Threshold religion

Religion is one of the most interesting and exciting aspects of the Threshold gaming universe. There are 12 deities that represent a variety of concepts, each with their own set of beliefs and their own goals for affecting and manipulating the world of mortals. The religions are led by player clerics and paladins who spread the word, recruit followers and worshippers and serve the ends of their god or goddess. Together, all followers work to further the beliefs of their deity, and if necessary go into battle should the time for jihad be at hand!

Players take religion very seriously, and thus disagreements, debates, conflicts, and even all out wars are common. One should make their choice of religion very carefully, as it will shape one's life from that point forward in a very significant way. There is great reward, but also tremendous danger in pledging oneself to a deity of the Aether. Sometimes, the faithful find solace and sanctuary only within the protective halls of their deity's temple.

## Active Deities

### Good

#### Vishnu

Vishnu is the embodiment of pure goodness and the source of all light in the universe. He espouses mercy and truth as the core virtues in the purification and perfection of the mortal soul, and he expects his worshippers to serve as examples of paragons of these virtues. Much like the sun, the Golden One can be benevolent and warm or harsh and unforgiving. He is an exacting and demanding god who strives for perfection and often succeeds. Though they may not admit it, many of the other gods admire and respect Vishnu's ability to stay a course as well as his determination to perform any actions he determines is right.

His proudest creations are the Sun and the mortal Conscience. It is a precept of Vishnu that: "It is the Conscience that chooses the right path, and the Sun that illuminates the way." The day is his domain, and he encourages the many activities done in its glorious light. Oftentime, he will have debates with Silvanus and even Tempest over the amount of cloud coverage that surrounds the world, though their arguments rarely get heated.

Vishnu demands that his followers devote their lives to the promotion of all that is good and light as well as expunging evil and darkness wherever it may be found. Evil must always been encouraged to reform whether by word or by force. Mercy, however, must always be shown for those who may be redeemable.

The ancient battles between Vishnu and Set are legendary. Every few millennia, the source of deity power shifts to a new realm of the universe, and when it does so, Vishnu and Set begin their confrontation anew. Many times in the history of time, their war has nearly resulted in the annihilation of the very fabric of time and space. At long last, after millions of millennia, and after the complete destruction of battlefield after battlefield, the final conflict between Vishnu and Set, good and evil, has been joined. This battleground is the mortal realm of Threshold, where both deities know a final decision will be reached. Thus, Vishnu seeks to spread the word of goodness, truth, and mercy — thereby increasing his own power with which to wage war upon Set. Contemporaneously, Set proceeds upon a similar strategy. In the hope of eternal triumph over evil and darkness, Vishnu's clerics must persuade their fellow mortals that the word of Vishnu is the word of truth — the word which must be acknowledged, and followed.

#### Erosia

Erosia is a much respected and worshipped goddess, who is often beseeched by mortals who are not primarily devoted to her. Those seeking love, enhanced fertility, or special protection often call upon the goddess for her divine blessings.

Erosia is the goddess of pure, true, and limitless love, though it would be a foolhardy person indeed who did not believe that the goddess is capable of deep anger and even hatred. Her greatest pleasure (at least one of them) is bringing lovers destined for each other together. She is always watching over the mortal realms, seeking to unify lost souls and lessen the barriers and hardships that stand between them. For Erosia, the purest and greatest achievement possible by mortals is to feel and give love to each other. In these acts, she believes mortals truly approach godliness. Thus, her anger at mortals who abuse what she considers the gift of love.

To further secure the bond of love between mortals, Erosia assists couples in the consummation of their unity. Her blessings are often found in homes where partners enjoy a successful love life and, when the time comes, in having children. It is said that with a single touch, she can make any woman ripe for guaranteed pregnancy. This blessing has saved the life of many a nobleman's wife. She is also known for guiding unwanted children to the right doorsteps.

Erosia is also beloved on the battlefields where is well known for granting protection to great warriors. She fears for the men, women, and families that await the warriors' families, wives, and husbands back home. It is their love for the warrior that moves Erosia to grant her holy protection. Thus, the more love that is felt for an individual, the more likely Erosia is to grant blessings of protection.

Within the divine arena of the Aether, Erosia is hotly despised by the goddess, Bast. Bast is disgusted by what she feels is Erosia's warping and dilution of the true and pure emotion of lust with the illusion of love. Erosia pities Bast and hopes that some day the dark goddess can find a love of her own, thereby melting her evil heart. Erosia silently and secretly seeks such a god or mortal to please and appease the hard- hearted Bast.

The goddess, Erosia, is involved in a strange and vital relationship with two other members of the Aether. Her love and union for Tempest was witnessed by mortals across Threshold, and thus, her torrid affair with Silvanus was discontinued. For love of the land, however, they created a bloodletting ceremony that allowed them to mingle their combined forces and release a force that allows mortals to create and shape nature for their own needs. Some believe that this union pales in comparison to the previous ones, citing bad crops and droughts as proof. Others believe that her union with Tempest has only strengthened her union with Silvanus.

#### Vivoria

As the goddess of Healing and Life, Vivoria probably cares more for mortals than any other god or goddess. She is excited by the powerful, bright spark that burns within every mortal's soul. There is something there that simply is not present within her immortal brethren. The fleeting, flickering nature of mortality fascinates her immensely. In her deepest thoughts, she wonders if it is this mortality that actually makes mortals superior to the gods in some way. Of course, she keeps such beliefs to herself, as they would enrage all other gods, and perhaps set them against her.

In pursuit and protection of her beliefs, Vivoria does whatever is in her power to assist mortals in protecting their lives. She is the source of all healing energies- clerical, magical, or otherwise- in the form of spells, potions, or other enchanted items. Sometimes she looks down upon the realm and looks for those that need healing. If she finds wounded beings that seem worthy of her blessing, she may provide pure and complete healing. Many mortals tell tales of being in the grip of the Grim Reaper, when suddenly, they were bathed in brilliant light, and energized to full vitality!

