Deities

The Origin

There are eight deities that are known to exist in Aligarth. The origin of the gods is unknown, but many believe that they were actually regular inhabitants of another world or dimension (of far superior ability than that of our own) who managed to find there way to this time and place. Once here, they set about creating the planet of Aligarth.

The Divine Balance/The Divine Wheel

While the gods toiled to craft the perfect world and inhabitants, they realized that no such perfection was possible without a very delicate and careful balance. The eight deities began to focus all of their individual energies on one aspect of existence that they felt was the most essential to life. As with all things that exist in balance, a symmetry was soon noticed. For every focus of one of the gods, there was another god who had chosen to focus on the opposite ideal. Because of this, the gods are often depicted as eight individuals standing equidistant around a circular plane, each standing directly opposite his counterpart. Resting on the center of the plane, is the planet of Aligarth itself. If but one of the gods should fail in their duties, the plane would topple and the world would be doomed.

Divine Ascension

Many years after putting the finishing touches on the planet and its races, the gods began to feel drained and exhausted from their long efforts. Given the fact that they were mere mortals on their own world, and not truly gods, they lacked immortality. Knowing that Aligarth would perish if even a single one of them were to disappear, they devised a plan that would enable mortals from the world itself to ascend to godhood and "replace" an existing god, allowing them a well deserved eternal respite. The deities knew, however that not just anyone could assume the mantle of divinity. Such individuals would have to not only be stalwarts and exceptional people in their right, they would also have to possess and embody the ideals of the deity witch they would replace exactly and perfectly. Such a combination was rare indeed, but the gods did well in their task of creating the races, and every once in a great while, an individual will come forth, rising up above masses and the ordinary to take their place among the divine.

Divine Artifacts

When a mortal ascends to the heavens and becomes a god, they are given an opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the physical world below. They are allowed to craft a single artifact; a physical object that both possesses and exemplifies the individual's life on Aligarth as well as their proposed divine reign. These artifacts are unique to each individual, and may lay dormant for years before being discovered. Most divine artifacts, in fact, have yet to be found. Anyone wielding such an artifact would be viewed as a true champion of their repective deity.

List of Current Deities

Name: Durant, the Ethereal Champion (God of good)

Focus: Good, Protection, Justice, War

Clerical Spheres: All, Combat, Guardian, Healing, Protection

Race/Class: Human (male) Paladin

Favored Weapon: Bastard Sword

Physical Depiction: Durant is depicted as large, extremely strong and handsome man, decorated in full plate mail and equiped with a medium shield and a bastard sword. He is usually seen with a longbow slung over his shoulder as well. As one of his greatest accomplisments in life was slaying a powerful and very evil red dragon, he is often shown standing over the head (or sometimes full corpse) of a slain red.

Holy Symbol: A shield depicting a bastard sword piercing a red dragon head

Followers: Followers of Durant are usually paladin or battle clerics. They are very devout and must be good in alignment. They hold three values above all others; the desturction of all evil, the protection of those weaker than themselves, and bringing justice to those who deserve it.

Plane of residence: Aelaris

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Eve, the Dark Witch (Goddess of evil)

Focus: Evil, Darkness, Hate

Clerical Spheres: All, Charm, Combat, Divination, Necromantic

Race/Class: Human (female) Cleric

Favored Weapon: Long Sword

Physical Depiction: Eve is typically seen in one of three forms: A beautiful woman with raven hair and a trained falcon perched on her shoulder, as a heavily armored (scale mail/large shield) cleric of evil, weilding a cruel looking, blood soaked long sword, or as a half human-half spider monster with large, poisonous fangs and razorsharp claws.

Holy Symbol: A long sword draped in cobwebs.

Followers: Followers of Eve are the definition of evil. Being unwelcome in most civilized areas, cults and temples to eve are hidden away in dark corners of the wilderness, or perhaps in basements and other underground urban locations. Most of the clerics and paladins of Eve are human and halfing, however, Eve's followers also include members of many evil humanoid races such as orcs, hobgoblins, gnolls, bugbears, and even worse.

Plane of residence: Na'daral

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Father Rockholme (God of physical nature)

Focus: Animals, Nature, Elements, Weather

Clerical Spheres: All, Animal, Elemental, Plant, Weather

Race/Class: Dwarf (male) Ranger

Favored Weapon: Crossbow

Physical Depiction: Father Rocksmith is typically depicted as an dwarf with a crossbow in one hand and a throwing axe in the other. He wears ring mail armor and a helmet with deer antlers grafted to the brow.

