Pantheon of the Makhavirene Empire

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With the advent of the Makhavirene Empire, the various beliefs and religions of the three continents were collected and mingled, creating a standing pantheon of a few dozen gods. As the empire grew it
continued to gather and reshape the structure of deities, spiritual
entities, and mystic traditions, with nearly every province within the
empire soon held to some standard of worship under the new pantheon.

## Structure of the Pantheon

While at first the empire recognized only those deities
which fit its ideology, it soon relented to the reality that many more
deities existed in its lands, and their worshipers demanded recognition
from the growing theological structure. With growing unrest and the fragility
of the new pantheon in mind, the empire decided to recognize and include those
deities outside its ideological and moral senses. With this, deities not just
of order, good, and light were recognized, but also those of a darker and more
twisted sense. The structure of the pantheon was based upon this, and soon a
standard was given.

The Makhavirene Pantheon is based on a hierarchical
system, with a trinity of gods at its head representing the three most basic
ideas of reality, with the descending orders of deities representing more and
more complex and specific concepts. The trinity at the head of this hierarchy
consists of Ronnovar God of Order, Kesathria Goddess of the Void, and
Oras God of Chaos. While not necessarily true to the ideas held by their
worshipers, the pantheon's hierarchy places these deities closest enough to the
concepts they represent, and thus give them the portfolio they now hold.

## Gods of the Pantheon

### The Trinity

#### Ronnovar

##### God of Order

Ronnovar, according to religious texts dating back from
before the Empire, was a mortal man before he was a god. Sometime after the war
between primordials and dragons, it is said Ronnovar was the first mortal to
discover magic, tapping into the powers of creation. He taught mortals how to
harness the force of the ley-lines, wield it to their will, and create
marvelous works to their name. He later ascended from the mortal plane to
become one of the gods. Modern belief puts him in place of the God of Order,
but this is superficial – In reality, before the Empire Ronnovar was a god of
the arcane, organization, and logic, interested more in the furthering of
knowledge and mortal power than a sense of duty to the idea of Order. Still,
Ronnovar has shepherded over his share of the pantheon's trinity, and has done
so for over a thousand years.

Ronnovar counts many lawful deities as his allies, both of
goodness and neutrality. His place in the upper echelons of the Makhavirene
pantheon granted him an immense amount of influence, and though he rarely takes
a leadership role his words have swayed more than a few arguments to his way of
thinking. For all the histories of the world on Ronnovar, there are only a
handful of instances that incurred his wrath, all of them based on the gross
misuse, mishandling, or corruption of magic itself. Suffice to say, Ronnovar is
nearly impossible to anger, matched perhaps only by Aejuna herself in
temperament.

Ronnovar is largely worshiped by mages, scholars, and those
in places of legal authority. He is often invoked by those whose oaths are tested,
in the direst of times.

#### Kesathria

##### Goddess of the Void

Kesathria is one of the first gods known to mortal kind,
ancient and incredibly powerful she is known to be a selfish creature with
little regard for others in her schemes save for their usefulness. Doctrine
from before the founding of the Empire states she is a goddess of appetence and
shadow, which explains her place as the Goddess of the Void in the Makhavirene
Pantheon rather succinctly. Older texts tell stories of Kesathria being the
creature who tricked dragons and primordials into war, though different texts
disagree on which group she tricked. Regardless, the result was the same – The
primordials were slaughtered and dragons were cursed with an inherent lust for
terror and destruction.

Kesathria leads many trickster pantheons, given her history,
as well as many thief, death, and eldritch pantheons. She is quick to make
alliances, but rarely keeps to her word. The Goddess of the Void is more likely
to deceive than assist, but her force of will and suggestion ensure others
continue to fall for her tricks. Kesathria has a cold anger, holding grudges
like a dragon hoards riches, and always gets the last laugh. She is worshiped
by thieves, tricksters, and the forsaken, mostly for the power she grants in
exchange.

