Champions of the Dawn
The pantheon which once walked Malkora as mortal champions of the gods.
My struggles are so modest, I feel shame in pestering the gods with my prayers for aid. Though you, who once walked this land with us, might understand my plight.The Champions of the Dawn are deities which once walked Malkora as mortals, leading humanity out of the Nameless Era in the New Dawn's light.
Champions of the Dawn
As mortals, the Champions of the Dawn played instrumental roles in the turn of the New Era. Among these champions were leaders of faith, battle, and more, who walked in the light of the Vosra, New Dawn. These deities embody ideals which carried human populations through ages of war and strife in the Nameless Age. With the majority of these Champions hailing from Northern Nefyran, this collection of deities is worshiped most within this region, though their role in the turn of the era has carried their influence far beyond.| Name | Title | Domains | Patron of... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kora | The Dawnbringer | Faith, Perseverance | Faithful, Clergy |
| Nessir | The Mentor | Leadership, Battle | War-medics, Military Leaders |
| Levje | The Druid | Harvest, Growth | Farmers, Providers |
| Ilektor | The Speaker | Knowledge, Invention | Artificers, Scholars |
Kora, the Dawnbringer
A Champion hailing from the far north of Nefyran, her ancient home in Ba'Logor remains a sacred holy site accessible only to devoted of Vosra, the New Dawn. She is a patron for those who follow the path of faith, and watches over those who fear they've lost their way.Nessir, the Mentor
Hailing from northeastern Nefyran, Nessir is the patron of war-medics and military leaders, and is a strong patron of the battle-scarred lands of Nefyran. Remnants of the War for Light yet remain after millennia, and he watches over those who reside among them.Ilektor, the Speaker
Arguably the most esoteric of the Champions, Ilektor is the patron of tinkers and scholars, and those who pursue understanding of the world around them. The world is filled with confusion and change, prompting prayers for his guidance. Those who study magic often call to him for aid.Levje, the Druid
Goddess of harvest and growth, and patron of the farmers and providers, the Druid looks over those who aid others through warm hearths and full stomachs.
Namesake of the Realm
Kora was not only a Champion of the Dawn, but is now believed to be the right hand of Vosra herself. She is a beacon of faith and a testament to humanity's influence on the world at large.Watchers of Humanity
These Champions are a subgroup of the pantheon known as the Council of the Ascended. This Council is the pantheon of gods who once walked the world as mortals in Malkora. This council is made up of several subgroups of gods, each representing innately human traits and values. Patrons of the everyday folk, they seldom represent domains one might consider particularly esoteric or out of human control. This pantheon is recognized and worshiped globally, though different regions of the world will place more emphasis on the worship of whichever Ascended was most local to them.Want Secrets?
Certain articles may have additional secrets for GMs — pick the role that suits you!Seeker — Player Knowledge
Dawnbringer — GM Secrets
I'm genuinely curious how big Malkora's pantheon is to earn a title known as 'Council of the Ascended' that sounds like there might be a lot of them! :) I love the use of the word Ascended for this sort of purpose, it sounds so...fitting to describe divine figures like this. On Valerick the nine gods are known as the Ascended Champions and the religions themselves, all kinda semi grouped under the loose coalition of 'Children of the Ascended'. These are four very solid human deities, with great conceptualizations of their spheres of dominion. Distinct yet not to narrow in their focus, giving a strong feeling of spheres of influence more than just like individual and particular things. I also like that you kept things down to earth (despite talking about divine figures) and approachable here. Very to the point, succinct, and smoothly written all around.
I haven't fully built the Council, but it's going to be a larger pantheon made up of other smaller groups of deities much like these. Essentially, any mortal who ascended to godhood would end up a part of this larger Council! And so... there will be much opportunity to explore who these once-mortal gods are, and what they did to achieve ascension! I think it'll be a great way to explore the values of different cultures around Malkora, and what brought them salvation in the darkest days around the world. And not to mention, it may be interesting to see how these gods interact as members as one "Council," over time. So many ideas cooking, but not enough time to untangle them (yet)!
Seek a new dawn, in Malkora!
Craft a bright new world, in Ayun Sovos!