The Old Gods

Each of the gods presided over their own afterlife, where those they favored were welcome to rest. The final choice, however, always rested with the departed soul. The type of souls favored by each god are listed after the semicolon in their domain description.

### **The Keeper**

*You will find no temple to our Keeper, but Their shrines grace every home; They alone, of all the gods, did not abandon us.*

**Domain:** Protection of hearth and home, vengeance, magic

The Keeper takes no priests and gives no commands. Any who claim to speak for Them give no words but their own.

### **Aberassa, the Warden of Secrets**

*Duna took the crystal as he was bidden and carried it to the ocean shore, where a fearsome, serpentine creature awaited him. The serpent guided him beyond the horizon and below the waves to where Aberassa dwelt in absolute darkness. The crystal’s light illuminated great monoliths upon which were written many things that were not meant to be known by mortal minds, and had Duna been able to read he would have suffered terrible madness.—Excerpt from ‘Kosma Duna’, a classic dwarven epic*

**Domains:** Oceans, sea monsters, salt, water, secrets; scholars of the forbidden and obscure

**Symbol:** A circle of runes

### **Barsavi, the Prince of True Silver**

*“The Smiling Lord’s favor is hard-won and hard-kept."—Old saying*

**Domain:** Commerce, fame, wealth, ambition, the silver moon; merchants, celebrities

**Symbol:** A white crescent moon and a coin

Though the genealogy of the gods is nebulous at best, Barsavi and Sendovani were always known as twins, and as each was the master of one of the Gatelands’ twin moons none were inclined to doubt them. His moon’s light, while paler and more distant than Sendovani’s, was much more consistent; similarly, His favor was more dependable than His sister’s but, like the moon, it tended to wax and wane.

### **Divyaratna, the Divine Jewel**

*“Ah, Divyaratna. Ever the busybody, ever reaching for things that aren’t his. He likes to call himself ‘the Great Improver’, but only ever seems to find fault with the work of others. One begins to wonder whether the elves he ‘converted’ weren’t simply kidnapped and brainwashed. Of course, Vansha could never say as much. If the gods share only one thing, it is pride, pride in abundance. In that, I suppose, we are not so different.”—From the writings of Eowyn Blackstar*

**Domain:** Precious gems, jewelry, fine art, architecture, perfection; high elves, scholars, artists

**Symbol:** A shining gemstone

Divyaratna saw great potential in Vansha’s wood elves, potential He could turn into greatness, but the Green Mother was not known for sharing what was Hers. So He hid enchanted jewels around the forests in which they lived, granting any mortal who touched one knowledge of His ways. When these secret students attempted to teach His ways to their brethren, Vansha became furious and cast them out. Divyaratna welcomed them with open arms, and together they built great cities across the world… except in the forests from which they come. Any who give voice to their melancholy at never being allowed to return to their true home risk being shunned or exiled; the high elves of the Gatelands allow no room for weakness to flourish in their pursuit of perfection.

### **Domnarius, The Crown Forger**

*“May this diadem serve to remind you that, however high you stand above your fellow mortals, you shall always be beneath the gods.”—Excerpt from an ancient coronation rite*

**Domain:** Royalty, glory, command, justice, the sun; great rulers and arbiters of law

**Symbol:** A sun over a crown

Rarely invoked but widely respected, Domnarius was the patron of rulers and judges. Few called upon Him, for in His righteous fury He was known to hold entire communities responsible for the actions of a single transgressor.

### **Ferox, the Tempest**

*“We don’t pray to the Tempest for* protection*, lass, we pray for* permission*. Nobody rides the winds through the waves ‘less Ferox allows it, and even then there’s no guarantee that you’re safe. Not every storm has a purpose, but it’ll hit just as hard.”—excerpt from an interview with a sailor’s ghost, stored in the archives of the Phantom Observatory*

**Domains:** Wind, storms, freedom, the Wild; slaves, rebels

**Symbol:** A broken circle

If Sendovani was a trickster, Ferox was something of an antagonist to the rest of the pantheon, fighting every attempt to encroach upon the natural order or limit the freedom of any creature, sentient or not. She was popular amongst underdogs, although his fickleness made them a rather unreliable patron.

### **Hanabi, the Evening Blossom**

*When Hanabi created fireworks, the skies of the Gatelands became a riot of color and noise for days on end, and even Aberassa found it impossible to sleep. But none disturbed her, for what were a few sleepless days when their beloved sister was so filled with joy?*

**Domain:** Alchemy/chemistry, science, innovation, creativity, wonder; humans, great innovators

**Symbol:** A burst of fireworks

Though it is never openly stated in any scripture, Hanabi was heavily implied to be the youngest of the gods. She spent most of Her time in her laboratory, discarding almost as many projects as She finished and unleashing Her creations upon the world with exuberant abandon. She crafted humans from the scraps of Her other projects, making no two exactly the same. Once Hanabi’s curiosity over Her creations had waned, She left them to the care of the other gods, though She did at least allow their departed souls to rest in the corners of Her workshop.

### **Makemba, the Light in Darkness**

*“Bless the grace of our Lady, for by Her light all souls are guided to their rest. Bless the compassion of our Lady, for through Her benevolence all are welcome in the Silent Halls. Bless the heart of our Lady, for beneath Her wings there is only peace.”—Makemba’s Benediction*

**Domain:** Stars, sleep, death; all

**Symbol:** Folded wings

The Blind Goddess was something of a controversial figure among Her brethren. On one hand, Her stars guided the souls of the dead to their chosen resting place. On the other, She accepted any soul into Her own domain, without discrimination. Regardless of their crimes in life, all were welcome to find rest under Makemba’s gentle wings.

