The First Gods

Zeno the Broken

True Neutral God of divination, suffering, and curses.
Zeno the Broken was once Zeno the seer, a god of divination and prophecy. Legend has it his golden eyes could once see the future of all beings. However at the Battle of Falling Stars he was set upon by Jiro, king of [[The Vagrant Gods | The Vagrant Gods]]. Jiro broke Zeno’s body with his great hammer and gouged out his eyes, leaving him for dead. But Zeno did not die - he changed. Now known as Zeno the Broken, he cast aside his book and is now known as the blind and lame god of suffering and divination. Zeno connection with curses is such that he blesses those who suffer under curses with divine insight. By contrast, Deneb the Witch-Queen is the patroness of those who place curses upon others. Zeno blesses the crippled and lame with visions and supernatural insight. He rewards those who suffer in the pursuit of knowledge, as well as those who take burdens upon themselves. His followers are known to wear blindfolds during religious ceremonies to better partake of his unseen knowledge. Zeno’s priests are known as Seers and his paladins are known as Knights of the Broken. His symbol is a disc with the shape of an eye inscribed on it, shattered. 
The Writings of Zeno
Be not dismayed when your enemies wound you; for it is at that moment you are greatly blessed. To wear a blindfold into combat is a sign of great faith, putting your body in the hands of Zeno. Blessed are those who cannot see, for their eyes are open to the mysteries of god. Blessed are those whose enemies curse them. Blessed are those who strive for knowledge and discovery. Cursed items are the tools of Zeno. To shrink from being wounded in battle is a sin. The destruction of knowledge is a sin graver still. Do not raise a hand against the servants of Zeno.

Chiros

Lawful Neutral God of time, history and fate. 
Chiros is a quiet and mysterious deity who appears as a bearded old man wearing a light blue robe and holding a large book. He is charged with ensuring the orderly flow of time, chronicling events as they happen and ensuring that what is fated to happen does happen. As such he is inherently a god of order. While Zeno, as god of prophecy and divination, is known as the revealer of the future, Chiros ensures that the future happens as it must. Some say he controls the fate of even the other gods. Chiros's demeanor is gentle and wise, but he forbids himself or his followers from interfering with the destiny of another creature, even if that destiny is tragic. The priesthood of Chiros teaches that if Jurn were isolated from other planes, the world would be a closed, harmonious system, with every creature's fate flowing as it should. But the intervention of outsiders from the other planes, such as demons, the planar servants of other gods, and even adventurers from another plane all throw destiny out of its proper order. To this end, Chiros calls for the slaying of outsiders and the closing of planar portals, the better to ensure that fate proceeds as it should. Sometimes he even dispatches his followers on missions to change the course of history to conform to that which must be. Chiros blesses chroniclers of history, and looks kindly upon the old and wise. He approves of those who accept their fate with wisdom and stoicism. His priests are known as Fateminders and his paladins are known as Keepers of the Veil. His symbol is a blue orb with a spiral or swirl design. 
The Teachings of Chiros
Blessed are those who make daily prayers to Chiros. You may be gifted with a vision from Chiros. To work to ensure it comes to fruition is a great blessing. Outsiders distort what is fated to be, and must be slain or banished. Portals to another plane must be closed, and artifacts that create interplanar portals must be shattered.
Accept fate with grace and dignity, and seek not to change that which must occur.

Canopus the Healer

Neutral Good God of rain, wisdom, and healing. 
Canopus is the lion-headed god of rain and healing. The rain he brings support and sustain life in all its forms, and prevent the sun from overwhelming the world with its brightness. Once he was known as a fearsome warrior, commanding bolts of lightning to sunder the enemies of the gods, but it is said he grew disgusted with killing and gave his lightning to his son Rath. He is known as the patron of physicians and those who work with healing magic, and is often prayed to by those suffering from injury or disease. A pacifist and vegetarian, he exhorts his followers to the same standard of ethics. He appears as a muscled man with the head of a lion, wearing a golden cloak, waistcloth, and armbands of silver. He bears a staff made of blue metal. In the distant past, he and Mara were lovers and their children are the gods Rath and Orianna. At the center of his domain stands the Pool of Wisdom, a body of perfectly still, crystalline water. To those who earn his pity or respect, Canopus sometimes grants a draught from the pool, which can enlighten the wise and grant sentience to beasts. He has no paladins. His priests are known as Healers, and can choose between the Light or Life domains. His symbol is a chalice made of silver or ivory. The Path of Canopus
Greatly favored are those who spare their enemies. Blessed are those who heal the sick and wounded. Do not drink the blood nor eat the flesh of man or beast. Blessed are those who bring peace. Do not kill, except in defense of others or to vanquish demons or the undead.
