Gods of Xalvion
The gods, although they do not walk among us, are with us every day, they directly affect the world around us, they guide us through our lives even when we are downtrodden and lose hope. To say they don't exist or to scoff at their existence is not only ignorant, it is completely foolish!Xalvion is teeming with religion and faith as most of civillization is built upon it. Nearly every person on Xalvion is a member of some faith or religion regardless of their race, ethnicity, or place of birth.
The Xalvion Pantheon
While many gods from many realms are worshipped on Xalvion, it does have its own pantheon that holds primary influence over it. The pantheon is roughly divided into the Savior Gods (who are generally seen as good or neutral aligned and for the most part battled the Primordials during the Dawn War), the Traitor Gods (who are generally evil aligned and for the most part helped the Primordials reek havoc on Xalvion and battled the Savior Gods during the Dawn War), and multiple lesser deities.
The Savior Gods
The Savior Gods are those who chose to fight against the Primordials during the Dawn War, with the exception of the Raven Queen, who only became a god during the Age of Spellfounding. They are all good or neutral aligned.
The Savior Gods are as follows:
Avandra, the Changebringer
Goddess of freedom, trade, travel, and adventure, Avandra encourges those who follow her to venture forth into the unknown.
Commandments of Avandra
- Luck favors the bold. Your fate is your own to grasp, and to do so is to have the Changebringer behind you.
- Change is inevitable. The righteous can ensure that such change is for the better.
- Rise against tyranny. Fight for the freedom of yourself and others when you can, and inspire others to fight when you cannot.
Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon
God of justice, honor, and good aligned dragons across Xalvion. Bahamut teaches his followers to uphold the highest ideals of justice and honor.
Commandments of Bahamut
- Stand as a paragon of honor and justice.
- Smite evil wherever it is found, yet show compassion to those who have strayed from the path of righteousness.
- Defend the weak, bring freedom to the persecuted, and protect the ideals of justice and order.
Calistria, the Savored Sting
Goddess of lust and revenge, Calistria encourages revenge, pleasure, and deceit among her followers.
Commandments of Calistria
- Pursue your personal freedom, do not let anyone stop you from seeking joy.
- Seek thrills that others are too prudish to desire, live hedonistically proudly.
- Take revenge on those who have wronged you, do not let any slight against you go unpunished.
Corellon, the Arch Heart
Deity of arcane magic and the fey, Corellon is the mother and father of all elves, raiser of forests, and spreader of magic.
Commandments of Corellon
- Create, inspire, and find beauty in all that you do.
- Follow the echoes of lost magics, forgotten sites, and ancient art, for within these lie the Arch Heart's first works.
- Combat the followers of Lolth wherever they might be.
Desna, the Tender of Dreams
Goddess of freedom, travel, and luck, Desna promotes freedom, new experiences, and living life to the fullest among her followers.
Commandments of Desna
- Aid your fellow travellers. Lend your hand to those you find travelling along the same path.
- Journey to unexplored lands, travel far and wide to take in the world around you and make new experiences.
- Express yourself through art and song and bring joy to others.
Erathis, the Lawbearer
Goddess of laws and civillization, Erathis encourages community, order, and innovation amongst her followers.
Commandmants of Erathis
- Utilize the company and aid of others. The efforts of the individual often pale against the capabilities of the community.
- Strive to tame the wilds in the name of civilization, and defend the points of light and order against the chaos of darkness.
- Uphold and revere the spirit of invention. Create new settlements, build where inspiration strikes, and expand the edicts of the Law Bearer.
Ioun, the Knowing Mistress
Goddess of knowledge, prophecy, and skill, Ioun promotes honesty (within reason), education, and perception amongst her followers.
Commandments of Ioun
- Unmask those who follow Vecna. Learn their secrets and unveil them to the world.
- Uphold and teach the importance of reason, perception, and truth in guiding one's emotions and path.
- Condemn those who lie without moral cause, for evil folk gain power when their followers obscure the truth. Never stoop to the level of selfish liars.
Kord, the Storm Lord
God of storms, battle, and warfare, Kord inspires courage, strength, and glory in battle among his followers.
Commandments of Kord
- Bravery above all. There is no glory in cowardice.
- Strength is the path to greatness, but greatness is the responsible use of strength.
- The glory of the Storm Lord lives through your own glory on the battlefield.
Melora, the Wildmother
Goddess of the wilderness and the sea, Melora advocates for the protection of nature and the untamed wilds, acceptance and respect of the savage nature of the world among her followers.
Commandments of Melora
- Protect the untamed wilderness from exploitation and destruction.
- Slay abominations and other mockeries of nature.
- Embrace and respect the savage nature of the world. Exist in harmony with it.
Moradin, the All-Hammer
God of craft, creation, family, and legacy, Moradin inspires loyalty, ingenuity, and creativity among his followers.
Commandments of Moradin
- Remain stoic and tenacious in the face of catastrophe.
- Remain stoic and tenacious in the face of catastrophe.
- Uphold and promote loyalty to your family, loyalty to your clan, and loyalty to your people.
- Legacy is paramount. To create something that lasts is to change the world for the better.
Pelor, the Dawnfather
God of the sun, summer, agriculture, and creator of one of Xalvion's suns, Pelor incites vigilance of evil, help for the suffering, and delivering the light of dawn to those lost in darkness among his followers.
Commandments of Pelor
- Be ever vigilant for evil. People are quick to forget the lessons of the past.
- Help relieve the suffering of the innocent.
- Deliver the light of Pelor where darkness dwells, with kindness, compassion, and mercy.
