The Gods of Carsis ( Long Form )
The Ellemethar
They are the
elder beings who personify the four elements. Unlike most of the younger Gods,
they have little in common with mortals. They concern themselves with the
forces of nature on a grand scale, not with the lives of men. One may praise or
curse them without response. Thus there is no religion devoted to them, because
they do not communicate with mortals.
Nevertheless
they are personified in myth and often referred to as if they were like the other
Gods. Wizards are interested by the Ellemethar because they can be studied and
perhaps controlled like any natural force. This interest has led to a sort of
elemental cult of power worship. Something the other gods worry about.
Fardanier
God of light and flame, lord of the torch.
Who is called Wefeir, master of the Western Fire.
His symbol is a flaming torch on a red /
orange diamond back ground.
He appears as a man with a body of fire.
He is assumed to believe that fire is the
greatest element because of its wild and beautiful power to reduce all matter
to its base form. Fire cleanses in a way that water can not. Fire is both
useful and dangerous. Those with out the ability to control it should not play
with it. These are views ascribed to him. He is usually portrayed as being with
out pity.
Lotdanis
Goddess of lake and sea, lady of the cup.
Who is called Eswis, mistress of the Eastern Water.
Her symbol is a dripping cup on a dark /
light blue diamond back ground.
She appears as a woman with a body of
water.
She is assumed to believe that water is the
best element because it is ever flowing, mighty yet soothing and quiet. It can
overcome any obstacle in time, it can extinguish any fire. Water has the power
to give life and take it away. Water always seeks the sure path, gouing around
obsticals whenever it can instead of fighting them. She is usually portrayed as
a kind yet temperamental woman, who acts slowly.
Eridanier
God of earth and stone, lord of the gem.
Who is called Norellier, master of the Northern Earth.
His symbol is a glittering gem on a purple
/ brown diamond back ground.
He appears as a man with a body of stone.
He is assumed to believe that earth and all
the substances in it are the essential elements of the world. Stones are the
bones, dirt is the skin, metals are the veins, and gems are the joys of the
world. They are all malleable, able to be reshaped into an endless number of
useful forms. He is usually portrayed as an artist, always working yet never
finishing. His temperament is assumed to be blunt, and his methods direct.
Valfanis
Goddess of wind and the sky, lady of the
sail.
Who is called Satharis, mistress of the Southern Air.
Her symbol is a ship’s sail on a blue /
white diamond back ground.
She appears as a woman with a body of
clouds.
She is assumed to believe that air is the
greatest element. With out air there is no life, there is not even fire. Air is
much like water, yet it is free, unconfined by gravity. Although air is without
physical form its effects can be felt, as can its absence.
She is usually portrayed as unpredictable,
quickly changing her mind.
The Assenen
They are the
gods of time, personifying the seasons.
They also each represent a stage in a mortal’s life span. They are of
great importance to the rural folk and primitive societies who follow the ebb
and flow of the seasons. City dwellers and the more advanced civilizations
consider them as forces without much personality.
Arbranier
The bold prince, the young master, lord of
Spring.
Also called Earrach.
He appears as a happy healthy child,
sometimes as a young warrior.
His day is Appilin 7, the first Godsdy of
spring.
His energy and determination is boundless.
However he can be very wild and even destructive in his play. He calls on his
followers to peruse whatever they aim at whole heartedly, never to hesitate.
“Seize the day.” is his cry. He does not consider patience a virtue at all, but
rather a kind of weakness that should be overcome. To him, everything is a
game, even matters of life and death.
Sombrasis
The bright queen, mistress of the home,
lady of Summer.
Also called Sarnhrat.
She appears as a young mother or woman of
middle years.
Her day is Clairmer 7, the first Godsdy of
summer.
Her practical commonsense nature allows her
to undertake and finish many tasks at once. She often reminds her followers
that the abundant blessing of summer are not free, they must work hard to
collect them. Although she is joyful and hard working by nature she can be
exhausted. So she understands that he followers will need rest, but like a good
mother she will push her children to do the necessary tasks before giving them rest.
