Gauvajut mythology

This is a list of concepts and characters in the mythology and religion of the Gauvajut Empire, its people, and its civilisation.

## Gods

* sius - god
* massani - noble/western god
* bagawas - western god
* tissejas - eastern god
* aususas - northern god
* tiwensas - southern god

### Major gods

* Istanu - Supreme god, creator of everything and lord of all kinds of good.
* Tarhunz (Teshub) - The Gauvajut god of thunder, lightning (his javelin-like weapon), the axe, and war, and the slayer of demons such as Illujankas. He is often commemorated in the Purulli ceremony, in which an actor pretends to slay a dragon; and during Gauvajut times he was also worshipped as the god of electricity to the extent that weapons that fired lightning were consecrated to him.

* Hannahanna - The Gauvajut goddess of the earth, wealth, harvest, the calendar, and the renewed year. She is Tarhunz' wife, and she is celebrated on Purulli with crop offerings.
	+ The reddish mineral known as "spinel" is poetically referred to as "Hannahanna's sweat", because spinel deposits were common throughout the land, seemingly regrowing underground in quick rates. As spinel gems were used as currency in ancient times, she and her wights were also worshipped as bringers of wealth and good fortune.

* Suwalijas - The Gauvajut god of wind and rain. The vizier of Tarhunz, and a teacher of gods and mortals.
* Arinna - The beautiful Gauvajut goddess of the Sun. She is worshipped alongside Hannahanna with offerings of crops and fruit, as the golden-haired daughter of Tarhunz and Hannahanna who slays demons with her light and her burning sword.
* Tiwaz - A handsome god created by Ullijasi to be Arinna's husband. From their marriage and union hundreds of high Celestials were born, to lead the other Celestials in the universe.
* Kaškuh - The god of the full Moon, and Arinna's previous lover before she broke up with him. He also represents all other planets and moons.
* Arma - The god of the new Moon, and Kaskuh's twin brother. He represents the calendar, dance, and childbirth. He is also the protector of children, to the extent that children refer him as "Father Arma". Sometimes syncretised with Zomjonor due to his role as the guardian of children.
* Telepinu - The son of Tarhunz and Hannahanna, brother of Arinna and Purulli, and the god of agricultural tools and growth. His disappearance led to plants dying across the world.

* Purulli - Arinna's sister, and the goddess of harvests and the New Year. Together with her servants Pumpkin Lord and Klōdiraz, they appear at New Year celebrations to add humour and merriment. She is often seen carrying a bowl of rice or a sickle and a sheath of wheat or rice.
* Pihassassa - The god of weather and lightning. Also the god of rain and snow.
* Hasameli - The god of science, smiths, and engineers.
* Hepatai - The guardian of families and marriages.
* Aruna - The god of the sea and oceans.
* Namni and Hazzi/Naubjoz and Kharzjoz - Tarhunz's bodyguards, they represent two sacred mountains to the north and south.
* Kamrusepa - The goddess of medicine and healing. Shrines to her are placed in front of hospitals and clinics.
* Is'hara - The goddess of oaths and treaties. Also the master of the jopakkon tree-wights.
* Warunkatti, Warugati - The red god of war. He wields a burning sword.
* Warunsemu, Warusemura - The golden goddess of summer and its sun's heat. She wields a burning pike. She is Warunkatti's wife.
* Aranzahas - The brother of the thunder god Tarhunz. The god of the Baval Olhi River, agriculture, festivals, and calendars.
* Tasmis - Another brother of the thunder god Tarhunz. He represents the winds of the world.
* Gulasesa - One of the three goddesses of fate, who enact life, death, good, and evil to all mortals. Their names are Naupija (starting), Salhāri (growing), Zenaris (ending).
	+ Zenaris is revered in two aspects: feared as the bringer of death, or celebrated as the guardian of technology.
* Istuja and Pawarija - Two older women who guide the Gulasesa's weaving. They personally looked after the king and gave him proper rewards depending on his deeds.
* Rundas - God of the hunt and good fortune. One of his symbols, the double eagle, was used in some Gauvajut dynasties.
* Nausara and Lelwani - God and goddess of death and the underworld. Unlike their later counterpart Zoval, they were depicted as skeletons.
* Sandas - Lion god of the empire and civilisation.
* North Wind
* East Wind
* South Wind
* West Wind
* Kurunta - god of the wild animals and forests

