Deities of the Alteran Faith
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While it is clear that the development of religious belief throughout Altera had great influence from the Lightbringers’ efforts to disperse their teachings in the region, many tribes’ cultures retained a significant portion of their religious autonomy and the prevalence of their own deities over the Aequilibrii Faith. This book will chart each of the major beliefs within Altera together with some minor entities whose significance is present in festivals, events and even patronage to cities. To do so, we will tackle different aspects of faith and the main characters of each main cultural mythos in the region.
This book will focus on informing those who are inclined to learn of the religious intricacies within Altera as a whole. Such an effort is bound to fail by the very nature of its goal, as it contains limitations on the depth that it can reach since each topic would need to be made into its own tome for there to be an appropriate dive into its ramifications and interconnectedness with the relevant culture as a whole.
It is also necessary to delimitate the expectations of what to find within this book: this is an elucidation of the religious aspect of the region of Altera, with minimal incursions into cultural practices for the means of bringing context to religious beliefs.
It is relevant to say that many current practices have influences and beliefs that go beyond their core values. This can lead to moments where clarifications are required to better enhance the understanding of the matter as a whole. Prior to diving into specifics, we must first establish the main religions in Altera to then specify their faiths. Currently, there are five main religions within Altera, with many intersections and different areas where they interact, coexist and even mould themselves into a new interpretation of their faith as a whole.
Lorian Faith - One of the more secluded religions of the pack, its influence is almost exclusively within the islands of Lorien, hence its name. Diverging from all the other beliefs, they do not believe in gods themselves, but on the primordial elements of Kos, given names by ancestors long gone. Surprisingly, they harbour faith in Light and Dark, but as concepts instead of personified by gods. For them, the only true god is Aione, born from the disparity of Light and Darkness, whose essence permeates all beings.
Brenic Faith - The teachings of the fabled Brenn of Eshel stem from the revelations brought to him and his people during their arduous life in the western forests that are now named after him. Brenn spoke of the Caretaker, Apha, and his boundless compassion for all of creation. His work also focuses on the Bastion, Acta, who cares for the land with her endless devotion. Today, the Brennones are the main religious body representing this faith, with their main settlement being on Paix, the Greenkeep.
Farakian Faith - Hailing from the cold north of Altera, the Farakian Faith follows the teachings of the wanderer Farakos, whose tale is a pillar of their history. The Farakians sing their songs in reverence to Yorr, the Lord of Fire that slumbers in the mountains, and the Courier of Change, Rok’ka, she who brings the dawn and the dusk for all. While there are no major religious bodies to represent their people, shamans of this faith do have a presence in the north, tending to the spiritual needs of their people.
Aequilibrii Faith - Brought to Altera through the Lightbringers, the Aequilibrii Faith focuses on the dualism of the Light portrayed through the Protector, Dea Lexi and the warmth of her Light, as well as the magnanimous Lord of Light, Dyeus. The Church of Light is the main proponent of their faith, a very solidified religious organisation whose influence spreads far and wide. While most kingdoms have some presence of the Church of Light, their main headquarters is on Lexos, the Capital of Light.
Horastic Faith - A sibling to the Aequilibrii Faith, it was founded by Horace of Thenesia, and survived many persecutions throughout history due to its reverence not only for life, but also death. While they believe in Dea Lexi and Dyeus, they also share their importance with their counterparts of Darkness: Achia, the Lady of the Dark, and Nekane, the Caretaker of Souls. In the current Era, the Republic of Lumeth has the biggest number of believers. They are followed by the Kingdom of Arta, and both are openly receptive to the Faith’s moderate followers.
In the beginning…
Having explained the main characters of this play, there is no better way to start off explaining their differences than from the beginning of the world. Surprisingly, the mythology surrounding the beginning of all creation is rather unified within Altera, as most faiths have a consensus around the origins of the realms with the cornerstones of the genesis being Time, Fate, Kos and Disparity.
To expand further on this, let us use the Lorians’ story of creation, regarded as the oldest depiction of the conception of the world and also completely diffused throughout Altera, to the point where all the major faiths attest to a somewhat similar outline of how the realms had begun.
0.1. Before time there was the vast ocean of Kos, the very fabric of being. Without call or toll, came Disparity, a wave in Kos that led to the eternal dance of duality: it brought Darkness into being and to complete it, Light. Positive and Negative, in eternal opposition to each other yet intrinsically intertwined. Through this eternal duet Kos welcomed our Maker, Aione.
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Lorian’s Holy Tablets, Translated - Garo Ku’ul - 629, 4E
The Brenic Faith follows a similar vein, but differs from the Lorian Faith by developing more on this tale and by giving both Light and Darkness their own personalities instead of maintaining them as pure concepts. For them, Aione is represented by distinct beings named Asi (Life) and Ole (Death), both born from the matrimony of Light and Darkness.
The same is present for the Farakian Faith. It is important to note that the Farakian Faith and Brenic Faith are as much as siblings as the Horastic and Aequilibrii Faith, since historical evidence does show that some settlements of the east might have had common denominators for their cultural background, based on common ancient symbols found on different locations.
Now as for the Aequilibrii Faith, they clearly have put a lot of emphasis on the duality of the realms. It is ingrained in their symbols and religious prayers to “bring balance to the Realms”. For them, Kos has the same idea of existence itself and the duality of Light and Darkness is ever present. The main distinction, however, comes in their belief that Light embodies the positive aspects of Kos, while Darkness is its negative counterpart, so much so that Life would be correlated with Light and Death would be tied to Darkness.
But for the Horastic Faith, there is a core change that differentiates them from the Church of Light and the current Aequilibrii Faith. In their belief, Darkness does not have the same negative connotation. For them, Light and Darkness were the purest of beings, devoid of mortal impurities such as hate and envy and Life and Death are two sides of the same coin, intrinsically intertwined and just as much deserving of the same reverence.
