High Gods

The "High Gods" is the typical translation of the Celestial phrase "g'hesh ur-'azel", which is used amongst various other titles to refer to a group of "bel-g'adhem" (usually translated as "gods" or "archons", it has been suggested that the literal translation is something like "properly appointed rulers"), said by some philosophers to rule over the cosmos.
It is commonly believed the High Gods are either unwilling or unable to directly interact with the material world, and only do so via intermediaries. The reasons why this may be the case are unclear - some believe that it is a matter of simple disinterest, whilst others have suggested that this represents a fundamental limitation on the power of the divine. Interestingly, some sources suggest that this may not have always been the case, and that in the distant past the High Gods would frequently intervene in the affairs of mortals. How and when this state of affairs might have changed is, however, unclear.

The Number of the High Gods

There apparantly exists some controversy over the precise number of High Gods, which would seem to centre on disagreements over specific definitions. The most commonly-cited number, following the classification used by the scholars of the Empire of Kataris, is thirty three, divided into two groups of twelve (the Astral and Movanic Archons), a group of eight (the Monadic Archons), and one deity aside from the others who is said to hold sway over the material world. However, some authors discount the Monadic Archons and the Material Archon, acknowledging only the existence of twenty-four "Solar Archons" - the Astral and the Movanic - and a handful of scholars classify only the twelve Astral Archons as the true High Gods.

The High Gods in History

The Katari Empire

The earliest detailed accounts of the High Gods that survive to this day can be traced back to the Empire of Kataris; however, whilst the exact nature of the Katari Pantheon is not well-known, contemporaneous accounts make it clear that the High Gods were not assumed to be one and the same as the nine deities of the Katari Pantheon. Furthermore, whilst the Katari appear to have considered the role of High Gods to be metaphysically important, they neither worshipped them, nor seemed to accord any particular moral weight or importance to the individual deities themselves.

Kaliset

The Shetin of the ancient city-state of Kaliset referred to their gods, in the collective sense, as the "Gesetin Rasil", a phrase etymologically related to "g'hesh ur-'azel"; it is thus relatively common practice to translate "Gesetin Rasil" as "High Gods", though some scholars insist that there is a subtle difference between the two terms. It is thus sometimes supposed that some of the Kaliseti deities are, or were, among the Thirty-Three Archons, though there is little agreement on their attribution:

• The sun goddess Kereset is sometimes speculated to have been the Archon of Life; the deity of the New Cult known as the "Steed of Heaven", which some know as Sathrazapash, is likewise sometimes speculated to be the Archon of Light
• Nazta-Akhet, the god of the wilderness, is sometimes speculated to have been the Archon of Nature.
• Nemet, the goddess of the dead, is often speculated to be the Archon of the Grave, perhaps giving her name to the Marsh of Nemetia

The Axial Temple

In the highest peaks of the Central Mountains, between the three glaciers of Tak Agathos, Tak Druga and Tak Phlegas, can be found Mount Aken, supposedly the highest mountain in the world. There, far above the snowline and the clouds, stands an ancient structure known as the Axial Temple, which is claimed by many scholars to have some special connection to the High Gods.
The long-abandoned Axial Temple is an enduring mystery of which little is known but much is rumoured. Some say that it is the place where the earth meets the heavens at the centre of all creation, and that from its parapets did the High Gods sing the world into existence at the beginning of all things. Others say that it was the first bastion of the Ordning of the Giants, the bridge by which they entered the world and did ultimately depart it in the time before the Aeon of Ice; or that perhaps it has some connection to the enigmatic Paragons of Azoth.
Few have set foot inside the Axial Temple, and fewer still have spoken openly of what lies within; Mount Aken is understood to be sacred to the aarakocra of the Snowkith who dwell in the high mountains, and it is said that any who attempt to ascend the mountain without the blessing of their spiritual leaders - rarely given, if at all - will be killed without hesitation or mercy. Nonetheless, this reputation does little to dissuade those who seek answers to the most enigmatic questions of the fundamental nature of the divine, and a community of scholars and mystics dwells among the Snowkith in the monastery-city of Qlu'lirk'ak-Rhus, better known by its common name, High Gleaming.
It is known from the histories that the Basilisk Queens greatly desired to control the temple, though were never able to seize it or subourn its defenders; whilst there is no widespread agreement on their precise motivations for doing so, it appears that the rulers of the Empire of Kataris considered it a place of uniquely potent magic.
Some fragmentary Katari sources refer to the Axial Temple as "the Coronation-Stone of the Thirty-Third Archon", though it is unclear what this might imply.

