Godhoods of Naradun

THLAK


Thlak, lord of death, master of bones, scourge of life, harvester of corpses, these are all titles that this unholy deity rightfully claims for himself. Thlak is a dark god, born of evil, death and destruction. Thlak is one of the few forbidden gods in most of the civilized world, and with good reason. Affiliating oneself with Thlak is defying the laws of nature itself, embracing the doom of all that lives, living for no reason but to end life in all aspects.

Thlak is a cruel and merciless god. He cares not about the principles of mercy, pity nor remorse. To him and his devoted, life itself is a blight upon the face of Naradun, which must be eradicated at all costs. Life itself is a mistake, and followers of Thlak believe themselves to be the cure. Thlak's great vision is to see the world wither and die, reduced to a barren wasteland where nothing can grow, where nothing can live. This is, in his dread vision, the perfect world.

Thlakists often find themselves shunned even by other worshippers of evil gods, as his interests often clash with those of even his dark kindred. Theki, queen of all evil, wishes to rule with an iron fist, to conquer. Thlak, on the other hand, only wishes to witness death. In most parts of the world, those who embrace Thlak are mercilessly hunted down and slain without question, for so vile is this godhood and his principles that the only people who would walk his dark path must indeed be among the most cruel creatures to exist in Naradun.

Relations: Thlak considers no other god his ally. He considers even the existence of other gods an insult, and is constantly plotting the end of everything alive. This leads to most other gods despising him and all that he stands for. His arch nemesis is none other than mother nature herself, Gai-Tentuto, as she is the wellspring from which all life flows, at least on Naradun. He constantly seeks to slay his elder sister, but being one of the lesser gods, his power is fairly limited, hence him participating in the world with playthings of his own.

Thlakists are not reluctant to work together with influences outside their own though, unless they should prove untrustworthy. Thlak's grand vision is death, and most people who seek out the aid of Thlak's followers are mostly out after just that. Death.

Appearance: Thlak is depicted in many ways, the most common being a giant humanoid skeleton sitting atop of a seemingly endless pedestal throne made of skulls. His bones seem mutated, shaped into some kind of grotesque bone armor, spikes protruding from his shoulders, ribs, even his head. His bones are covered by dark runes which seem to float around, hardly any paintings or carvings of the unholy deity bearing the same runes in the same places. In his left hand he wields a great black scythe, also adorned with spikes. His eyes glow with a dead, cold, white light. In many depictions his right arm appears to be missing. Many scholars argue that at some point he clashed with the goddess Gai-Tentotu, which led to him losing his right hand, therefore having to wield the scythe one-handed. Many speculate that he merely does have one hand though.

Other depicions of Thlak include a great skeletal dog with massive claws, red glowing eyes and scythe-like teeth. This avatar is known as the hunter of the living, and represents Thlak's unending hunger for souls. Yet another is the Grim Reaper, much like the original depiction but also featuring a large, black robe with a hood obscuring the face, only his skeletal hands (reaper depictions never lack the right hand) visible as he clutches his scythe. It is believed that when a person dies, Thlak is the one to guide them to their respective afterlives, be it heaven, hell, another domain altogether or the vast nothingness that is Thlak's domain, simply death, ceasing to exist entirely. It is speculated that this task is not voluntarily, as Thlak is not known to be just or fair at all. It is more likely that if this theory is correct, it is more a burden cast upon him as a punishment to his rebellion against Gai-Tentotu and the other prime gods.

Necromancy: Thlak is the god not only of death, but also undeath. He gave birth to the dark arts of necromancy, and as such, all who seek to practice these forbidden arts are forced to turn to him should they wish to receive such a gift. Thlak prefers to keep the gift of necromancy to his own, although he is not unwilling to grant an eager mage or sorcerer his cruel gift in return for the ultimate price; Their souls. Arcane casters of necromancy are not to be confused with a true worshipper of Thlak, as while they share the same physical traits, a necromancer, as opposed to a Thlakite, does not have to worship or even respect Thlak in any way. They merely made a deal, their souls for power.

