Gaulish Pantheon

### Known Aliases

Gaulish Gods, Gallic Gods, Celtic Gods, Gods of the Sacred Shrines, Gods of Gaul, Gods of Britain, Gods of Celtiberia, Gods of Galatia, Gods of Central Europe, Gods of the Celts, Celestial Celtic Confederation

### Identity

Public Identity
(Believed to be Mythical by Most Persons)

## Membership

### Current Members

Andarta, Ataecina, Belenos, Camulus, Cernunnos, Epona, Esus, Gobannos, Maponos, Nantosuelta, Nehalennia, Nodens, Sucellos, Sulis, Taranis, Teutates...

## Origins

### Date of Formation

*Unknown* [Presumably Prehistory]

**Date of Reformation**
Early 20th-Century [Presumably c. 1950]

### Modern Times

Two thousand years later, something stirred. Old Gods awoke in new bodies, starved for essence with flickering memories of their deaths. They remember so little, and do not understand why they have returned. But they remember the Dei, and they remember the desperate prayers of their peoples as they were killed and enslaved in colossal numbers to feed the young Scion Julius Caesar's war machine.

A new pantheon is rising: The Nemetondevos, the Gods of the Sacred Shrines. Not the gods of Gaul alone, but of Britain, Celtiberia, Celtic Central Europe, and Galatia. A confederation of small pantheons who struggle to reclaim their divinity and hide from the sight of the Theoi and the Dei as they regain their power.

There is hope, but the Theoi have locked Hope away in a jar before. Not even the gods know what will come from this.

## Principal Members

The Nemetondevos are the gods of a hundred, if not a thousand, disparate tribes who varied in language and cultural traditions, who have long held deep-seated hatred for each other, and who have only recently banded together for their own survival. They require special sacred sites to broadcast their power across the world, but are also capable of more intimate relationships with their mortals. Whereas Mars was the patron of millions of Roman citizens, a single Devos was likely the patron of only a few thousand and could care more for the individual followers. Their extremely close relationship with mortals was also the source of their destruction, however, as extremely powerful Fatebindings bound the Gaulish gods to their worshipers and sites of worship that have long since been laid waste to.

Some of the principal members of the Nemetondevos include: Andarta (Goddess of Victory), Belenos (Keeper of the Wheel), Camulus (God of War), Cernunnos (Horned God of the Wild), Epona (Goddess of Horses), Esus (The Forester), Gobannos (The Great Smith), Nantosuelta (Goddess of Hearth and Hive), Nehalennia (Goddess of Trading), Nodens (God of Voyages), Sucellos (God of Life and Death), Sulis (Goddess of Healing Springs), Taranis (God of Thunder), and Teutates (God of Gallic Culture).

## Cosmology: Rotos Kosmos

The Terrae Incognitae, Overworlds, and Underworlds of the Nemetondevos have been by and large forgotten by the pantheon, with only a scant few theorizing about their existence, and some Scions attempting to uncover these lost worlds. What is known is that "down" is the important direction; everything about the gods flows from beneath the earth and into the world. Shafts dug into the earth, deep ponds, and caves all seem to reach down towards the Nemetondevos' origins. Scions postulate that nemetons connect the Mortal World to... whatever it is that the Nemetondevos draw their power from.

### Dubnolissos (Underworld)

This realm, whose name can be translated into "Palace of the Underworld", is the otherworldly sanctuary of the Gaulish gods and their fellow Celts. It is plunged in a perpetual night, under a sky constellated by strange clusters of stars constantly changing, and illuminated by an enormous Moon, always full. Though it does not rain and the Sun has never smothered this sacred ground of its ray, the vegetation is very abundant and particularly luxuriant.

A great palace is located in the heart of a huge plain, surrounded by a forest with huge trees, stretching as far as the eye can see. The temperature is also pleasant, reminiscent of beautiful summer evenings. The animals that populate these lands are those that are usually found in Europe more than two thousand years ago (with a large population of wolves, deers, wild boars and bulls). However, their size is exceptional, often double or triple their terrestrial equivalents. The souls of those who died more than two thousand years ago traverse these lands and work directly for the gods. Living among the dead are Downworlders of varying kinds, from shifty faeries to the wild therianthropes.

It is possible to reach Dubnolissos thanks to the ancient Gaulish burials. Some underpasses also lead there, as sacred sites which once hosted chthonic altars (dedicated to underworld gods) and large battlefields (such as around Alise-Sainte-Reine, the site of the famed Battle of Alesia). The most powerful link between the Underworld and the Mortal World is undoubtedly the Pilier des nautes(Pillar of the Boatmen) (currently exhibited in the frigidarium of the Thermes de Cluny in Paris). This monumental column is one of the later (and last) tributes given to the gods Esus and Cernunnos, as well as the Tarvos Trigaranus and the exalted Smertrios. Strangely, although this pillar also represents many Roman Dei, it is bound only to Dubnolissos.

