The Gods of Talamh

"And lo, The Branwen made the Seven in Their image, divine children blessed to be protectors and guardians of this land and its people, ever-watchful from the Beyond.

In return, they would bless the land and ask of us only success and worship, which we offer up to the heavens gladly. The Divines uplift and uphold us, binding us to our truths and giving our very lives purpose."

- Spire Historian Gennedy Druach, 966 T.B.

Long ago in the time before people existed on this land, The Seven Gods of Talamh and their Divine Mother, The Branwen, would bring about the creation of this continent and its inhabitants. These beings are said to have the ability to create, bestow, destroy, and even revoke life and alter the very fabric of the world itself by their being alone. In the earliest days of Talamh during the Time of the Wanderers when the Fey were the sole inhabitants of this land, it is said that the first created people received a Divine Revelation. The Seven themselves appeared before the nubile populous solely to ask if they could walk among the people they created and so loved. The Fey of the land brought them in with open arms, venerating and praising their divinity and empathy alike. Yet, Western theurgists say that their Divine Mother was not with them - that they walked somewhere far different, gazing on from the Otherworld.
Over 8,000 years later, both the East and West venerate these Seven Gods and their Divine Mother. Their methods of worship may differ at times but it cannot be denied that these entities are one in the same, beings viewed by both sides kaleidoscopically. No matter their worshippers or the dogma they tout, these Divine beings shaped Talamh into the land it is today with their very own hands.

Two Cultures, One Pantheon

Despite the modern establishment perpetuating a stark divide between the Eastern and Western Talish, the gods they worship are almost certainly the same. While Eastern Tief dogma has attempted to push Western philosophies and truths away, they are unable to escape integral facets of Fey culture in the deities they have come to worship. Unbiased national scholars claim that when the Tief arrived, they adopted Fey Talish gods as their own and abandoned their previous 'unkindly lords'.
While most say their permutations remained self-contained for some time, it is intensely well-documented in the books of the Spire Lorekeepers and their Diarists that the rising Tiefling aristocracy made clear effort to distance their interpretation of the gods from that of the Fey. This was met with variable success. Holdovers such as the colloquial names of the gods have not changed despite historically significant Tiefling attempts. The names of the Seven remain in Proto-Sylvan, the language of the ancient Talish Fey. Their meanings have since been lost, but these holdovers have tied Eastern and Western theology implicitly for the rest of time.

Interpretation Across Borders

The primary differences in interpretation of the Talish deities is a marked indication of the cultural values of both East and West. While there are many notable specificities in the differences between the gods across borders, the major interpretative divides come from the deific capacity for empathy and change as well as the geographical range of believers.
In the West, it is nigh upon nationally believed that the gods once were mortal, or at least mortal-like - enough so to produce beings who could change just as other people do. They are recognized as fallible beings, guideposts for morality and ideal living rather than examples of it. They are venerated not for their perfection but for their connection to the land, often manifesting in their archetypical abilities to shape the world and care for the people in it. They are empathetic beings, gods who understand and honor their people amidst struggle and strife. Even the Monarch Mac Rialor is not implacable - Western lore says that they have a great capacity for patience, humility, and understanding.
Conversely, the Eastern dogma states that the gods were never mortal and have stood as paragon mythological heroes since the dawn of time. The only beings said to even come close to their perfection and exemplifiable lives were the Seven Saints, who would only come after them and be lifted to such ubiquitous fame during the Conquest. Eastern theology and theurgy explains that the gods are omnipotent, hierarchical beings who believe nature is something to exert mastery over rather than harmonize with. This has naturally informed much of Eastern societal perspective on the benevolence, care, and relevancy of the gods. Many modern Eastern Talish have actually fallen out of favor with the Seven as a whole, favoring smaller cults of belief or abandoning the faith altogether. The most religious group in the East is the Tiefling aristocracy, who some critics say utilize religion to exert their rule over the other Eastern peoples.
One great variable between these sides is scale. Traditionally, the Fey see deity-worship as a holistic affair. They believe in all the gods and venerate them equally, believing them to all play a part in the grand tapestry of the world. There is no one god that is more important than the others, just as in nature how one being cannot attempt to survive alone lest it wither and fail. The Tiefling aristocracy enforced via the League of Clans and Faith of the Spire touts doctrines and cults of personality around individual deities and religious leaders respectively. This has resulted in the prevalence of regional religious believe somewhat centralized around each of the Seven Godstones. As consequence of this, most people have lost their faith in the gods that are not nearest to them - it is a rare thing to mention a wayward easterner mention Oisin in County Glasuaine or The Branwen all.

Status
Active
Organization Type
Divine Pantheon
Members
The Branwen
Oisin, The Caretaker
Siobhan, the Arbiter
Arianne, the Stargazer
Germagh, the Titan
Owyn, the Muse
Birgitte, the Captain
Mac Rialor, the Monarch
Aliases
The Seven, The Divines, The Children
Divisions
The Cycle Triad - The Branwen, Oisin, Siobhan
The Heart Dualism - Birgitte and Mac Rialor
The Hand Dualism - Germagh and Owyn
The Triple Aspect - Arianne's three forms: Mother, Maiden, Crone
Creature Type
Celestial