Brief History: Thlak, as the other lesser gods, was born during the apocalypse, torn from the unshaped mass of cosmic chaos and given shape as the fabric of reality was torn apart by the battling champions of light and darkness. Thlak immediately knew his purpose as his mind took shape; To end all life. He knew from the very beginning that life was a thing to hate, to despise, a foul disease. He gazed upon the world of Naradun and felt disgust. So lush, full of life. He wished to lay waste to this precious garden, but he quickly became aware of a presence far stronger than himself, the presence of his elder siblings, the prime gods.

Thlak, along with his kindred, flocked to the elder gods, seeking their councel and wisdom. Thlak was introduced to the giant chessboard that was Naradun, and was granted a place in the eternal battle along with his siblings. Thlak watched as many others found their goals to be of common interest, work together, flourish together. He would have none of it. Thlak was a lone god, intent on naught but death and destruction. Especially did he detest Gai-Tentotu, mother nature. She had created all of this, lured them all to fill her world with life. Angered, Thlak sought to strike Gai-Tentotu, to erase her from existence, but he was halted by her sheer force of will, combined with the interference of the other gods, mostly from the gods representing good and neutrality. He quickly realized that he would have little choice but to play by their rules.

Thlak was at a later point approached by Naar, who had made a habit of approaching every single god with his ensnaring words, his chaotic presence enticing and dangerous both. He assured Thlak that he had nothing against his dark dream of death, but he would rather watch the world burn than having it become a barren wasteland from which the game would no longer evolve, halting his own dream of complete, utter chaos forever. Thlak felt as much disgust for Naar as he did for Gai-Tentotu, though he also knew that Naar would prove to be of greater aid than bother. Hence he decided not to interfere with Naar's words.

Softly whispering into the minds of likeminded mortals, Thlak began forming his own priesthood on the face of Naradun, as did many of his kindred. His minions were scattered, few in number, but their zealous devotion to the destruction of all life compensated for their frailty in terms of population. The priesthood of Thlak was mainly centered around the east, with pockets of Thlakites existing in secret throughout the world. Individuals of every race would turn to Thlak, either as a direct result of sorrow and despair, or merely sharing his unholy vision of a dead world. Today, Thlak is a powerful deity, mostly worshipped by easterners, though, while some may not wish to admit it, there are people throughout all lands who finds a dark, dead world to be the only true paradise.

GAI-TENTOTU

Gai-Tentotu is known by many names, most of which refer to her role as mother nature, creator of Naradun and the life that flourishes upon it. Mother Nature, Earthmother, The Creator, Wellspring of Life and the Eternal Mother are all names which refer to this ancient prime goddess. Gai-Tentotu was the third god ever to be given shape, closely after her siblings Llaron and Theki. Her seemingly endless wisdom and reason makes her appear far older than her more narrow-minded kin though. Gai-Tentotu was the one who single-handedly halted the great wars of the cosmoverse and saved existence itself from complete annihilation. This, along with her idea of using Naradun in order to solve conflict rather than tear the fabric of reality apart, has led to her being one of the most revered gods in history.

Gai-Tentotu is not known to be a very active goddess, prefering to keep to herself rather than interfering with the business of mortals and other divine beings. She is known to "Care only when sorely needed", observing rather than acting. She is known to be the most patient godhood to date, said to be completely impossible to annoy or enrage. Gai-Tentotu is said to dwell in a lush garden known as Paradise, a realm much like an enormous, lush green valley of life, filled with all kinds of plants and animals. The beasts dwelling in Paradise are said to be none other than the Beast Patrons, the very embodiment of the spirit of each individual member of the species they represent. Many believers of Gai-Tentotu believe that once they die, their souls will join with the spirits of Paradise, becoming one with her realm. Others again believe that once their days are up, their souls will join with the earth of Naradun. There has been much speculation on this subject, as bringing back a soul devoted to Gai-Tentotu has so far been unsuccessful.

