The Eastern Pantheon
The Pantheon of The Eastern Imperium
The Eastern Pantheon is one that, although it has a long history, has had several upheavals in recent memory that have at several points in time caused almost the entire pantheon to fade from memory and power. Most recently, the ascension and rise of Tamamo-No-Mae and her strict policies against Religion and her control of her people's beliefs have all but killed off the old ways of the Eastern Continent's Worship...the only god said to have endured her merciless purging was the ancient and secluded Ursini God, Bao Tse...according to Ursini belief and tradition, Bao Tse had long since ascended to "Enlightenment" and as such, could not be stifled or killed by Tamamo's brutal anti-religious policies, no matter how much she tried...as a result, she allowed his faith to endure, or so the Ursini say. Others say this allowance was born from her appreciation of the Ursini joining her cause during her rise to power, and the overall harmless nature of Bao Tse's followers.
These two gods existed together in the Pantheon in the beginning of Tamamo's new Imperium, followed soon after by the chaotic goddess of Rebellion, The Bloody Valkyrie...she is said to have come into the pantheon as a representation of the unhappy elements of the Imperium's populace, who had grown angry or frustrated with Tamamo's tyrannical policies and laws...it is said The Bloody Valkyrie and her followers exist in the pantheon, but strive to one day return the Imperium back to a more free existence, free of Tamamo's tyrannical laws...but until that day, they exist side by side with her and Bao Tse's followers, who accept them readily no matter their intentions.
Though she is spoken of only in hushed whispers and bated breaths by those in the Imperium, Lady Hikuyo is said to have existed as a Deity since even before the time of Tamamo and her Imperium, though the truth of this is dubious at best. She and Tamamo are quick to anger with each other as Deities, as neither cares for the other in any regard due to their diametrically opposite moral values. As such, Lady Hikyo's religion is officially outlawed in the Imperium, but no matter how hard Tamamo strives to eliminate her faith, her followers always seem to scrounge by and slip away the harder she brings the hammer down upon them, like quicksilver scattering under a hammer blow. Her followers, when they can be found, often hide their faith in organized cities...when they are outside the reach of Tamamo and her Imperium, they often frequent graveyards, shrines, and other places of supernatural importance, where they often protect and keep safe the area under their protection. They are also quite good at hiding their true natures and faiths, and place great important on their Matron's values of secrecy. And though they would never admit it, her faith is gaining a following amidst the Shinobi and Kunoichi who serve the lords of the imperium, especially those who consider themselves more honorable or "just". Nonetheless, she can be said to be the most Good and Just Deity in the Eastern Imperium, and she often pushes her followers to protect and care for those within the nation who couldn't help themselves.
In time, the mysterious and enigmatic God of Nobility, Khazum Khalum, made an appearance in Tamamo's Pantheon after migrating partially from his original home of Draconia and its Pantheon...how he came to arrive in the far east is a bit of a mystery much like the God himself, but it is well-known that he and his followers exist happily at Tamamo's side despite this mystery, as Tamamo and Khazum Khalum are said to get along famously as kindred spirits of nobility and high society...though they often disagree on matters of morality, their relationship is nevertheless a healthy one that sees Khazum Khalum and his followers as the more even-headed and neutral nobility of the Imperium.
Likewise, in the latter Era of the Imperium's existence the tyrannical God of The Nine Hells himself wormed his way into the Eastern Pantheon, his followers finding a home in the east as the one place they could openly practice their profane rituals in the name of The Archdevil. It is often spoken of by followers of both The Archdevil and Tamamo herself that his acceptance into the Pantheon came after the two deities met and discovered just how alike they really were...even more so than herself and Khazum Khalum, Tamamo was said to get along so well with the Lord of the Nine that the two were even said to have engaged in an act of passion and birthed a child, the two gods of Tyranny finding solace in each other's profane company as fellow intellectuals of contracts, pride, and Tyranny.
Overall, the myriad and highly diverse nature of The Eastern Pantheon is often attributed to Tamamo's open and highly accepting policies which demand her followers give all creatures a chance under her rule, no matter their race, beliefs, looks, or other factors...so long as they are capable of existing within the Imperium and following her laws and edicts, it is said, all are accepted into her nation and her Pantheon. It is precisely due to this open-mindedness that has caused many to attribute The Eastern Pantheon to a slowly expanding collection of the world's flotsam and jetsam, a place where all who are otherwise unwanted or rejected may come to find a life...even to one such as The Archdevil who is so often reviled and hated in other countries has found a place for his followers within this pantheon, as a result.
Type
Religious, Pantheon
Leader
Permeated Organizations
Deities
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