Mara True Neutral Goddess of nature. Mara is the goddess of nature. She appears as a beautiful woman with a matronly figure, green skin and gnarled vines for hair, radiating awe and a sense of danger. She does not wear clothing or carry weapons of any kind. She is sometimes called “Mother Mara,” by followers, both for her appearance and her personality. Mara stands for the law of nature, seeing to it that the strong survive and the weak perish, that new generations rise up to replace the old, that the seasons continue in their proper course and that the world does not become stagnant and tame. She has no love for death and carnage, but is filled with a deep conviction that this is the way it has to be. She exults in the flourishing of the cunning, the capable, and the mighty. For the weak she has pity, but rarely shows mercy. She is known to whisper to animals as they lay dying or to watch impassively as combatants fight to the death. Despite all this, she has her favorites and she is not against nudging the natural order ever so slightly to ensure that they live to see another day. Those who earn her favor find she takes a keen interest in their lives, but they must never become complacent - she can be fickle and none are far from being judged unworthy. She has no paladins. Her priests are called Greenwatchers. Druids frequently choose her as a patron deity, and even those who do not actively worship her tread lightly in the presence of her shrines and holy places. Her symbol is a maple leaf on a field of stars. The Law of Nature
The strong are fit to survive, the weak to perish. Have respect for the wild places of the world, for these are Mara’s cathedrals. Children are the blessings of Mara, but even they must be worthy. Do not seek to prolong life beyond its natural span. Blessed are those who slay the undead, and all others who seek unnatural immortality. When the time comes, be ready to let go.
Eluethas the silver-tongued Neutral Evil Goddess of merchants, traders, and commerce. Eluethas is the beautiful and sophisticated goddess of commerce. She appears as a well-dressed woman with dark hair, and wearing exquisitely tooled leather boots. She is worshiped primarily in cities, where he is invoked prior to negotiations or bartering sessions. Marketplaces are often decorated with statues of her or her symbol. Besides being a merchant goddess, she is often regarded as a goddess of peace because war is bad for commerce, and indeed she exhorts her followers to be peace-makers and negotiators first and foremost. She approves of those who turn to trade or negotiations instead of violence and blesses sophistication, shrewdness and reason. Nevertheless, she is happy to allow one merchant to dominate and oppress the others - if they can manage it through business savvy, and only for as long as they remain competitive. She has no paladins. Her priests are called Emmisssries. Her symbol is a golden scales on a velvet background. The Code of Acquisition
Seek your own gain above all else. You must master the rules before you will know when you can break them. Provide for the wants of others so that they will always have need of you. But always at a price. Do not destroy what you can take for yourself. Interrupt the flow of trade and you burn your own house down around you.
Deneb the witch-queen Chaotic Evil Goddess of night, dark magic, and blood. Deneb the witch-queen is a the patron of necromancy, blood magic, and curses. She is a cruel and callous deity who delights in the creation of suffering and strife. She appears as a beautiful maiden with silver hair, wearing a circlet of black metal and dressed in a red dress or red robes. Deneb is not a popular goddess, but she is often honored or prayed to by those who fear curses or dark magic. Deneb also loves to offer dark power to the ambitious in exchange for a terrible price. But while she is more responsive to those who invoke her aid than many deities, it is almost impossible to be free of her snares once her assistance is accepted. She is incredibly fickle, known for turning on followers who fail to amuse her or who haven’t done anything for her lately. She loves to watch the power of her dark magic torment and ensnare lesser beings. It is said that Deneb never tells a lie, not because of any moral code but simply to defy expectations. She favors most those who find amusing and sadistic uses for her gifts. She approves of those who practice dark magic, those who are willing to sacrifice everything in service to their ambitions, and those who seek to sully the boundaries between life and death. She has no regard for laws or for those who would sacrifice themselves for others. She is younger sister to Luca and older sister to Melchor. Deneb's paladins are all Oathbreakers, and she has very few of these. Her priests are called Hierophants. She strongly encourages her followers to pursue arcane magic in addition to priestly magic. Her symbol is three red stars against a black background. Deneb’s Rede
Magic is to be used without restraint. An offering of spirits before a shrine of three stones will not be refused. Entertaining mortals are rewarded. The boring become entertainment. Rules are made to be broken. The lines between life and death most of all.
