The Crossroads Gods

From Ironcrag to the Free City of Zobeck to Perunalia, the Crossroads region revels in contrasts and confusion, and its gods are likewise a collection of many creeds and visitors. Gods from all points of the compass live here or wander through. The gods of the Crossroads also meddle heavily in human affairs, and many are patrons of the Crossroads nations. The former king of the pantheon, Khors, is fading from influence as Rava usurps his position in many places, but he has not vanished by any means. The Sun God still shines, and his adherents value his power against night’s terrors. The people of the Crossroads know their gods share their worries and concerns, and they fill the altars with sincere offerings. Religious faith in the Crossroads is strangely variable, since gods come and go here as if on their way to somewhere else. The sudden arrival of new gods like Rava and the slow fading of older ones like Khors is not unusual here. This changeability makes religious life in the Crossroads lively.

Deity	Alignment	Province	Domain	Symbol
Khors	Lawful Good	Midgard	Justice, Light	A radiant sun
Lada	Good	Midgard	Light, Life	A radiant eye
Perun	Neutral	Asgard	Tempest, War	A lightning bolt
Rava	Lawful	Midgard	Clockwork, Knowledge, Prophecy, Travel	The spider and the gear
Volund	Neutral	Muspelheim	Forge, Travel, Mountain	An anvil

Khors

Though the Sun God is in decline in the Crossroads, Khors still stands supreme within Novigrad. His numerous statues feature his feathered cloak, heavy armor, and wild helmet plumes. He is depicted striking down dragons, knighting new heroes, and defending common people against the darkness and terrors of night
Depiction. He is depicted as a large man in heavy armor sporting jaguar furs, wielding one of his many weapons. He has fair skin, long blonde hair, and a large mustache.
Worshippers. The knights of the Order of the Undying Sun are Khors’s largest remaining bastion of influence, and he is still widely worshipped in Novigrad. Elsewhere, he is largely forgotten.
Commandments

• Rise and pray at dawn and noon.
• Bring light to the darkness; never approach a foe by stealth, but only bravely and openly.
• Cast down demons, devils, and the dark gods without quarter.
• Stand fast in battle, for courage is the greatest virtue of the warrior.
• If you must retreat, make clear your intention to return and win the day.
• Let no shadow harm the innocent.

Lada

Everyone loves Lada, the goddess of healing and love, although few truly follow her teachings of mercy and forgiveness. She is a maidenly goddess of the dawn and the day. Although depicted as meek and mild in most of her idols and images, she has a powerfully wrathful side, sometimes called the Bear Maiden, which defends children, the elderly, and the weak. Her attributes include compassion and mercy, though in some cases that mercy can seem harsh, such as destruction of the undead and granting merciful death to suffering plague victims.
Depiction. Lada appears as a young woman with braided black hair and bright green or blue eyes. She wears flowers with her attire.
Worshippers. Lada has many worshippers, for does not everyone wish for mercy, healing, and light? Young mothers, children, and the sick are all her devotees, as are many paladins (especially women) and some rangers, dervishes, and southern travelers. Her shrines and charms are common among the centaurs, the Rothenian elves, and humans from north to south. These followers see her in their own race’s form (a centaur maiden, an elven matron, or a human woman), but they concede that this outer seeming is a bridge to worship. All utter similar prayers and hold their rites at daybreak.
Commandments

• Cure all the sick who ask.
• Defend lovers from all dangers and trials.
• Show mercy to those who ask it.

Perun

Perun, the god of war and thunder, is the Lord of thunder. His chorus is the sound of spear on shield, his ceremony is the tramp of boots marching and mustering. Perun seeks to expand conflict between nations and to strengthen his worshippers against their enemies. He is the bright blade of youths at their first Mustering, and the notched edge of gray-bearded veterans. All turn to him in times of anger and know his service is an honorable estate, as long as they do not break the Edicts of Just War. At first glance Perun is the simplest of gods—a creature of destruction, strength, and war. His deeper aspect promises healing and rebirth, since his mysteries involve not just death and glory, but also resurrection and a cleansing of the soul. Most soldiers, guards, bandits, and scouts make offerings to Perun. In his cavern-temples he brings the greatest warriors back to fight once more, through resurrection at his priests’ command. Though primarily a god of war and thunder, Perun is also the god of chaos and rebirth. The chaos of war is well regarded in the North, or at least respected, but it is considered something to be mastered by priests in the south, who see chaos as an undesirable but irrefutable aspect of the storms of war.
Depiction. He is often depicted covered head to toe in armor and a large red cape with his trusted axe in hand and his loyal hawk by his side.
Worshippers. Humans are Perun’s most devoted worshippers, especially those of Novigrad, the Rothenian Plain, and Orlais. Soldiers and guards, farmers and shepherds alike appeal to the Lord of War and Thunder for strength and guidance.
Commandments

• Cowardice is shameful and abhorrent.
• Fights, duels, and combats may never be refused.
• Retreat is acceptable, but victory is the finest goal of a follower of the war god.

Rava

Patron of Zobeck, Rava is a relatively minor goddess whose beneficence has given the city autoscribes, clockwork scullions, the gearforged, and other inventions. Merchants believe she blesses their hard work, and her mark features on contracts and bills of lading as a surety of delivery or payment. She is the patron goddess of the city and a sponsor of magic, knowledge, and industry.
Depiction. Rava’s physical form resembles a six-armed woman, and she is frequently shown weaving or spinning. She appears as a maiden, as the mother of industry, and as a wise crone in different shrines and at different seasons.
Worshippers. The industrious, the learned, and the gearforged are Rava’s closest followers, and dwarves, humans, and kobolds all maintain shrines to her. Most of her hard-working followers are willing to try new things; novelty and invention are a part of her portfolio as much as tradition and crafting. Alchemists, wizards, scribes, guild masters, weavers, and merchants all turn to Rava for wise counsel.
Commandments

• Be wise and hard-working.
• Prize learning and scholarship, and the discovery and making of new things.
• seek out new learning and steer the world’s fate to peace and plenty.

Volund

Volund is the god of earth and fire, of the hammer’s ring as it lands upon the anvil and the hiss of steam as a newforged sword is quenched. He is one of the divine patrons of the reaver dwarves, but many races revere him as a master craftsman and lord of all the jewels and precious metals in the earth. Though primarily a god of fire, creation, and smith work, Volund is also the god of family and hospitality, especially among humans. Marriage is sacred to the faith (since it forges a bond between two people). In his youth he was a great traveler—some even dare to say a mortal—and in his wanderings taught many races to forge not only swords and shields but laws and communities. If angered he was merciless in his revenge, crafting cursed items that still linger in Midgard and cause trouble into the present day.
Depiction. He is depicted as a large ram like creature that walks on two legs. His eyes, mouth, and horns burn with the fire of the forge.
Worshippers. Reaver dwarves, ironcrag dwarves, and the Khazzaki of the Rothenian Plain, and the people of Zobeck are all especially fond of Volund. Most nations recognize him as at least a lesser god, and smiths everywhere venerate him.
Commandments

• Craft great works in his name and harness stone, metal, and fire to their will.