The Divine Pillars
The Neophate Dynasty venerates seven deities, each representing a fundamental aspect of the world, governance, and the cosmic order. These gods are not merely celestial beings but embodiments of ideals that shape the dynasty’s philosophy, law, and culture. Temples, imperial rituals, and public festivals are centered around their worship.
Valtara, The August Sovereign (God of Rule, Order, and Law)
Symbol: A golden scepter entwined with a dragon and eagle
Domains: Authority, leadership, divine right, justice
Ethos: Valtara is the patron of emperors, magistrates, and military commanders. He is the divine mandate that grants ruler's legitimacy. His priests advise the court, ensuring that laws reflect divine harmony.
Worship: Offerings of incense and recitations of imperial decrees are performed in his grand temples, which are built at the heart of every major city.
Nemyra, The Ever-Weaving Fate (Goddess of Destiny, Knowledge, and Stars)
Symbol: A silver-threaded loom beneath a crescent moon
Domains: Fate, wisdom, prophecy, celestial order
Ethos: Nemyra is the weaver of destinies, revered by scholars, diviners, and bureaucrats. It is said that she spins the fates of all mortals, and even the Emperor’s rule is woven into her great tapestry.
Worship: The Neophate Dynasty consults her oracles before wars and coronations. Star-gazing rituals and water-mirror divinations are common in her temples.
Oziros, The Unyielding Forge (God of War, Discipline, and Innovation)
Symbol: A hammer striking an anvil, with flames forming a warrior’s face
Domains: Military might, craftsmanship, progress
Ethos: Oziros teaches that strength must be tempered by discipline and that true power is not brute force but the ability to adapt and innovate. He is worshiped by generals, artisans, and strategists alike.
Worship: Blacksmiths forge weapons in his honor, and before battle, warriors burn incense and etch prayers into their blades.
Serika, The Verdant Empress (Goddess of Fertility, Nature, and Harmony)
Symbol: A blooming lotus encircling a sheaf of wheat
Domains: Agriculture, seasons, family, healing
Ethos: Serika embodies the balance between civilization and nature. She is honored by farmers, physicians, and midwives. She teaches that prosperity comes from respecting the land and nurturing life.
Worship: The first harvest of every season is dedicated to her. Healing rituals and fertility blessings are conducted in her sacred groves.
Zathis, The Twin-Faced Shadow (God of Commerce, Cunning, and Deception)
Symbol: A mask split in half—one side smiling, the other grimacing
Domains: Trade, wealth, luck, trickery
Ethos: Zathis is a patron of merchants, diplomats, and spies. He embodies both the prosperity of commerce and the dangers of greed and deception. He is neither benevolent nor malevolent, but those who misstep in his games may find themselves ruined.
Worship: Traders whisper prayers to Zathis before negotiations, and offerings of gold coins are left at his altars to ensure favorable deals.
Issora, The Azure Tide (Goddess of the Sea, Travel, and Change)
Symbol: A crashing wave encircling a ship’s helm
Domains: Oceans, rivers, journeys, transformation
Ethos: Issora governs both the calm and the storm, teaching that change is inevitable and must be embraced. Sailors, explorers, and those who seek to reshape their destinies offer her their prayers.
Worship: Travelers carry charms in her image, and great voyages begin with sacrifices cast into the sea.
Kheron, The Veiled Gatekeeper (God of Death, Time, and the Afterlife)
Symbol: A closed bronze door with an unlit lantern
Domains: Endings, spirits, remembrance
Ethos: Kheron guides souls to the afterlife and ensures the proper passage of time. He is not feared but respected, for he ensures that death is not an end but a transition. Ancestral reverence is tied to his worship.
Worship: The dead are honored with incense and offerings of food at shrines in his name. The Neophate Dynasty holds an annual festival where families recount the deeds of their ancestors under his watchful eye.
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