Vivoria also wields the power to rescue mortals from the realm of Mortis. This is a very difficult task, which requires incredible exertion on her part. Further, the more powerful the mortal, the harder it is for her to wrest their soul from Mortis' control. To complete this arduous task, she is forced to drain some of the life energy from the mortal being rescued. A small price to pay, however, for the resurrected mortal.

Throughout time, Vivoria has had to use a wide variety of tricks, negotiations, and immense expenditures of power in order to tread successfully through Mortis' realm. It is unknown how she is able to continually succeed in dragging souls from Mortis' realm. Some gods think Mortis has just grown tired of his duty of overseeing the dead, and has thereby become lax or uncaring. Erosia believes that Mortis is in love with Vivoria, and only puts up tacit resistance to her excursions in his realm.

Because of the beneficent nature of Vivoria's power, she is prayed to by beings of all religions and ethoi. Her devoted worshippers and clerics tend to be extremely helpful individuals — often willing to assist others at tremendous hardship to themselves.

### Neutral

#### Tempest

Even among the gods, Tempest is an imposing figure. In all of his forms he exudes incredible power, and when he speaks, his voice booms like thunder.

Tempest's greatest love is war. He is always practicing, perfecting, and developing new skills, tactics, and strategies. He often rewards mortals who develop new ideas about war that he has not discovered himself. He also rewards mortals who display incredible courage, skill, or brilliance in war — as this pleases him greatly.

For Tempest, war is the most accurate and perfect measure of the quality of a living being. War requires intelligence, ingenuity, courage, physical prowess, and perseverance. No other endeavor is so universally demanding or so incredibly vital to the balance of power. It is important to note that skill in making war is about much more than just killing. Intellectual and psychological aspects are equally, if not more, important to skilled warfare as the physical elements. Finally, Tempest is not a lover of death. Death is a sad but necessary consequence of war, and those who wage war properly do not create unnecessary death or destruction.

Another of Tempest's great loves is storms- particularly thunder storms. In this respect, Tempest works with his close friend Silvanus to create incredible and shocking displays of weather. The two gods often compete with each other over who can dream up the most outstanding and spectacular storms. Generally, such contests are much to the dismay and inconvenience of mortals (usually, in direct proportion to how much fun the storms are for Silvanus and Tempest).

Historically, Bast and Erosia have both been extremely intrigued by Tempest. They often competed for his attentions because they both felt that he should direct his potent energies to activities less destructive than his endless bellicose pursuits. Though Erosia currently holds his affects, his drive for conquest and battles remain strong. It is unclear if Bast still plots to win his affections or if she has turned to other matters.

Vishnu and Set are also in frequent competition for an alliance with Tempest. Mainly, they feel that Tempest's incredible understanding of war would assist them should battles between old foes arise. Tempest often consults with Belphegore, who was one of his former generals, on matters regarding armies, battles, and wars.

Followers of Tempest exult in honing their skills in waging war. These include their personal hand to hand combat abilities, leadership skills, knowledge of strategy and tactics, and proficiencies with weapons and armor of very diverse varieties. They respect combat, and do not engage in it frivolously. They respect life, and never seek to cause more death or destruction than is necessary to achieve political or military goals. They also tend to be very loyal- as loyalty is crucial to any military war machine. Further, they demand incredible loyalty from their own minions and followers. Followers of Tempest have been known to be incredibly zealous in all matters involving religion and war.

#### Silvanus

Silvanus presides over the realms of the natural. Animals, plants, and other living organisms of both land and sea fall under his purview. He takes care to monitor their existence and that of their habitats with excruciating diligence.

Silvanus is angered by those who act in discordance with the continued existence of any natural habitat. He is distrustful of man-made civilizations and structures. He only accepts them because the other deities of the pantheon have demanded that he do so, and even a god as powerful as Silvanus can not resist the combined will of many deities! However, he will not tolerate unnecessary expansion of man-made cities or kingdoms, and he will use his followers liberally to block or destroy expansions he feels endanger the lives or habitats of his animal or vegetable subjects.

Silvanus abhors the enslavement of animals for man's purposes, although he encourages his followers to make friends with their fellow creatures of nature. He and his followers often request aid from such natural beings, yet they never demand it. They treat their animal friends with respect, compassion, and kindness while receiving assistance, and they will always discharge the animal as soon as the necessary task or goal has been accomplished. Followers of Silvanus encourage people to treat animals as animals rather than give human personalities to beasts.

Silvanus controls all elements of weather, and he uses them to maintain the balance within the natural universe. This role often earned much respect, admiration, and gratitude from the former deity of balance, Bilanx. It is rumored that Silvanus misses his long discussions with the stoic god. Silvanus gives life to plants and animals by providing rains and by letting the proper amount of sunlight through the clouds. Periodic weather borne "catastrophes" are used to cleanse various environments and ecosystems of stagnant life forms. This allows the process of rebirth and evolution to progress in a healthy fashion and at a regular pace.

Silvanus also holds dominion over the Seas, a role which has swelled the ranks of his worshipers over time. He listens to the prayers of seafaring mortals, and if they have been respectful of nature, he often grants such protections. For this purpose alone, clerics of Silvanus tend to be extremely popular on sea borne journeys, and many merchant sailing companies employ Silvanus' clerics merely to assure safe and swift passage.

Silvanus has a friendly relationship with Vivoria, as Silvanus is also a great lover and protector of life. Silvanus, however, understands the necessity of death to the progressive development of animal and vegetable species — a belief over which he and Vivoria have had innumerable heated, yet friendly debates. These debates are now limited by her residence in Mortis' realm, for the Silent One guards her jealously.