Holy Symbol: A helmet with deer antlers

Followers: Many of Father Rockholme's followers are rangers. As the god of physical nature, his followers tend to prefer the wilderness to more urban settings. His followers also tend to be very wise and focused, preferring to spend time in meditation or other quiet, peaceful activities.

Plane of residence: Eden

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Malius, the Star Seeker (God of metaphysical nature)

Focus: Magic, Sky, Moon, Stars, Cosmos

Clerical Spheres: All, Astral, Divination, Summoning, Sun

Race/Class: Human (male) Conjurer

Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff

Physical Depiction: Malius is an old human wizard who is usually depicted with an open book in one hand, and a quarterstaff in the other. His robes are jet black, and are decorated with stars, moons and other astronomical objects.

Holy Symbol: A closed book with an eight pointed star on the cover

Followers: Followers of Malius tend to view all magic as sacred. Clerics and paladins of Malius will work hand in hand with wizards. In addition, most wizards worship Malius to some degree. Students, acedemics, astronomers and sages are likely followers of Malius.

Plane of residence: The Astral Plane

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Mirth (God of life)

Focus: Birth, Fertility, Healing

Clerical Spheres: All, Creation, Healing, Plant, Summoning

Race/Class: Halfing (female) Cleric

Favored Weapon: None

Physical Depiction: Mirth is depicted as a elderly halfling cleric. She is always smiling. In one hand she carries a lit candle while she cups the flame with the other.

Holy Symbol: A single lit candle with a wide halo

Followers: Followers of Mirth are all pacifists. Mirth requires that all of her followers take a vow to never take up arms against another living creature. Paladins of Mirth are rare, if they exist at all, while clerics all tend to be healers. Other followers of Mirth typically include midwives and healers.

Plane of residence: Eden

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Motubo (God of death)

Focus: Death, Disease

Clerical Spheres: All, Charm, Combat, Divination, Necromantic

Race/Class: Human (male) Fighter/Cleric

Favored Weapon: Composite Longbow

Physical Depiction: Motubo is depicted as a giant of a man wearing black ring mail and carrying a black buckler. His face is always in the shadow of his helm and has never been seen. He has a long flowing black cape, and is never seen without his longbow and quiver full of arrows. All visual depictions of Motubo are blurry and out of focus, making his true form rather ambiguous.

Holy Symbol: A skull pierced by two arrows

Followers: Followers of Motubo understand that death is no evil, nor is it something to fear. All things live, and all things must one day die. Their job, they believe, is to maintain that balance. They are cold and unemotional when it comes to death. It is not something one should take joy in, nor is it something one should avoid. Followers of Motubo are not criminals, and are not likely to be seen murdering innocents in the street. However, they would never hesitate to snuff out the life of an injured or dying individual, regardless of location or laws.

Plane of residence: The Prime Material Plane

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Nicolo (God of all things within oneself)

Focus: Arts, Crafts, Physical Love

Clerical Spheres: All, Charm, Creation, Guardian, Healing

Race/Class: Human (male) Bard

Favored Weapon: Dart

Physical Depiction: Nicolo is a middle aged and very attractive male. He is often depicted as a playboy, or a charmer of women. He if frequently seen with a dart in hand and a rapier at his side.

Holy Symbol: A silver band, shaped like a heart, and pierced by a dart

Followers: Followers of Nicolo come in all shapes and sizes. Nearly all creative artists give thanks to Nicolo for their gift and talent. Craftsmen, actors and musicians as well typically view Nicolo as their patron deity. Clerics of Nicolo typically work within urban environments, devoting thier lives to charity and philanthropic pursuits.

Plane of residence: Eden

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered

Name: Gravalon Mead (God of all things beyond oneself)

Focus: Fate, Luck, Time

Clerical Spheres: All, Astral, Divination, Summoning, Weather

Race/Class: Halfing (male) Mage/Thief

Favored Weapon: Short Sword

Physical Depiction: Gravalon Mead is typically depected as a middle aged halfling holding a short sword in one hand and flipping a coin in the other.

Holy Symbol: A two-headed gold coin with a bronze dragon head on both sides

Followers: Follows of Gravalon Mead tend to be the more carefree type. Gamblers and risk takers are excellent examples. Whenever chance or fate in concerned, a prayers to Gravalon Mead is usually uttered.

Plane of residence: Eden

Divine Artifact: Undiscovered