The Divine: An Overview
This article is a stub
This article is being re-worked as part of the overhaul
This article is a draft and currently being worked on
This article has been reviewed and is currently undergoing further edits
There are many deities in Garlan. Each exists within a tier which denotes the generation to which they were created / born. The eldest deities are a part of the Primal Aspects tier, then the Elder Aspects tier, then the Grand Aspects tier, and finally the youngest deities are a part of the Heroic Aspects tier.
Primal Aspects
Matterun is the Primal Aspect of physical constructs, such as creatures, structures, planets and planes. He is one of the first three deities. As the world he was in was void of life, Matterun started to craft a planet capable of sustaining life.
Learn more about Matterun
Solvan is the Primal Aspect of heart, emotion, and free will. They are one of the first three deities, conceived into a world void of everything. When their sibling, Matterun, started to create living creatures, Solvan gifted those creatures the will to do as they pleased.
Tyvus is the Primal Aspect of life, death, and the passage of time. She is one of the first three deities. As Matterun started to craft his creations, Tyvus wove her magic into them so that they may experience a cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Learn more about Tyvus
Elder Aspects
Caskurn is the Elder Aspect of change. She was almost killed by Legatton on his quest for power and has been quietly recovering in her realm for hundreds of years. The other deities are concerned by how long it has taken her to heal her wounds.
Learn more about Caskurn
Corsuval is the Elder Aspect of courage. When Legatton instigated a war between the divine, Corsuval was one of the only deities to maintain a neutral position for the duration of the war, feeling as though there was no need for themself to act.
Learn more about Corsuval
Fryvas is the Elder Aspect of fear. He works closely with his sibling, Corsuval, although he does not approve of some of his sibling’s methods. In recent years, Fryvas has had trouble with his followers invoking his power to try and free Legatton.
Learn more about Fryvas
Legatton is the Elder Aspect of light. He betrayed the other deities in an attempt to take over their divine realms and gain more power. As a result, he was eventually sealed within his own realm, unable to escape.
Learn more about Legatton
Navernal is the Elder Aspect of nature. He takes his duties very seriously, to the point where he has practically isolated himself from the other deities. He has also ceased communicating with his followers as he feels as though this distracts him from his work.
Learn more about Navernal
Rokavesh is the Elder Aspect of renewal. She is recognised by mortals as one of the most reasonable deities. However, her fellow Elder Aspects and those who get on her bad side are more than aware of her hidden temper.
Learn more about Rokavesh
Saverick is the Elder Aspect of shadow and darkness. As the antithesis to her brother, Legatton, she has been tasked with ensuring that he remains trapped within his realm; a task which she has begrudgingly accepted.
Learn more about Saverick
Skellinvep is the Elder Aspect of sacrifice. Perhaps one of the most misinterpreted deities; followers of Skellinvep will often twist his teachings in order to justify or further their heinous goals.
Learn more about Skellinvep
Grand Aspects
Aruntaak is the Grand Aspect of design. Better known as The Architect among both mortals and his peers, he has become a successor of sorts to Matterun’s legacy.
Learn more about Aruntaak
Bestaal is the Grand Aspect of betrayal. There are a great deal of misconceptions around Bestaal, such as the rumours he is power hungry and evil to the core, but such accusations could not be further from the truth.
Learn more about Bestaal
Dratakis is the Grand Aspect of carnage and destruction. They are an unruly, chaotic being whose highest priority is to rebel against whatever their mother, Saverick, instructs them to do.
Learn more about Dratakis
Dunlygos is the Grand Aspect of Duty. He is honoured by fighters and paladins across the realms. Outside of his regular duties, he enjoys appearing before champions of the Nexus and testing their skills.
Learn more about Dunlygos
Felgantios is the Grand Aspect of fate. She, alongside Revernisk, plays a major role in what happens after death. She is known to be considerably more forgiving than Revernisk in matters such as resurrection.
Learn more about Felgantios
Galtairun is the Grand Aspect of growth. He spends more time outside of his realm than he does in it, so much so that he has become a sort of unofficial patron to the fey.
Learn more about Galtairun
Horlune is the Grand Aspect of heroism. Many have tried to catch her eye or win her favour, but she has proved to be difficult to please. It is said Horlune will only provide her blessing if you demonstrate selfless bravery.
Learn more about Horlune
Jalvyskan is the Grand Aspect of joy and happiness. Popular among the other deities, Jalvyskan spreads her joy wherever she goes, but is cursed to never find her own happiness.
Learn more about Jalvyskan
Miryvurn is the Grand aspect of magic. A monumental task, one which they take pride in. Legend has it that, if you dare cross Miryvurn, they will completely cut you off from the realm’s magic.
