PRIMORDIAL
the
domain
"Before humanity, before the earth, before the heavens, there was time. Endless time, endless space, and endless minds. The Old Gods existed before time itself, and with their hands they crafted the very fabric of the universe which we humans take for granted. Old, but never forgotten, for they continue to guard their craft, and maintain the universe and its constituents."
NITIMUR IN VERITUM
PANTHEON OF THE OLD GODS
THE SENTINEL OF THE END
Aliases: Eida, Hades, Pluto, Ereshkigal, Anubis, Nergal, Hel, Aita, Dis Pater, Yama, Barastyr, Izanami, Batara Kala
The Great Deity of the End
The guardian of the afterlife, otherwise known as the underworld, hell, but best described as the End. They are not as scary as they are often described, likened to demons, described as the devil, characterised as a great evil. But they are not really any of those things. They are tasked with building the End, and their goal is to make it an afterlife worth living. But that isn't much help to the living, and no amount of convincing will ever lead to humans accepting the god of the End.
The primordium is the ancient energy of the universe; the glue that binds realities together. The End was the first domain born into this reality, and from it the other domains were carved into existence. It is the ancient conclusion of time, the great resting place, the end of all things. A place of hope and despair, as mortals grapple with their own demise. A place of hope, of second-chances, and of new beginnings.
THE END
Arcanists
Those blessed by the primordial gods.
Seeking
The following of the pantheon.
Seeker
Disciples of the primordial pantheon.
Magical energy used to conduct primordial magic is called Arcanum.
Those who are Seeking search for the fundamental truths of this universe. They seek the land of the dead, where the souls of humanity reside. They seek the meaning of life, the key to healing and restoring humanity to its glory. They seek answers in the depths of the great expanses of space, where nothing lies. They seek the beginning and end of time, and the force that ties the two together. They seek the ultimate future of humanity. They seek the order that binds the universe together, and the chaos that threatens to pull it apart. They seek answers, and they follow the gods who hold the answers.
Seekers are not so organized as the other pantheon followings. A series of disconnected groups, all seeking the same fundamental truth through different means, they simply aren't aware of it.
Domain Feature: The End of All Things
A shared connection to the End allows the arcanists to always find solace in the primordial plane. They may seek the wisdom of the End, as answers to the questions of the primordium, but these answers may never be as applicable in the plane of mortality, as they are in the End.
Aliases: Tset, Osiris, Mortja, Keres, Thanatos, Dea Tacita, Shinigami, Pong Lalondong, Xolotl, Muut, Djall, Dhumavati, Aminon
Embodiment of the Afterlife, Fatality and Loss
Death's Emissary
Deity of Death
The violence of death is concluded by a conversation. The deceased meets the guardian of death, their companion to the underworld. The stages of grief are unique to every person. Some never quite surpass the stage of denial, but it is only with acceptance that they can finally move on. No matter what evils they must endure, Death always offers compassion. They are the final light in the life of humanity, the final remnants of hope.
Loyalty to Death forms a connection with those belonging to the End. Though the dead remain voiceless, their souls still carry feeling, feelings which can latch onto the living. Those whispers become far greater for the blessed. If the dead play along, the death blessed can communicate with them. Some believe the blessed have the power to resurrect the dead, but this has not exactly been proven. Among the rumours of Death's powers, the great danger of death magic, and its ability to strip souls from the living is perhaps the most terrifying.
The blessed get as bad a rap as Death themself, but they are not present when people reach the end of their time. But their understanding of death, and human mortality aids them in connecting with people in the living world who have experienced death. They can be found caring for the bereaved in healthcare, funeral homes, and working as therapists. Others use their powers to connect with the dead directly as mediums, though this goes directly against the wishes of Death.
