Pantheon of the Dawn

The Withering Faith of the Alcheni

Did our negligence of our duties to honour our ancient gods lead to the disintegration of society and the impending collapse of our civilisation, or did the gods simply grow tired of us?
— Ulárin Vellahaqin, a Laiqí in Dirth'ela

The Pantheon of the Dawn is the indigenous faith of the alcheni peoples which arrived on the shores of Lethea during the 13th century BA. Followers of the faith profess to adhere to the tenets of an ancient creed known as the Ulítiri and there are around 14 gods that they all worship. There are minor regional differences between adherents of the religion as some might have a few extra local gods while others consider two or more gods just aspects of the same divine being. Those who profess to follow the Divines of the Dawn are often referred to as Dawnlings and the priests are called Laiqí.

Divines of the Dawn

Despair and misfortune upon those who follow the gods of our forebear in name only. It is not enough to merely profess one's undying loyalty and devotion to the honour and service of the divines. Real action must be taken. There is no faith without sacrifice and servitude. Let us devote our lives to the divines so that we may prove ourselves worthy of their love and support!
— Méchenel Uisúl, a Laiqí in the Rehenian Commonwealth

When the alcheni first landed on the shores of Lethea, they had arrived from across the ocean from a continent far to the east. As the first of their ships disembarked on unknown shores, the sun rose from behind them. Artists and poets popularised the idea of associating the arrival with the sunrise and the dawn of a new age of hope and prosperity for their people. At the time, they lacked a clear name for their faith, as most people considered themselves followers of specific gods and their contact with other religions wasn’t significant. Only centuries after their arrival, when the Nehenian people had abandoned their old gods in favour of Saralian spirit-worship, did the Pantheon of the Dawn become a commonly used term to describe the faith.

Decline

While the Imperium of Qerthéllnaval in the north rejected their old pantheon and went its separate way, Valhértis, a faithful realm that had broken off from the imperium, kept to the old divines of their forefathers. Angered with their northern brothers and sisters for accepting a human faith, the Sehenians of Valhértis began to forcefully convert as they expanded their borders, subjugating many of the human nations around them. For centuries their faith remained strong, but eventually their reign of terror against those they neighboured came to an end with the start of the War of Retribution in 848 BA, in which the Imperium of Valhértis was defeated after decades of gruelling fighting and misery. The illusion of superiority had been shattered as they were forced to accept defeat, but the shards of hope in their hearts would eventually heal overtime. At the dawn of the 3rd century BA, the Sehenian people had finally recovered from the economic and spiritual damage that had scarred them centuries prior. Unfortunately for them, they were unprepared to fend off the aberati invasion that befell in 240 BA. With the fall of Valhértis and the collapse of their civilisation, the faithful alcheni were forced to endure in hiding, fighting off the enemy occupants from the shadows of the trees. The spiritual resistance of the alcheni and their hope that their gods would protect them finally broke when it was revealed to them that a human who worshipped some unknown goddess had brought salvation to the world. These days it is hard to find someone who genuinely believes in the gods of the dawn. Most simply profess to follow them as it’s been a part of their culture for so long while, in reality, their hearts lack room for faith. Some might even secretly worship foreign deities.

The Standard Gods

Alar'itari - Lord of the Eternal Darkness
The first of the gods whose death gave birth to the Palális and Elíhilis, the creators of the world.
Palális - Mother of the Earth
Creator and guardian of Riel.
Elíhilis - Mother of the Heavens
Creator and guardian of the heavens.
Heláia - Lady of Life
Daughter of Palális and Elíhilis, creator of life in the world.
Tolóni - Keeper of the Dead
Daughter of Palális and Elíhilis, guide and guardian to the death and goddess of the dying.
Olícheril - Lord of Vol
Son of Palális and Elíhilis, keeper of Vol, god of time, memories, and the elderly.
Héril - Lord of Teril
Son of Palális and Elíhilis, keeper of Teril, god of the youth, motivation, and energy.
Lirúlinis - Patron of the Alcheni
Daughter of Heláia, goddess of beauty, love and sex, often considered the patron and protector of the alcheni.
Inivél - Lord of War
Son of Heláia, god of ambition, war, and perseverance, sometimes also considered the patron of mankind.
Marítir - Bearer of Burdens
Son of Heláia, god of industry, diligence, and peace, sometimes also considered the patron of the panedur.
Áliahia - Defender of Families
Daughter of Héril and Lirúlinis, goddess of fertility and childbirth, protector of families.
Gadirédin - Lord of Luck and Lechery
Son of Lirúlinis and a mortal man, god of luck, hedonism, alcohol, pleasure, and other forms of debauchery.
Saráhlinel - Keeper of the Groves
Son of Lirúlinis and a mortal man, god of hunting, archery, foraging, and the world's wild animals and plants.
Berúl - Bearer of Corruption
Son of Inivél and Tolóni, god of deceit and corruption, often associated with the aberati.

Palális and Elíhilis by Midjourney

Founding Date

Before the 13th century BA

Type

Religious, Pantheon

Demonym

Dawnling

Permeated Organizations

Divines

Alchen

Species | Jan 6, 2024

Alcheni are a species of geprati who are riddled with guilt, shame, and an unwavering sense of pessimism that has reduced their society to a state of hedonism and extremism.