### Minor gods

* Alalus - The creator of the universe. After ruling it and populating it with gods, he was overthrown by his son Anu, who left his corpse to be eaten by monsters in the underworld.
	+ In some versions, Alalus himself is evil, and he had to be overthrown by the other gods to prevent him from unleashing chaos into the newly-formed universe.
* Hanwasuit - The goddess of sovereignty, who allows kings to rule and nations to have a divine authority over other nations. She is depicted as a minister of Tarhunz, and that inspired some proto-feminist movements within early Gauvajut civilisation.
* Tarawa(es) - The goddesses who look after birth and infants.
* Halki - The god of grains, maize, wheat, rye, barley, millet, and rice.
* Inara - The goddess of the plains, grasslands, and their animals. Daughter of Tarhunz and Hannahanna.
* Sarruma - The god of the mountains, hills, and their animals. Son of Tarhunz and Hannahanna. He is seen riding a leopard or a tiger, and holding an axe wreathed in lightning.
	+ He is also depicted as a protector, usually for the emperor.
* Allanzu and Kunzisalli - two daughters of Tarhunz and Hannahanna. Depicted as the goddesses of winter and summer.
* Hasepuna - The goddess of the sea, and the daughter of Aruna. She is Telepinu's wife.
* Peruwa - The god of axes and thunder in the far west, and the god of Darroskei people. Syncretised with Perun, and sometimes viewed as Tarhunas' older brother.
* Sertapsuruhi - Hasepuna's disgraced sister and the goddess of distant seas and the other hemisphere of the world. Aruna banished her for giving birth to the stone golem Ullikummi after swallowing Kumarbi's spit, but she later married Peruwa and became the ancestor of several Darroskei kings.
* Ubelluris - Giant god of the west. In ancient times, he was believed to carry the world's western end on his shoulders. Later syncretised with Zomjonor, as he was associated with dreams and was aided by gryphon spirits.
* Mezulai - The goddess of strategies and maps.
* Zintuhai - The goddess of art, messengers, and communication.
* Kurunta - God of deer and hunting. Guardian of Karammis.
* Allira - Goddess of pets and beautiful animals. Wife of Kurunta.
* Pirwa - God of horses.
* Malija - Goddess of horses, farmland, plants, mountains, and rivers. She and Pirwa became the ancestors of several kings and heroes.
* Ziplantil and Anzila - God-king and God-queen of good weather.
* Tilla and Tillau - Tilla is Tarhunz' white horse, and Tillau is Tarhunz' bull.
* Ullijasi - The god of outer space, other planets, astronomy, astrography, and the Galaxy. Also the patron deity of all aliens and non-humans. Fought against Anu and Kumarbi to protect his domain from being destroyed and drowned by Chaos.
* Aššu-Tiwas - The god of the Sun, and Tiwaz's brother.
* Kibilas - The god of earthly fire.

### Constellation gods

* Arawanis
* The Plough
* The Net of Fishes
* The Burning Banner
* The Trident
* King Ahkanawirewis
* The Feared Dream
* The Two Dragons
* The Golden Lion

### Native gods

* Hurāsa - The goddess of wealth
* Kusigmes - The god of gold. Hurāsa's twin brother.
* Katarbira - The god of cats. Black cats, which represent him, supposedly bring good luck.
* Sala - Goddess of Mount Tawarindas and hunting.
* Suwarti, Irisken, and Nauriskas - The gods of the northern stars, sons of Nurandir.
* Tusarhil, Baransil, Urisallas, and Kwarasil - The gods of the southern stars, sons of Nuriskar.
* Awarissar - God of gryphons.
* Irsalan - Lion-god of kings.
* Malijanni - Twin daughters of Malija and Pirwa, these goddesses blessed vineyards.
* Barisas - The god of wisdom, education, and literature.
* Apaliunas - The god of cities and regions.
* Parrija Tumantimas - The god of glory, wealth, and prosperity from the east.
* Alai - Goddesses of the land, greater earth-wights.
* Saluwanta and Šarpa - Two mountain goddesses of the south overlooking the Paharal Jungle.
* Halhaltūmari Kwettas, Haltūmari - Four gods of the cardinal directions who protect and guide people. Regarded as the gods of knowlede and experience, students pray to the Haltūmari when they begin a craft or a school year. The numbers eight and sixteen represent their blessings to those who accomplish and complete their lessons.