Life's ACCORD
Deity of Life
Aliases: A'Qi, Eir, Isis, Jengu, Anahit, Ixtlilton, Patecatl, Aušrinė, Dian Cecht, Bao Sheng Da Di, Iaso, Kamrusepa, Ninti, Haoma
Embodiment of Healing, Sickness and Pain
The concept of life is complex, but maintaining life is even moreso. There is always a risk to life, the world is built to both support and endanger the force of life. Where Life differs from the primordial gods, is in their tendency to interfere. Healing is not always a mercy, sometimes it is death which is the most welcoming solution. Sometimes pain overwhelms the senses, and life becomes a burden. To have life without death, is to neglect the natural order of things.
Life is drawn to those who similarly seek to help people. The selfless, the giving, the sacrificing. Sometimes at the cost of their own vitality. Some seek admiration from their peers, others are more quiet, doing their part and using their abilities to complement their work. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, or just as a local healer, even those who wish to separate their work from the blessing always find themself being draw into healing one way or another. Their understanding of life lends itself to healthcare.
The healers of this world have long sought the wisdom of Life, to guide their hands on the journey of restoring health. Life grants any the ability to fight illness, restore injuries and eliminate pain. The blessed are able to understand the structure of life forms. The bodies of life become second-nature, and with that knowledge, they are able to rewrite the metabolism of cells, repair the damage done in an instant, pull together the dying and gift them a new life. The ability to heal injuries is complex, and a mistake can cost somebody more than their life; it can cost them their very essence.
Deity of Space
Embodiment of Matter, Movement and Travel
Aliases: Fal, Hermes, Chimata-no-kami, Hasamelis, Hermóðr, Raja Indainda, Nirah, Turms, Zaqar, Hina, K’uei-Hsing
SPACE's HERALD
The messenger of the gods and the great communicator, he who keeps the world of the divine connected with the world of mortality. Known to be a neutral party in the conflict of the gods, but able to bend space at will, there is no force in this world quicker and more efficient. Perhaps careless in their regard of divinity, they strive only to be known, to be remembered, despite their overwhelming isolation.
The fleet of foot may pray to Space for unencumbered speed, but they may find themselves disappointed in his lack of answers. To achieve such speed as his, one must defy physics. Teleportation is the most notable skill of the travel blessed. Moving through matter as a phantom, beaching through gaps in physical realm unchallenged by law. They can warp the fabric of space, but most stick to disobeying the it's mediocre rules, and simply ignore it.
He chooses his blessed to be messengers like he. He seeks out those who do not pursue conflict, but remain neutral. The blessed are sometimes accused of being indecisive, but act as trustworthy confidants. They often become the proxy between the rest of the world and Sanctuary, bridging the gap between humans and blessed. Some fall prey to a detachment from reality, as they travel through space without a real need for grounding, they can become disillusioned by this
Deity of Time
Embodiment of Cause, Effect and Linearity
TIME's Compass
Aliases: Koikaranu, Etu, Bangun Bangun, Kruonis, Gegute, Chronos, Kairos, Kaala, Father Time.
Where there is a beginning, there is an end. Every action has a consequence, but the relationship between the two is not always so cute and dry. To mere humans, time is a stream, flowing in a singular direction. But to Time itself, there is no stream, only events, everywhere, always. They stand outside of the linear time we know, tugging at the strings that create world-changing events.
Unfortunately those who pray to Time may never undo their mistakes, nor may they see the mistakes that have yet to come. They will always be bound by time's linearity. The blessed are allowed to escape linear time, but Time will never allow them to entirely step outside it. Existing outside of time can be cruel, and so, they must obey the laws of cause and effect. Even so, traveling forwards and backwards is exhilarating, something no ordinary human could ever comprehend.
There is never enough time for those who work separate to it's boundaries. The blessed of time have the unlikely advantage of repairing their errors, should they be quick enough to notice them. They are incredibly powerful people, with a range unlike any of their peers. Politicians, scientists, medical practitioners, adventurers, and sometimes they prefer to just be solitary. Existing within and outside time is a lonely place, on the edge between humanity and the gods.
