The Gods
- Taken from the book 'The Immortals' by Amritam Gweththew and
Rowan Windlyric
|
In the lands of Elthania there are thirteen
Deities each with a positive and negative aspect. The book the
Immortals can be found within many libaries including the one
within Aesmath Acadamy.
|
|
Chadatru
- next to Urrem'tier, Chadatru is the most faceless of the gods.
Lord of justice, he is the fairest of all the gods, holding a
sword in his right hand and an olive laurel in his left. Chadatru
is blind, but he fights as if he were gifted with sight. Fierce
in a battle, Chadatru is the great arbitrator. He is the patron
of kings, rulers, and judges. His word is his bond, and he tells
the truth always. His emblem is the lion. |
Rutilor
- Rutilor is kind in his job as the defender of the gods. He judges
with kindness and even-handedness, and is ferocious in what he
defends. A patron of paladins, Rutilor will stalwartly defend
anyone who he feels is getting a raw deal. A god of truth, he
cannot lie. He is a collector of swords, especially extraordinary
ones, and has enchanted a few in his time. He has a small kennel
of hounds that he unleashes when someone has escaped his judgment;
they cannot stop once they are on a trail, and they never lose
their prey. Without fear, Rutilor is much the same way, and --
though short by comparison to other gods (it is the form he chose)
-- has taken on opponents twice his size. His emblem is the mongoose. |
Botolf
- the god of dishonesty and deceit, Botolf is the symbol of corruptness
and bribery. His actions have caused murderers to go free and
thieves to get off with damages paid by the person who prosecuted
them. Botolf loves to visit Dirge (his favorite city), and is
the patron of Knife Clan and thieves guilds. Botolf is also the
god of fallen paladins, and often appears in tarnished armor in
need of a polish. His emblem is the goshawk.
Top
|
Damaris
- the intriguing god of night and dreams, he is also the patron
of thieves, cutthroats, assassins and spies. Damaris is the assassin
of the gods, sometimes even killing someone without being paid,
simply because he felt that their presence was no longer "necessary".
Rarely seen except as a voice in the shadows, Damaris is envisioned
as having black hair that is strewn with silver and large black
eyes without pupils or whites and ebon skin, but can actually
(as can all the gods) appear in any form he chooses; because of
his chosen profession, however, he is more proficient at it than
the other gods. Oddly, Damaris has a soft spot for small children,
the only people exempt from his blade, and parents will call upon
him as a lastresort if all other gods havedeserted them to protecttheir
child. He will lull them to sleep with a kiss they never remember,
and then go back about his business. His emblem is the panther. |
Phelim
- the god of sweet dreams, Moon Mages worship Phelim and often
beg favors of him. Phelim strew the stars in the sky by gathering
some of Tamsine's tears and setting them against the velvet black
of the heavens, then bid Kertigen hammer for him four moons, which
he then nestled along with the stars in the heavens, and set to
turning. When the fourth moon hatched the World Dragon, it was
Phelim who ambushed the creature and -- while he did not destroy
it -- set it to sleeping deep within the heart of Elanthia. Phelim
is the god of rightful vengeance; those who seek retribution for
a worthy reason may receive assistance from him. Phelim is also
the god of honorable thieves and assassins; if such a thing exists.
He upholds his word above all other things; a promise from Phelim
is a promise unbroken. His symbol is the nightingale. |
Dergati
- Unlike her sister, Kerenhappuch (who Dergati does not resemble
but does help frequently), the goddess of nightmares is virtually
unseen, but is assumed to be a black-haired and exotic beauty
whose only flaw is a third eye in the center of her forehead.
She never walks during the day, and it is rumored that if anyone
created the creatures known as vampires and werewolves, it was
her. She hates the sun, and often is involved in plotting ways
to destroy it; some believe she had a hand in the creation of
the World Dragon. Her vengeance is savage, and terrible to behold.
The unraveler of souls, she kills with slow efficiency, sometimes
entire villages. Death by her hand means no resurrection, as many
a fool hero who has spoken her name in vain has learned. Since
it is impossible to know when she is watching, many fear speaking
of her, even at high noon. She is the "all-seeing";
her dark eyes miss nothing. Dergati will do anything for Kerenhappuch,
who she considers her equal mentally, and who she admires greatly
for her schemes and motives. Dergati is impatient with incompetence,
and will, without warning, kill someone who acts foolishly in
front of her. Her symbol is the shrike.