#### Oras

##### God of Chaos

Oras is believed to have been a primordial born during the
creation of the world, ascended to the ranks of the gods after the war with the
dragons. All research on the being known as Oras shows he is perhaps the
closest of the trinity, even compared to Kesathria, to his given portfolio.
Oras changes the closer one looks at him, with even his religious texts
changing from day to day, and his priests driven mad in the search to
understand their god. Doctrine exists that states Oras existed when time
began, and Oras will be there when it ends, a being whose very essence is change
without end, until Kesathria's void claims him.

Oras rarely allies with anyone for any considerable length
of time. Those who claim chaos as their very essence rarely consider
partnership or fraternity to their tastes. Oras leads chaotic gods simply by
being more powerful than the rest, using them as tools and expenditures to
further his crazed ideas. As one would expect, Oras is as quick to anger as he
is to sadness, complacency, or laughter. He is worshiped by the mad, the
desperate, and the strange.

## Major Deities

### Good Aligned

#### Valorikan

##### God of Courage, Justice, Honor

Valorikan is one of the few half-elven gods in
existence, originating from an elven pantheon dating back to their earliest
civilizations. Worship of Valorikan can be found in nearly every culture on
Vennar, and it is believed by those with knowledge surpassing most mortals that
Valorikan was the very first mortal to reach apotheosis. A god of law and codes
of honor, he is widely titled "The First Knight" by many such orders
that take him as their patron.

Valorikan heads the major deities of the Good
alignment, as he heads most pantheons of other cultures. Valorikan counts most
any deity that shares his opinions on free will and virtuous deeds as
friends, as well as many deities that follow a code of honor or chivalry.
 He is very slow to anger, seeing many other beings as weaker or less
skilled and thus to be treated with patience, but is a powerful enemy when
roused to anger. He is a popular god among paladins and knightly orders.

It is said that Valorikan currently struggles against a new
born god of corruption, hatred, and terror, who assaults his realm in the
celestial plane with infernal armies and vile power.

#### Aejuna

##### Goddess of the Major Moon and the Tides

Aejuna is the goddess of the largest and central moon,
literally the sentient spirit of the moon itself. She was first worshiped by
the elves, like many of the oldest deities. She is worshiped as a light in the
darkness, a figure of hope and salvation, shaping the world with her
tides, and a guiding force to those who seek her out.

Aejuna is worshiped by sailors, hermits, self-assured
royalty, and any who search for a beacon of hope to follow. It is thought by
many scholars and theologians that Aejuna would exist as a powerful force
regardless of mortal worship, and is only further empowered by those mortals
who seek her out. She is normally a solitary goddess, keeping to herself with a
few hangers on she treats more as aimless children than as equals. She will
ally with good or neutral deities - especially those who are nature-based
– when the need arises, though that need is rare.

#### Borlum

##### Deity of Bounty, Fertility, Harvest

Borlum is worshiped as the progenitor of the dwarves, giving
birth to their race in its entirety. The oldest records of Borlum's worship
come from the deepest dwarven territories, long abandoned to the fallen
creatures that now inhabit the darkest reaches of the world. The being that
would be worshiped as Borlum was once a primordial who shaped Vennar with
their power, guiding their children within the deep places and raising entire
continents to the surface above. Borlum is a hermaphroditic deity, taking on
the essence of motherhood, fatherhood, man, and woman, holding great authority
over forces of life and the natural world.

Borlum is worshiped first and foremost by the dwarves, as
well as druids, midwives, and devoted parents. Borlum's priests are
sought out by couples attempting to have children, guiding these couples
through the process from conception to birth. Borlum is normally either the
leader of their pantheons or coupled with the leader, acting as the idealized
parental figure. Borlum is friendly if not outright loving with nearly every
other deity regardless of alignment, offering forgiveness and encouragement to
those of an evil outlook should they seek it.

#### Rheala

##### Goddess of the Natural Order

The elven goddess Rheala originates from the time after
the titan war, when the elves began to expand their society through
architecture and care for the land. She holds the natural order as the
utmost good, and all that which is natural as good. Her doctrine states that
civilization and the wilds are both a part of the natural order, and to have
one without the other is an abomination. While a city is natural, a city
without trees or plant life is unnatural. While a wild forest is natural, a
wild forest without mortals is unnatural. Farming is a way to care for the
land, felling a tree for lumber is akin to a bird making a nest. Cutting away
forests or disrupting the land for mere convenience is unnatural. Hunting for
food is natural, while hunting for sport is vile.