To develop more on this topic, we need to work on the specific scripts of each faith, since there are many minute changes that can be seen as well as varying interpretations (...)
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And so, these were the main characters that served as the foundations for the development of the Realms as we know them. While still considering the divergences between different beliefs, we can establish them as being the Elder Beings, the Foundations and even the Old Gods. These are the beings served as principal constituents of the Realms as we know them, creating the laws of reality itself:
Kos: From Kos, existence itself came to be. Everything exists within it, as Kos is the basis of the Realms as we know them. All Alteran Faiths believe in it, and so it has become a staple of what our Realms are moulded from.
Light: With Darkness, they represent Disparity itself. Beginning and end. Life and Death. In an endless duality, they oppose each other. For some, Light is a cornerstone and a pillar to the existence of the realms. To others, a nurturing entity that laboured Life into being, a purposeful and merciful shining beacon of what good means in Kos.
Darkness: With Light, they represent Disparity itself. End and beginning. Death and Life. In an endless duality, they complete each other. For some, Darkness is a being that defines the boundaries of what it means to be, the ever present representation of the limits imposed on the Realms. To others, the cold, unyielding essence of the evil that lies both outside and within.
Aione: Born from Disparity, they represent the Essence of Life and Death, spread throughout the Realms of Kos. With the aid of Aione, the realms came to prosper. In some faiths, Aione is represented by twin gods called Asi and Ole, the duality of Life and Death. In others, they are the sole god that graced mortals with existence.
Now to introduce the distinct aspects of each belief, especially how Aione is portrayed within each Faith, it is prudent to dissect each Holy Script and the mentions to the whole or each aspect of the Essence of Life and Death.
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The Primordials
While the Foundations served as the basis for the Realms, there would still be a need for matter to fill the then shapeless Kos. These materials would later bond to the laws of reality for the creation of the Realms, and for all of Alteran Faiths Aione in their many forms would mould them into being. For now, we will use the perspective of Aione being the single god that shaped the Realms, for even with diverging perspectives of this entity their actions mostly remained the same. Surprisingly, there aren’t many divergences in the following act of the story of the Realms, as this aspect maintained itself a core formation of what Alterans believe to be the Primordial beings that shaped the Realms in their infancy. The Brennones in their scripts carved onto the Elden Oak have made a very succinct and effective explanation that is worth mentioning:
‘An engraving depicting Light and Darkness in their shapeless forms, represented by their respective symbols. Light is in the middle of the circle of Darkness, representing the Realms of Kos. Between each vertex of Light’s sign lies the symbols of the Primordial beings. Below each of them is carved the names of the Primordials:
Yelos: The embodiment of Wind in its wild and storming form.
Pelora: The embodiment of Earth in its utmost unyielding form.
Kuulan: The embodiment of Water in its pure ever flowing form.
Verun: The embodiment of Fire in its primal raging form.’
Except for the Lorians who do not believe in any other form of beyond mortal life other than their version of Aione, all faiths in Altera have a similar version of the Primordials, beings conjured by Aione and of the most primaeval currents of existence within Kos. However, there are differences on why they were conjured in the first place, those being:
For the Brenic and Farakian Faiths, the Primordials were the first creations of Asi and Ole with the aid of Light and Darkness, serving to pave the way for them to understand how to weave Kos and form the Realms. This would be the first step of the duo in exploring their position as Makers of the Realms, and would become fundamental tools in its creation, so much so that they would take away the possibility for their death, bounding the eternal beings into eternal servitude to their cause.
As for the Aequilibrii and Horastic Faiths, the Primordials were a gift by Aione to Light and Darkness, a show of how Kos could be rearranged and forged if enough creativity were involved. The Aequilibrii Faith states that the Primordials were cherished by Light but shunned by Darkness, who saw how Aione managed to avoid Death as a part of their creation. The Horastic, however, see the Primordials as a failed attempt born of Aione’s inexperience with the core concept of the duality of Life and Death, a concept that should never be broken, not even by a god.
Whichever Faith one might follow, it remained the same that Aione would use these beings to shape the Realms of Kos, for their essence emanated the matter needed to shape them into being. Unfortunately, that betrayal of the concept of Life and Death within the Primordials’ weaving - the absence of the duality that Light and Darkness established as basis for creations within Kos - would soon come back to haunt Aione.
The Erdan
This chapter within Aione’s tale is mainly portrayed by the Aequilibrii and Horastic Faiths since both were highly influenced by the Lightbringers and their cultural beliefs. However, carvings on the Elden Oak of Paix are also present and a similar story is known within the Brenic and Farakian Faiths of Altera, albeit not to the same extent, excluding the Lorian Faiths unique beliefs.
Eastern Faiths:
In the Aequilibrii Faith, The Church of Light’s Holy Books are where this would be mostly mentioned. This event would become one of the main reasons for their devotion to Light and its representatives (which will be covered later on). In the Book of Creation, the oracle Foteini depicts the events that transpired in their Faith:
THE BIRTH OF ERDAN AND THE CREATION OF SOULS
(Book of Creation by the Church of Light)
And so it was that Aione would make use of the Primordials and their neverending currents to shape the First Realm, Erdan. There she would pour her Essence, birthing the first mortal beings in a paradise of creation unparalleled. Her work gave form to the infancy of plant life and the first of animal life, all to partake in the bliss of Erdan. The Peak of Aione’s Reign had begun.
With the acquiescence of Aione, Light would bathe the lands with their rays, and Darkness would quell the heat with its shadow, the endless duality ever at play to balance existence itself, and so time was given meaning.
It was during a fateful dawn that Light witnessed Aione by themselves tending to Erdan ever so peacefully. After approaching, they saw that Aione had conceived of a being much like themselves, yet small and fragile. “This is a Soul. It is a part of me, the very Essence of Life and Death. Take it within you and spread it throughout Erdan, the same way you do with your Light.”
