Wizgaran Pantheon
The Wizgaran Pantheon, named so because it originated on the continent of Wizgar, is one of the most popular and widely known pantheons in the world. While Galledall is no exception, it is less revered than the Galledallian Pantheon, though it is much simpler.
Myth
According to myth, the Wizgaran Pantheon was created by a primordial god known as Exhal, who saw his creation as his children, and wished them to cooperate with each other. For each he established a purpose with the hope that in their working together they could hold onto the domain they had established for themselves, and they did so well, fending off contenders for their possessions and their land. That changed however, when one of the gods defied Exhal and conspired with some of the other gods to claim part of the domain for themselves. When Exhal learned of this, he cast out the gods who would seek to cause strife and discord, un-naming them and forcing them to claim dominion for themselves. As centuries went by, the outcast gods did indeed make names for themselves. While many had perished, some became famous and were worshiped, growing stronger. Exhal then ordered his creations loyal to him to destroy the outcasts, or turn them back to good if they could do so. Since then, the two groups have been called the Exalted, or those who did not betray Exhal's original orders, and the Outcast, those who did.History
Unlike many other pantheons, the Wizgaran Pantheon is not race-specific. This allows many different races to worship and adopt them without feeling they are being left out, or leaving their traditional gods behind. The general message of cooperation and good is one most find agreeable, lending to its success.
Pantheon
The Exalted
Arboresh - God of War and Power
Arboresh is seen as the most ruthless, bloodthirsty, and destructive of the Exalted gods, he is venerated by kings, generals, guildmasters, warlords, bandits, and soldiers. Those who seek to win Arboresh's favor make sacrifices and must fight to the death, lest they displease him in an act of cowardice. If two different nations both worship the Wizgaran Pantheon, they will often compete for his favor, giving up greater and bloodier sacrifices in a bid to outdo each other. Arboresh demands little worship from his followers in a traditional way, instead commanding others to subjugate in his name. Should an opposing general, commander, or king be captured, they are to be sacrificed on one of his altars. The brutality of Arboresh makes him a less popular god. Though powerful, he is not traditionally worshiped unless a country is deep in war and feels they have no other choice, or by those who seek to conquer no matter what the cost. While harsh, Arboresh is considered an Exalted because he refused to betray his fellow gods, seeing betrayal and subterfuge as beneath him. Because of this, he is often seen as a patron of loyalism, trust, and devotion.
Arboresh's rivals include his twin Cabus, the two fighting among each other as much as they fight together. Zyperthennon and Arboresh share a special dislike for each other as the former is a typical peacekeeper and maintainer of law. Arboresh also dislikes Diniel, who he sees as flighty, cowardly and a treacherous plotter.
Arisil - Goddess of Storms and the Ocean
Arisil is seen as the second most frightful of the Exalted after Arboresh, who can call forth mighty storms on both land and sea. Venerated by sailors and farmers, she can both give good weather for sailing and rain for growing crops, but can also send terrible hurricanes or droughts to those who displease her. Though she can be merciful, she can be easily stirred to wrath should someone not give her the respect she deserves. To her worshipers, places where waters flow and gather are holy sites, including springs, lakes, rivers and the ocean. Sacrifices are typically made to her in mass at the beginning of each growing season, asking for good crops, as well as after the harvest, praying for mild winters.
Arisil has no divine enemies or rivals. Her twin is considered to be Layla who partially shares her domain.
Cabus - God of Battle, Wisdom, and tactics
Those who do not worship Arboresh typically worship Cabus, seen as the more level headed and pragmatic of the two. He is worshiped by those who wish to employ tactics into their fighting, such as kings, generals, officers, or leaders of small groups. While followers of Arboresh see war as an opportunity for a display of might, followers of Cabus see war as an inevitability but try and find the quickest way to end it. This means that unlike his twin, Cabus is okay with using forms of subterfuge or trickery in warfare, and believes fleeing is smarter than letting oneself be killed when overwhelmed. But Cabus is more than interested in war. In peace, he is often venerated by philosophers who see him as a patron of free thought and different schools of thinking.
