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Post by GM HIERO on May 10, 2015 15:41:19 GMT -6
DEO The God of Life and Death, Deo, is said to be one of the two most powerful gods in all of Runis. It is he who is in charge of life, death, and rebirth, and it is he who resides in the Soul Stream, carefully managing each and every soul before it is sent on to the next stage of creation.
Long ago, the worlds governed by the Soul Stream were plagued with war and death. They say that it was he, along with the goddess Lumina, that created Runis as a place of peace and fertility for all those born into it. He trusted it to the citizens of Runis long ago to return to the Soul Stream and watch from afar, but the people have not forgotten him.
The first day of every Spring is a celebration to Deo. Normally, it coincides with the first thaw. People arrange a festival, which includes a dance that represents souls passing through the Stream from one life into the next. It's a great honor to be chosen for the dance, as only six people are ever chosen each Spring. |
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Post by GM HIERO on May 10, 2015 15:46:17 GMT -6
LUMINA The Goddess of Time and Destiny, Lumina, is said to be one of the two most powerful gods in all of Runis. It is she who is in charge of the flow of time and the fate of all who live within the land, and it is she who resides in the Soul Stream, carefully weaving the strings of destiny and watching what the living do with the choices presented to them.
After witnessing the darkness that consumed other worlds, she and Deo created an ideal paradise together. However, it is said that Lumina believes that true paradise isn't a paradise at all. They say that she ensures that all souls have trials to endure and overcome that will make them stronger. She watches the land and sees to it that, should darkness encroach, heroes will be there to step up and defend it.
A celebration to Lumina is held in the middle of the Summer season. People arrange physical trials, everything from sword combat to archery competitions to horse and swimming races, and compete to see who can score the highest in any given task. It's considered a symbolic way to honor the trials Lumina grants each person in life. |
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Post by GM HIERO on May 10, 2015 15:54:39 GMT -6
THE CRAFTERS The Crafters are a group of three goddesses, daughters of Lumina, that created the life and order of the land that their mother helped to design. They are sometimes called the Trinity or the Triad. It is said that the world itself was carved and built by the Crafters, and that the lives not placed by Deo and Lumina were granted by them. They are considered patron goddesses, and warriors of different disciplines tend to follow one more than the other two.
Nimue, the Goddess of Water. She is the patron goddess of mages and scholars, and her symbol is the book. The first rain of the year is the beginning of the Festival of Nimue, an impromptu celebration that begins the moment the first drop falls and doesn't stop until the skies have cleared once more.
Tana, the Goddess of Fire. She is the patron goddess of knights and barbarians, and her symbol is the shield. The Festival of Tana is held in the late Summer, when the harvest is ripe. It is held at night, after the first harvest has been completed, and people stay up all night feeding bonfires and feasting.
Zola, the Goddess of Wind. She is the patron goddess of archers and rogues, and her symbol is the knife. The middle of the Winter season brings the Festival of Zola. Competitions are held in the snow, with ice skating, snowball fights, sledding, and creating sculptures of snow and ice being popular activities.
In most depictions, the three are never seen without each other, whether it is in artwork or books. They are a unit, all three in equal balance with one another. |
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Post by GM HIERO on May 10, 2015 15:59:15 GMT -6
THE GOD-BROTHERS As Lumina had children, so did Deo. To him were born two sons, who came to be known most commonly as the God-Brothers all throughout the land of Runis. It is said that the God-Brothers, most famous for their brotherly feud, brought war and death to Runis for the first time. The two are opposites, two halves of the same coin, and it is said that when the two meet in battle, the entire world will perish.
Acerbus, the God of the Moon. He is the elder brother and in charge of erg, the life force of everything. Without erg, crops would wither, rivers would dry, and great catastrophe would occur. When there is a poor harvest or a terrible storm, people believe it is because of Acerbus, and will do whatever they can to appease him, from offering blood sacrifices to holding festivals in his honor.
Adustum, the God of the Sun. He is the younger brother and in charge of mana, the mystical force of the world. Without mana, magical abilities would cease to be usable, and many things tied too closely to the energy itself would perish. To pay tribute to him, people hold festivals in his honor, and send flowers out on water with candles on them, to light up the water like an ocean of stars.
They say that Acerbus and Adustum walk the world in secret and that, one day, the two will divide Runis into two halves. Once the divide is complete, Runis will go to war with itself and there will be no survivors left. |
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Post by GM HIERO on May 10, 2015 16:09:10 GMT -6
THE ANCIENTS Long ago, before written history, war came to Runis. They say that it was spawned by Adustum and Acerbus, who each created a warrior to fight their battles for them. When the war reached its peak, Deo and Lumina also created a warrior to stop the fighting.
The Shadow-Bearer, Acerbus's champion. A dark, twisted, evil specter with no name, it was said that he bore all of his master's magic and tried to conquer the world with it. Using an ancient weapon with the power to kill a deity, he killed the Runic when she was sent to stop the war.
The Black Dragon, Adustum's champion. A violent, powerful serpent that could shape-shift into the form of a man, it was said that he could breathe fire hot enough to melt any substance and possessed claws that could rend the strongest metals. The death of the Runic sent him into a mindless rage that destroyed half of Runis with fire and brimstone.
The Runic, Lumina and Deo's champion. Always represented as a being of silver light, she was sent by the two to intervene in the war between the God-Brothers. She managed to calm the Black Dragon, but that the Shadow-Bearer killed her before she could truly stop the fighting.
After the death of the Runic, the God-Brothers put their fighting aside. The gods of Runis sealed the Shadow-Bearer and the Black Dragon at opposite ends of the world, one within a land of death and shadow, and the other within a volcano. |
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