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For them, while Aione was the one to create the Soul, it was Light who spread it throughout Kos, a kind gesture much like the sun’s warm embrace in the break of dawn. However, the same goodness associated with Light would have its counterpart in Darkness.
THE LIES OF DARKNESS AND THE RUIN OF ERDAN
(Book of Creation by the Church of Light)
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But Erdan was fated to fall, for the folly of Aione in trusting Darkness led to its ruin. In the coldest of nights, Darkness crept into the minds of the Primordials and poisoned their very beings, telling tales of how Aione wished to bring them Death after their purpose for creation was over. Darkness had created Fear, corrupting the minds of the Primordials and consuming them until nothing was left but the raging power of a frightened, cornered being.
Erdan was destroyed, and Aione’s Essence was scattered throughout Kos.
The Horastic, however, view the ruin of Erdan in a very distinct way as per Horace’s Revelations. For them, the laws that govern existence in Kos were established by Light and Darkness through their dualism in being, and so Aione’s heresy of breaking the cycle of Life and Death would become a seed that could only blossom into ruin.
THE BROKEN LAW AND THE RUIN OF ERDAN
(Horace’s Revelations)
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But Erdan was built on defective pillars, and the folly of Aione led to its ruin. The Primordials were built unsound from the very beginning, unbalanced and lacking the duality that governs all. As they saw the creations born from Aione going through the beautiful cycle of Life and Death, they witnessed their broken selves devoid of Death’s gentle embrace. And so they wept, for they would never be able to complete their cycle and be a part of Aione’s perfection. Despair corrupted the minds of the Primordials and consumed them until nothing was left but the raging power.
Without questioning Aione, they tried to tear themselves apart, to destroy their very beings in order to fulfil their cycles, and in doing so brought Erdan to ruin, scattering Aione’s Essence throughout Kos.
After the dispersal of Aione’s Essence of Life and Death and the Primordials’ matter, the Realms of Kos would start to develop, a coalescence of all things into new life that would follow the rule of duality imposed by Light and Darkness at the dawn of Kos. This was the Dusk of Aione’s Reign.
Now as for Aione themselves, varying beliefs cover their outcome in distinct ways, most putting them in the background of history. The western faiths say that Asi and Ole would together scatter their Essence throughout Kos to create life in a spontaneous way. The western faiths do not explicitly mention that Aione would have perished to bring their Essence into the Realms, but their holy scripts cease to mention Aione by name, only referring to Life, Death and the Souls from then on.
Western Faiths:
Their belief in the events of the destruction of the First Realm come from oral tales abound both by the Brenic and Farakian Faith. They speak of how after Asi and Ole had formed the First Realm and the life therein, the Primordials grew restless with its stagnation. One of Brenn’s tales is of how the Primordials still followed the chaotic waves of Kos and were in enmity to the stasis of the First Realm. At the leadership of Verun, the Primordial of the First Flame, they sought to bring ruin to their creators’ work and establish once again the shapeless, chaotic essence of Kos.
On a fateful night, the attack took place. Verun and the others laid waste to the First Realm, each with their own terrifying way of wreaking havoc and seeding chaos throughout it. Asi and Ole awoke from their slumber to witness their work being shattered by their own creations, and they were unable to stop them.
Asi and Ole from then on knew they could not let the Primordials roam free. They sought Light and Darkness to aid them in containing the Primordials and decided on shackling them to pillars that they would build on each of the corners of Kos. Together, they fought and restrained each of the Primordials and took them to their eternal prisons.
There are depictions in both the Elder Oak of Paix and the many carvings in the stones of Adâncime Gulf of the Primordials chained to the edges of Kos. Yelos to the north, Pelora to the east, Kuulan to the west and Verun to the south, to the places that they would call the Pillars of Creation.
But this undertaking would not be free of cost, for Asi and Ole had been fatally wounded in their battle to face off chaos, the ultimate sacrifice for the wellbeing of the Realms. As their last wish, they pleaded for Light and Darkness to spread their Essence throughout Kos, so that they could serve as kindling for new Souls to prosper.
From hereon, however, the main protagonists of the Alteran faiths switch to the Gods in their many forms. The religious consensus (if there can be one) is that Light and Darkness would go back to their position as stalwart keepers of Kos’ Realms, working to maintain the duality that functions as the core of existence.
Before unravelling the intricate webs of the deities and their different interpretations within Alteran mythos, it is very relevant and even necessary to bring into focus one of the most important questions to be answered by the faiths of this region: the Soul.
On Souls and Life and Death
This is a topic that demands special attention due to its heavy relevance within the mythos of Altera, as well as the wide variety of works that surround the explanations and depictions of deities and their reigns given by the Alteran Faiths, which in turn leads to the necessity for a deeper dive on the complexities of the Soul as per their faiths. It is imperative to contextualize the very meaning of what a Soul is for them, and the analysis of the ramifications of said meaning will bring a deeper understanding of the different perspectives about some cultural divergences between the faiths of the region.
Once again, let us begin with the mythos of the Lorian faith and their scriptures on Aione, which are in essence corroborated by the other faiths, albeit through different lenses as elucidated before.
0.12. …Aione’s vision was made true and Lorian was carved in the Pillar of Creation, filled with the natural life that filled the lands, the seas and the skies.
0.13. The Maker had finished their work, but no other eyes could witness. Aione then took to the highest peak of Lorian and carved an image out of the stone. The Maker placed a piece of their own self in the being’s heart, and proclaimed: This is a Soul. It is a part of me, the very Essence of Life and Death. Arise, and witness the world as I see it.
0.14. You will live, and you will die. I give you the chisel from which you were carved, and you will create as I have done. I give you this land to use and tend to, for I am to leave and continue my work as the Maker, and when I return I wish to be pleased with your work.
