Deities

Table: Archaean deities

Deity	Domains	Symbols
Anasara	Life, Nature, Peace	Holly wreath, mermaid, goat
Arhiann	Arcana, Knowledge, Twilight	Spiral
Azif	Forge, Light	Flaming eagle, phoenix
Baiyatt	Order	Sword thrust through a bull's head
Cymothoa	Death, Trickery	Skull erupting with worms and fungi
Daarl	Nature, War	Sling, oval (representing a river stone), dead rabbit
Horebbin	Nature	Bear, silver axe, tree
Korro Khaitan	Twilight, War	Hammer
Laat	Life, Light, Peace	Lion, dove
Miranha	Trickery	Cornucopia, smiling mask
Morganthe	Death, Grave, War	Raven, scissors, spindle
Najon	Life, Nature, Order	Burning mace
Oerresh	Nature, Trickery, Tempest	Sea turtle
Pekha	Life, Nature, Peace	Sheaf of grain
Ranael	Death, Nature	Black scorpion
Rel Thestra	Knowledge, Nature, Trickery	Raven against a gold disk
Shadira	Life, Tempest	Cat's eyes
Skudra	Forge, Knowledge, War	Anvil
Tavi Thestra	Arcana, Knowledge, Trickery	Bow and arrow
Thehlal	Arcana, Death, Grave, Knowledge	Helm with stag-like antlers, wolf
Uzzah	Order, War	Spear, two-handed sword
Vanu Mar	Light, Order	Lightning bolt
Vaya	Nature, Peace	"X" (depicting a crossroads)
Venabetha	Knowledge, Trickery, Twilight	Triangle inside of a circle (sometimes with the lines of the triangle extending outside of the circle)
Zhurok	Death, Life, Order	Disk half white and half black (similar to a yin-yang symbol without the dots)

Anasara

One of the most popular gods is Anasara, the Great Goddess of Fertility and Childbirth, the Source of the Cosmic Ocean. She purifies the male seed, the mother's womb, and the mother's milk.

Anasara is depicted in a variety of ways because of the many roles she serves. The most commonly used image is that of a full-figured human woman wearing a crown of holly leaves. Popular but less commonly used images of Anasara include a mermaid, an ornately twining grapevine, and a pregnant goat.

Arhiann

Arhiann, sister to Thehlal, is the goddess of the night sky, the stars, and dreams. Arhiann is one of the most powerful gods, second only to Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan. Unlike most of the star gods, Arhiann has an affection for mortals, and enjoys watching them from above. She is the patron of the thief skulking in the shadows, the traveler camping under the stars, and the child hiding under their sheets in the middle of the night.

Arhiann is typically depicted as a nude, ebony-skinned woman covered in stars.

Azif

Among his other epithets, Vanu Mar is known as He Who Ignites The Sky (i.e., the sun). According to legend, fire on earth was sent from the sun, arriving as lightning bolts that blasted the ground and set fire to forests. Such earthbound fire is the domain of Azif, eldest son of Vanu Mar.

Images of Azif typically take the form of a tall, bronze-skinned man with plaited blonde hair. Azif is also represented as a flaming eagle, or a phoenix.

Baiyatt

Baiyatt, grim and grey-eyed, is a god of oaths and vows and contracts, all of which are sealed by swearing on his name. His name has come to mean "contract" as a common noun. Baiyatt's likeness sometimes appears on coins, where he is shown as a lean bald man, grabbing a bull's head and thrusting a sword into it.

Cymothoa

Cymothoa, the Wasting God, is the god of rot, pestilence, and putrefaction, as well as of parasites, vermin, and fungi which feed upon or infest people. Its temples are few, and its priests are rare. When it is depicted, it is as a skull erupting with worms and fungi.

Daarl

Daarl was once one of the earth gods until she was ravished by Gurm, a minor god devoted to small mammals such as mice and rabbits. She then transformed from a gentle goddess devoted to the smooth stones of riverbanks to a fierce and implacable huntress. She is now numbered among the war gods.

Daarl's weapon is the sling. The sling was actually invented by Skudra, but the artificer god cast it aside because he could not find a stone round and smooth enough to use it effectively. Daarl took up the discarded weapon, and she uses it with deadly accuracy.

Daarl is typically portrayed as a woman dressed in animal skins, with her sling in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other.

Horebbin

Horebbin, the God of Dark Forests, is chief among the earth gods, and is the source of fertility for both plants and animals. Horebbin is also a storm god, and many sacrifices are made to him in the storm season so that he will not wash away his worshippers by being too generous.

