The Eeirendel: The First Gods of the Aina Continuum
Introduction
In the earliest days of the
Aina Continuum, the
Eeirendel, a pantheon of one hundred gods, arose from the creative vision of
Te Vevutur, the Giver of Names. These deities were not just embodiments of natural forces but facets of divine governance, responsible for weaving the cosmic order and guiding the realms of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Light. Structured by the
Drandsia Vatar, the Foundation of Truth, the Eeirendel upheld the balance of Aina, rooted in the wisdom of the
Ayn Auline, the Council of Time.
"In the beginning, I cast forth my will upon the void, and from it came the Eeirendel, each a reflection of what should be. They were my children, yet not of blood but of spirit, forged to shape and defend the realms against the dark tides that could not be tamed."— Te Vevutur
The Major Houses and Their Domains
The
House of Aranon governed the domain of
Zerthia, the elemental realm of Earth. Known for their steadfast endurance and unbreakable spirit, the gods of
Zerthia embodied strength, fertility, and justice. Among them were:
Aranon, High God of Earth, an unyielding force representing the mountains and stone, his symbol a mountain entwined with oak roots.
Thiana, the nurturing yet stern High Goddess of Fertility and Family, depicted as a blossoming tree cradling an infant.
Rabel, the fierce God of Swamps and the Wilds, who fell in the First Black Fire War, leaving behind the cursed swamp known as The Mired Bastion.
These gods formed the core of Zerthian society, inspiring elves, dwarves, and mortal worshippers to value resilience, labor, and kinshipuse Daéranon - Marenwē, Realm of Water
The
House of Daéranon ruled over
Marenwē, the water realm characterized by fluidity, purpose, and commerce. Their influence spanned from the deep sea to the mighty rivers, and their followers included the maritime elves and oceanic races. Key figures were:
Daéranon and Saenea, the twin rulers of all waters, revered for their power over the sea’s depths and its wealth.
Nolavir, God of Lakes, who watched over freshwater elves and lake-dwellers with a calm, yet sometimes stormy, hand.
Suegea, God of the Coasts, a protector of those on the edges of land and sea, and husband to Sinoda, Goddess of the Shores.
The Marenwē gods were as unpredictable as the ocean’s waves, embodying both prosperity and tempests, guardianship and wrath .
Hn - Malondria, Realm of Fire
The
House of Aejeon was known for its domain of
Malondria, a realm of unrelenting passion, war, and ambition. The gods of Fire were both creators and destroyers, masters of love, lust, and warfare:
Aejeon, High God of Fire, whose fiery will ignited the Black Fire, ultimately leading to his own exile.
Hareshana, the Goddess of Lust and Fertility, revered as a life-giver and matron of love and beauty.
Lavos, the traitorous Air Eater, who sought to control the Black Fire for himself and became a deadly force imprisoned deep in the earth’s core.
These gods burned with an intensity that was both inspiring and feared, forever tainted by the conflicts they ignited within Aina .
House Phinrlandria, Realm of Air
In
Gerlandria, House Phin Mahr held sway over the skies, governing wisdom, fortune, and the gentle yet devastating winds:
Phin Mahr, High God of Air, who oversaw the skies and clouds from his lofty seat, valuing freedom and insight.
Lilia, Mistress of Messengers, known for her role as a bridge between gods and mortals, her message-carrying birds seen as sacred.
Nothnorom, High Master of Rain and Storms, a force of gentle nurture as well as ruinous power.
The gods of Air were revered as thinkers and seekers of truth, and their followers cherished patience and understanding. However, they too would be caught in the tragedies wrought by the wars to come .
House Thianon - Thiealm of Light
The
House of Thianon ruled over
Thiandalune, the realm of enlightenment, knowledge, and radiant creation:
Thianon, High God of Light, venerated as the bringer of dawn and knowledge, with a legacy of maintaining history.
Theliarhere, Goddess of Science and Discovery, a relentless pursuer of truth whose laboratories held secrets both wondrous and forbidden.
Sisechal, God of the Greater Moon, whose crescent was a symbol of balance and reflection.