Lorian’s Holy Tablets, Translated - Garo Ku’ul - 629, 4E
The tablets provide a solid basis for the Alteran belief that Souls are a blessing of the Elder Being Aione. Unfortunately, that is about as much synchronicity amongst the faiths as there can be, for each one has their own deities that ascertain control over the functions of the Soul.
The eastern faiths do put Aione as the Creator of the Soul, corroborating within their own texts that the Elder Being would’ve been the one who shaped in resemblance to their own Essence the existence of mortals within the Realms of Kos.
The western faiths, however, diverge in belief by instead creating two distinct deities that encompass the same role as Aione, those being Asi and Ole. As mentioned before, these deities were the product of the matrimony of Light and Darkness, with Asi being the embodiment of Life and Ole of Death.
Functionally, this distinction does not matter so much due to the following events in the Alteran mythos that lead to a new wave of gods to exert influence in different aspects of the faiths as a whole. The Destruction of Erdan was a pivotal moment in the mythos of these lands, since it lead to the scattering of Asi & Ole/Aione’s Essence throughout the Realms and subsequent creation of the Primaeval Souls, the entities that would later become the Gods that rule over the Realms.
Eastern Faiths:
Aequilibrii Faith: As per the Book of Creation, a Soul is a reflection of the deity Aione, moulded and shaped by them to inhabit the Realms of their making and possessing both the aspects of Life and Death, given to them by Light and Darkness. In the mythos of the Aequilibrii Faith, Souls were at first meant to be catered by Light throughout the Realms. With the events of the destruction of Erdan, however, the chaos brought by the scattering of Aione’s Essence throughout Kos would only be mended by the arrival of the Primaeval Souls. Of those, two would rise to the call of Light and claim their spheres of influence to affect the Realms and fulfil their promise to Aione:
Dea Lexi: For the Aequilibrii Faith, she was the one to take on the mantle of Light and tend to Souls after Erdan’s Fall, working endlessly to protect mortals and their fragile selves as well as guide them towards a fulfilling life, a requisite to be welcomed back to Light’s embrace after a life well lived, one which would be judged by Leta - her other self - when the life of a mortal comes to an end.
In contrast, Nekane is a Primaeval Soul that was engulfed by Darkness, corrupted by it to take away the souls that stray from the path of Light brought to the world by Dea Lexi. Nekane works with the Darkness that is now ruled by Achia, finding ways to misguide, to hinder and to take away the virtues of mortals, leading them astray and into the Darkness where she keeps them.
Horastic: Horace’s Revelations tell a rather different story. While they corroborate that Light was indeed the one in charge of spreading life throughout the realms, they believe it to be a cycle, one that has its end in Nekane, whom they call the Caretaker of Souls. In their belief, Dea Lexi’s sphere of influence resides in dispersing Life and protecting it as it blossoms, but her work is done when the time comes for all mortals to join Nekane in the afterlife, where the goddess of death would discuss the merits of the mortal’s life with Leta and send them back for another cycle of life and death in the Realms.
However, the Horastic do have an exception to the eternal cycle that is at the centre of their belief. Within the Revelations, it is said that those whose lives are so profoundly impactful, positive and in accordance to the principles of their faith would be granted the chance to reunite with Aione, to supersede the cycle and be welcomed within the Grand Truth, a feat that only Horace and Ava have been able to achieve thus far.
Western Faiths:
Brenic Faith: Asi and Ole, the duo of deities that rule and embody the two pivotal points of a Soul’s concept, the beginning of Life and the final destination called Death. In their carvings and teachings, both western faiths depict Asi and Ole in a remarkably similar way to Aione and have the same perspectives on the interpretations of a Soul and its two major aspects as the Horastic faith.
Returning to their creation myth, the First Realm was the location where Asi and Ole conceived a Soul. For both western major faiths, the Soul is a part of a mortal’s body while also being the link that unites them to the divine, a proof that their existence had been directly envisioned by Asi and Ole themselves. A Soul possesses the conjoined aspects of Asi and Ole (Life and Death) into a single entity which could experience Erdan with them by embodying the shaped matter of Kos. As for who the first Soul was, that is a topic worth discussing in its own chapter, so for now we will leave it aside.
Nevertheless, with the death of Asi and Ole and the sprouting of Primaeval Souls, the Brenic faith believes that Life in all of its forms would be tended to by Apha, the Greenkeeper, a task that he would diligently perform. The history of the founding father of the Brennones’ way of life is heavily tied to the teachings passed down to Brenn by Apha.
Death on the other hand was brought to the world by Rok’ka, the Courier of Change. The Brennones preach that all souls have a cycle, and the moments of transition are heralded and overseen by Rok’ka, who then helps the soul go from the Realms of the living into those governed by the Guardian Goddess of Death, Nekane, and would be judged by Leta on their deeds during their life in order to give them a fitting place to reside within Nekane’s realm. In their culture, mold and the wilting of nature are just as much of a symbol of Life as they are of Death, both under the rule of Rok’ka.
Farakian Faith: The Farakian Faith also believes that Life and Death were once represented by Asi and Ole, and with their death at the hands of the Primordials, Primaeval Souls were the ones to take on the mantle of responsibility in regards to the cycle of souls.
In Farakos’ Journey a parable explains their belief in the matters of the Soul. Farakos ventures north ahead of his disciples with the plan of leaving guidelines for them to follow. The arduous winds of the north soon turn into a blizzard that engulfs him and leaves him on the brink of death. In that state, his Soul lifts from his body and he is met with Rok’ka. She explains that he is currently threading the line between life and death, a moment that just like all other types of changes and metamorphosis is managed by her. She tells him her task of taking souls from the lands of the living, known as the Realms of Kos, maintained by Apha and Acta to the lands of the dead, ruled by Nekane.
