Northern Spirits

## Common Knowledge

The Terrestrial and Celestial Spirits of Taphran and the Arlaven Glades are worshipped in many parts of northern and northwestern Orelisle, and include four Elemental deities (earth, fire, wind, and water) and three Celestial deities (the sun, the moon, and the stars).

## Further Description

The pantheon of northern Orelisle is a unique blend of cultures, all of which have produced some form of progenitor deities. The Terrestrial Spirits, also known as the Elemental Spirits, were worshipped originally by the Wood Elves of the Arlaven Glades, whose worship then spread to Taphran and beyond. The Celestial Spirits were first worshipped in Faidor tens of thousands of years before modern day, but have only been rediscovered in the last couple hundred years or so.

The Celestial Spirits are progenitor deities, but the exact nature of the Terrestrial Spirits remains unknown. They may be progenitors as well, or they could be aliases for entities which already exist.

Contrary to popular belief, there are five Terrestrial Spirits, not four. When the Terrestrial Spirits were adopted by Taphran, Mar’nek had very few worshippers as compared to the other four. Furthermore, the worship of the Elemental four were perpetuated and spread by the appearance of Taphran’s Terrestrial Heroes, four individuals chosen by the Terrestrial Spirits and blessed in their journey to defeat Daugon. This seeming exclusion has limited Mar’nek’s worship outside of Arlaven, but it is still present.

The four Taphrani Elemental Spirits bear striking similarities to their equivalents in Arlaven’s pantheon. Though they originally had different names, most scholars, philosophers, and theologists recognize that these entities are likely the same and treat them as such. It isn’t uncommon to find a worshipper of the Wood Elven Dinalon worshipping at a Taphrani temple to Kali’i, for example.

## Members

### Terrestrial Spirits

#### Drumani

Wood elven god of earth, growth, strength, plants, and animals. Drunami advocates for strength and directness in his devotees, and is often worshipped by druids and barbarians (or simply warriors filled with rage).

“Drumani” could be an alias for Avani, the First Nymph, and she was called “Geltar” by the Taphrani when first introduced to their culture.

#### Neriss

Wood elven goddess of fire, magic, and thought. Neriss advocates for wisdom and contemplation in her devotees, and is often worshipped by wizards and essence-users (especially monks).

“Neriss” could be an alias for Cinead, the First Ifrit, or Emberara, Cinead’s daughter. Neriss was called “Ignis” by the Taphrani when first introduced to their culture.

#### Dinalon

Wood elven god of wind, hunting, and traveling. Dinalon advocates for cunning and self-sufficiency, in his devotees, and is often worshipped by scouts, archers, hunters, and criminals (especially thieves).

“Dinalon” could be an alias for Zeru, the First Venti. Dnialon was called “Kali’i” by the Taphrani when first introduced to their culture.

#### Garshel

Wood elven god of water and life, who advocates for unity and humility in his devotees. Garshel is often worshipped by doctors, healers (animi), and guardians (heavily-armored fighters focusing on defense).

“Garshel” could be an alias for Nanami, the First Naiad. Garshel was called “Nadin” by the Taphrani when first introduced to their culture.

#### Mar’nek

Wood elven goddess of the spirit and death, who advocates for trickery in her devotees. Mar’nek is often worshipped by assassins, bards, psions, and essence-users (especially mystics).

Mar’nek has no equivalent in the Taphrani pantheon, and is significantly less popular outside of the Arlaven Glades. Likewise, there is no single direct connection to another deity from Mar’nek. She could be an alias for Zinthos, Azarath, Death himself, Metrion, or even a specific Reaper or Greater Reaper.

At time of writing, there is no recorded evidence that Mar’nek even exists, even as a progenitor goddess.

### Celestial Spirits

The worship of the Celestial Spirits is emerging from a dark age of ignorance, as they have only recently begun to be worshipped again. As such, the details about their personalities and domains are not yet understood. Regardless, they seem to have a vested interest in Taphran and its people. People tend to pray to any or all three Celestial Spirits for guidance, strength, and wisdom.

#### Rik’Athir

The Doe Deer Spirit of the Stars. Female.

