Lore: The Deities of Malteria

Like most realms religion permeates Malteria, for most it is a personal thing. Shared with families at most and at best a thoughtful discussion by good friends. Cities or nations may have temples but they serve only as public places where no real gathering takes place but rather a place individuals or small groups go from time to time to evoke the deity. 

Though not recognized by most mortals, or shorter lived peoples like the Awoken or Gleshmerian, and Native Malterians. Pantheon of Deities do in fact exist. Most of the truly notable and powerful ones are in the esoteric Pantheon known as the Old Gods. Others group together based on how they came into being and others still on a great variety of reasons. Deities of Malteria are not pure forces of the cosmos or reality though they may command some portion of such things. Truly what Deities are, but the primordial energies of when the Arcana and Abyss came into being, in an event known to the Old Gods as the Rupture. Though little is known as to what that is or even why it has such a name.


Deityhood

There are a few qualities that truly define something as a deity.

1.) Deities are beyond what we know as life and death. Life spans are virtually endless, but not unkillable in most cases. It wold take the power of another deity to kill one. Or a series of events summing to the equal power.

2.) While not always powerful in a physical or magical way, a deity does command a unbelievable power over something. It may even look like magic but really it is just the deities connection with the given something, such as a deity who commands wind, it is not magic when the wind blows around them its just a part of them.

3.) Deities are different from mortals, animals and magical creatures. They aren't born rather come to be, Even the ascended deities fall under this as they are effectively born new both metaphorically and literally on a physical level.

4.) Deities having so much power are characterized finally by the fact mortals can evoke them to gain some of that power. Deities rarely notice when such power has been evoked from them, even in the case of the deities that desire for mortals to evoke them. 


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Old Gods 


The least is known about this Pantheon, even the Elders of Glonwyr holders of the oldest knowledge,  know truly little about them. They are Deities that no longer need or desire worship, and as such have stepped away from the lands and magical realms they once held sway over. Most may even be dead. What follows are exerts from the Glonwyr tomes about the Old Gods. This may not even be the full list of them, for there were many.


Nortogoa 

"Speak the unspoken."

"Wrought of iron twisted into knots whose ends never seem to be. Sparks fly from its many surfaces as they grind together. Words not heard, escape a mouth not seen, it speaks the totality of all things. We no longer have eyes to see as we have gazed upon the Map of All etched into its iron body"

-Scholar Themlisca, Of Glonwyr, Reading from the tome Records: Vol. CXI. Deities Cont'd. 



Krion'krion 

"Blow with the Wind."

"Were it not that the winds existed before it was born it would be sworn this creature was their cause. Force given form and feather. Once saw as a Bird of impossible size that was the sky at night, said to be it protecting Malteria from the brutal Sun, others say that it was just basking. Neither will ever know. Twice seen as a booming cloud roaming the world feeding the lakes and seas. Thrice seen as pure wind shoving the clouds around into beautiful shapes. Last was seen as a feather falling to the ground and forming a myriad of birds that showered the world, a joyous cacophony filled the winds that day."

-Scholar Dentoran, Of Glonwyr, Reading from the tome Records: Vol. CXI. Deities Cont'd. 

Wx 

"Wx."

"It sat for many, many ages. It watched, and watched. It breathed, long breathes. Ages by the Old Gods were measured by its breathes, as they were the only constant. It spoke once and only once. Its words never forgot, and still we hear them. Echoing, echoing. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx. Wx... (This continues for 20 tomes)"


-Scholar Sophicilla, Of Glonwyr, Reading from the tome Records: Vol. CXI-CXXXI. Deities Cont'd. 

Torv 

"In war we truly live."

"It fought every battle of every nation, on every side of each war. It's presence made known only by the ominous horns that would play, for if you saw its form you had been dead long ago. A tall shadow with a simple sword. Death is all that came from its being there and it favored no side. Only the viscera."


-Scholar Sophicilla, Of Glonwyr, Reading from the tome Records: Vol. CXXXI. Deities Cont'd. 

Agadal-gadala 

"Sow good seeds in your soul, and reap good things from it."

"It had so many parts to it, hands upon hands, legs so that it took it a year to move all them. Decades pass as they move. The only body part that did not number the thousands was a single head in its chest. It is said it loved to garden."



-Scholar Grigari, Of Glonwyr, Reading from the tome Records: Vol. CXXXI. Deities Cont'd. 

Gleshmere

"Dominate, Travel, and survive."