The gods of Light represented the guiding principles of wisdom, nurturing the arts and sciences even as their own numbers were diminished in the cataclysm .
The First Black Fire Wa]The Fall of the Fifty-Nine
In the year 7600, a spark ignited within the heart of Malondria, the domain of Aejeon. Known as the Black Fire, this force unleashed a cascade of destruction across Aina, leading to the First Black Fire War. Fifty-nine of the Eeirendel perished in this conflict, each falling to enemies forged of divine essence and unnatural corruption.
Quote from a Fallen God
"The fires took me; they seared my soul to dust. Yet even in death, my essence lingers. Look upon these broken lands, and remember the gods who died here for a world that barely remembers their names."— Unknown Eeirendel
These gods did not simply disappear; they became a fundamental part of the world they fought to protect. The sites of their deaths, now known as Dead God Sites, radiate with volatile magic, drawing pilgrims, scholars, and sorcerers alike to bask in their divine echoes .
Legacy: The Dead God Sites and Rik
Magick Born of Death
In the aftermath of the war, the energies left behind by the fallen Eeirendel were harnessed by mortals, resulting in the practice known as Magick. It was Zastor, a visionary, who first uncovered this new source of power, realizing that the residual divine energies could be channeled into spells and rituals, forever altering Aina’s magical landscape .
Sacred Monuments of the Fallen
Each fallen gd a unique Dead God Site. These places are imbued with raw magic and the lingering spirits of the gods:
The Mired Bastion, a swamp corrupted by the essence of Rabel, God of Swamps, where potent and unpredictable magics bubble from the depths.
The Sunlit Grove, forever touched by Sofian, the Goddess of Sunlit Flora, where plants grow in vibrant, unnatural colors.
The Eternal City’s Remains, a once-thriving city protected by Te Maum, God of Roads, now a nexus of volatile magical energies .
The Lasting Influence of the Eeirendel on Aina
The Curse of Immortal Remnants
The souls of the fallen Eeirendel did not fade gently; instead, their remnants merged with Aina’s raw elements. In each Dead God Site, the unquiet energy of the slain gods manifests in strange, often malevolent ways. The people of Aina hold conflicting views on these sites—are they holy places of divine residue or cursed lands that should be avoided? What was once divine wisdom has curdled into chaos, a distortion of the gods’ original purpose.
"Even the mightiest gods fall, yet their shadows haunt us, deepening the rifts of our own desires, dreams, and nightmares."
These places exert an alluring, seductive pull on those who draw near. Once there, mortals risk their sanity, experiencing strange visions, feverish dreams, and flashes of emotions foreign to them, as if the memories of the deceased gods are bleeding into mortal minds. Some priests who reside at these Dead God Sites claim to have “heard” the gods weep and have been “touched” by their long-lost wisdom. The price for such communion, however, is madness.
The Children of Divine Desperation
Among the effects of these potent energies is the phenomenon of the
Half-Touched, individuals born near Dead God Sites who carry a fragment of the deceased deity’s essence. Often displaying abnormal physical traits, a heightened sensitivity to magic, or an unusual longevity, the Half-Touched are seen as both blessed and cursed. Many bear markings of the god's domain—emerald veins from
Zerthia, eerie luminescence from
Thiandalune, or translucent skin like the waters of Marenwē. They wander Aina, eternally pulled toward the Dead God Sites like moths to a flame.
The Half-Touched live lives of deep internal conflict, often plagued by flashes of the god's memories, impulses, and desires, which can be terrifying or euphoric. Some Half-Touched find themselves drawn to Magick, becoming powerful sorcerers or ritualists, while others retreat into madness, consumed by divine urges that no mortal should bear.
Magick’s Dark Allure and Mortal Temptation
The Crafting of Spells from Divine Residue
Since
Zastor’s discovery of the latent powers at the Dead God Sites, Magick has evolved from a mysterious art into a complex, often dangerous craft. Every spell draws upon the energy left by the fallen gods, meaning each act of Magick is essentially a communion with the Eeirendel’s suffering and despair. The more powerful the spell, the deeper one must draw from these energies, risking physical and mental degradation.
