The four primary elements mixed together and formed chaos at the dawn of creation. In time the four elements coalesced into the universe, forming the Day Star and its many worlds, including Antara.
The Unknown Demiurge imbued these celestial bodies with consciousness and the power to project their will across space. These entities became the the Greater Deities: Tzann, Gaia, Thumina, Darkun and others.
The union of Tzann and Gaia created two new dimensions: Aeon and Thanatos - the spark of creation and the corruption of entropy - creating linear time. In so doing, Gaia populated the world of Antara with flora and fauna, each possessing a consciousness and soul.
The souls of living beings undergo reincarnation in an endless cycle of death and rebirth that, in time, accumulates power. Eventually, sufficiently powerful souls may undergo apotheosis and become gods - or god-like.
These gods are referred to as New Deities and many thousands of individuals have achieved godhead.
The Unknown Demiurge
Nothing is known of this primordial omnipotent entity other than it set into motion the creation of the universe and the celestial bodies.The Elder Gods
The Elder Gods emerged spontaneously from the universe through no effort of the Unknown Demiurge or the creation of Aeon or Thanatos.
Shaitain the Destroyer
(Elder Deity, Chaotic Evil, God of Entropy, Chaos, and Destruction)Shaitan is one of the powerful titans that pre-date the gods. He is a primordial force embodying entropy and decay. He devours life, energy, and vitality. He is the end of all things and will one day return the universe to universal equilibrium. Shaitan is only worshipped by madmen and certain suicidal cults.
Xulutc, the God Between the Stars
(Elder Deity, Neutral, God of the Void)An alien being, a winged tentacled horror from outer space, ruler of the Outerworld.
Greater Deities
Tzann, the Sun Father
(Greater Deity, Lawful Good, The God of Order and Leadership and Fate)Tzann is the king of the gods and ruler of the Overworld. It is Tzann that created the great clockwork mechanism of the universe and set the celestial bodies in motion. Tzann is the god of the day star. He is portrayed as a radiant leonine father figure with a muscular build and armor of gold. His wife is Gaia, goddess of nature and mother of all life above ground. Tzann is the brother of Thuminia, goddess of the moon.
Gaia, the Earth Mother
(Greater Deity, Lawful Neutral, Goddess of Nature)Gaia is generally depicted as a full-figured wide-hipped large-bosomed green-skinned woman. She is the goddess of nature and fertility. Gaia is the wife of Tzann, with whom she conceived and gave birth to quintessence, the spark of life that imbues all living and growing things.
Thumina, the Moon Sister
(Greater Deity, Lawful Good, Goddess of the Moon)Thumina is the sister of Tzaan. Thumina is a faintly luminous with pale skin and stiff unmoving hair like carved marble and dark blue-grey eyes. Thumina is the goddess of of the moon as well as obligation, womanhood, and therans. Thumina is wed to Darkun, the god of the night and shadows.
Darkun, King of Night
(Greater Deity, Chaotic Neutral, God of the Night and Shadow)Darkun is a tall gaunt figure with dark blue skin and black hair. He has a hundred eyes. He wears a long cloak of glittering stars. Darkun is the enemy of Tzann. Long ago, Tzann and Darkun reached an accord that resulted in a sharing agreement over the world. Tzann would rule half of the time, called Day, while Darkun ruled the other half, called Night. Darkun is married to Thumina, goddess of the moon.
Garuda, King of the Sky
(Greater Deity, Lawful Neutral, God of Birds, the Sky, and the Firmament)Garuda sometimes takes the form of a white eagle of gargantuan proportions and sometimes as an eagle-headed humanoid with wings. Garuda pulls the sky chariot ridden by Tzann. Gardua is venerated by the aarokans and is the patron god of Aarokar-Nasaris.
The Ana
The immortal race known as the Ana rose to prominence 4.5 million years ago. The Ana founded the great city of Kusha, which would one day become Atlantis, and ruled the world of Antara.The Ana were highly technologically advanced. They were adept at the creation of devices powered by arcane energies. As the Ana gained power they began to experiment with the creation of new life forms. Their first creations were the artificial beings known as matons. The matons served as defenders, servants, and laborers for the Ana for over one million years. Eventually the matons rebelled and fled their masters.
They also experimented with creating and re-shaping living things. They abducted and experimented on primitive humans, creating the advanced psychic race known as the Vril-Ya.
In time the Ana gained enlightenment and decided to transcend their physical forms to become gods. The Apotheosis, as it is called, occurred ten thousand years ago and resulted in a great cataclysm that reshaped Antara.
The Ana have created multiple pocket-dimensions, collectively known as the Celestial Realms, into which they retreat when not manifesting in the material world.