He works often with Tempest when the time has come for a powerful storm, especially a thunderstorm. The two gods take great pleasure in the creativity needs to conjure up a quality storm of potency and strength. In fact, the two often engage in contests — an occurrence not enjoyed by the mortals having to deal with the consequences below. For Silvanus and Tempest, a good storm is tantamount to a brilliantly written symphony.

His relationship with Vishnu is a tenuous one at times, for it is Silvanus' clouds that often limit the penetration of Vishnu's sunlight. Vishnu is always pestering Silvanus to reduce the expanses of cloud cover- always warning that Silvanus is aiding the goals of Set through his rains and his storms that impede complete illumination of the world. Over this issue, clerics of Silvanus and Vishnu often argue — sometimes degenerating into fights or even war! The arguments almost always end when someone remembers that the Light of Vishnu allows the flora in the realm to flourish and grow.

In the past, Silvanus once enjoyed a passionate affair with Erosia that resulted in an explosion of power at planting and harvest times. The energy released from that union, many claim, is said to be that which makes the growth of all plant life possible. With Erosia's devotion to Tempest, the affair has been relegated to a blood-letting ceremony between Silvanus and Erosia twice a year. It is unclear whether or not Silvanus resents this change, but some claim that the ceremony has resulted in poor crops and drought over the years. Others loudly proclaim that the union has grown more powerful by the blood of the gods being shed upon the mortal realm. Regardless of the conflicting theories, should this union be prevented from occurring, incredible suffering results in the mortal realm as a catastrophic famine and drought occur.

#### Chronos

Throughout the infinity of reality, there has been one constant: the passage of Time. Men, beasts, kingdoms, and even gods are born, shine brightly for a moment, then fade away into oblivion. Throughout it all, time plods on- unbiased, uncaring, unmoved, unconcerned, unfeeling. It simply moves onward.

Chronos proclaims that all that will happen has already been written. Beings, both mortal and immortal, merely tread upon the path that fate has laid out in front of them. There simply can be no other possibility, because the only explanation for the infinite consistency of the passage of time is the existence of a grand orchestrator of all beings' actions. If even a single creature, organism, or atom had ever had free will, certainly a break in the pattern of time would at some point have been created.

Thus, individual acts are of no consequence or personal meaning. They are merely that which a being was programmed to execute. Of course, this does not make these acts right, or wrong, just, or beyond reproach. For just as an act can be preordained, so too can the punishment for that act.

Chronos devotes her entire existence to the monitoring of the passage of time. She seeks to discover a discernible pattern and she is always hoping that somehow, somewhere, sometime, there will be a fluctuation that will break the universe out of this chain of controlled events. She is constantly in pursuit of a way to unlock the secrets of time and fate. Since everything is preordained, unlocking this secret would be the key to infinite knowledge. Chronos believes that she is preordained to discover this secret, but it is such a tightly wrapped mystery, it would require almost infinite power to unravel. For this reason, Chronos must expand the size of her religion and priesthood — for as the universe stands now, a deity can only gain more power by increasing the number of its worshipers.

Chronos proclaims that there is only one way to end this eternal inevitability, and that is to unlock the pattern of time and fate. Once the pattern is discovered, all that is required is for a single cell to move or act in complete discordance with fate. Doing so will destroy fate forever, and send the universe into an infinite condition of chaos. The result of this would be free will for every bit of matter in existence. After enduring an eternity of slavishly following the commands of fate and time, such a condition would be the perfection of the universe.

Chronos laughs at the silliness of Gethsemane and his followers. Geth's "Chaos" is nothing but a preordained illusion of chaos. Chronos gets a chuckle out of Gethsemane, and figures that fate has played the ultimate trick of deceit upon him by providing Gethsemane this illusion of false chaos. Both Gethsemane and Chronos agree however that chaos is a very good thing. The difference is that Chronos believes it does not, and simply cannot exist considering the present state of the universe. True chaos, and thus freedom from the the yoke of inevitability, is an ideal to be strived for.

Most of the other gods of the pantheon are often angered by Chronos, because if mortals fell in line with her thinking, they would find absolutely no need for the other deities. After all, why pray and sacrifice to deities for assistance if everything that will be has already been decided? Further, Chronos' arrogance that she will be the savior of the universe is simply too much braggadocio for the other deities to bear. When she drones on about this prophecy, many deities are driven nearly to attacking her.

Clerics of Chronos fanatically seek to enhance the worship of Chronos, for they believe that the sooner Chronos achieves suzerainty over the gods, the sooner free will can be granted to the universe. They are some of the most vocal preachers of any religion, as they enjoy the highly intellectual and philosophical aspects of Chronos' theology. They spend most of their lives trying to convince others of the truth of this philosophy, and hope in the process to convert them to the faith. Similarly, Chronos' disciples tend to be intrigued by any intellectual debate, and revel in a chance to delve into the deepest meanings of even the most simple occurrence. Often, their compatriots find it strange, but they are often intrigued by the off the wall perspective a cleric of Chronos usually has on life.

#### Mortis

Without surprise, the religion of Mortis is solemn and somber, for the Silent One presides over an aspect of reality that is dreaded by nearly all mortal beings. Mortis was once a sad and lonely deity, for no one, not mortal nor immortal, chose to dwell in his realm for very long. His long time obsession, Vivoria, the former goddess of Life and Healing, gave up her position in the Aether to better serve the mortal sparks that often venture into his realm. There she resides with Mortis in his realm of afterlife also known as [text smudged]. With her addition to the underworld, Mortis' pain from the disappearance of his long time associate, Chronos, is lessened.

Erosia celebrates for Mortis, since his pure love has finally been realized. His relief from his previous suffering delights even Bast, who believes that her advice is how he finally convinced Vivoria to join him in his dark realm. Many former followers of the now demi-goddess, Vivoria, believe that she entered the underworld, not out of love for Mortis, but out of love for the mortal realm. Her sacrifice ensures that all mortals have a chance at rebirth.

