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--- deitylist [2025/01/07 18:04] – created alex
+++ deitylist [2026/08/05 08:09] (current) – alex
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-===  The Aspects, the circle of reality  ===
+  The Aspects, the circle of reality
 Theology of the Aspects revolves around three forces in balance.  Threes are fortuitous numbers in many cultures as well.  Sometimes called the impersonal deities as these are uncaring forces of the universe.  The first Roles that were filled even before people existed.  The least likely to answer to prayer directly and never in a personal way.  Always aloof.
 ==The Radiant Queen==
-Regent of Life\\
+Aspect of Life\\
 Goddess of Familial Love, and Rivers\\
 Symbol: Oak Tree, often glowing or Golden usually depicted next to a river.\\
-Holy Weapon: A Mace or Staff\\
+Holy Weapon: A Mace or Staff, often shaped like or decorated with plant shapes.\\
 Celebration Day:  Celebrated in spring or early summer depending on climate, in the most lively time of year.\\
 ==Queen of Time==
-Regent of Passing Years\\
+Aspect of Passing Years\\
 Goddess of time and art on static medium\\
 Symbol: A silver ring with four pointed star that touches the outer edge\\
-Holy Weapon: Stiletto (never ornamented except for her symbol top of the handle)\\
+Holy Weapon: Stiletto (never ornamented except for her symbol)\\
-Celebration Day:  Late winter where it’s cold, or the hottest days in warm climates.  The theme is always stillness.  The long waiting of time.  Tends to be an extremely reserved and formal observation.
+Celebration Day:  Late winter where it’s cold, or the hottest days in warm climates.  The theme is always stillness.  The long waiting of time.  Tends to be an extremely reserved and formal observation.\\
+Her champion, called The Watcher, is a key figure in her lore.
 ==The Hungering Darkness==
-Regent of Entropy\\
+Aspect of Entropy\\
 God of Undead, Enemy of all life, The Crawling King\\
 Symbol: A corroded disk of metal  Commonly iron, but powerful clerics might wear corroded gold or silver.  Lesser followers might encase the symbol in glass to prevent needing to replace it often.  An obvious heresy but tolerated with a sneer.\\
 Holy Weapon: Axes\\
-Celebration Day: Varies with culture, held at the same time as one of the other Regent observations, or opposite it on the calendar.  Almost always held in secret, it’s a rare culture to celebrate the death of all things…  Though they do exist.  The flavor is usually along the lines of celebrating in the face of inevitable doom and with the undertone of asking for that doom to wait until next year.
+Celebration Day: Varies with culture, held at the same time as one of the other Regent observations, or opposite it on the calendar.  Often held in secret, it’s a rare culture to celebrate the death of all things…  Though nihilistic followers do exist.  Public celebrations run along the lines of celebrating in the face of inevitable doom and with the undertone of asking for that doom to wait until next year.
 -----
-Regents
+  Regents, the Circle of Civilization
-Regents are the gods of societies.  Roles that filled as people built societies and try to understand the patterns of life and the world around them as they interact with it from day to day.  Still unlikely to intervene in a personal way but can happen when need is great and much less aloof about it.
+Regents are the gods of people in groups.  Roles that formed as people built societies and try to understand the patterns of life and the world around them as they interact with it from day to day.  Still unlikely to intervene in a personal way but can happen when need is great and much less aloof about it.
-Summer King		Lord of Celebration
+==Summer King==
-	God of Sun and Fresh Water, Ordered crops, Harnesed Fire, Crafting
+Regent of Craft and Husbandry\\
-Symbol: Scythe and Stein (or Mug regionally)  Areas with especially powerful guilds might use their tools.  But always tools, not weapons.
+God of Sun and Fresh Water, Ordered crops, Harnesed Fire, Crafting\\
-Holy Weapon: Warhammer
+Symbol: Scythe and Stein (or Mug regionally)  Areas with especially powerful guilds might use their tools.  But always tools, not weapons.\\
+Holy Weapon: Warhammer\\
 Celebration day: High Summer, On the Solstice usually, but earlier in summer in the hottest climates.  After the hardest work of planting is done, but before the heat of summer becomes punishing.  A day for craftspeople to celebrate their skills.