Top
|
Eluned
- goddess of the seas and water, master of arcane and ancient
wisdom, patron of learning and knowledge; chief deity of the Elotheans.
She, along with her sister Peri'el, keeps the oceans moving and
singing. Eluned is the creator of speech, as Meraud is the creator
of written language (the Elothean language is his greatest achievement).
Eluned and Meraud sometimes coexist, but mostly do not see eye-to-eye
enough in their motives to do so. It is Eluned's infinite wisdom
that guides sailors at night. Her emblem is the dolphin. |
Lemicus
- goddess of the inner (fresh) waters, Lemicus is also the protector
of lost sailors and the creator of the lodestone. Lemicus is patron
of libraries and the life of the ocean. She is an excellent dancer,
and her laughter is what causes the winds to turn favorable for
sea-bound merchants. Lemicus is often attended by several merfolk
-- half fish, half human -- who spend hours combing her long hair
and creating sea foam. She is the patron of dancers, librarians,
Elves, and the wives of sailors. Her symbol is the albatross. |
Drogor - god
of the angry oceans, creator of hurricanes and tsunamis. Drogor's
anger is readily apparent as the sky turns grey and the children
of the ocean scatter, and he often takes it out on hapless mortals
who dare to set foot on his water. Drogor is the drowner of
children and the destroyer of knowledge; if he feels a librarian
has slighted him, he will ruin his or her books by seeing they
are soaked with water or -- if a large body of water is nearby
-- set a tidal wave upon the establishment to destroy it. His
symbol is the shark.
Top
|
Everild
- the wild lord of warriors, amazons, barbarians, berserkers and
those who die in battle, he is attended by several equally wild
youths and maidens who are the cream of the fighting crop. From
time to time, he sends them down to Elanthia to aid in battle
a warrior or army that he favors. If a warrior has served him
exceptionally well, he will request them to join him as one of
his attendants. If he sees a warrior given an improper burial,
he will send one of his attendants down to see that the subject
of Everild's attentions is given proper homage. Emblem is the
wild boar. |
Kuniyo
- gentler than Everild, Kuniyo still retains a deep wildness within
him, and does not like to wander far from the sound of battle.
However, he also enjoys the wilderness, and is therefore a favorite
of rangers; especially the rangers who use their sword on a frequent
basis. Kuniyo is served by several noble youths and maidens who
he may send out to help train a promising young warrior. Kuniyo
is stubborn and vicious in battle. Emblem is the wolverine. |
Trothfang - Wild
and untamed, Trothfang's bloody wars have killed thousands.
He delights in torture and slow, messy deaths (his favorite
weapon is the barb-tipped spear), and thrives on drinking the
fresh blood of those who have fallen. If he truly hates someone,
he will devour their flesh in front of them as they die, and
then rip their heart out and eat it with much relish. A god
of cannibalism, his servants are an entourage of the world's
foulest and most savage killers, and those who dare challenge
Trothfang are often faced with slow dismemberment and left to
bleed to death. Trothfang's parties are often quite chaotic,
involving much wine and debauchery and still more destruction;
the results of his parties usually involve several dead. Trothfang
has no honor in combat; for him, anything goes (this is why
many suspect he is the inventor of the technique of two-handed
beer mug brawling). He also is the god of primitive life and
despises civilization; he loves to see cities fall, and will
dance over the bones of a ruined city with much glee. Centaurs
worship Trothfang, delighting in his cruelty and taking on the
effects of an untamed life. Emblem is the wild centaur.
Top
|
Faenella
- "the fair bard", Faenella is a performer extraordinaire
and a muse of poetry and wanderlust, she is also an inventor of
creatures. Faenella is the creator of the Faerie, who are considered
her "progeny". Dryads, sprites, nyads, and angels (who
are not Faerie but are of her domain) are all her "children".
She is the patron of bards and youths who runaway from home to
seek adventure, as well as adventurers themselves. Her gift to
mortals was inspiration, and she created the harp and stringed
instruments. Caravans are often under her protection. Despite
the fact that her emblem is the wren, she loves felines (as well
as birds), and keeps one close at hand as she plays her music.
She is, like her other aspects, highly visible and often portrayed
with glowing brown hair and bright green eyes, slender and Elven.