"The world Wolf, trekker of all paths. The most traveled of all the Old Gods it saw what was there and wanted more, so left its brood mates. With help from a proud warrior." (Further writings about this god exist in more detail in studies of the other Pantheons)


-Scholar Grigari, Of Glonwyr, Reading from the tome Records: Vol. CXXXI. Deities Cont'd. 




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Forgers Pantheon 



This group of Deities identify together because each desired to forge something beyond themselves, for each it was something different the goal however the same. And for some the goals eventually conflicted.



Lebrexion

"From Knowledge comes growth."

A tome of knowledge. Whose number of pages change as it is read. Taking as much knowledge as it gives. Once the favored book of Wx, the raw power of the Old God gave this tome life. It had one desire, knowledge, So it opened to a page and from it walked the first of the Oricalcon, the people who would be eventually used by the Old Gods, and become the Lutherics of the present day. When it's name is evoked it grants knowledge, mostly by allowing the evoker to have an easier time finding the knowledge they seek, as the journey to the knowledge will inevitable generate more knowledge which it desires most.



The Stone Edge

"Solidarity is bread by bread broke of stew you both brewed."  

Once a suit of stone armor wore by an ancient Earasi warrior who was possessed by Torv. Though the warrior died in the battle whilst under Torv's control, but the God still fought on in the warriors body, fought all the way to the end of the war. The Battle was the war that lead to the border between ancient Oricalcon, current day Nidal, and the Earasi holds. By either the Arcane soaked earth or the simple appreciation of the God giving it life, no one can say for sure, but the suit took a life of its own. It values Warrior like pride, and Honor in battle as well as camaraderie and cultural expansion. Most who worship and evoke its name are Earasi, but it by no means gives boon to just those. It Desires to establish more cultural blending.



Gleshmere the World Wolf

"Wander often, Wander Far."

The current understanding of this god is slightly different from its ancient self, after Gleshmere left the old pantheon he still desired worship. Still little is known of its origins. Gleshmere values exploration and travel, as well as dominance of any kind.  Gleshmere wants those who follow it to set a power order with it at the top and the rest to sort themselves out. It wants peoples to travel and dominant.



Liventra

"Love, for it is what makes us."

A giant beast as large as a manor fitting a lord, a dragon like monster covered in pitch black scales with streaks of blood red scales here and there. A creature with looks befitting a god of death and destruction, however Liventra is no god of death, and to a point hates destruction. She desires to see love and kindness spread through the lands. And when evoked by awe struck lovers will gift boons to assist them to a healthy and long love.


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Plegma Born (Hero God) Pantheon


Many ages ago in a age just after the one the Old Gods reigned in when heroes and characters of great power ruled over men some become so great they rose one way or another to deity-hood, at the beginning of this age however, magic as we know it now came to be with the creation of the Plegma the only node where the Arcana and the Abyss cross. At the creation of the Plegma some deities came to be. These deities identify with themselves as a Pantheon as for most they came to rise with the creation of the Plegma and for others their means to rise to deity-hood is directly linked to the Plegma.


Trish, Mistress of the Red Light Moon.

"Freedom of body, of love, and of self."

A Malterian woman born a vagabond, and raised herself on the streets as a prostitute, Once she learned to read she read with an endless desire to learn to fight. She would read every book in the library by the time she was 14, once she was in her 20's she began street fighting at night and tending johns during the day. She meet with a older knight from the army of her home city. It was the knight that convinced her to try out for the local garrison reserve. She passed with ease and went on to become the leader of her small reserve unit. Her flare for strategy, and understanding of battle drawing from her vast knowledge proved greater than most. She quickly read through the capitals personal library. She would fight in many battles during her time serving, funding expeditions to find old tomes of war and battle with her spoils of war and her continued sex service. When she was in her early 40's She was a high ranking general leading her own army, and was quite the influential politician even managed to legalize prostitution in her city and change public opinion at large towards it in a better light. At this age she was called upon to defeat a powerful Dragon who commanded a large Orc host under its mind control. The battle was long and difficult for the nation lasting 20 years, Trish finally ended it when she confronted the Dragon in single combat. The battle lasted hours and ended with the Dragon dragging Trish through the air to the moon full in the sky. Here they would clash until at midnight Trish drove her blade deep in the beasts throat, spilling its blood all over the moon. As she was about to die from her wounds, and bated breath on the moon; however her soul was aligned with the Plegma and at its birth Trish raised born anew in deifitic energies. Becoming as aware as a god, she first returned to Malteria and made her personal Bard and lover her herald, taking him she returned to the moon and turned the carcass of the dragon into a celestial brothel, where she governs her heavenly court and answers the prayers of those who evoke her name for Battle, Freedom, Knowledge and Wealth.