It is by some believed that Gai-Tentotu does not care at all for Naradun, merely interfering when she sees fit. Others again claim that Gai-Tentotu is ever-present, controlling the very flow of nature, thus involving herself more than any other deity in the affairs of mortals, directly controlling the conditions for life in the world.

Relations: Gai-Tentotu is friend of no one and foe of no one. Even Thlak, who hates her dearly for her love of life, does not upset nor anger her. She refuses to side with anyone nor fight anyone, unless they upset the natural balance of things. Gai-Tentotu will always side with those needed to side with in order to protect balance and harmony. While most other gods seek to win their ancient game, Gai-Tentotu's goal is to keep the game alive for eternity.

Appearance: Gai-Tentotu is pictured in a wide variety of ways. The most common way to depict the ancient goddess of nature is in the shape of a tall, well-built woman with bark-brown skin, a seemingly unending mane of lush green hair where lowers of all colors grow and eyes glowing with a tender green glow. From the top of her head protrude two great antlers, looking like a cross between the antlers of a deer and a moose. Though most traditional depictions of this avatar features her as completely nude, there are other versions where she is dressed in garments made of living plants, mostly for censorship reasons. It is common for this avatar to be depicted kneeling next to a waterfall or stream to symbolize the constant movement yet serenity in the circle of life.

Other avatars include a great stag (funnily enough a male, as it displays antlers. Then again, gods really don't have genders, merely choosing what forms to take according to scholars), a giant tree and even a great waterfall. Others again have gone as far as picturing her as the entire globe of Naradun as the body of Gai-Tentotu, another reference to her role as mother nature. Many prefer not to think of her as any shape though, claiming that Gai-Tentotu is not a goddess at all, merely the force from which all life springs. There are druids, scholars and priests who believe that Gai-Tentotu the goddess never existed, that Llaron, Theki and Naar are the only prime gods, and that Gai-Tentotu, mother nature, is a force inunderstandible for even the prime gods which brought Naradun to life, perhaps even the prime gods themselves.

Brief History: Gai-Tentotu was the third prime god to be given birth by the cosmic chaos from which all is born. Like her siblings, she was born with a very strong sense of purpose, though her purpose mostly centered around not doing anything. At the same time as Kalymenos and Khagomenos were created by her older siblings, she created for herself Paradise, covering it with lush plant life, from great vast forests to rolling green plains, from seemingly endless marshland to the deepest of oceans. Paradise is rumored to be the realm most akin to Naradun in both looks and atmosphere, a realm where there are no laws but nature's laws, where plants grow to become food for animals who in return become food for greater animals, who then eventually die to become nourishment for plants, thus completing the circle of life, the process neverending.

Gai-Tentotu spent aeons sitting amidst her creations, learning from the behaviour of her own creations, marvelling at the sights she was met with as she observed nature blossom and take care of itself. She was ever aware of the actions of her siblings though, whom, after millennia of mutual disgust finally clashed against one another, seeking to end eachother's existence, thus threatening thevery fabric of the universe. Gai-Tentotu realized she would have to act, or all of creation would be undone. Leaving her beloved Paradise behind, she approached her raging god-kin in the skies, imploring them to stop before all was lost. Naar reacted with rage, screaming for Llaron and Theki to continue their battle, but they were impervious to his words, acknowledging their sister's sagely wisdom. The gods agreed to pull back from their war, instead listening to Gai-Tentotu's proposal.

Gai-Tentotu proposed to her divine siblings a new world, a mix of all that the four prime gods represented. The world would be named Naradun, and like a giant of gods, it would contain rules to prevent reality from being threatened again. Llaron would be given half the world to populate with creatures of his own choosing, Theki would be given the same rights on the other half of the globe. Naar would not create a people of his own, but would rather interfere with the races already evolving on the surface of Naradun, while Gai-Tentotu would do her best to thwart him. Llaron wished for victory so that good would triumph, evil being banished forever, a world of good and kindness living in perfect harmony for eternity. Theki sought to win so that good would forever be vanquished, a world of suffering and misery under her iron fist being all there was. Naar sought to destroy the world altogether, and with it, his siblings, dooming existence forever. Gai-Tentotu's only task as far as she was concerned, was to make sure the game would never end, maintaining balance for eternity.

