More on the gods of Arcadia.
The Mother, Queen of All, Rhiannon.
She is love, and terror. She is nature. All owe our existence to her. She is beautiful, loving, and cruel. She is birth and death. The cycles of nature swirl to the beating of her heart. Nothing and no one in Arcadia can harm her. She speaks in songs. She rings like a bell in the night. It is said that once a year she has a tea party, and if you can find it, you are invited. Some say that its a joy beyond measure to attend, others say it is a tearful event when the Mother weeps for her Mommy and daddy that died in something called a car crash.
She always appears as a beautiful blond woman with a flowing white robe, smiling, dancing and smiling.
Her priesthood protect nature; and their portfolio of spells is: Animals, nature, weather, healing, food, curing, defending, and music.
Tor God Of Protection.
Tor usually manifests as a tall, strong bearded man. If he is angry he is dressed for war, in glorious plate armor and shield. If he is pleased, he seems like a rotund, smiling robed grandfather. He is quick to love, and first to forgive. He is sometimes called the Crying God, as he weeps when in war. Tor can break all bonds. He loves all, Human, Elf and Orc. He will always favor the underdog.
His clerics are not warriors, but Defenders, or Paladins. They act as arbitrators, and sometimes judges. Tor's portfolio is War, Combat, Defending, protection, Law, curing, and building.
Megaster Lord of the Sun
Megaster is the lonely god. He has many children, the stars, but they are far away. He is the embodiment of the Sun. He is fire and light. He can never come close to the world that he loves for if he did, he would destroy everything. He accepts his solitary duty with noble sacrifice. His loves Selanae, but she is always fleeing his advances. Megaster is foes with Orcus, whom hides from his glory. The priest hood of Megaster fight against the Undead. They never lie, and will often be leaders and politicians. His portfolio includes: Light, Fire, truth, growth, nature, art, beauty, sailing, navigation, life, and responsibility.
Yondalla Goddess of hearth, home and safety Yondalla usually appears as everyone's grandmother. She is associated with Tor, and their priesthoods are very friendly. Yondalla loves everyone and weeps for the safety of the world. He wants to help everyone and is often stopped by Rhiannon, as if Yondalla could, she would upset the balance.
She is kind. She is giving. To blaspheme against her is horrid. Even the Orcs would be hard pressed to curse her name.
Her priesthood run shelters throughout Arcadia. They often build houses on roads as shrines. Travelers leave coins and clean to the priests for a safe stay. To desecrate a Traveler's Shrine is to risk hardships on the road.
Yondalla's priesthood has the following portfolio: Protection, healing, food, building, fire, and they may never cast an offensive spell.
Celestion, God of The Stars and the Night Sky, Lord of Inquiry Celestion is the son of Megaster and Selenae. He a mysterious god. Lord of paradox. He is both, a lord of order, as the stars move with clockwork precision yet, seemingly at random, he throughs objects through the night.
He knows what lies beyond and he sometimes tells. He leads sailors to glory and doom. He inspires poets, and shelters monsters. He is distant to both his parents and to even the Mother of all.
He is always smiling, and always in the form of a beautiful, mysterious youth. He appears as neither male nor female, and is sometimes called a goddess. Celestion's priesthood is a mystery cult. They do not evangelize. They build temples high in mountains, or near the ocean. They accept new priests after they pass a series of riddles.
Celestion's priests are sailors, poets, artists, oracles and even great wizards. Also, many an assassin has prayed to Celstion for guidance.
Celestion grants the following portfolio of spells to his priest: Night, Darkness, divinations, crafting, beauty, fear, hope, travel, and order.
Silvanus God of the Forrest.
Silvanus or Silvanos, appears as a green giant, a bearded tree, a great stag, or sometimes as a tiny unassuming animal. He is the brother of wood, and protector of animals. He understands the need to hunt and to build, but he will punish those who squander or abuse the gifts of his protection. He is a quiet god, who speaks only when needed, but when he speaks, must be heeded.
Silvanus's priesthood consists of rangers, as well as clerics. They all protect the woods first, and the two footed animals second. They have a hatred of Orcs, who burn and overhunt.
The Wood Elves hold Silvanus as most high, and he rewards them with vast bounty.
