Common Inecurian Mythology

The term Common Inecurian Mythology, CIM for short, refers to a hypothetical ancient polytheistic mythology which forms the foundation of numerous religious systems across Inecuria. The strong similarities between many of Inecuria's religions can only be feasibly explained by the theory that they all originated from one common ancestor religion, or that this ancestor religion strongly influenced other existing belief systems.

Religions which belong to the Common Inecurian Mythology are Haidarism, Nesarian Paganism, Asarebas and Ettimenko. Very little is known of Chalparni paganism prior to the rise of Nakkalism, but what little information is available points to it also belonging to the CIM group. There are also several religions which are theorised to be influenced by CIM, but did not originate in it; such religions are referred to as CIM-Influenced or CIM-Adjacent. Scholars often point to Elveta, Morrokhism, Geranism, Napachetlan and the Old Belief as examples, though the adherents of these religions often protest against the CIM label, particularly the Elvetans.

## Cosmology

The most consistent shared feature of the CIM religions is not the deities themselves, but the places they live in, as well as their origin. Although some religions do have further distinctions, all CIM religions - and most religions of Inecuria in general - believe in the existence of three planes of reality; the celestial heavens, the material world, and the underworld. The celestial heavens are the residence of the gods, the material world is the residence of mortals, and the underworld is where the dead must pass to.

The underworld is very often the residence of soul-eating demons who prey upon dead mortals, who completely erase a soul from existence if they digest it. This danger causes dead mortals to coalesce in gargantuan walled cities, which are guarded both by one or more gods as well as lesser soldiers. These soldiers are sometimes beings created by the gods specifically to guard the dead, but in other cases they are volunteers from amongst the dead mortals who willingly risk annihilating themselves to protect others.

CIM religions universally feature some form of primordial spirit which created the gods and the celestial realm they inhabit. The primordial spirit may also have created the material world, but more commonly leaves that task to the gods. Unless explicitly stated that a particular god created the underworld, it is often unclear within CIM religions whether the primordial spirit created the underworld, or whether the underworld spontaneously came into being as a side effect of mortals dying.

How confined particular beings are to particular realms can vary between religions, but usually the celestial heavens cannot be entered by mortals - or, at least, not ordinary ones. Gods can typically come and go as they please between the realms, though it is often noted that their power is vastly reduced when they enter the material world compared to either the celestial heavens or the underworld.

The only religions which feature mortals being raised into heaven are Asarebas - where King Roul ascended there after his mortal death since he was a demigod, and his wife followed him since she ate his heart - and Elveta - where the saints are raised into heaven because they are considered to have never actually died. Mortals are consistently incapable of leaving the underworld once they enter in all CIM religions. Even those who enter by some other means without actually dying are confined to it, though CIM religions differ on whether such mortals are actually dead or whether they are living souls trapped in the underworld.

The underworld also acts as a prison for deceased gods. In all CIM religions they either cannot leave or can only leave under very specific conditions, and are returned when those conditions are no longer met. For example, the Saverian tradition of Elveta teaches that the dead god Sevalion (or, in their language, Sefalian) can leave the underworld, but can only do so under cover of darkness; he is immediately transported back if he touches a ray of sunlight.

It is common in CIM religions for gods to take on deathly attributes - often called the aspect of death or the stench of death - if they spend too long in the underworld, making it difficult for them to leave even if they are actually alive. This feature appears in several Underking deities, but not all.

## Deity Archetypes

CIM religions typically feature an extremely large or even infinite pantheon of deities, but most of these are minor and relatively weak. A consistently shared feature across the CIM religions is the prominence of a small handful of deities who are recognised as the most important and are worshipped the most, due to the significance of their roles or the importance they play in myths. These deities fit into a few common broad archetypes across all the CIM religions.

The list of archetypes below shows which deity in each CIM religion adheres to a given archetype, but also which deities or beings in other Inecurian religions are highly similar to that archetype, either through inspiration or mere coincidence.

### Sky Father

The Sky Father archetype is the god of the sky, and in all CIM traditions he is related to the sun; either being the sun himself or being the father of the sun. The Sky Father is the husband of the Water Mother, and is the father of all, either all Humans or all intelligent folk generally. In most (but not all) CIM religions he is the king of the pantheon, and is therefore associated with rulership and monarchy.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Ashtebar
* **Nesarian:** Arthenan
* **Asarebas:** Louemand
* **Ettimenko:** Slightly present in Töriken

#### Other

* **Elveta:** King Yacela
* **Morrokhism:** Lord Aklan
* **Napachetlan:** Quetalchetlan
* **Draconic:** Flame-Bearer

### Water Mother

The Water Mother is the goddess of water (or alternatively ice) and fertility, and sometimes also of worked land and agriculture, but not nature in general. She is believed to be the source of water, and in some traditions she literally *is* water, inhabiting every river, lake and sea. The Water Mother is the wife of the Sky Father, and is the mother of all, giving birth to either all Humans or all intelligent folk with the seed of the Sky Father. Where the Sky Father is the king of the pantheon, this makes her the queen, but in most cases she is not a co-ruler alongside the Sky Father and is entirely and utterly subordinate to him.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Mahara
* **Nesarian:** Ynnafë
* **Asarebas:** Eralise
* **Ettimenko:** Ekkalouhi

#### Other

* **Elveta:** Queen Isera (slightly), also Nerusan (slightly)

### Storm Warrior

The Storm Warrior is the god of storms, wind and rain, and is the foremost of warriors, wielding lightning as his weapon. He is often related to the Sky Father in some way; in Calsunarian Paganism, he is the brother of the Water Mother and therefore the brother-in-law of the Sky Father, and in Nesarian Paganism he is simply a close friend of the Sky Father. In many cases, the Storm Warrior is said to be impulsive and impetuous, or quick to anger.

