Ascended Daer'lin
From Aalynor's Nexus
Dilanis, Daer'lin Goddess
Alignment: Good.
Titles: Mistress of Love, Mistress of Peace, Lady of Beauty
Patron Race: Traenol [True (Storm) Giants].
Status: Active. After Andaras was slain by Kyorl, Dilanis took up Beauty in honour of Her. Andaras has since been resurrected and beauty returned to Andaras.
Sacred Colors: Silver, Blue.
Symbol: Two rings, one gold, one platinum, overlapping on the edge to form the symbol of infinity.
Sacred Stone: Stormstone, Diamond.
The Mistress of Love is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. By Dilanis' hands were brought the Traenol from the Daer'lin, the race most commonly referred to as the Storm Giants today. Dilanis was taken by Tilnar's mercy and gentleness, and the two fell in love and were married. When the War of the Races came, Dilanis, like Tilnar, was upset to see the breakdown between the races, the Hatred that had come from what was once love and understanding. When the time of the Godswar came, Dilanis was one of the first Gods who joined Aalynor to do battle against their fallen brethren. While Dilanis' teachings were of Love and Peace, so did she understand that her love for the Realms required her to protect them. Unfortunately for all, Dilanis was slain by Plekto in battle, driving Tilnar over the edge to insanity. It is said that where Dilanis' Shade lay, along with the few Daer'lin souls, in Tilnar's Realm, is the single most beautiful place on all the planes of existence. Tilnar sealed Dilanis' Realm after her death, so that it could only be opened by her, were she ever restored. Tilnar has attempted many experiments to resurrect Dilanis, but none of these succeeded, until Tilnar allowed Aalynor to purify him in the Light. The two brothers recreated Dilanis', perfect to the moment of her death, only changed by the centuries as a Shade in the realms. With her return, Tilnar embraced the Light. Dilanis' found a strong following of mortals who never lost hope in her return, gaining a quick following. Dilanis is oft on the mortal plane, answering prayers of lovers. It is said that Dilanis has become even more willing to help lovers separated, due to the centuries she and Tilnar endured just beyond each other's grasp.
Andaras, Daer'lin Goddess
Alignment: Good.
Titles: Lady of the Arts, Mistress of the Arts, Mistress of Beauty.
Patron Race: Humanity.
Status: Active. Andaras was slain during the Godswar, however, she was "resurrected" in recent times when her soul gained some of the power of the slain Arskol. Andaras was slain a second time by Kyorl who absorbed a portion of her Godsaura. However, Andaras has been recently resurrected by the heroes of Nexus.
Sacred Colors: Midnight Blue, Forest Green, Platinum.
Symbol: Three Pointed Star.
Sacred Stone: Opal
The Mistress of the Arts is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. Andaras brought about the creation of humanity, for Andaras, even as a Daer'lin, was the greatest artist to have lived. Her race, humanity, was the last one created by the Council... Andaras spoke last, and took from all the other races, claiming that most of the other races lacked versatility, and therefore, their views (and thus, their art) would be limited. Unlike most other races, humans bore little special love for their patron, as their very versatility caused them to gravitate toward whichever God best matched their unique personalities. Andaras' portfolio is the the arts, as such, she is often revered by bards. Her secondary portfolio is beauty, which, of course causes Andaras to dabble in the affaris of love, as well as hear the prayers of the vain, or those who cannot see the beauty within their physical shells. Not surprisingly, Andaras was not much of a warrior, and, as such, was slain by Vrackon in the Godswar. Andaras was recently resurrected, and seems to have remained quite herself, despite the somewhat twisted power that reforged her Godsaura. Her faithful are skilled artisans, be they storytellers, painters, scultpers or poets. As such, Andaras is revered by all the races, though the Elves and Dwarves seem to bear special love for her.
Trista, Daer'lin Goddess
Alignment: Good.
Titles: Mistress of Wine, Mistress of Revelry, Mistress of Merriment, Mistress of Mischief, Lady of the Dance.
Patron Race: None.
Status: Active.
Sacred Colors: Burgundy, Light Amber.
Symbol: A bunch of grapes surrounded by a wreath of wildflowers.
Sacred Stone: Topaz, Amber.
