scholarship of erenth: Deities & Demigods N

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Index of the Deities & Demigods

CREATOR

Ere All

PRIMOGENITORS

The lords of the Besnir were Aenire who came to Erenth in service of the Ere All, but were deceived into doing the work of the enemy, Agelleas. And yet their work was redeemed and they became great forces for good.

and the Betrayer himself,

Agellas

However false the many other "gods" were in respect to divinity, they were very much true and powerful in their ascendance. Prideful beings were they, in that they desired recognition and acclaim more than anything, and peculiar were they in that the more they received, the greater their power became.

PRETENDERS
The Pretenders were those beings which came to Erenth from their original plane of existence, and finding it peopled by lesser mortals, set themselves up as rulers and kings. While not immortal, the Pretenders were nonetheless very long lived, and would have persisted for centuries.

It is believed by some that they rode a fiery chariot which crashed into the Ramparts. Others say that they were born along by the lightning of a storm which swept through many worlds. Still others say that they were brought here by a collision between this world and theirs. The last theory is that some magic of the Elves or Dragons pulled them into our world, perhaps even separately.

And the unmet Prince who is invoked to move Heimos

Brand the Suffering

VASTIRAH
The Vastirah are those who would have been of mixed Erenthean and extra-planar blood. These became the patrons and patronesses of cities and tribes.

To this order of demigods belongs the rest of the Westrun Decadon -- the Faith of the Ten Divines who were born of Heimos and the human women he took to wife.

Along with the Southrun demigods:

The brothers Amir and Bhamut, born of Umirra and the Marida
Sekhat (f)

And the Giant God:

Jendul

In Eastrun

Jen Shu the Conquerer

In Southrun

AENIREDE

The Aenirede were the Aenir who came to Erenth in judgement of the Vyrum Empire and this includes their lesser children, the Titans, all of whom have sacrificed their first estate and must now remain on Erenth.

Their offspring the Titans

DEMIGODS

The demigods were old powers who came to Erenth as Aeniresa and some became Agathinon (raging spirits with physical bodies) or had offspring such as the foul and fair Nefilnir, and these were worshipped as gods.

In Northrun

Terraq

In Southrun

In Eastrun

In Westrun

HEROES
Finally, the heroes were the offspring of demigods and other mortals. They were men and women of renown who made names for themselves among their tribes and nations. Some of these are legends and not known if they actually exist.

Thorne Blackwyd: Prince of Thieves

In days of yore, there lived a thief of unparalleled skill. His name, whispered with both awe and trepidation, had become the stuff of legend, for Thorne Blackwyd had accomplished the three most audacious heists known to the annals of history—the theft of the jewels of the dragon empresses.

These treasures, so priceless they could purchase a kingdom, were guarded by the most formidable warriors and the most intricate defenses the world had ever seen. Yet, Thorne, the greatest thief of all, was undaunted by these obstacles. His heart burned with the desire to claim these jewels, no matter the cost.

The first empress was renowned for her cunning. She housed her jewels within the impenetrable walls of a fortress, guarded day and night by vigilant sentinels. But Thorne was not deterred. Disguised as a humble servant, he infiltrated the fortress. With unparalleled dexterity and stealth, he spirited away the jewels from under the very noses of the guards, leaving no trace of his passage.

The second empress, a paragon of vanity, adorned herself with her precious jewels in public, basking in the admiration of the masses. Thorne, however, saw an opportunity. In the bustling heart of a parade, he approached the empress. With sleight of hand so deft it defied comprehension, he relieved her of her jewels as she wore them, replacing them with imitations only later discovered.

The third empress was the most cautious of all. She concealed her jewels in a secret location, known only to herself. But even her meticulous care could not thwart the greatest thief. Through cunning and perseverance, Thorne uncovered the secret hiding place. In the dead of night, cloaked in darkness, he stole the jewels, vanishing into the dark with his prize.

Thus, the legend of Thorne Blackwyd was etched into the annals of time. With the jewels of the three empresses in his possession, he vanished from the world, never to be seen again. Yet, the tales of his incredible feats were passed down through the generations, a testament to his unmatched prowess.

In time, Thorne's legend grew to mythical proportions. He was venerated as an ascended hero, and in certain corners of the world, some even worshipped him as a god. His story, a tapestry of daring and brilliance, continued to inspire awe and wonder, ensuring that the name Thorne Blackwyd would forever be remembered as the greatest thief of all time

Oshuron

Oshuron is one of the most powerful of the Aenirede. He was a lieutenant of Drash, one of the Aenwel – that is, one of the Aenir of Eregus who flew to the aid of the Aenir of Solenth. For Solenth had been besieged by the forces of darkness. After victory, he remained in the celestial city, but always longed for the life he left behind.