-Dawnflower		Regent of Spring, Lady of Rebirth and Redemption
+==Dawnflower==
-	Goddess of Perennial Plants, especially Orchards, and the embrace of change
+Regent of Spring, Lady of Rebirth and Redemption\\
-Symbol: Red Day Lilly sometimes fruit tree flowers
+Goddess of Perennial Plants, especially Orchards, and the embrace of change\\
-Holy Weapon: Sword
+Symbol: Red Day Lilly sometimes fruit tree flowers\\
-Celebration Day:  First of Spring  Celebrate the end of winter, and the beginning of a new year in most cultures.
+Holy Weapon: Sword\\
+Celebration Day:  First of Spring  Celebrate the end of winter, and the beginning of a new year in most cultures.  The Dawnflower is often associated with legal systems along side The Tyrant and Andoletta as a reminder that mercy can be important and redemption is possible.
-Winter King		Regent of Winter and Lord of Restraint
+==Winter King==
-	God of Sea and Stone, Endurance
+Regent of Winter and Lord of Restraint\\
-	(Permanence at rest, Permanence in Motion)
+God of Sea and Stone, Endurance
-Symbol: Stylized mountain with waves across the base
+//(Permanence at rest, Permanence in Motion)//\\
-Holy weapon: Sword and Shield (regionally sometimes spear and shield)
+Symbol: Stylized mountain with waves across the base\\
-Celebration Day:  In cold or temperate climates, First Snow  Held on the full moon following the first real snow of the cold season (in places where it snows).  A day of preparation and sacrifices to the Sea or Mountains to ensure that people are equal to the test of the coming winter.  In climates without snow it’s positioned before the stormy season but focuses on the same ideas.
+Holy weapon: Sword and Shield (regionally sometimes spear and shield)\\
+Celebration Day:  In cold or temperate climates, First Snow  Held on the full moon following the first real snow of the cold season (in places where it snows).  A day of preparation and sacrifices to the Sea or Mountains to ensure that people are equal to the test of the coming winter.  In climates without snow he is more often referred to as the Storm King and his celebration is positioned before the stormy season but focuses on much the same ideas.
-Andoletta		Regent of Autumn and Lady of Mourning, The Shepherd of Souls
+==Andoletta==
-	Goddess of the ordered passing of souls and quiet deaths
+Regent of Autumn and Lady of Mourning, The Shepherd of Souls\\
-Symbol: Plain back stone disk
+Goddess of the ordered passing of souls and quiet deaths\\
-Holy weapon: dagger
+Symbol: Plain back stone disk\\
-Celebration Day:  Near the end of harvest season, but before cold sets in.  Exact celebration style depends on the funerary rites of the culture, but centers on celebrating your ancestors, mourning those lost over the year.
+Holy weapon: dagger\\
+Celebration Day:  Near the end of harvest season, but before cold sets in.  Exact celebration style depends on the funerary rites of the culture, but usually centers on celebrating your ancestors and mourning those lost over the year.  An important figure in legal systems alongside The Dawnflower and The Tyrant as a reminder that laws must be fair.\\
-The Tyrant		Regent of Waste, Lord of Blood and Pain, Conquest
-	God of slaughter, Wildfires, Captain of the Uncaring Hunt
-Symbol: Bloodied Spear
-Holy weapon: Spears or Polearms
-Celebration Day: Held in mid spring, in cultures where it is celebrated openly it involves games of strength and martial prowess.  Sometimes used between countries as a day to kind of bleed off some of the warlike desire in a more controlled way.  (often includes stories where such attempts escalated into more serious conflict)
-Tiamat			Regent of Destruction, Lady of Monsters
+==The Tyrant==
-	Goddess of the divine magic, natural monsters (dragons)
+Regent of Waste, Lord of Blood and Pain, Conquest\\
+God of slaughter, Wildfires, Captain of the Uncaring Hunt\\
+Symbol: Bloodied Spear\\
+Holy weapon: Spears or Polearms\\
+Celebration Day: Held at mid spring in cultures where it is celebrated openly it involves games of strength and martial prowess.  Sometimes used between countries as a day to kind of bleed off some of the warlike desire in a more controlled way.  The Tyrant's role in legal systems is enforcer, often depicted as a near independent aspect of Executioner.\\
+The Tyrant has three noteworthy champions, named by variations of Famine, Fury, and Ruin and usually depicted on horseback.