### Evil beings

* Anu - A twisted tyrant who created the skies and filled it with monsters, dragons, and living lightning. He was overthrown and killed by his son Kumarbi.
	+ His lieutenants were Nurandir and Nuriskar, who created thousands of constellations and Celestials to populate the sky and fill it with stars. While they also became evil, their sons Suwarti, Irisken, Nauriskas, Tusarhil, Baransil, Urisallas, and Kwarasil rallied the stars against the corruptions of Chaos.
* Kumarbi - A wicked tyrant whose obsession with sensuality created more monsters. He once cut off Anu's ears and the top of his head to create more monsters. However, one of his monsters became a man, Tarhunz, and he ended Kumarbi's reign of terror by throwing a thunderbolt, splitting his head open.
* Tasmisu - Kumarbi's crown prince, he is the god of wild storms, disasters, and epidemics.
	+ According to some myths, Tasmisu and Nabarebi were the ancestors/creators of various alien races.
* Appilu - The god of diseases and sedition. Brother and enemy of Apaliunas.
* Nabarebi, Naubarbi - The goddess of diseases and feral monsters, and the chief wife of Tasmisu.
* Illujankas - A four-headed dragon who leads armies of demons. Also the god of Chaos, a corruption that exists outside the universe.
* Ullikummi - A stone golem that almost destroyed the continents.
* Sauska - In ancient times, she was worshipped as the goddess of war and fertility, and sometimes she helped women warriors. But because she took both males and females as partners in myths, later Gauvajuts reviled her as the goddess of addiction.
* Jarri - The god of disease and plagues.
* Marwirzi - The god of horrific deaths and tortures.
* Nikaruwa - The god of biological crimes and disfigurement. Curses the unborn to suffer from certain conditions.
* Munihalke - The god of vampires. One of Illujanka's many monstrous children, he never forgives.
* Idalu - The embodiment of wickedness and malice.
* Hahhima - The demon of the frozen wastes in the far south, beyond the mountains of Rabydos.

## Beings

* gurti - a wight, a nature spirit
* gelagurti - farm-wight
* arsija - river-wight
* huwanzas - a great spirit of the wind
* naspaijes - a sage, a sexless one, an enlightened person, a holy mind
* saišuwas - star-horse
* san(i)šuwas - sun horse
* white/red/green/black/yellow giants of the north
* huhhanz - soul of an ancestor who protects his or her descendants
* paršina - leopard-man, wild man, shaman

### Armies of Heaven

* saituzar, Nibetuzar - celestial warrior, soldier of Heaven
* saituzzi, Nibetuzzi - star angels, armies of Heaven
* krelidai - gryphon spirits of Heaven
* aiwazar - fire angels
* kaimaizar - fire angels with great swords, guards stationed at Heaven's gates
* hasteras, hasterai - archangels, star angels

### Evil beings

* uirū - ghost, spirit
* šaruhraus - a demon, a cannibal
* nahuisas - undead, ghoul, animated corpse
* wiruhtas - a yellow vampire that is born from mushrooms
* maihehtas - a light grey vampire
* uzultahhas - a grey vampire related to bats
* wuruhtas - any vampire in general
* paipennas - a person driven to stupidity by their obsession with sex
* papranz - a ghost that represents a sin
* wanupašal - spirit of a comet, bringer of doom or evil
* keregus - kregos, vengeful ghosts of the armies of Red Ardesch. Their leaders indoctrinated them to hate the Gauvajuts and exterminate them, and the gods cursed them to punish the Gauvajut Empire.

### Armies of Hell

* lujankas - lesser dragons
* murundar - demons
* walkuwaz - monsters
* alwanzar - sorcerers
* surbuser - soul-eaters
* reskukser - cannibals
* kaskasar - barbarians
* munzaru - Chaos creatures
* wurehdas - demonic vampires. Every vampire will eventually become this, having a desire to devour and destroy all life and civilisation.
	+ According to Gauvajut lore, vampires can be killed not only be sunlight, but also with electricity and lightning bolts. This can be explained either as Tarhunz's lightning being too holy for them to resist, or because lightning is made of plasma, the same substance as the Sun and all stars.
	+ When a vampire dies, they are sent back to Illujankas, who judges them for their failures. Most vampires end up being eaten by Illujankas, and then they are destroyed forever.

## Locations

* Nebes - home of the gods above the sky and space, Heaven
* Naupisan - the paradise of the righteous and the innocent, a place of unending flowers and plants
* Dankus Tekan - the underworld, Hell
* Munaz - primordial chaos; the colourful, screaming abysses of deeper Hell