Draugr The Ebonking & Loa The Albaqueen, The Lords of Hoodagar

"We prevail."

Hoodagar was a client nation to Oricalcon a small city-state located in the swampy woods outside the walls of the mighty ancient city. Used by the Oricalcon wizards as test subjects for their magic, and even still a small portion of the people were taken as slaves each decade as tribute. Two of these slaves were Draugr and Loa a young couple taken and used in a group to test magic in binding souls to the Arcana in an attempt to solve death. They wold both spend days at a time with there very soul being tortured by magic keeping it between their body and the Arcana. One day during the testing, that at this point was being carried automatically by servitors, it was the fateful day the Plegma came to be. Force of its birth forged both Draugr and Loa into beings beyond souls and magic. They stood for what may have been moment or hours staring at one another before they realized their new found status, they travel through the Arcana to the capital of their people. They arrived moments before the Plegmas shock wave, from its birth, as it torn through the country side destroying and corrupting everything in its path. The two used their new found powers to combine the soul of all the Hoodagar into the Arcana, Pledging to watch over the land and return them to life once they could.


Khanick Storm Biter

"Glory by the Sky!"

Raised as an Orc warrior shaman on the Isle nation of the Orcs, Khanick was always adept at magic and combat alike. He was the son of the War Chief of his time, and born on a warship during a storm, seen as an auspicious birth blessed by the Twin Fish, His father being a member of the Twin Fish religion, quickly raising through the ranks of the nations Chieftain circles. He finally found his place as the War Chief after defeating his father in single unarmed combat. It was during a battle with the Khalaks in an foolish attempt to take land.  Khanick lead the vast army himself, using his signature lighting magic to blow away swaths of lizardmen. However even with his power the war was waning out of their favor, even being pushed all the way back to the coastline it started from at Khanick's campsite The war waged for months until finally Khanick and his personal guards were chased to a cliff side by the Khalak forces. It is here they fight for hours neither side giving an inch just slowly losing men one after another, sadly Khanicks men numbered 100 while the attacking Khalak force was over 1000, by the end of the battle Khanicks men numbered 10 including himself, the Khalaks 200. His men fell quickly defending him as he conjured a massive lighting spell as a last suicidal attempt to finish the Khalaks force. He succeeded as the bolt flew towards the cliff he leap into the air towards it so his death would be a glorious shower of gore atop his enemy. As he hung in the air screaming to the heavens war chants to the Twin Fish, the bolt struck him as he howled in pain he gnash at the air, but it was not air his teeth bared into no it was the bolt itself he felt it force its way into his mouth. His body going into convulsions twisting from pain, as it entered him it flew out his back leaving a lighting bolt scare, and striking the Khalaks behind him destroying most of them instantly. The Khalaks who were left write about how Khanicks twisted form floated in the air for a second now a black and blue Orc with white-blue veins pulsing all over his body. How he was unto a living bolt of lighting. As he began to fall he instead landed on a giant fish who looked like sea given form, The Twin Fish. Khanick awoke as it caught him, Letting out a howl as he rod the fish god into the sea. For ages only the outsider Orc's worshiped this Orc Hero God, but after a time, the none Orc followers of the Twin Fish began to worship him as well he grants boons to those who evoke his name for preservation of nature, Wild magic, those in their Final moments can evoke his name for a glorious death. To Which he grants only to the most deserving. 



The Accidental God, Boof the Clown.

"Be careful who you follow."