Like all of the earth gods, Horebbin accepts mortal worshippers but he does not seek them. It is wise to seek Horebbin's protection while in his domain, but it is also wise to remember that Horebbin considers mortals in his forests as uninvited guests, at best.

Horebbin is not often depicted in mortal artwork: a great tree is his most common surrogate. When he is given a manlike shape, he is usually shown as a burly warrior wielding a great silver axe.

Korro Khaitan

Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan are the most powerful of the gods, but it is rare for either to be worshipped directly. Neither Vanu Mar nor Korro Khaitan cares particularly for mortals, and it's generally considered imprudent to petition either for favors. This is for the best: when Vanu Mar or Korro Khaitan take an interest in the world of mortals, mortals suffer. Even the other gods rarely seek the company or counsel of Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan.

This does not mean that they are ignored. Most of the larger temples have small altars devoted to Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan, and the two largest festivals each year are held in their honor. Feile Gwanwyn, held on the vernal equinox, is devoted to Vanu Mar, and Feile Hyfed, held on the autumnal equinox, is held in honor of Korro Khaitan.

Laat

Laat is the youngest daughter of Vanu Mar, who sits at his left hand. She is sometimes found on coins, typically on the smallest copper or bronze coins that one might give to beggars. She is most frequently portrayed as a pale young woman with gold hair wearing a flowing white gown and a crown made of feathers (less frequently, a pale young woman with great white wings and partial armor over her flowing white gown). She is the embodiment of Vanu Mar's mercy, and is frequently portrayed in myths as holding back her sister Uzzah.

Laat also serves as protector of the weak. When serving in this capacity, she is usually found leading her sister Uzzah into battle, rather than holding her back.

Miranha

Miranha the Deceiver is the Lord Of Illusion, the Master Of Lies, and patron of those who believe without evidence. He tempts the unwary away from the truth, and he provides succor to those who cling to hope when all others have given up.

One well-known myth featuring Miranha features a prince whom Marinha has convinced that his princess is being unfaithful. Eventually, the prince loses his princess, his wealth, and the loyalty of his retainers, only to learn at the end of his life that it was his own jealousy and fear that drove his princess into the arms of his closest friend. Another Miranha myth is the tale of a mother whose son is lost at sea in a storm. Many years pass, and everyone believes him to be dead, but Miranha reassures the mother that her son lives. Eventually, the son returns to his home a prince, having traveled the world, amassed a vast fortune in gold and gems, and married a beautiful princess in a far-off land. He takes his mother away to his palace in the far kingdom, leaving behind the villagers who did not believe he would return.

Miranha is usually depicted as a smiling man in a red cloak. He may also be represented as a gold platter or horn, overflowing with food, gems, and other treasures.

Morganthe

Morganthe the Tailor is the Arbiter of Life, the Grim Merchant, and a patron of seamstresses, weavers, undertakers, and warriors. She measures the fabric of a mortal's life, and uses her shears to cut that fabric when the mortal's span is done.

Morganthe is commonly held to be the daughter of Arhiann, goddess of night, although she is also closely affiliated with Thehlal. Like Thehlal, Morganthe is not evil -- she fulfills a necessary role. It is said that the other gods fear Morganthe, for even the fabric of their vast existences will someday feel the cold touch of her shears.

Morganthe is usually depicted as a grim woman in a threadbare cloak, holding a spindle or a pair of scissors.

Najon

One of Ranael's few allies is a figure called Najon, the Lord of the Heat of the Earth. This is the heat that builds mountains and warms the sea. In summer, Najon prowls the surface world, and is thought to be one of Anasara's many lovers. In the winter, Najon retreats to the Underworld and keeps the subterranean waters warm so the roots of plants won't freeze.

Najon frequently acts as an intermediary between Ranael and the other earth gods. He is typically depicted as a short, brutish man carrying a stone mace which burns like a torch.

Oerresh

Oerresh, the sea giant, is a god of the vast waters at the horizon. He is the father of the sea maidens, who lure sailors away from land, as well as of the sea giants, whose battles at the ocean's bottom cause storms and waves of all types.

Pekha

Pekha the Ploughman, the jovial farmer and the inventor of beer, is one of the most popular deities in Archaea. He is a god of fertility and agriculture, as well as the protector of the fields and flocks.

