Remphos, God of Time

"You may attempt to interfere, but rest assured that this will resolve itself."

One of the oldest gods worshiped on The Eye, said to be older than even Death itself, Remphos is not so much a shepherd of mortal affairs as an ever-present warden of the world. He is frequently worshiped alongside Velodrea within Chal's Church of Still Water, as they represent two sides of the order of the universe - Velodrea embodies the order within, and Remphos the order without. It is usually not for any specific boon but in thanks for the maintenance of this order that he is given worship and tribute, though the main exception is notable. Sharing some overlap with Death, the most common reason that he is invoked is in the protection of the natural order when it comes to the sanctity of death and passage to the afterlife. Both regular, periodic, but minor prayers and funeral rites are thus associated with his worship, a very solemn and humbling affair in either case.
While it is rare to hear it voiced, there is a very blunt, if selfish, accusation that can be made by those who do not provide Remphos such respect: the order of the world honestly isn't that great. Maintaining the status quo for its own sake stifles the possibility of better things, and this can put his goals at odds with those of both mortals and other gods. It can be said that the ancient god does not care for minor breaches of order, but defying one's fate or that of the world is considered a matter of heroism in many stories, and his presence seems to symbolically stifle such things, planting him in an antagonistic role in some epics. More sympathetic accounts of this type liken him to a risk-averse old man, deciding that the threat of things falling into chaos far outweighs the chance of a better outcome if natural law is broken. After all, many of these epic tales do speak of their heroes making things worse before they make them better.
For most people, at least, these sorts of problems are far beyond their ken. Those who truly find themselves at odds with Remphos are typically followers of Caerev, God of Invention, who support changing and exploiting the natural order for the good of mortal civilization. The two gods are all but diametrically opposed, with proponents of each having valid arguments against each other. New technology that 'goes too far' and causes too much disruption can certainly exist, as can undue alarm at technology that has a far less significant impact. On the other hand, sometimes solving a problem with the world requires inventiveness, and so the two sometimes have to work together for the greater good of the universe.
One legend, in fact, sets Remphos and Caerev as the gods responsible for the coming of the Age of Essence and life itself. It is said that when the Elemental Lords granted their followers the gift of language, they brought deceit and the magic of Illusion along with it, hence the name of the age. This left Illusion unbalanced and unequaled, and seeing this imbalance in the world, Remphos realized that a new force would be needed to restore order. Seeking out Caerev, the two worked together to create this new force, though even this required a great deal of argument between the two before they settled upon a conclusion. Despite their differences, the story does end on a positive note; as a gift - or an apology, in some tellings of the tale - the God of Invention granted the God of Time a clockwork timepiece before they went their separate ways.
The domain of Remphos within Realm of Yore is typically referred to as The Observatory, a realm that allows him to view the workings of the universe and tend to them as needed. It is said to be filled with immense pillars or trees that he and his petitioners tend to. This is not the god's only connection with trees, either, as long-lived treants or turtles old and large enough to have trees growing upon their backs represent him as heralds. These beings rarely represent him in matters of combat, however - the God of Time has no qualms with resolving such direct issues himself when it comes to it, perhaps because his privilege as the warden of time prevents such distractions from hindering his duties.

Divine Domains

Time, Fate, Universal Law and Order, Inevitability, Decay

Divine Symbols & Sigils

The typical holy symbol of Remphos is, perhaps predictably, the hourglass. As they can be of a variety of shapes and sizes, they are frequently carried by priests of the God of Time, with one popular practice being a necklace with a latch to connect to the hourglass on either end. More elaborate clocks are also sometimes used, though these tend to be closer to the domain of Caerev than Remphos himself, and elaborate sundials are also featured in more stationary altars.

Tenets of Faith

While not as directly related to mortal action as some other gods in the pantheon, Remphos still has tenets for his followers regarding the order of the world. Disruptions of time and the natural order are to be avoided and punished, though this typically only includes Necromancy or very powerful forms of magic. More relevant to the common mortal, he decries the destruction of the world for the sake of temporary gain, as this path of greed only leads to ruin. It is this tenet that frequently puts him at odds with the Gods of Invention and Commerce.

Physical Description

Identifying Characteristics

Remphos is nigh-universally depicted as a wise old man with a long white beard, wearing a grey robe. He most prominently wields a staff with many branches on the top, ranging through all stages of life - a spectrum of budding, blooming, wilting, and barren. Sometimes, he is also depicted with a timepiece in his other hand, a nod to the story of him and Caerev, while in others his hand holds an hourglass that represents the cosmology of the universe: Yore on top, The After on the bottom, The Eye in the center and the Elemental Planes in a ring around it.

Divine Classification

Deity, Aeon