Boof had lived life as an entertainer for many years, almost 10, long time for a Halfling, He was born in Yonder (hand gesture patting left hip, then throwing thumb over right shoulder) to a Father and Mother who ran a local bakery in the town. He had always found himself getting into trouble of all kinds usually not his fault wrong place wrong time sort of thing, but his troubles seemed to always get a laugh out of any on looker. At the young age of 16 he chose to leave home and join a traveling carnival as a clown. It was as he sat pondering on his life in a large city in Oricalcon waiting to go on stage, that he noticed a man wondering off from behind the tent. Curious as ever he darted off getting a friend to cover for him as he ran out to follow the figure. He stalked him through the street the man was a wizard he could tell that for certain. The man entered the giant tower at the east end of the city where Boof could not enter. He would notice and follow the man many more times, show after show he would follow the man back to the tower. But could never gain entry. One day the Troupe was hired to preform at the tower on the students floor, and Boof was one of the chosen performers. the show went as well as any other, Boof was about to go on stage when he noticed the man from before climbing a ladder in the back of the room to a higher part of the tower. His curiosity got the better of him again and he sneaked away. He followed the man from a far off on the ladder, but near the top after minutes of climbing the man disappeared into a room, a minute later Boof came upon the room as he reached nearer the room a cacophony that drowned out the sound of the play down stairs. As he poked his head into the room the man from before stood before a giant glowing orb encompassing the room the man laid before the orb on his knees, shaking, Boof worried the man was in trouble ran up to him and pulled him away the man screamed at him as he did so saying something like "kneel you fool or we all die!" he pushed Boof to the ground and screamed "Put you hands in the small circles and do not move for the love of all things!"  Boof did as he was told, the orb pulsing loudly as the man behind Boof chanted something in his native tongue, but after a moment Boof started to get worried as orb got larger and the chanting became more frantic. Boof looked behind him to see the man almost turned to a skeleton still chanting, despite his mouth not moving. Boof's face was so close to the orb he could feel the heat, it was dripping some kind of liquid that was melting the floor. Just as it almost came to touch him, Boof got a powerful urge to sneeze, he held it in for as long as he could but finally let loose a giant sneeze his head rocking forward as he does so, right into the orb. he screamed as his head poked into it his mouth feeling with the liquid power of the orb. He pulled his head out and the orb exploded knocking him back he hit his head and swallowed the liquid as he did so. He awoke to the room in shambles and the orb gone, the man dead standing in place he looked out the window to see the city in ruins and the country side a horror of fire. He found he was all too aware of what had happened to him, despite not understanding why, but he had drank from the Plegma, thus drinking pure Arcana and Abyss in liquid form. He had no desire to do thing like other gods, so he simply traveled around putting on shows so spectacular, and telling his story always as clumsy as ever he one time found himself outside of time and had to learn to control it to just get back. He boons those who evoke his name to entertain other, who are looking to just help people, tell a good story, those finding themselves unlucky or in need of time.

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Altruistic Pantheon


These Deities are some of the few that just simply seem to want to do for others despite of their own risk for it. No one knows why they do this only that they do, no matter what ill fate befalls them for it.


Yggdriga

"Consume this plague father."

This creature appears as a old man, who is as tall as a tree with long spindly arms, dressed in bloodied bandages. He walks with a cane, for he is lame. His body is covered in boils, pustules, and tumors. His skin is a sickly yellow-green and his eyes blood shot. He is a caretaker, a healer, in order to do so he takes whatever it is that ales someone from them and takes it on himself. Be it a fevered sickness or a broken leg. In some cases, he recovers in others he simply remains with the ailment. Those who evoke his name do so when healing others, tending wounds, and other medical related tasks.


Cauldrana

"Ease my pain mother or fire."

A woman who resembles a fiery tower of racks and magma. She sits within a giant iron cauldron were she stirs pure primordial energy to create elementals of all kinds. When she is not mothering babe elementals she sends energies outwards to those who need to feel a mothers love, she has even been known to travel through cauldron's, Spits, and Hearths of families homes to assist in child birth, or to promote positive family energy. Those who evoke her name do so when near one of the places she frequents, for easy births and healthy families.


They Come As One

"Full plates make full hearts."

A group of small beings resembling motes of light in the shape of child like imps. Once they were a single being but had a endless desire to interact with others in the communities it would travel through it broke its self into many parts. This deity loves large communities but dislikes cities as they are noisy and unfavorable. It loves bringing people items they like and watch from afar as they rejoice. Has been known to frequent homes of those having a rough time and cooking food. These creatures love doing whatever they can to bring small, but meaning, comforts to as many as they can. They do not linger in places for long, leaving a small batch of black berries fully grown and planted behind the home of those they help as the only mark they were ever there. Those who evoke them do so when unable to help those the love, the meek and down trodden often call upon them. They have even been known to take in the homeless and care for them, another sign they may be present in your town is the presence of a nameless traveler. Who maybe one of the homeless that follow the deity.