Cabus' rivals are his twin Arboresh, who has a more dogmatic view of war as well as Zyperthennon who sees most war as unjust.
Darmena - Goddess of Knowledge and Magic
Darmena is one of the quieter gods who demands little from her followers. Those who wish to venerate her do so by practicing magic or work to discover long lost truths or secrets of the world, making mages and scholars her prime followers. Unlike some of the other gods of the Wizgaran Pantheon who are painted as passionate, Darmena is portrayed as stoic and rather aloof. Finding temples or shrines to Darmena can be difficult to find if the city or nation cares little for the discovery of knowledge. Even most scholars and mages who pursue her domain venerate her little. Still, they worship her in their own way by bringing knowledge to light, whether they know it or not. However not all knowledge is good, and her devoted followers will go to great lengths to keep some knowledge secret should they believe it too dangerous to be widely known.
Darmena has no rivals within the Exalted, but despises Vanimor who partially shares her domain. The two's followers are often secretive, and should they discover one another, they will plot to rid the world of the other.
Diniel - God of Chaos
According to myth, Diniel played both the Outcasts and the Exalted against each other, waiting to see whose side he should stick to. His domain being chaos, one would think him evil, but they would be incorrect. Diniel in fact changes his domain and extends it to many things, including fine food and drink, song, trickery, intrigue, lovemaking, and strangely enough wooden furniture. His followers are an enigma, sometimes insane and other times simply reveling in the chaos made. While most of it is all for fun and play, those who genuinely displease Diniel find themselves in a maddening world where reality no longer makes sense, until they humble themselves or die of insanity. According to many myths, he chooses to make the material plane his home, and is fond of getting involved in the lives of mortals he finds entertaining. Many stories paint him as an androgynous looking, tall and grey skinned humanoid. However he may also present himself in many different forms to fool with anyone he meets.
Almost every other Exalted dislikes Diniel, seeing him as a trouble maker and potential betrayer. While many have believed he may have been the one to incite the Outcasts to rebel, he is clever with his words and denies all accusations. Though his greatest enemy is Zyperthennon, who upholds law and order, the just god has found him innocent on three different counts of betrayal. Still, the myths are full of many stories where he tricks each of the gods, pitting them against each other and rarely getting punished for it.
Exhal - God of Creation, Civilization and Art
While Exhal is considered one of the Exalted, he is typically not associated with them in the same breath. This is because Exhal to the others gods are as the gods to mortals. Exhal is venerated by all the Exalted gods, and allows them to govern themselves as they see fit to accomplish their mission. Because of this, Exhal is free to pursue his own goals and interests, which include the creation and crafting of art, including paintings, literature, music, and living, breathing creatures. Exhal also personifies all good aspects of civilization, such as cooperation, diplomacy, and progress. It is from Exhal's very hands that the other gods, both exalted and outcast, were made.
Due to his status as a greater deity, few openly worship Exhal in fear of offending him or the other gods. While anyone is free to worship him, it is considered offensive to put in what may be perceived as a half-hearted worship. Because of this, his temples on the material plane are few, but are extravagantly beautiful and rich, with services sometimes lasting weeks as shows of dedication and reverence. Even though these services are extreme, they are often considered nothing compared to what the other gods do to revere their creator. Apart from these, those who create art in any form are seen as reverent of Exhal.
Fastyx - God of Life and Death
Fastyx is one of the most widely worshiped gods of the Wizgaran Pantheon. Most towns contain a small temple or a shrine at the very least to Fastyx, who is seen as the father of life for the Wizgaran Pantheon. Though mostly celebrated as the gift giver of life, Fastyx is also the patron of natural death, the two viewed as integral to the same process rather than in opposition to one another. Myths involving Fastyx often include stories of mortals who must justify themselves to Fastyx in order to be restored to life to complete their quests, a motif carried over into followers of Fastyx who often make the hard choice of when to extend one's life with medicine or magic, and when to let one's life end. Thus, follower's of Fastyx are responsible for carrying out rituals for marriage and birth as well as death and burial.