Tempest visits Mortis often, though not for very long. He comes to retrieve the souls of brave and valiant warriors to return them to battle or to carry them aloft to the Grand Eternal Battlefield of the Aether. Mortis envies Tempest enormously, because all the other deities respect him and seek his friendship and alliance. For this reason, Mortis tends to be surprisingly liberal and generous regarding Tempest's requests. Belphegore also rarely visits, though his visits are often memorable to a god who resides in Twilight. Mortis envies Belphegore's vibrant personality and ability to command those who follow him. Though Mortis has won Vivoria's heart (at least in his mind), his years of solitary living and loneliness still make him susceptible to envy and dourness.

Mortis, Set, and Gethsemane occasionally work together in the crafting of undead beasts. Mortis is most definitely the expert in this, and Set and Gethsemane are merely participating to corrupt his works. Mortis is always angered by the way they twist and abuse his creations, but for years, he has craved divine companionship. Even with Vivoria by his side, he still longs for the approval of the other deities.

Clerics of Mortis are always teaching that death should not be feared or reviled. The Silent One embraces them in the Underworld, where they will no longer feel pain, discomfort, or the burdens of tiresome mortality. Mortis' clerics are surprisingly gregarious and extremely interested in discussing religious doctrines. They seek companionship with almost anyone since they are used to being outcast and trod upon by society, because nobody supports their belief in the grandeur of death. Mortis seeks clerics with a wide variety of personalities since he is accepting of most. Though his followers worship death, they do not seek it nor do they seek to produce it without reason. They wish to spread the word that death is not evil, but rather it is a natural and wonderful transition from the mortal realm to a much happier world.

#### Loviatar

Loviatar is a truly frightening goddess. Her activities never cease to shock and amaze all the other deities of the Aether, and her memory seems to be infinite. She never forgets when she is wronged, and she is ever crafting plots of revenge even for acts done millennia in the past.

The other deities also marvel at the extent to which her mind can develop such twisted and horrific methods of delivering her brand of justice. It is not the methods themselves that frighten or shock them, but the intensity of pleasure she derives from her devices.

The source of Loviatar's profound obsession with vengeance is unknown. Erosia postulates that Loviatar was spurned by an ancient mortal lover, and thus, she feels a profound connection with any being, mortal or immortal, with a score to settle. All of the Aether are often mystified by the ways Loviatar utilizes to mete out her vengeance, for her methods are creative as well as fitting. They all have been known to seek her counsel when it comes to her area of extreme expertise regardless of alliances and affinities. All Lovites are utterly obsessed with revenge. If they are wronged, they will do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, to achieve restitution in their eyes. Seeking revenge is rapturous pleasure for Lovites, and they frequently give counsel to other mortals (usually requiring a donation to their faith church) who pursue revenge. This is done not only to please Loviatar but, also, for the sheer joy of delivering justice. Lovites, however, do not seek vengeance for mere trifles, for they believe vengeance is a sacred event, reserved for those who truly deserve it. Many a mortal who has wronged another constantly watch over their shoulders, never knowing when Loviatar might strike through one of her faithful.

In times past, Loviatar and Gethsemane were closely aligned. At certain times in history they have been referred to as twins. Their relation came from the fact that their actions were oddly and ironically circular. Acts of deceit and treachery frequently generate a powerful compulsion in mortals to seek retribution. Similarly, such vituperative acts of vengeance are often delivered in the form of unspeakable acts of treachery. Despite the fact that the philosophies of these two faiths sometimes lead into one another, Loviatar and Gethsemane differ enormously. Loviatar is known to be a firm believer in justice. Some feel that her type of justice lacks the important elements of mercy or a desire for rehabilitation. Lovite philosophy has a very simple response to this: Justice is about punishment and setting things right. Whether the target learns to change his or her behavior is not relevant. What matters most is that the target wallow in misery and regret for whatever acts necessitated the revenge. If the individual happens to be reformed by the deliverance of revenge, that is merely a fortuitous coincidence. Despite the harshness of Loviatar's implacable philosophy, her faith has much in common with that of the law. This fact is yet another element of Lovite religion that prevents Loviatar and Gethsemane from being as closely aligned as they might otherwise be.

Once the mistress of disease, Loviatar abandoned that cause to Set during the Aetherial shift as she was drawn more towards pondering the ways of the world and society. She delved into the workings of mortals and their often aimless actions, watching as they stumbled into one disaster after another. In their reckless and often thoughtless movements, Loviatar saw mortal after mortal make quick decisions that often brought their own demise. It is rumored that she saw similarities in the behavior of some of the pantheon and vowed never to succumb to such mindless activities. After eons of carefully plotting each and every move in her plans for revenge, her movements towards wisdom in one's actions were quite natural. She also spoke on the importance that all beings continually examine their existances lest they repeat their mistakes and wallow eternally in the same failures. Such examinations bring wisdom, and allow all beings to grow stronger and more worthy of their place in the cosmos. She preached that vengeance is an example of this, for it teaches both giver and receiver that actions can have dire consequences. She then declared that heretofore, she would be known as Loviatar, Goddess of Vengeance, Wisdom, and Pain.

Loviatar rewards her clerics for assisting others in seeking revenge, especially when the revenge will likely trigger subsequent quests for vengeance. Loviatar loves revenge that perpetuates itself. She also is pleased when clerics develop new ways to spread misery, suffering, and melancholy to the mortal realm. Simple death or murder, however, is unimaginative and generally does not involve much suffering. It is far preferable to destroy a person but leave the individual with enough so that he or she can fully comprehend the full woefulness of his or her existence.

### Evil

#### Set

Eternally bathed in utter, vile blackness, this personification of evil is cruelty, anger, hatred, torture, and domination incarnate.

