The Order of Gods

The Divine Orders of the World

In the mythology of this world, the gods are divided into two great orders: The Ancients and The Creators. Their origins, powers, and philosophies shape the course of history, culture, and even the very landscape itself.  

Origins of the Gods

  Before there was a world, there were the Multiversal Gods — timeless, formless beings of immense power. Yet, despite their might, they could not shape worlds directly without a vessel or material sacrifice. To overcome this limitation, they created a second generation: the World Gods — divine entities imbued with the ability to create and shape a singular universe.   These World Gods, though lesser in raw power compared to their creators, became sovereign in their domain. They sculpted the world, birthed its races, and nurtured its life. Over time, as mortal worship shifted entirely to the World Gods, the ancient Multiversal Gods faded into obscurity, their influence diminished and their control over their creations lost.   Today, these World Gods are known to mortals as two distinct families:  

The Ancients — the first deities of the world, embodying essential aspects of existence.

The Creators — elemental and spiritual avatars, divided between the forces of harmony (Aezezias) and chaos (Zaligon).

  The Ancients   The Ancients are the manifestations of universal concepts, such as life, death, justice, and nature. Though they no longer possess physical forms, their influence endures through worshippers, relics, and sacred sites. Their power grows stronger with the faith of mortals, and many Free Cities, villages, and frontier camps still venerate them wholeheartedly.   The Ancients include:  

The Raven Queen — Mistress of Death and Fate

Lathander — Bringer of Dawn, Lord of Rebirth

Erathis — Architect of Civilization and Knowledge

Kord — Stormlord of Strength and Valor

Pelor — Shining Father, Keeper of the Sun and Harvest

Shar — Lady of Loss, Mistress of the Night

Melora — Wildmother of the Sea and Wilderness

Eldath — Serene Mother of Peace and Calm Waters

Cyric — Prince of Lies, Lord of Deception

Bahamut — Platinum Dragon, Judge of Honor and Justice

Gruumsh — One-Eyed Warlord of Destruction

Sheela — Lady of Songs, Keeper of Nature's Dance

In the grand Kingdoms, worship of the Ancients still exists but tends to focus on deities associated with the Kingdom's dominant element (earth, air, fire, or water).   The Creators   The Creators are elemental beings who still walk the world, exerting direct influence over the lands they embody. Each element — water, earth, fire, air, light, and spirit — is represented by two opposing forces:  

Aezezias — gods of harmony, balance, and creation (yin).

Zaligon — gods of chaos, destruction, and primal force (yang).

The Creators are:  

Water (Aezezias):Cygnus, the Eternal Whale of the Tides

Water (Zaligon): Karosh, the Abyssal Kraken 

Earth (Aezezias):Egeus, the Stoneburrower, Heart of the Mountain

Earth (Zaligon): Ciros, the Ramming Fury 

Fire (Aezezias): Hjortis, the Ember Stag

Fire (Zaligon): Uzzias, the Infernal Dragon

Air (Aezezias): Paeris, the Sky Dancer 

Air (Zaligon): Darric, the Tempest Wolf, Scourge of the Skies 

Light (Aezezias): Illume, the Radiant Peacock 

Light (Zaligon): Vel'Gon, the Shadow Beast of Endless Night

Spirit (Aezezias):Selqwok, the World Turtle, Keeper of Balance

Spirit (Zaligon): Dogon, the Whispering Serpent 

The Creators' physical presence has left an undeniable mark on the world: regions around them reflect their elemental nature — volcanic wastelands around Uzzias, storm-wracked mountains near Darric, tranquil seas near Cygnus, and so forth.  

The First Age and the God Wars

  After shaping the world, the Creators lived together peacefully for an age. Yet, a profound problem eventually arose: the Material Plane was not infinite. If they wished to continue creating, something would have to be destroyed to make room. This sparked a division:  

The Aezezias believed there was always room for new creations. Mistakes should not be erased but nurtured and learned from. Coexistence, not destruction, was the answer.

The Zaligon argued that destruction was necessary. The past must yield to the future, for clinging to old creations would hinder progress.

  Unable to resolve their disagreement peacefully, the God Wars erupted — a cataclysmic conflict that ravaged the Material Plane. In the end, the Aezezias triumphed, imprisoning the Zaligon gods within pocket dimensions to limit their influence on the world. Notably, both Spirit gods, Selqwok and Dogon, did not partake in the war. Instead, they created their own isolated dimensions from where they watch over the Material Plane. They believe that gods should no longer interfere directly, but observe from a distance, following the example of the Ancients.   After the God Wars, each of the Creators left behind a key to the prisons of their defeated counterparts. These keys, known as Celenthirs, were entrusted to the kingdoms that aligned with their elemental domains. Each Celenthir was linked to the prison of the opposite Creator: for example, the Cygnia Kingdom safeguarded the Celenthir of Karosh. Each kingdom protected its Celenthir in its own way, guarding these relics against misuse. Should a Celenthir be brought to the location where its corresponding prison realm touched the Material Plane, it could release the imprisoned god back into the world.   Only once was a Zaligon god freed: Darric, the Tempest Wolf, Scourge of the Skies. Though he returned briefly to the Material Plane, the remaining five Creator gods swiftly defeated and re-imprisoned him. However, Darric had managed to embed a fragment of his essence within the Celenthir itself, granting him a lingering influence over its holder. To counteract this corruption, the Lords of the Paeri Woods devised a daring plan. Led by the visionary lord Anar, they managed to divide the corrupted Celenthir into five pieces — a feat thought nearly impossible due to the divine nature of the artifact. These fragments became known as the Shards of Anar. Each Shard was entrusted to one of the highest lords of the Paeri Woods, who swore oaths to protect and conceal them across generations, shielding the world from Darric's lingering shadow.   Celenthirs: Divine keys created to seal the imprisoned Zaligon gods. Each kingdom safeguarded the Celenthir corresponding to the opposite of their favored Creator god. They hold the power to release a Zaligon god if used at their prison site.   Shards of Anar: Five fragments of the corrupted Celenthir of Darric, created to weaken his lingering influence. Each shard is hidden and protected by noble families of the Paeri Woods.  

The Balance of Faith

  Today, most of the world's great Kingdoms honor the Creators, aligning themselves with the elemental patrons who best represent their lands. The Free Cities and smaller settlements, however, often remain devoted to the Ancients. Religious beliefs between followers of the Ancients and the Creators differ in emphasis, but coexist harmoniously. Followers of the Ancients tend to revere the origins and foundations laid by their gods, while followers of the Creators celebrate the continuous nurturing and shaping of the world by their elemental patrons. Among those who follow the Creators, there is mutual respect across elemental lines; a worshiper of Cygnus will honor a follower of Illume or Egeus without issue. Similarly, followers of the Ancients and the Creators coexist peacefully, recognizing the vital roles both families of gods play in the world's creation and flourishing.   In this living, breathing world, faith is a vibrant part of daily life, shaping cultures, traditions, and the very landscape itself. As the gods watch some from afar, others close enough to touch the hearts of mortals continue to celebrate the harmony between the Ancients and the Creators.