Choranus is portrayed as a tall, muscular, fatherly figure with long white hair and beard. He was the first Ana to achieve apotheosis and is considered the "father" of the gods. Although nominally the leader of the Ana he wields no real power over them. He is considered a symbolic figurehead. He is often worshiped or consulted by rulers and nobles. Many leaders claim lineage from Choranus' mortal bloodline.
Choranus, the Seer Father, Lord of Creation
(New Deity, Lawful Good, King of the Ana)Choranus is portrayed as a tall, muscular, fatherly figure with long white hair and beard. He was the first Ana to achieve apotheosis and is considered the "father" of the gods. Although nominally the leader of the Ana he wields no real power over them. He is considered a symbolic figurehead. He is often worshiped or consulted by rulers and nobles. Many leaders claim lineage from Choranus' mortal bloodline.
Lorimes, Lord of Ravens
(New Deity, Chaotic Good, God of Magic)His representation shifts continuously; he may appear as a 10-year-old girl, a wizened old man, or anything in between. He always has a robe of a hue that you can never entirely pin down, a raven on his shoulder and a bone-white staff. He is steeped in arcana and tends to spend half his time looking into planes other than our own – he is often holding two conversations at once, with creatures in two different planes. It is dangerous to call on him, as he is impatient of being interrupted in his studies, but if you ask a clever question or have a situation that engages his interest (for example, you have summoned a golem that is proving truculent and particularly difficult to banish), he may give you a reward, for he has studied much and finds little that is new. To summon him, it is easiest to call to his raven by sacrificing a jewel-encrusted rodent and invoking a spell known only to higher-level adepts. Often, only his raven will appear, and it will decide whether it is worth summoning Lorimes. It is a powerful creature in its own right, though, and may be able to help without referring to its master.
Nil, Queen of Death
(New Deity, Neutral, Goddess of Death)A tall, green figure in blue robes with a scepter of justice in her hand and a fierce and forbidding visage. She has as deep a commitment to justice in the afterlife as Justica has in this life. She is assisted by the conductor, Syrrhus, a man all in gray often pictured as riding a swift hart, and by the wizened, ink-stained record-keeper, Corprus, who tallies the karma of souls prior to reincarnation. Her worshipers are known for not being judgmental, for nothing can be valued until its end is known and all can be taken into account. Nil is the keeper of karma and is the judge of whether a soul is worthy of the Summer Lands at the end of time.
Ohma Tor, The Beast Lord
(New Deity, Chaotic Neutral, God of Wild Animals)Wolf-headed lord of the animals and the wilds. Savage and wild defender of the beasts. Hunters offer to him, for if they do not, he may deem the kill an affront and exact his revenge.
Justica
(New Deity, Lawful Neutral, Goddess of Justice and Fairness)The judge of the guilty and the innocent, Justica carries a scale in her right hand and a double-edged sword in her left hand. She has a third eye in the center of her forehead with which she sees truth and falsehood.
Amun Tor
(New Deity, Neutral, God of Mysteries and Riddles)Amun Tor is a mysterious hooded figure with one great eye. He is the god of scholars, explorers, and secrets. He is a reclusive god in charge of the secret library of heaven. It is said that Amun Tor is fond of puzzles, riddles, and games and many myths tell stories of wily heroes that best the god using cunning, strategy, and trickery. These heroes in turn have provided men with the knowledge of fire, magic, agriculture, and other advances.
Adhinata
(New Deity, Lawful Evil, God of Pain, Domination, Mutilation, and Suffering)Adhinata, also known as “the Flayed God”, is a leather-clad figure of horror with flayed skin covered in nails. He is worshipped by conquerors, torturers, and some decadent nobles. He is also seen as the god of penance, guilt, and suffering. His worshippers perform rites of flagellation and self-mutilation to shed themselves of their sins. The more decadent worshippers inflict suffering on others as a means of reinforcing their own dominance and control.
Saprin Pang
(New Deity, Chaotic Good, Embodiment of Wine and Debauchery)Saprin Pang is the Ysian god of wine and debauchery. Satyr-like deity that variously appears as either a male or female. Known to seduce (or attempt to) the most attractive of mortals (Charisma 17 or above). His/Her children, the Sarpin, are said to be the inspiration of drunken lust. They whisper in the ear of those addled with drink and talk them into things they may regret.
