Gods, the Synod, Mythology

The deities (in our part of the world) represent a united pantheon under Keyel. People don't think of themselves as followers of one god, although many will see a particular deity as their patron. A soldier will make regular offerings to Aenor, but when in matters of the heart she'll pray to Olwyn. Clerics have their specialties, of course, reflected in their choice of Domain. A cleric in rural regions whose parish is primarily farmers would mostly offer prayer to Callobar (and, mechanically, perhaps have the Nature domain), but will also invoke Megryn and Melarran at funerals. There are many orders and religious fraternities, of varying degrees of independence. The Eminence of Light, centered in Alloraine see themselves as the rulers over the priesthood, as in the days of the kingdom, it was their duty to crown the king or queen.

The pantheon is primarily worshiped by humans, although demihumans who’ve integrated into human society typically take up their faith. The elven folk, with their love of twilight and night skies long ago befriended Alloren, and call her Eliel. Synod orthodoxy consider it improper to single out one deity of the pantheon to worship apart from the rest.

Pantheon, Religion, Organization

The Synod can variously refer to the pantheon of Vandacalcëa, the religion the gods taught to mortals, and -- particularly in Keyelvaasa -- also the organized clergy of the Synod.

That organization, headed by the Elder Hierarch in Parsus (the capital of Keyelvasa), would prefer these terms to not be distinguished. For them, and most clerics you'll meet, the religion and the organization are completely intertwined. The idea of discussing them separately is nonsensical, perhaps even heretical. So, virtually all the clerics you meet will be nominally part of the Synod (the organization), although in the more backwater areas of Keyelvassa and its satellite regions a cleric might go years or perhaps their entire career without travelling to the mainland and thus they are de facto independent of the Hierarchy.

The primary teachings of the Synod faith focus on order. If the people obey the gods, obey the laws, the world will become a blissful, peaceful utopia. To turn away from the Synod fosters chaos, disorder, anarchy and corruption in the natural world.

Solaris hails from a distant land, far away from the Hierarchy and its influence and would not see herself as part of the Synod organization centred Keyelvassa. They worship the same pantheon, the same gods and mostly have the same religious tenets but Solaris isn't under the command of other Synod clerics (Synod the organization). The clerics of the Synod (the organization) may see things differently, however.

How do the gods themselves feel about all of this? The Elder Hierarch is sometimes referred to as the Ear and the Eye. They hear the wishes and commands of Keyel and thus is the Ear and also watch the mortal world and passes on what they see to the Synod (the pantheon) and hence they are also the Eye. The Elder Hierarch wields immense divine power. But Solaris is an example of a cleric outside the Synod (the organization) who receives divine power from the gods...

Deities of the Synod

Keyel - the King of Kings, god of justice, law, just rule, order. Keyel rules the pantheon of gods and is said to provide counsel to rulers, who are divinely appointed to maintain order in the mortal realm. Clerics of the Order, War, and Light especially venerate Keyel. Orders dedicated to him serve as advisors to rulers and tend to be the wealthiest religious groups.

Another aspect of Keyel is that of fire. He is seen as the light of civilization that holds darkness and monsters at bay. All Synod temples keep a fire lit to remind clerics of their duty.

Aenor - the goddess of perseverance, struggle, sacrifice. A mortal who was raised to divinity after sacrificing herself in battle to save her king. She is especially venerated by paladins in general and the Knights Emerald. Clerics of the War domain often pray to her.

Callobar - god of harvest, bounty, growth, nature, weather. Callobar is the patron of farming and agriculture. Although he is a god of nature, he limits his concerns to the natural world that has been tamed and turned productive. The wilds and deeps forests are of little concern to him.

Megryn - Lady of the Underworld, ruler of Gehennom, goddess of the dead. The final judge. Megryn judges the souls of the dead and ensures they go to their deserved reward or punishment. Ancillary to this, she sees undead as abominations to be purged from the land and there is an order of monster hunters known as the Pale Blades who hunt undead. Clerics of this order venerate Megryn and quite commonly take the Grave domain, or sometimes Light or Life.

