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Gods of Nathas

Page history last edited by Gribble_the_Munchkin 12 years ago

Gods of Nathas

 

The people of Nathas are a devout population.  They care deeply for their gods and their gods in turn ensure that the priesthoods provide for and nurture, their flocks.  While there gave been many mortals in the history of Nathas who have obtained godhood, only a few have managed to create successful priesthoods that have stood the test of time.  A gods power is based on his followers belief and fervency of prayer.  In turn he or she can choose to empower mortals with a fraction of their divine power, using them to affect events in the world and to further promote worship of themselves. 

 

In ages past, more selfish gods existed and ran priesthoods that were less than community minded.  Most of these never really got going in the first place, small priesthoods in localised areas being easy for rival faiths to exterminate.  Popular gods of ancient times however often warred, sending their followers into battle against others and making common cause with like minded or compatible gods.  These groups of gods, or pantheons were generally very broad, a warlike god for instance would not have much to fear from a god of agriculture but would be deeply hostile to another war god.  Whole pantheons have been exterminated in the history of Nathas and there was a dimly understood period, millenia ago in which the whole planet was embroiled in warfare as rival gods duked it out.

 

Ironically the Liche-king was the saviour of the gods.  As the liche-kings empire spread, the gods worshippers died and the gods weakened.  Several pantheons slipped into the eternal slumber of the forgotten deities as their last followers were slain.  The remaining gods, seeing their doom, made common cause and divided the world.  Certain pantheons took certain areas of the world and so began a period of mass migration as whole populations moved to accommodate their gods new domains.  With the gods enforcing a collective peace on each other, religious warfare died down and many gods put all their efforts into growing their priesthoods and gaining more converts.  Priesthoods began to serve their communities on their gods behalf.  Those priesthoods that did best at serving the people became more popular and eventually the pantheons settled.  The priests served the community, the community in turn prayed to the gods and the gods, sated on the praise of their followers empowered the priests to further serve. 

 

As the liche-king spread his army across the continents, the pantheons slowly crumbled.  Surprise attacks exterminate whole nations, sending their gods into torporous slumber.  Only in Nassia did the gods hold true.  The Nassian pantheon is relatively small with only five gods.  Averni, the god of strength, Belgae, the god of Family, Eravisci, god of wisdom, Carnutes, god of celebration and Ubii, god of Quiet.

 

Averni

Averni was once a mortal soldier.  His ascenscion to godhood was unlike most other gods in that he was not questing for it.  He and his followers wrested the knowledge from a deeply evil creature in a battle that has been lost to history.  Using this knowledge the party ascended to the heavens.  Averni, always a modest man in life was unobtrusive in apotheosis.  He had a small group of loyal communities that he tended and that worshipped him fervently.  He passed several centuries this way, watching as his more bombastic old friends became embroiled in god wars or became decadent and foul.  Eventually, Averni was involved in the assigning of domains and was given a place in the pantheon of Nassia.  As the god most resembling a wargod, he ordered his priesthood to form community militias.  Unlike most war gods, Averni is not interested in the glory of battle or the honour of victory.  What drives him and his followers is nobility of purpose, protection of those weaker than themselves and health through strength.  Averni's priest led militias ensure that every man of military age is familiar with military weapons, can march in step with his fellows and knows the basics of warfare.  The militias also encourage sporting events, reward those in the community (from any faith) who perform noble or self sacrificing acts and build fortifications.  In the great cities there are masons guilds originally created to build military defenses who now turn their hand to civic improvement, amphitheatres that were originally training grounds that now host great community events and military colleges where the next generation of officers and elite troops are trained.  All spring from the clergy of Averni.

Averni himself encourages pro-active thinking, honourable conduct, constant defense and prompt payment of debts owed.  His priests are known far and wide as people who can be turned to in the event of danger or illness. They also form the backbone of Nassia's military, acting as officers, chaplains and front line troops.  Most of the great paladin orders largely follow Averni, and their upper ranks are dominated with his followers.

 

Belgae

Belgae is the god of the family.  Originally a fertility god, Belgae has shifted her attention across the years to best serve her flock. She is represented in images as a middle aged woman with kind eyes and long white hair.  Her priests tend to the sick, officiate at births and mediate in family disputes.  She directs her priests to see to the health of communities through strong family units.  Her priests often go beyond this and seek to aid the community as a whole, created irrigation, sewage systems, hospitals and schools.  Belgae is probably the most popular of the Nassian gods and her priesthood the most active in day to day life.   Belgae has always had her worship centres in the Nassian peninsula and has been active in this area for millenia.  Early incarnations of her reveal a slightly more bloodthirsty side to her, but this aspect seems to have been deliberately shed at some point. 