Rheala stands tall among the elven gods, quite often second
if not the highest in their religions. She counts any who preserve the natural
order as friends, and many as allies. She is slow to anger unless the natural
order is threatened, despising undead and those whose greed blinds them to
their damage of the land. She is worshiped by druids and those who revere
nature, and has a temple or shrine within every elven city.

#### Ylena

##### Goddess of Judgement

The dwarven god of Judgement Ylena is younger than many
of the dwarven gods. The oldest record of Ylena's worship dates to shortly
after the primordial war, and so many believe she was a mortal dwarven woman
who ascended to the ranks of the gods. Doctrine states Ylena was the first
dwarf to set down a code of law after the primordials were defeated, and led
her people through the time of trial and destruction that followed the war. She
is considered a fair and ideal judge, without bias or prejudice, focused solely
on the rule of law and the advancement of civilization.

Ylena holds a place of honor in most dwarven
religions, among the few of her race that ascended to the ranks of the
gods. The First Judge is a friend to many other lawful deities, and a personal
friend of Valorikan, the half-elven god of justice and honor. She rarely feels
anger, and will not answer to provocation, instead judging any who consider
themselves her enemy, and acting accordingly. She is worshiped by those who
devote themselves truly to law and order, by those who enforce it, and by those
who write it down.

#### Xumera

##### Goddess of Rebirth

Xumera is an odd goddess, charged with overseeing the
process of rebirth through destruction. When the land begins anew after a
terrible storm, when volcanoes erupt and cover the land in ash and rock, when
the ocean rises and floods the land, Xumera brings about the
awakening after the devastation. Originally a spirit paid homage to in times of
need, Xumera's worship expanded when the empire began to break apart. Many
mortals believe she is responsible for the destruction as well, for without an
end there can be no new beginning.

Xumera rose to take on a higher position in the religions of
Makhavireth, and has only risen higher since. Standing beside other major
deities, Xumera counts those gods who value the cycle of death and rebirth
among her friends, and those who wield destructive power as her allies. She is
not so quick to anger as one might expect, taking a careful response to
provocation so that she might measure the cost and the gain in her destructive
efforts. Nature, after all, is not a wholly destructive force. Every disaster
is simply the first step in the process of rebirth. She is worshiped largely by
druids, orders offering relief through disasters, and mages who value her
destructive properties.

#### Quizon Jin

##### God of Sacred Knowledge

Quizon Jin is an ancient god, believed to have been a
primordial before mortal worship. He originates in the dwarven pantheon, and is
popular among humans. Ancient rites state Quizon Jin was the primordial who
created the ley-lines, or the primordial charged with their maintenance,
birthed within their very heart. He was the patron god of the dwarves and
humans of Quizo, to the southeast of present day Dergomal, but the nation
was destroyed during the infernal invasion and the god lost a significant
amount of his influence. Quizon Jin guards over ancient knowledge, ensuring it
passes on only to those who are ready to understand it, and those who might use
it for the benefit of all. He is known as the Ley Guardian, defending the
ley-lines and ensuring they remain unaltered and ever flowing.

Quizon Jin rarely leads any group of deities, but is often
seen as advisor and confidant to many who do. He is a lawful good deity, and
largely allies with those who share his ideals, counting Valorikan and Aejuna
as foremost among his allies, with Borlum as an old friend. He is slow to anger
unless the ley-lines he protects are tampered with, and takes a
calculated, measured response to any provocation. He is worshiped largely by
magic users and those who seek to defend the natural order of things as laid
down by the primordials themselves in ancient times.

The God of Sacred Knowledge currently wars with the infernal
plane, allying with Valorikan in his attempts to win back his chosen peoples'
beloved nation, and return to a place of greater influence in the world.