Myths often link her and Avinis, sometimes
as friends other times as sisters. They are said to often sit together and
watch the activities of the younger gods, and mortals.
Fellbrasis
The brown queen, mistress of the harvest,
lady of Fall.
Also called Fomhar.
She appears as a mature woman well aged
from much work.
Her day is Harvisum 7, the first Godsdy of
fall.
She brings blessings and curses, life and
death, the happy harvest festivals, and sad gray days of falling leaves. Of all
the gods she is perhaps the most shy and unstable in her personality. Her
moments of joy are suddenly interrupted by tears and as her time comes to an
end she often giggles with the memory of some happy event. The most famous of her comments is the truth
that brings both sadness and joy; “Nothing lasts forever.”
Wintamier
The ice king, the old master of hardship,
lord of Winter.
Also called Gaeaf.
He appears as an old man, inadequately
dressed for the cold.
His day is Coldber 7, the first Godsdy of
winter.
He is a harsh and unforgiving tester of
survival abilities. Although he looks frail, his power is born of long
experience. He expects his followers to sharpen their wits and skills as he has
himself done. He ruthlessly requires them to focus on what is important, survival
of self and family, with out the distractions of soft idealism.
He has
sometimes been compared to Biddenur-Prince
of power and Boffilur -Prince of
freedom, although his views are harsher. He is not interested in dominating and using the weak, rather he thinks
they should die. Only the most able individual should be free to reproduce.
The Divine Family
This family of gods personifies the
main concepts that mortal society is based upon. They are an active group,
often taking an interest in the affairs of men. Their relations and exploits
form a large body of stories, including the creation of several demigods (not
detailed here).
Breneir
Father of the gods, wise king of the sky,
lord of the day.
His symbol is the upper half of a circle,
blue with four white patches.
His day is during the Marssin 4 day festival of the Star Shower.
He appears majestic and powerful, as a king
should. He is not really all seeing, but his great wisdom allows him to
understand and predict events with ease. He seldom takes action because things
tend to work out in the long run. He is not concerned much with individuals but
rather with society at large.
He advises his followers to be dignified
and cautious, to think before they act. Although he enjoys a good laugh, he
would never accept being put into a silly position. As he said “Keeping one’s
own dignity and acting with restraint are the keys to social interaction, the
keys to honor, the first steps in respecting others.”
Avinis
Mother of gods, caring queen of the earth,
lady of the night.
Her symbol is the lower half of a circle,
brown with four green patches.
Her day is during the Apillin 4 day festival
of Apill weeds
Blossoming.
She appears kind and loving, as a mother
should. She is concerned for all life, and frequently tries to aid those in
need. Her meddling has proven to have side effects, not even Breneir can predict, some wonderful,
others terrible. Never the less she continues to help mortals, often by
requesting her children lend a hand.
She loves animals and people, nearly to the
same degree. Often she will advise her followers to be kind to all living
things, knowing they will not do so, but hopping they will occasionally display
compassion in excess of their usual nature. Harshness is simply not in her, and
so she demands that her followers always offer a second chance in matters of
justice and punishment.
Note.
Breneir & Avinis are almost always worshiped together. Their stylized figurines are part of nearly every home
shrine in Carsis. This is not to say that they have the largest or the most
dedicated following. But rather it is to point out that the general respect for
them is nearly universal, among married couples.
The Children of Breneir & Avinis
Ballomur
Prince of order - writer of the law
- keeper of the score.
Called Ballsoner,
the aloof one who does not interfere. The builder of the Path.
His symbol is a triangle with an eye above
an open book.
His day is Marssin 15.
He appears sometimes as an old sage,
grumbling and hard at work, impartially recording events for the divine court,
which mortals must appear in after death. Other times he appears as a young man
passionately arguing against the corruption of laws in a land.