Melarran - Goddess of mercy, the poor, those who need protection. The Holy Advocate. Melarran guards those who may be weak or face troubles and difficulties. She blesses those who protect others. As the sister of Megryn, she advocates before her on the part of souls to be judged. Akin to a cosmic public defender in a court trial. Orders that venerate her care for the sick and the poor and she is invoked by people awaiting trial.

Paroellen - God of fate, oracles, the Orderer. They arrange the cosmos and set events and people on the paths they are meant to follow. The Synod teaches that Paroellen doesn’t truly decide a being’s fate but simply ensures one doesn’t stray from the destiny set out before them. Nevertheless, it is common for people to pray to them, beseeching that their destiny be a happy one. (More erudite clergy would consider this mere superstition)

Some believe that Paroellen is an older and greater power than Keyel, as Keyel is bound to destiny much as mortals are. In earthly terms, however, there are few orders dedicated to Paroellen and they involve themselves little in politics.

Suitable domains are Knowledge, Arcana, and Order.

Alloren - Goddess of the night and the stars. In the Young Days of the world, Alloren wanted to decorate the night sky and hired the dwarves to craft the stars.

Olwyn - God of love, romance, poetry, patron of the arts.

Tarranase - God of the ocean, storms, and wind. Lord of all weather, although mostly associated with the more violent forms. In the tales and legends, he is portrayed rather as Keyel's attack dog. When a city or country is faithless or corrupt, Tarranase arrives with storms and rage.

Alludé - God of navigators, fisherfolk, sailors, and travellers. Tarranase's husband is prayed to by all those who must travel long distances, but is seen especially as the patron of those who mark their living on the seas. The devout make offerings to him in hopes that he can placate his mercurial spouse.

Tyrmex - God of merchants, trade, contracts.

A Creation Myth

This is the story of the creation of the world, as is taught by the church of the Synod. Most people will know it, or slight variations of it.

Long, long before the World existed, the gods were. And in their youth they were akin to men and woman on the cusp of adulthood, with spirits of fire. They craved their destiny and yearned to see all Creation as it was laid out before them. Keyel, the eldest, led his brothers and sisters on a grand journey across the Sea of Silver Dust. For at that time, Creation was the Sea and it was strew with motes of solver, dotted with islands of paradise. The gods leapt from island to island thrilling at each new sight which greeted them, each new bird call that rang out, each new fruit they found and tasted. The gods thus spent their youth in merriment, in joy, in wonderment.

There came a time -- after an especially long journey, following a tugging in Keyel's heart and guided by Paroellen's far-seeing eyes -- when the gods arrived at a Star of beauty the like of which they had not yet witnessesed. It was a crystal of infinite facets and filled with the purest of holy lights shining in the Sea. The gods were overcome by its beauty and its glory and they began to weep, weep until a pool formed, and from that pool emerged the first people. The earliest children of the gods.

The gods saw their children and loved them but also saw that they were small and ephemeral beings who could not travel the stars with them.

"They shall need a home, a realm to dwell in," declared Keyel. Until then, the gods had but travelled the Cosmos content to discover what was but upon his declaration, Keyel knew that he could shape creation. Exerting his will, he drew forth myriad islands of paradise and formed them into the World. The gods placed their children into the World and understood that it was their fate to watch over their children, to guide them as they grew. No more would the gods flit through the Stars, but they loved the people as a parent loves their newborn child and it was no sacrifice for them.

The Synod draws many lessons from the story of creation. The necessity of order and fealty and piety come from Keyel's Will which formed the world. Without Keyel's Will, the world would break again into pieces. And so too must the children of the gods seek order, to keep the world from falling to pieces. And it must always be remembered what the gods gave up to provide a home for the people, to look after them and to guide them.