Farakos asks if it was his time to venture down the Unseen Road. It was then that Dea Lexi’s Light in a lamp pierced through the blizzard. She approached and convinced Rok’ka that Farakos’ journey was one that should be allowed to continue until its completion. Rok’ka was convinced by the words of the Guide of the Lost and allowed him to struggle on. Dea Lexi then summoned the might of Yorr, who engulfed Farakos in flames that did him no harm and protected him from the raging winds of the Primordial Yelos.
It is the Farakian Faith’s belief that all manners of life are under Apha’s protection, with the guidance of Dea Lexi towards their best version of themselves. They believe that when someone’s life cycle comes to a close, Rok’ka will guide them through the Unseen Road towards Nekane’s lands of the dead, where they will be judged by Leta and be given a place to settle or a new chance at life by being reborn.
And with the topic of the deities that surround life and death in their own exquisite way explored, we now will turn to the overarching perspectives of the faiths of Altera when it comes to their gods.
The Gods of Altera
As for the creation of the gods, we have seen how each of Altera’s Faiths depicts them in their own way. The common ground for all of them is that they are all formed from the Essence of Life and Death in its primal form: the Primaeval Souls; the extent of their Essences being beyond what any mortal could reach.
Another of the main aspects that all Alteran Faiths follow is that the gods share the same reigns of the Elder Beings and Primordials, with increments to their spheres of influence to match the more material Realms as well as the many sources of magic Alterans partake in. However, the stories regarding how the gods came to be and how they obtained their divinity need to be explored on a case by case analysis of the main scriptures and tales surrounding them.
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While there is still not a consensus on the amount of gods in the Realms between the Faiths, there is a core set of gods that are acknowledged by the vast majority, albeit venerated mostly by a specific region or faith. At first, we will elucidate who these gods are and their main spheres of influence within Altera and the Realm as a whole.
For now, we will refrain from explicitly mentioning the holy scripts of each faith when it comes to interpreting their perspectives on each god, but the overall ideas of the most relevant faiths to each god are beneficial to the understanding of their most prevalent imagery and personalities. Later on each pertaining concept still not elucidated will be covered with the relevant scriptures and spoken legends.
Dyeus: Lord of Light
Eastern Faiths:
Dyeus sits atop the Throne of Light where with the blessing of Light he guards the Realms from those who would do harm to it, enforcing duality in all things as well as being the guiding light that shines ever so brightly in the sky and in the stars.
The Aequilibrii Faith believes that Dyeus is the most powerful god of all, the king of kings that sears away all evil that is deserving. For them, Dyeus is the reigning Lord of the Gods, a title given to him by his sheer might and the trust placed upon him by Light to be the stalwart Protector of the Realms of Kos from any who would dare cause harm to them.
The Horastic see him as the husband of the Lady of the Dark, both working together to enforce duality in all things within the Realms. Dyeus is the scorching and blinding power of Light that cauterises the wounds in the Realms caused by agents of chaos and destruction. They do not paint him in a benevolent light and instead have a reverential fear of his might.
Western Faiths:
Dyeus is the blinding light of the sun, both majestic and fearful in its own right. While not the most powerful of beings, Dyeus was given his power by Light and with it he enforces order throughout the Realms.
The Brenic Faith sees Dyeus as one of the main pillars that hold the Realms in place, constant and precise, just as much as the rising sun. For them, he is the flaming sword that retaliates against those who would cause harm, methodic and unrelenting in his task of maintaining the Realms, scouting the Realms with his light to single out wrongdoers.
The Farakian Faith has many correlations between Dyeus and their favoured god, Yorr. Many even interpret them as two sides of the same being, with Dyeus being the responsible for order in the Realms through the Light, while Yorr maintains it through channeling the blazing fires of Verun.
Dea Lexi: Warden of the Soul, The Protector, The Guide, Mother of Abjuration.
Dea Lexi is one of the most beloved gods of the Alteran pantheon as a whole. To most Faiths, she represents protection from all kinds of evil, and so her blessing is invoked by many throughout the region.
Eastern Faiths:
In both of the Eastern Faiths, Dea Lexi’s role was passed down by Light, who entrusted to her the responsibility of tending to the living and protecting them from all who would unjustly cause harm, as well as being the responsible for spreading life throughout Kos. She is one of their most influential gods, and her position as the one who brings life as well as being its main protector earns quite her significant rapport throughout Altera.
To the Aequilibrii Faith, she is the most cherished of the Gods. There are many titles given to her for the grace she provides to her faithful: the Bringer of Life, the Protector of the Soul, Although she is not the mightiest of gods, she has the influence to interfere whenever a worthy soul demands and brings the warmth of Light to soothe those in need.
To the Horastic, Dea Lexi is the one who protects mortals from all that could harm the cycle of a Soul from enlightenment to surpass the cycle of Life and Death and join Aione once again. Her diligent work and of all those under her wings make sure that people aren’t corrupted and diverge from a life guided by values and virtues.
Western Faiths:
Dea Lexi is the beacon of Light that guides the path to those who are lost. She is the Protector of those in need and the Golden Star that guides mortals through the darkness of the night. While she still possesses most of the qualities of protector in the east, the main discerning factor is her focus on being the Shepherd of mortals towards their success. Her image is represented by the brightest star in the night sky.
To the Brenic Faith, she was behind the Advent of the Golden Star, and became the symbol of guidance to those in need. One of the Tales of Brenn speaks of a shepherd who had lost one of his flock. He left to find it, venturing far and wide into a dark, starless night. Lost and afraid, he pleaded for help. The Golden Star then shone through the dark veil of the night and guided him to find his sheep and head back home safe and sound, for Dea Lexi will be there for the willing and the lost to guide their steps towards a better future.
The Farakian Faith says that she also possesses the same correlation to the Golden Star, and is actively mentioned within Farakos’ Journey as the one who guided him and his people to the safety of Yorr’s flame. She was the one to guide him through the unknown depths of Achia’s darkness and towards the warmth of Yorr.