Belgae requires that her priests live amongst their flock so that they are intimately aware of local issues.  Priests are encouraged to be husbands and wifes, fathers and mothers so that they might better understand their flocks.  Her priests dress humbly, work tirelessly to help those in need and often act as advocates for their flock.

 

Eravisci

Eravisci is the god of wisdom.  His portfolio covers the study of magic, the practice of the law and the business of trade.  He loves wit, intelligent conversation and learning.  He is most often depicted in images as a tall beak nosed, even slightly ugly man with a bald head (traditionally shining with power) and a silver staff.  In life Eravisci was a wizard of formidable power and penetrating intellect.  He achieved godhood and immediately set about conquering other gods.  He eventually raised such ire amongst his fellows that he sued for peace, made reparations and led his followers away from the lands they inhabited.  Learning from his mistakes, Eravisci decided to build his power by creating a strong priesthood.  As the centuries ticked by, Eravisci studied more and more hoping to learn all that ever was and will be.  He learned wisdom from the ancient sagas and saw his arrogance and pride for what it was.  Deeply ashamed of his earlier actions, Eravisci directed his priesthood to share their knowledge with the world.  They built schools and libraries, sponsored research, especially magical and guarded the knowledge and artifacts of ancient times deemed too dangerous to be allowed free. Eventually the priesthood settled in cities with the other priesthoods and started the process of building their flocks.  Education became a hugely popular activity for the Eravisci priests and this is still their major function in society.  Eravisci priests also maintain and work in the legal system and oversee trade negotiations.

Eravisci demands that his priests be intelligent, learned and always seeking knowledge.  An awareness that they can never know everything is required as well as the desire to share their wisdom.  Eravisci priests are commonly very good public speakers, skills useful for lecturing or sentencing.  Eravisci advisors are common and the priesthood wields considerable political power. 

 

Carnutes

Carnutes is the goddess of celebration.  Less powerful than the other gods, Carnutes plays a valuable role in keeping the other humble via pranks, tricks and jokes.  In her trickster aspect Carnutes is brave and daring, as liable to give you a kiss as rob you blind.  In her more respectable aspect Carnutes clergy officiate at weddings, feasts and community celebrations.  Carnutes priests encourage a lightness of heart, joy and fun wherever they go.  Carnutes and her priests can get quite filthy when they want to and there are many lusty activities that they condone and encourage.  Spring fertility festivals in the countryside for instance are often accompanied by the making of "Love bowers" by young lovers who tend to spend the evening in them, celebrating Carnutes greatest mysteries.

Carnutes is not an insensitive god and her clergy are usually not present at funerals, serious political negotiations or sad occasions.  They do have a habit of healing the sick whenever they can but tend not to maintain their own hospitals (too depressing).  Visits from bands of travelling Carnutes priests to Belgae run hospitals tend to cure vast numbers of people and are often accompanied by music, feasting and celebration.

Priests of Carnutes dress flamboyantly, talk loudly and are fond of breaking into song or dance at the slightest encouragement. 

 

 

Ubii

Ubii is the most reclusive of the gods but her priesthood are often sought out by the populace of Nassia.  Ubii serves as the welcomer of the dead, greeting the souls of the departed and helping them cross the final boundary of this life.  Her priests likewise tend to the bodies of the dead, ensuring that they are interred safely and that the families are able to mourn in a safe manner.  Somberly dressed priests are called to the homes of the recently dead where they bind, cover and remove the body, council the bereaved family and help them to overcome their loss.  Ubii cemetraries are well protected with wards to prevent the dead from rising again, and armed priestly guards to stop vandals or grave robbers.  Ubii is also the god of silence and solitude and people travelling alone pray to her for company. Those scared, lost or lonely also find solace in her prayers and the number of times Ubii priests happen upon lost children in the woods is no coincidence.  Ubii is a kind hearted but melancholy god and seeks, in her own quiet way to help those in pain.  Ubii hospitals are often reserved for the sickest of people, those unlikely to recover.  Here the Ubii priesthood help them with the pain and ty to ensure that their mortal concerns are dealt with before death.  One curious custom the Ubii have is called the "Reconciliation".  In this priests attempt to help those close to death to forgive, or be forgiven wrongs they have done.  Bringing families back together, forgiving old rivals and apologising to wronged spouses are all part of this task.

Ubii priests dress in dark colours, they maintain a calm demeanour and are known for their unflabbable nature.  For ceremonial purposes the Ubii wear long dark robes, while the Ubii graveyard guards wear stylised skull and bones armour, the better to put the terror of death into their foes.

 

 

For the skills, virtues and flaws for Priests, go here Rules Stuff

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