The Pantheon of Oros
Of the 24 deities of Orosism, 7 are Elder deities and 17 are Descendants. The 7 were created first, beginning with Thadril, the Goddess of Creation.
Most Orosian temples worship one elder deity above all others, as well as one or more Descendants. Some temples recognize the holistic nature of the pantheon and worship all 24 deities. Rituals and worshipers vary from deity to deity, which can be read in more depth on each deity’s feature page.
| Name | Alignment | Elder God | Domain(s) | Symbol(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiddahr, God of Death | Lawful, Evil | Yes | Death, Knowledge | Scythe |
| Lazyra, Goddess of Darkness | Neutral, Evil | Death | White Skull | |
| Dahmieh, Goddess of the Undead | Chaotic, Evil | Death, Trickery | Red Skull | |
| Malsara, Goddess of Wrath | Chaotic, Evil | Tempest, War | Flame within a Skull | |
| Jaruman, God of Unrest | Chaotic, Evil | Tempest, Trickery | Lightning Bolt | |
| Yumur, God of Wealth | Chaotic Neutral | Freedom, Trickery | Nine-sided Coin | |
| Zhiti, God of Trickery | Chaotic, Evil | Trickery | Three Overlapping Circles | |
| Celeste, Goddess of the Stars | Neutral | Light, Knowledge | Three Stars in a Triangle | |
| Lunazrha, Goddess of Moonlight | Neutral | Light, Knowledge | Crescent Moon | |
| Tazhif, God of Sunlight | Lawful, Good | Life, Light | The Sun | |
| Tazarihn, God of Truth | Neutral | Yes | Knowledge | An Open Book |
| Gorazahr, God of Survival | Neutral | Life, Nature | Water Droplet | |
| Nasgar, God of War | Chaotic Neutral | Yes | War | Two Crossed Swords |
| Wragar, God of Change | Chaotic Neutral | Life, Tempest | Upwards Triangle | |
| Nazys, Goddess of Pleasure | Chaotic Neutral | Freedom, Life, Nature | Male & Female Signs | |
| Fenrinn, Goddess of the Wild | Chaotic Neutral | Freedom, Nature | A Leaf inside an Oval | |
| Eranaar, Goddess of Sorcery | Chaotic Neutral | Freedom, Knowledge | A Soaring Sparrow | |
| Dezireh, Goddess of Love | Chaotic Neutral | Light, Tempest | Two Lines Intertwining to form a Heart | |
| Azarey, God of Order | Lawful, Good | Yes | Light, Freedom | A set of Balancing Scales |
| Alizar, God of Agriculture | Lawful, Good | Yes | Life, Nature | A Single Wheat Stalk or a Seedling |
| Korumay, Goddess of Protection | Lawful, Good | Yes | Life, Light | A Mace & Shield |
| Vorythas, God of Exploration | Neutral, Good | Freedom, Knowledge | A Compass | |
| Thadril, Goddess of Creation | Chaotic, Good | Yes | Freedom, Life | A dozen Intersecting Triangles with a Circle |
| Eliza, Goddess of the Sea | Chaotic, Good | Life, Nature, Tempest | A Swordfish |
Mythology & Lore
Creation
In the beginning of the material plane, there was Thadril, Goddess of Creation. Thadril knew she could not create a world alone, so she sought to create the Pantheon of Oros. She desired to know the truth of all things before creating her fellow deities, so she first created Tazarihn, God of Truth. Tazarihn taught Thadril the knowledge of good and evil, then the two agreed that protection from evil was paramount. So Thadril next created Korumay, Goddess of Protection. The three agreed that there would undoubtedly be conflict in the mortal world, so Thadril created Nasgar, God of War. Next, she created Azaray, God of Order, to balance the likelihood of conflict with a hope of resolution. The first five elders next agreed upon Alizar, God of Agriculture, who would provide food and abundance to the mortal world and rule over nature. Finally, Shiddahr, God of Death was created, who would be responsible for the destruction of all things created, reminding all mortals that nothing is permanent. Thus the seven Elder Gods were created, comprising the First Order of the Pantheon of Oros. They would strive to achieve a perfect balance in the world of good and evil, creation and destruction, beauty and terror. Each week for 17 weeks, the First Order created a Descendant God to rule over a certain aspect of the material plane. Thadril first created the Gods and Goddesses she believed would bring balance to the humanoid races that would come to be. She created Yumur, God of Wealth; Gorazahr, God of Survival; and Nazys, Goddess of Pleasure. Alizar, God of Agriculture, said to the others, “The domain of nature shall be vast. I need two descendents to ensure that all aspects of nature can be well-managed,” so Thadril created Fenrinn, Goddess of the Wild, to rule over the wild forests, mountains, plains, and deserts of the world. She then created Eliza, Goddess of the Sea, to rule over the vast oceans and rivers of the world, and all living things within them. Shiddahr, God of Death, said to the others, “I need one Descendant to rule over the darkness which looms before death,” so Thadril created Lazyra, Goddess of Darkness. Shiddahr said, “I need one Descendant to rule over those cursed beings who shall remain between life and death for eternity,” so Thadril created Dahmieh, Goddess of the Undead. Finally, Shiddahr said, “Not all beings are destroyed with ease. I request one Descendant who shall be responsible for manipulating beings to come into death without knowing of it, lest there be great unease amongst the dying,” so Thadril created Zhiti, God of Trickery. Tazarihn, God of Truth, knowing the great complications that come with knowing the truth, humbly requested four Descendants to assist with his heavy task. Thadril gave him sisters Celeste, Goddess of the Stars, and Lunazrha, Goddess of Moonlight. Celeste would serve as the