Faiths of the Dawn Lands and the Worlds of Renessa
Horus
Lord of protecting those you have authority over, maintaining harmony in your community, righteous rulership, leadership, and protecting those in need.
This deity was originally from the land of Egypt on the planet earth but somehow made it to the Dawn Lands, and perhaps even the entire Ranessa system. It is not clear if Horus simultaneously exists in those other realms or now solely exists in the Dawn Lands. Many of the cultures of the southernmost part of the continent have come to seek his patronage. Even the Red Sun and Jade Empire now consider him a deity in their pantheon, although there he is referred to as Shang Mei.
In the distant cosmos, beyond the realm of mortals, lay a mysterious and magical realm known as the Multiverse Nexus. This realm was a convergence of countless worlds, each with its own unique magic and pantheon of deities. It was a place where the boundaries between realities blurred, and where the gods of different civilizations could cross paths.
One day, Horus, the mighty Egyptian deity of the sky, war, and protection, felt a strange and powerful pull. He could sense the energies of this new realm, and his curiosity drove him to explore it. With his falcon-headed visage, he soared through the cosmic currents and arrived at the Multiverse Nexus.
As he entered this realm, he was immediately greeted by a dazzling display of magic. Beings of all shapes and sizes, each representing their own culture's gods and goddesses, mingled and interacted. Horus felt both exhilarated and humbled in the presence of these diverse deities, all of whom possessed incredible powers.
Among the many deities he encountered, Horus made fast friends with Athena, the wise and fierce Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare. Her piercing grey eyes held a depth of knowledge that impressed even the mighty Horus. Together, they exchanged stories of their respective worlds and shared insights into the nature of their divine responsibilities.
Horus also formed a bond with Amaterasu, the radiant Japanese goddess of the sun. Her gentle yet powerful presence resonated with his own sense of protection and guidance. They found common ground in their roles as guardians, and their alliance felt as natural as the rising of the sun.
But not all was harmonious in the Multiverse Nexus. As Horus had sensed the pull of this realm, so too had Set, the ancient Egyptian deity of chaos, disorder, and storms. Set's arrival stirred tension, for his motivations were often unpredictable, and his desire for power was insatiable.
Horus knew that he had to tread carefully, for Set's presence could disrupt the newfound friendships and alliances forming in this realm. He sought the counsel of his new allies, Athena and Amaterasu. They devised a plan to confront Set together, combining their strengths to prevent him from causing harm.
When the confrontation came, it was fierce. Set unleashed storms of chaos and darkness, challenging the unity of the three deities. But Horus, Athena, and Amaterasu stood strong, their combined powers pushing back the tempests and chaos. Set was eventually subdued, not through force, but through the unity and understanding forged between the deities of different pantheons.
As the Multiverse Nexus celebrated the return to harmony, Horus, Athena, and Amaterasu knew they had found something special. They had not only protected this realm but had also discovered the beauty of cooperation and friendship across cultures and beliefs.
Set
(coming soon)
Shiandria
the green moon, the Forest Maiden, goddess of forest, the world, animals, trees, fruit, fertility, elves, fae, dreams, Satyr, small folk, gnomes, and maidens
(created by Bryan Roberts in 1994)
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In the ancient woodlands of Ranessa, where the ethereal dance of nature painted the landscape, a divine presence emerged from the heart of the sacred forests. Shiandria, the Forest Maiden, was born from the whispering leaves and the gentle caress of the wind. She embodied the essence of the wilderness, becoming the goddess of the forest, the world, animals, trees, fruit, fertility, and maidens—a manifestation of the interconnectedness of all life.
Long before she ascended to her divine status, Shiandria was a young maiden named Elara, who dwelled deep within the heart of Dawn Lands's enchanted woods. Elara had a profound affinity for the natural world, and her days were spent in harmonious communion with the creatures of the forest. She possessed a rare ability to understand the languages of animals and the ancient wisdom of trees.
One fateful day, as Elara sat beneath the sheltering branches of the World Tree, a colossal and ancient oak that stood as a guardian of the realms, a radiant light enveloped her. The spirits of the forest, recognizing her boundless compassion and unwavering devotion, elevated her to the status of a goddess. Transformed into the ethereal and luminous being known as Shiandria, she became a beacon of vitality, fertility, and interconnectedness.
As the Forest Maiden, Shiandria nurtured the balance between the natural world and the realm of mortals. She watched over the forests, ensuring their vitality and flourishing growth, while also extending her benevolent touch to all corners of the world. Her essence was interwoven with the cycles of life, from the budding of trees in spring to the bountiful harvests of autumn.
Animals of all kinds flocked to her side, seeking her guidance and protection. Birds serenaded her with melodies, and woodland creatures danced in harmony around her as she moved through the verdant landscapes. Her presence brought an abundance of fruit and crops, blessing the land with fertility and sustenance.
Shiandria's love extended beyond the flora and fauna to the maidens of Dawn Lands. She became a symbol of empowerment and unity among them, teaching them to embrace their strengths and channel their inner wisdom. Maidens from distant villages would gather in sacred groves to honor her, seeking her blessings for love, growth, and the paths they chose to walk.