Trista holds a somewhat unique position amongst the ascended Daer'lin in that her existance as a Goddess was unplanned. Trista was Pandora's sister in the Golden Age of the Daer'lin and was one of the few Daer'lin who had managed to get herself killed accidentally prior to the Great Council. So it was, then, that when Rudestyle, in his madness, took the souls of the Daer'lin from Tilnar's Realm, including the Shades of the Gods Erisar, Andaras, Arskol and Dilanis, and a group of mortals attacked and subdued Rudestyle (who's Godsaura had been neutralized by Tilnar as he fled Tilnar's realm), the energies released by Rudestyle's death struck Trista's spirit, and rekindled life within her, even as the Godsaura wrapped around her. Trista gained Rudestyle's portfolio as the Lady of the Dance, the spirit of Merriment and Revelry. Every four years, Trista is revered in the great Planting Festival and the Harvest Festivals (these two events are separated by four years) where as much of the "old stock" of alcohol is consumed as possible in order to make room for the new. Trista herself brews the liquors which will intoxicate even the Gods and immortals of the realms. She is not, however, immune to her own handiwork, and it is said that her favorite part of such creation is the tasting. Her faithful are often considered to be flighty, drunken pranksters who are incapable of being serious. (This view makes Trista-worship popular amongst Sprites and Gnomes) However, most of Trista's faithful, like she herself, are quite capable of serious action when there is need.
Rudestyle, Daer'lin God
Alignment: Good.
Titles: Lord of the Dance, Lord of Merriment, Lord of the Vine, Lord of Mischief.
Patron Race: Gnomes.
Status: Destroyed. Rudestyle was weakened by Tilnar and slain by mortals, his essence making Trista. What remained of him was destroyed by an enraged Tilnar.
Sacred Colors: Amber, Burgundy.
Symbol: A cracked crystal goblet.
Sacred Stone: Amber.
The Lord of the Dance is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. By Rudestyle's recommendations came the Gnomish race from the Daer'lin, the race of master pranskters. Rudestyle was an amazingly popular and social God, friends with all of the other deities, until the time of the War. The Godswar was challenging time for Rudestyle, having been approached but not won over by Enchantress, Rudestyle was reluctantly a part of the Gods who fought for the Light. The death of many of the Gods shattered Rudestyle, driving him to partake of his own wares. And so, for centuries, Rudestyle ranged between being a depressed drunk and a maniacal party animal. Until, in a fit of depression, Rudestyle saw fit to invade Tilnar's realm, gathering the souls of the Daer'lin, hoping to have more partying. Tilnar, returning as Rudestyle was leaving, managed to dislodge the Godsaura. And so, Rudestyle barred the other Gods from his Realm, threatening to tear apart the souls if any of the Gods entered his Plane. And so, Tilnar gathered up mortals to seek out and destroy Rudestyle. The mortals slew his body, and when his soulenergy was released, Trista aborbed it. Tilnar then destroyed Rudestyle's Shade, Touching it, ending its existance.
Maana, Daer'lin Goddess
Alignment: Neutral.
Titles: Mistress of Magic, Mistress of the Weave.
Patron Race: Dragons.
Status: Destroyed. Maana was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed her power.
Sacred Color: Orichalcum (which is a strange orangish color).
Symbol: A Crescent moon wrapped around an 8-pointed star, with the star's four primary points extending past the crescent.
Sacred Stone: Aldan, Quartz, Orichalcum.
The Mistress of Magic is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. By Maana's hands were brought the Dragons from the Daer'lin. Maana was primarily a solitary Goddess, although she was often seen with Arskol, sharing a similar interest: knowledge. The Brothers created the magical weave, however, it was Maana that maintained it, carefully nurturing the weave so that it would grow. Maana stood on the side of the Gods of Light in the battle of the Godswar, and was an instrumental factor during the battle. In the aftermath, Maana sought to use her magic to heal Tilnar's pain, but Tilnar, consumed by his madness, did not know who or what approached him, and Touched her, slaying her. Maana's destruction reshaped her children, and from the magical backlash in the weave were formed many sub-races, so now there are the Chromatic and Metallic dragons. Many attribute Maana's slaying to the creation of many other races, including the Drow, the split Giant races, and other such things. Following her death, the weave began to unravel, which is the reason for the banning of the spell "fly". Since then, the weave was brought under control. Maana's memory is still revered by magi, and by the dragons, although the Dragons have since pledged themselves to Tilnar. Maana's Realm still exists, a tribute maintained by Tilnar's guilt in having slain an ally.