+==Tiamat==
+Regent of Destruction, Lady of Monsters\\
+Goddess of divine magic, natural monsters (especially dragons)\\
 Symbol: 5 headed dragon (‘cause she’s an egomaniac)
 Holy Weapon: claws and teeth
-Celebration Day: The day of Betrayal  Held the second full moon after the Summer Solstice.  Involves living sacrifices, always sentient where possible, and using a draconic linked elemental power.  (fire and lightning are the favorites for the spectacle)
+Celebration Day: The day of Betrayal  Held the second full moon after the Summer Solstice.  Involves living sacrifices, always sentient where possible, and using a draconic linked elemental power.  (fire and lightning are the favorites for the spectacle)\\
+Tiamat has a chosen champion from each of the chromatic dragon colors and her most devout followers are known as the Lash of Mortals.\\
 ------
-Court of Heavens (Court of the Earth, many variations here)
+  Court of Heaven, or Court of the Earth
-The court is the lowest of the high gods.  Far more personal and focused on single concepts (to varying degrees) While the Regents have only one story of any change to their numbers (Tiamat) The Court has a few including the Lady of Envy, Nethys which is referenced in almost all cultures.  The Stalker has a number of conflicting regional stories about the Role being filled by a new individual, possibly indicating it has happened more than once.
+(many cultural variations in name here)\\
+The court is the lowest of the high gods.  Far more personal and focused more on single concepts (to varying degrees).  While the Regents have only one story of any change to their numbers (Tiamat). The Court has a few including the Lady of Envy, or Nethys which are referenced in almost all cultures.  Then, the Stalker has a number of conflicting regional stories about the Role being filled by a new individual, possibly indicating it has happened more than once.
-Apsu			Liege of Healing
+==Apsu==
-	Deity of Divine Magic, Foresight and Divination, Enlightenment, and The Brighter Moon
+Liege of Preservation\\
-Symbol: Open hand, palm outward
+Deity of Healing, Divine Magic, Foresight and Divination, Enlightenment, and The Brighter Moon\\
-Holy weapon: fists and other unarmed
+Symbol: Open hand, palm outward\\
-Celebration Day:  Held on the Autumnal Equinox is a quiet observation.  Temple Healing is often given freely to those in need on this day, and followers capable of healing are expected to spend some of their granted power in that way.  Also a day for meditation, and the peaceful resolution of grievances.  It is considered extra auspicious to end a war on Apsu’s day.
+Holy weapon: fists and other unarmed\\
+Celebration Day:  Held on the Autumnal Equinox is a quiet observation.  Temple Healing is often given freely to those in need on this day, and followers capable of healing are expected to spend some of their granted power in that way.  Also a day for meditation and the peaceful resolution of grievances.  It is considered extra auspicious to end a war on Apsu’s day.  Fables abound pitting Apsu and Tiamat against each other teaching lessons about the ease of destruction vs the diligence required to protect.  They are also often cast as symbols of the vice of ego against the virtue of selflessness.\\
+In all but the most ancient stories Apsu is depicted as having a mate known as The Walker in Darkness (aka The Guiding Star or The Shield in the Night)
-Desna			Lady of Mysteries, the well meaning trickster
+==Desna==
-	Goddess of Occult Magic, Stars, Dance, Music, and other ephemeral art
+Lady of Mysteries, the well meaning trickster\\
-Symbol: a butterfly, or long pointed star
+Goddess Occult Magic, Stars, Dance, Music, and other ephemeral art\\
-holy weapons: Whip or Rapier
+Symbol: a butterfly, or long pointed star\\
-Celebration Day: location in the year varies wildly by culture, but will often be a week of celebration with examples of Theater, Dance, Concerts.  Occult projects are said to be extra powerful in this time.
+holy weapons: Whip or Rapier\\
+Celebration Day: location in the year varies wildly by culture, but will often be a week of celebration with examples of Theater, Dance, Concerts.  Occult projects are said to be extra powerful in this time.\\
+Desna has two attendants Shine and Void, they are never depicted as humanoid.\\
+==Eros==
+Lord or Lady of Romance and the skies\\
+God of romantic love, weather, wind\\
+Symbol: A rose on clouds (often stormclouds)\\
+Celebration Day: Held in Spring, sometimes in conjunction with the Dawnflower’s holiday, sometimes a specific day in Desna’s week.  Features competitions of artwork, and maypole type events.\\
+Eros has two well known heralds: Rain and Petal often depicted as pixies or similar.  None of the three are depicted with a fixed gender, Eros delights in all the varied forms romance can have.