Later, when the Vyrum armies of Erenth were too strong for Baere to defeat on her own, she called for reinforcements. Oshuron again answered the call. Then, like all of those who did, he found himself permanently bound to the surface. He cannot return to Solenth, let alone the place in eternity he would rather be.

Since the Vyrum were defeated, and weary of mortals, Oshuron made the Inner Sea his bailiwick. He lives now in a manse built on the back of Zaranath the mother of all gargantuan turtles. From that redoubt, he strikes out against many creatures and monsters of the sea which prey upon the innocent. He has a lasting enmity with Valritra, the mother of Krakens, whom he has hunted for many centuries.

Oshuron is the sire of Algorn by way of Tera.

Lamon

"After taking his leave of Heimos and putting aside his wife, Lamon went into the Land of Northrun and there became known by the strength of his own hand. He became a great chieftain and a chief among all the chieftains. His ships numbered in the hundreds and his war parties numbered in the tens of thousands and his Hall was the greatest among all of the clans."

A contemporary of Heimos, Lamon became a feared warlord and raider. In Northrun he was called the Black Death until a chance encounter with Baere changed his life's trajectory. He burned his ships on the shore of Tirgus Holm, abandoned his hall, and left his wealth unguarded to become an itinerant prophet of sorts, thereafter known as the Wanderer.

The Ferryman

The Ferryman is one of the Aenire. It is he who guides the boat that leads mortals from Erenth to their fate. Humans are taken to the Judgement Seat where they will have to account for their thoughts, words and deeds. He also shuttles the Besnir to the worlds prepared for them, where they will rejoin their spirits to those of their primogenitors.

The Ferryman was once named Majes and was sometimes called the brother of Jelas. By his interference in and communication with the world of Erenth, the Besnir learned the secrets of what is commonly called magic. He stands 25 feet tall and is impassive, about his duties, accepting them as his just desserts for his actions, and navigating the river Hyburleth is preferable to him, to having to remain on Erenth.

Fae, the Mother of Many

The elder sister of the twin deities Feere and Falth, Fae became the mother of 19 daughters. Her daughters found spouses among the ancient Besnir and Humans, producing the beings known as Dryads, Sylphs, Nymphs, Sprites, Pixies, Nixies, Atomies, Grigs, Brownies, Kilmoulis, and Leprechauns. Also of her bloodline are Swanmays, Centaurs, Cooshee, Elven Cats, et. al.

Fae never became divinized as her younger siblings had, she lived until her body exhausted itself and she was seen in the world no longer. She is still greatly revered among her descendants.

Ere All

Before any peoples strode upon the face of Erenth; and before the beasts first roared; before the vines creeped or the grass grew; before the foundations of the land were lain; before the rains fell or the four winds blew; before any of the spheres were trained and before any stars were lit; even before the fabric of time was knit; before everything began; there was one -- who was. The Ere All he was and he was… alone.

Also known as the Creator or the Celestial Emperor, the Ere All (the being before all) is the divine person responsible for the creation of all matter, time, space and energy in all universes that exist. He is omniscient and omnipotent. He is without beginning nor end.

For reasons known only to him, he acts only through intermediaries. He will not personally appear to characters, nor personally answer any request made by them, but he is nonetheless frequently moved to send others to their aid and to otherwise act on his behalf.

While the Ere All is capable of responding to any plane of existence, he resides on none of them, or perhaps all of them at once.

Beneath the Ere All are many Supernal and Infernal beings. Unlike the Ere All, these Patrons are localized as to knowledge, influence and power. That is, while they may have abilities far beyond that of mere mortals, they only retain that ability on certain planes or in certain worlds, or even in certain locations or circumstances in those worlds.

Death

Death (there are several avatars) often appears as a tall male in a dark hood, wielding a great scythe. But they have been known to appear in other forms, as well. They have taken the form of children, of kings, noblemen, gentry, free men, peasants and slaves.

Death is an Aeniresa who so hated the coming of the Besnir and other mortals that he delighted in taking them to the afterlife. It became its occupation to usher the souls of those who die to the barge appointed for them at the shores of the River Hyburleth. For those creatures that have spirits but not souls, the job of a Death is to escort them to the nearest Sacred Place of their people.