And so, to the western faiths, Dea Lexi, while maintaining most of the characteristics of her eastern identity as the protector of souls, is known mainly as “The Guide of The Lost.”
Leta: Lady of the Good Counsel, Protector of Justice, Light of Truth.
Eastern Faiths:
For the Aequilibrii Faith, Leta is the Light of Truth, the other self of the Primeval Soul Dea Lexi, as she was born within her vessel, their two souls forever intertwined. When the soul of a mortal being leaves their body upon their death, it is Leta who judges their life’s actions and decides if the mortal will be welcomed back into Light or be sentenced to the Darkness of Nekane.
The Horastic see Leta as the Protector of Justice; a goddess whose sole purpose is to yield the just consequence to the actions any mortal takes. She is the living embodiment of the concept of cause and effect. It is Leta’s duty to uphold the sanctity of causality within the Realms and seek to balance the scales that govern the duality imposed by Light and Darkness at the dawn of time.
Western Faiths:
The Brenics depict Leta as the Lady of the Good Counsel, acting in a similar role as Dea Lexi when it comes to guiding mortals, but with a focus on being the one that judges the deeds of mortals. They believe that all those who would one day need to enact judgement on another Soul are required to seek aid and blessings to Leta, so that their aim be true and their judgement just.
The Farakians believe that the Lady of the Good Counsel has a similar yet distinct identity with Dea Lexi, with both having their own influence in the lives of mortals. In their mindset, a life is a path that one partakes in from the moment they draw their first breath to the moment they are laid to rest. While Dea Lexi is the one that guides a mortal in their path, Leta is the one that sits at the crossroads when a decision on where to go forth is needed. She aids those who are willing to listen by listing the dangers and benefits of each path, but it is always up to the traveler to make a decision and carve their own path.
Achia: Lady of the Dark.
Eastern Faiths:
In the east, Achia is the envoy of Darkness. Her role is to shape the boundaries of all things, working in tandem with the Lord of Light to enforce duality in all things that be. A consistent trait that permeates both of the eastern faiths is that Achia seldom meddles with mortal affairs. She prefers to lurk in the shadows and patiently witness the progress of time, and will only directly interfere when the scales of balance are out of order.
To the Aequilibrii Faith, she is also the agent of the fear and evil that lurks within all souls; the reviled representation of all wrongdoings of her incorporeal patron. She is the one that lurks in the corners of our minds, waiting for a chance to take hold of our very being. Yet still, Achia remains a necessary part of duality. No temples were ever erected in her honour, for she is but a necessary evil to show the brightness of the gods of the Church of Light.
To the Horastic Faith, however, her image is revered just as much as Dyeus. In fact, the Horastic Faith depicts Achia as Kos’ Queen, for it is her diligent work and will that ensures that the brightness of Dyeus does not burn everything to cinders. For them, Achia is the gentle chill of the night that ensures that mortals can sleep soundly; she shields mortals from the blinding power of Dyeus. For them, fear and evil is part of duality just as much as courage and good, and Achia is the one who in her boundless compassion ensures that Kos remains secure.
Western Faiths:
Achia is seen as the formless goddess. She is the representative of the unknown, be it good or evil. All beings must face her influence at one point, so it would be pointless and even frowned upon to displease her. The Darkness is always present both outside and within, and inside it all manners of the unknown lurk, and so mortals should fear and respect Achia, for she might be the only reason one may survive the dark or perish within it.
The Brenic Faith believes that Achia is one of the pillars responsible for maintaining the realms stable alongside Dyeus. She is the calm gloom that fills night and shadow. It would be unfruitful to try and describe her and her personality, for her very existence is shrouded in the unknown. The only thing mortal souls can do is withstand the reverential fear of her might.
To the Farakian Faith, speaking of Achia is already considered a taboo. Mortals should not invoke her presence, for in most cases what sits in the dark does not wish to be found. The only mentions of Achia are during the ceremony of the beginning of her reign in the winter, where they pay their respects and plead for her mercy in the upcoming months of cold.
Nekane: Caretaker of Souls, Mother of Necromancy, Death.
Reasonably feared by most due to the inevitable final meeting every mortal is destined to have with them, it is also the case for Death to take many semblances when interacting with them. Nekane does not have one single identity, for just like Death, it comes in innumerous forms.
Western Faiths:
The Aequilibrii Faith, under the tutelage of the Church of Light, believes that when a person dies, the manner in how they nurtured their soul defines if they are able to join Dea Lexi in the afterlife or if they are engulfed in the dark realm of Nekane. For them a disgraceful Soul that did not live up to the values of the Church is doomed to be consumed by Nekane, eternally forced to endure the darkness of her realm and the horrors that lie in it.
The Horastic have a completely different perspective on the matter. For them, Nekane is kind, endearing and the one whose warm embrace welcomes the Soul after its cycle comes to an end. Nekane’s reign is the final destination within the cycle of Life and Death, and a place only able to be arrived at by the Unseen Road that all mortals will one day cross.
Eastern Faiths:
The Brenic Faith believes that the Guardian Goddess of Death is tasked with ruling the lands of the afterlife; much like her counterpart Dea Lexi tends to the living. For them, Rok’ka helps the soul reach the realm of the dead, and with Nekane’s lullabies the soul is able to rest and await another cycle in the lands of the living. However, it is also her that decides on who stays and goes; an influence that aligns her with the control or at least sentience of the destiny of an individual.
The Farakian Faith sees Nekane as the Caretaker of Souls; the nurturing being that tends to mortals when their time in the Realms has come to pass. It is their belief that the soul is guided by Rok’ka towards Nekane in the lands of the dead. There, they seek an audience with Leta for a judgement on whether their soul is deserving to stay or if it should go through another cycle of life and death for their development.
Yorr: Lord of Fire. Lord Under the Mountains. Warden of Flames.