He is law and order personified. He claims
that justice should never be blind, it must be all seeing. It is he who gave
the Book of the Laws to the profit Dennerron, thus all mortal laws are based on
his words. Unhappily to him, all mortal systems are imperfect attempts to
follow the Path. His followers often warn that there is a special place in hell
for those who deliberately pervert justice and use legal trickery.
Ammirra
Princess of unpredictability - the
trickster - weaver of illusions. Mistress of fate.
Twin sister of Ballomur. She cares not for order and is contemptuous of
predictability.
Her symbol is the mirror suspended in the
fog.
Her day is Octollum 15.
She can appear as anything, seldom taking
the same form twice in a generation. Unlike most of the gods, her interferences
in the affairs of mortals are usually for comical value.
She is chaotic but usually good natured. She
is a fun loving jester who has no respect for anything. She is the exact
opposite of her father Breneir in
almost every respect. She often plays deliciously wicked games with Arbranier-
bold prince of Spring.
Her advice to her followers is not to
become bound to any routine. Those who live strict regulated lives are most
unable to deal with change when it inevitably comes. It is better to be
unchained and ready to move in any direction.
Bennatur
Prince of perfection - who is peaceful and
strait forward. The walker of the path.
Called Goldoner,
the upholder of the valiant. He is idealism and goodness personified.
His symbol is a white triangle with
star-burst.
His day is Julimer 15.
He appears as the perfect man, strong and
fit, with every skill imaginable. Although he is obviously noble, his easy
going personality lets him fit into any group of people.
He is an admirable combination of his
divine parents, possessing the qualities which are thought most virtuous. He is
stern, yet kind, and dignified, yet friendly. He tells his followers to try
their best to do what is right, regardless of the outcome. He claims that the
end does not justify the means. He offers a code of honor to his followers, as
an example of what they should be, not as a set of laws.
Biddenur
Prince of power - who is competitive and
cunning. The bender of the path.
Called Daconer,
supporter of the ambitious. Success is what matters most to him.
His symbol is a black triangle with a
horned beast.
His day is Destber 15.
He appears as a dark robed warrior king. Tall and mighty, he strikes fear into those
who behold him. Not one to converse, he hears reports and gives orders, then is
gone.
He is a pragmatist and realist, doing what
is required. He instructs his followers that the end justifies the means. He
applauds skillful manipulation and trickery. He knows that it is better to be
feared than to be loved, because love is a fickle thing, while fear is more predictable.
He says; the weak should bow to the strong and be used by them as pawns. Thus
is often in conflict with his brother Boffilur -Prince of freedom.
Boffilur
Prince of freedom - who is self sufficient
and independent. Walker
of every path.
Called Libroner,
champion of self interests. He is individualism personified.
His symbol is a triangle with a man free of
his chains.
His day is Clairmer 15.
He appears some times as a young man, free
of his cares, seeking fun, fame and fortune. Other times he appears as a
fanatical, indomitable warrior fighting for liberty.
Although he and Biddenur generally agree on self interest, he often opposes his
brother’s willingness to support the enslavement of the weak by the strong. He demands
that his followers to stand on their own feet as best they can, and let other
people do the same. He has said; you may do as you will, so long as it harms on
one.
Addella
Princess of duty - who is committed to the
collective good.
Twin sister of Boffilur. Mistress of the pledge, binder of contracts.
Her symbol is a triangle with three figures
holding hands.
Her day is Apillin 15.
She appears as a plump motherly woman,
happy to help but with a frying pan ready to knock down anyone who will not do
his part for the community.
She is the spirit of group co-operation. Thus
considers her twin brother Boffilu- champion
of self interests, to be misguided in his outlook. She considers braking a deal
quite a serious offence, as contracts (written or not) are what hold society
together. Although she usually supports Ballomur-
Prince of order, she is willing to bend the letter of the law in the
interests of the common good. She frequently tells her followers to make
sacrifices for the greater good.
Allegga
Princess of happiness and pleasure - who is
focused on the present goodness of life.