The gods agreed on a near infinite amount of complex rules involving their interference with Naradun's affairs. The key rule was that no god would ever be allowed to interfere directly with the world once it had been created. They would act through their mortal representatives and the elements which they controlled rather than appearing in person, thus once more threatening the balance of reality. The god whose goal was achieved would also be free to determine the fate of the entire cosmoverse. As such, should Theki win, Llaron would die. Should Llaron win, Theki would die. Should Naar win, everything would be obliterated. The gods were bound by these rules, which they had all mutually agreed on, forming a pact in between one another which none of them had the power to break.

Gai-Tentotu created the world in the image of Paradise, filling it with water, earth, air, with life. Plants grew from the soil she covered the lands with, fish swam in the ocean and beasts stalked through the lush vegetation which sprouted forth on her whim. When she was satisfied with her work, she presented the world to her siblings, who would then customize the world in tune with their pact. For millennia, Gai-Tentotu knew peace, ever so patiently watching all that took place, within Naradun, and outside. How Gai-Tentotu could have foreseen the coming of the apocalypse, how she knew how to prevent it and how she managed to complete it, is still a heavily speculated subject.

As the apocalypse approached, the world burning in tune with Naar's terrible vision of destruction and chaos, Gai-Tentotu unleashed from her care scores of powerful, reptilian beings carried on great wings to prevent the oncoming end. They had slumbered far beneath the surface of the world for aeons, awoken by the command of their ancient mother. The dragons were immense creatures able to harness magics unathomable to most mortals, commanding energies of great mystery and awesome power as they reversed the terrible magican onslaught which was halfway through consuming the entire world. The dragons of Gai-Tentotu disappeared shortly after this act, never known to be seen again by mortal eyes.

Gai-Tentotu was as surprised as her siblings to see new gods emerge from the chaotic energies in the aftermath of the apocalypse. As the newborn gods approached, she shared with them all that had happened in the past, introducing them to the cosmoverse in which they had been born. She also taught them of Naradun, its rules and purpose. The new gods agreed to be included in the eternal battle, all gods having individual goals of their own.

As Thlak, god of death and decay, angered by the entire concept of the game tried to strike at her though, settle the matter personally rather than playing by the rules set by the prime gods, his attempts to attack her backlashed, showing the would-be assailant the raw power of the godly pact in between the rest of the gods. The rest of the gods were not only bound by the pact by choice. It would appear they had no choice.

To this day, Gai-Tentotu is revered around the world of Naradun as the eternal mother, the birthgiver of Naradun. Her worshippers are many in number, though few prove to be close enough to her ancient power and/or wisdom to harness the powers of nature themselves. Regardless, most intelligent species and nationalities pay homage to her, if not for her favor, out of respect.

I've experienced these tales as bedtime stories <3

KESSALETH

Lady Nightsinger, Duskbringer, Bane of Light, Mother Night, Goddess of the Moon, all these are names which refer to Kessaleth, goddess of the night. Being one of the most popular deities in the East, and the only deity of darkness which the Westerner Hun'Var are openly allowed to worship, Kessaleth represents darkness eternal, visions of a world where light does not exist, where creatures of the night will reign supreme while those dependant on the light of day will wither and die.

Kessaleth, while being depicted as a cruel and deceptive goddess, is not considered as "Evil" as her cruel and merciless kin. Kessaleth, as opposed to Theki, goddess of pure evil and rule through conquest, there is no trace in Kessaleth's prophecies about cruelty and suffering reigning supreme, but rather a shroud of night permanently engulfing the world, light forever banished from existence.