Set pleasures in the domination and subjugation of the weak by the power, might, and evil of the strong. He respects order, which often brought him in alliance with the former God of Balance, Bilanx, but Set is not above abandoning order to revel in chaos with his close ally, Gethsemane. Set never makes an uncalculated move towards obtaining more power for himself and his followers.

Set once laughed at Bast, finding her brand of "evil" to be trite and almost pathetic, but he knows that she has her uses in the political arena. Though Set admires and respects Loviatar, he often thinks her propensity to avoid murder or true acts of depravity are limitations to potential greatness. He also feels she is too sterile in her infliction of pain and vengeance, taking too much of a deliberate and unemotional approach. For Set, a little hatred and the spice of anger can always add new dimensions of entertainment to a session of torture or mutilation. Set acknowledges that certain perceptions must be upheld during the day, but the night holds many secrets and interesting options.

Set loves Gethsemane's twisted mind, often entertaining himself just watching the chaos and discord created by Gethsemane and his minions. Their outright abandonment, however, of all order and hierarchy reduces the effectiveness and power of their religion, which, though unfortunate for Gethsemane, is just as well for the ever competitive Set.

All the gods respect Set's drive for power, especially those that have held close affiliations with him in the past. He has been able to maintain a popular church that carefully balances existence in society with true acts of depravity and political assassinations. His drive for power and status in the Aetherial realm as well as the mortal realm is fearsome to behold, and his ego knows no bound. It is unknown if Set has the power to wipe out any of the gods affiliated with him, but it is often something that they do not dare risk. Thus, whenever Set chooses to rally for or against a cause, he never lacks for allies.

Set is ever watchful for ways to undermine the power of other gods by snatching some of their clerics or followers. His methods are usually crafty and persuasive, tempting the weak-willed with promises of glory and power. He is ever campaigning for other gods to rally around him, most notably Tempest and Belphegore. There are rumors that he has tried to charm Herastia, claiming that darkness sparks the inventive process. It is unclear if she is moved by his arguments.

Though the balance of the Aether has shifted multiple times, Set never loses sight of the fact that Vishnu will be his eternal enemy. Even if Vishnu turned away from the animosity, Set never would. The millennia of opposition is completely ingrained in Set, who still sees Vishnu as the perpetrator of all the ideals he opposes. Set will always work to thwart the activities of Vishnu and his followers and is always looking for opportunities to subvert or outright destroy those who aid his enemy. Set will pursue any avenue to drive Vishnu's teachings from the land, from grand acts of genocide and enslavement, to the most petty of evil acts. Despite these tasks, clerics and followers of Set are expected to avoid being hated at all costs, since the persecution of their church reduces Set's power as well as established base in the mortal realm. The Dark Order cannot expand if its clerics and faithful are being driven to the corners of the land by the kingdoms and societies of the mortal realm. Thus, servants of Set are often discrete and secretive in their plots and activities, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Often, that perfect time comes during the night, when Set holds dominion.

#### Gethsemane

Gethsemane is an ambiguous deity, considered to be something of an enigma. The one defining attribute to Gethsemane is his devotion to the concept of freedom. Freedom governs all that he does and is the driving force of his religious dogma. To achieve total freedom, Gethsemane will frequently reinvent himself in different forms and guises, for He feels that one is most free when wearing a mask, figuratively or otherwise.

Conformity is a crippling, inhibitive force, Gethsemane believes, and so He is most especially fond of mischief. A dabble of mischief here and there serves to amuse and delight the masses, promoting within them free will and a reminder of the superficiality of rules. Gethsemane loves to undermine the order of hierarchies through the use of comedy, using it as a means to do away with social tension.

Gethsemane has a great love of drama and the stage, for He finds the the process of acting to be connected with the finer points of deception. On stage, He feels, one is free to assume any conceivable role as desired. This allows the actors to cast aside their bounds and limitations as they step into the role of another, all the while honoring the Player himself with the use of elaborate costumes and the creation of the most ideal facades. Furthermore, the skills of an actor are extremely valuable because they liberate the individual to freely express themself. Understanding this potential of art, worshippers of Gethsemane are often in possession of artistic flair and poignancy.

Gethsemane is known for His incredible intelligence and consequently, He is known to become bored very quickly. Because of this, he deeply admires change, and even believes that nothing should be allowed to grow stagnant. He postulates that it is only when one is free that the ability to evolve and bring change can flourish. Gethsemane considers inaction to be deplorable, and at times has been known to meddle in the affairs of mortals when life seemed very peaceful. To Gethsemane, the natural state of the universe is chaos, so therefore He concludes that the concept of balance is nothing more then a foolish illusion.

One of the hallmarks of Gethsemane's intellect is His pervasive sense of guile. He refuses to have His free will bound by others, having no qualms with being manipulative and plotting in response. In fact, he expects no less from His followers. Where beings of lesser mental capacity might rely on sheer brute force to gain their way, Gethsemane's ruthlessly quick and brilliant mind lends him a fundamental understanding of how humanoids work. As a result, He is a true king of deception and the ultimate artist of artifice.

Gethsemane delights in the advantage of the brilliant over the dimwitted. Many deities find this behaviour unfeeling, but to Gethsemane it is the natural state of those who are faster and stronger to seek dominion and profit from those who are inferior. As such, He finds Himself a close ally to Set and the darkness, for he has little patience when followers lack the attention or the foresight to carefully plot their actions. He does not tolerate such an idle approach to life, especially not in his followers.

Tempest and Gethsemane have always shared a mutual dislike of each other due to their opposing paradigms. Gethsemane's dedication to freedom often thwarts the tight and restrictive constructs of loyalty and honor. As Gethsemane delights in shattering mortal bonds, Tempest despises the relative ease with which He is able to do so. In the past, it has been alleged that followers of Gethsemane are thusly incapable of loyalty, honesty or trustworthiness. Gethsemane finds this interpretation of His tenets to be shallow and utterly amusing; He delights in the knowledge that only those who subscribe to a deeper intellect can delve into the depths of His enigmatic domain.

