Circle of the The First Gods

The First Gods are gods of nature and, as they sound, the first Gods of the world, and one of the few strong connections to the world before the Cataclysm. There are thousands of Gods in the eyes of the faithful, one for every type tree in the forest, every kind of creature and beast, but among them stand 16 leaders, with 3 presiding over them all. The faith of the First Gods is steeped in mythology and lore. Zephyr, God of the Wind and Weather is king of all these gods, protects and rules over the cosmos, while his wife, Helios, the Goddess of the Sun and Sky is the defender of the earth and its denizens. Nyx, however, while well respected and feared among the gods and people, is a mischievous and cunning destroyer, often depicted as a trickster. Long ago there was also Typhon, but after he usurped the throne from Zephyr and helped convince Arkror to bring about the cataclysm, Typhon was cast out of the realm of the First Gods and is no longer worshipped, his name is a stain upon their faith. Among the others are Dryanus, God of Forests, Zenith, God of Mountains and Earth, Luna, Goddess of the Moon and Heavens, Triton, God of Rivers and Lakes, Oceanus, God of the Seas, Ursis, God of Bears, Canis, Goddess of Wolves, Felis, Goddess of Cats, Horus, God of Birds, Artemis, Goddess of Game Animals, Pisces, God of Fish, Pythos, God of Snakes, Ratatoskr, God of Small Critters, and Nurgle, God of Vermin. Followers believe that nature is sacred and to be protected above all else, and the balance between people and the natural world must be maintained. There is nothing more holy than that which has grown without the aid of man and which will continue to thrive long after. This faith is most common among the Dwarves and Halflings of the Barren Hills, but is also frequent among travelers from other continents and the odd hermit or druid.

Cosmological Views

Creation Story In the beginning there was nothing but wind swirling in the void of space. This wind spun and turned through the nothingness for eons until it formed direction and purpose and thus was born Zephyr. At the same time the nothingness of the void, having been filled with something, became a thing in and of itself, darkness, and thus Nyx was born. Together the two beings existed, formless and perfect and without want or need of anything, for a time beyond time until they met, creating a spark. This spark ignited the first light, brilliant and pure, and thus Helios was born. But with this light came its contrast, a being of darkness and destruction to counter the order of creation, a being they called Typhon. Untrusting as they were of him, Typhon was their child, and so Zephyr and Nyx allowed him to remain within their realm and do as he wished. With this great spark the universe as we know it today began to form, and for a time beyond time it was cultivated and nurtured by the four Gods who created it. Looking at a small planet and finding it desirable, they named it Perdition and blessed it with two protectors, Zenith to care for the earth itself, and Luna to guard the heavens. Happy to aid their creators, the two new gods followed in their footsteps and created wardens of their own to foster further growth, and thus Dryanus and Artemis were born. Life failed to prosper. Something was missing, more than that, Artemis suspected something was hidden away by none other than Typhon, and she was right. When Zenith and Luna were formed a third being was created as well, but Typhon stole it and hid it away in a dark recess of the universe, shrouded from the gaze of Zephyr, Nyx, and Helios as they were focused on Perdition. For this kidnapping Typhon was cast out of the ranks of the First Gods, and Triton was introduced to channel the waters and bring life to Perdition. .Successful as he was, Triton alone could not control the vast oceans that came into being with the torrential rains and floods Zephyr now knew to bless the world with, and thus Oceanus was born. While Triton would safeguard the lakes and rivers and all that flowed across the land, Oceanus would protect and cater to the depths of the seas. There was a golden age of growth and peace in the world for a countless time. But this peace was broken with the birth of Nurgle, a twisted form of Artemis, whose creatures would devour one another and spread rot wherever they walked. Typhon created this abomination in response to his banishment and continues to work to corrupt the other Gods. With this new dark entity and its beasts disturbing the peace, Artemis called upon the six mightiest champions of all she had created, and thus Ursis the bear, Canis the wolf, Felis the lion, Horus the falcon, Pythos the serpent, Pisces the whalefish, and Ratatoskr the treerat entered the Circle of the First Gods. Together, the Gods of the Circle are the wardens of their respective elements and animals, overseeing the lesser gods who live within the wilds of the world, controlling the growth and prosperity of Perdition.

Tenets of Faith

Tenets of the First Gods Defend the children of Dryanus and Artemis (trees and animals) Kill and eat only what you need; do not waste, use all of what you kill The more human(oid) hands a thing touches the less pure it becomes Spend as much time in front of Helios as possible Avoid Nyx, for she is tricky and dangerous Beware children of Typhon for they are agents of chaos and harbingers of doom Protect the realms of Triton and Oceanus from the greed of men Be wary of children of Ratatoskr and Nurgle for they are easily corruptible