Trapezitam
(New Deity, Lawful Neutral, God of Wealth and Patron of Merchants)Trapezitam is the Ysian god of prosperity, wealth, and finance. He is the patron of merchants and capitalists. He is usually depicted as an older Ysian male with a bald head and golden skin. It is said that his entire body is made of pure gold. His temples act as banks. Their vaults are filled with gold and riches. They also finance profitable enterprises with loans and investments. The temples are opulent affairs with live music, fruit, cheese, bread, and ritual dancers performing atop pedestals. The priests and priestesses of Trapezitam wear golden robes and flaunt their wealth by parading down the city streets on litters carried by acolytes.
Altina
(New Deity, Lawful Neutral, Goddess of Wealth and Trade)Altina is the Agarttan goddess of wealth and a counterpart of Trapezitam. Altina is the patron goddess of the city of Thither. She is depicted as a rubenesque woman made of gold with four arms in which she carries scales, an arrow, a sheaf of wheat, and a crystal orb.
Ulesh
(New Deity, Lawful Neutral, God of Peace)Ulesh is the Agarttan god of peace. He is generally portrayed as an geneial overweight bald man in robes. Priests of Ulesh promote non-violent resolution to conflict. Monks of Ulesh practice and teach unarmed passive self-defense that emphasizes blocking, dodging, and avoidance. Many monks of Ulesh act as arbiters to resolve disputes between rival factions. Priests, monks, and devotees of Ulesh must avoid eating meat or taking a life of any kind.
Bilgelik
(New Deity, Lawful Good, God of Prosperity and Wisdom)Bilgelik is the Agarttan god of health and wisdom. He is generally portrayed as a kindly grandfather figure with a long beard. He wears long robes of silk and carries a magical sack in which he carries gifts for those in need. He is a beneficent god who answers prayers, grants wishes, and bestows gifts to the poor.
Shul, the Traveler
(New Deity, Chaotic Neutral, Goddess of Travel and Sleep)Shul is the Agarttan goddess of travel, hunting, and sleep. She is represented as a walking traveler in a cloak. She carries a silver bow and a magical sleeping pallet made of a cloud. Her symbol is a bow overlaid on top of the moon and she is often considered the daughter of Thumina.
Other Ana
There are literally thousands of Ana. Many of whom were the inspirations for gods and pantheons on Earth.The Saurian Gods
Eze Ukwu
(Greater Deity, Neutral Evil, God of Theropods and War)
The mighty Eze Ukwu is a god in the form of a tyrannosaurus rex. Eze Ukwu is the king of the saurian gods and is the patron of the two-legged theropods. Eze Ukwu is worshiped by humans and guzi as a god of war and destruction.
Kongamato
(Greater Deity, Neutral, God of Pterosaurs and the Sky)
Kongamato, the great sky god of Zazamanc. Kongamato takes the form of a massive pterasaur. Kongamato is the god of clouds and the sky and pulls the sun across the heavens.
Mokele Mbembe
(Greater Deity, Neutral, Goddess of Sauropods and the Land)
Mokele Mbembe is the great goddess of the land and the mountains. Mokele Mbembe takes the form of a mountainous sauropod covered in trees and forests. It is believed that the great mountain ranges are actually Mokele Mbembe's sleeping children and that large lakes and swamps are her footprints.
Nnunu Nnunu
(Greater Deity, Neutral Good, Goddess of Ornithischians and the Forests)
Nnunu Nnunu is the goddess of protection and the forests. She is a shape-shifter, able to take the form of a great triceratops, ankylosaur, or stegosaur. Trees spring forth from her footsteps and her breath causes rain.
The Draconic Gods
Bhamut
(Greater Deity, Lawful Neutral, God of the Earth)Bhamut, the Earth Dragon, lives at the deep core of the world of Antara. Bhamut is a being of incredible energy and is believed to be the source of all subterranean heat. The dragons believe that the many catastrophes that have reshaped the continents of Antara over the eons are the result of periodic shifting of Bhamut deep beneath the surface. Sacrifices are made monthly at the base of each of the volcanic mountains of the Great Wall of Agartta to slake his rage lest he make the lands quake and the volcanoes burn!
Fang Drako
(Greater Deity, Neutral Evil, God of the Dragons, The First Wyrm)Ancient and huge dragon believed to be the first dragon created by the elder gods at the beginning of time. Fang Drako is the father of all dragons and the great dragon kings claim to trace their lineage to him.
The Ananta Karkara (Ophidian Gods)
The Ananta Karkara, also known as the Infinite Circle, were the primordial gods of the Nagina Samrajya, the serpentine race that ruled Antara when the world was young. They fled the surface to live in deep caverns when the world was struck by the comet that destroyed the Nagina Samrajya. Legends say that they sleep to this day in their chthonic lairs, waiting to be awakened by the survivors of that ancient kingdom to reclaim the world above.Sakata the Deceiver
(Elder Deity, Chaotic Evil, God of Serpents and Lies)Sakata is the god of serpents. He has the form of a giant serpent with hundreds of human arms. He is also the god of assassins, lies, snake-worshipers, shape-changers, and alchemy.