Aster the Unformed Chaotic Evil God of chaos, corruption, and the Abyss. Aster appears as a cloud of howling darkness, sweeping like a scouring wind across the land. He is the deity of darkness, the void between stars, and the Abyss, where he spends most of his time in exile from the other gods. He is a god of chaos and corruption. He hates the physical forms of living things, and desires to see them perverted to his own insane aesthetic, or else mangled and destroyed. He likes it when the physical world is corrupted, despoiled or destroyed. He blesses those who slay other creatures in the most gruesome ways possible, or who despoil the environment. He particularly appreciates changing the shape of another creature into something corrupt or perverse. He dislikes the goodness and order of all kinds. He is a perennial foe to Sirius and Altair, for he despises the order they impose upon the world. He also feuds with Tenebral, for the static emptiness of death is as much anathema to him as the orderly justice of the law. His Paladins are known as Abyss Knights. His priests are known as Corrupters and are gifted with strange magic. His symbol is a black swirl with tentacle-like protrusions on a gray background. YoUR BODY IS A PRISoN. THE WOrLD IS A PRISOn. ALL ACHE FOR ThE SWEET RELeASE OF ASTER AlL THInGS MUST BE CLEANsED AND MADE NEwwwwwwww Jak the Trickster Chaotic Neutral God of gambling and luck. Jak is the patron of fortune and gamblers of all kinds. He appears as a man with a neatly trimmed beard wearing a broad-brimmed hat that conceals part of his face, a draping coarse robe and fine boots well-worn from travel. He is a trickster and gambler who often takes physical form to gamble with mortals, or sometimes just mess with them. He is technically the god of both good and bad luck, and is often prayed to for a variety of purposes because he is known to ensure the odds are on the side of whomever he favors. The subject of several origin myths, one popular legend is that Jak began his life as a mortal who gambled with the gods themselves and won his divinity in the biggest bet of all time. If that is the case, he may have had more than a few cards up his sleeve, for he is known to make sure the odds work out for those who earn his favor more often than not. Befitting a god of chance, not every bet works out for his followers - he is known to lose bets from time to time with other gods and even with mortals. Legend says that one lost bet with Deneb saw him strung up from a tower for forty days and forty nights. He takes losing in stride, his devil-may-care attitude never faltering. Like any gambler, he knows it's only a matter of time before his luck changes. It is said that those who truly earn his favor receive gifts of elaborate cards painted in the ichor of demons. He has no paladins. His priests are called Croupiers. His symbol is an ace of spades. Rules of the Game
Never shy away from taking a smart risk. Don’t be afraid to bet it all. Jak helps those who roll the dice. Cheating is only a crime if you get caught. Don’t get too comfortable. Don’t take things too seriously.
Siegfried the Champion Lawful Neutral God of battle. Siegfried is the god of war. He loves a good battle, and is frequently the object of prayers and sacrifices by soldiers, warriors and generals, but also those who stand to lose something to war or battle. He appears as a man in plate mail but wearing no helmet, with short hair and bearing the greatsword _Fukyujin_, with which he struck the killing blow against the Everwyrm. It is said that he wandered the planes for time untold before arriving in Jurn. Although he is a god of battle, Siegfried is not a god of slaughter - he exhorts his followers to engage in fair fights, and especially appreciates when a weaker force defeats a stronger one. He is known for being impulsive and being fond of drink, but also a shrewd tactician. He is also known for his sense of humor and talkative nature, only becoming silent and grave when angered. Legends tell that he once consorted with the goddess Mara, as well as countless mortals. His paladins are called Graycloaks, and work primarily as mercenaries. They are known for their skill at arms and for never breaking a contract in their long history, although sometimes they will join a battle just to even the odds. His priests are known as Warpriests. The Tenets of War
There is no honor without challenge. Discipline conquers strength. To the victor goes the spoils. There shall be no mercy for traitors or cowards. Do not pledge your sword lightly, and do not break a pledge once given.
Rath the Stormbringer Chaotic Neutral God of storms. Rath is the violent god of storms and tempests, who delights in unleashing the destructive forces of nature. He is worshipped by those who fear the storms he may unleash, as well as by deranged individuals who revere the power of nature he represents. He appears as a muscled youth with bronze skin, bearing a golden spear and wearing tattered leathers, his hair wild as the winds. His eyes are white and without pupils, and when he is agitated they crackle with electricity. Rath stands apart from many of the other gods, appearing in legends as a young and impetuous figure. He is mercurial, sometimes easily provoked to ire and other times moody and withdrawn. On occasion he intervenes in mortal affairs just for the hell of it (although just as often it is to punish those who fail to show proper respect for the power of nature). However he seems to have a soft spot for maidens and has been known to come to their aid in times of great peril. He is the child of Mara and Canopus. He has little respect for his father, but at times he has been known to do his mother's bidding. Rath has no paladins. His priests are called Stormbringers. His symbol is a pair of wings with a thunderbolt between them. The Etchings of Rath
Bow to no man. There is glory in destruction. Respect the storm and you may weather it. Make yourself strong. Do not lay hands upon a maiden.