Mistress of the smile. She is joy, the
bright side of love personified.
Her symbol is a triangle with a smiling
heart face.
Her day is Harvisum 15.
She appears as a beautiful young woman,
always smiling, often dancing. She is frequently the subject of erotic artwork
in the Pininthian and Hedonistic nations.
She is invited to bless all weddings and
most festivals, a task she seldom refuses. She tells her followers to make the
best of every situation, not to dwell on what tomorrow might hold. Her motto is;
“Don’t worry, be happy.” To this end she is quite skilled in all the
pleasurable arts. She expects her followers to be likewise good at bringing
joy.
Assella
Princess of sadness and pain - who is
focused on the present problems of life.
Mistress of the frown. Twin sister of Allegga.
Her symbol is a triangle with a sad heart
face.
Her day is Coldber 15.
She appears as a plain dark young woman. Although
never welcomed, she is expected to attend funerals and walk upon the battle
field. She is sometimes mistaken for an undead when she walks among the fallen
She is unhappiness, the dark side of love
personified. She is often moody and glum but occasionally bursts into a rage
over the unfairness of some tragedy. In telling her of their sadness, her
followers hope for relief from it. This she can only partly grant by sharing
their sorrows, not by removing them. She often asks; “If to live is to risk
pain, what is it to feel nothing at all?”
The Occara
Kalata
Goddess of hunters, herdsmen and animal
trainers.
Lady of the forest, she is wild, protective
of her children and vengeful if wronged.
Her symbol is a Tree flanked by a deer and
a wolf.
She appears as a tough woman dressed in
crude furs’
Her day is Apllin 23.
Lady of the forest, she is wild, protective
of her children and vengeful if wronged.
She is both a protector of animals and a
hunter of them. City dwellers often fear her, while rangers are her most
devoted followers. She hates those who are wasteful, who kill more animals than
they need. She is sometimes called the favorite of Avinis, for her love of nature. However the Mother goddess often
thinks her to harsh in her punishments.
Gebalur
God of farmers, cooks, bakers and brewers.
Lord of the Field, he is enduring and
pragmatic.
His symbol is a spade in a field of new
plants.
He appears as a huge man, dull but
friendly.
His day is Harvisum 23.
Although tough and strong he does not like
to fight. He grumbles greatly at any interruption to his work, yet continues
even in the face of troubles. Echoing the words of Addella, he tells his
followers to act on behalf of the greater good, to sacrifice their pleasure for
the survival of the community. Of course he is not always glum and serious,
after a day’s work he encourages his followers to relax with a drink and a
tasty treat. He is sometimes mocked for doing woman’s work. But he laughs and
ignores the comments.
Missra
Goddess of fishermen, sailors and
travelers.
Lady of the Storm, moody and dangerous, yet
beautiful.
Her symbol is a winged boot on a field of
waves.
She appears as a dark haired woman dressed
in only a storm cloak.
Her day is Marssin 7.
Her image is often attached to the prow of ships.
She is also called upon to bless new ships and expeditions setting out on long
voyages. Travelers often beg her for protection in one breath and curse her for
tempting them into leaving home with another. She laughs and tells her
followers that travel brings all sorts of pleasure and profits. It is her view
that adventure and adversity are good to build character.
Dunabur
God of all smiths, armor and weapons crafts
men.
Lord of the Volcano, he is skillful, strong
and gruff.
His symbol is a hammer on a flaming
background.
He appears as a huge man with flame hair.
His day is Destber 23.
He is much like his brother Gebalur in many ways, except that he is
quick to anger and willing to fight. He
tells his followers that metal working is the greatest, beneficial and
destructive of all crafts. He cautions them to give their services only to
those who are worthy, not to sell them cheaply. Advice that is often
interpreted as justification for the demand of high wages.
Fremelur
God of masons, carpenters and architects.
Lord of the city, he is a careful planner
who will measure twice and cut once.