A well-known myth of Pekha is the Battle Of The Trees. Venabetha, the Thiefwatcher, had crept into Thehlal's castle of bone in the Underworld and stolen a book from her library. Thehlal sent an army of the dead to the world of the living to reclaim it. Seeing that the dead were trampling his crops, Pekha commanded the trees to come to life and stand in their way. While the dead were held at bay, Pekha drank beer with Venabetha until the thief got drunk and fell asleep. Pekha retrieved the book from Venabetha, gave it back to Thehlal, and went back to ploughing his fields.

He is typically portrayed as a smiling, barrel-chested man.

Ranael

In opposition to Horebbin and most of the other earth gods is Ranael, the God of the Wastelands. Ranael is frequently depicted as a pale, gaunt woman pacing to and fro at the edge of her domain, waiting for a chance to expand the Wastelands and her power. It usually falls to Horebbin to repel these attempts.

The first time they fought, Horebbin was a great white bear with golden claws, and Ranael was a black scorpion with dull silver eyes that withered all under her gaze. In that battle, Horebbin slashed at Ranael's left eye, destroying it utterly and earning Ranael's eternal hatred.

Rel Thestra

Rel Thestra, the Pretender, is a brother to Tavi Thestra. Like Tavi Thestra, Rel Thestra is a bit of a scoundrel, although not as whimsical as his lighthearted brother. Where the Vagabond finds joy in playing playing pranks, the Pretender seeks entertainment of a more cerebral sort: through guile, seduction, and trickery, he convinces his victims to reveal their hiddenmost secrets.

Both gods and mortals have found themselves tricked into trusting Rel Thestra, revealing to him that which they would rather keep concealed. In fact, the only god who has never succumbed to Rel Thestra's wiles is the dark goddess Thehlal, who can see past his disguises and who is too wise to believe his lies.

Among his other talents, the Pretender is the friend to all feathered creatures, from whom he hears reports from lands both near and far. It is said that a whisper on the other side of the sea will find its way to Rel Thestra's ear if there is a bird nearby to hear it. While he is nearly always portrayed in human form, he often takes the shape of a large black raven in stories, and his holy symbol is that of a raven against the gold disk of the sun.

Shadira

Shadira is an earth goddess, patron of carnal love and desire. Like her mother Anasara, Shadira is strongly associated with sex, but while Anasara embodies procreation, the family, and responsibility, Shadira represents pure pleasure, free from obligations or commitments. As such, Shadira is ever at odds with her mother, and many myths depict the struggle between them as they strive to sway mortals' choices between freedom and obligation.

Shadira is also known as the Eater of Impurities. Once in a lifetime, a person may confess her worst deeds and sins to Shadira, holding back nothing. In return, the confessor receives absolution; no impurity or defilement is too great to be forgiven. In this role, Shadira is sometimes portrayed as a consort of Thehlal.

Shadira is often portrayed as a horrible, devouring catlike figure, yet she is also honored for being a creator, and a goddess who sets things in motion. She is sometimes pictured as four sisters, who are present at the crossroads of one's life.

Skudra

Inscrutable Skudra is a god of warfare and invention. It was Skudra who crafted the paths for the stars to follow, at the behest of the star gods, and it was Skudra who polished the sharp edges from the sun and moon.

Both Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan have enlisted Skudra's aid in their battles with the other, but such aid extends only to his skill as an artificer -- Skudra himself never takes sides. The most famous of Skudra's works are Uzzah's armor and weapons, and the great Arnhammer with which Korro Khaitan broke through the dome of heaven and the crust of the earth.

Skudra has a wide variety of worshippers, from skilled tradesmen who work with their hands to cunning scholars whose tools are pen and parchment. Skudra himself is typically depicted as a dark, wiry man wearing the leather apron of a smith.

Tavi Thestra

Tavi Thestra is a companion of sorts to Vaya. Where Vaya is the worldly wise Traveller, Tavi Thestra is the lighthearted Vagabond. Where Vaya walks the earth, Tavi Thestra flits from place to place as his whims guide him.

Tavi Thestra is perhaps the most whimsical of the gods, playing pranks on both gods and mortals with equal impunity. Such diversions are more capricious than malicious, but like most gods, Tavi Thestra pays little heed to the fragility of the mortal frame.

Tavi Thestra can move in all directions, and if something must be found or retrieved, it is to him that mortals and immortals most often turn. Among his other talents, the Vagabond is an archer without peer. It is said that an arrow from Tavi Thestra's bow will cross the world in search of its target.