Legends of Shiandria spread like the winds across Dawn Lands, the lands of the elves, the halflings, and beyond. Pilgrims and seekers from distant lands ventured into the heart of the enchanted forests, hoping to catch a glimpse of the radiant Forest Maiden and receive her blessings. Her presence was said to bring tranquility and renewal, and those who were fortunate enough to encounter her reported feeling a deep connection to the rhythms of nature and the universe.
Through the ages, the worship of Shiandria endured, becoming an integral part of cultural tapestry. The Forest Maiden's legacy lived on, inspiring generations to cherish the world around them, nurture its beauty, and protect its delicate balance. And so, the story of Shiandria, the Forest Maiden, the goddess of forests, the world, animals, trees, fruit, fertility, and maidens, remains an eternal reminder of the sacred bond between humanity and the natural world.
Crom
Deity Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Areas of Influence The riddle of steel, strength, independance, war, death, honor
Anathema Weakness
Follower Alignments CG, N, CN, CE
Divine Ability Strength or Constitution
Divine Font Harm
Divine Skill Athletics
Favored Weapon Battle Axe
Domains Might, Death, , Destruction, Confidence
Cleric Spells 1st: bane, 2nd: Endure Elements, 4th: Seal Fate, 6th: righteous might
History and Practices
Crom is worshiped by the bulk of the Cimmerian people. Crom is a grim and gloomy god, ever watching from atop his mountain in dark clouds and obscuring mists, ready to pass a disapproving judgment on any and all, but he is said to approve of courage and tenacity, even if the human is too frail to succeed. He is not so much worshipped as invoked (In Howard's works Conan exclaims things like "Crom and his devils"), as a swearword or when trying to gather one's courage. Not that he ever does anything, good or bad, to mortals. It is said that his sole gift to men is to bestow them at birth with "[the] power to strive and slay" - the courage to go on, survive and vanquish adversity. He has few actual worshipers and no priests.
In the canonical stories, Conan remarks in conversation that it is best to avoid doing anything that would draw Crom's attention, as he hands out only dooms and trouble.
Crom only directly intervenes in Conan's life once, unasked, to save a middle-aged Conan from a dishonorable death at the hands of a malevolent magician. Crom is saving him, presumably, for a more honorable one involving overwhelming odds, heaps of mangled corpses and rivers of blood. Conan is aware of the intervention and afterward sheepishly makes his first sacrifice to Crom since boyhood, doing it secretly for fear of others thinking he has "gone religious in [his] dotage."
Eilistraee
Eilistraee, also referred to as "The Dark Maiden" a goddess in the dark elf pantheon, and her portfolios are song, swordwork, hunting, the moon and beauty. Her worshippers are good Dark Elves hoping to escape the Underdark's evil, Lolth-worshiping matriarchal society (known as the Dark Lady in the Dawn Lands), and regain a place in the surface world.
She is worshiped by song and dance, if at all possible, in the surface world under the moonlit night among the woods. She takes great pleasure in bards learning new songs, craftsmen at work, and the doing of kindhearted deeds. Among her followers are dark elves, humans, gnomes, elves, shapeshifters (children of the moon) and fae.
Eilistraee is represented by a dark elf female in the nude, dancing with a silver sword under the moon.
Eilistraee's followers are fairly small in number, and frequently met with distrust from both the generally dark elf-fearing outside world, and followers of the Dark Lady in particular. There is rumored to be a temple of Eilistraee in the elvish city of Eshanasera.
The clergy of Eilistraee are collectively known as "the NightLadies" or “Moon Dancers”, although individual temples often have their own naming conventions for both the clergy collectively and individual titles.
Young initiates and acolytes are known as Maids. Individual titles vary greatly from temple to temple, but some suitable examples include Moon Dancer, Moon Singer, Dark Huntress, Argent Maid, Living Sword, Unsheathed Blade, Sword Smith, Bright Edge of Darkness, Darksong Knight, Protector and Ghost of the Moonstruck Night.
Priestesses of Eilistraee have no ceremonial garb; instead, they aim to wear clothing that is comfortable for their official ceremonies. The holy symbols of the faith vary, including: a silver sword pendant the size of a hand, a silver bastard sword outlined against a silver moon with silvery filaments, and a nude long-haired female dark elf dancing with a silver sword in front of a full moon.
One of the highest rites and ceremonies of Eilistraee is 'The Hunt'. The followers of the Dark Maiden take up their blessed weapons under the light of the full moon, they hunt a chosen animal (and in some more violent cases, orcs, werekin or other such fiends that threaten the safety of the surrounding area and its occupants).
Ceremoniously, they partake in something of a dance as they chase down the animal (or fiend) and sacrifice it in the name of their Deity. If it is an animal that they chose, the body is usually dressed and prepared as a meal for the partakers in The Hunt. The meal is followed with a celebration of song and dance in praise of Eilistraee and of the earth and moon itself.