He guards the Flames of Verun, forever impeding the Primordial from enacting chaos throughout the Realms. Some believe him to be the wisest of the gods for his temperance in stark contrast to the chaos that he guards mortals from, while others see him as the main channel for that same chaos to take place in the Realms.
Eastern Faiths:
The Aequilibrii Faith sees Yorr as an unstable deity; a victim of the chaos of the primordials. Their belief is that the Lord of Fire is an unpredictable colossus that rests under the northern mountains of Cora. Yorr is depicted as a god of molten stone and fiery ash that rests underneath the mountains, awaiting an opportunity to set the world aflame.
The Horastic see him as a strong primordial soul, yet still subjected to the impulsiveness of the flames that he tends to. Horace tells of how Yorr is ever at odds with the flames that he rules over. This is meant to be a show of the endurance, temperance and self-control required for the roles taken by Primaeval Souls.
Western Faiths:
The Brenic Faith does not hold Yorr in high regard. They see him as a wild, chaotic god whose followers follow suit in their erratic, destructive beliefs. Their negative views were heavily influenced by age-old conflicts that have permeated throughout the eras between the Brennones and the now defunct settlement of Tavos, who were devout followers of Yorr.
The Farakian Faith puts Yorr as their main deity. They are fervorous devotees to the Lord Under the Mountains, believing that his blessing and protection is the main reason why they are able to survive in their cold, northern settlements. Some believe him to be the same god as Dyeus, the Lord of Light. They share the faith that they are bathed in the flames that light the way and protect them from the cold and dark, like two sides of the same coin. Farakians see Yorr as kind, strong and righteous, an everlasting flame that fuels the hearts of all those who are willing to take him in.
Rok'ka: Goddess of Transformation, Courier of Change, Mother of Transmutation. She who announces the end and the beginning of all things.
Eastern Faiths:
The Aequilibrii Faith regards Rok’ka with sparse praise. While they acknowledge her pivotal role within the Realms and keep her as a constant fixture in their choirs and sermons, the Church of Light rarely devotes direct offerings and prayers to the Courier of Change. In their belief, Rok’ka is aloof and neutral to the happenings of mortal scale, lost in the eternal changes she foresees throughout the Realms, and so mortals should not even try to seek her counsel as to not diverge her from her work.
The Horastic adhere to the same sentiment of the Aequilibrii Faith; a quiet acknowledgement of the importance that the Courier of Change has on the Realms of Kos. Rok’ka is respected and feared by many. Privately, it is acceptable to pray for favourable tidings in life, or a smooth passage through troublesome events.
Western Faiths:
The Brenic Faith holds Rok’ka in the highest regard. To them, Rok’ka is the one who brings seasons; the ruler of when flowers bloom and when leaves fall and wilt. For them, all changes are her doing and so the utmost reverence is expected. It is also their belief that the transition from life to death and the opposite is tended by her, leading her to be represented by rot and decay just as much as blooming and nascents.
The Farakian Faith sees Rok’ka as the one of the most important beings in all of the Realms. She is movement and change; dawn and dusk. Rok’ka is the one who oversees the rules that shape the Realms, with her eyes focused on the weaving that gives shape to it. Light, Dark, Life and Death are all things that need her influence to be exerted on the Realms. Some tribes see her as the purest manifestation of Kos and the very fabric of being, stating that Rok’ka is the one in charge of the waves that brought forth both Light and Dark, and she is the ruler over divergence from the stasis of Kos.
For some, she is the one who had sprung existence into being; the one who touched the stillness of the endless ocean of Kos, and gave the starting push towards existence. In the north, she is represented by movement, the core necessity to keep one alive in the freezing stasis of the north. A vast majority of Farakians use the Erdan Crows - a migratory bird that brings with it the first signs of Spring after the cold months of the winter - as the symbol of Rok’ka. The colours of the bird are also present in the other biggest symbol of Rok’ka, the Northern Lights or Rok’karia as they call them.
Acta: Lady of the Earth. Keeper of the Land. The Grandmother.
Eastern Faiths:
The Aequilibrii Faith sees Acta in multiple diverging ways, for there are internal conflicts when it comes to the portrayal of Acta as the Lady of the Earth. Some believe that she is volatile and unpredictable due to her being corrupted by the primordial power she possesses, her chaotic presence being the reason behind pests in crops, earthquakes and eruptions of mountains.
Others see her in a similar way to the Horastic Faith, believing that she is the Keeper of the Land, a protector that fights relentlessly to keep the Realms physically together, and ever at odds with the primordial destructive powers of Pelora. Akin to Yorr, she is haunted by the relentless primordial energy under her control, which is an eternal struggle with moments of failure from which chaos can spread and shake the earth to its core.
Western Faiths:
To the Brenic Faith, Acta is Order, Stability and the certainty of the Earth. She is the matriarch of the Realms and the spiritual grandmother for the souls that wander Kos, aiding them while they carve their paths through life. She tends to the matter of the Realms by weaving the lands together, shaping them in the valleys and plains, the mountains and fjords. For them, the Keeper of the Land was the first Primaeval Soul to come to action after the ruin of Erdan, and so mortals owe their very existence to the efforts of Acta to reform the Realms.
The Farakians see Acta as the neutrality of the world. With near apathy towards mortals, Acta’s focus is completely turned towards matters that go beyond their finite lives, ensuring that the Realms stay stable and functional. Her influence, however, can be seen within the Realms whenever mortals are fool enough to mess with powers that are beyond their control, just as much as when she acknowledges and gives aid to those whose actions are exemplars of the Way of Farakos.
Apha: The Greenkeeper. The Nurturer. The Grandfather.
Eastern Faiths:
The Aequilibrii Faith sees Apha as the god of fertility, prosperity and nature. They envision him as a calm, benevolent and focused deity whose efforts are towards making sure that there is growth in the world, in all of its shapes and sizes. He is also tasked to keep Acta and her chaotic tendencies under control, ensuring that peace may be a constant to the world.