Luca Neutral Good Goddess of magic, lore and the moon. Luca is the goddess of magic, the moon, and scholarly knowledge. She is a quiet, contemplative deity who rarely speaks, but when she does her words carry great value. She appears as a middle-aged woman wearing white robes and a soft blue cloak, often with a hood that obscures part of her features. She is the patron of all magic, but especially of wizards, who pursue magic as an avenue of intellectual study. she is also the goddess of knowledge and lore, and a great supporter of academics of all kinds. Luca favors subtle, incomprehensible but powerful magic. She can cast fireballs or lightning bolts if she chooses but seldom does, enchantments so light they are barely noticed, clever abjurations to turn an enemy’s power against him, or tiny illusions seamlessly blended with reality. That she is unquestionably the greatest magical god (despite the existence of lesser gods of magic) speaks to her power and skill. She sees magic’s place in the world as an art and a science. She dislikes intervening in mortal affairs, and seldom does so except out of dire necessity. The one exception to this is her participation in the Council of the Forgotten. It is said that Luca met with the great elf-mage Sif and helped him assemble the original council, and that she has assisted their secret work ever since. Some legends say she had a child with Sif, but these have never been proven. She is older sister to Deneb and Melchor. She has a small order of paladins known as the Order of the Silver Key. Her priests are known as Sages. Her symbol is a fountain filled with still water. The Writings of Luca
Learn well the complexities of the world, and bend them to your favor. Magic is a gift, but it must be kept in its proper order. One clever spell is worth three foolish ones. Do not openthat which has been sealed by Luca. Beings that threaten the order of the world must be destroyed or imprisoned.
Sirius Lawful Good God of light, holiness, and the sun. Sirius is a god of paladins and crusaders, and patron of law and of goodness, lord of the sun. He appears as an man in the prime of youth dressed in shining golden plate mail and carrying a sword that shines like the sun, often mounted on a unicorn, pegasus, or other good-aligned creature. Sirius is often seen as the head of the gods, and certainly serves as the leader of the good and many of the neutral-aligned gods. He calls on all to pursue the greater good and to forsake underhanded deeds, lawlessness and dark magic. He is kind but zealous and at times headstrong, given to strong passions. Nevertheless he is not arrogant, and he recognizes the importance of the wise counsel of others. He is fond of sport and physical contests, although his incredible physical prowess makes worthy opponents difficult to find. His skill with a blade is second only to Sigfried, whom he maintains a friendly relationship with despite their many differences. He has guarded respect for Tenebral and is openly contemptuous of Aster and Deneb. He holds his followers and himself to a very high standard and expects them to take up arms against the undead, demon kind, evil spellcasters, and other creatures of darkness. He is a harsh judge but shows mercy to the truly contrite. He is known for consorting with mortal followers who earn his favor. His Paladins are numerous and are called the Knights of the Golden Sun. His priests are called Lightbringers. His symbol is a golden sword on a black field with four gold points of light radiating from the hilt. Strictures of Holiness
Obey the laws of the land wherever you go. Work to change unjust laws peacefully, when possible. Work to change unjust laws by force when necessary. Do not suffer the undead, demons, or creatures of darkness to live. Lawbreakers and evil men should be given one chance to turn themselves in for punishment, then apprehended by all necessary force. Always spare a foe who asks for mercy. Avoid poison, blood magic, necromancy, curses, and other tools of darkness, and punish those who resort to them.
Melchor Chaotic Neutral God of primal and destructive magic. Melchor is the god of evocations and other destructive magic, patron of sorcerers and warlocks. He appears as an achingly handsome young man with golden hair dressed in fine robes, bearing an elegant staff. Brilliant andarrogant, he represents the principal of magic that exalts in its power and wants that power to be used, for any purpose. As such, he represents the antithesis of Luca, although the two have been known to work together to advance magic as a whole. Melchor is stubborn and respects only power. Once he sets himself to a task, he will seldom back down unless threatened by one of the few beings that he believes could best him in combat. Legends say that in the beginning he dueled Luca for supremacy over all magic, but she bested him with a clever combination of spells and he yielded the fight at the last moment, forever earning her his grudging respect. Many claim to have seen Luca and Melchor sharing tea together in various remote locales. He is impulsive and meddlesome, forever trying to engineer great magical battles, constructs or catastrophes. Tales say that sometimes he will gift a chosen mortal with a vial of gleaming ruby liquid, known as the Blood of Melchor, that grants great magical power. He has no paladins. His priests are known as Wrathbringers. His symbol is an X within a circle on a luminous background. The Guidelines of Melchor
The nature of power is to be used freely. Never solve a problem without an explosion that could have been solved with an explosion. Do not be afraid amidst battle and death, for it is then that you are in the heart of Melchor. Be not a fool, lest you bring destruction upon yourself.