#### Bast

Bast is a popular goddess, both in the Aether as well as upon the face of Threshold. She is the patron deity of ideals that most mortals find irresistible. She is often misunderstood, for many think that she is little more than a goddess devoted to sex and perversity. On the contrary, her ideals are far deeper than that. She and her worshippers are devoted to the pursuit of nearly all things that are pleasurable to the flesh as well as the mind and soul. Some consider her worshippers hedonists, but they strongly disagree. To a Bastite, vices are the true virtues, and only fools force themselves to suffer the discomfort of artificially sublimating such strong forces.

The animosity between Bast and Erosia is perhaps second only to the contempt shared between Vishnu and Set. Bast feels that love is a fickle and foolish trap that is only used by individuals to enslave and subjugate others. Those who preach love are only preaching a very nasty, tricky, and sinister variety of slavery. Bastites believe that there is little or no justification for even the tiniest inhibition of one's personal freedoms or desires though they acknowledge that society does demand some decorum. To them, love only subverts freedom and denies true enjoyment of life.

Bast is often in competition with Erosia for the affections of mortals as well as gods. The two often pursue the same type of personalities. In the past, Bast and Erosia competed heavily for the affections of Tempest and Tempestians. There were two theories as to why Bast was a part of that pursuit. One is that Tempest and his followers tend to be such aggressive, powerful, and often physically impressive beings. Thus, pure physical attractiveness is often a motivator for Bastites. Some believe that there was once an even greater motivation: Erosia pursued Tempest, and so Bast must pursue as well in hopes of thwarting and hurting Erosia.

The many upheavals in the Aether have allowed Bast to expand her sights ever outward. Her interests in Tempest and Tempestians have seem to have waned somewhat. There are rumors that she has set her sights on another. Set still acknowledges that Bast's dabblings with politics and pursuasion makes her a valuable ally, and her interests in power intrigue him. Bast is still not terribly concerned over the precepts of good or evil. While she is uncomfortable with the thought of Vishnu exerting undue control over the world, her main concerns are those of pleasure and personal fulfillment — not philosophy.

## Inactive Deities

### Good

#### Herastia

Widely adored both in the Aether and in the mortal land of Threshold, Herastia is a much appreciated goddess. As patron deity of home and hearth, she is well known for her comforting and hospitable nature. A blessing from her generally ensures a healthy family and a prosperous household. Those who benefit from her blessings have been known to enjoy lifestyles of great stability. Such individuals, freed from the constant, all-encompassing struggle just to provide for their families, have been known to create truly amazing inventions that benefit all mortal kind. In this regard, Herastia is known to many of her followers as Mother Necessity.

Made a goddess during the Aethereal Shift, Herastia formerly served under Vishnu as one of His demigods. More interesting than that, however, is how she came to Ascend to Godhood. Many centuries ago, some say well over a millennia, Herastia was mother to the ancient and noble King Glamis. At the time of Glamis' birth, worship of the Aethereal Gods had waned enormously. Heathens tended to worship spirits or demons- if they worshipped anything at all. Herastia, however, tutored her son Glamis in the stories of the ancient gods, and taught him to give all of them the respect they were due. Young Glamis took these lessons to heart, and out of respect for his dear mother he never forgot them. When he rose to power and forged one of the mightiest Kingdoms in all mortal history, he revitalized the worship of the Aethereal Gods and forbade worship of spirits and demons. Under his Kingship, the churches of the ancient, Aethereal Gods experienced a grand renewal.

The Gods of the Aether were thankful, and they heaped many rewards upon King Glamis, his kingdom, and his family. Some believe it is those divine gifts that allowed him to live for many centuries (This has also led many to believe he still walks Threshold as a mortal, choosing only to give up his mantle as King to pursue other ends). When his mother died, she was given a grand funeral that was attended by the avatars of the Gods. As her funeral pyre reached the pinnacle of its fiery brightness, the gods united to infuse her soul with divine energy- thus making her one of their own kind. Eventually, she chose Vishnu as her suzerain, whom she served admirably until elevated to the status she now holds.

All things domestic are frequently attributed to Herastia. This includes agriculture, architecture, and homemaking among other aspects of day-to-day life. She derives great satisfaction from watching her followers tend to their gardens and homes, and has been known to give her blessing to those mortals who show particular care for their home and family. Throughout her history, when observing some of the more ingenuous mortals of Threshold, she has been known to plant seeds of inspiration in their minds- frequently to alleviate the ennui of daily, repetitive tasks. In this manner, she generates and encourages innovation and invention.

Other deities rarely find themselves directly at odds with Herastia, for her philosophies are simple and hard to take issue with. For example: a stable, happy, family home is one where love and the creation of new life can blossom. Thus, both Erosia and Vivoria feel a close affinity for Herastia. Throughout mortal history, timely innovation has frequently been the determining factor in the outcome of battle and warfare. Thus, Tempest and Belphegore are thankful for Herastia's encouragement of invention. This is not to say that other religions and their followers do not sometimes have problems with the faithful of Herastia. Silvanus watches cautiously as those who worship her expand their communities into his precious forests, meadows, and natural lands. While he does not consider her an enemy, Silvanus is wary of her faith and the actions of her worshippers.

Herastia's followers are a diverse lot, though most tend to be loyal and very practical. Perhaps above any other trait, they are known for their hospitality. They tend to be meticulous people who show great attention to detail. However, some of the more inventive worshippers have been known to "forget" an important precaution here or there when pursuing their next great discovery. In general, Herastians are regarded as level-headed, sensible, and logical people with great love for their homes and their family.

