The Pantheon of Ethera
The Pantheon of Ethera, often called the Twelve or the Pantheon of the Twelve, comprises the major deities of Elvara and other splinter religions throughout the Empire.
According to the popular legend, the twelve members of the Pantheon were originally twelve mortals who were rewarded for their unwavering loyalty to the Eternal Mother, Ethera, and for their part in defeating Zenykul and his chaotic creation Dracona.
According to popular belief, the Mother gave the Twelve immense power to hold jurisdiction over individual aspects of the realm, so that the immortal guardians could collectively protect the world from corruption.
According to the legend, Baelor tried to reap innocent souls from ancient Elvara in a purge which would curse them to remain servants of darkness for eternity. Solas, however, armed only with a flaming trident, struck Baelor in his only eye, sending him tumbling back down into the realm of chaos.
The feast of Daghda takes place on the 1st day of every new year. The festival promotes charity and compassion by encouraging individuals to break bread with the needy. Revellers give thanks for Daghda’s continued protection. Dancing and entertainment are commonplace in the joyful celebration of life.
Daghda is supposedly the wife of Ogarr, the Great Scholar. According to mythology, the two guardians are thought to share one daughter together who is known as Brigitte, the cursed three faced god, and lesser deity of healing, poetry and blacksmithing.
Along with a handful of the other guardians, Belanir is considered to be a therianthropic being, often electing to transform into an Eagle so that they may act as a sentry, and the first line of defence against the return of chaos.
Belanir was blessed with five daughters, created by Belanir from the elements and made in their own image.
Four of these celestial daughters form part of a tighter pantheon, mostly worshipped by the remaining Elvish Tribes in Eastern Elvara. They are; Ada, the goddess of Fire; Aquira the goddess of water; Daena; the goddess of earth and Nadea the goddess of Air.
Belanir’s fifth daughter was, according to legend, was stolen away from Belanir following her birth. Corrupted by chaos, she is Callia, the frozen goddess of ice and snow, who lends her name to the cold season (Callenta).
Often posing as an old crone, she covers the earth in her thick cloak of frost for three months a year, bringing death in her wake.
Her free-spirited personality has resulted in her becoming a symbol synonymous with the celebration of life itself, and she is deemed to be an untameable goddess of unrivalled beauty.
According to legend, mortals who have seen her face have gone mad out of unrequited infatuation.
Like her mother, she often appears in animal form, adorned with a floral crown and bathed in divine light.
Maranaan, the older brother of Brigantis, is the guardian of the ocean and the deep. Revered amongst sailors, the capricious and fierce Maranaan is a brooding, solitary deity. He is a talented warrior, preferring the use of tridents and spears in battle, which he handles with a masterful elegance. He also commands an army of sea creatures, which he can call upon for support in times of need. Though amphibious, Maranaan rarely visits land. Some say he rides a magical chariot pulled by a mighty white whale, which can traverse the waves as easily as a carriage rides over a road. Others say he possesses a mighty ship which sails across the vast oceans in search of chaos. It is a popular belief amongst malvarri sailors that anyone who dies at sea falls into the care of the ocean god, forming part of his ship’s crew for eternity.
According to some legend, she can be seen dancing throughout the graveyards in the twilight hour, gathering and reassuring the lost souls who have been laid to rest that same day.
As a benevolent, lawful deity, she is locked in a timeless war with the Demon Lord Baelor, the one-eyed god of death and keeper of the Ebonveil.
The Original Pantheon
Solas
Solas is the Guardian of the Sun and the twin brother of Lunaris. According to subsequent mythology, Solas rides a golden chariot of flames pulled by two Kirin, mythical chimerical creatures which are in themselves symbols of protection. He rides across the sky daily, bringing warmth, light and protection to the Continent of Elvara. The sun god is also credited for banishing Baelor, the demon lord of the Ebonveil, from Ethera the last time the King of the Ebonveil attempted to claim the material world for his own.
Lunaris
Lunaris is the Guardian of the Moon and twin sister of Solas. She is revered by travellers for lighting their paths through the darkness and by some circles of magi for her powerful celestial magic.
According to legend, when Lunaris refused the call of the Demon Lord Zenykul, he cursed her children with his dark magic to live out their days as savage lupine creatures.
Lunaris, though she could not remove the curse, used her celestial magic to limit its effects, confining its chaotic consequence to the one night a month when the moon was brightest. This was so Lunaris could better protect her children whilst they were in their primal states, guiding them through the cursed night.
Daghda
Daghda is the Guardian of mortal life and the goddess of fertility and birth. Special thanks is given to Daghda following the birth of a child where it is customary for the parents of the child to make an offering to her for her ongoing protection. This offering usually takes the form of coinage or foodstuffs, which are then taken and used by the local priesthood to support those in need. However, she is also lauded for her healing qualities and for providing the people with bountiful harvests, exemplifying that she is widely regarded as a preserver of life itself rather than simply a protector of it.
Belanir
Belanir is an androgynous deity, whose principal purpose is to maintain the elements of the material plane in near perfect harmony, so that life on Elvara can thrive.
Vast fluctuations in weather patterns, or natural disasters, are believed to be the work of the Demon Lord. Intent on bringing chaos to the material world, Zenykul has an army of chaotic manifestations, known as Harbingers. These hostile creatures are charged with disrupting the elemental balance that Belanir works so tirelessly to maintain.
Dunitrias
Dunitrias is the Guardian of the Hills and Mountains, who’s also associated with strength, courage and stoicism. Famed for his powerful bellows and battle chants, Dunitrias is a fierce warrior also credited for the existence of thunder and storms. He is a deity that can be called upon to ready troops for battle, as long as that battle is ‘just.'