mystical link to other planes and realms, and Lunazrha would watch over the internal knowledge within each living creature -- the knowledge of self. Thadril also created for Tazarihn Eranaar, Goddess of Sorcery, for those mortals who are blessed with magical aptitude. Finally, Thadril created Vorythas, God of Exploration, who would guide those mortals who wish to devote their lives to learning, traveling, and growth. Nasgar, God of War, requested one Descendant to fuel the fires of war, so Thadril created Malsara, Goddess of Wrath. He asked for one Descendant to create uncertainty and turmoil amongst mortals -- the precursors of war, so Thadril created Jaruman, God of Unrest. Nasgar finally needed one Descendant to lead the tides of change and evolution that follow war, so Thadril gave him Wragar, God of Change. Korumay, Goddess of Protection, requested that she be equipped with two Descendants. Thadril created Dezireh, Goddess of Love, who would watch over the most powerful force of protection there is (which the Gods later learned to also be the most volatile of protective forces). Thadril also created Tazhif, God of Sunlight, who was to bring hope, warmth, and light to the communities who need protection the most, shielding them from the fear that could destroy them if left unprotected. Azarey, God of Order, agreed that the existing creations Thadril had already provided would bring balance enough to the world that he need not any Descendants. Azarey would look over all 24 deities and only step in should there need to be a check of power amongst them. Thus the 24 deities of the Pantheon of Oros came to be. Together they created the seven races of mankind: Dragonborn, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings, Humans, and Tieflings. They created the elements: fire, water, earth, and air. They created monsters and beasts to challenge the will of the seven races, as well as animals and good magical creatures to aid in their survival. Most importantly, they imparted the gift of free will upon all mortal beings. The Gods recognized that this would allow both great evil and supreme good to flourish in the world -- they knew that balance would ensue. Eventually, with their free will and the knowledge of creation, the seven mortal races created a world unto their own, merely observed and supervised by the Gods and Goddesses of Oros.Divine Origins
Religious Texts
The primary religious text in the Pantheon of Oros is The Book of Oros. It is a complete anthology of each deity’s individual book, as well as the creation story and other stories of the Pantheon. The Book of Oros is said to have been written by the Heralds themselves. The first copies were assembled and published by an early priesthood known as The First Men 7 centuries ago. Each deity also has its own book which is named after that deity’s Herald. For example, Thadril’s religious text is called The Book of Dwag; Alizar’s religious text is called The Book of Borizar, etc. These books include stories regarding each deity’s triumphs, follies, and adventures, all of which were originally published and distributed by The First Men.Cosmological Views
| Alizar | Azarey | Korumay | Nasgar | Shiddahr | Tazarihn | Thadril |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenrinn Eliza | Dezireh Tazhif | Malsara Jaruman Wragar | Lazyra Dahmieh Zhiti | Celeste Lunazhra Eranaar Vorythas | Yumur Gorazahr Nazys |
Tenets of Faith
Temples and Place of Worship
Orosian Temples exist in every major city. Temples primarily worship the First Order (the Elder Gods) but with an overall devotion to the entire pantheon. Worshipers of the Elder Gods attend temple weekly, every Elders Day (Sunday). Some temples exist for specific Descendant deities, usually in religious districts of large cities or in small rural communities outside of cities. First Order temples in large cities are usually pretty uniform and familiar no matter what city you’re in - large stone cathedrals with statues of each of the Elder Gods surrounding rows of pews. At the front is usually an altar where worshipers leave offerings for the Gods. Each statue also possesses its own altar for individual offerings. First Order temples typically perform charitable operations throughout the city. Temples devoted to Descendant deities vary greatly in appearance, culture, and worship style. An Elven temple devoted to deities Celeste (star goddess) and Lunazrha (moon goddess) would likely have a completely different appearance and feel when compared to a Dwarven temple devoted to Vorythas (exploration god). Sometimes, temples are even created to honor a specific saint or herald of a particular deity.Priesthood
Heralds and Saints
All Heralds and Saints have the same alignment as their respective deity. Heralds are the official messengers of their Gods or Goddesses. They have been blessed with long life as well as the ability to cross between the realm of Gods and the material plane, but are not immortal. They are very powerful, usually endowed with unique magical abilities by their Gods. Heralds are more likely to be seen or encountered on the material plane than the deities themselves. Saints were mortal beings (all are deceased) who earned the status of saint-hood at the discretion of their respective Herald. They may have attained saint-hood through a certain single act of godliness, or by devoting their entire lives to worshiping and embodying the values of their deity.
Subsidiary Organizations
Permeated Organizations
Deities