-Eros			Lord of Romance and the skies
-	God of romantic love, weather, wind
-Symbol: A rose on clouds (often stormclouds)
-Celebration Day: Held in Spring, sometimes in conjunction with the Dawnflower’s holiday, sometimes a specific day in Desna’s week.  Features competitions of artwork, and maypole type events.
+==Filia==
+Lady of Nature\\
+Goddess of Nature, flora and fauna, Balance (specifically with/in nature or life), Primal magic\\
+Usually depicted centaurlike, usually deer, but elk or larger forms as well when she’s angry.  Also sometimes symbolized as a bear or regional equivalent when really pissed.  \\
+Holy weapon: a spear or bow\\
+Symbols:  Very little uniformity of symbols across cultures.  Often animals, sometimes just depicting her horned stag-person form or just the horns.  Art work has a bit of a trend depicting trees with a bear and deer under its branches.\\
+Celebration Day:  Almost never a formal celebration day.  But some cultures do specify days where sacrifices are made to nature.  The kingdom of Kiereth (later adopted by the Viserion Empire) and Anicium on Eolanada both had holy days featuring the ceremonial sowing of wildflowers over a fallow field or tree planting.\\
-Filia			Lady of Nature
-	Goddess of Nature, flora and fauna, Balance (specifically with/in nature or life), Primal magic
-	Usually depicted centaurlike, usually deer, but elk or larger forms as well when she’s angry.  Also sometimes symbolized as a bear when really pissed.
-Holy weapon: a spear or bow
-Symbols:  Very little uniformity of symbols across cultures.  Often animals, sometimes just depicting her horned stag-person form or just the horns.  Art work has a bit of a trend depicting trees with a bear and deer under its branches.
-Celebration Day:  Almost never a formal celebration day.  But some cultures do specify days where sacrifices are made to nature.  The kingdom of Kiereth (later adopted by the Viserion Empire) and Anicium on Eolanada both had holy days featuring  a ceremonial sowing of wildflowers over a fallow field, or tree planting days.
+==Nethys==
+Lord of Learning and the Arcane, The Split God\\
+God of Arcane Magic, Learning, Self Improvement\\
+Holy weapons: A staff, or glaive\\
+Symbol:  his split black and white mask\\
+Nethys is said to have been a mortal who learned more about magic and replaced, or possibly merged with the prior Aspect of the Role.  One source implies it was connected to Tiamat’s ascension and the prior aspect was a Regent, and possibly evil.  His split nature serves as lesson about the potential of the Arcane for both good and evil.\\
+Celebration Day: Early Winter, or opposite the stormy season, Nethys’ holiday is rarely observed outside the company of historians or arcane researchers.  On Visteria the Library in Myabra celebrates it as intake day where new students are accepted.  On the Isle of Mysteries it is the end of the teaching year and deadline to present final projects or dissertations. Intended to be a day of sharing knowledge, it often turns into a time of intellectual ego flexing.\\
+Nethys is far too broken to have traditional clerics or champions, but many cultures have stories of The Great Maesters who were almost Avatars of what used to be called the schools of magic.
-Nethys			Lord of Learning and the Arcane, The Split God
-	God of Arcane Magic, Learning, Self Improvement
-Holy weapons: A staff, or glaive
-Symbol:  his split black and white mask
-	Nethys is said to have been a mortal who learned more about magic and replaced, or possibly merged with the prior Aspect of the Role.  One source implies it was connected to Tiamat’s ascension and the prior aspect was a Regent, and possibly evil.  His split nature serves as lesson about the potential of the Arcane for both good and evil.
-Celebration Day: Early Winter, or opposite the stormy season, Nethys’ holiday is rarely observed outside the company of historians or arcane researchers.  Intended to be a day of sharing knowledge, it often turns into a time of intellectual ego flexing.
+==The Twins==
+Lord and Lady of Luck\\
+The twin gods of Luck, Commerce, and Trade (and Gambling of course)\\
+The Lord represents bad, the Lady good luck, “Luck be a lady” and references to “the Lord’s Push” or “the Lady’s Pull” are common phrases.\\
+Symbol: A coin with their faces smiling and frowning respectively on either side, never worn in a way that intentionally favors one side over the other.\\
+Holy weapon: Flail\\
+Celebration Day: Varies wildly across cultures, many not having one, but most having at least one.  Generally featuring games of chance they can also be celebrations of trade.