FATE's CONFESSION
Deity of Fate
Aliases: El-Qeyr, Ori, Etu, Shai, Kāla, Samgong, Anunnaki, Bangun Bangun, Mira, Zana, Dalia, Chronos, Janus, Moirai, Parcai
Embodiment of the Past, Present and Future
The silent watcher, who sees all and knows all. What has been, and what is to come. Though Time exists separate to itself, Fate has always lived within reality. They know what the future holds, they know the consequences of any action before it has even taken place. Their mute voice speaks volumes to the minds of those who listen.
The blessed are as stubborn as Fate themself. They know the outcome of every decision, and so they have never chosen wrong. Every blessed falls into the same line, they all have obeyed her doctrine of maintaining fate. They are the diviners, speaking of the future and warning those of the present of what it holds. They are often feared, for their words seem to shape reality, but none know if this is because they speak the truth, or if they bend reality to fit with their words.
A glimpse of your destiny may await the most dedicated followers of Fate, but whether such a glimpse will show anything of value varies. It is difficult to control the visions of Fate, and the blessed can never truly take control of their powers. Visions of the past, present and future, these begin in the form of dreams, without any distinction between which time the visions come from. The blessed begin to unravel the complex strings of time, and are able to decipher when the visions come from. The more experienced diviner speaks in the very riddles they learn from.
Deity of Order
Aliases: Otor
Embodiment of Control, Purpose and Leadership
ORDER'S COMMAND
Reality began with rules. Rules for the universe, to decide its function, to decide its purpose. Order is the force underlying this reality, holding the pieces of it together to create a cohesive whole. Order is strict and unyielding. They do not waver when faced with their enemies, but stand strong and true. They are absolute, just as the truth is absolute. There is no haze, only the laws set in place by their hands.
None who pray to Order ever hope to understand such power. It is beyond their comprehension. Even the blessed struggle to come to terms with their purpose. They hold power over the blessed, but such a power is a double-edged sword. They will always be at odds with the blessed, never fully trusted, never fully accepted. They can live by their own rules, and risk alienation, or give in to the rules of the blessed, and forfeit their own power. Their magic is power, their power is a curse as much as it is a blessing.
Order represents the power over the gods themselves. Their blessed hold power over their own fellows. They hold the blessed together as a glue. In times where the blessed are united, it is the Order blessed who command them. But when the blessed inevitably fall apart, it is only Order who has any chance of establishing solidarity. Their power is so intricately tied to that of the blessed, they have no purpose without them. They belong to Sanctuary, they belong to the gods, they belong to the blessed.
Deity of Chaos
Embodiment of Discord, Creation and Destruction
Aliases: Sælin, Set, Yam, Apep, Tiamat, Vritra, Chaos, Chernobog, Shiva, Perses
CHAOS INCARNATE
Once called the god of all evil, Chaos is the breaker of reality. Their emotional whims could tear apart the fabric of reality. They are truly dangerous. An enemy to those who obey the rules, a loose cannon traversing the universe with no known purpose. It is because they do not align with the rules that they are so dangerous, but they mean no harm. They seek out entertainment mostly, and if all things end, then there will be little left to do.
In the past, the chaos blessed were shunned out of fear. Their powers were poorly understood, and it was believed that no good would come from them. The god used this to their advantage, picking out public figures to observe the ensuing drama. But with time came change, and with no rules to hold them back, the chaos blessed are valued. Partially because nobody wants to risk angering them, partially because it's very rare the chaos blessed hold any ill will. Historically, they've always been amicable.
Harbingers of chaos seek out the great power of creation and destruction, but are still limited by reality's harsh laws. The blessed can form matter from nothing, or disintegrate it into nothingness if they so choose, but their powers have the ability to carve apart the universe. They hardly know the limits of their own powers, and without care, they can rend something dear into oblivion. The possibility of destroying people, or creating something truly monstrous lurks in the back of their minds.
