Danha: Exarch of the Warden

The First Exarch

Danha is an unusual god in that he is an Exarch as well as the face of the real deity of Order and Wisdom - The Warden. Danha was a mortal dragon, the father of all Metallic Dragons in very ancient times, and the first mortal to ascend to godhood by the hand of one of the Sovereign Divinities. This happened so early on in history however, that the real identity of his patron god of Natural Laws of the Cosmos was largely forgotten. When people think of the god of Order, they picture Danha, not knowing he is simply a servant of the real deal. The Warden does not seem to mind working in the shadows and seems to have accepted Danha as their face in the mortal realms. Danha's widespread and long term worship over the vast millenias has given him powers on par with any of the other full deities, making him easily the most powerful of the Exarchs. Interestingly, the Loxodon, some of his biggest worshipers in Kharza, Refer to Danha as "The Star Servant" and "The Hand of Order" which reveals that they may have discovered some of the real truths behind this deity and his place in the divine pecking order.

DANHA OF THE DRACONIC PANTHEON

Portfolio: Order, Natural Laws, Pacifism, Metallic Dragons
Domains: Order, Peace, Grave
Alignment: LG
Alias/s: Order Incarnate
Symbol: Ouroboros

Danha, also going later by Bahamut in some cultures, has become somewhat of an archaic god to the dragonborn at this point in history. Danha, according to dragon myth, was also the father of Ilazran, deity of consequence and Kishar, deity of protection. In early history, the peaceful followers of Danha were protected by him from his evil counterpart, Nammu who wanted to destroy the concept of civility and longed only to sow discord. He is the patron of metallic dragons as they are all said to be descended directly from him. This is likely why so many draconic mortals take issue with non-dragons stripping him of his draconic origins. The Elderlight Circle, the elite pantheon of the human Marasen Empire, have Danha as their figurehead- something dragonkind finds outrageous and insulting. That said, though culturally significant, actual dragonborn worshipers of Danha have become rarer and rarer over the past centuries. Many who live in the Western Isles consider him to be a dead power or in divine hibernation, as few been able to show his direct influence or power for many years. Others with a wider view see how influential he is outside of dragonborn society and realize that they have slowly driven him away. Danha is a deity of balance and order, which many consider to be lofty ideals removed from the needs of day to day life. Still, there are some followers who seek to reign in those who would try to bend the rules of natural law or disrupt order. These lingering followers are often peacemakers, civil rights activists, and pacifists who revere logic and reason over violence.

DANHA OF THE COMMON PANTHEON

Portfolio: Reason, Civilization, Kings, Diplomacy, Peace
Domains: Order, Peace, Life
Alignment: LG
Alias/s: The Platinum Dragon
Symbol: Oak Tree, Scepter, Serpent-Dragon

Danha is a god worshiped across the world and is easily one of the longest lasting deities worshiped throughout history, though elves and dragons were the first. He is a god of wisdom, civilization and order. Humans often worship him as a deity of benevolent kings who seek peace and prosperity for their kingdoms. He has retained his nickname and the iconography of a platinum or prismatic dragon, something that harkens back to the draconic origin myth of the world. According to many popular myths he was instrumental in helping civilizations flourish and grow and to fight back the marauding raiders and vicious beasts nipping at their walls in early times. In human myth, one of his greatest enemies was Bhagra (The Conqueror), the bloodthirsty deity followed by ancient barbarians who knew only bloodlust. He is still seen as a protector of civilized people though he also protects them against things that are unnatural, extraplanar or aberrant including the undead, demons, monstrosities, and invaders from the far realm. He is said to keep a watchful eye on all things and sends his champions to mediate, pacify, and when necessary cull certain threats. He has become the main patron of the Loxodon in the past two millenia, who are deeply pacifistic in nature and latched onto his ideals quite easily. Though still widely worshiped among human aristocrats and politicians, he is less worshiped these days by the average human person with more average needs other than cosmic balance and high politics.

