The Pantheon
The deities of the eastern archipelagos walked the earth long before the existence of Phae. Some, as ancient as the universe itself aided in the creation of the land, oceans, the skies, and every living creature. When the first phae came to be, their connection to the deities’ domains made it so they were inherently different from fauna that had inhabited the archipelagos before them. Their sentience and innate subconscious ability to connect with the threads of aether around them made the deities take notice of their kind. Curiosity caused the deities of the realm to bestow the Phae with Magic, to test the extent of their bindings with the very essence of the universe.
This gained the deities followers and worship, which to their surprise seemed to feed their own strengths and the preservation of their domains. However, after the passing of many generations and changes in the world some old deities would become consigned to oblivion as wars claimed their faithful. Sacred information scattered throughout the lands in spiteful conflicts of belief or destroyed entirely, many Phae today remain unaware of the existence of many old deities. A number of the ancients still remain as present and involved as ever, their watchful eyes never faltering.
Just as many were forgotten, new deities were born as the Phae advanced in sentience and their world widened. Where deities’ domains were once simple, constrained to elements and basic principles, many new concepts, notions, and sentiments evolved that gave way to new domains.
Known Ancients
Kaea
[KAY-uh]
Pronouns
He/Him
Role
Kaea the Great Healer – Deity of healing, good health, and forgiveness.
Alignment
Lawful Good
Associated Magic
Healing
Kaea is unaffiliated with any herd or specific magic type, he is simply a deity of healing that has compassion upon all phae. His highest rule is to disregard past sins or wrongs that a phae may have committed and heal them without condemning them. Normally, his presence is compared with an overwhelming sense of neutral compassion, neither empathetic nor condemning, he simply exists to have mercy upon all mortals. His presence is calming, almost utterly equanimous.
Cephi
[seh-FI]
Pronouns
She/They
Role
Cephi the Creator – Deity of nature, fauna, change, cycles, motherhood, and the wilderness.
Alignment
True Neutral
Associated Magic
Earth
Cephi is one of the most ancient deities in existence. She was present at creation of Thaeria, and is regarded across the archipelago as the one who created phae. Some herds believe stronger than others, but none more than Vinelocke. She is the mother of Kiora and Nishay.
Emnos
[ehm-NOHS]
Pronouns
They/He
Role
Emnos the Plaguebearer – Deity of disease, infection, pestilence, and decay.
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Associated Magic
Poison & Poisonskin
One of the pantheon of old deities, the parent of Vronne and sibling to Kaea, Emnos is seen as a cunning and insidious deity. They are said to thrive on the energy sapped from dying phae. As charming as they are sadistic, they hold a festering hate for Cephi, and have been known to masquerade as other beings to trick her beloved phae into tragedy.
They are an evil that is, unfortunately, insurmountable. Even Cephi, in all her knowledge and power, cannot stop them. They are a truly necessary part of life, although they have been known to launch campaigns of disease and rot through both plant life and animals. They do not tolerate being forgotten, and serve to remind both deity and mortal alike that they are here and will never leave.
They can occasionally grant their favor to those who seek to use their dubious ‘gifts’ for other purposes; mushrooms may serve to aid in poisons for traps and spies, and their rot may be sewn into soil to make it more fertile and full of nutrients. The flies that spring forth from their decaying corpses may give rise to a boon of frogs in a particularly insect-laden Sunhigh.
They are just as much a constant as the sun and moons, as the seasons and change of tide. They will ruin Cephi’s work where and when they can, if the opportunity presents itself, but they far prefer the more sinister, slowly marching crawl of decay that will fill the hearts of the weak and dying with dread. There is no escaping them; they always get what they want, and they are terrifyingly patient.
S’ral
[Suh-rall]
Pronouns
They/He
Role
S’ral the Unawakened or S’ral the Slumbering – Deity of Neutrality and Stone
Alignment
True Neutral
Associated Magic
None
S’ral isn’t around these days, as they used a great deal of their power erecting a natural barrier between their land and conquering Mirroweld. The only thing that is known for certain is that they were so driven to prevent invasion via sea routes to the west, they bent the very earth itself to their will for miles. Their lack of presence in the lives of the phae on their land means those born of pure blood lack any natural magical talent besides their innate telekinetic abilities. No one knows or remembers what the magic of this island was, as it seems to have fallen asleep with the deity themself. Maybe when they awaken, magic will return to their land.
Utmjir
[Uht-Myeer]
Pronouns
He/Him
Role
Utmjir the Intrepid – Deity of Light, Journey, Guidance, and Triumph
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Associated Magic
Lightning
Utmjir is one of the old deities, and is the one called upon when times are tough. He is prayed to for guidance, for clarity and for light in both physical and non-physical darkness. Each phae’s personal journey, no matter who they are or where they come from, is seen as sacred to him. Fires and other sources of light are also of great import, and his closest followers often wear lanterns with flame or other sources of light in them
Known New-Age Descendants
Vronne
[VROAN]
Pronouns
He/Him
Role
Vronne the Avaricious- Deity of ambition, thievery, and power.