Reserta

The Temple of the High Gods in Reserta is believed to have been dedicated to the Thirty-Three Archons, though the temple, believed to be of comparable age to the city-state of Kaliset, had long-since fallen into ruin prior to the rise of the Empire of Kataris. It is said that in the centre of the temple complex existed a cubic shrine chamber which contained the emblems and names of the Thirty-Three Archons, and that this chamber, by virtue of being a perfect microcosm of the universe, had certain potent magical properties; many historians have laboured in vain to uncover accurate descriptions of this long-lost chamber, but whilst a number of accounts have been published claiming to have reconstructed the layout of this shrine, there is little evidence to suggest that any of these descriptions are anything more than wild speculation and flights of fantasy.
The one piece of well-attested information on the cubic shrine is a partial list of inscriptions, as recorded by a scholar in the time of the Katari Empire. In keeping with the Katari taboo against openly speaking or writing the names of divine beings, the names of the deities are not recorded, but a series of epithets and titles are given:

• Bloodied Claw
• Liberated Thought
• Keeper of Tallies
• King of the Field of Triumph
• Muse of the Forge
• Singer of the Avalanche
• Voice of Thunder

It is understood from other sources that the King of the Field of Triumph is an epithet of Azithurapash, and that the Voice of Thunder most likely refers to Qi'eka'a.

The High Gods in Other Present-Day Religions

The High Gods play a relatively minor role in most religions of the present day:

• Whilst the Eightfold Circle does not use any terminology akin to "High Gods", it is understood that Tzumeqiel has at one point in time held both the titles of Archon of Time and Archon of the Materium; this is said to be the origin of the title from which his commonly-used name is drawn, with the approximate meaning of "Double-Anchor of the Divine". It is also notable that whilst the Rathi do not use the term, some followers of the Tulkhan also venerate the deity Sha'asek, referring to them as "Paraeon-Promxia of Fate", and it has been claimed that they are in effect the Archon of Fate.
• The theology of the Daughters of Null acknowledges the existence of the High Gods, using the Katari term "Archon" to refer to them, though treats them as remote and impersonal forces broadly uninterested in mortal affairs.
• The Balthan and Volsangan worshippers of the Wakeful Dead do not consider the High Gods to have any particular importance or moral status. Where they are spoken of at all, they are generally not considered different to any other "foreign gods".
• The Tevashi followers of the Monarchs of Ash refer to the High Gods as manifestations of certain "Universal Principles", but grant them no particular moral status. The worshippers of the Gods Below are likewise understood to hold a somewhat similar view.
• The Light of Kassin acknowledges the existence of the High Gods, but considers them to be powerful evil spirits in service of Goldentongue. They are often referred to as the "Gaolors", or "False Lords of Matter".
• The Teriani followes of the Solar Council, in a rare case of agreement with the Kassinites, are said to likewise believe the High Gods - whom they refer to as "Usurpers" - to be malign in nature, though little else is known on the specifics of their beliefs.
• The adherents of Qaswartism are believed to have a complex and sophisticated theology around the existence of the High Gods, which is thought to teach that the High Gods are fallible and must be brought back into alignment with the Cosmic Order. The specific teachings are rather esoteric, and are not widely known outside of certain initiatory orders; those Qaswartim who are knowledgeable on the subject consider it inappropriate, and potentially spiritually dangerous, to discuss such things with the uninitiated.
• Prior to Mazayima's Rebellion in 1291AK, the religion of the Serpent Dynasts of the Second Empire of Yua incorporated a reverence of the High Gods as remote, and for the most part benevolent, deities with which certain of the Anathemata were able to commune with. It is unknown how many, if any, of the Anathemata survived the purges of Mazayima's followers, and whilst certain aspects of the Yuan state religion persist in the Alliance of Yuatlan, the importance of the High Gods has greatly diminished.
• The Savuran Pantheon, the Madduri Pantheon, the Corlish Pantheon, and assorted other religous groups, generally do not differentiate the High Gods from any other deities.
• The Mysteries of the Raven make no reference to the High Gods whatsoever.
• It is entirely unclear what the Grezhu and Parathi believe about the High Gods.