Due to both his prowess on the battlefield, and his association with the Jagged Mountains, some depictions of the guardians present Dunitrias as a Dwarven being. Because of this that the Malvarri Empire has replaced Dunitrias in state permitted religious services, instead giving thanks to Morrigantis, the Shadow goddess of war, conquest and death on the battlefield.
Elvara
Elvara is the Guardian of the Forests and Trees.
She is perhaps the most honored deity of the pantheon, exemplified as she lends her name to both the continent of, and the Forest of ‘Elvara.’
Elvara is a talented hunter and ranger and as a result, she is also celebrated outside of Malvarron by the Elven tribes who have made the woodland their home. A plethora of shrines can be found amongst the trees, with the Elves giving thanks for Elvara’s constant protection. Some even believe Elvara is the Eternal Mother’s original daughter, though this is a belief which is uncommon within the Empire.
Like her fellow guardian,Belanir, Elvara is a therianthropic deity, often choosing to take the form of animals. These include, but are not limited to, Elk, Wolves and Bears. Some adventurers even claim to have encountered the goddess in deep, forested areas.
Silvana
Silvana is the Guardian of nature and wilderness and the daughter of Elvara.
She is the youngest deity of the pantheon, though she should not be defined by this. Her power rivals every one of the elder guardians, and she played an equal role in the defeat of the Shadow of Chaos on Mel’aneth.
Championed by druids of the forest, she is a lover of all creatures, great and small, tending to those under her protection with absolute devotion.
Brigantis
Another free-spirited member of the pantheon is the fresh-water god Brigantis, the guardian of rivers and streams.
In direct contrast to his brother Maranaan, Brigantis is a laid-back deity who is a symbol of prosperity, peace, and tranquility.
According to mythology, Brigantis created thousands of water nymphs, ancient fae-like spirits, to help him guard the abundance of rivers, streams and springs of Ethera.
Created to reflect Brigantis’ own image, these water nymphs often appear as beautiful men and women, tempting adventurers with a dip in the gentle waters of Elvara.
Maranaan
Maranaan, the older brother of Brigantis, is the guardian of the ocean and the deep. Revered amongst sailors, the capricious and fierce Maranaan is a brooding, solitary deity. He is a talented warrior, preferring the use of tridents and spears in battle, which he handles with a masterful elegance. He also commands an army of sea creatures, which he can call upon for support in times of need. Though amphibious, Maranaan rarely visits land. Some say he rides a magical chariot pulled by a mighty white whale, which can traverse the waves as easily as a carriage rides over a road. Others say he possesses a mighty ship which sails across the vast oceans in search of chaos. It is a popular belief amongst malvarri sailors that anyone who dies at sea falls into the care of the ocean god, forming part of his ship’s crew for eternity.
Arawyn
Ethera deemed Arawyn the most compassionate of all her champions. Therefore, she gifted Arawyn guardianship of the dead and lost souls.
Despite her macabre charge, Arawyn is honored throughout Elvara as a protector of the departed.
She is thought to be a gentle goddess, welcoming souls who have passed with compassion, shrouding them in divine light and escorting them to the high heavens.
Ogarr
Ogarr, the husband of Daghda, is the Guardian of knowledge, scholarship and craft.
He is also known as the scribe and messenger of the gods.
As a learned scholar, he is thought to be a leader of the guardians and was a key player in Melaneth's downfall.
Believers often depict Ogarr as a Gryphon, a rare and ancient creature considered to be a symbol of wisdom in Astaeria. He is also thought to have crafted the fingers of his right hand into Bone Quills, legendary writing implements gifted to only the loyalist of his scholarly followers.
On the first day of Ogarr, the ninth month of the year, scholars celebrate Ogarr through a pilgrimage to the Temple of the Scholar in Bridgeport where followers leave offerings, such as scrolls and books, at the shrine there.
Mathonir
Mathonir is the most controversial of the original Guardians.
Gifted with the mastery of divine magic and the arcane arts, he is considered, for good or ill, the most powerful deity from the traditional creation story.
However, because of the hostile relationship between the Empire and the Magi, as well as the restrictions placed on magical practice, Mathonir has been pushed to the fringes of Elvaran worship. In fact, in the year 1331 A.E when Vanguard forces invaded the city of Revaelor in a military coup, the temple devoted to Mathonir was destroyed.
Although worship of the god of magic is now forbidden by decree, many still praise his name from the shadows.
Mages that have escaped the scrutiny of the Empire revere him, and the ones who remain within the Empire pray to him for help and guidance.
Variations
The Thirteenth Guardian
According to some variants of the legend of the Twelve, Ethera appointed a thirteenth guardian, Nocterra, to keep watch over the people of Elvara as they slept. The existence of Nocterra, (known as the ‘Night Goddess’ and in some circles the ‘Dark Lady’) is widely disputed.
However, because of the Empire’s unfavourable view of magic, state led religious ceremonies have replaced the Guardian of Magic Mathonir, instead celebrating Nocterra instead. Many call upon her to guard the Empire from its mortal enemies during the hours of darkness.
However, it is worth noting that the twelfth month of the year is still referred to as ‘Mathonir’ in honour of the God of magic. A fact which shows no signs of changing soon.
Contents
Solas- Guardian of the SunLunaris- Guardian of the Moon
Daghda- Guardian of New Life
Belanir- Guardian of the Elements
Dunitrias- Guardian of the Mountains
Elvara- Guardian of the Forests
Silvana- Guardian of the Wilderness
Brigantis- Guardian of the Rivers
Maranaan- Guardian of the Deep
Arawyn- Guardian of the Dead
Ogarr- Guardian of Knowledge
Mathonir- Guardian of Divine Magic
Nocterra- Guardian of the Night
Type
Religious, Pantheon
Permeated Organizations
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