Alignment
Chaotic Evil
Associated Magic
All Corrupted Magics (Except Poisonskin)
Vronne exists solely to please himself. He cares nothing for mortals and deity alike, and he cares not whom he affects when carrying out his plan. The embodiment of selfish desire, he will only do what makes him happy from moment to moment. The only thing that pleases him is power, and he lusts for it eternally.
Nehme
[Neh- May]
Pronouns
She/Her
Role
Nehme the Tempestuous – Deity of the Wind, Flight, and Mercy.
Alignment
Lawful Good
Associated Magic
Wind
Nehme is an adoring, peaceful deity, one that is believed to be the mother of the phae that call the desert their home. She had blessed the desert with a haven, a place that her children can rest and call home. It is said that it was her who erected the towering plateaus of the desert, providing much needed shaded areas from the blistering sun. Without her gentle guidance of Zemides, the phae of Dawnspire believe their fate would be a much bleaker one. Many also believe that she created the walls and towers that surround the Citadel in days long past to protect her children from the unforgiving sands of the Desert. However, many caution not to view her as a soft deity willing to forgive and coddle all. Though rare, her wrath too is the stuff of legends.
Althene
[AHL-TEH-N]
Pronouns
She/Her
Role
Althene the Radiant – Deity of the Sun, the Desert, Tenacity, and War.
Alignment
Lawful Evil
Associated Magic
Fire
Althene is a harsh deity that values strength and cunning. There is no room for weakness in her eyes as only the strong deserve to live and call the desert their home. After watching her former lover bless the desert with a haven for the herd, she decided she would have her own back on her ex’s beloved people. The sun that once warmed the herd became hotter and hotter, burning up the rivers and lakes that had once flowed out from the lake and waterfalls. In retribution Nehme created the plateaus and the two have been at odds on their philosophies ever since.
Kiora
[KEE-oh-ruh]
Pronouns
She/Her
Role
Kiora the Brilliant – Deity of clarity, light, luminescence, vision, and strength of mind.
Alignment
Neutral Good
Associated Magic
None
Associated with the steady moon, Tavebu. Kiora and Tavebu are used interchangeably to refer to this deity in Vinelocke. The other herds typically only use the moon’s name to describe them.
Kiora oversees the domain of bioluminescence, and all things that glow within the jungle are seen as sacred to her. She resides over clarity in all things, but especially mentally and communicatively. The ability to see both into the past and into the future, to predict how one’s actions have impacted and may impact further is encouraged, especially among those who follow her closely. She is seen as the strong mental front, and is frequently worshipped more intensely by those who are less physically inclined or capable– what they lack in physicality, they can more than make up for in magical and mental ability.
While Cephi is seen as the matron of all there is, Kiora is more akin to an older sister to the people of Vinelocke. They speak of her with reverence, but also with a familiarity that one might expect of family, especially among older phae that have practised arts that she oversees for most, if not all of their lives.
Nishay
[nih-SHAE]
Pronouns
She/Her
Role
Nishay the Enigmatic – Deity of obscurity, darkness, shadow, subterfuge, and wit.
Alignment
Chaotic Neutral
Associated Magic
None
Associated with the dancing moon, Mdima. Nishay and Mdima are used interchangeably to refer to this deity in Vinelocke. The other herds typically only use the moon’s name to describe them.
Where her sister oversees the constant brilliance of the static moon, Nishay evasively dances in and out of reach. Her will is much harder to discern than her sister’s, and she is sometimes harkened as a trickster. She’s more wily and clever than her counterpart, and is looked up to by those who use more subtle professions; spies especially often have her as their patron, as she guides them stealthily through the shadows and the night.
Elusive and often the subject of cautionary tales, Nishay has been troublesome and witty since her fawnhood. From playing tricks on her mother and sister to playing dangerous games of hide-and-seek with the wildlife, she’s always been tricky and troublesome. It only came to a head when she seduced Hadhan away from her sister, and earned the two siblings exile to their celestial bodies.
Still, her favor is mostly given to the sharpest of Vinelocke, those who would draw inspiration from her elusive, dancing movements across the night sky to inspire their own movements across their islands, and indeed, the entire archipelago.
Hadhan
[ha-DAAN]
Pronouns
He/Him
Role
Hadhan the Inexorable- Deity of the jungle, growth, and personal development.
Alignment
Neutral Good
Associated Magic
Earth (Mainly surrounding stonework)
He is seen as a young and indecisive deity, due to his disloyalty and disrespect to his mate. However, his persistence is his most respectable trait as he has ever sought to gain back his place in the hearts of the people. He may never have his mate back, but he can strive to better himself.
Hadhan is usually likened mostly to the sturdiness of the massive trees that grow all throughout the jungle. They have been around, most of them, since time immemorial, and so their persistence and his are united as one. He is frequently called upon for determination and perseverance for the more physically inclined among the phae that live here, asking for borrowed strength or blessings.