## History

### Origins

The Celestial Spirits were originally worshipped tens of thousands of years before the fall of Old Binturia, from the movements of the true stars, the moon, and the sun. Miracles began to be attributed to the spirits as early as 20,000 B.B..

The exact origins of the Terrestrial Spirits of the Arlaven Glades is not known, but are likely about as old as their Celestial counterparts (unless they are aliases for the First Spirits and other god-borne entities, in which case they would be much, much older).

### Malovazen Inquisition (4,212 B.B. - 3,548 B.B.)

In response to national crisis and rebellion within the Malovazen Kingdom, the Emperor outlawed all god worship and seized the land of churches, temples, and shrines. On top of this, the military combed through the nation (most of central northern Orelisle at that time) and eradicated religious icons and worshippers alike. This purge eventually led to the near-total destruction of the Celestial Spirits entirely. Their lives were perpetuated into modern times by small groups of secret worshippers, but only just barely. This explains why these incredibly old beings seem to lack the power that they ought to have.

### Elemental Heroes (9,764 A.B. - Present)

During a protracted war between Taphran and neighboring Daugon, four of the Terrestrial Spirits chose four mortals to act as their champions. Jared Kaizoak, Rion Wisderg, Daniel Erkjio, and Daugon Prince Torin Oakrun received the blessings of fire, water, earth, and wind, respectively. Though they were the first, they would not be the last. Long after the four heroes brought the war with Daugon to a conclusion, more and more were chosen by the Elemental Spirits (as the Taphrani knew them) to fight against the invading Aetorg.

### Celestial Heroes (9,814 A.B. - Present)

By a miracle on its own, the Celestial Spirits returned to Taphran in its hour of greatest need. Appearing to three pure-hearted and courageous Taphrani warriors as a battle neared its climax, each spirit joined a part of themselves to one of the warriors. Ran’Tao joined Major Kuran Sentarel; Randel’nar joined Seth Kaizoak (the son of Jared Kaizoak); and Rik’Athir joined Sarai Luxhart. Together with their new powers, the three heroes led the charge into the Aetorg Lands, found the root of their ills, and led a joint Taphran-Daugon-Aetorg army into K’Vesten to exact vengeance for all the lives lost.

In so doing, the Celestial Spirits found a staggeringly-powerful source of darkness, which even they could not dispel, only contain and prevent from spreading.

### Prince Elrik Kaizoak, the Binturian (10,009 A.B. - Present)

During the coup over a decade ago that divided Taphran, killed many members of the royal family, and placed Henry Sentarel on the throne, one of the surviving nobles, a once lesser young lord that had been catapulted almost to the position of heir to the throne, looked frantically for a way out of the impending predicament while assassins closed in on him. That noble, Elrik Kaizoak, was the descendant of Seth Kaizoak, and so a scroll lay in the Kaizoak family vaults that detailed a bloodline-based ritual to summon the Wolf Moon Spirit, Randel'nar. The young Kaizoak, not being very well-versed in magic and his mind plagued by panic, botched the spell, and accidentally bound the Celestial Spirit to his soul, twisting his body in the process into a Beast-Folk-like form. Elrik Kaizoak fled then to Binturia, and only after gaining more magical experience and prowess managed to even contact the Spirit.

During these years, the people of Taphran found themselves unable to seek the blessing of the Wolf Spirit, and the other Celestial Spirits fell into silence as well, since Sentarel's mages were trying their own ways in which to awaken and harness the Spirits' power, and for the most part, they thought badly of that. The illegitimate King, Henry Sentarel himself managed to call upon some of Ran'Tao the Lion's power thanks to his own bloodline, but it too was limited and imperfect, and ended with Sentarel's reign as the man fled Taphran.  After the young lord's return to Taphran and the ending of the Sentarel Coup, the then-Prince managed to complete the ritual necessary to separate the Spirit from him, though they remain on very good terms, and Prince Kaizoak is a common visitor to the main Randel'nar temple.

## Further Information

* Arlaven Glades
* The Binturian Party
* Daugon
* Death
* First Spirits
* Greater Reaper
* Greatest Reapers
* Incarnation
* K’Vesten
* Malovazen
* Metrion
* Pantheon of Fools
* Reaper
* Taphran