosely packed elemental fire and a landscape of hot coals. The rivers and oceans are filled with running magma and the atmosphere is extremely thin.
Water: The Elemental Plane of Water has no sun, yet the water glows dimly with a bluish green luminescence. Volumes of water at any temperature and salinity can be found.
The Outer Planes
While the Inner Planes are the raw matter border of energy that make up the Neptaverse, the Outer Planes are the raw emotion and conscious direction, the thought and will for such construction. Included in the Outer Planes are the plane of Versalis and Fulgrom.
Demi-planes
Demi-planes are smaller planes created by the Divine with their own unique properties. They may be created as temporary situational locations or more permanent or secretive locations. They often have a singular purpose that has traits that accomodate or facilitate that purpose.
The Void
The plane beyond the Neptaverse, outside and far from all other planes aside from the Abyssus. Little is known about the Void but its references within the Magistrate are usually referred to as the Plane of Non-Existence.
Currency of the Gods
Souls are what the Divine value. The devotion of a living soul, grants them Divine Power. In the simplest terms, the emotional energies of devoted souls when praying, echo through the planes. This energy is amassed by the Nexi and redistributed to their Descendants through Divine Magicks.
When a soul passes from its mortal form, it is shifted to the transitory plane of the Ethereal. If it was a devoted soul, the soul will pass onto the plane of the deity that it was pledged. From there, souls are most often re-formed and transitioned back into the Neptaverse for a chance to re-devote themselves. Souls who go undevoted during their mortal lifetimes are transitioned to the Plane of Purgatus. From here they will sit and stir in the Sea of Souls where they may float for time eternal. Particularly bright souls or capable souls willing to bargain may catch the eye of a particular divine capable of bartering for their resurrection.
World Codex
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