The Thirty-Three High Archons

The identity of the thirty-three High Gods is disputed, though their metaphysical titles are generally agreed to run as follows:

The Twelve Astral Archons

The Astral Archons are perhaps the entities most commonly recognised as the High Gods. They are said to be linked to the twelve commonly-recognised Divine Domains, ruling over them and the other spirits which are associated with those domains in some fashion.
It is notable that whilst the existence of the Divine Domains is an empirically testable law of reality which is generally accepted by almost all scholars, the exact connection between the Archons and the Domains is less clear. Certainly, it appears that a priest can call upon the power of a Domain without needing to worship an Archon - the Jurist-Priests of the Tevashi and the clergy of the Light of Kassin being perhaps two of the best examples of this phenomenon.
It is also notable that the Domains of Peace (or Unity), and Death - the former being most prominently associated with Qaswartism, the latter with a variety of necomantic and apocalyptic cults with little in the way of connection between them - do not have associated Archons. The metaphysical implications of this observation are unclear.
The titles of the twelve Astral Archons are as follows:

• Archon of the Arcane, Solar of the Dream of Fire
• Archon of the Grave, Solar of the Swamp of Kings
  • On the assumption that the "Swamp of Kings" is one and the same the Marsh of Nemetia, it is plausible that this could be the Mother of the Marsh, though little is known of her.
  • This same assumption would give further credit to the theory that the Shetin goddess of the dead, Nemet, may have at one time been the Archon of the Grave.
  • It is also possible that the mysterious entity known as The Sleeper may be, or have been, the Archon of the Grave.
• Archon of the Forge, Solar of the Forge of Sparks
• Archon of Knowledge, Solar of the Towers of the Nimbus
• Archon of Life, Solar of the Gardens of Evening
  • It is possible that this might be the Savu goddess Vesper, said to dwell in the Gardens of Evening
  • This title is also sometimes attributed to the Shetin goddess Kereset
• Archon of Light, Solar of the City of Lamps
  • Some have speculated that the Shetin god known as Sathrazapash, the Steed of Heaven, may have been Archon of Light at some point in time. There is some evidence to suggest that Sathrazapash may have been destroyed or devoured by Lubor an Kaliset
• Archon of Nature, Solar of the Wyldfire
  • This is likely to be Bloodstained Kiss of the Beloved Foe, queen of the Satyrs and ruler of Wyldfire - though if this is the case, she is almost certainly not the first to have held this title.
  • Some have speculated that the Shetin wilderness-god Nazta-Akhet may have held this title in the distant past
• Archon of Order, Solar of the Golden City
  • This may be Tzanga'ash, the Pitiles Eagle
• Archon of the Tempest, Solar of the Howling Maw
• Archon of Trickery, Solar of the Endless Maze
• Archon of Twilight, Solar of the Lunar Estates
  • This is plausibly the entity known as the Queen of the Moon, who may or may not be the Savu goddess known as Mnemene.
• Archon of War, Solar of the Carrion Wastes
  • This is believed to have been Azithurapash, the Black Lion, who was defeated and consumed by Lubor an Kaliset.
  • It is unclear who or what may currently hold this title

The Astral Strictures

Following the Katari tradition, some scholars have written of a set of cosmic laws which apply to the Astral Archons and to the Divine Domains that they oversee. It is said that the Archons themselves cannot go against these strictures in any way, and that those spirits and lesser deities which serve them are likewise bound to these same strictures. Some have speculated that many religious codes of ethics ultimately derive from these strictures.
A common formulation is given by Lord-Scion Arnaud Zaal's magnum opus, Beliefs of the Civilised Peoples, written in 1087AK. Whilst numerous scholars have pointed out no end of shockingly bigoted and deeply inaccurate assumptions baked into Arnaud Zaal's work, most grudgingly agree that the strictures are probably one of the few bits of the book which may actually be accurate:

• Arcane - "It is the nature of the Arcane that certain actions produce certain results; thus must you act ever with intention"
• Forge - "It is the nature of the Forge that all things are created for a purpose; thus must you not suffer that which is idle or purposeless"
• Grave - “It is the nature of the Grave to be a final place of rest; thus shall you not suffer the disturbance of that rest.”
• Knowledge - "It is the nature of Knowledge that all things are in principle comprehensible; thus must you ever seek to increase your understanding of the world and that of others"
• Law (or Order) - "It is the nature of Law that it is swayed not by sentiment or sophistry; thus must you pass judgment without regard to any matter save for the law"
• Life - “It is the nature of Life that it is tenacious in the face of hardship; thus must you ever hold onto hope”
• Light - "It is the nature of Light that it both illuminates and scours; thus must you shutter the truth from the eyes of the profane"
• Nature - "It is the nature of Nature to reject that which would contain it; thus must you be wild and free"
• Tempest - “It is the nature of the Tempest to destroy that which is unworthy; thus must you offer no mercy to the unrighteous”
• Trickery - “It is the nature of Trickery to conceal wisdom within itself; thus must you never speak the entire truth”
• Twilight - "It is the nature of Twilight to guard the threshold; thus must you stand strong against the horrors that lurk beyond”
• War - "It is the nature of War that conflict sustains itself; thus must you never back down from a challenge"

The Twelve Movanic Archons

The Movanic Archons are said to hold dominion over those things which come from the union of two "adjacent" elements on the Cosmic Cube. They are believed to be associated with Mephits in some fashion, though their precise nature is unknown. According to some accounts they are somehow responisble for "holding the walls" of reality.
The titles of the twelve Movanic Archons are:

• Archon of Clay, Solar of the Verdant Marl
• Archon of Dust, Solar of the Silent Desert
• Archon of Glass, Solar of the Mirror Reaches
• Archon of Lightning, Solar of the Thundercrest
• Archon of Ice, Solar of the Eternal Blizzard
• Archon of Magma, Solar of the City of Brass
• Archon of Oil, Solar of the Iridescent Ocean
• Archon of Radiance, Solar of the Luminous Void
• Archon of Salt, Solar of the Caustic Marches
• Archon of Smoke, Solar of the Roiling Chaos
• Archon of Steam, Solar of the Silver Mists

The Eight Monadic Archons

The Eight Monadic Archons, more widely known as the Primordial Elemental Lords, are among the most widely-understood of the High Gods. They can be divided into the four material elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water, whose Primordials are well-known, and the four immaterial elements of Time, Space, Fate and Will.
Of the latter four there is some controversy over the identities of the Archon of Time, Fate and Will: Yrilu is generally accepted as the Archon of Time but with a significant caveat around thier supposed death, which is significantly complicated by Yrilu's existence outside of linear time; it has also been claimed that one or more other entities have held the Archonate of Time at various points in history.
The question of the Archons of Fate and Will is even more unclear; Sha'asek is sometimes speculated to be Archon of Fate, but oracular evidence is ambiguous on this subject. If the identity of the Archon of Will is known, it is likewise an extraordinarily well-kept secret.
The titles of the Monadic Archons are:

• Primordial Archon of Air
  • Known to be Qi'eka'a, the Everstorm
• Primordial Archon of Earth
  • Known to be Oc'Thadh'Zhuth, the Hungry Earth
• Primordial Archon of Fate
  • It has been claimed that Sha'asek, the Spider of Fate, may hold this title
• Primordial Archon of Fire
  • Known to be F'ssnwrth, the Eye of the Flames
• Primordial Archon of Time
  • Generally agreed to be, or have been, Yrilu, the Aeonic Serpent
  • Tzumeqiel is also said to have held this title together with that of the 33rd Archonate.
  • The Lord of the Tower is also said to have held this title at some point.
• Primodial Archon of Space
  • Known to be Thrix'ith'akan, the Quicksilver Fountain
• Primordial Archon of Water
  • Known to be Ga'uga'a'n, the Churning Deep
• Primodial Archon of Will
  • It is unknown which entity may hold this title

The 33rd Archon

A 33rd Archon is said to exist, perhaps ruling over the material world in some fashion. It is unclear who or what may currently hold this title, though Tzumeqiel is said to have held it concurrently with the Primordium of Time.

Also Known As:
Archons
Solars