Some traits of the Storm Warrior can also be seen in the Nakkalite Angel Ashura the Commander, who commands the heavenly forces and is the greatest warrior amongst the Angels, and is often symbolically associated with lightning.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Belqar
* **Nesarian:** Corann
* **Asarebas:** Souliard
* **Ettimenko:** Raumiken (slightly)

#### Other

* **Elveta:** Sir Acras (slightly)
* **Morrokhism:** Great God Morrokh
* **Nakkalism:** Ashura the Commander (slightly)

### Metalworker

The Metalworker is the god of mining, smithing and craftsmanship, and is sometimes also associated with architecture, engineering and construction. He is typically credited with creating the shape of the world, building up mountains and carving out valleys.

Some Titanologists have suggested that the Metalworker archetype originates from the Titan named the Forger of Worlds.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Not present
* **Nesarian:** Haffshad
* **Asarebas:** Quireman
* **Ettimenko:** Raumiken

#### Other

* **Elveta:** Caduron
* **Morrokhism:** Karron and Garon

### Ancient Tree

The Ancient Tree is the god of nature, often specifically wild nature beyond the management or control of intelligent folk. He is extremely old and wise, and sparse with his words. The Ancient Tree is often described as stubborn and, though slow to anger, brutally wrathful when provoked. He is described as physically resembling a tree.

Beyond the CIM religions, the Ancient Tree can be clearly seen in the Grandfather, the ancient wise spirit which Natrakhsanians believe inhabits the Old Tree. It is theorised that the archetype of the Ancient Tree was partially or wholly inspired by the Old Tree.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Not present
* **Nesarian:** Serona
* **Asarebas:** Paraviel (also partially found in Ellienne and Elourie)
* **Ettimenko:** Koinen

### Knowledge Bearer

The Knowledge Bearer is the god of learning, knowledge and literature, and is the patron of all teachers and authors. He is also sometimes associated with fire, and sometimes with art and music. The Knowledge Bearer typically has a strong relation to the Underking, either as a sibling or - where one of the two is female, which occurs in several CIM traditions - a spouse.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Rammonet
* **Nesarian:** Channan
* **Asarebas:** Coravin
* **Ettimenko:** Herali

#### Other

* **Elveta:** Yésa (artistic elements are also present in Elayi)
* **Nakkalism:** Reshar the Scribe (slightly)

### Underking

The Underking is the ruler of the underworld and caretaker of the dead, and the one who judges the fate of the deceased. He is also a warrior much like the Storm Warrior, but his miltiaristic aspects are not emphasised as much, and where the Underking appears as female - i.e. as an Underqueen - she is rarely described as a soldier. The Underking is the arch-enemy of the Evil Devourer, as he is on the front lines in the eternal war against him.

Where the Underking appears as an Underqueen, she is associated with frost, but where he appears as an Underking he is associated with bees and honey.

#### CIM

* **Kalzuranuri:** Sharani
* **Nesarian:** Bëadsen
* **Asarebas:** Cheriselle
* **Ettimenko:** Kuovas

#### Other

* **Elveta:** King Alveron (slightly), also Verasan (slightly)
* **Nakkalism:** Amaal the Angel of Death (slightly)
* **Geranism:** Lord Geran

### Evil Devourer

The Evil Devourer is a hated and reviled god who makes himself the enemy of all the other gods. He is described as a warrior, but not a noble and chivalrous warrior like the Storm Warrior and Underking, instead a savage and brutal thug who takes joy in violence. The Evil Devourer wages an eternal, unending war against the other chief gods for the souls of the mortals. He is the arch-enemy of the Underking, as he constantly attacks the domain of the Underking to try and take mortal souls. Most CIM traditions believe that the Evil Devourer consistently fails to take a single soul away from the watchful eye of the Underking, but some believe that he can be successful. The Evil Devourer feasts upon the souls of mortals, and becomes stronger with each one he consumes. He is described as being infinitely ravenous, with a hunger that can never be satiated, and is therefore sometimes associated with gluttony. The Nesarian Pagan tradition in particular considers him the root of all wickedness.

The Evil Devourer archetype has been identified by some Titanologists as possibly deriving from the Dread Titan named Mogarakh, infamous for his immeasurably vast operation of breeding mutant slaves just so that their life-essence may be extracted and consumed by him.

#### CIM

* **KP:** Golpahet
* **NP:** Meroggan
* **Asarebas:** Mocavierre
* **Ettimenko:** Lävjetta

#### Other

* **Morrokhism:** Kazar and Mazar (slightly)
* **Dungorian:** The Devourer