The Raven Queen, Matron of Death
Ancient goddess of death and fate, the Raven Queen encourages they slaying of the undead and those who would raise them, the respect of the natural end of life, and the following of the path of Fate among her followers.
Commandments of the Raven Queen
- Death is the natural end of life. There is no pity for those who have fallen.
- The path of Fate is sacrosanct. Those who pridefully attempt to cast off their destiny must be punished.
- Undeath is an atrocity. Those who would pervert the transition of the soul must be brought down.
Sarenrae, the Everlight
Goddess of healing, redemption, temperance, and the creator of one of Xalvion's suns, Sarenrae encourages mercy, patience, and compassion among her followers.
Commandments of Sarenrae
- Lead with mercy, patience, and compassion. Inspire others to unite in fellowship.
- Aid those who are without guidance. Heal those who are without hope.
- Those who are beyond redemption, who revel in slaughter and remorseless evil, must be dispatched with swift justice.
Selûne, the Moonmaiden
Goddess of the moon, night, and the creator of one of Xalvion's moons, Selûne promotes guidance, compassion, and courage among her followers.
Commandments of Selûne
- Let all who touch my light be welcome among you. Be tolerant to those around you and treat them equally.
- Be practical, do not let old set traditions get in the way of doing good.
- Be the light in the darkness for those who have lost their way.
The Traitor Gods
The Traitor Gods are those who, for one reason or another, chose not to fight against the Primordials during the Dawn War. They are all evil aligned.
The Traitor Gods are as follows:
Asmodeus, the Lord of the Nine Hells
Devil god of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus represents tyranny and domination and commands his followers to give into evil, to lord over others with an iron fist, and exploit the kindness of others.
Commandments of Asmodeus
- Assert dominance and power over others. Show your strength of will in the image of the Asmodeus.
- Repay cruelty done unto you with further evil. If others show you kindness, exploit it.
- As you ascend to power, do not pity or show mercy to those you climb over to get there. Compassion is for the weak.
Bane, the Strife Emperor
Deity of war and conquest, Bane commands his followers to be fearsome, to punish the insubordinate, and to break and subjugate the weak.
Commandments of Bane
- Fear is your ally. Conquer your fear and inspire it in your foes.
- Disorder and rebellion are to be punished severely.
- Combat is the greatest gift, and perfecting your skills to master it is the greatest pursuit.
Gruumsh, the Ruiner
God of barbaric hordes, pillaging, and slaughter, Gruumsh commands his followers to conquer, crush, ruin, and kill their enemies in a furious rage.
Commandments of Gruumsh
- Ruin. Conquer. Kill.
- The weak exist to be crushed by the strong. Be the strong.
- There are no emotions but fury and joy. The rest are weakness.
Lolth, the Spider Queen
Evil goddess of deceit, shadows, and spiders, Lolth commands her followers to decieve, to cull the weak, and to slaughter all surface Elves.
Commandmants of Lolth
- It is better to be loved than feared, but you may certainly try to be both.
- Misdirection, slander, and shadowed steps have more function than direct conflict.
- Death to the elves who live under the sun, and death to all their allies!
Tharizdun, the Chained One
Mad deity of death, trickery, and the creator of the Abyss, Tharizdun commands his followers to sew chaos and destruction, to pursue the obliteration of the world, and to free him from his prison.
Commandments of Tharizdun
- Offer and siphon power to Tharizdun until his liberation comes.
- Uncover, restore, and exalt forgotten shrines and relics in his honor.
- Ruin and raze the realms to prepare for the Epoch of Ends.
Tiamat, the Scaled Tyrant
Goddess of greed, envy, and the patron of evil dragons across Xalvion, Tiamat commands her followers to be greedy, to be unforgiving, and to take what they please.
Commandments of Tiamat
- Amass wealth, but spend little. The gold—and the power that comes with it—is sufficient reward in itself.
- Do not forgive nor forget an indignity to yourself. Let no affront go unpunished.
- Take what you covet. Those without the strength to defend their dominion are not worthy to have one.
Torog, the Crawling King
God of torturers, slavers, jailers, and creator of the Underdark, Torog commands his followers to imprison the weak, torture the imprisoned, and to bring darkness to all.
Commandments of Torog
- Seek and exalt places where no light touches.
- Revel in the pain you inflict on others, and relish the pain you suffer yourself as an offering to Torog.
- Imprison those who cannot resist you, and drag all life into the darkness.
Vecna, the Whispered One
Deity of dark secrets, necromancy, and undeath, Vecna commands his followers to keep hidden the truths they know, to raise the undead in his name, and to destroy Ioun and her followers.
Commandments of Vecna
- Learn all you can, and keep hidden that which you know. Reveal what pieces you must, but never the whole.
- Express and cultivate the evil within yourself, and in doing so, recognize it in others to exploit them for your own benefit.
- Seed the ruin of all who worship other deities, until only those who kneel before Vecna remain.
Zehir, the Cloaked Serpent
God of poisons, assassins, darkness, and the creator of snakes and Yuan-ti, Zehir commands his followers to sow chaos, to use poison and fire to undermine civillization and nature.
Commandments of Zehir
- Keep your acts obfuscated and secret. The night is your greatest ally.
- Strike quickly and without reason. Blind the target with their own confusion.
- Kill slowly. Agonizingly. Or worse, make them enjoy it.
Other Gods and Lesser Deities
The gods listed in this section are either those who hold a fair amount of influence in Xalvion while not being a part of the main pantheon, or lesser deities with little influence or renown.
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