#### Alana Sjalfili

##### Goddess of Righteous Glory

Alana Sjalfili is an ancient goddess of human origin,
depicted as a great warrior of skill and compassion. Considered among the
highest of human deities, old doctrine states she was the first human to learn
the skill of metalworking from the dwarves, the first woman to lift a sword,
and an educated tribal leader. Ascending upon her death on the battlefield, Alana
rose to hold sway over the idea of righteous glory, in strength of arms, in
skill of craft, and in the knowledge of one's enemy. Alana Sjalfili leads
most human pantheons, was considered second to Valorikan in the Makhavirene
Pantheon, and has a place even within many dwarven religions. She counts many
lawful and good deities among her allies, and is quick to defend the weak. She
is slow to anger, but is quick to defend her ideals and her allies, by whatever
means necessary. She is the patron goddess of Makhiren, worshiped by many holy
orders and warriors. She is a defender of the weak, a bulwark to the strong,
and an ally to the righteous.

### Neutral Aligned

#### Ordrae

##### God of the Natural World

Ordrae is a member of the Fey court, worshiped by mortals
since the barriers between the realms weakened in ancient times. Ordrae is
a powerful deity, having aided and ruled over the growth of the natural world
after the primordials fell. Worshiped as the foremost god over nature, Ordrae
is often pictured as a living tree, or a bark-skinned elven man. Purely a
neutral force, but with the fickle nature of the fey, Ordrae makes and
breaks alliances as it suits him, and is both a chaotic and
orderly entity, like the domain over which he rules. Druids, rangers,
and paladins of nature worship him, with certain nomadic societies paying
him homage so as not to incur his wrath and lose the sources of their
livelihood.

#### Deliah

##### Goddess of Beauty and Love

Deliah is the goddess of love, and the beauty of the world,
worshipped since the first dawn of mortal civilization. She is an old and
powerful goddess, with myths painting her as a primordial, an ascended mortal,
and even a shard of the world’s soul itself. She is worshipped largely as the
being who brings lovers together, and the muse of artists the world over.
Deliah is often depicted as a beautiful young woman, the stereotypical form of
beauty in the mortal mind, of the same race as her worshippers. She is a
neutral deity, of a mind to bring love and beauty wherever it may be found, in
the darkest of hearts or the kindest. She counts most of the pantheon as her
friends as she is almost incapable of hating another, though should one draw
her anger she is quick to answer. She is worshipped by artists and lovers,
though her worship may be twisted in the minds of those who were spurned.

#### Lothos

##### God of Time

The God of Time is a mysterious being, rarely depicted and
only ever as a formless shadow. Lothos is one of three deities ruling over the
mortal cycle, presiding over the transitional periods of life and death, both
within and without, as well as the flow of time itself. As such, he is
generally considered an order god, obsessed with balance, but this is
rarely proven correct. Lothos, in most tales and histories, tends towards the
good, but only rarely acts. It is he who separates Itontia and Esesrione
from meeting all but for once a century, when the two moons named after the two
deities meet in the sky, and stay together for one week, before separating once
more, doomed to remain one in the day, and the other at night for the rest of
the century to come. This meeting period, while often marked with celebration,
is just as often marked with onlookers being struck blind, massive tidal
activity, and earthquakes, thus it is said Lothos keeps them separated for
their own good, and the good of the world.

Lothos is a god who prefers to stick to the background,
acting only when required and making rare appearances. While a very powerful
god in theory, his influence in mortal worship is limited by his unwillingness
to act. He may count many of the lawful deities among his acquaintances, and
few as his friends. Lothos is a god of the wise, the old, and those who
seek power over the mortal cycle.

#### Kidesis

##### Goddess of Wild Magic

Kidesis is a goddess of magic driven mad by
her own power. Elven in origin, Kidesis was once an archmage of
the high elves who reached apotheosis late in life, while suffering from a
deteriorating sense of self. Mortals see her as a goddess of wild magic, unchecked
and ever changing, and as the force behind the stagnation of ley-lines, so that
she might draw power from the chaos that is caused.