The scythe of Death was a gift of Agellas who gave it in order to navigate the river Hyburleth and people Erenth for the first time. This gift was eventually lost to Djazzar and was replaced by Majes, the Ferryman. All creatures, even the so-called gods, fear the scythe in the hand of a Death. When wielded by a Death, the scythe can ignore the bonuses due to magic of any armor. The scythe can instantly kill any other being. Even magic resistance cannot alter this effect.

While still an Aeniresa, Death has been in continual contact with the departed and while his memory falters, he has been able to learn and retain much about Erenth that he should have, by now, forgotten. He has a great curiosity regarding humanity and their difference from the other beings of the world, especially the Besnir. He is also a lover of games of skill, though his work is often so engaging that he has little time to play as he would like.

There has only been one being who was able to cheat death and that was Girzon the Titan who beat Death at a game of Twelve Lines. Despite Girzon's singular success, the legend that Death may be beaten has become a popular story.

Finally, Death loves Clare of the Valley to the exclusion of all other mortals and will not permit her to join him.

Baere

Long ago, when the world was still cooling, the Ere All showed it to his servants. Some of these grew enamored of Erenth and sought to dwell upon it. But in as much as they did so, the Ere All warned, they would become subject to its forces. They would age and be changed. Their knowledge and their power would diminish and the celestial city of Solenth they had known would become a distant and discarded memory.

But still these few Aenire longed to leave their first estate and live upon the face of the world that had been created. So some left Solenth and crept down to join themselves to the new creation. And when they were noticed gone, still others raged calling them the Departed and themselves the true servants. Then great efforts were made by they to bring the Departed back so as not to despoil Erenth.

But the Departed would not return and war was joined between them and the rest of the Aenire. And it was this war which wounded the face of the world most, tearing mountains asunder and uprooting whole forests. Until at last, the Ere All himself intervened saying, "Let those who wish to remain on Erenth surrender their estate in peace. Let those who wish to be of the Celestial City remain there.

And Baere was among those who returned to Solenth at his word, but she was approached by the Ere All and asked if she wanted to live on Erenth.

"I did," Baere admitted, "But my place is in Solenth, and here I will await the revelation of the master work of which you promised. For I know that the world I have seen does not compare to the world I will know when your work is complete."

Then the Ere All asked her to return to Erenth and heal that which had been wounded by the battle of his foolish servants. And though you will be of this Erenth, unto you I shall give the gift to escape the ravages of time; and the joy to witness first-hand my master work."

So it was that Baere walked to and for across Erenth. Wherever she set foot flowers bloomed and trees grew. The hurts of the world were healed, and some became as scars, but all she draped with the foilage and fountains that her power could provide. And Baere herself did not age, for she had the gift of the Ere All, which preserved her from time's passage, as if she had never left Solenth of the Aenire.

She is considered the greatest and most powerful of the Aeniresa. She ceaselessly roams Erenth, still untouched by the ravages of time, and the delight of her being is in preserving the master work of the Creator.

Agellas

"Agellas shaped the Urok to be cunning, strong and fearless."

The Aenire were the highest order of the servants of the Ere All that dwelled in the region of Erenth. Agellas deceived them into creating their own races of people and bringing them into the world to dwell. They gave up their own power to do so and lost their ability to take physical form. Agellas himself lost nothing, for he tricked a spirit of the old world into animating those he had made.

Agellas is considered the Great Betrayer, having betrayed anyone and everyone he has ever claimed to help; and everyone who ever sought him for aid. He is known in the infernal realms as Beleal and as the Dark Prince, ruler of Geherra.

Agellas was once Jelas, a being of great power and beauty who was in the service of good, he became jealous of his own Creator and most especially of creation itself. He made repeated attempts to despoil both Erenth and the celestial city of Solenth. After absconding to Erenth, his physical form was all but destroyed. He was then banished to Malenth and like the others imprisoned there, cannot leave except by means of the Vile Congress, where a mortal body is appropriated and remotely controlled by him.

In that form, he is able to grant his own charisma to any being he wishes (once in their life). He cannot be harmed by any weapon without mistletoe in it, or without the blessing of Baere upon it. While Agellas can shape change at will, he usually relies on his power to force beings to do what he desires via his suggestion power. Even those who think themselves immune to such powers find him irresistible.

He typically wears black, even when in the guise of something/someone else. He can also be revealed by his limp, the wound of an ancient battle, which he can hide for some time, but will always reveal itself eventually.