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Malignant Pantheon


Deities that one way or another contribute to the violence, or brutality in the realm. Not always a force purely desiring to create mindless evil, but they are often followed or evoked by those doing so.


Tith

"May cats cross their path soon."

This deity is rumored to actually be an Old God, for it has no true form at least none that any legends speak of as well nothing is known of its motives. The creature is said to sit in realm about the size of a small hut, with infinite windows were it watches all the realm. Tith interacts with the world in the form of a house cat, recognized by its fur that looks unto the night sky and bell that doesn't ring around its neck. Tith is said to be jealous of others greatly and sends its cat simulacra out to cause havoc and chaos ranging from spilling glasses of tables to leading to the people being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you see the cat be aware you have already befallen Tithes ire. Those who wish to cause misfortune accidental or otherwise upon others evoke this deities name.


Groth

"Taste all things."

A mass of countless gnashing mouths with teeth of steel, this creature wishes to taste all things. It spends most of its time traveling the outer realms consuming, it draws energy from our realm and it is the only reason it spares us. It wishes for those who evoke it to kill and consume, and even invigorates those wishing to kill for blood. It can also ease the mind of a killer or those wishing to kill. Sometimes evoked by murderers sometimes by those needing the gut to mercy kill someone.


Voth

"Take it fast, take it now."

The spawn of Torv, this living shadow revels in thieving from others and the more the stolen item means to someone the better, but theft is theft and it simple loves when it happens. The act of theft is pure art in its mind, but killing to take want what you want is not theft it's murder and murder makes it disgusted. Evoke its name if you wish for swift hands, and deft dexterity for thieving. Pray for shadows to hide you and they just might.


Lith

"Love hurts."

Made of stone that fell from the heavens, this unfeeling beast knows little and understands less. It once was told of love by a bard and has tried to create love, it does so by touching others it thinks want/need its love, but sadly the stone of its body cause madness and mental illness in any who touch it. unable to understand this it thinks the insane and mentally sick people who follow it must love it so it continue its travels spreading love to all.

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Racial Pantheons

A few denizens of Malteria have small Pantheon of Gods they worship, they are each a group of similar beings that mean something to a certain race only and aren't as important as one of the other listed deities.

Khalakian Warrior Ancestors

A ever changing group of ancestor spirits from the Khalaks tribe, who look over the jungle tribes. Seven members in total. Each representing a different aspect of Khalakian culture. It is said every 7th generation they current spirits step down and new young blood take up the mantles.


Gogodasian Pumpkin Gods

The Gogodasia people are a small enigmatic group that live in the south west of the Khalak jungle, they worship a number of gods that are living gourdes. Little is known about them, but they are peaceful. Unless you of course disrespect, harm, or do wrong otherwise to a gourd.

The River Fish, and The Twin Fish

Technically speaking these two are regional gods, but exclusively worshiped by central Malterians/ Gleshmerians, and a small minority of Orc located in Bright Town. The two fish deities are said to be the dead body of the Old God of the water ways and ocean split in two so it could never be raised.



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Notable Groups of Faith


Even though for most religion is a personal thing, there are still few rather large groups of mortals that gather in the name of a god, in order to push its agenda.


The Mouths Of Groth

This rag-tag group of mercenaries roves around the realm surrounding their canyon Temple-Fort: CragJaw.  Made up of largely Gleshmerian, Malterians, and Orcs though there are some few Earasi and even some Vrund. The current leader of the group is High-Priest, Sandstone, a Vrund. The Mouths travel around on the day of the year when the red moon shines and Kill, Murder and consume people from surrounding villages in hopes that their consumption will be vicariously enjoyed by Groth.


Watchers of Wx

Located in the field just beyond Glonwyre this group sits in stone chairs day in and out just simply observing. Comprise of only Glonwryians they need no food or water, all they do is watch and wait. They can sometime be heard whispering, Wx, just under there breath. Over and over.


Ladies of Moonlight

These woman are freedom fighters and civil rights activists that are currently stationed out of Ganesburg, the city that claims to be the very one that Trish her self was born in. They are a mercenary group not for prophet but for those seeking to be free or fight for rights, yes all of them are trained to be soldiers but most of their fighting is done off the battle field in the streets and court rooms.


Cult of the Twin Fish

Large town filled with Orcs and some Malterians, that worship the Twin Fish, and allow lighting spirits in their bodies. For the most part they are peaceful and wish to live in solitude. However most of the River Lords are worried by the Orcs ever growing numbers.