Fastyx's prime enemy is Mahlannuth, who is opposed to the life giving ways of Fastyx and wishes to make death eternal.
Irrilan - Goddess of commerce, craft, and fire
The second born of Exhal, Irrilan inherited much of her father's desire to create and craft. As well as being a master of the forge, Irrilan is said to have taught many mortals how to trade and work certain crafts. Similar to Shazzumel, Irrilan interacts more with mortals than other gods, though she has in myth created certain items for them, her handiwork rumored to be second to only Exhal himself. Mortals who seek to pursue a particular trade will often start by consulting a cleric of Irrilan, whose temples contain libraries for learning the desired trade. Irrilan is also considered the goddess of commerce itself, with many worshipers acting as guildmasters, shop & tavern owners and merchants of all sorts. Those who seek to please Irrilan offer their own crafted goods, and many of her temples are full of carefully crafted items made to honor her.
Layla - Goddess of Nature
Layla is one of the more aloof gods that make up the Wizgaran Pantheon, similar to her sister Arisil. Though not as inclined towards good or law like many of her other siblings, she still is in opposition to the outcasts, and pays homage to Exhal. Involved in very few myths, she encourages her followers to also disconnect from the rest of the world, and instead inhabit and learn from the natural world around them. Nature Clerics and Druids alike worship Layla as the caretaker of the earth, and attempt to emulate her ways. However, her peacefulness can be disrupted by spouts of anger and chaos, as can be seen from the natural world. Most of these occur from imbalances that must be righted, while others are direct results of the Outcast's direct attack on nature, such as those done by Reldae.
Unlike certain other religions, followers of Layla are taught to respect both civilization and nature. They are encouraged to not see them as competing but coexisting, and it is the duty of her followers to make sure that both nature and civilization coordinate as desired. Despite that, many of Layla's rituals involve ancient customs that have existed since their creation, and many of her worshipers are resistant to change by civilization.
Oranos - God of Authority and Leadership
Oranos is the leader of the Exalted, the firstborn of Exhal and his inheritor. As the leader of the Exalted, his job is to oversee the total destruction or imprisonment of all the outcasts, while making sure the Exalted remain superior over the Outcasts. Though not initially worshiped much by mortals, it is said that an ancient elven king sought the blessing of Oranos in order to have the right to rule over the rest of the land. As an offering, this elf swore to align his kingdom's goals with those of the Exalted. Oranos granted this elf his wish, crafting a elegant crown out of a large pearl that the region was known for. Since then, Oranos has been seen as the giver of authority to rule, and those who wish to have any kind of authority over their land should seek his follower's blessing.
Having been granted authority from his father, Oranos is enemy to all of the Outcasts, and seeks their destruction as they do his. Apart from his roll as the ruler of the Exalted, he has few other known functions besides making sure that the Exalted continue to work together towards their goal.
Radia - Goddess of Light and the Sun
Along with Oranos and Zyperthennon, Radia is considered one of the prime deities of the Exalted, being the goddess that is the icon of good, vigilance, growth and light among the Exalted. In the myths of the pantheon, it was Radia who discovered the plots against Exhal and exposed those who sought to act selfishly and destabilize the established order. Since then, Radia has helped grant clarity to the other gods, uncovered plots and plans created by the Outcasts and other enemies of the Exalted, as well as acting as a multi-purpose agents to defend the Exalted and their followers. Some followers of Radia are called to be fighters against their enemies, while others may be called to be healers or investigators.
In myth, Radia herself was once an able fighter on the material plane, and even slew Mahlannuth in his second form. Mahlannuth is seen as one of the primary enemies of Radia, as well as Vanimor and Reldae. Her followers are encouraged to always be vigilant, helpful to the needy, and always honest.
Shazzumel - Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Loyalty
Shazzumel is the matron of love and beauty, an administrator for marriage, families and childbirth. Having a less active role in the Exalted than most, she is one of the few whose role is almost entirely focused on the lives of mortals, and is seen as the point of contact between the mortals who worship the Wizgaran Pantheon and the Exalted, making sure they feel cared for and valued. Bestowed with great compassion for mortals, she sees all the troubles that mortals go through and compels her fellow gods to act on their behalf. As well as keeping mortals loyal to the Exalted, it keeps them out of the reach of the Outcasts trying to use them for their own schemes.