Faenella despises undead, and will destroy them as often as possible.
Her emblem is the wren. |
Murrula
- the goddess of beauty and gifted youngsters, Murrula sings mostly
a capella and is virtually indestructable -- her creation is the
phoenix. Murrula cannot stand bad singing, and will silence those
who sing badly or else gift them with a beautiful voice. Murrula
also seeks out young bards and will train them incognito (or one
of her servants will) and make sure their wandering feet do not
stray them into trouble. She is the protector of travelers and
her kiss remedies hangovers, she is the creator of the flute and
woodwinds. She is often pictured as a beautiful, slender young
woman who appears Elven, with flowing fiery red hair and bright
amber eyes. Her emblem is a phoenix. |
Idon - the "reaver"
is a god of roving bands of thieves; as well as rakish rogues
who love and leave women, and mothers who abandon their children
to continue their life "unburdened". Idon is obsessed
with his own good looks; if he sees a man or woman who he feels
"outshines" him, he may turn them into a pig. While
Idon is very vain, he is also charismatic. Idon is extremely
lusty, and once when a member of a clan exclaimed, "By
Idon!" and a visitor asked, "Why do you say that?",
the clan member responded, "Because half of us are!"
Idon is the god of lust and wild music usually unfavored by
others -- his creation is the drum and other percussion. Idon's
music is often too outrageous to listen to, but no one will
ever say so to his face without risking his wrath, which can
be dangerous. Idon appears as a black-haired and blue-eyed youth
who is lean and well-muscled. While not a good fighter, Idon
is an excellent backstabber, and he is second only to Damaris
in planning a good ambush. His emblem is the heron.
Top
|
Glythtide
- god of joy, mirth and merriment, of wine and song and good fellowship;
a very happy figure, he is the patron of bards, poets, troubadours,
and musicians -- as well as of loafers, gourmands and drunks.
Glythtide's mere presence is abhorrent to some of the darker gods
due to his unstoppable happiness. It is said amongst the Halflings
that the one time he frowned and cried, night was created. Arthe
Dale is favored by Glythtide, and he has been suspected of making
a few visits upon occasions (usually denoted by the sudden lack
of liquor and tarts within the town). Chief deity of the Halflings;
his emblem is the ram |
Saemaus
- the gentle god of Love is also the god of festivities and a
toast is always made in his name at most wedding ceremonies or
festivals if one wishes to ensure a marriage filled with love
or a grand party. A god of happiness, Saemaus' anger is hard to
come by, but terrible to behold. He has been known to curse his
enemies with a malaise of love-sickness -- usually by making them
fall in love with another enemy of his (or theirs). The patron
of lovers, pregnant mothers (and expecting fathers), maids of
honor as well as their male counterparts, Saemaus is also known
for his tendency toward being tipsy as well as an unmatchable
chef; Saemaus is the inventor of the tart. His emblem is the donkey. |
Be'ort - the
god of bitter partings, love lost, opportunities wasted, and
insanity, Be'ort is the rain on a wedding day, the wine that
turns to vinegar before a party. Be'ort is a great, sulking
figure who despises revelry and wallows in melancholy. Wars
of attrition (such as the Elven-Human war) are his specialty.
Be'ort always appears as a wild-eyed and mussed-hair man who
is usually giggling a bit oddly. If Be'ort truly wishes to destroy
someone, he will first make sure their relationship sours, then
destroy their status in their profession, and then, when his
miserable prey has sunk to their lowest, he makes sure their
mind snaps. His emblem is the coyote.
Top
|
Hav'roth
- god of the spirits of rock and stone, and of the earth -- deserts
are his domain. Hav'roth is the creator of precious metals and
gems. Chief deity of the S'Kra Mur, animal is the cobra. |
Peri'el
- goddess of the inner earth, it is Peri'el who watches over the
World Dragon to make sure it does not rise up and destroy Elanthia.
For this reason, Peri'el is often not seen as she spends much
of her time lulling the Dragon to sleep with her sibilant singing
-- a sound that can be heard by listening to sea shells or visiting
the ocean. Peri'el also stills earthquakes and stops the flow
of lava. Animal is the king snake. |
Ushnish - the
"serpent of discord", Ushnish brings disease, old
age, ice ages, floods, and famines. Ushnish's anger is what
causes lava to flow and the fires of the World Dragon to explode
up and out. His tantrums are well known for causing earthquakes.