Thehlal

Thehlal is one of the star gods. Although she is not the most potent of the gods, or even of the star gods, she is unassailable in her domain: Schurn, the Underworld.

Schurn is not the world of the afterlife itself, but the vast dark land between the land of the living and the Bridge of Impartial Judgment. All who pass on from the world of the living must find their way through the Underworld to the Bridge to receive their final reward. Not everyone wants their just reward, of course, and the Underworld is filled with those who are unwilling to present themselves for judgment.

Thehlal is, like the rest of the star gods, remote and somewhat sinister. However, she is not evil. It is simply her task to reclaim from mortals that spark with which all mortals are born. This was part of the agreement between the war gods and the star gods at the dawn of the Third World, and it is a responsibility that Thehlal takes most seriously.

Thehlal is also a goddess of secrets, and her library is said to hold knowledge taken from all who pass through the Underworld, but she is loathe to share this lore with anyone, even the other gods.

The goddess of the Underworld is typically depicted as a statuesque, ebony-skinned woman wearing a helm with massive stag-like antlers. She is often shown accompanied by wolves, her sacred animal.

Uzzah

Uzzah is the eldest daughter of Vanu Mar, who sits at his right hand. Her likeness as it appears on coins is that of an armored maiden with dark hair and mahogany skin, wearing a winged helmet and carrying a great spear (less frequently, a double-edged sword nearly as tall as she is). She is the goddess of unerring judgment and wisdom, and is commonly the instrument of Vanu Mar's justice (i.e., his wrath). Uzzah is frequently worshipped by warriors of both sexes.

Vanu Mar

Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan are the most powerful of the gods, but it is rare for either to be worshipped directly. Neither Vanu Mar nor Korro Khaitan cares particularly for mortals, and it's generally considered imprudent to petition either for favors. This is for the best: when Vanu Mar or Korro Khaitan take an interest in the world of mortals, mortals suffer. Even the other gods rarely seek the company or counsel of Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan.

This does not mean that they are ignored. Most of the larger temples have small altars devoted to Vanu Mar and Korro Khaitan, and the two largest festivals each year are held in their honor. Feile Gwanwyn, held on the vernal equinox, is devoted to Vanu Mar, and Feile Hyfed, held on the autumnal equinox, is held in honor of Korro Khaitan.

Vaya

Vaya, the Wanderer, is also known as "She Who Circles the World". Vaya, sister to Horebbin, is a goddess of pathways, roads, and rivers, and she walks them ceaselessly night and day. Unlike her brother Horebbin, Vaya is numbered among the gods of mortality, also called the war gods, but unlike most of her peers Vaya actually frowns on strife and conflict. She is not considered a major god by most city dwellers, but it is rare for a traveller to pass a crossroad without a small shrine Vaya no matter how far from civilization it may be. Even brigands and highway robbers are likely to pass by a traveller who has taken refuge in or next to a shrine to Vaya.

Venabetha

Venabetha, the Thiefwatcher, is also known as the "Prince of Necessary Pretexts", and the "Defender of Drunkards and Fools". Venabetha is the son of Tavi Thestra. Like Tavi Thestra, Venabetha is numbered among the gods of mortality, also called the war gods. He is not considered a major god, and there are no temples devoted to him (at least not publicly), but he has a devoted following among the lower classes.

Zhurok

Zhurok the Inevitable is one of the earth gods, although he also has strong ties to the gods of mortality, the war gods. Zhurok has domain over the moon and the tides. He is also associated with the inexorable process of fate, and with the concept of justice as the unavoidable consequence of one's actions.

The morning after a full moon is the holy day known as the Judgment of Zhurok. This is the day that those who have committed capital offenses since the previous Judgment of Zhurok are executed. Unlike most holy days, the Judgment of Zhurok is not greeted with fanfare and feasts: it is a grim occasion, and a reminder that no one escapes their fate or the consequences of their actions. During the Judgment of Zhurok, it is common for sworn enemies to make peace with each other, for those who have been wronged to forgive those who have wronged them, and for those who have injured another to make restitution.

Much rarer is event known as the Blood Moon, when the moon dims and turns red. Mothers drag their children from the streets and fathers bar their doors. Citizens light every lamp and stoke the fire, every adult arms themselves with whatever weapon comes to hand, and they wait until the dawn brings an end to the madness of a night without consequences.

Zhurok is typically portrayed as a tall, gaunt man whose left side is completely white and whose right side is completely black.