### Neutral

#### Bilanx

It is diifficult to place a moniker of God or Goddess upon this deity, because it is unknown if it has any sex or if it is both sexes simultaneously. As always, Bilanx retains complete, perfect balance in this respect.

Bilanx plays a crucial role in the protection of and preservation of the universe. It stands directly in the middle of the eternally raging war between Vishnu and Set, good and evil. Were it not for the activities of Bilanx, certainly either Vishnu or Set would have been victorious, and the fabric of space and time would quickly have been torn to shreds.

Bilanx is the guardian and enforcer of the neutral ethos, and it demands that its followers never stray too far from the middle. Generally, Bilanx's rule is that followers should only stray into kindness or corruption if the cosmic scale has begun tipping too noticeably in the direction of good or evil.

With the creation and rise to prominence of the mortal realms, it became absolutely vital to Bilanx to gain worshippers and followers. This is vitally necessary to Bilanx retaining enough power to maintain the tenuous balance between good or evil. Thus, Bilanx's ability to maintain a large pool of worshippers is critical to the survival of the universe. When Bilanx observed the mortal realms, it was most taken by their systems of justice. It was pleased by their neutral nature, as systems of mortal laws do not seem to discriminate against good or evil. Certainly, they tend to punish evil, anti-social acts, but this is necessary to peaceful civilization. Such laws are crucial to keeping chaos and strife from dominating over law and order. However, the laws are the same for beings both good and evil, and in that respect, systems of law are consistent with Bilanx's beliefs and theories on the universe. Bilanx became the patron deity of mortal Justice, and in this role Bilanx has flourished. It is this element of its religion that it has gained the most followers, and thereby, the most power with which to protect the universe from destructively straying from balance.

Clerics and followers of Bilanx are worshippers of the laws, and they do their utmost to see that they are respected and maintained. There are times when this creates paradoxes, and Bilanx realizes and relishes in this interesting facet of its religion. In the end, Bilanx preaches that these paradoxes will balance out.

#### Calypso

Calypso is a strange, mysterious deity. She is always engaged in intense research — seeking new and more spectacular ways to warp, bend, manipulate, shape, alter, or otherwise control the physical and meta-physical universe. The other gods are thankful for her research, as it has often resulted in knowledge they are able to use for the furtherance of their own ends.

Calypso cares little about moral philosophy. Thus, she has little concern that the knowledge her efforts unearth might be used for good as well as evil ends. In times past, when Calypso was unified with the deities of Good, this fact sometimes caused discord between them. She would insist that one need only rely upon luck to ensure that her discoveries would never be used for a disasterous end. Even now, her single minded reliance on luck frequently vexes and frustrates the other deities.

This aspect of Calypso's philosophy came to the fore during the Aethereal Shift when Vishnu sought to rally the Deities of Light to wage war on the Forces of Evil. Calypso feared that such a battle could result in total annihilation of her faithful and her church and refused the call to arms. It was her belief that both Vishnu and Set were foolish in their willingness to risk it all for a victory that could very well be empty and meaningless. Thus, she left the union of good deities, and declared herself neutral in the war between good and evil. She was clear in stating that she bore no ill will towards any of the good deities and still felt a tendency toward their philosophies. The good deities, including Vishnu, echoed her sentiments, and it was evident to all that there was no animosity between Calypso and the remaining deities of Light.

Followers of Calypso are generally very studious individuals. They are always seeking to unearth new knowledge about the universe and how it operates. Learning how the universe functions is the key to being able to manipulate it to wondrous ends. They are sometimes unorganized in their research as they particularly enjoy the trial and error method of discovery. Calypsians feel that with enough research, surely one will eventually get lucky and stumble upon the solution!

To those who research ardently and practice with dangerous and new magics, followers of Calypso are often granted new magical abilities or a lucky result to their studies. In fact, luck has saved the life of many a Calypsian, as some magical research and testing can have quite horribly dangerous affects!

#### Belphegore

Mortals are like steel: the hotter the fire, the higher the quality. The truest test of that statement is, of course, battle. This is the philosophy of Belphegore. The fires that forge a mortal are those of conflict and challenge; however, the battlefields of these conflicts are not only those where weapons clash. There are battles of the mind, battles of the will, and battles of the soul that equally test the mettle of a mortal's being. Followers of Belphegore are expected to respect all such methods of proving oneself to their God. For those who neglect the mind and focus entirely on the sword are destined to find themselves at the end of one in the most unfortunate manner possible.

For uncounted eons, Belphegore was one of Tempest's mightiest Generals. His victories were innumerable, as were the bodies of those who fell to his sword. His might was unparalleled in Tempest's army, and though this made Tempest proud, the rage with which Belphegore fought was the source of much concern for the more level headed God of War. Tempest hoped that over time he could teach Belphegore the importance of calm when planning and carrying out a battle plan. Though always mindful of Tempest's wise words and immense understanding of warfare, Belphegore disagreed on this point, and felt that a warrior could amplify his effectiveness if he allowed his rage to flow through and empower himself. For century upon century, the two Gods debated, defended, and demonstrated their opinions on the matter.

During the Aethereal Shift, there was a need to return the Aether to balance. The scales were beginning to tip precariously toward the side of good, and this concerned Bilanx greatly. Even Mighty Tempest worried about the repercussions of such an imbalance. Having recently proclaimed his love for Erosia, he was not interested in witnessing the destruction of the cosmos that could result from the Final Battle. Bilanx and Set asked that Tempest release Belphegore from service so that he could be raised to divine status. It was well known that Belphegore would lean more towards evil, and thereby this would remedy the unbalancing effect of Tempest leaning a little more towards good. Tempest agreed, and Belphegore soon ascended to divinity. That is not the whole story, as there was much anger and deceit that surrounded the whole ceremony. Further details must be sought in other religious texts.

