The Jade Gods of the Bakoren
On the eastern coast of Edrinia, the shores made of Jade-colored sand are home to a pantheon of gods that are constantly at each other's throats. This conflict reflects the political situation of the coast as Bakoren tribes constantly fight over the ages. Where many gods once stood, only 6 remain in this pantheon as the different variations have been fused into these. And with such a variety of gods merged together, it is only natural that these gods are interpreted in varied ways. The core 6 gods that remain are:
- Arxin the Overseer: "leader of the pantheon" and God of Traditions (Sometimes also the god of Servitude and Slavery)
- Kaxir the Valiant: God of Strategy and Conflict
- Nerex the Raven Queen: Goddess of Death
- Vrex the Grim: God of Undeath, Corruption, and Subjugation
- Vrix the Grave: God of Idealism, Hope, and Contentment
- Xar the Chained: Mad God of Trickery, Magic, and Rule-breaking
Mythology & Lore
Like most faiths of Avestra, the Bakoren pantheon focuses on the Jade Coast rather than the overall creation of the universe. The mythology begins with Arxin and Xar, who arrived on the shores of eastern Edrinia before the mountains were formed with a group of servants. They saw the region as a perfect place to rule but they needed subjects to rule over. Using Xar's magical expertise, they grabbed the Bakoren people from an unknown place in Avestra and pulled them to the Jade Coast.
Arxin was quick to make himself their leader and installed himself as the head of the pantheon he wanted to found. However, he slighted Xar in the process since it was the latter's idea and magic that brought the Bakorens here. It didn't help matters they were opposed ideologically. And eventually, it led to conflict between the two. Arxin was quick to get rid of the thorn in his side, casting Xar into Avestra's underground and trapping him by pushing the coast against the mainland, creating Edrinia's Spine.
Xar, now trapped, used his power to influence the minds of the Bakorens and gods, hoping to get them both to turn against Arxin. This started a civil war amongst the Jade Gods with Arxin severely outnumbered. He found allies in the Grave Brothers, Vrex and Vrix, and the valiant Kaxir who looked forward to the battles to come. Many interpretations view Kaxir as the main reason why Arxin's faction won as he slew the other gods and their followers leaving only the 5 main ones.
The death he caused in his wake and the actions of Vrex called the attention of Nerex the Raven Queen. She immediately came into conflict with Vrex while Vrix tried to mediate between the two to stop anymore conflict between the gods. Now, the Jade Gods stand in a tense peace with Xar still trying to escape his bounds and exact revenge on Arxin and the Jade Gods who abandoned him.
Divine Origins
The Jade Pantheon is what remains of the many gods of the Bakoren tribes that popped up over the centuries of civilization in the region. Vrex and Vrix were the most common across the different groups as necromancy vs accepting death and cruelness vs mercy were a constant fixture in their lives. Vrix would also take different agriculture/life gods and be merged with them over the course of Bakoren civilizations. Arxin is just an amalgamation of different gods with his chief focus being tradition. Some Bakoren have chosen to have him also represent slavery but as they interact more with non-Bakoren, that part has been removed or villified in society.
Kaxir is the fusion of the many war gods that Bakoren, especially Hobgoblins, followed. He is meant to be the idealized form of conflict and his influence spread even to the Aerin Valley in the form of the gods of War and Conflict Barina and Kashir. The Raven Queen was brought from aboard by her followers and was considered to be an allied god of Vrix, taking the name Nerex in their pantheon.
Xar is an amalgamation of trickster and magical gods and also became a god to relate to the Aberrations that assaulted Avestra at the beginning of the Eternal Age. As a result, he has the biggest variety of followers but is both vilified and revered due to that connection. There have been debates on splitting him into two gods because of these conflicting bases but for now, it is assumed that he has multiple personas due to the madness that took him in the depths of Avestra.
Tenets of Faith
- Traditions are meant to be followed
- Whether you follow the Grim or accept the Grave, the end comes to all
- Above all, those who you face in battle must be met with honor
Worship
- Arxin: Follow the laws and traditions of your culture and country. In some sects, it is believed he favors those that conquer and enslave others.
- Kaxir: Fight in battle no matter what. If you cannot fight, find another way to prove your strength
- Nerex: Give those who have fallen a proper burial, destroy the mindless undead that wander
- Vrex: Never allow yourself to show weakness. Find those that are weak and make them subservient to your will either in life or death.
- Vrix: Live your life to the fullest, accept that eventually your end will come no matter how much you may prolong it. Understand that idealism and hope are not weaknesses in this world.
Priesthood
- Arxin: Priests of the Overseer are usually advisors to leaders of tribes and countries alike on the Jade coast.
- Kaxir: Priests of the Valiant are those who have seen combat and distinguished themselves. They usually serve as officers in armies.
- Nerex: Priests of the Raven Queen hunt down the undead and try to stop the efforts of Vrex's followers. They also perform last rites on the fallen.
- Vrex: Priests of the Grim raise undead of fallen soldiers to fight back against enemies of their tribes. To satisfy Nerex followers, they use the long dead but some extremists kill those viewed as lesser in the tribe and raise them as the undead.
- Vrix: The Grave inspire others to do their best and accept that one day their life may come to the end. Adventurers and ambitious people are influenced by these priests.
- Xar: The Chained looks for those that strain under the constraints of tradition and normal law. Those that are willing to break free of those constraits and do what is needed for the good of what they care for
Sects
Aberrations use Xar's presence in the pantheon as a way to manipulate tribes near or in their borders. What people sometimes to believe to be whispers of Xar are in fact the machinations of Illithids and Abeloths that seek to tear tribes apart and integrate them into their psychic collective either to be food or servants. As such, Xar's worship is carefully watched, especially by Arxin's faithful who watch to see if these tradition breakers are those who chafe at restriction or if they are being dominated by an enemy that has hounded them since the beginning of the Eternal Age.
Type
Religious, Pantheon
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