His animal is the viper.
Top
|
Hodierna
- goddess of life, morning, and light, as well as springtime,
harvest and crops. Farmers, herbalists, healers, and empaths all
venerate her. She is the granter of life and favor, and ultimately
must be pleased for resurrections and healing. Her emblem is the
unicorn. |
Berengaria - the
motherly goddess Berengaria is often envisioned by artists as
a plump and cheerful woman holding a sheath of grain in the crook
of her right arm. She is wise and kind, a good match for Divyaush.
Berengaria is the finder of lost children and the bringer of dawn;
the first light that shatters the darkness. Where she treads,
the earth is renewed. Beneficial and kind, her emblem is the cow.
|
Asketi - the
"hag"; stealer of children, wild mistress of barren
fields and the midnight hunt. Asketi is the master of the North
Wind, and delights in causing pain and terror in the lands.
On the darkest night of the year it is said she rides on the
backs of hideous black unicorns and carves a bloody path through
the city that has failed to venerate her the most. The stealer
of life, she carries a rough burlap sack at her hip in which
she carries the souls of those she has killed. Her emblem is
the adder.
Top
|
Kertigen
- Patron of craft, metal work, precious
gems, bestower of wealth and prosperity; venerated by traders,
money changers, petty bourgeois and tradesmen such as jewelers
and blacksmiths; his favor is invoked in protecting possessions
against theft, weapons and armor against damage, etc. Kertigen's
favorite workers are the leprechauns, who guard his treasures
with jealous zeal. The chief deity of Dwarves, his emblem is the
raven. |
Divyaush
- Kertigen's positive side, Divyaush is a merry bearded man with
twinkling blue eyes. He grants enormous good favor, money, and
gifts, and will sometimes send out his personal assistants --
the welkin -- to help out needy craftsmen. He is beloved by children,
who often leave him offerings of sweets and cream at a special
Midwinter festival. Divyaush is paternal and kind, and will help
to guide a crafter who has erred by pointing out -- but not fixing
-- his mistakes. His emblem is a welkin. |
Zachriedek -
Kertigen's negative side, Zachriedek, is nasty and cruel. He
is the weakness in the wagon's axle that causes it to snap in
the rain, the crack in the sword that breaks in the heat of
battle, the poor conditions that cause a merchant's stock to
sour. If he is feeling particularly nasty, he will send out
his favored pets, the gremlins, to plague a craftsman. His emblem
is the raccoon.
Top
|
Meraud - god of magic and
foresight, the dark side of the arcane arts. Meraud rarely shows
his face, hiding himself within the folds of a midnight black
cloak and appearing as a dark stranger to those he visits. Meraud
does not believe anything should stand in the way of the quest
for knowledge, and can be quite ruthless in his pursuit of it.
However, he is not without honor, and has turned aside in his
quest for knowledge if he has made a promise that interferes in
that quest. This does not, however, mean he will not find a way
around the obstacle -- in fact, he often will. Elotheans admire
Meraud for his aloofness, and also because he is the creator of
written language. His emblem is a jet-black wolf. |
Firulf - the god
of elemental magic is kinder than Meraud, but still stern. The
extremes he will go to are fewer, but his craftiness is still
well known. His foresight is unerring, which is why many Elothean
Moon Mages revere him. He carries a black staff marbled in silver
that shoots forth powerful shards of lightning upon command. If
a mortal should touch the staff without Firulf's permission, it
is said he or she would turn to ash instantly. However, Firulf
has been known to hand out the staff upon occasion to a favored
worshiper to aid them in a quest for knowledge that he finds particularly
intriguing. His emblem is a grey horned owl. |
Kerenhappuch
- the mad mage is without scruples, and not above blackmail,
extortion, or murder -- not to mention her own attractive feminine
wiles -- to get the information she wants. From time to time
her ruthlessness has been so severe that she has killed others
under the notion that if SHE cannot have the knowledge, NO ONE
will. Kerenhappuch is also a seductress and a schemer, twisting
men to her desires as if they were wrapped about her finger,
and turning women against each other. She has a skirt of fabulous
colors crafted for her by Kertigen (who she tricked into making
it for her by pretending she was Hodierna and telling Kertigen
she needed it to entertain some Dwarves) that will cause any
many who looks upon her while she wears it dancing to fall in
love with her, and cause any male Dwarf to immediately swear
fealty to her. Unfortunately (for Kerenhappuch), Kertigen, when
he learned it was not Hodierna who had requested the item, also
put a curse upon the skirt that causes any WOMAN who sees her
wearing it to become insanely jealous of the beautiful goddess.