Learn more about Miryvurn
Palvernas is the Grand Aspect of pain and suffering. She prefers to keep to herself due to misconceptions from the other deities. The exception to this rule is Jalvyskan, who she has formed an unlikely friendship with.
Learn more about Palvernas
Revernisk is the Grand Aspect of rebirth. He plays a major role in what happens after death, alongside Felgantios, though recently he has grown to despise his purpose.
Learn more about Revernisk
Sevalsken is the Grand Aspect of seas and oceans. He is content to ignore the petty squabbling of his fellow deities, preferring the comfort and familiarity of his divine realm.
Learn more about Sevalsken
Sikorven is the Grand Aspect of the skies. She adores her father, Legatton, and will stop at nothing to free him from his imprisonment; even if that means betraying the other deities once more.
Learn more about Sikorven
Sviroune is the Grand Aspect of the seasons. She often journeys between her divine realm and the Nexus, enjoying the company of those who reside within the latter.
Learn more about Sviroune
Tyvantus is the Grand Aspect of trickery. As per the very concept she oversees, Tyvantus has a playful nature and will often travel to over realms to execute grandiose and convoluted plots against allies and enemies alike.
Learn more about Tyvantus
Wylgasturn is the Grand Aspect of weather and climate. She works closely with her sister, Sviroune, but will sometimes undo her sister’s hard work just to mess with her.
Learn more about Wylgasturn
There are debates among the populace of Garlan as to the exact order in which each deity appeared - an event often referred to as the deity’s “awakening”. For some, these are minor variations, such as the timings of the Grand Aspects awakening being switched with each other. For others, they claim that some deities should be considered as higher or lower Aspects than what they actually are.
This has led to variant pantheons and a lot of arguments. Some factions have even waged wars against others due to their religious differences. Despite these misconceptions, the deities seem happy enough to let others worship them as they please, even if some of the facts that their beliefs have been founded on are wrong.
General Information
Each deity has edicts (values that their worshippers should try to follow) and anathemas (flaws that their worshippers should try to avoid). They also have an alignment (although this is a general to their typical moods), a domain that empowers their clerics, and a divine realm in which they reside. All of the deities will have at least one sacred symbol, by which they can be identified, as well as an animal and/or colour which they hold sacred.
Power Sources
Firstly, all deities have an innate magical power source that they can tap into - one that is far more expansive than any mortal could dream of. This divine prowess is a result of their Awakening.
Primal Aspects and Elder Aspects also receive a portion of their powers from their divine realms. If they are injured or tired, they will often return to their divine realm to recharge.
This is not the case for Grand Aspects or Heroic Aspects. The secondary source of their powers comes from worship or belief, so their powers can fluctuate depending on the state of the mortal planes.
A note from the Storyteller...
Alignments are a funny thing, especially amongst the divine. We mortals tend to have a bad habit of trying to assign our own morality and values to beings far more powerful than we can comprehend. “Evil” to us is a vastly different concept to what the divine would consider “evil” - if they would even use such a blanket label at all. So remember adventurer, the next time someone is adamant that the deity they worship is “good” or “bad”, they have no idea of how true (or false) that statement really is.
Variant Pantheons
Of course, with how little some of the deities interact with realms outside of their own, the various races and factions across Garlan have extrapolated what little knowledge they have. This has resulted in a number of pantheons; some alterations of the “most common” pantheon, whilst others are vastly different. For a few factions, this means holding belief in a single deity.
With each pantheon comes its own lore. Events throughout history are attributed to the deities, even if the deity being referenced was never truly involved. Most people are “accepting” of other pantheons and religions outside of their own (with a few arguments here and there). Though there are some individuals who are eager to wage holy wars against those who oppose their views.
Below are some of the common pantheons / religions found throughout Verterea.
Full-Pantheon{TBC}
Order-of-our-Honoured-Saints{TBC}
Three-Creators{TBC}
Hallowed-Sun{TBC}
Fate-Based{TBC}
Heroic Aspects
Heroic Aspects are generally considered to be “demigods”, regardless of whether they have one divine parent or two. Their powers are weaker than the others - a direct result of Legatton’s betrayal.
The Primal Aspects feared a repeat should more deities be conceived who share the same power levels as their elders. As such, many people in Garlan view them as minor, or forget them altogether.
Included in this tier are mortals who have “Awakened” a divine power. The means for this are a heavily guarded secret, but a handful of mortals have managed to uncover the process required to Awaken and have proceeded to undergo it. The-Awakening{TBC} for these folk is agonising and has actually resulted in death more times than it has succeeded.
Comments