DANHA OF THE ELVISH PANTHEON

Portfolio: Wisdom, Guidance, Truth, Compassion
Domains: Order, Light, Knowledge
Alignment: LN
Alias/s: He Who Watches
Symbol: Ouroboros with 12-point Star

Danha was once an extremely important deity to the elves, though he has become less popular over the past few millenia as elves have focused more heavily on Vundath (god of magic) and Elyra (goddess of nature). He is a deity of compassion and wisdom. In early history, according to elvish myth, Danha was put in charge of maintaining cosmic order by Ceralae. He watches the actions of both mortals and his fellow deities and makes sure than no one transgresses against natural laws. This also includes tempering the abilities of other gods if they should become power-hungry. He is the principle deity of reason and is looked to for guidance by all who are put into positions of high responsibility and has become a patron of elvish diplomats.
Danha’s main job is to keep everything on its correct course, including fate, the planar system, and the levels of good, evil, chaos and law in the world. A tip in the balance could have apocalyptic consequences. Ceralae is the deity in charge of writing the history and fate of the world- Danha is in charge of making sure no one causes the world to stray from its path. He is also the deity in charge of keeping the world and planar system safe from invaders. Sometimes known as He Who Watches, his eyes are said to see everything that happens in every plane at all times and when it comes to the judgment of souls in the afterlife, he is considered the witness of all actions taken in one's life.
Danha’s worshipers are often people who dislike power imbalances and feel a calling to level the playing field. They also tend to have a natural aversion to unnatural and out-of-place things. All of these things are what eventually lead a person to Him or are the reason he reaches out to them. His clerics, monks & paladins are often tasked with destroying foreign aberrant threats as well as those who would attempt to break from their correct planes (like the nine hells or the shadowfell) in order to grasp power that does not belong to them. When Danha appears to elves, it is almost always during a dream, and he appears as a dragon of all metallic hues. He is one of the few gods of the elvish pantheon with a non-elvish appearance.

Temples of Danha

The largest temples to The Warden are located in the following places.

• Demusra (capital of Hathas Rhogan)
• Elderlight (capital of the Marasen Empire)
• The Monastery of the Elder Light (The Godsmount)
• The Monastery of the Platinum Dragon (Sunset Mountains)

Worshipers

The vast majority of Danha's worshipers in the world are probably monks. A great many monasteries who focus on finding inner peace and enlightenment are dedicated to the tenants of this deity. Some of these monks are more active in enacting His will, traveling around and looking for unnatural threats or working as diplomats in political affairs. There are also, of course, the usual retinue of clerics, paladins, priests and acolytes, especially in human kingdoms who run these temples in hopes that their devotion will protect their nation from outside threats like war, invasion, or barbarism. Many human soldiers, knights, guards, and nobles worship him for this reason. Of all the deities, Danha probably has the largest number of Paladins who work in his name (including the worldwide order known as The Watchers), and a fair number of Clerics as well.
 Though originally draconic, most of his worshipers are ironically human or elvish. Some claim this is due to just how unbalanced dragonborn society itself has become. Most dragonborn worshipers with power are aasimar or divine sorcerers and many become champions of the people who fight for equality. Those whom he gives power are often those who are born with a righteous and chivalrous heart, bold and fearless- those who seek to do real good in the world, maintain order, and protect others. He has a great many fighters and rangers who follow his cause, even if they do not realize it, but he watches out for them nevertheless. Many become folk heroes as a result. Some people just have a natural calling. Danha has many celestial agents to keep watch on the mortal realm and beyond and occasionally good natured mortal warlocks end up bound to them as well. Because he is in charge of the grander scheme of things, many of his more devout will likely end up being a far traveler and may even find methods of shifting between the different planes in the course of their service.
On-Brand Worshipers: Cleric: Peace & Order Domain Monk: Way of the Open Hand Paladin: Oath of Redemption & The Watchers Ranger: Horizon Walker & Monster Slayer Sorcerer: Clockwork or Divine Soul Warlock: Celestial Acolyte Background Knight Background Soldier Background City Watch Background Folk Hero Background Far Traveler Background