Pantheons and Deities of the Old World
The Divine has existed as far as the written word amongst the peoples of The Old World, long before the ascension of The Thirteen. Many of the races with similar origins, such as the Dwarves and the Duergar, shared a pantheon, whereas, in some cases, completely differing species, such as Orcs, Trolls, and Minotaurs, shared a common set of beliefs.
Of all the races of the old world, only the Lizardfolk of the Hex'oatl Empire had a vastly different and varying pantheon, far removed from those of any other race on Kermoria.
While these religions are still practiced today in some places, they are, generally, considered dead or dying, as worship of The Thirteen has become commonplace.
Among the divine of the The Great Dwarfholds, no God stood taller than Moradin, known as the All-Father. He stood over every King, every thane, and every clansman, guiding their lives and judging their worth to be seated, one day, at his divine table. From a divine-realm standpoint, he resided over all manner of crafting, especially those trades which involved gem cutting, mining, or the forge.
Beside Moradin in eternity is his wife, Valaya, the Mother Goddess. She watched over the clan, minding to the hearth, the home, and family most of all. She is most often associated with fertility, and the raising of children.
Moradin's right hand, Thunmuk, is the Great General of the Legions. He represents the honor and the glory of battle, relishing in the chaos of the melee.
Thunmuk's wife was not born divine, but Inga Malmsdottir raised herself above others and ascended as a Goddess, overseeing the traditions of the Dwarves and ensuring their ancestors were always honored and venerated in all things.
Belegor, the Great Destroyer. The First Destroyer. The famed leader of the Cult of the Destroyers, Belegor was raised to Godhood after facing every foe imaginable for nearly two hundred years, from Ogres to Dragons and even Daemons [sic] of the ancient world; none were strong enough to take his shame from him. The foe who felled the Great Destroyer did so subtly, as he fell not to a blade, but to the ravages of time itself.
Gomabella was, arguably, the most powerful of the pantheon, as she guided the hands of those who wielded magic. In the time before Arkaine, who learned and taught the arcane magics of the world, Gomabella is said to have had a hand in the creation of runic and sigil magic, the precursors to all forms of 'modern' magic. Relics, created by her hand, are said to still exist, and that they would possess power unimaginable if the runic words were ever combined.
The High Elves of the Old World divided their pantheon among four primary deities, none of whom had greater sway than any other. Each had a part to play, and a place, in their society.
Eldar, often the most venerated amongst them, stood over the domain of the forest, and nature as a whole. He was seen as neither good, nor evil, as nature is neither of those things. He was simply a great, neutral figure.
Arryn, the Lady of the Family. She was seen, generally, as a wholesome and 'good' goddess, watching over mothers and children and ensuring their place in an ever-changing world.
Aimer, much like Gomabella of the Dwarves, was likely the most powerful of the Elven Gods, as it was he who wielded and commanded magics. He was, however, known to be very fickle, and it was said that his divine fury could strip an Elf of their powers on a whim, leaving them feeling lost and hopeless for the rest of their long lives.
Alanis was the most complex of the Elven gods, as she watched over not only the balance of life and death, but the varying sides of the coin between Light and Dark. She was a goddess devoted to balance in all things, and thus was known as a hard mistress to please.
As the schism intensified, Llolth came to the fore as a primary deity amongst theDrow living beneath the earth. She remains a sinister and dark goddess, and, unlike many of the rest of the ancient pantheon, she is still a strong influence in the lives of what have become known as the 'Dark Elves'.
Residing in shadow, Shadonna and Alanis were powerful enemies. As the race was torn asunder by war and bloodshed, Shadonna stepped into the light (figuratively) as a powerful and influential deity among the Shadar'Kai residing on the edges of the Shadowfell. As the Shadowfell has grown stronger, so, too, has Shadonna. As the shadows wane, so, too, does the Shade Goddess.
Trothfang, an Orc, was the God of battle and, more often, the God of Slaughter. Trothfang was an evil, sadistic god dedicated wholly to the destruction of his enemies through any means, no matter how vicious, cruel, or inhumane. In his eyes, there were no innocents or non-combatants; if one was to destroy an enemy tribe, you must destroy the women, the children, and even the unborn.
Az'Kado was an Ogre, but that didn't stop him from believing, firmly, in Honor, Loyalty, and Duty. His ideals dictated that a member of a tribe or clan should carry themselves into battle honorably, to never strike an unsuspecting foe, or to attack from hiding as a coward. One should face their foe, and every challenge in their lives, headlong.
Joronok, a minotaur bull, encompassed many of the aspects of tribal society. Joronok was responsible for the Wind, the rain, the changing of the seasons, and everything else having to do with the weather. As a neutral deity, he was also closely associated with Death amongst the minotaur peoples, because death was not seen as an evil thing; it was something placid and neutral, that all warriors must face one day.
Of all the races of the old world, only the Lizardfolk of the Hex'oatl Empire had a vastly different and varying pantheon, far removed from those of any other race on Kermoria.