A red-lipped and blonde-haired beauty, her emblem is the shrew.
Top
|
Tamsine
- goddess of hearth, home, habitations, settlements, civilization.
Patron of the hearth, and of the town of Fostra's Haven. Before
construction on temples, public buildings and houses is begun,
her blessings and favor must be sought. Tamsine is also the goddess
of beneficial fire and blessings. If a priest would have blessings,
he or she must first learn from the shrine of
Tamsine first. Tamsine is also a domestic; she is a great weaver,
cooker, dyer, brewer, and any number of things that can be done
in or around the home. Her emblem is a great tabby cat. |
Albreda - bringer
of peace, cementer of alliances and marriages, patroness of orphans
and fosterlings; Albreda is a kind and beneficial goddess who
despises war and bloodshed. A few warriors (paladins usually)
have, however, worshiped her, and she does not disdain this worship.
It is said that Albreda's blessing is what brought the lasting
peace of the Seven Pointed Star
Empire, and that she wept so deeply during the Elven-Human war
it created an entire new ocean in far off lands. Albreda is motherly,
a companion to Alamhif. She succors and protects mothers who have
trouble in childbirth, or fathers who have been widowed because
their wife has died in childbirth. Healers often find her the
easiest to worship. Her animal is the dove. |
Harawep - disrupter
of peace, treaties among races and nations, destroyer of families,
augur of disloyalty, turner of children against parents, clan
against clan. Harawep is a vicious warrior who fights with twin
swords. Hideously ugly, Harawep resembles a hag who moves quicker
than the eye can follow, which is perhaps why she is also the
goddess of lightning, and lightning strikes that start up unstoppable
forest fires. Harawep is also aweaver, and her plots and schemes
are sometimes as intricate as the webs her favorite creatures
(the spider) spins. Harawep is the widowmaker, and the patron
of murderers and some assassins. Her emblem is the black widow
spider.
Top
|
Truffenyi - god of mortal
man, god of mercy and forgiveness, his blessings are invaluable
in resurrections and in the granting of health, stamina, strength
and magical power, he is like an indulgent father to the inhabitants
of Elanthia. He can be stern as well, and thus is also a difficult
master to serve. Chief deity of humans and Halflings; his emblem
is the ox. |
Alamhif
- the kind father, Alamhif is sometimes mistaken
for Divyaush, but the two are not the same. Alamhif is more the
stern guidance that is the role of fatherhood, while Divyaush
is the indulgent grandfather. Alamhif loves children and will
take pains to pay them especial care if he perceives they are
in danger or being misled/mistreated. It is him -- along with
Berengaria -- who created the bridge between death and life that
allows mortals to reach through Urrem'tier's barrier to bring
those who have fallen back to life. His symbol is the magpie. |
Huldah - trickster,
imp, bedeviler, fouler up of best laid plans, Huldah's schemes
can often appear very appealing at first, but quickly sour.
Reasoning with him is dangerous, and few have ever gotten out
of a deal with him ahead. He despises mortals, and delights
in seeing that which is pure become despoiled, especially by
some act of his. Huldah can also cause terrible storms that
resembles lightning storms, but are composed of magic instead
of electricity. His emblem is the weasel.
Top
|
Urrem'tier
- not really so much a god, or Immortal, or even demon, Urrem'tier
is Death Incarnate, the last of the Immortals to be infused with
a part of the One Creator, and therefore endowed with the smallest
portion of Substance and the largest proportion of the Void within.
