Old Gods

The Old Gods are the first Gods of humanity, beleived to be the earliest of Gods to appear on the Material Plane during the Dawn Age. Once worshipped by many humans across the western world, today the Old Gods are held sacred only in the Petty Kingdom of Gwenydd. The Gwenyddians have a strong tie to their Gods, and are considered to be chosen people of these gods.
The Old Gods are a set polytheistic pantheon with no organised head or structure. Rather clerics will follow specific Gods, but have no overarching religious authority. The Old Gods are known to appear on the material plane regularly and will converse with their followers.
The tenents of the Old Gods are depicted in ancient oral mythology and legends. These have been partially codifed by Eldrian scholars and those from the Miskatonic, but largely remain as strictly oral or iconographic stories on standing stones.

Pantheon

The Old Gods are rare compared to other pantheons. Some Gods may have the occasional specific temple or shrine in holy places, but most will be worshipped at henges and monoliths. The place of worship is less important to the Old Gods, rather the time, offering, and ritual performed.

Diety	Allignmenet	Provinces	Domains	Common Symbols
The Daghda	CG	Weather and crops	Nature, Tempest, Life	Bubbling culdron or shield
Arawn	NE/NG	God of Life and Death	Life and Death	Black Star on a grey background
Belenus	NG	The sun, light, warmthy	Light	Solar disk
Brigantia	NG	Rivers and lifestock	Life, Nature	Footbridge
Dianncecht	LG	Medicine and healing	Light	Crossed oak and misletoe branches
Duantis	N	Mountains and peaks	Nature	Red sun-capped mountain peak
Goibhniu	NG	Smiths and healing	Knowledge, life	Giant mallet over a sword
Lugh	CN	Arts, travel, commerce	Knowledge, Trickery	A pair of long hands
Manannan mac Lir	LN	Oceans and Sea Creatures	Nature, Tempest	Wave of white water on green
Math Mathonwy	NE	Magic	Arcana, Knowledge	Staff
Morrigan	CE	War and the Dead	Death, Grave, War	A crow or two crossed spears
Nuada	N	War and Warriors	War	Silver hand on a black background
Oghma	NG	Speech and writing	Knowledge	Unfurled Scroll
Silvanus	N	Nature and forests	Nature	Summer oak tree