#### Agracito, The Plain of Battles

This immense plain beaten by the winds and surrounding the palace is the favorite playground of the goddess who rides incessantly. It is here that the gods' undead (and newly recruited) soldiers train to form a trimarcisia. It is also here that the elected Nemetondevos' Scions learn the art of martial riding and are offered one of the fantastic mounts of Epona. A herd of these equines traverses this wild expanse, causing the ground to tremble for kilometers round, striking it with their golden clogs of silver veins. One murmurs that sometimes the goddess takes the form of a mare and that these extraordinary horses are actually her children.

#### Bergusia, The Mountain

The sanctuary of Taranis is at the top of this imposing mountain that seems to caress the starry vault of Dubnolissos. The summit is illuminated by the lightning which continually breaks down, lying on Taranis' palace. From his perch, he who considers himself the Supreme God of the Nemetondevos observes his fellow deities, dominating them with all his power in the middle of a court filled with beautiful women, who enjoy immortality in his godly realm but have neither freedom nor even the right to speak. The palace is reminiscent of the most beautiful of Greek temples, although the white marble is replaced by the darkest obsidian – An architectural bias that would in fact be a direct affront to Zeus himself.

#### Comteutavepos, Great Village of the People

Despite being called a village, Comteutavepos is a bustling metropolis of gigantic proportions located in Agracito, as far as possible from Camulus' fort. It hosts hundreds of thousands (possibly over a million, if the speculation is corrected) of talented artists, skilled craftsmen, well-intentioned politicians, good farmers, and great hunters who live throughout Celtic lands for over three thousand years. They live with their families, untouched by time, disease, and war. Immortal souls, they reproduce every day the gestures of the millennia, forgotten by all in the world of the living. It is thanks to these souls that the god now called Teutates succeeded in subsisting when the Gallic people were assimilated by another culture and even rose to the rank of Principal God.

#### Devocaito, The Divine Wood

This forest, which stretches to the horizon, covers the plain surrounding the center of which is the palace. In fact, there is nothing beyond it and a god could run for centuries without reaching the end, unless invited by Cernunnos or Esus. This primal forest remains in its purest appearance. She never knows the filth of man, if not that of divine nature (and rare souls who live there). The animals that inhabit it are peaceful, but anyone who attacks them risks suffering the consequences, their power and size being phenomenal. Only the gods are allowed to hunt in this forest. Violators would immediately be put to death... or worse.

In the distant past, Esus was awarded a huge clearing in the forest, much to the detriment of Cernunnos, to extend its legendary fields. It grows incredible plants with unknown properties. Some can heal, while others are among the most violent poisons. The trees at the edge of this clearing bear strange fruits, seemingly made of precious metals or minerals.

#### Dunon, The Fort

Located in Agracito, the Plain of Battles, the Fort of Camulos hosts powerful warriors called Silures. It is in this colossal stronghold that these fantastic fighters train, ready to face demons, monsters, or even foreign gods themselves. It is these Silures that appear alongside the Nemetondevos' Scions when they invoke assistance from their divine parents.

#### Gobentegia, House of Blacksmiths

Carved into the rock of seemingly indestructible Mount Bergusia, the home of Gobannos is a huge cave where the sound of hammers beating the metal on the anvil. The heat emitted by the furnaces is unbearable for those who don't possess high resistance to fire. It is here that the divine blacksmith and his dwarven aids forge the relics of the Nemetondevos, sometimes using the sparks of divine lightning coming from the sanctuary of Taranis.

#### Lissos, Palace of the Gods

Surrounded by a ditch of ten meters wide, seemingly bottomless, this edifice with imposing walls of stone and wood has a single entrance, surmounted by skulls of human appearance, if not their extraordinary size. This "palace" is made up of an immense open-air "hall" in the center, surrounded by numerous private apartments reserved for Sucellus, Nantosuelta, and their guests. Crossing open space, an alley lined with trees and groves leads to an altar, or rather, to a well of thirty meters in diameter, the depth of which is infinite. It is this sacred well that allows the gods to travel between Dubnolissos and the Mortal World in a flash.

#### Lugonemeton, Temple of Light

Not far from Lissos stands a tumulus(burial mound) several hundred meters high. But rather than earth, it seems to be made of thousands of huge crystals which emanates a soft light. A simple entrance gives access to the heart of the sacred sanctuary of Belenos. The interior, richly decorated, is an invitation to rest and reflection. The floor is covered with carpets and cushions, a hydromel fountain stands at its center, and many works of art seem to come to life in front of the viewer. A strange music, coming from the crystalline walls, even calms the most tormented souls. It is said that when Belenos is in his sanctuary, it becomes so luminous that it is able to illuminate the Underworld of Dubnolissos such as the rising sun.

## Signature Magic: Nemeton

The Nemetondevos no longer remember the truth of the nemetons, not really. Theories swirl from their Scions and reincarnated selves about deep symbolic meaning, others arguing about a perspective of simple utilitarian function. What little they do know comes from simple experimentation and investigation of the scant remaining records.