Even so, his name is used to admonish rambunctious or foolhardy colts and bucks; they need to be careful, lest they end up like Hadhan. Most modern does won’t put up with that sort of behaviour to begin with, but on the off chance, they had best watch themselves or earn the wrath of not only Cephi, but potentially Hadhan himself.
His name is also used to praise those who have gone through immense amounts of personal growth; the impersonal and hostile becoming more mild and accepting, the shy and withdrawn working towards sociability– these things and more are all seen as being guided by Hadhan’s spirit towards betterment, and they are smiled upon for their inner strength, as that is just as important as outer.
Izmir
[IZ-meer]
Pronouns
He/They
Role
Izmir the Judicious – Deity of arcana, balance, knowledge, and patience.
Alignment
Lawful Good
Associated Magic
Illusion
He is seen as a mentor to the herd who aids in their discovery of self knowledge and the world around them. Both he and his partner are responsible for the creation of empathy and illusion magic. Izmir holds secret knowledge of the connection between the Magics of the Archipelagos and the Aether of the realms. He is also known to study the ancients and experiment with the aether that magic pulls from.
Nué
[NU-EYH]
Pronouns
She/They
Role
Nué the Ethereal – Deity of dreams, hope, creativity, and love.
Alignment
Neutral Good
Associated Magic
Empathy
Nué is the deity of dreams and hope, but not just of the good facets of those domains. She is as much a balance of her aspects as Izmir and the two of them are seen as interlinked to the very core in both their gifts and their influence. She is the kindness to Izmir’s rationality and he is the reason for her ideations.
Orvanna
[ore-VAN-uh]
Pronouns
She/They
Role
Orvanna the Covetous – Deity of Greed, Gold, and Gems
Alignment
Chaotic Neutral
Associated Magic
None
Really only here for herself, Orvanna is treated as superstition by those who explore the interior of the mountains. Old wives’ tales speak of a slithering wyrm that creeps through the caverns and old passages through the mountains, formed when S’ral rapidly erected them from deep within the earth. It’s said that when they did this, they dredged up Orvanna in the process. She was enraged by this, spewing her fire from the top of Elderfrost to express her ire, but reportedly calmed when she realized that in bringing her up from her home deep in the earth, S’ral also uncovered untold riches by dragging them up as well, bringing them closer to the surface.
Sytva
[Seat-Vah]
Pronouns
She/Her
Role
Sytva the Capricious – Deity of Ice, Snow, Season’s Change, and Natural Order
Alignment
True Neutral
Associated Magic
Water
Sytva gives and she takes. She gives life through water and all the good, green things it creates, and she takes in the numbing, bitter winters that hold the isle in her gelid grasp. She is consistent in her presence, but fickle in nature; unpredictable, but nonetheless assuredly there. She stands, somewhat, as Utmjir’s foil– where he is constant and immovable, she is fluid and unpredictable. Still, there is no animosity between the two– if anything, there appears to be a mutual, healthy respect.
Zemides
[Zeh-mih-deez]
Pronouns
They/He
Role
Zemides the Oblivious – Deity of Water, Rain, and Compassion.
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Associated Magic
None
Zemides is but a young deity, still adapting to the responsibility of being a deity. At times, their thoughts can scatter and they become forgetful of the tasks at hand. They can misplace what areas rain is destined to fall, whereby wind is always a precursor to any rainfall in the Desert as Nehme gently attempts to guide the deity to the correct destinations. Feeling a protective empathy towards the Phae of the Desert, Zemides often tries to create Oases but often forgets or misplaces them resulting in the occurrence of disappearing, reappearing and Oases that change locations. Still reliant on his distant relative, Sytva’s domain, Zemides has not come into his full power yet and neither has his domain.
Aonn
[AH-OHNN]
Pronouns
He/They
Role
Aonn the Benedictive – Deity of Wanderers, the Lost, and Survival.
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Associated Magic
Favor
Aonn was born as the son of Utmjir out of the aching cries of the desperate, the lost, and the lonely. Many when backed into a dangerous corner with no one by their side or those who felt forgotten in the vastness of the world around them called out for someone, anyone to listen. Thus, the outsiders and outcasts filled with a longing to fill the void of their pain of the lack of a true home brought forth the creation of someone who was born to remedy the unique and foreign emotion the pantheon struggled to name. It was a deeper, different kind of sorrow and loneliness. Aonn would come to be the sole deity with full understanding of the breadth of that feeling and made it his province to alleviate it in all the little ways he could. They are one of the deities who spends the majority of their time present in the mortal realm, taking on an inconspicuous mortal form, and looking for individuals in dire situations where the world has turned from them. He is said to provide protection on treacherous expeditions and many may encounter them without ever realising that they had an encounter with a divine being. Said to appear when needed most and disappear just as quickly, Aonn is the well placed rock in an otherwise deadly river passing or the finding of a cave in the middle of a sandstorm because you thought you saw someone passing by in the distance.