TEXT The Daghda: The father of the pantheon, the Daghda is also considered the father of humanity. He first taught humans how to farm, and brings the right weather to their lands for crops to grow. considered a benevolent but testing God, the Daghda is widely revered. He is depcticted as a large and jolly man with a thick beard. Time of Worship: 0600-0900 Offering: Grains or golden pieces Ritual: Dancing around the standing stones
Arawn: A dichotemy of the God. Gwenyddian legend states that during the summer months, Arawn is the God of Life, a sensitive and caring God, who brings life and joy to the land. When autumn and winter comes, he turns into the cold and selfish God of Death. He cares not for life or the pleading of his people, focused on the coldness of logic and the fate of all humanity, their eventual death. Depicted as male, female, young, or old, Arawn is a complicated God is feared by his followers during the colder months, and adored by them during the warmer ones. Time of Worship: 0300-0600 Offering: A scarifed rabbit or hare during winter, or a rose during spring and summer Ritual: Offering blood or Wine
Belenus: The God of the sun, Belenus is most revered during the spring and summer. Depicted as a relaxed God who doesn't take himself seriously, followers of Belenus bask in idolness, finding the beauty in the life rushing by. Belenus is respected by all, his casualness and openess making him a fond and comical character in Gwenyddian legends. Time of Worship: 0600-0900 Offering: A copper coin Ritual: meditation on the stones
Brigantia: Goddess of rivers and livestock, Brigantia is considered the patron of most rural communities and given frequent festivals in her order. She is depicted as a young woman with long flowing red hair. She is considered a kind god, and many bridges will have small shrines dedicated to her. Time of worship: 1200-1500 Offering: Flask of water Ritual: pouring water and singing
Dianncecht: The God of medicine and healing, he is has a large number of clerics who offer vows to him in order to travel the country and heal the sick. He has been known to appear during times of plague and famine, acting as a lowly healer who bestows gifts upon those who show kindness to the outcasts of society. Time of worship: 0600-0900 Offering: Water and Lavender Ritual: Recieting oaths and vows
Duantis: A feared and formidable God who resides over the moutains of the world. He gaurds his domain fearsomely, often sending elementals to deter those that dwell too deep in his mountains. Miners willl give him freqent offerings as a penance for thier work, and will dedicate some of their findings too him. He is depcticted as a giant wielding a large axe. Time of worship: 2100-0000 Offering: Ores, stones, or gems Ritual: Wrestling and dancing
Goibhniu: The god of smiths and healing, Goibhniu is associated with the urban centres of the world. A kind God, Goibhniu has strict laws and codes, and when wandering the mortal plane will visit forges and traders. Those that prove themselves as honourable and capable crafstmen or healers are given magical items by Goibhniu. He is depcited as a brawny blacksmith or frail begger. Time of Worship: 0600-0900 Offering: Burning cinders Ritual: Burning wicker statues
Lugh: A trickster god prone to bargains, considered the patron of commerce and gamblers. Lugh has been known to offer deals to mortals, offering them their hearts content. Yet these deals are never as sweet as they first appear, as Lugh always comes out on top in the end. Lugh has littered the mortal plane with magical items that grant cruel wishes. He is depicted as a short and mischevous child. Time of Worship: 2100-0000 Offering: Incesence and oil Ritual: Burning oil
Mannanan Mac Lir: The God of the seas and storms, Mannanan Mac Lir is a tempestuous God, worshipped by sailors and those that live on the coast. He is considered to be quick to anger but kind to those that show him respect. His druidic orders will gather at henges along the coast during storms, performing rituals in order to hear their God speak. His depcited as a brawny male with black hair and a beard, drenched in water. Time of worship: 2100-0000 Offering: Fish, salt, water Ritual: Rain dances
Math Mathonway: The Goddess of magic, the one most assocaited with taken human form. Math Mathonway is the patron of mages and magic, and uses these to push the edges of reality to chaos. Considered a wreckless god who places more importance on discovery than they do morality, they are known for necromancy and other dark arts. Math Mathonway often merges their soul with humans, running a large tower for Gwenyddian wizards in the North of the country.
Morrigan: The Goddess of battles and the dead, Morrigan rules the underworld. She is considered to be ambivlent to mortals, prioritising the plans of the Gods before the needs of her followers. She cares deeply about her people as a whole, and isn't afraid to sacrifce people in order to protect them. Legend shows her as kind to those that are recently passed, escorting them to their afterlife. Her clerics are numerous, and oversee Gwenyddian funeral rites. Time of worship: 0000-0300 Offering: Bones, crow's feathers Ritual: Burning bones
Nuada: The warrior queen and sister of Morrigan, Nuada is considered the patron of all warriors, and those going into battle will chant rituals and poems in her name. Nuada's mythical weapons are scattered through the wilderness of the world, grantign great power to those that claim them in the name of honour. Those that use them for injustice will find the weapons inflicts terrible curses upon them. Depicted as a tall and muscular woman, often in full plate armour. Time of worship: 0300-0600 Offering: Iron Ritual: Ceremonial fighting
Oghma: The patron of bards and politicians, Oghma values speech and diplomacy. In Gwenyddian legend, Oghma is often the narrator, descriping the feats of the Gods and heroes in detail. Valued by artists, shrines of Oghma are scralled with poetry and stories, with the standing stones around key holy sites being painted with ancient legends. Depicted as a calm and quiet man carrying a lyre. Time of worship: 1200-1500 Offering: Poems Ritual: Reciting songs and legends
Silvanus: The god of the wilds, Silvanus is a distant God from civilization, finding their home in the wilds of Gwenydd. Many druidic orders gather in his name, performing rituals and offerings in his honour. Silvanus will often appear in the material plane in order to push those that infringe on nature back to the cities from whence they came. Depicted as a wild and disheveled long haired and bearded man. Time of worship: 1500-1800 Offering: Twigs Ritual: burning leaves

