Devas

Brought forth in the mid Golden Age by Shesha, a benevolent personality of the Lord of Chaos, Apophis. Ruled by gods who valued wisdom and compassion, the Devas brought peace and prosperity to the realms that they ruled, and while by no means flawless, their rule was largely benevolent. Never sharing the thirst for conquest possessed by other pantheons, the Devas were largely content for much of their reign to manage their own fiefdoms away from the center of Creation's politics.

The wars the Devas fought were largely defensive, and they held their own against outside threats, until they faced the might of Eden's Angelic Legions. They were subject to the first great Ynochim atrocity since the Massacre at Krasivya, and their defeat marked a turning point in the level of brutality and violence that occurred during the Angelic Conquest.

Fortunately for the Devas, they were able to escape their prisons in Eden during the Great Maelstrom, and were the first gods to arrive on the newly made Earth. They were able to negotiate a treaty with the Ascendant Ynochim where they would abide by the rule of Divine Law and cease directly exposing themselves to their newly established worshippers in return for the religion they had established being allowed to continue unmolested. As such, they are the only pantheon in the modern day who is openly worshipped on a mass scale.

## History

### Founding

The Deva pantheon's history began in the realm of Manidvipa, as Shesha, one of the personalities of Apophis, brought Vishnu forth from the Prime in GA 125. Vishnu went on to assist his father to create his brothers, Shiva and Brahma. Shesha taught his children to value wisdom, knowledge, and compassion, ideals that would go on to shape the pantheon as it was formed.

The Devas first expanded from Manidvipa into the surrounding realms in order to repair the damage done to them by one of Apophis's rampages. Shiva lead the combat that was occasionally needed to bring such realms into their domain, while Vishnu took on more administrative roles, and oversaw their repair. During this time, Shesha created additional children, as well as lesser beings to serve in the Deva's armies.

Many gods ruling the shattered realms that the Devas sought to expand into submitted to their vassalage willingly. One such deity was a god named Daksha, who was brought into the fold through a marriage alliance between Shiva and his daughter Sati.

During this time, Shesha assisted his children in their various efforts, but spent much of his time educating his son Brahma on the creative powers of the Prime. Brahma eventually became the first non Primordial to craft living beings directly from the Prime. Eventually, the three eldest sons of Shesha succeeded their father as joint rulers of the pantheon, forming the Trimurti Triarchy.

### Third Serpent War

The being that awakened from the Great Slumber in GA 162 was Shesha no longer, but Apophis returned. Apophis sought to resume his war on Ra and the Kem-Duati, this time, with the Devas and their armies as his pawns. Initially, the Devas wholeheartedly followed him, for the Great Devourer was masquerading as their benevolent founder. The mask slipped, however, as Apophis began spreading his corruption through the Deva's ranks, creating chaosspawn to add to their armies and demanding that they commit greater and greater atrocities.

Apophis and the Devas clashed several times with the Kem-Duati, before the Triarchs decided enough was enough. They struck out at the monster who wore their founder's face, joining with the Kem-Duati to bring the Serpent down. Not all turned against Apophis, however, for his corruption had taken root, resulting in a split within the pantheon, with those who continued to obey Apophis's will becoming known as the Asuras.

After Apophis was defeated, the Devas made peace with Ra and the Kem-Duati, retreating back to their own domains, shaken at the betrayal they had experienced. The Asuras, though vanquished, were not entirely broken, and in later Ages would threaten the Devas time and time again.

### Into the Iron Age

In the chaos of the Great Maelstrom, several of the Devas were able to escape their Edenian prisons and flee into the Maelstrom. Thanks to the powers of Vishnu, they were able to survive the ordeal, and arrived at the newly created Earth. As such, when the Ascendant Ynochim emerged from the Maelstrom and the War of the Fall, the Devas had reestablished many of their worshippers and were in a position of strength. The Ynochim, hesitant at the large cost to their battered armies that would be needed to crush them, agreed to negotiate a truce. The Devas would submit to the rule of Divine Law, along with the other pantheons, and additionally, cease appearing directly to their worshippers and actively intervening in their lives on a mass scale. In return, the Ynochim agreed to allow the religions the Devas had established to continue unmolested. This agreement was name the Treaty of Ayodhya, after the city on Earth where it was signed.

## Hierarchy

### The Trimurti Triarchy

The highest authority among the Devas is the Trimurti Triarchy, a council of the three eldest sons of Shesha: Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. Though Vishnu, as the eldest of them, does informally hold a position of preeminence, the three Triarchs are all equal in the authority they wield. When pantheon wide decisions are made, the three convene, and choose the course through debate and vote.