Varlas

A portrait of Varlas

Varlas is a god belonging to the Imperial Pantheon of Gods. He is the god of air and wind and so is responsible for one of the fundamental pillars upon which all life exists. Varlas controls the oxygen that animals breath, the carbon dioxide that plants use to respire, the wind that ships use to travel, the tornadoes that break houses and destroy villages, and much more. Varlas is one of the Six Elementals, the first children of Kovus and Astrios, and is thus one of the oldest gods in the pantheon.

Varlas' many responsibilities and massive influence over the mortal realm does not prevent him from acting as his true self, however. At heart, Varlas is a playful free spirit that cares little for what is expected of him and the (as he sees it) 'boring traditions of godhood.' He does what he wants, when he wants. As unpredictable as the wind he controls. He is also a god that derives more than a little enjoyment from observing and interfering with mortals. Varlas has thus played many a game with both his mortal followers as well as his fellow gods.

## **Symbology**

Being the God of Air, many of Varlas' symbols relate to the sky. Portrayals of wind and wind-based storms are perhaps the most stereotypical and most common of these symbols. But Varlas also has a variety of object-based symbols as well, the most strange of these being the simple image of an open canvas pouch bag. The eagle is also a common symbol for Varlas, for it is said that eagles serve as his messengers.

### **Personality**

Varlas is, at heart, a free spirit. He does not shun his responsibilities as a god, of course, but lives by a philosophy of doing what he wants, when he wants. He is not tied down by his godhood and instead uses his power and status to enjoy himself and have fun. Varlas can and often does respond to the prayers and requests of his mortal followers, but the actual result of these prayers often hinges on Varlas' immediate mood. Sometimes, Varlas will respond to his followers with the proposal of a game, the game itself being whatever concept amuses him the most at the time.

Varlas' free spirit personality has resulted in many of his fellow gods viewing the God of Air as irresponsible and unreliable. Only his mother, Astrios, and the other Six Elementals truly understand his position and respect his authority. Varlas does not let this disregard get him down, however. Indeed, he enjoys it. Ever the jokester, Varlas takes great pleasure in tricking and pranking his fellow gods. He will often challenge his peers to games and gambles, schemes that usually interfere with the lives of random mortals.

### **Varlas' Realm, Auran**

Varlas' divine domain is known as Auran. It is a vast dimension of sky, cloud and air. In terms of solid objects, very little is actually found here. Much of the realm is open sky, aside from the occasional floating island. These small islands are hand-crafted by Varlas himself and, even though they disrupt the theming of his domain, he justifies their existence as 'necessary anomalies.' In reality, they're likely there for his amusement, so that mortals can visit his realm and entertain him.

As a land of open sky, to visit Auran is somewhat risky for any mortal incapable of flight. For many races, natural flight is impossible and so alternatives must be created. Brooms of Flying, for example, are one possible necessity. Hoping to realm-shift onto an island is also an option but, realistically, the chance of this happening is basically non-existent.

## **Cult and Worship**

Like many of the other Six Elementals, Varlas has a thriving cult within the Empire of Man. He is worshipped for a variety of purposes, but is typically relied on for weather-based requests. Sailors will pray to Varlas in hope of strong and favourable winds. Farmers will pray for less breeze on a bitter harvest day. Travellers, likewise, might pray for a calmer wind on a journey through a cold land. Interestingly, Varlas is also a popular topic for many Imperial poets - for whatever reason.

The Cult of Varlas is a popular cult, though perhaps not as popular as some of Varlas' elemental siblings. They are mostly identifiable by their white robes, however this is a trait shared by a variety of Imperial cults. Another common trait is that Varlas worshippers are normally drawn to high-up places. Indeed, many monasteries dedicated to Varlas can be found atop mountains and large hills. This makes reaching said places a tad inconvenient for the average citizen but for those willing to brave the journey, the Cult of Varlas offers many rituals and services said to invoke freedom and fair tidings.

## **Trivia**

* Varlas is not really inspired by a specific god, but rather the bulk of his character is derived from the idea of the 'free spirit god.' This trope is designed to correspond with how the open sky is stereotypically seen as freeing and open.