Njördr
Chief deity of the Pantheon of the North, Njördr is a god that is most powerful of the gods and goddesses that are worshipped as part of the Pantheon and the other deities and their earthly followers are subject to his decisions on all matters that he chooses to involve himself in. Njördr has a large number of clergy operating within the north of Turoza and beyond who represent him and his specific cult within the Pantheon, but his ultimate representative is the Grand Lector who presides over all of the Pantheon’s temporal power and assets, regardless of which of the Pantheon’s gods or goddesses they are associated with.
Divine Domains
As the head of the Pantheon, Njördr is directly associated with the royal families and monarchs of the nations that are faithful to the Pantheon, and he also finds a strong base of primary worshippers amongst the noble families of the north. Large temples to Njördr can be found in the capitals of the Kingdom of Kjörnsholm, the Kingdom of Dazscor and Aramore and the old capital of the Kingdom of Reinhart, Heimatstadt, often positioned close to the courts of the royal families. In Kjörnsjo for instance, the enormous temple to Njördr there is situated on the city’s acropolis, the Kunglig-Kulle, directly opposite the royal residence. As well as this, many of the micro-nations in the Mountain Principalities will have a temple to Njördr in their primary towns, many of which have been constructed since the collapse of the old Kingdom of Reinhart, to reinforce their rulers’ claims to the vacant throne.
In addition, Njördr has a secondary association with wealth and prosperity and many merchants and Guilds in the north will have a shrine to Njördr on their premises, to try and curry his favour and a lucrative outcome in the deals and business transactions that they make.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Njördr is most frequently represented either as an older man, with a full beard and strong physique dressed in a long mail hauberk and wearing a crown of oak leaves, or by his signs of an oak leaf crown and a sword one beside the other (see image top right).
Lectors dedicated to Njördr’s service will often be seen wearing an oak leaf crown made out of silver and will often wear robes bearing the mark of Njördr’s sword. It is rare to come across a Lector of Njördr who carries an actual sword. The Grand Lector of the Pantheon of the North, as the ultimate representative of Njördr on the Material Plane, wears a much larger oak leaf crown crafted out of gold and will actually bear a physical sword, though more ceremonial rather than utilitarian as a symbol of their divinely granted authority.
Holidays
Because of Njördr’s associations, most royal events in the nations that are faithful to the Pantheon become by extension feasts and holidays dedicated to Njördr. Coronations, royal births, deaths, marriages and significant birthdays will all involve some form of elaborate sacrifice to Njördr. In addition, in the north of Turoza the fourth day of the eighth month is dedicated specifically as the Feast of Njördr, where low and high born peoples will make offerings and sacrifices to him in an attempt to gain favour and prosperity for the following year.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
Njördr’s primary goal is to protect the union of the gods and goddesses created in the Pantheon of the North. The maintenance and protection of the Pantheon is one of the reasons that its eight remaining deities are able to remain powerful, as it effectively gives all of them access to the same base of worshippers, who collectively secure their divine positions, and allow them to flourish. Njördr has acted swiftly and decisively in defence of the Pantheon before, having ousted Yggdrasil, the ninth original deity who was found to be plotting against the other members in order to secure more worshippers for herself alone.
Connected to the preservation of the Pantheon, Njördr is also deeply concerned with preserving the integrity of the Kingdoms of Kjörnsholm and Dazscor & Aramore, who together represent the biggest power blocs of Pantheon’s faithful. Protecting and supporting these two nations will go a long way in ensuring the temporal future of the faith, and Njördr is often thought to command and encourage the Grand Lector to protect their integrity through the use of espionage and if necessary, force. As for the Mountain Principalities that once made up the Kingdom of Reinhart, Njördr is believed to be interested in seeing an individual once again sit on the throne of Reinhart, and rule the area as one again, but for now is unwilling to commit to any of the many claimants, lest political and religious unrest follow such an expression of divine support.
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