## Religious concepts

* Siuwēitras - the Gauvajut religion
* kwasserai - mandala, dais where offerings are burned
* dāhpa - sacrifice
* dāhpanni - to sacrifice
* dāhbištai - sacrificial altar
* magalzi - offering-bowl, holy brazier, altar
* puri - offering
* anijattas - ritual attire or objects, work
* anijūras - ritual
* weda - boon, beautiful offering, tribute, gift
* lil'huwi - libation
* lil'huwinni - to offer libations
* uppeisar - gift, something sent, a gift from a god, a boon
* antahsum - orchid (a sacred flower in Gauvajut culture)
* ilanzes - incense
* luessar - fragrant wood
* sāwitras - sacred horn for drinking in ceremonies
* izei - holy fire for offerings
* lahhuras - shrine, table to worship gods, wights, and ancestors
* karimmi - shrine
* parkamija, parna karmija, karmija - temple
* siunas pir - great temple, abode or palace of a god or goddess
* makkizijas - purification, consecration
* arzaudammi(n) - purification, redemption, restoration, healing
* arzaumuz - out-ghost, exorcism, purge
* asāra - white, bright, clear, radiant, pure-hearted, righteous, holy
* parkuessenni - to purify
* parkui - clear, pure, bright
* parkuis - purity, brightness, sanctity, radiance
* parkuitarjenni - to become pure
* parkujātar - purification
* parkus - high, sublime
* parkwesni - to make clean, to cleanse
* hāstilahas - pilgrimage
* hatreška - sacred text, mantra, incantation, charm, talisman
* hatreškanni - to write sacred or holy texts, to create a talisman
* hakrešan(z) - paper talisman
* memijan - invocation
* Šerai Andeses - Seven Scrolls, the holy books of the Gauvajut and Vozonid religions
* Newai Andeses - Nine Scrolls, later religious scriptures of the Vozonid religion
* gunkursa - solar frame used in rituals or as a symbol of Arinna
* dadešai - battle-hymn
* šakla - sequence, rite, ritual
* sal-za - rite, ceremony
* malhas - ritual
* is'hamai - hymn, soothing song
* is'haminni - to sing a hymn, to praise or glorify a god, to rejoice
* is'hara - oath, promise
* tallas - promise
* hirutallas - vow
* dāhpa, pakmai - sacrifice
* sarlata - libation
* sāwatar - sacred trumpet or horn
* kanidanni - to bow down (to worship a god)
* karijentas - blessing
* iskijanza - blessed
* dešhan, šidarni - curse
* damešhas - great curse
* arzaumuz - out-ghost, exorcism, purge
* arzaumuzrau, arzunz(a)rau - exorcist
* eskaraus - patron deity
* sius - god, deity
* siues - gods, deities
* siusa(i) - goddess
* sankunni - priest
* sankunnijanz - high priest
* siwanzanni - priestess of certain goddesses, such as Arinna or Hannahanna
* hartaggas - bear-priest, priest of Jambavan
* paršina - leopard-priest, shaman, priest of Tarhunz
* mēnejas - archer priest, ritual hunter
	+ On certain festivals, the emperor is the menejas who hunts a specific animal. Killing the animal ensures good luck for the whole empire.
* mejanijas - bird used in divination, tern
* hatalwanz - bolt
* tet'hissar - thunder, great thunder, divine omen, message or order from a god
* empārzedan - sacred green rock or emerald
* hattanda - sage
* huwasi - idol
* tunha - stake, pole, post, god-pole
* kwettas palsares - four corners of a temple, sometimes shown as pillars, representing the four directional gods who protect it.
* šuppi - holy
* šuppijanni - to consecrate, to make holy, to purify, to refine
* haminkanni - (classical) to tie a sacred band or cloth, to wrap, to prepare an offering
	+ In the Gauvajut and Vozonid civilisations, offerings of food and plants are wrapped with banana leaves.
	+ Trees may be wrapped with a sacred cloth to consecrate them to a deity or a powerful wight, and invoke their blessings.
* hāsti(jan) - holy, sacred
* hāstijandas - sanctity, holiness, power
* ginwas - purity
* arāwas - worth, honour, glory
* wallijatar - glory, honour, obeisance
* lau(l)kimas - great light
* istanus - full glory of the sun, sunlight, creator god
* arma - full moon, moonlight, that which defeats nightmares
* neunarmais - new moon festival
* ankuarmais - full moon festival
* purai - torches, torch procession
* puraja - torchlit procession, festival
* hīla - yard, ward; halo
* hīlajenni - to have a halo, to ascend (to Heaven?), to become an angel
* siunaulkimas - radiance of a god
* maišta - glow
* siunahastil, siunhastil - strength of a god
* urahtes - summit, apex, halo, crown
* uwatar - appearance, form
* mahan - righteous, righteousness
* teiku - truth
* aran - order
* nakijātar - reverence, respect
* kaluti - (formal, archaic) circle; order, tier, stage; orbit; rank; mandala
* kalutija - pantheon; mandala; great circle
* kalutijanni - to invoke all the gods, to call for help, to host a great ceremony

* mūgaenni, mūgajenni - to invoke, to call upon, to pray to, to worship
* mūgaes - prayer, invocation, worship
* mūgāwar - things used for a ceremony, religious items, holy artifacts
* mūgēssar - invocation ceremony, great prayer

## Trivia

* The Gauvajut religion was primarily based on the Hittites' religion and mythology, but also mixed with elements of Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
	+ The bolt of Tarhunz is a symbol of the Gauvajut religion. Wooden and iron bolts are used against evil spirits somewhat like crucifixes are used among Catholics and Orthodox believers.
	+ The angular shape of the bolt may resemble the trident of Shiva, another god from the west.

## See also

* Nordic mythology, Hindu divine beings, Slavic mythology, Baltic mythology
* Gimbarsian mythology
* Vozonid mythology
* Gauvajut glossary