While these religions are still practiced today in some places, they are, generally, considered dead or dying, as worship of The Thirteen has become commonplace.
Dwarves
Among the divine of the The Great Dwarfholds, no God stood taller than Moradin, known as the All-Father. He stood over every King, every thane, and every clansman, guiding their lives and judging their worth to be seated, one day, at his divine table. From a divine-realm standpoint, he resided over all manner of crafting, especially those trades which involved gem cutting, mining, or the forge.
Beside Moradin in eternity is his wife, Valaya, the Mother Goddess. She watched over the clan, minding to the hearth, the home, and family most of all. She is most often associated with fertility, and the raising of children.
Moradin's right hand, Thunmuk, is the Great General of the Legions. He represents the honor and the glory of battle, relishing in the chaos of the melee.
Thunmuk's wife was not born divine, but Inga Malmsdottir raised herself above others and ascended as a Goddess, overseeing the traditions of the Dwarves and ensuring their ancestors were always honored and venerated in all things.
Belegor, the Great Destroyer. The First Destroyer. The famed leader of the Cult of the Destroyers, Belegor was raised to Godhood after facing every foe imaginable for nearly two hundred years, from Ogres to Dragons and even Daemons [sic] of the ancient world; none were strong enough to take his shame from him. The foe who felled the Great Destroyer did so subtly, as he fell not to a blade, but to the ravages of time itself.
Gomabella was, arguably, the most powerful of the pantheon, as she guided the hands of those who wielded magic. In the time before Arkaine, who learned and taught the arcane magics of the world, Gomabella is said to have had a hand in the creation of runic and sigil magic, the precursors to all forms of 'modern' magic. Relics, created by her hand, are said to still exist, and that they would possess power unimaginable if the runic words were ever combined.
Elves
The Elven pantheon of The Old World was complicated and convoluted, with a multitude of Demi-Gods and Half-Gods who were step-brothers and half-cousins to each other, many of whom had similar (if not wholly identical) places amongst the pantheon. To complicate matters further, as the schism broke the Elven world into factions, many new gods and goddesses came to the fore, vying for places amongst the newly created races.The High Elves of the Old World divided their pantheon among four primary deities, none of whom had greater sway than any other. Each had a part to play, and a place, in their society.
Eldar, often the most venerated amongst them, stood over the domain of the forest, and nature as a whole. He was seen as neither good, nor evil, as nature is neither of those things. He was simply a great, neutral figure.
Arryn, the Lady of the Family. She was seen, generally, as a wholesome and 'good' goddess, watching over mothers and children and ensuring their place in an ever-changing world.
Aimer, much like Gomabella of the Dwarves, was likely the most powerful of the Elven Gods, as it was he who wielded and commanded magics. He was, however, known to be very fickle, and it was said that his divine fury could strip an Elf of their powers on a whim, leaving them feeling lost and hopeless for the rest of their long lives.
Alanis was the most complex of the Elven gods, as she watched over not only the balance of life and death, but the varying sides of the coin between Light and Dark. She was a goddess devoted to balance in all things, and thus was known as a hard mistress to please.
As the schism intensified, Llolth came to the fore as a primary deity amongst theDrow living beneath the earth. She remains a sinister and dark goddess, and, unlike many of the rest of the ancient pantheon, she is still a strong influence in the lives of what have become known as the 'Dark Elves'.
Residing in shadow, Shadonna and Alanis were powerful enemies. As the race was torn asunder by war and bloodshed, Shadonna stepped into the light (figuratively) as a powerful and influential deity among the Shadar'Kai residing on the edges of the Shadowfell. As the Shadowfell has grown stronger, so, too, has Shadonna. As the shadows wane, so, too, does the Shade Goddess.
'Barbaric Tribes'
To include Minotaurs, Orcs, Trolls, Ogres, and some Goblinoids
Among the barbaric peoples of the world, many tribes had dozens or more demi deities, covering hundreds of different domains. There were, however, three generic gods who stood above the rest, and were nearly universal in tribal history.Trothfang, an Orc, was the God of battle and, more often, the God of Slaughter. Trothfang was an evil, sadistic god dedicated wholly to the destruction of his enemies through any means, no matter how vicious, cruel, or inhumane. In his eyes, there were no innocents or non-combatants; if one was to destroy an enemy tribe, you must destroy the women, the children, and even the unborn.
Az'Kado was an Ogre, but that didn't stop him from believing, firmly, in Honor, Loyalty, and Duty. His ideals dictated that a member of a tribe or clan should carry themselves into battle honorably, to never strike an unsuspecting foe, or to attack from hiding as a coward. One should face their foe, and every challenge in their lives, headlong.
Joronok, a minotaur bull, encompassed many of the aspects of tribal society. Joronok was responsible for the Wind, the rain, the changing of the seasons, and everything else having to do with the weather. As a neutral deity, he was also closely associated with Death amongst the minotaur peoples, because death was not seen as an evil thing; it was something placid and neutral, that all warriors must face one day.
Comments