Pantheon
Etara
Goddess of Creation
It is said she wove together strands taken from the cosmos and used them to paint the world and all those upon it. Always looking to create, she filled the world with different races and elemental forces, but once she was finished, she would lose interest and look to her next artwork.
As such, she eventually created the other gods and goddesses to watch over and manage what she had made before.
Etara | |
|---|---|
Edicts | To foster creativity, always be prepared to change, always be looking forward |
Anathema | Stagnation of body or mind, suppressing another's ideas, imposing restrictive rules or laws |
Areas of Concern | Creation, the Arts, Fertility |
Follower Alignment | CG, CN, CE |
Ustus
God of Death and Travel
Ustus was the first God created by Etara. In the beginning, all of Etara's creations were eternal, and no one and nothing ever died, but this led to stagnation, and Etara desired constant change.
Ustus is seen as a God of travel and transformation, guiding people from life to death as just one of his charges. Ustus is not seen as the cold and fearful death present in other cultures, but as a guiding hand to the afterlife.
Ustus | |
|---|---|
Edicts | Guide the dead to rest, protect travelers along their path, and destroy the undead |
Anathema | Create undead, banditry, desecrate a tomb or corpse |
Areas of Concern | Death, travel |
Follower Alignment | LG, LN, CG, CN |
Iphion
Goddess of Magic and Knowledge
After Ustus Etara created Iphion. Etara wished her creations were able to create themselves.
She created and tasked Iphion with teaching and guiding the young lifeforms. It was Iphion who taught people how to first weave magic, the laws governing the sciences, and language to communicate new ideas.
Iphion | |
Edicts | Seek Knowledge, Seek Understanding, Share your knowledge |
Anathema | Restrict access to knowledge, bend to superstition or ignorance |
Areas of Concern | Magic, Science, Knowledge |
Follower Alignment | LG, LN, LE |
Peorr and Codmir
Twin Gods of Order and Chaos
Finally, Etara created the twins Peorr and Codmir.
Peorr is the god of order and peace, constantly in opposition to Codmir, the god of chaos and war. She saw that her world needed chaos to grow and evolve, but if left unchecked, that chaos could destroy everything, and thus needed an opposite to balance it out.
Despite being opposites, many worship them together, seeking the aid of one over the other depending on circumstance and desire, though a preference for one often asserts itself among the people of a land.
Peorr | |
Edicts | Promote order, follow the law, defend the weak |
Anathema | Sow discord, disregard the law, attack without provocation |
Areas of concern | Order, Stability, Law |
Alignment | LG, LN |
Codmir | |
Edicts | Create growth from chaos, cunning and strength to be victorious |
Anathema | Blindly following laws |
Areas of concern | Chaos, Change, Growth |
Alignments | CG, CN, CE |
Main teachings/beliefs
Etarian teachings vary significantly depending on the location of worship. In Caedrith, there is greater zeal than in many other lands of Aevora, and the church is heavily involved in the law of the land; elsewhere, the church has less power but remains present.
Since the Closing of the Doors, the church teaches that someone will eventually appear with the belief and dedication needed to regain contact with the divine. Therefore, personal growth is essential for Etarian followers. Etara valued creation and growth above all else, and each of the deities she created is related to enabling self-improvement or evolution in some way.
Art holds a special place within the church, and creative pursuits are often seen as a divine calling.
Some offshoots of the church believe that each of the Gods represents a different aspect of a Divine All, but the main denomination considers this dangerously close to heresy and refuses to condone such beliefs. Both perspectives agree that equal reverence should be paid to all the Gods, and while one may pray to a specific God for a particular purpose, a moment must be taken to acknowledge each in turn.
Organisationsal Structure
The Etarian Church is split into two: the clergy and the Holy Knights
The clergy are organised into a hierarchy of Bishops, priests, clerics, and proclaimers (missionaries)
The holy Knights are organised into orders led by a Knight Vigilant. TBC