Kidesis has no patience to join or ally with other deities,
doing so only in rare moments of clarity, or when her mind has driven her goals
to match those of another. She is as quick to anger as she is to love, and
never remains in any state for long. She is a mad goddess, with her madness as
much a part of her as her very skin. Those who worship her do so in exchange
for eldritch secrets, or because they are mad themselves. Many sorcerers will
worship the goddess of wild magic, in the mistaken belief her favor will cause
the winds of change to favor them more often with positive effects than
negative.

#### Veara

##### Goddess of the Hunt

Veara is a half-elven deity, charged with overseeing the
balance between hunter and prey, as well as mortals and the natural world. Many
believe she was the first hunter, born of the first human tribe who discovered
the possibilities of rock and bone. She was the one who talked down the
elven warriors who defended the animals that humans sought to eat, comparing
the human need for meat to that of any predatory animal. She is called the
"First Huntress" for the beliefs that surround her.

Veara, while quite influential, often refuses to take a
prominent position in most religions, content with the hunt. When the call
of war does sound for her, she counts those who seek to keep balance as her
allies. She is slow to anger, and prefers diplomacy to outright warfare,
despite her considerable skills. She is worshiped by hunters, druids, and
keepers of the balance.

### Evil Aligned

#### Seiberonov

##### God of Mortal Terror

Seiberonov the Firstborn is the culmination of all
mortal belief in a dragon god, combining mortal idea of sin, terror, hatred,
might, and sorcery. Seiberonov is depicted as a titanic creature of
shifting color, at a size to rival the largest of the ancient primordials, and
with power to match. Titled "The Firstborn" because of the belief he
was the first dragon born on Vennar, and the one to lead his species in war
against the Primordials.

Seiberonov heads most any draconic pantheon of mortal
origin, and is among the higher echelons of most evil aligned deities.
Seiberonov allies with those of a lawful or generally evil alignment like him,
but counts few as friends. He is a trickster, a deceiver, a god of mortal
terror, and a horror among the stars. Only the very mad, the very desperate, or
the very power-hungry would count themselves among his worshipers, and
their number grows by the day.

Seiberonov is the enemy of all those who war with
dragons, and is the bogeyman of the myriad orders of dragon hunters.

#### Deminadrus

##### God of Corruption, Hatred, Terror

A new born god, Deminadrus claimed his position
of power shortly before the fall of the empire. According to scripture,
Deminadrus rose to his position from the ranks of the Infernals, killing
the previous minor deities who held his portfolios and clawing his way into the
ranks of the major deities through mortal worship and ruthless tactics in the
outer planes. Deminadrus is depicted as a wastrel, a starved and
sickened child with matted hair and wings of rotting flesh and bone.

Deminadrus claims no deity as his ally, and is claimed
by none. Standing alone within the darkness, he is a deity of the darkest and
most twisted ideologies, striving to corrupt and twist all creation until it
falls to his whim. He is a deity only a few centuries old, yet has gained a
following unheard of by any but the most powerful among them, counting even
lords of the Infernal Planes as his followers. Most who worship Deminadrus
willingly trade their eternal souls for power and influence, and he has called
many nobles, military leaders, and wretched cultists to his name.

#### Ushagha

##### Goddess of Vile Magic

The orc goddess of magic reflects the race's view of magic
as a necessary evil, depicted as an old hag of a den mother, with a gnarled
staff and gnarled bones. Believing themselves created by the last breath of the
primordials, and believing the primordials forbade the use of magic by
mortals, the orcs use the winds of change only in the direst of
circumstances. Ushagha is a temptress, a deceiver, and a wicked magic
user. She uses magic to weave illusions, craft nasty poisons, sew discontent,
and entrance the orcish race to her whim.

Ushagha is far from being a leader in the
orcish religion, holding the position of a pariah among the orcish gods,
and counting few as her allies. She uses her magics to ensnare other orcish
gods to her bidding, just as she ensnares the orcs themselves. The orcs believe
Ushagha pretends to be a warm and inviting personality, to further tempt
those who interest her, but beneath the warm exterior lies a cold and deceitful
heart. She is worshiped only by orcish magic users, outcasts from orcish
society, and occasionally those of other races who hunger for her skill in
magic.