It is to Urrem'tier's embrace we go when we die, and his fetid
grasp would hold us for an eternity were it not for the efforts
of the other Immortals on our behalf. Thus when we return from
the caress of Urrem'tier, we must be ritually cleansed from his
foul stench before we can rejoin the living. Although he has positive
and negative aspects about the best you can say of his positive
one is that it will be more polite than the negative one to you,
while attempting just the same to drag your spirit to the very
depths of the cruel, senseless terrible void he presides over,
constantly seeking to fill with the souls of the dead. While never
really characterized as man, female or animal, death can take
many forms. His emblem is the scorpion. |
Eylhaar
- referred to as "she" since that is the form she usually
takes; a somber, slender female with pearl-white skin and black
hair. Eylhaar is the beckoner, the promise of peace from a world
of pain. Eylhaar's deaths are always the softest, and her allure
is almost insurmountable. She is very patient, and will never
try to cheat a death. Still, her emblem is the jackal. |
Aldauth - the
faceless god of agony, torturers fear and worship Aldauth. Aldauth's
deaths are always painful, perhaps the orst of all, and his
victims kick and scream their way to his void. Aldauth will
taunt and trick people out of their lives, and he delights in
seeing people die foolishly. He is a scavenger, often ghosting
about the battlefield at the end of long campaigns to wring
the last ounce of pain from the dying. Emblem is the vulture.
Top
|
The World
Dragon was born from the fourth
moon when it hatched. No one is quite sure how it came to be,
but many are certain that one of the gods' dark aspects got loose
and planted the creature to bring about the end of Elanthia (some
suspect it was Huldah, who -- unlike Truffenyi -- despises mankind
and Elanthia).
The World Dragon is terrible and yet beautiful
to behold. Its scales glitter like black metal, and its claws
are thick and razor sharp. It is all but indestructible, its maw
as wide as some mountain ranges and its tail stretching from horizon
to horizon. Its eyes were a glowing pool of red, its pupils slit
horizontal, and its wings were leathery and long, blotting out
the sun at times.
When the World Dragon hatched, shards of its
egg hit Elanthia and caused massive changes. Some civilizations
died, cities ere crushed, when one hit an ocean it caused a massive
tidal wave that drowned the entire western side of the continent
upon which The Crossing resides and killed many of its inhabitants.
Since the waters there have now receded, much of that area as
yet still remains wild and untamed, although the ruins of that
shattered land are rumored to still exist.
The Dragon's first attack was upon Elanthia itself,
which it was drawn to because of its inner fire. The creature
landed upon Truffenyi's domain and began to drink the fire from
its depths. In terror -- for Truffenyi was certain that his world
would die if the World Dragon continued -- the god of Elanthia
called upon the others to aid him. He was ignored mostly, until
he pointed out that if the Dragon drained his world, it would
move onto the next closest source of fire -- the sun.
A great battle ensued between the Immortals and
the World Dragon as it, in turn, spat its own fires across the
world, scorching some of the lands. One of the moons set on fire
as it blew its flames across the sky. Eluned quenched it with
her waters, but the moon would be black forever after.
As the great war continued, the Immortals despaired,
for the Dragon seemed unbeatable. Truffenyi rallied all the Immortals
for a final, great battle against the World Dragon. The battle
was so awful, that the sun hid itself for seven days behind a
veil of clouds, and mountains trembled before the wrath of the
Immortals.
When the battle ended, the World Dragon was weakened,
but not dead. It was then that Phelim decided that it could not
be destroyed, and so waited until it had slunk away and ambushed
it, casting his sands of sleep in its face. The Dragon, feeble
from the struggle, succumbed to the sleep and fell into a slumber
as deep as Urrem'tier's void.
Truffenyi, now free to think of something else, realized that
his world was dying because the World Dragon had all but drained
it of its marrow. It was Peri'el who stepped forward and, in her
soft and sibilant voice, put forth the idea of housing the Dragon
in the place it had desired the most -- the inner earth of Elanthia.
Many of the Immortals thought this idea was disastrous, but then
Peri'el -- who was one of the greatest of the Immortal warriors
-- pointed out that the Dragon's very skin was certainly hot enough
to heat all of Elanthia, and, so long as she watched it and sang
to it, it would remain sleeping.
Peri'el had been crippled during the combat with
the Dragon. Her right leg was lame and her left eye had been torn
out; as the Dragon was undefeatable,so were the wounds it had
dealt unhealable. Peri'el had been wounded the most and was nearly
useless now as a warrior, but her voice was still clear and beautiful
-- and very lulling, even for vain Idon. With the Dragon and a
full sack of Phelim's sands on her hip, she descended into Elanthia's
inner earth, where she remains with the Dragon in its lair, playing
her gold-stringed harp and singing in her soft, reptilian voice
that the Dragon -- reptilian itself -- apparently finds very lulling.