Avatars

The Old Gods are unlike all the other gods of the multiverse. The Old Gods are ancient and deeply tied to the world and humanity. Specific rituals at key times of the year allow Gods to merge their souls with a sickly human infant, forming a mortal avatar. Their divine soul is split, stranding one half in their celestial planes and the other half to the being with whom they merged.
The rituals are complicated affairs and can only occur under specific celestial conditions. They often require the aid of a Champion of the specific God, and once the ritual is complete, a cleric or champion is required to train the child to awaken the celestial part of their new soul.
Once these powers are unlocked, the avatar becomes aware of not only the celestial being within them, but also the past lives of any other avatar. They gain specific powers and domains, and are considered to be demi-gods and legendary leaders amongst the Gwenyddians.
This is a rare occurance, with only several Gods partaking in it, examples are listed below: Brigantia: Known to have created three avatars, once per age, often living simple lives as spiritual leaders. Dianncecht: Known to have taken 10 different avatars, all notable healers and spiritual leaders during plagues or poltiical disarray. Duantis: Known to have six avatars, all during the mythic age when the Gwenyddians largely lived in the mountains. Lugh: Known to have taken nine different avatars through different ages, normally taking on the role as an outlaw or adventuring bard. Math Mathonway: Has taken many different avatars who lead her school of mages in Gwenydd. Morrigan: Has taken two avatars, one during the Gwenyddian uprising against the Krowethians, and one during the First Soulthek War. Nuada: Has taken many avatars, all during key wars. Last known avatar was slain during the war with the Eldrian Empire.

Structure

There is no strict structure to the religion. Certain monastic or clerical orders will exist throughout Gwenydd and function as largely self governing organizations. The closest the religion gets to being truly organized is with the Order of Morrigan, who have numerous temples throughout Gwenydd to over see the funeral rites of the people. The High Priest or Priestess of this order is a de-facto religious head.
The other clerical groups and druidic orders are largely self-governing, with shrines temples having some form of operator who looks after the building but largely answers to nobody but their God. The direct relationship the Gods have with their people makes the need for hierarchies largely redunant, as the Gods could choose to appear and spread their message through anyone.

Public Agenda

The Old Gods are motivated by encouraging the growth and cultural heritage of their chosen people, the Gwenyddians. Gwenyddians worship their Gods despite growing persecution by the Eldrian Empire. Within Gwenydd, this religion is matter of life. Rituals and offerings are performed on a regular basis to all of the Gods regularly.

History

The religion was founded in the early days of linear time. The scattered humans of the world largely turned to these gods, erected stone circles and monuments to them. They were most commonly worshipped in the western kingdoms, especially by the Gwenyddian and Kernowians.
The Religious centre is and has always been in Gwenydd; The Proto-Keltai people formed into the Gwenyddians, and when the giant lead Krowethian Empire saught to invade Gwenydd, the Pact of the Grove saw the Old Gods protect their people, allowign the giants to occupy the low lands and letting their human people live in the wilderness of the mountains, forests, and marshlands. This led to the development of the Gwenyddian culture, devoted to their gods.
When the Krowethian empire renaged on their deal with the Gwenyddians, the Old Gods were angered, and began to prepare their people for revolt and rebellion. The Gwenyddians, with the aid of their Gods, toppled the Krowethians and gained their homeland for themselves. Throughout the first and second age, the Old Gods were widely worshipped across the Westerlands, with the human population elsewhere adopting other religions.
The religion continued to flourish until the late second age and early third age. When the Aedrinarans took much of Tumbria and Gwenydd, they brought their own polythesitic religion of the Ysgardian Gods with them. The Marcian Empire took all of Albion and converted them to the Goose God. This decline saw the last places of worship within Prima Terra being in Gwenydd and Kernow.
The Eldrian Empire eventually conqured both, and when the Kernowians revolted they had their religion forcibly taken from them. In the Third Age, this leaves Gwenydd as the last remaining worshippers of the Old Gods in all of Prima Terra, and as revolt grows within Gwenydd, the Eldrian Empire is threatening to take the Gods away from them too...

Founding Date

(ma) 1

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Permeated Organizations

• Petty Kingdom of Gwenydd

Divines

• Avatar Morgan

Related Ethnicities

• Gwenyddian
• Kernowian