The Sovereigns
The Nine Sovereigns
Arawai - “The Sovereign of Life and Love”
The goddess of the harvest and fertility, of life and love. She represents the procreation and positive relationship between the natural world and civilization. She is portrayed as either a Half-Elf, a Halfling or a Human and has even been portrayed as a bronze dragon. She is the sister of Balinor and The Devourer, and mother of The Fury as a result of her rape by her brother, the Devourer.
Most Vassals think of Arawai as the deity of fertility, crops, abundance, and plant-life in general. While accurate as far as it goes, this is a limited understanding of Arawai’s place in the pantheon. More properly, she holds dominion over procreation of the natural world as viewed through the lens of civilization. A follower of the Host lost in the forest, or wandering unknown valleys, is most likely to call upon Arawai for aid.
Arawai’s priests are knowledgeable about farming or natural lore, as well as religious issues. Most were farmers, woodcutters, or herbalists before becoming priests. Sacrifices to Arawai offer grains and other consumable plants and produce. Vassals request good harvests and live, healthy births from Arawai, as well as guidance in the wild.
“The Sovereign of Law and Lore” - Aureon
The god of knowledge, order, and magic as a tool for the good of mortals. He is also invoked when a difficult decision must be made, especially in regard to the law or the morality of pursuing arcane secrets. Aureon is the lord of all knowledge, and the scriber of laws without which civilization could not exist. He is also the god of magic as a tool for mortals (as opposed to the Shadow, who represents magic in its uncontrolled, primal state). He is the patron of teachers and scholars, judges and sages, lawyers and wizards.
Aureon’s rites are formal, with specific methods of offering thanks of requesting favors. Sacrifices can be almost anything, so long as they have value to the petitioner and represent a willingness to place material acquisition below the desire for understanding. Oaths to tell the truth, such as before a magistrate, are often taken in Aureon’s name.
Aureon's priests must be educated or at least knowledgeable, capable of rational thought, and able to place the needs of the law above their own emotions. Many serve as magistrates or government officials, and a significant number have some arcane skill.
While scripture does not place any of the gods above the others, myth has it that Aureon often directs the actions of the Host- not due to any authority he might wield, but because the others trust his judgement and ability to see consequences. Long ago, Aureon bound all the evil in his soul and banished it from his personage. This monster became known as the Shadow.
It is said that Stellarium will come to an end when he and his shadow rejoin. Aureon is the brother of Onatar and the husband of Boldrei. Aureon is portrayed as a Gnome or human wizard and occasionally as a blue dragon.
Balinor - “The Sovereign of Horn and Hunt”
The god of beasts and the hunt, representing the primal cycle of life and death and the struggle to survive on the edge of civilization. He is the brother of Arawai and The Devourer, Balinor is usually portrayed as a tall, handsome, burly human although occasionally he is drawn as a crude but good natured half-orc and even more uncommon, a stalking green dragon.
The lord of beasts is one of the most violent of the Sovereign Host. He is neither cruel nor bloodthirsty, but simply represents the cycle of life, the eternal hunt of predator and prey. He begrudges none the right to kill for survival but holds great malice toward those who hunt for sport or trophies. He is patron of rangers, hunters, and trappers, and is constant companion to his sister, Arawai. The two of them together represent all aspects of the wild that can be tamed—to an extent, at least—by civilization.
Sacrifices to Balinor consist of animal flesh, which must come from a creature slain for food, fur or tools: killing an animal only for sacrifice is an insult to the sovereign of the hunt. Tradition holds that the better the cut of meat, the more Balinor is inclined to hear the request. Like Arawai’s Priest, servants of Balinor must have at least some knowledge of the wild, and many were hunters or trappers before taking up the cloth.
“The Sovereign of Hall and Hearth” - Boldrei
If civilization is the house of the mortal races, and Aureon’s laws are the foundation, Boldrei is the walls and roof. The goddess of community and the hearth, representing the simple bonds between people and working toward the common good. When the savage wild presses against the safety of community, Boldrei is there to protect it.
As the godddess of community, home, and hearth, she is everything positive about society itself: its support and protection, its comforts and customs. Together with Aureon they form the core of the typical Vassals worship since most of their daily life revolves around the home and knowledge. If civilization is the house of the mortal races, and Aureon’s laws are the foundation, Boldrei is the walls and roof.
She is the patron of civil servants and community leaders, and the protector of villagers against the savage wild. She is wife to Aureon, and the two stand together at the core of the Vassal faith, for it is they who form the centerpiece of daily life. Boldrei is typically portrayed as a commoner of any race or a copper dragon protectively brooding over a nest of eggs.
Boldrei is invoked in prayers and rites celebrating marriages, coronations, and other civil ceremonies. Sacrifices usually consist of items representing the comforts of home, such as feather-down or foods cooked over the hearth. Her priests devote some time to serving their communities in nonreligious capacities. Some might be civil servants; others could be defenders of a frontier’s borders.
