Ricmod

Ricmod is the second oldest of the Soul, and followed their brother Kosmas in making contact with the equines. Ricmod is an authoritarian god strongly associated with just rule, and is believed to be the originator of the royal family line. Ricmod is believed to act through the actions of legitimate rulers, and rarely chooses to interact with mortals as himself.

## Sphere

Ricmod is best known as the god of authority and rightful rulership. He is the first ruler of the equines, and originator of their royal family line, and as such is strongly associated with royalty specifically.

The second aspect of his sphere is justice; the other side of his rightful authority. Ricmod represents the ideal, perfect judge: completely fair, completely unbiased, and easily picking out truth from the lies. He is the arbiter of souls - the final judgement after death.

They are also the god of honor - and by extension, etiquette. Ricmod is most strongly associated with military honor and valor, but his sphere covers all forms of “proper conduct”.

### Secondary Sphere

His sphere encompasses not only justice, but also mercy and compassion. As such, he is not only the god of punishments, but also forgiveness and regret, guiding mortals to good, moral actions.

Ricmod is the god of law; the mortal laws of conduct, but also agreements and contracts. His sphere does not extend to laws of nature, as these fall within the realm of the Bones. It is said that Ricmod personally passed the very first laws to his mortal subjects.

The final element of his secondary sphere is might. Ricmod is not a warlike god - his might is that of both body and spirit. Not simple combat prowess, but personal resolution and the ability to hold true to your own beliefs. That being said, there is an element of less pure, more oppressive use of power within Ricmod, although it is rarely discussed.

## Mythology

Ricmod embodies the dutiful, loyal younger brother - he is close with his older brother Kosmas, and mythology depicts the two working side by side almost constantly, sometimes even against their other siblings. He is frequently depicted as being at odds with Fianna, who is seen as the corruption of his sphere - the overlapping opposite of his virtues.

Out of all the gods, Ricmod is the one who is believed to have personally interacted with the mortals for the longest, for legends say that he was their very first ruler, and begot a child by a mortal mare. This child became the originator of the royal bloodline, and through this single, legitimate demigod bloodline Ricmod is believed to still influence society to this day.

It is in fact believed that Ricmod may, through their shared blood, choose to embody a mortal ruler, directly enforcing his will upon mortals. Many past Sovereign have claimed to have been influenced in this way, leading to sweeping changes that rocked the foundations of the nation. Interestingly, some decidedly non-royal people have claimed the same, although this is seen as heresy in the highest order.

Ricmod is depicted primarily as masculine aligned, but genderfluid.

### Appearance in Art

Ricmod is the god with the most varied appearance, for he is almost exclusively depicted as resembling the current ruler - except in historical works, where he will resemble the ruler appropriate for the time. Mortal rulers may themselves be depicted with Ricmod’s symbology, making distinguishing between Sovereigns and the god in older artwork difficult. Ricmod’s own, overcarrying traits are their golden eyes, masculine aligned appearance, and his halo of golden light.

Ricmod is depicted being accompanied by a great, golden lion, which is often shown wearing a crown and has a halo similar to Ricmod’s own. Ricmod himself wears a crown, scepter and a great shield, the symbols of the royal family. He is often depicted in courtroom scenes, or in the background of depictions of mortal history. Battlefield scenes are also common, with Ricmod taking the appearance a of a perfect, golden knight, untainted by blood.

A popular theme in artwork depicting Ricmod shows them in battle against Fianna, sword striking shield. Their two symbol animals are often depicted as fighting one another as well.

## Worship

Ricmod is a reasonably popular god, but enjoys the most popularity among nobles and warrior types, many of whom worship Ricmod as one of their primary deities. He has shrines present as basically all noble households, barracks, courthouses and major settlements. Ricmod enjoys a dedicated holiday, around which their worship peaks.

Unlike any of the other gods, Ricmod is heavily linked with a real, living person - the ruling Sovereign. They are considered to be not only Ricmod’s descendant, but also mortal representative, and as a result, the worship of Ricmod overlaps with the cult of personality of the ruler. Although Amaranthians don’t practice ruler-worship per se, very mundane actions such as doing your duty for your king by paying taxes or serving in the military are considered a form of passive religious practice.

Ricmod’s favored offerings are shiny rocks, wooden miniature shields and crowns, and honeywax candles. Worship of Ricmod tends to be heavily centered around festivals, daily acts, and the occasional prayers for favor when needed. Many consider following the law, acting with compassion and respecting your Sovereign to be more than enough to keep in this god’s good graces. Those who do wrong the god are directed in performing penance by priests of Ricmod - for the god is, after all, compassionate, and will forgive those who seek forgiveness.