The Horastic Faith ideates Apha as the eternal consort of Acta, aiding her in her task to preserve the realms and the life therein. His efforts are towards nurturing life, making sure that the constant struggle that his beloved partner goes through is not in vain and that all souls have means to prosper and develop in their own unique way.
Western Faiths:
The Brenic see Apha as their patron deity, the spiritual grandfather of mortal souls who taught the values that Brenn sought to spread to his people, in hopes of guiding them towards a true connection to Nature and everything that it provides. He devotes his efforts alongside Acta to make sure that the Realms possess the means to provide for the souls that inhabit them by sowing the seeds of life for all to prosper.
As mentioned before, the Farakian Faith says that all manners of life are under Apha’s protection. Diverging from Acta, his influence is directly seen in the Realms: the blossom of flowers when Rok’ka’s changes come to be, the growth of a tree to bear fruits for the people, the natural flow of life and its many shapes. He is the one who provides souls with what they need to prosper during their existence in the Realms, or denies them for not following the teachings of Farakos.
Valan: Lord of the Winds, Tamer of the Skies, King of the Skies.
Eastern Faiths:
To the Aequilibrii Faith, Valan is the Tamer of the Skies who is forever at odds with the Primordial Winds that sprouted from Yelos. The storms that rage on, the winds that blast, and the lightning that flashes in the skies all detail the eternal battle that he fights with the Primordial and his offspring, the Four Cardinal Winds. When the winds are followed by heavy rain, it is said that these are moments where he is clashing or communing with Llyr, the Queen of the Seas; the two in an eternal love-hate relationship that has its showcase in the skies and the waves.
The Horastic don’t have such a warrior-like perspective of Valan. For them, he is known as the King of the Skies through a pact of servitude from the offspring of Yelos towards the Primaeval Soul. The ordeals that hail from the skies are the efforts of Valan’s kingdom to withstand the primordial energies of Yelos. They also corroborate his relation with Llyr, but keep it as just a cordial acknowledgement of each other’s strength.
Western Faiths:
The Brenic Faith believes that Valan was able to make peace with the Primordial Yelos. Unlike some of his brethren, whose stories with the Primordials tell of strife and battles, Valan went to the edge of the Realms where Yelos was confined and truly connected with the Primordial, assuaging their chaotic tendencies. In kind, Yelos gave full control of the power of the winds that raged within them for Valan to use to rule over the skies and its inhabitants.
The Farakian Faith envisions Valan as the Lord of the Winds. When Yelos was imprisoned, the skies were left in disarray with a bedlam of storms that ravished the Realms to its core. It was the Lord of the Winds who would bring order to the chaos by the virtue of his resolve to channel those chaotic winds into the four Cardinal Winds; entities that possessed both the order of the Primaeval Soul Valan and the primordial rage of Yelos.
Llyr: Queen of the Seas, Ruler of Storms, Weaver of the Waters, Maiden of the Deep.
Eastern Faiths:
The Aequilibrii Faith depicts Llyr as the wild Queen of the Seas, who subjugated Kuulan with her might and now rules the waters of the Realms. They associate her with the wilderness inherent in all of creation, and there is no greater depiction of untamable power than the sea. They also assign her the title of Ruler of Storms, and state that the rain and storms in general are from her invading the realm of Valan, regardless of reason.
The Horastic believe that Llyr is the Queen of the Seas, whose efforts are directed towards governing the boundless seas of the Realms. The sea is as much a part of her as the clouds and the rain, giving her also the title of Ruler of Storms. This intervention into the kingdom of Valan comes from her being the devoted friend to the King of the Skies, both devoting their efforts to maintaining the stability between the seas and the skies, as well as providing the prime ingredient for life to prosper on the land: water.
Western Faiths:
The Brenics’ understanding is that Llyr is first and foremost the Weaver of the Waters. They see her as a gentle, caring and welcoming deity who often aids those attuned themselves to a life around her domain. She is the Primeval Soul who undertook the rites to commune with Kuulan and take control over the most important element for life to take place. The seas, the lakes, the rivers and even the rain that falls from the skies are under her command.
The Farakians possess a reverential fear of the Ruler of Storms, for she dictates the way of the lands of the north. Alongside the winds of Valan, Llyr’s authority and might is not to be questioned by mortals without the aid of Yorr. They also believe that Llyr possesses two selves, with her other self being the Maiden of the Deep, an indomitable lady who demands respect in the form of offerings, lest they be swallowed by the depths alongside their pride and their souls taken to the bottomless sea.
Beyond the Gods
Having covered the main deities of the Alteran faith, it is necessary to also mention a group of entities whose importance are just as relevant as the deities themselves. The following beings sometimes even take primary roles within religious events and rituals:
The Eminences:
These were beings of great renown that are considered tutelary deities of groups, locations, professions, vocations and many others. This elevation of their religious status from a mortal to something beyond does not have a structured course, and most of them come from their influence within the region.
There are a multitude of Eminences throughout Altera, some are known continent-wide while others’ relevancy is bound to small cultural folklore within villages. In objective description, it is a culturally widespread phenomenon of validation and emphasising of myths and legends that possess cultural knowledge, and historical people whose influence were organically proven to be Eminences within Alteran mythos and their culture as a whole. As a form of elucidation on the topic, albeit there being many more, some even uncatalogued due to their area of influence, here is a list of a few of the many Eminences within Altera:
- The Scientist - Patron of all those who seek the eternal truths of nature.
- The Traveler - Patron of those who take to the roads.
- The Warrior. - Protector of all those who partake in the art of war.
- The Bard. - Guardian of inspiration for those whose music touches the soul.
- The Healer. - Guardian of those whose vocation lies with preserving life.
- The Chaste. - Patron of those whose values and lives are pure.
- The Merchant. - Patron of those whose lives are devoted to trading.
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