It was during this war that the Immortals learned
how much they needed Elanthia. While all the gods have their own
worlds, only Elanthia is inhabited with the creatures they find
the most amusing and inspiring: mortals.
Top
|
The Fae
and Heralds - After the primary
races had been created Faenella, who had been interested but not
captivated in the process of the creation, turned her eyes back
to the species she had been the most fascinated with: Elves.
From the base of the Elven kind, Faenella developed
another, more wild species for Elanthia; the Fae.
The Fae -- created by Faenella -- are beautiful
(but mischievous) tiny folk who inhabit some parts of Elanthia.
Similar to Elves in shape and figure, the Fae rarely exceed one
foot. They come in a variety of shapes and colors, listed below.
Types of Fae:
o Sprites - the tiniest (three to five inches)
of the Fae, Sprites have long wings of several vivid jewel colors
and come in a variety of shapes (fat, thin, slender, scrawny,
muscular). All possess magic, and are excellent crafters of wine
and candy. Sprites love milk, bread and sugar. They hate salt
and garlic, and often run away at the sight of it. A few rare
Sprites exceed the normal height and reach upwards to the size
of Halflings. These are usually "outcasts" from the
Fae community, and tend
to be bent on destruction.
o Welkin - about two feet high, the welkin are,
from one source, covered in brown fur and have bright brown eyes,
or, from another source, dressed in dapper suits and carry polished
walnut canes, or, from still another source, are just foot-tall
Sprites. Due to their clandestine and nocturnal habits, no one
has really ever seen a welkin, and those who have have never seen
one again. Welkin -- whatever they look like -- are very helpful
creatures who like to aid those who are in need. They, too, love
bread and milk.
o Alfar - Fair and pale, almost angelic, the
alfar are tall and willowy creatures that greatly resemble nyads
and dryads. The alfar are as mischievous as the rest of their
ilk, and alternately aid and hurt mortals, as pleases their current
mood. A few alfar are servants to the gods, although these are
few and far between from the others of their crafty race.
o Nyads and Dryads - Dryads are spirits of the
trees, while nyads are the spirits of the water. Depending on
how well the tree or stream they dwell in currently depends on
what they look like. If their tree is a healthy aspen, the dryad's
skin will be a pale silvery color and her hair and eyes light
green. If his stream has been polluted, the nyad will be a weeping,
wrecked construction and most probably in a foul mood. Untrue
to common belief, nyads and dryads can be of either gender.
o Will o' Wisps - Small balls of glowing light that float on
air, the will o' wisps are mysterious creatures that do not seem
to have a language or need for food -- as far as anyone knows,
their only purpose is to multiply by dividing into new versions
of themselves.
o Gremlins, Changelings, Faenrae Reavers, and
Banesidhes - These black- hearted creatures -- with the exception
of the Faenrae Reavers -- are the offspring of Idon's work, and
are frequently involved in evil schemes. While all the Fae are
mischievous, they can also do good -- not true with these creatures.
Their presence can only mean ill. Created by Huldah, the Faenrae
Reavers do fall under the classification of Fae due to their ethereal
and other-worldly nature.
Heralds -- Strange, unearthly creatures, even
the gods bow down when a Herald commands. Varying from indescribably
beautiful to hideously dreadful in visage, the Heralds most commonly
appear as a tall (seven to eight foot) humanoid who falls somewhere
between Elf and Human in appearance. Wielding great swords and
awesome power, their main purpose is to curtail the use of magic.
No one is quite sure why they do this, although many scholars
have theorized that it is because of magic's unstable tendencies,
and the chance that too much spellcraft in one place could dangerously
drain that area of life and power, leaving it blasted and ruined.
Or perhaps too much magical use by a mortal would alter them or
harm them in ways mortalken cannot even begin to imagine....
Many believe that the Heralds fled from a world
where magic had become used too much, destroying the dimension
the Heralds dwelled on. Others think that the Heralds are the
creator of the gods themselves, and still more think the gods
created the Heralds to keep themselves in check.
Top
|
The One God - It is
believed by some priests that all the gods are but one face
of a greater god. This greater god is worshiped by some priests
who feel choosing sides is unwise or who feel that worship of
one god is better for their personal faith. A few religions
have risen up around the belief in the One God, and it is very
popular in some regions of Elanthia
Top
|
|