Dol Arrah - “The Sovereign of Sun and Sacrifice”
Dol Arrah is the light, not only of the sun, but of the best aspects of the mortal soul. She is the goddess of honor, forthrightness, self-sacrifice and the sun. She represents martyrdom, righteousness, and just conflict. She is often portrayed as a human or half-elf knight shining with holy radiance, and occasionally as a red dragon perched atop a cloud. Dol Arrah is the sister of Dol Dorn and the Mockery. Dol Arrah is the light, not only of the sun, but of the best aspects of the mortal soul.
Many Vassals see her as no less vital to civilization than Aureon and Boldrei, and they believe that when the mortal races accept this truth, the world will become much brighter. Dol Arrah is the patron of paladins, diplomats, all who seek justice, and warriors who fight with wisdom and honor as much as with weapons. To a lesser extent, she is also the patron of explorers, who bring the light of knowledge to dark places, and to all who revere the sun. She aids Arawai by lighting her way during the growing season.
Dol Arrah does not require specific items for sacrifice, so long as they have true meaning to the petitioner. Her priests must have the highest integrity. Many were soldiers, diplomats, or law officers by becoming her priests. In all cases, they are people of sterling reputation.
“The Sovereign of Strength and Steel” - Dol Dorn
The deity of physical prowess and duty, representing competition, courage, and warfare. Dol Dorn is the most martial of the Sovereign Host. He is the patron of all who fight for a living- among them soldiers, martial artists, and athletes. Often depicted as a heavily muscled human, Dwarf, or half-orc and occasionally as a powerful silver dragon Dol Dorn is the brother of Dol Arrah and the Mockery.
He leads the Sovereign Host in battle, and legend holds that he forced The Dark Six from the Host’s ranks. Dol Dorn despises those who shed blood in the name of cruelty or greed. or who glory in mindless violence. He always stands by the soldier who fights for duty or homeland, and favors games, sport, and honorable competition. Although he does not bless an unjust cause, he protects warriors forced into battle by a bloodthirsty ruler.
Most of Dol Dorn’s priests are soldiers or athletes. Only a very few are incapable of holding their own in combat or competition. Sacrifices to Dol Dorn often require petitioners to shed their own blood, proving their willingness to endure pain for what is right. Nearly all Vassals pray and sacrifice to Dol Dorn before going into battle or engaging in physical competition.
Kol Korran - “The Sovereign of World and Wealth”
Kol Korran is the god of trade, wealth, and commerce. He is the only second-generation member of the Sovereign Host akin to how The Fury is a second generation of the dark Six, which is appropriate since wealth and trade appear only after the other elements of society fall into place. Kol Korran is the son of Olladra and Onatar and is often depicted as a cheerful, chubby human or dwarf and occasionally as a white dragon laying atop a pile of ice blue gems.
As the most avaricious of the Host, Kol Korran is patron to merchants, traders, and all who seek wealth; in his darker aspect, he is also the patron of thieves and fences. He is loyal to the Host, but some legends ascribe to him a feeling of resentment and a feeling that the other gods do not consider him an equal. This does not manifest as overt hostility, but rather as schemes to enrich himself at the expense of others.
Thus, fables sometimes portray Kol Korran- despite his usually serious demeanor- as the prankster of the gods.
Most rites to Kol Korran require the supplicant to melt money or similar valuables, sacrificing a small amount of wealth in exchange for earning far greater. Most of Kol Korran’s priests have a head for numbers and commerce, and many were merchants or shopkeepers before taking the oaths. All are expected to learn something of business so they can counsel entrepreneurs who seek advice.
“The Sovereign of Feast and Fortune” - Olladra
The goddess of fortune, luck and plenty, representing the boons of civilization and the joys that it brings. Olladra is the wife of Onatar and the mother of Kol Korran and The Keeper. She is often depicted as a young halfling, sometimes as an elderly human, and occasionally as a black dragon.
As the deity of good fortune and plenty, Olladra is the most popular of the Host when things are going well, and one of the most reviled when they are not. She is the patron of gamblers, entertainers, and rogues, or anyone seeking good fortune. She is kind but fickle, and even her most faithful cannot honestly say what inspires her to grant her blessings to one person and not another.
Olladra accepts any valuables but looks more favorably on sacrifices of items acquired through luck, such as gambling winnings or “found money.” Priests of Olladra require no specific skills or training beyond what all priests of the Host must possess. If someone can inspire others to accept him as a priest, clearly the god of fortune has already smiled upon him.
Onatar - “The Sovereign of Fire and Forge”
The husband of Olladra and the father of Kol Korran and the Keeper, Onatar is often portrayed as dwarven smith and occasionally as a brass dragon. Without Onatar, the civilized races could never have risen above the beasts to build communities and societies as he represents craft and industry.
He is the patron of The Forge, of craft and industry, and also of fire. He first inspired mortals to build tools and weapons, and then to improve on those already built. He is the patron of smiths, artisans, inventors, some who craft magic items, and even a small but growing number of warforged. Dwarves in particular revere him. Those who specialize in fire also place their faith in him, as legend says he gave fire to mortals to survive the harsh cold winters.
Most of Onatar’s priests are also crafters of some sort. All are expected to learn a trade if they do not already have one, for Onatar preaches that everyone should contribute to society. Onatar prefers petitioners to make something, rather than sacrifice something, during their rites. Since this is not always practical, however, he accepts offerings of old tools and weapons that have served well.
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