Priests swearing allegiance to Kessaleth are mostly Easterner humanoids or Night Gremlins, the latter being the clear majority. Night gremlin priests of Kessaleth are among the most highly respected figures in Hun'Var societies, and while her Easterner followers are still not as widely respected and feared as Theki's followers, they play an important role in Easterner society, and are greatly respected for their ways and beliefs. Those who turn to Kessaleth are mostly creatures of the night who detest light and what it represents, favoring darkness and night above the rays of the sun. Kessaleth's holy symbol is a lithe, sickle-shaped silver moon, though many argue that the symbol should be black to reflect her desire for darkness. Priests of Kessaleth mostly favor pitch-black robes, showing as little skin, jewelry or other things which may produce or reflect light as possible.

Relations: Kessaleth looks upon the other gods of darkness as her allies, as none of their goals truly clash with hers. Theki also supports the idea of a world where light is forever extinguished, and Thlak's devastating vision of a dead world also appeals to her, as light is widely considered a source of life, and should death reign supreme, light would have to be purged from the world.

Kessaleth's greatest adversary and bitter nemesis is Lylara, Goddess of the Sun. She represents light and everlasting radiation, and among Kessaleth's greatest desires is Lylara's demise. The two are known to have clashed together several times, even despite their divine oath, and their hatred for eachother is legendary. Kessaleth is also a sworn enemy of Llaron, as while Lylara represents light, Llaron was the one who actually created it.

Kessaleth has no known quarrel with gods of neutrality, though one would assume she will rise up against Gai-Tentotu should events unfold in her favor. Gai-Tentotu is widely believed to fiercely stand up against anyone who threatens balance, and should Kessaleth's power grow too great, she would become one of Gai-Tentotu's targets.

Kessaleth's followers are generally not reluctant to aid those who directly or indirectly serves the whims of their deity. Kessaleth's priests are among the most helpful and "kind" of the deities of darkness, known to on occasion help those in need even without receiving payment. This has led to them occasionally being looked down upon as soft, or even insulted by those who dare claim they are taking on traits of the followers of light. Their defensive response is more often than not, that the children of the night should always take care of one another, so that when the time comes for darkness to rule the world, none shall be unprepared.

Appearance: Kessaleth is mostly pictured as a serious-looking female frozen in a stiff, upright position with her gaze slightly turned upwards, her arms semi-stretched out before herself, but hidden beneath the sleeves of her robe, which is said to be made from the night sky itself. Silver runes, representing the moon and stars adorn her midnight robe, and her hair is darker than even night itself, cascading down her back. Part of her hair is tied up in two large, black tails by two silver rings, trailing down the front of her shoulders and chest. Her face is pale as the moon itself, and her eyes glitter like stars.

Other aspects include a giant, black worg with blood red eyes, a great black owl and the moon itself, though as with most other godhoods, the humanoid appearance is mostly prefered.

Brief History: Kessaleth was among the new gods, being brought into the existence by the apocalypse like most of her siblings. Approaching the elder gods along with her siblings, she was both pleased and angered to note that both light and darkness existed in the cosmoverse. Her vision as she was birthed spoke of darkness eternal, the newfound aspect of light awakening feelings of both disgust and hatred within her. She let her gaze fall upon Lylara, goddess of the Sun and bringer of Daylight, and immediately, she knew that they would forever be foes.

After being presented with the rules and after witnessing Thlak's furious, yet fruitless attempt at striking Gai-Tentotu, their elder sister, Kessaleth agreed upon the terms she was presented by. The dogma she introduced to her siblings was one where darkness would forever cover Naradun, light being snuffed out for all eternity. The dark gods praised and appreciated her vision, while the gods of light gazed upon her with hatred. Feeling at home with her dark siblings, Kessaleth established a solid network of allies among her cruel kin, finding her niche within the cosmoverse, from there forth plotting, making plans for how to cover the lands with a permanent shroud of darkness.