The truth of things - or perhaps, a potential truth of things - is that the power of the Nemetondevos is distant from their corporal bodies, residing within the Overworld instead. Their power leaks into the Mortal World at specific locations, forming minute cysts of raw essence deep beneath the earth that allow one of the nemetondevos or their Scions to draw on their distant power. A nemeton is a structure, be it a constructed temple such as the Acropolis Roquepertuse, an oaken grove such as Drunemeton, a spring running deep into the earth such as the one at Bath, that reaches down from the surface towards one of these essence cysts to force the small hole to the Overworld open and allow the Devos to more freely interact with the world above them.

These nemetons are one of the few unifying features of the Nemetondevos despite being wrapped in mystery, and serve as a great strength for the pantheon as well as a dire weakness. Similar to some pantheons, such as the Òrìshà and the Loa's use of divine possession to circumvent the dangers of Fate when interacting with their mortals directly, the nemetons allow a Devos to manifest their power around their nemeton more easily, almost drawing the location into the Overworld itself, bridging the gap between mortal and divine. However, the Nemetondevos are dependent on the nemetons to interact with the Mortal World, and if their connection is somehow severed, disastrous results can occur such as happened with the Roman destruction and theft of the nemetons in the past.

All Scions of the Nemetondevos find their nemetons self centered around a specific location, be it close or distant, that they can feel some mysterious part of themselves nestled deep below. This is a small cyst where their power leaks from the Overworld into the earth. In time, this might grow into the center of said Scion’s cult, and the place where a nemeton will be constructed to forcefully dilate this hole so that power flows more freely.

## Trivia and Notes

### Trivia

#### General

* The Nemetondevos smell like damp, dark soil within a forest of ancient oaks; accompanied by the sound of distant hooves.
* Although the Gauls had never practiced the art of tattooing, it sometimes happened that members of certain tribes would cover their faces with symbols thanks to dyes. Of course, the result was ephemeral. Conversely, the Scions of the Nemetondevos do not hesitate to engrave in their flesh the symbols of which they are proud. It is often an object or an animal that symbolizes their divine parents. Some, usually the Scions of Cernunnos or Belenos, opt for extremely complex motives in which the secrets of their visions are concealed.
* The Nemetondevos' shrines have always been their vulnerability, even at their height. Stolen mementos can give intruders access to their Sancta through the gates their nemetons harbor. Should all of a Scion's nemetons be destroyed, they lose access to a significant portion of their divine power until they sanctify another. Nemetons that remain from ancient times are not necessarily hidden, either; some, like the Baths of Sulis, are directly pointed out on tourist maps.

#### Relationships

* The Nemetondevos have always had little unity as a pantheon, being a confederation of different pantheons with different traditions and practices, as well as different (and often conflicting) views on certain subjects. And while the greater gods may have a shared history, local deities were tied to the locality near their nemetons and were rarely familiar with gods who didn't reside nearby. Abandinus (of what is now Cambridgeshire) never knew Lero (of the French Riviera), and they certain didn't chat during the millennia they were dead.
* Their general interactions with other pantheons are as follows:
	+ **The Dei**: There can be no doubt about it. The gods of Rome and of the "Celtic" lands are at war with each other and always will be. Nonetheless, their war is a rather cold one at the moment. The Dei have gone slightly lax in their vigilance for a resurgence of their old enemies over the last two thousand years and are not yet aware of how fully the Nemetondevos have returned. The Nemetondevos, meanwhile, have indeed not returned as fully as they would like to and are still too weak to mount an attack. The issue is only complicated by the lack of a unified front among the Nemetondevos, with many of them having enjoyed a friendly relationship with the Dei before their demise, especially Epona who was quite the popular goddess during her time in Jupiter's court.
	+ **The Theoi**: While the Nemetondevos primarily have issues with the Dei, tensions exist with the Theoi as well after the followers of the Nemetondevos sacked (or tried to sack) Delphi once upon a time before fleeing into Anatolia to escape with loot from the sacked temples (or nothing, depending on who you ask). However, some of the Theoi also share the perspective of their philosophers, that the "Celts" they had experience with were noble in their "uncivilized" nature and their "rule of philosophers". Ultimately, the Nemetondevos are beneath notice for the Theoi save for Apollo, who is still *intensely* upset about the disrespect inflicted on his oracle.
	+ **The Tuatha Dé**: The Tuatha Dé don't really get the Nemetondevos, and the Nemetondevos who had made contact with Ireland before their deaths tend to be horrified by the Tuatha Dé. The Irish gods, who mostly ignore the world outside their territories, have had brief interactions with the returned Nemetondevos, which they have noted as being oddly tense, despite all their similarities. The Gaulish gods, for their part, have stared at men and women wearing their faces with strange twisting of their names, or the names of their old allies, who speak of a flood and claim to be former humans. The Nemetondevos know something horrible must have happened in Ireland while they were gone to result in what they claim to be twisted dopplegängers, but they have no idea what it may have been.

### Notes

* Nemetondevos means "God of the Nemeton" or "God of the Sacred Shrine".