For this reason, Magick is not merely a skill but an addiction, its allure intoxicating and its costs profound. Practitioners may experience twisted visions or a strange empathy with the fallen gods, a side effect they often describe as a “second sight,” allowing them to glimpse the dead gods’ tortured memories. The deepest spells require more than mere concentration; they demand the caster feel the gods’ ancient agony—a threshold many cross, but few return from intact.
"Magick is the wound through which the dead gods whisper. Drink deeply, and you may hear the secrets that shattered them. But beware, for each sip takes you further from yourself."— Zastor, Pioneer of Magick
The Lust for Power and Forbidden Arts
Not all mortals possess the discipline to wield Magick responsibly. Many are drawn to its darker aspects, hoping to unlock forbidden arts buried in the echoes of the gods’ screams. These
Forlorn Mages, as they are called, delve into Magick to harness the suffering of the fallen deities, practicing spells meant not to nurture but to dominate, corrupt, or destroy.
The Forlorn Mages become conduits for the darkest aspects of the Eeirendel’s essence, and as they progress, they experience physical mutations: blackened veins, spectral auras, and eyes that glow with colors not of this world. These transformations serve as warnings to others, a visible reminder that power taken from the gods’ sorrow exacts a severe toll. Many Forlorn Mages go on to live cursed lives, hated and hunted for the threats they represent.
Aina’s Divided Legacy: Faith in Ruins
The Cynics and Their Revolt Against the Divine
With the knowledge of the
Black Fire Wars and the sacrifices of the Eeirendel, a schism developed within Aina. A sect known as the
Cynics of Marenwē believes that the Eeirendel’s existence was never one of benevolence but of vanity and folly. They argue that the gods’ failures and petty rivalries led to the First
Black Fire War, which claimed countless mortal lives and desecrated the land.
The Cynics view the Dead God Sites as curses upon Aina, manifestations of divine irresponsibility. They call for the sites to be purged, sealed, or destroyed and practice rituals that attempt to nullify the energy within them, though rarely with success. To the Cynics, the Eeirendel represent not protectors but warnings—symbols of the danger inherent in unchecked power.
The Ascetics of Zerthia: Devotion Amid Despair
In contrast, the
Ascetics of Zerthia seek to reconnect with the Eeirendel’s original intentions, believing the Dead God Sites to be holy places where worshippers can commune with the divine. They see Magick not as a corruption but as a divine gift, a final act of sacrifice by the fallen gods who, even in death, left behind remnants of their power to aid mortals. These Ascetics live in the wilderness near the Dead God Sites, where they meditate, seeking enlightenment through divine communion.
The Ascetics perform rituals to honor the fallen gods, believing that, through devotion, they can awaken the “pure” essence of the Eeirendel and perhaps restore the natural balance within Aina. To these followers, each fallen god is a saint, their suffering a sacred experience that mortals can partake in to gain wisdom.
The Eternal Legacy of the First Gods
The Eeirendel’s influence extends beyond the visible remnants of their deaths. Mortals live in their shadow, with Magick as both a blessing and curse, a tool of enlightenment and destruction. Those who have been changed by Magick or bear the touch of the fallen gods live on the edge of reality, constantly swayed by forces beyond mortal comprehension. From the Half-Touched to the Forlorn Mages, from Cynics to Ascetics, the mortals of Aina walk a path fraught with power, danger, and the echoes of divine tragedy.
A World Bound to Divine Remnants
The legacy of the Eeirendel is one of complexity and contradiction. While their fall ushered in chaos, it also granted mortals power. The world of Aina, shaped by gods and haunted by their demise, endures as both a sanctuary and a prison, a place where divine memory and mortal ambition clash endlessly.
"Perhaps we are nothing more than their dreams, seeking freedom through the power they left behind. But remember this—every gift they gave us came at a cost they themselves could not bear."— Ancient Saying of the Eeirendel’s Legacy
The Eeirendel’s tale is a testament to the paradoxes of divinity: beings born to create yet doomed by their creations, spirits that became the foundation of Aina’s magic and yet sowed the seeds of its most terrifying curses. Their energies linger, influencing the world in ways that no mortal—or god—can fully understand.
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