His symbol is a crossed measuring rod and a
level.
He appears as a fit, intelligent young man.
His day is Clairmer 23.
He claims that mortals should live in
highly organized communities, that way they may enjoy the best of all things.
He promotes the idea that man most conquer nature, not be subject to its wild
unpredictable dangers. Mathematics for both abstract and practical uses is a
major interest of his. Among his followers there is one great theoretic divide,
which he has not settled. The questions; is there a perfect plan for a city or
building. Some say yes, others say each
must be unique to its location.
He considers himself chief of the Occara,
using logic rather than force to control his siblings. He is often in conflict with his sister Kalata-the huntress.
Jasoma
Goddess of doctors, midwives and
herbalists.
Lady of the healing hand, she is kindly yet
determined to do her job.
Her symbol is a glowing hand.
She appears as a common woman.
Her day is Coldber 23.
Often she is sorrowful at the cost of
failure. Although she is compassionate, she can be spiteful towards those who
do not follow her advice to prevent illness and injury. She tells her followers
how to live a healthy life and how to be as fit as a mortal might be.
Her church is popular in every land however
it is never the official state religion.
She dislikes all those who prophet from
peddling unhealthy enjoyments for the body. Her followers are encouraged to
bring law suits against such evil men, or stop them in some other none violent
way.
Marzur
God of warriors, guardsman and mercenaries.
Lord of the battle ground, he is concerned
with practical matters of war.
His symbol is a figure ready for battle.
He appears as a large man, in armor, always
serious looking.
His day is Julimer 23.
He does not care much for honor and glory. A
quick victory and the welfare of the troops are his main concerns. Although
some nobles and officers follow him, most of his devoted supporters are the
common soldiers. He does not condone the wasteful and foolish use of troops
that lead to their doom. Victory is important but one must count the cost and
be able to hold whatever was just gained.
He is in close agreement with his brother
Fremelur about the importance of planning and organization. His is openly hostile
towards Ammirra princess of
unpredictability.
Alaphra
Goddess of artists, musicians and
performers.
Lady of the park, she is loving passionate,
and creative.
Her symbol is a happy figure with arms
open.
She appears as the most charming woman
ever.
Her day is Octollum 7.
She tends to see any situation, as a source
for ideas. Although she is often happy her moods can also be dark. What is
constant is her devotion to the perfection of her art. This she demands of her
followers. Of all the gods she understands emotions best and is most able to
play upon them, although she seldom has any reason to manipulate mortals. She
loves attention, considering it a great insult to be ignored. Although she is
not especially vengeful, she is willing to ruin a person’s reputation.
She often spends time with Allegga Princess of happiness and Assella Princess of sadness, seeking
inspiration from them.
Ratarlur
God of merchants, businessmen and thieves.
Lord of the market, he is cunning and quick
witted.
His symbol is a figure standing at the city
gates.
He appears as a wealthy, jovial mature man.
His day is Destber 7.
Perhaps the intellectual superior of Fremelur, he prefers to manipulate
rather than convince by argument. Although he agrees with Boffilur about self interest being central, he supports the view
that everyone should be free. The smart may then take advantage of the dumb, in
ways that are not oppressive. He teaches his followers to be honorable, so long
as honor works to their advantage. Keen judgment of situations and people are
the virtues he admires in his followers.
Arkalra
Goddess of textile workers, tailors,
cobblers and dyers.
Lady of the workshop, she is dull but
dependable.
Her symbol is a needle and thread or
spinning wheal.
She appears as a plump middle aged
woman.
Her day is Julimer 7.
She is a firm supporter of Addella Princess of duty, and is
committed to the collective good. She is frequently called the ideal wife, by
those who value practicality and stability. This is sometimes at odds with the
idea that a woman’s place is in the home, because she prefers the workshop and
cares little for children or domestic tasks. She is sometimes concerned with
the practical side of her crafts, other times she thinks deeply of their
beauty. Her followers are told that the best items are both functional and
fabulous.