Jivantaka, the World Serpent
(Elder Deity, Neutral, God of the Earth)Jivantaka is a massive serpent that encircles Antara, deep under the ocean and far underground, holding it together in its constricting grip. Many apocalyptic cults believe that the world will end when Jivantaka wakes and releases its hold on the world.
Other Deities
It is possible for humans and other races of sufficient achievement or divine nature to achieve apotheosis and ascend to godhead. This has occurred several times in the history of Antara.Antaa Kivikilpi
(New Deity, Lawful Good, Daro Lord of the Mountain)Father of the Daro and enemy of the Scourge. Lost his left hand in a fight with the Scourge Lord, Azurg, but won the rights to the mountains for his people in the process.
Azurg, The Scourge Lord
(New Deity, Neutral Evil, God of the Goblins)Wily and sly, Azurg attempted to cheat the Daro of their subterranean homes. He is now a hideous creature covered in burn scars.
Quarin the Evergreen, the King of Aeon
(New Deity, Neutral Good, God of the Fey)Quarin is a tall muscular figure with pale skin like marble. He has long flowing white hair and a beard. A massive rack of antlers sprout from his head. Giant hawk wings grow from his shoulders. Quarin is the ruler of the extra-dimensional plane of Aeon. He is the god of overworlders, fairies, sprites, and fey creatures.
Artorius
(Demi-God, Lawful Good, God of War)Artorius is portrayed as a tall mighty warrior in gleaming armor wielding the massive fiery sword Caliburnus. Artorius has long curly hair and beard and his eyes burn like coals. His skin is bright red and hot enough to burn trees and boil water. Artorius was once a mortal from the Otherworld who was brought to Antara by Nimune the Aeonian. Artorius is immortal who forever sleeps deep within a mountain in Avallonis. Although most rural Avallonians worship a form of animism, the cult of Artorius has become the de facto state religion of the capital.
The subsequent followers of the cult of Artorius have themselves become venerated as arhats and saints through the ages. Examples include Saint Anastia the Afflicted; Saint Sior the Draconid Slayer; and Saint Meical the Defender.
The Lady Issarii
(Demi-Goddess, Lawful Good, Patron Saint of Women Warriors)The greatest human woman warrior of the ancient Agarttan Empire who lead the fight against the Giants of Tor-morain. Revered as a heroic legend by all and worshipped as a goddess by many women warriors.
Draven Windshard
(Demi-God, Neutral Good, Patron Deity of Stories, Bards, History, and Lore)Draven Windshard was the offspring of a human father and an Aeonian mother. He became a master storyteller that rose to the status of legendary hero and demi-god. It is said that he still roams the lands looking for new heroes and new stories to tell, even though he would be centuries old now.
Other Semi-Divine Beings
In addition to the elder, greater, and new gods, there exist several other immortal beings of a semi-divine nature. These beings either serve the gods in some capacity or wander the universe pursuing their own agendas.The Enlightened Immortal
The Enlightened Immortal was once a mortal human who transcended physical existence through meditation and cosmic awareness. He is neither god nor mortal. He is not worshiped as a god but is instead revered as a teacher and paragon. His teachings are exemplified by the studies and works of the monks of Xamballah.Devas
(Angels)
Servants of the gods, the Deva are also called angels.Jinn
Unaligned divine spirits native to the elemental planes.Spirits of Aeon
(Fey)
Dryads, naiads, sylphs, nymphs, and other spirits of wild places.Shadim
(Devils)Shadim were once devas in the service of the greater gods of Antara. They rebelled against the gods and were imprisoned in the Ennead Hells of Narak. They seek to one day escape their imprisonment and reclaim their celestial supremacy. They are represented by the devils of the D&D cosmology: Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Dispater, Geryon, etc.
Shang
(Demons)Shang are the spawn of Shaitan. In the dark time before Tzann and Gaia created the Elder Deities, the Shang arose from drippings of Shaitain's essence. Shang are extra-dimensional beings of malignant evil and destruction that dwell in the abyss of Gaadha. They are represented by the demons of the D&D cosmology: Orcus, Demogorgon, Yeenoghu, etc.
Kroorata
(Philosophy)Kroorata is a philosophy with no personified deity. Kroorata is a rejection of civilization. Those who espouse Kroorata embrace primitivism, savagery, and cruelty. They believe that might makes right and that the ends justify the means. They believe that civilization is unnatural and should be abolished in favor of a brutal primitive existence.
No comments:
Post a Comment