-The Twins		Lord and Lady of Luck
+==The Hollow One==
-	The twin gods of Luck, Commerce, and Trade (and Gambling of course)
+Lord of Fear\\
-	The Lord represents bad, the Lady good luck (“Luck be a lady” and references to “the Lord’s Push” or “the Lady’s Pull” are common phrases)
+God of fear, especially fear of the unknown.\\
-Symbol: A coin with their faces smiling and frowning respectively on either side.
+Saying that translate to “hollow one look away” are common ‘worship’.  Popular with Drow.\\
-Holy weapon: Flail
+Symbol: two concentric rings, the inner having three spikes that point outward the outer ring three pointing inward.  (theological lessons explain this as fear can come from within or without) \\
+Holy weapon: kris or katar\\
+Celebration Day: Uncommon, but there are cultures that dedicate a day to the facing of fears who link those events to the Lord of Fear.  Though generally as a way of holding him back.\\
+Numerous aspects are depicted, portraying specific fears.  Though whether they are champions, independent avatars, or simply a fluid appearance is unclear.
-The Hollow One	Lord of Fear
+==The Stalker==
-	God of fear, especially fear of the unknown.
+Lord of the Kill, The Shadow of Endless Faces\\
-	Saying that translate to “hollow one look away” are common ‘worship’.
+God of murder, vengeance for the sake of vengeance, the joy of killing at the personal level.  Also popular with Drow.\\
-Symbol: two concentric rings, the inner having spikes that point outward the outer ring pointing inward.  (theological lessons explain this as fear can come from within or without)
+The only Role with multiple stories of being replaced.  No culture has more than one story like this, though many of the stories are wildly contradictory.\\
-Holy weapon: kris or katar
+Symbol: a wavy bladed dagger\\
+holy weapon: dagger or shortsword, poison\\
-The Stalker		Lord of the Kill, The Shadow of Endless Faces
+Celebration Day: Unique to Drow culture, and more specifically an ancient custom of the highest clans, there is a "Knives in the Dark" tradition.  Not tied to the upper world calendar in any way, arcane calculations are required to extrapolate a celestial arrangement in the shadowfel to the prime material plane in order to find when the event happens.\\
-	God of murder, vengeance for the sake of vengeance, the joy of killing at the personal level
+Many cultures depict The Stalker with an apprentice though this is not universal.
-The only Role with multiple stories of being replaced.  No culture has more than one story like this, though many of the stories are wildly contradictory.
-Symbol: a wavy bladed dagger
-holy weapon: dagger or shortsword, poison
-The Covetous One	Lady Envy, The Pirate Queen
-	Goddess of theft, piracy, enslavement, extortion
-Holy weapon: Cutlass, or Rapier
-Symbol Crossed Cutlass and loop of Chains (usually white on a field of black)
-Multiple cultures tell of a master thief god who had his riches and godhead stolen.
+==The Covetous One==
+Lady Envy, The Pirate Queen, goddess of the shadowed moon.\\
+Goddess of theft, piracy, enslavement, extortion\\
+Holy weapon: Cutlass, or Rapier\\
+Symbol Crossed Cutlass and loop of Chains (usually white on a field of black)\\
+Multiple cultures tell of a master thief god who had his riches and godhead stolen.\\
+Celebration Day:  Not a scheduled day by any stretch, more an expectation that a big haul is to be celebrated and some of the loot shared around.  \\
+Stories often tell of a First Mate called The Lash.
 -----
-Small Gods
+  Small Gods
-	Small gods are the least powerful of deities. To the point that the most powerful mortals often exceed their power.  Extremely focused Roles centered around limited concepts.  Geoff the god of biscuits and that kind of thing.
+Small gods are the least powerful of deities. To the point that the most powerful mortals often exceed their power.  Extremely focused Roles centered around limited concepts.  Geoff the god of biscuits and that kind of thing.  Some of the champions of the gods could qualify as small gods if their Role wasn't entirely dependent on the larger aspect.
+==The Lady of Storms==
+AKA Lady of the Deeps, Goddess of things lost at sea\\
+A lost goddess recently (re)discovered.  Her prior Role is vague, possibly as high as Regent of Great Waters maybe a member of the Court of Earth, she's not really saying.  But some great power caused her disappearance, triggering what appears to be the first shifting of roles.  While most land dwellers in the known world are still unaware, there were small pockets of lingering believers among mer-people, and tiny rituals among sailors that didn't quite connect to known deities.