Second Pantheon
"We must admit that the old gods cared little for mortals such as us, being more myth than reality, while the second Pantheon will always be by thine side, be thee king or peasant" - Deacon Jonathan, church of Daghda in Capital Supreme
After Effneki 's suicidal plot of mutual destruction and reincarnation, imitating the primordial battle between Avall'uch, Incarnation of chaos and Ragdafuria, goddess of order, chaos and order mixed once again to create two groups, of which the second Pantheon leaned towards the orderly side. Contrary to the First Pantheon 's leader's hopes, these gods did not instantly manage to annihilate the new side of chaos, the Second Higher Ones , that had been created. Instead, this newly found group of Gods, starved for new power, decided to use the life that had been previously created and mold it to each of its ideals, making followers whose veneration would in turn increase the patron deity's reach and power.
As such, the second Pantheon is the one considered closest to the people, its gods being real beings, not like the myths and ideals that the old gods now are. And with different interpretation of each deity, and new beliefs and subcultures being formed, new lesser gods and demigods were born, gods who would serve as new representatives, messengers, underlings and specialists of the more broadminded and powerful gods of the second pantheon.
After having created the plains as we know them, each god chose to reside in a place unattainable to mere mortals, leading on the political intrigue amongst them, and sending messages and granting powers to their followers. Today, the second pantheon has become omnipresent, supplanting its predecessors in amount of believers (of course however, the former had no need for such things to gain power at their time).
As such, the second Pantheon is the one considered closest to the people, its gods being real beings, not like the myths and ideals that the old gods now are. And with different interpretation of each deity, and new beliefs and subcultures being formed, new lesser gods and demigods were born, gods who would serve as new representatives, messengers, underlings and specialists of the more broadminded and powerful gods of the second pantheon.
After having created the plains as we know them, each god chose to reside in a place unattainable to mere mortals, leading on the political intrigue amongst them, and sending messages and granting powers to their followers. Today, the second pantheon has become omnipresent, supplanting its predecessors in amount of believers (of course however, the former had no need for such things to gain power at their time).
Structure
The second Pantheon is less a unit like its predecessor, the First Pantheon , and more a category of the most powerful Gods in Epliström, those that may be deemed "Gods" by everyone, not like some lesser gods, demigods and idols. Every God here either resides in his own plain, one of his predecessors or somewhere else inaccessible to mere mortals.
Culture
Most civilizations in Epliström venerate one of the Gods of the second pantheon or one of the lesser gods beneath them. As such, they may be seen as the ones that define the entirety of culture on the continent and beyond.
Divine Origins
The second Pantheon was created in the aftermath of the Great battle between the First Pantheon and The first Higher Ones , a suicidal ploy of the former's leader Effneki to create a mixture between order and chaos anew in hopes that order would triumph, along with the Second Higher Ones . However, since its gods represent more specific domains and for other reasons still unknown to anyone, the gods of the second Pantheon were created significantly weaker than their forefathers, whose mere concept can grant power to some.
Worship
The second Pantheon's Gods gain their strength from their follower's worship. As such, each god seeks to attain either more or more fervent believers. The methods of worship will depend on each God, but prayer and direct addressing are common to all. Many also require sacrifices from their believers as proof of faith, though these rarely include sentient beings.
Granted Divine Powers
Since the gods of the second pantheon receive their power from their believers, and especially the amount of those who worship them, they will often grant some powers to their most devoted followers, according to their agenda. Depending on how each has proven themselves or if the god sees potential in them, they may be granted more or less initial power, and at birth or after many years of devotion. However, all who are blessed (or cursed) by the power of a god attain more of it when deepening their relationship to their patron deity, or by accomplishing extraordinary feats.
Political Influence & Intrigue
With few exceptions, most Gods of the second pantheon are in a permanent feud with each other. Though this never is done openly, they lead this battle either covertly or through the proxy of lesser gods. For example, the rivalry between the orcish God Gruumsh and the lesser elven deity Corellon is nothing more than a proxy for the feud between Gorm , the god of war, and Lugh , the goddess of Arts, Commerce and Travel.As such, though they rarely intervene themselves, the Gods do have disagreements and alliances amongst themselves and deem it necessary to act in each other's favor or detriment.
Sects
There exist some Sects who worship some gods of the second Pantheon, either as subsidiaries of the main religion, that have twisted the god's agenda for their own gain, or as secret religions that worship one or more gods in a place where their cult is prohibited.
Founding Date
1 SP
Type
Religious, Pantheon
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Gods
Permeated Organizations
Divines
Notable Members
Comments