Additionally, temples of Shazzumel are often the location of weddings, as well as other celebrations such as celebrating the birth of a new child. Weddings blessed by Shazzumel are said to last forever, and vows made from one mortal to another in Shazzumel's name are blessed with divine power. Even outside of love, those who make pacts will often go through rituals established by Shazzumel, as breaking a vow made in her name is seen as more than egregious to all the gods.
Zyperthennon - God of Law and Justice
Seen as the second in command of the Exalted and the judge of all who follow the Wizgaran Pantheon, Zyperthennon is the beacon of Law and Justice, also known as the Final Judge. Zyperthennon judges all souls who follow the pantheon and decides their ultimate fate, sending them to the different planes of existence depending on their actions in life. Though powerful and adamant in justice, Zyperthennon is often portrayed as a humble older human, who extols the virtues of order and justice. Despite being portrayed as reserved, Zyperthennon is known to have a mighty temper should justice be violated, with stories of those stirring his ire receiving their just desserts. Several times throughout history, an order of knights dedicated to Zyperthennon have arisen. Known as the Zyperthennian Knights, they have sought to eliminate injustice and tyranny, while upholding their own laws.
Those who seek to create chaos of any sort are enemies of Zyperthennon, including Diniel, Cabus, Arboresh, and all those considered outcast. The final goal of any of the followers of Zyperthennon is the complete oblivion of those who seek to sow discord.
The Outcasts
Baelorix - God of Corruption and Discord
Believed by many to be the first betrayer, Baelorix's original name was stricken from him when he was turned into an Outcast. However, in the wider world he found he could corrupt the hearts and minds of mortals around him, as well as the other gods. Though not the leader of the Outcasts, he is seen as the most powerful and the most dangerous, sometimes working with the other Outcasts to cause discord among anyone and everyone. His followers are bandits, rebels, and revolutionaries, but those who seek temporary power are often corrupted, becoming more ruthless in the process. Those who dedicate their lives to worshiping Baelorix do so by spreading confusion and strife wherever they go, causing friends and relatives to fight each other with the ultimate hope of overthrowing the Exalted.
Baelorix's enemies are many. Those who worship Zyperthennon seek the complete destruction of his followers, as do Oranos, Arboresh, and Cabus. However, Baelorix's followers have caused great discord among the gods, making them less effective in countering him.
Kheth - God of Hatred, Rage, and Murder
Kheth is a shell of all that remains of a once sentient creature. Anguished by being outcast, Kheth found catharsis in letting out his anger and rage on those around him. Yet as he did so, his anger became increasingly difficult for him to control. Rather than fight it, he continued to give into the endless rage that boiled within him. Over thousands of years of hatred, Kheth devolved into a barely intelligent creature who nonetheless had the raw power of a deity. In myths, he was almost unleashed by the other Outcasts upon the material plane, but was imprisoned before he could do so. Now, he is rumored to patrol the darkest pits of Carceri, killing anything unfortunate enough to stumble upon him.
Not intelligent enough to answer prayers or order followers around, those who ask for Kheth's blessing are lent his rage and anger, and all the powers that come with it. His followers are those who commit murder out of strife and who cannot control their tempers. Those who inherit enough of his power are sometimes transformed into Werewolves. Even without worshipers, Kheth's malice and anguish reach out on their own, forcing mortals to either confront and overcome their suffering or to become like him. Though unintelligent and sealed away, Kheth is often considered the strongest god of the outcasts in terms of raw power, though unable to use that power like Baelorix would.
