Pimedus - God of Darkness
Whether he is called the Eternal Father, the Lord of Darkness, or the Master of Dreams, the name of Pimedus is always spoken with a sense of awe and solemnity. He is the primordial god, said to have existed before time itself began. As co-creator of the universe alongside Cahaya, Goddess of Light, his presence is essential and inescapable. He is not a god of evil, nor of cruelty, but of mystery, stillness, and the sacred unknown.
Though he remains distant from most mortal affairs, every race in Mirintha pays him reverence in some form, if not through adoration, then through respectful silence. Pimedus is not a god who demands worship but expects contemplation, and those who truly understand his nature know that darkness is not absence, but depth.
In the beginning, there were only Cahaya and Pimedus, light and shadow, entwined in divine balance. Their union gave rise to the universe that surrounds us. With his wife he has three children: their firstborn Daba, goddess of the elements and stars, as well as the twins Kära, Goddess of Love and Mirtis, God of Death. He also fathered the first demigod, Taide, Goddess of the Arts, with a Valoperi whos name is lost to time. Through his children, he is the grandfather of both Satuma, goddess of luck and chance, and Nauda, god of trade and greed.
Decpiction
Pimedus is most often portrayed as a tall, somber figure, wrapped in a robe of deep, shifting black. His hair is dark as midnight, and his eyes are said to reflect the light of Cahaya just as a mirror does, showing the world its contrast. Shadows seem to cling to his form, and artists rarely attempt to depict his full face, as if some part of him must remain unseen. Where Cahaya radiates outward, Pimedus draws inward like a center of gravity in a world of noise and light.
Domains
Pimedus is first and foremost the god of darkness, but his influence extends far beyond the mere absence of light. He governs the night, with all its secrets and revelations. As master of sleep, he is the weaver of dreams, but also the bringer of nightmares, for not all that emerges in slumber is comforting. To dream is to open oneself to truth, fear, and the untamed chaos of the mind.
Classical portrait of Pimedus
His connection to the subconscious also binds him to madness. In certain cultic traditions, it is believed that true insight into the nature of existence can drive mortals to the brink of reason. The line between vision and insanity is delicate, and Pimedus walks it with divine precision.
Lastly, Pimedus is the god of betrayal, for it was he who first broke his marriage vows and fathered a child with a mortal woman. As such, he embodies the pain, complexity, and inevitability of betrayal not merely as treachery, but as a breaking of trust that transforms all who experience it.
Sounds like all seers are on the bring of insanity. Or maybe already insane.
Tenets of Faith
1. Listen in silence
Only in silence can the whispers of the night be heard. Cultivate it, so Pimedus can speak to you through dream and omen.
2. Embrace the Unknown
Do not fear the dark, for within lie truths unseen by the light. Step willingly into the darkness to discover what others refuse to face.
3. Guard secrets
What is hidden is powerful. Keep your own secrets, and protect those entrusted to you. The god of darkness treasures discretion above all.
Symbols
In the mythology of Mirintha, Pimdeus is often represented with an owl. As his faithful companion, she delivers messages of the night to the inhabitants of Mirintha in the form of dreams. She represents Pimdeus' connection to the night and the secrets of darkness.
Worship
In stark contrast to the temples dedicated to his wife, almost complete darkness prevails in his places of worship. The more pious the priests are, the less light is used during worship. Often, the places of worship are located in caves or underground. It is also noticeable how quiet it is in the places dedicated to the God of the Night. Usually, only the soft murmuring of the prayers of his priesthood can be heard, while the believers themselves remain completely silent and turn to their God only in thought.
Entrance to a temple
I have seen such doors already, but I never thought those were temples of Pimedus.
Holidays
The inhabitants of Mirintha dedicate the last day of the year to the memory of the past year. It is a day of reflection, remembrance, and quiet gratitude. They remember everything that has happened, both big and small, their joys, regretes, and what they have learned. Strict worshipers of Pimdeus avoid using artificial light on this day. The more pious a person is, the less light they use to praise the God of Darkness. Many spend the day or at least the evening in meditation and prayers to Pimdeus. They thank him for the good things that have happened and ask him to learn from the mistakes of the past year. But even those who barely feel related to him, extinguish all lights in the last minutes before the end of the day. For a few silent minutes, all of Mirintha falls into complete darkness, honoring the god who watches over the world when all else sleeps.
I'm glad this holiday leads straight into a much more cheerful day.
That's a very interesting and complex god. Honestly, I couldn’t stop reading until the end. I really liked his duality—how he’s tied to both dreams and nightmares, and the fact that he’s also associated with insanity. At first, I thought he leaned more toward being an evil deity, but I’m guessing you were aiming for something more neutral? I’m not sure if the game you’re using includes alignments, but if I had to assign one without more context, I’d probably go with Neutral Evil. One suggestion: I think all your god articles would benefit from a section that explores their relationships with other deities. For example, I know Cahaya is his wife and who his children are, but I’d also love to know how he feels about each of the other gods and how they feel about him in return.
Come visit my world of Kena'an for tales of fantasy and magic!
Or, if you want something darker, Crux Umbra awaits.
I used the WA function for the relations before, but as I find it immensely ugly, I removed it again … I think, Pimdeus might be chaotic-neutral.
Oh, yes, I didn't mean the WA relationships, I too find it ugly. I meant more like a paragraph describing the relationship or even a table with key words
Come visit my world of Kena'an for tales of fantasy and magic!
Or, if you want something darker, Crux Umbra awaits.
I have an idea how to do that …