## Minor Deities

### Good Aligned

#### Losogun

##### God of Smiths

Born a primordial in ancient times, it is said
Losogun forged the first hammer, anvil, and calipers, gifting them to his
dwarven followers so they might further the craft. Depicted by his followers in
the modern day as a dwarven blacksmith, Losogun has set hammer to
anvil since the very concept was first imagined. Dwarves consider him one
of their foremost deities, and human smiths pay him homage as well.

In the greatest dwarven religions, Losogun may be found in
the highest tier, even supplanting Borlum in some cases. In other societies,
however, Losogun is usually a minor deity at best, worshipped only by smiths
and jewelers, and so he is placed as such in the Makhavirene pantheon. He
is a staunch ally of those deities who value hard work, good deeds, and the
beauty of the craft. He is a hot-blooded, rowdy man, quick to anger but swiftly
quenched under the right circumstances. Outside of dwarven society he is
worshiped by craftsmen and craftsmen's families, and holds patronship over
a handful of smaller towns and cities with a focus on craft.

### Neutral Aligned

#### Itontia

##### God of Day and the Living

One of the three deities presiding over the mortal cycle,
Itontia is popularly depicted as the male of the Two Lovers, but is almost
as often depicted as female. One of two moons second to Aejuna in size,
Itontia appears during the day and joins Esesrione in the night sky as she
joins him in the day sky for one week once every century.

Itontia presides over the day cycle, the state of living,
and the cacophony of the waking world. His lover is Esesrione, Goddess of
Night. He, like Lothos, rarely allies with other deities. He is most often
worshiped by artists, lovers, and the young.

#### Esesrione

##### Goddess of Night and the Dead

One of the three deities ruling over the mortal
cycle, Esesrione is popularly depicted as the female of the Two
Lovers, but is almost as often depicted as male. One of two moons
second to Aejuna in size, Esesrione appears during the night circling
Aejuna, and joins Itontia in the day sky as he joins
her in the night sky for one week once every century.

Esesrione presides over the night cycle and the state
of death. She is the goddess over lifelessness itself, and the silence of the
grave. Her lover is Itontia, God of Day. She, like Lothos and Itontia, rarely
allies with other deities. She is worshiped largely by artists, lovers, and
those who are ready to die.

#### Sobiris

##### Goddess of Artifice

Sobiris is a younger goddess, born of the ideals true to
artificers and their craft, focused on enchantment, precision, and mechanical
forces. Sobiris is often depicted as an enchanter herself, guiding over
the laws of the physical and astral realms and ensuring they work smoothly when
invoked.

Sobiris gained a following only a short few centuries
before the fall of the empire, and so is not truly represented in most
religions or pantheons. She is a neutral party, preferring her isolation so she
might further her abilities and guide artificers to do the same. Sobiris is
usually only worshiped by artificers themselves or their families, and
occasionally by orders founded to protect the laws of magic, or to gather artifacts
so they might not fall into the wrong hands.

### Evil Aligned

#### Kyemos

##### God of Famine, Swarms

Kyemos is a locust deity, originating in the old deserts
since wiped from Makhavireth, and rules over the idea of famine and swarms.
Most mortals worship Kyemos as a god of war, using his vast swarms of
followers and creatures to conquer and devour all that lies before him. He is
also a god who mortals sacrifice to in times of famine, to appease him so
that he might lift his terrible curse and their fields might grow once more.

Kyemos rarely leads any pantheon, preferring to focus his
attention on conquering rather than ruling. He rarely allies with other gods,
as a chaotic and evil force. Occasionally a far stronger or more clever deity
will force him into service, or trick him to do their bidding, and his rage is
terrible to behold when he discovers such a plot. He is not a god to anger
lightly, being of an unpredictable nature and quick to anger. Most who worship
him do so for his favor in war, or to lift the burden of famine.

## Domains

* ArcanaSCAG
* CivilizationW-H
* DeathDMG
* ForgeUA
* GraveUA
* KnowledgePHB
* LifePHB
* LightPHB
* MadnessW-H
* NaturePHB
* ProtectionUA
* TempestPHB
* TrickeryPHB
* WarPHB