Mahlannuth - God of Death, Decay, and Darkness
In the myths of the Wizgaran Pantheon, Mahlannuth was slain by Arboresh at some point after he was outcast and before he even had a name. However, he was crafty, and used the power he had to come back as a specter. Now he seeks to cause the death of everyone until nothing living remains. Though often revered by ill meaning necromancers, all who kill make him more powerful. Mahlannuth has little interest in making things undead. Rather, he seeks to extend life in a perverse way just long enough to make use of them, causing more death and decay. And while Mahlannuth possesses the knowledge to make creatures immortal through undeath, he will take it away should immortality be the goal. Once Mahlannuth has extinguished life in the cosmos, he too will let himself wither away. According to legend, Mahlannuth was actually slayed again by Radia, but simply reincarnated in the form of a shadow dragon. Because of his ability to remain undead, he is the most aggressive of the Outcasts.
Mahlannuth despises all the other gods, even the Outcasts who are living gods themselves. His biggest enemy is Fastyx, and therefore Mahlannuth sends his own followers to destroy temples of Fastyx and turn his followers into undead. Radia is also a big enemy of Mahlannuth, whose light makes his influence difficult to spread.
Reldae - Goddess of Disease, Famine, and Poison
Reldae was once a beautiful goddess who was cast out after wishing to harm Shazzumel and cause her to lose her own beauty. Still an icon of beauty and jealousy, she reemerged as a much darker being than she once was. A matron of disease, famine, and poison, those who worship Reldae often do so out of misunderstood ideals, or resentment towards others. Assassins and tricksters use her knowledge of poison to create a multitude of different poisons, all of which stem from a unique flower created by Reldae known as the Reldaen Rose, a rose of faded purple color that can be processed into many different dangerous substances.
When a famine strikes a land, it is often attributed to Reldae. The few that actually are caused by Reldae often last years, and are caused by the Reldaen Rose which, though beautiful, grows like a weed. It is poisonous to the touch, and kills other plant life. Often these require state-wide efforts to clear out, or purification by worshipers of Layla or Shazzumel. Those who really upset Reldae can be hit with plagues, either to their livestock or to themselves.
Skalish - God of Thievery, Greed, and Wealth
Unlike many of the other outcast gods, Skalish is not always seen as evil, though he is always selfish. In the mythology of the Wizgaran Pantheon, Skalish sized up both sides to see who would win, and who he could profit from the most. While according to himself he would have chosen the Exalted, his willingness to team up with the Outcasts does not make him welcome, and his encouragement of thievery and hoarding wealth has earned him no friends among the Exalted. However, he is perhaps the most widely - and most openly - worshiped Outcast among mortals, with many aspiring entrepreneurs, salesmen, nobles, and thieves paying homage, at least behind closed doors.
Despite many mortals seeing him as okay to worship, he is an enemy of both Oranos and Zyperthennon, who see his thieving ways as more than enough reason for him to be considered an open enemy. While there are myths of Skalish occasionally helping mortals out, most are of him blessing mortals into riches only for him to take them for himself. His only ally is Diniel, the two making bets with each other about mortal affairs.
Vanimor - God of Forbidden Knowledge and Curses
Vanimor is the hoarder of arcane, cursed, and forgotten knowledge. He does not seek to spread knowledge or wisdom, but keeps it for his own uses and out of the hands of those he deems unworthy. Like his twin Darmena, Vanimor is aloof compared to the other Outcasts, rarely getting involved in their plots or attempts to overthrow one another, but keeps to himself. Having the ability to grant magic to those who venerate him, Vanimor has started the journeys of many warlocks, wizards, and sorcerers to scour the world for forgotten knowledge. Hailed as the creator of curses, he encourages mortals to formulate more dreadful and deadly curses to use on each other in hopes that he will one day be able to curse the Exalted. Some already believe he has, attributing Darmena's lack of followers as a curse created by Vanimor, slowly making the goddess of knowledge herself forgotten. Unlike his twin, Vanimor is more than happy to bestow rewards to his followers in the form of as much power as they want, with more than one sorcerer-king being revealed to be a worshiper of the dark god after their death.
Darmena's followers are stout enemies of Vanimor, and seek to kill his followers at any cost. Vanimor grants his own followers secrecy and seclusion, making it difficult for them to be discovered while they attempt to do the same to followers of Darmena.
Type
Religious, Pantheon
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