The Cardinal Pantheon
Fifteen spirits of ours,
watch over us,
from near and from afar,
and make us who we are.
Two Vinacalir
Two to weave us,
our threads they balance,
fragile in their hands,
yet more vast than we may understand.
The Ida
Vassi
Truth
Creation, Physics, Natural Laws
Stoic at the best of times with a low tolerance for trivial questions, people have puzzled over the Ida's nature since time immemorial. Its existence predates even our oldest civilizations and its powers soar over our understanding of magic or of science. The Ida spends most of its time apart from corporeal societies, ostensibly busy maintaining the universe it is credited with creating. The Ida is ever curious, however, and often checks in on its creations.
The Laila
Balance, Judgment, Equity
The Laila is a private, spotlight avoidant introvert who is best known for stepping up for the ignored and the impoverished when no one else dared any longer. Her power spills out of her unbidden and untrained, leaving many a "minor" miracle in her wake. Oz lives in Haven, a Kivrian nation she founded as a refuge from her fraught, arguably heroic past. She only leaves to visit her family on Aravu or to tend to the Lainist Kivrians who worship her.
Six Nisoyal
Six to sustain us,
the ground upon which we stand,
as gentle as a breeze,
as vicious as a freeze.
Fari
Air, Space, Movement
Fari's incorporeality limits our ability to understand it, despite its attempts to communicate in breezes with select people. It is, however, popularly known as playful and extremely nosy.
Velu
Temperature, Fire, Weather
Velu does not appear to try to communicate directly. It is suspected that Velu is attracted to extremes in weather and temperature, such as roaring bonfires or blinding blizzards.
Vanora
Water, Liquids, Fluidity
Vanora is the most communicative of the incorporeal nisoyal. It sometimes fashions a facsimile of a corporeal body for itself out of water if it wants to make itself not only known, but memorable. It is a fiercely loyal ally and fearfully vindictive enemy. It abandoned Aravu for Kivria after the Ida used its domain violently against its wishes.
Kotu
Corporeality, Nature, Stone
Even though Kotu is incorporeal, it is incapable of leaving no trace. It drops massive amounts of its energy everwhere it wanders, which then forms into the vimstones which power much of our magitech today. Kotu avoids most people, preferring to spend its time in natural wilderness rather than built or agricultural environments.
Ezeki
Tradition, Sentience, Past
When the older nisoyal returned to their incorporeal nature, they left Ezeki behind. As the sole remaining nisoyal, Ezeki raised the Serayin and laid the foundations of Yashelin society. It is best known for its love of storytelling, festivities, and sleeping. It is also the authorial mind behind the current codex.
Nanatu
Evolution, Fate/Choice, Future
Long ago, the Ida split the twin Serayin Heyir and Uri in two to avoid another nisoyal. Nevertheless, fate found a way. Over one million years later, their spirit shards reunited and Nanatu was born. She is extroverted, intelligent, and driven, but prone to lapses in maturity at times as is natural for one so young yet so full of potential.
Seven Serayin
Seven to bind us,
our ideals personified,
into their duties they dive,
and when combined our societies thrive.
Heyir
Science, Agriculture, Nighttime
Heyir is an easily excited ball of constant energy. They care for the well-being of their community, to the point of invention... as well as destruction. They rebelled against the Ida, who exiled Heyir and their followers in retribution. Somehow, they brought Aravu's moon into exile with them, shrouding their world in darkness.
Uri
Tradition, Magic, Metallurgy, Daytime
Uri is a person in flux, mood always changing. Ae cares for aer community to the point of celebration... as well as stagnancy. Ever since ae failed to prevent the First War, ae holds aer cards much closer to aer chest. Despite aer fears, ae can on occasion be convinced to break convention to protect aer loved ones.
Coran
Architecture, Fiber, Protection
Coran is boisterously brash, loudly prideful of they and their flock's achievements as the architects and artists behind Yashelin cities and fiber arts. Coran often calls themself the brawn to their partners' brains, and too many people erroneously believe it. Their outwardly straightforward nature disguises restless hands and a mind in perpetual motion.
Rafa
Health, Emergencies, Safety
Rafa is mild-mannered and frumpy inside and out. What ze lacks in charisma, however, ze makes up for with strong ethics and discipline. Ze also has a knack for delegating tasks to the right people. Rafa is a medical jack of all trades and a master of none. So, ze happily uses zer versatility as a primary care physician, emergency responder, and teacher.
Gafir
Laws, Trade, Diplomacy
Gafir is a sensitive, curious spirit. They thrive in intercultural settings, preferring the foreign to the known. Despite their fickle nature, or perhaps because of it, they believe strong in following local laws and customs as well as correcting those who break them.
Seri
Education, Exploration, Research
Seri is the biggest busybody in all of Aravu and then some. Naturally, they are the creator and head of the Yashelin Education System. Until recently, Seri acted as Ezeki's decenir rather than lead their flock themself. Ever since Heyir's exile and Ezeki's failing health, however, they have taken over these responsibilities admirably.
Areta Maikir
Hope, Choice, Adversity
The Ida created Areta as an experiment in free will, gifting ver the ability to choose ver own path. With the mind of a scientist and the heart of an artist, Areta went on to engineer magitech marvels. Ver free will also led ver to rebellion. Ve has an aloof yet sweet demeanor, the steel beneath ver placid surface only revealed if ver back is to the wall. Ve showed ver steal when ve threw away ver easy life on Aravu to rebel against the Astris Genocide and, later, to end the Aravun Civil War.
Fifteen spirits of ours,
watched by us,
and in our belief and in our doubt,
we show them who they are.
I think I did what you mentioned in the authors notes 2 times. But either way, I'm glad you got this one right! Cause it was a great read! I really enjoyed the deep delve into the individual elements and learning of the seven Serayin. Going through the tiers of the pantheon is an interesting way to do it.
Thank you so much!!! <3 I'm excited to hear that you enjoyed learning about my pantheon. This cast of characters is dear to me and a major goal for the next half of the year is to delve into them more.
You got this Aster! Have fun with it I look forward to seeing more