Silvanus's priest hood are given the following portfolio: Nature, Animals, Hunting, Healing, Plants, protection, building, conjuring, and water.
Grume Lord of Slaughter, feeder of Crows, Father of Maggots.
This vile lord appears as a one eyed giant carrying a weapon. He is focused on cruelty, killing, and destruction. He is worshipped by tribes of Orcs and other horrors. Good folk try to placate him so he will not manifest. He is a greedy, petty god. He never speaks, and its not even known if he can. He does laugh. A horrible, throaty laugh. The crueler he is, the harder he laughs. His priest hood are not warriors, they are butcher. They slaugher, they squander, they lay waste. They revel in destruction for the sake of destruction. Grume grants his priests the following portfolio: War, fighting, fire, destruction, disease, combat, and conjuration.
Lolth Mother of Spiders. It is said that Lolth is not of Arcadia, that she came from beyond even Celestion's knowing. She came, and burrowed deep into the bowels of Arcadia. It is said she rose before Arcadia, and will be the only one to survive its destruction. Lolth is corruption. She bites your soul and poisons your mind. Why? Only she knows. Her worshipers are twisted reflections of what ever they once were. No one willingly worships her. They are her slaves. Lolth grants the following portfolio: Darkness, Death, Divination, Conjuring, poison, illusion, Cold, and travel.
Orcus Stealer of Souls, Thief of the Dead.
Like Lolth, it is said Orcus came from beyond Celestion's domain. He crept in and captures souls, and also like Lolth, he twists those souls and returns them to their bodies. He is the progenitor of the undead. Is is his vile machinations that gave rise to vampires, liches and zombies. He is a parasite that feeds on the souls he steals. He is hated among gods, and even Rhiannon abhors him. He hides and uses stealth, like the coward god he is.
He has no living priests. His priest are vampires, liches, and mummies. They are given spells pertaining to Death, darkness, Cold, Disease, Corruption, fear, stealth, illusion, and wealth.
Meran goddess of the Sea, Water, and Mysteries.
Wife of Athos, is the Lady of The Great Seas. She has many daughters, the daughters of rivers, and lakes.
Meran is a demanding goddess. She can provide bounty or floods. She had a tumultuous relationship with her husband and when they fight, they create storms. She is the mother of mysteries as the sea is constantly changing.
Meran is worshipped by sailors, fisherman, and all who depend on the sea. All ships are dedicated to her, and all sea voyages start with a feast in her honor.
She has the most children of all the gods.
Her priest hood are sailors, fisherman, artists and politicians. She grants her worshipers this portfolio: Water, Seas, traveling, Nature, conjuration, healing, destruction, war, commerce, and divination.
Krydhal god of death and restful repose.
Krydhal god of death and restful repose is merciful God. He is worshiped as the lord of rest and release of suffering. He comes to all as a friend. He is not seen as monster but as welcome companion who forgives you of your sins and walks with you to your reward. He hates Orcus, the soul thief.
His priests officiate funerals, maintain graves, and comfort the sick and suffering. They battle undead, which are an affront to death's mercy. They have traveled to the far reaches of the world to burn vampire, destroy liches, and banish wraiths.
You can dedicate your life to any god in Arcadia, but your last prayer, your most earnest supplication, will be to Krydhal.
His worshipers are granted the following portfolio: Death, Healing, Protection, divination, conjuration, truth, battle, and fire.
There are many local tribal gods; Pesh, god of wine, Amath goddess of the understanding of nature, Sifan god of local hill ( where wishes are sometimes granted), etc....
There is also the Univited God. This god is never named, for naming him invites him. And he is never welcome. He is placated, never worshipped. He is the one god Rhiannon fears. Referring to him in her presence will cause her to flee. He is a lord of madness and deterioration. He breaks mind, destroys families, and leaves depression. There has never been a cult to the Uninvited God, but if there was they would have the following portfolio: Madness, death, darkness, cold, combat, illusions, chaos, lies, and conjuration.
Other gods do exist, Older gods. One such is Arioch. Arioch is more than a god, he is a lord of Chaos, from far beyond Arcadia. He hates Rhiannon and has planned her destruction for eons. He hated Rhiannon before she was even Rhiannon. He is chaos embodied. He is a destroyer, and as such he has an army of damned fools and Orks.
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