With the disappearance of Bilanx, Belphegore no longer serves as a balancing force for the Aether. Thus, his activities and behaviors now follow an even broader spectrum as he pushes himself and his followers in more and more battles and trials. It is unknown what drives Belphegore to this extent of activity, and some even claim that it is a madness of sorts.

Followers of Belphegore are known for their free flowing emotions as well as their dedication to constantly testing themselves in all sorts of contests, competitions, and of course: battles. Tests of skill, tests of strength, or tests of cunning are all of interest to the Gorian. They respect and revere fire for both its power and its utility. They scoff at mere pyromaniacs who have no understanding of the might of this thing they treat as a play toy. Some regard them as wild eyed beasts who let themselves be ruled by rage. All regard them with caution.

### Evil

#### Kylamane

From the *Tabula Glacia:*

> Woe be to those who find themselves at the mercy of the Ice Queen. Your pleas for clemency fall upon a cold heart that knows little if any sympathy. We who swear fealty to her know not if Kylamane is bereft of all emotions, or if she keeps them under such strict control that none who exist have witnessed them. You who wish to continue your pathetic lives would be wise to keep your pitiful mewlings to yourselves. The Lady of Winter has no ears for your entreaties.
>
>

When Kylamane ascended to divinity during the Aethereal Shift, she took dominion over Winter, Ice and the Moon: things not commonly sought out or held dear to mortal kind. The solitude and isolation of these cold pursuits suited her perfectly, as she has always been a being of isolation and seclusion.

Her ascension to divinity was a story of surprising deceit and betrayal amongst the Gods of the Aether. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the tale was Kylamane's willingness to subject herself to something that most female beings (be they mortal or immortal) would find traumatizing. The ceremony of ascension requires the participation of at least 2 of the 3 Ethos Deities (Vishnu, Bilanx, and Set). For the sake of maintaining balance, Bilanx had agreed to join with Set in raising one of Tempest's more evil leaning generals to Godhood. Many arguments were raging in the Aether over this, and in the tumult there was no description given of this general. Gethsemane and Set crafted a plan whereby they could try to tip things back into their favor. Belphegore, not yet a God, arrived at the Edge of Night (Set's Fortress in the Aether) and was thrust into Kylamane's womb. Set and Kylamane then proceeded to the demesne of Bilanx where the Ceremony of Ascension was to take place. Bilanx asked Set if he had brought Belphegore with him, to which Set answered "yes". It is told that no one, not even a God, can successfully lie to Bilanx: the God of Justice. Of course, Set's answer was no lie- it was a carefully crafted, yet deceptive, truth. Belphegore was in fact present: in Kylamane's womb. The ceremony proceeded, and both Kylamane and Belphegore were the benefactors of the immense powers infused within them. Upon completion of the ceremony, Belphegore was untimely ripped from Kylamane's womb. The result was two new Gods when there should only have been one. The deception was complete.

Erosia, Herastia, and mothers throughout the multiverse were aghast at the thought of having one's child torn from their womb and taken from them. Kylamane, however, felt nothing. She was now a God... and had absolutely no concern for how this part of her body, sacred to any and all women, had been used. This lack of emotion horrified women, mothers, and all mortals alike — perhaps more than the gruesome act itself.

Kylamane, as cold and distant as the Moon that she holds dear, is very difficult to understand. Even her followers do not understand the full depth of her faith, though they follow her blindly and with terrifying loyalty. Most who betray the Ice Queen or defile that which she holds sacred know a painful death as slow and deliberate as the plodding of a glacier. Those lucky few whose transgressions did not call for annihilation tell similar tales of their punishment:

> "The night had a crisp chill to it that seemed a little more severe than usual for that time of year. With an extra blanket, I laid down in bed and stared out the window at the brilliant, glowing full moon that illuminated the night sky. As I started to drift off to sleep, my doors and windows flew open with a burst! Shards of wood and glass flew everywhere as the portals were torn from their frames. At first, I thought it an avalanche as my home was filled with a gush of whiteness. It was soon obvious it was no avalanche, but a blizzard of zealots garbed in stark white with flesh painted the same. They flogged and whipped me until I begged and cried out for death. I opened my tear filled eyes to gaze upon my attackers. The faces ringed around me were still and emotionless. The eyes were blank and darker than an eclipse. It was as if their eyes had been sucked out and replaced with lifeless coal. Their breathing was steady and the beatings were delivered with heartless precision and constancy. As I lapsed into unconsciousness, my last visions were of those dark, lightless eyes staring at me as if I was nothing. Ever since that horrible night, whenever the moon is full, I awake in a bed drenched with sweat and worse... my mind filled with images of those haunting, dead, expressionless eyes watching me patiently. What are they waiting for? What do they want? Why doesn't it end?"
>
>

No one knows Kylamane's true course or purpose in Threshold or why she chose to align herself with the Gods of Darkness. Set holds her in high esteem, for though He knows not what thoughts run behind her cool facade, she served him faithfully as one of his demi-gods and played a vital role in his deception of both the forces of good and neutrality. Belphegore is confused by his "mother", as their emotional natures seem so dramatically disparate. When he watches her actions, however, he wonders if her cold rage is a fitting complement to his fiery temper. Bast finds Kylamane to be an intriguing and delightful challenge. She hopes her ebullient passions can melt Kylamane's cold exterior and thereby allow her to plumb the depths of Kylamane's mysterious nature.

Though many other deities and followers have reverence for both the moon and the season of winter, none hold it in as high regard as Kylamane and her worshippers. Her followers are feared for their heartless, cold natures and the fact that they exhibit no outward emotions that typically bring mortals together. Their religious ceremonies are extraordinarily secret. Some postulate that these rites are where Kylamites satiate their emotional needs and purge their repressed feelings of anger, rage, hate, fear, and possibly even love and sympathy. Others, however, feel that Kylamane and her faithful are simply soulless fiends deserving of sympathy and scorn for their emotionless condition.