Who Are The Arisen?
Excerpts from Ruminations on The Divine, First Volume, Second Edition
The Arisen
The Arisen are beings with such a deep connection to a particular aspect or series of aspects of the world itself that they became the personification of those aspects. They currently reside in Adamantis, the City of the Gods, and are mostly disconnected from the material plane, however, exceptions are made and the gods have Adventurers who act in their stead on the planes. Arisen are universally more powerful than any mortal being in Kagrea, but rarely act on the material world except to select Adventurers to become their Avatars, as was decreed in a contract between Emperor Aedin of Ur and Almeric, the Lord of Architecture, in a pact known as "The Binding." Very little is known about the exact origin of the Arisen. Some speculate some greater force elevated them to their divine status, while others posit that they were always divine, and merely began as mortals as some process of their evolution to divinity. Furthermore, many Arisen did not begin as mortals and seem to have settled into their positions from unknown origins. Whether they are mortals made divine, or divine beings from other realms, they are a facet of everyday life for all of the world. Since The Sundering, the Arisen have been worshipped widely across all of Kagrea and all other planes. In the modern era, they are the most prominently worshipped deities in most countries across Kagrea. Despite their wide worship, they are largely absent from the material plane, rarely every acting aside from odd appearances and the occasional sudden boon. Some have theorized that this is due to their belief that mortals should tend to their own affairs, but the reality is a simple matter of politics. An Arisen acting will often upset the delicate balance of politics and powers within Adamantis, and acting too much will cause a myriad of other Arisen to act against them. As such, it was widely agreed, especially with the implementation of The Binding, that the world be left untouched by the Gods, with the sole exception of selecting their avatars and the occasional blessed birth or miraculous boon.
The Big Twelve
Among the Arisen are the Big Twelve, the twelve head Gods of Adamantis, and the most widely worshipped Arisen across Kagrea. They are led by Almeric, Old Deus of Architecture, the chief God of the Arisen who live within Adamantis. They have each been chosen for a particular reason, a specifically crafted set of deities that fulfill a certain role. In order, the Big Twelve are as follows: The Big Twelve represents the most powerful Arisen, the Old Deus, the most widely worshipped and respected. They are known to all people across Kagrea, even to the few isolated people who have not developed with the rest of the world's culture and societies. Almeric is praised by all who must build, whether than be the buildings that one lives within, or the metaphorical buildings than enshrine our societal orders. Asmodeus is regularly praised by merchants and nobles alike, and Nagaroth is both adored and despised in equal measure, but all worship is worship, no matter how negative it may be.
The Binding
Long ago, before the Empire of Ur was ruled by Raki, Emperor Aedin realized his dream of an Adventurer's Association, an association of people who would be dedicated to solving issues across all nations. However, threats to the world, whether to its stability or to the mortal lives of its inhabitants, are widespread. Oftentimes, these threats are too much for mortal hands to deal with, and Aedin realized he would need Divine Intervention. He pondered this issue for a famed twenty-one days and nights, asking the Churches of the Adamantine Court how one would call to the gods in times of need. After this time, Aedin arranged for himself a meeting with Lord Almeric, Lord Elegad, and Lord Cid. In this meeting, which has long since become the subject of many legends, Aedin and the Divine Arisen debated among themselves how best to allow the Gods to act with mortals in order to protect the world of Kagrea. It was ultimately decided, after a full day of discussion, that The Binding would be implemented among the Adventurer's Association and Adamantis. The Binding is a divine contract, neither spoken nor written, that ties all Adventurers to Adamantis. Whenever an Adventurer becomes famed enough, they will be called before the Adamantine Court, where the Gods of this World shall judge their deeds, their thoughts, and their soul. After this judgment has been passed, Arisen will be allowed to stand for the Adventurer, and upon the Adventurer's choice, they shall become an Avatar of that Arisen. As an Avatar of the Arisen, the Adventurer is given great power and ability, and is often respected and even celebrated among their communities. They become an actor for their Arisen, expected by the God to act in their stead upon the mortal realm. Yet, as per the agreement, their will is never overtaken by the Arisen they contract with, and they are able to sever the contract at any time should they wish it (though such an action would likely not be without consequences). While this agreement was made to protect the material realm, all Arisen are allowed to create avatars due to the protest of multiple Arisen at such a powerful boon to the more lawful gods.
Forbidden Gods
While these Arisen are considered to be a part of the Adamantian Pantheon as a whole, the following Arisen have been forbidden from being worshipped by the world at large, with even basic knowledge of such gods being banished from the world. Typically, this was due to the deity's domains being a threat to humanity, destructive or chaotic to the extreme, or generally considered a threat to the world at large. It is for this reason that these gods have been stricken from record, and any worship of such gods is considered to be a cult that must be dealt with immediately.
| Arisen | Reason for Banishment |
|---|---|
| Anasi, Forbidden Goddess of Trickery | Trickster Goddess who inflicts madness and chaos on the world. Banished by request of the Big Twelve. |
| Flyn, Forbidden God of Fire | Fire God whose cult causes widespread death and destruction. |
| Lucifer, One Above the Cycle | Banished by request of the Big Twelve. |
| Revan, Forbidden God of Undeath | Necromancy God who is blamed for the rise of mindless undead, and encouraging his avatars to do the same. |
| Sraosha, Forbidden Goddess of Dominion | Goddess of Dominion, Vampirism, and all the monsters that wreak havoc on our world. |
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