### **Nav, The Shadow of War**

*After the First War, Nav journeyed across the land to see what the glory of battle had wrought. What She saw no man ever learned, but upon Her return every priest was ordered to lay down their arms and open their temples to the refugees outside the walls of Her city.*

**Domain:** Compassion, endurance, sanctuary; victims of war

**Symbol:** A broken sword

Nav brought war to the Gatelands, and spent the rest of Her time on the plane attempting to repent for Her actions. She encouraged Her priests to extend charity not just to those displaced by war, but to all in need of protection. Though primarily peaceful, their roots as an order of warriors were never forgotten, and few dared violate the safe haven of Nav’s altar.

### **Qori, the Leviathan**

*A favored disciple once asked Qori why They chose such a small form for Themself and Their children. “Because,” said They, “I think it’s funny.”*

**Domain:** Strength, courage, hunting; halflings, hunters

**Symbol:**

An avid hunter and ferocious warrior, many questioned why Qori chose to imbue Their children with a preference for a simpler, more peaceful lifestyle. Qori never gave a straight answer, but remained a fierce protector of all halflings, both those who remained at home and those who chose to follow Their example, until the fog descended.

### **Roksana, the Mountain-Gardener**

*“Remember,” the Mountain whispered, “that where these mountains stand there was once an ocean, and one day it will be ocean again. All things shall pass, Child of the Stone.”—Excerpt from ‘Kosma Duna’*

**Domain:** Mountains and earthquakes, resilience and change, creation and destruction; dwarves, victims and agents of cataclysms

**Symbol:** A cracked mountain

Called ‘Nazrovyte’, meaning ‘Elder Sister’ in Dwarvish, Roksana was believed to be the oldest of the gods. She was worshipped as a goddess of primal duality, invoked when laying the cornerstone of new buildings and when watching houses burn to the ground. The dwarves were born from Her tears as She raised the first mountains from the sea; at the dawn of time, She wept for what would be lost, and for what would never be again. The dwarves of the Gatelands are, understandably, a typically dour race.

### **Sendovani, the Princess of Fool’s Gold**

*“Don’t ask for the Laughing Lady’s blessing unless you want to be the punchline.”—Old saying*

**Domain:** Laughter, lies, mischief, luck, the golden moon; thieves, con artists, jesters

**Symbol:** A yellow crescent moon and an eye

Sendovani was a trickster and miscreant who delighted in causing chaos. Her only friend, other than Her brother Barsavi, was Qori. When They created halflings, She was so delighted with the tiny creatures that She promised them eternal good luck; it was the only time in recorded history that the Laughing Lady explicitly kept a promise. Her moon was known for travelling through the sky at an inconsistent pace, often disappearing for extended periods of time, but its bright golden light brought bountiful luck and plentiful harvests that no other god could match.

### **Siaka, the Night Guide**

*In want of life, in search of death, I fight until my final breath.*

*In dark and flame, in fear and strife, no soul is worth less than my life.*

*This oath I swear on darkling strand, blood on my blade and shield in hand:*

*I will not let the darkness fall, nor shall I heed the daylight’s call.*

*—Oath of the Night Guardians*

**Domain:** Darkness, night, dreams, protection; night elves, faithful guardians

**Symbol:** A sword and shield beneath three glowing eyes

Those who joined the Night Guardians foreswore any other allegiances, even to the day. The first to be initiated into the order were elves of both forest and city, and for their willingness to look past such petty grudges Siaka rewarded them by marking them as His own. The night elves of the Gatelands each have a third eye that grants them incredible night vision, although sunlight causes them pain. While any were allowed to join the Guardians, any night elf who did not was considered a traitor to their people, and were unlikely to find harbor among other elves, who never forgave the followers of Siaka for abandoning their gods.

### **Tamsyn, The Voice of Night**

*Sit here by the fire, My child, join Me for a spell*

*For the night is cold and dark, as you know all too well*

*Lend to Me your ear, My child, I have a tale to tell*

*Of monsters old and heroes bold, your fears with which to quell*

**Domain:** Fire, stories, music, dance, tradition; entertainers

**Symbol:** A musical instrument wreathed in flames

Few felt the loss of the gods more keenly than the followers of Tamsyn, for whom there was no greater suffering than darkness and silence. Her temple is a bastion of ancient history and tradition, for they refuse to sing any song or tell any tale that was not inspired by their goddess. Some, however, remember that She was a lover of creativity, and continue to dedicate their works to Her in the hope that some day their voices will pierce the fog and reach Her once again.

### **Vansha, the Flowersmith**

*Your crowns may glitter, but all in vain*

*They’ll never match a daisy chain*

**Domain:** Plants, rain, agriculture, beauty; wood elves, farmers, healers

**Symbol:** A flower crown

The first elves were born, rather unexpectedly, from the blossoms of thirteen trees in Vansha’s most sacred grove. She taught them how to bend the wilderness to their desires, and—more importantly—*when* to do so. Though She was happy to share Her knowledge with Her children, those who revealed it to outsiders without permission were harshly punished.