Tenebral Lawful Evil God of death. Tenebral rules over the dead and ensures that souls reach their final destination. He appears as handsome man dressed in fine black clothes, bearing a cane carved of ivory. His eyes are pools of darkness that gleam hungrily at times. Ambitious and clever, Tenebral is instrumental in keeping the relative peace that exists between the First Gods. Legends say that after the death of the Everwyrm, the gods fell to infighting and lead their followers into battle against their rivals, fighting for control of their mortal worshippers and their souls after death. The battles that erupted were earth-shattering and threatened the fate of the world. It was then that Tenebral approached the gods one by one and arranged a truce. The gods agreed not to intervene directly in mortal affairs, and Tenebral agreed to guide mortal souls to the afterlife, but in return souls rejected by their patron god belonged to him. This deal has profited him greatly, and in the centuries since the bargain was struck he has accumulated quite a collection of lost souls, in addition to the souls of his own worshippers. Tenebral seems never to lose his cool, taking setbacks in stride, but beneath this facade lurks a controlling and covetous mind. He is a consummate businessman, and loves offering mortals their heart's desire in return for their souls. He is also known to enjoy a wager on occasion, but only when the stakes are high enough (and the odds in his favor). Tenebral hates the undead, seeing them as delaying a death that is rightfully his, although he allows his own priests and followers to employ undead servants because they belong to him, naturally. He offers mortals who faithfully serve him a comfortable afterlife serving his interests. He does not say what he does with the souls of followers of other gods. He has no paladins. His priests are known as Reapers. His symbol is a skull with a coin in its mouth, on a black background. The Edicts of Tenebral
Promises must be kept. The spirit when necessary, the letter always. Cleanliness is next to godliness. The filthy have no place in Tenebral's realm. Send the undead to their final rest, by blade and fire, except those bearing the mark of Tenebral. Tenebral desires faith, adoration, and above all souls. Lawbreakers are lower than animals.
Altair Lawful Good God of justice. Altair is a god of discipline, purity and law. He appears as a muscular man with dark skin and silver braided hair, wearing fine white robes with golden trim. He carries with him a great volume with the books of the law, within which are recorded his commandments and his judgments against the creatures of darkness. These four books are the Book of Ablutions, which contains the commandments of Altair for living a pure and upright life, the Book of Anathema, which details evil outsiders condemned by Altair, the Book of Abominations, which details evil terrestrial creatures condemned by Altair, and the Book of Apostates, which declares prohibited conduct and condemns evil and chaotic gods. It is said that merely reciting aloud the Books of the Law is enough to drive out the creatures of darkness, although in battle he has been known to wield a mighty hammer. His paladins and priests stand as judges and champions of order among the mortal world. Altair can be strict and demanding, but he recognizes the value of mercy and will extend it to those who show proper contrition (although for the worst criminals, mercy may amount to a swift and painless death). He expects his followers to distance themselves from worldly entanglements, so as to better embody the purity and majesty of the law. Nevertheless, he is also known for his grace, wisdom, and kindness to those in need. He commands his followers to bring justice, security and prosperity to every corner of the world. He is known to have a fondness for sweets. He has great respect for his allies Sirius and Canopus, and together their united followers have been very successful in spreading peace, justice and prosperity to much of the world. His Paladins are called the Order of the Scales. His priests are called Immaculates. His symbol is a silver hand against a starburst. The Commandments of Altair
Give at least 10% of all you reap to Altair, or to the needy. Blessed are those who bring abominations, anathema, or apostates to justice. Obey the rightful authorities, but seek to guide them in the ways of Altair and the Books of the Law. Always be of service to the needy and the law-abiding. Turn away from dark magic and the works of iniquity.
Oriana Neutral Goddess of rain and agriculture. Oriana is the goddess of agriculture, farming and livestock. She is the younger sister of Mara, and is depicted as a beautiful, matronly woman dressed in fine robes of green and gold. Lush red hair cascades down over her generous bosom.