Plekto, Daer'lin God
Alignment: Neutral-Evil.
Titles: Lord of Theft, Stealthmaster.
Patron Race: Hobbits.
Status: Destroyed. Plekto was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed his power.
Sacred Colors: Slate Grey, Black.
Symbol: A slender black dagger against a grey background.
Sacred Stone: Cat's Eye.
The Lord of Theft is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. By Plekto's recommendations came the Hobbit race from the Daer'lin. Plekto was originally a noble God, however, as his power grew, and he learned what could be gained through theft, he fell under Darkness. Plekto was the Lord of Theft, and while many scholars today dismiss such a power as an evil one, Plekto's was not originally an evil God. The poor, especially, revered him, for his abilities helped them when the time came to snatch a loaf to feed their family, or seeds, or many other such items. It is belived that Enchantress used her powers to heighten Plekto's Greed and Desire, giving her an ally who would, ultimately become easily controlled. The Hobbit people, however, still brought out the best in Plekto, and when his avatars walked through the Hobbit villages, the blessings and gifts they would bestow on the populace were proof of his good heart. However, bound by Enchantress' power, Plekto sought to steal power from the other Gods, and stood on the side of Darkness in the Godswar. It was Plekto who struck from the shadows to slay Dilanis, and it was Plekto who was the first of the Gods to be Touched. It is said, though the truth of it is unknown, that one of Plekto's mortal avatars, who was more akin to Plekto's nobility than his greed, survived the Godswar. As Avatar are granted powerful magics, it is certainly possible that she lived this long, and legends told by the Hobbits would tend to indicate that this is true.
Pandora, Daer'lin Goddess
Alignment: Good.
Titles: Mistress of Hope.
Patron Race: True (Light) Elves.
Status: Active.
Sacred Color: White.
Symbol: Doves, White Roses, Lilies.
Sacred Stone: Pearl.
The Mistress of the Hope is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. Pandora's patron race are the True Elves, or the Light Elves, as they are known. Pandora's view was that the Daer'lin were stagnant because they had no driving force, no overall dreams, and so she became the embodiment of this force... Hope. Pandora's portfolio remains unchanged to this day. Of all the Gods, Pandora was the one who most often bent or broke the Rules of Free Will, often leading to conflicts with Malakai, the Lord of Justice, and with Aalynor and Tilnar. This was only heightened because to Pandora, where there was life, there was Hope, and therefore, Tilnar's power of Death was one that she found disturbing. The War of the Races was difficult for Pandora, for she had to accept the deaths of thousands upon thousands, and the betrayal of her children. Thus, the Godswar was even more difficult on Pandora, for she did not wish to fight the Gods of Darkness, clinging to the belief that they could be reclaimed, even as the Gods died around her. Tilnar's appearance and destruction of the Gods only heightened her dislike for his power, and this was made even stronger as Tilnar fell into Shadow. Tilnar, for his part, referred to Pandora as the Mistress of Denied Reality, claiming that the Hopes that she clung to where nothing against reality's harshness and his existance of pain. The betrayal the Light Elves in the War of the Races by the Drow, whom Tilnar embraced and adopted pained her greatly, and it is believed that Pandora still cries over the thousands of deaths, and the existance of the Drow. As the Godswar ended, so did the War of the Races, and it was Pandora's influence and hope which lead humanity to begin to contact the other races again, and ultimately lead to the Alliance of Races, embodied in the rebuilt Nexus (which was destroyed in the War of the Races). As such, Pandora is considered by many to be the Patron of the City of all Races. Pandora's faithful can be found in all races, although she is especially popular amongst the Elves of Light, and humanity. (although in the City of All Races, her faithful outnumber even Aalynor's) Pandora's distaste for the power of Death has not faded, and, as such, there is always a degree of animosity between herself and Tilnar, and, therefore, her Church and the Church of Twilight.
Erisar, Daer'lin God
Alignment: Neutral.
Titles: Lord of the Hunt, Lord of Battle.
Patron Race: Orcs.
Status: Active.
Sacred Colors: Green, Brown.
Symbol: A Longbow diagonally over a vertical Claymore.
Sacred Stone: Bloodstone, Garnet.
The Lord of Battle is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. Erisar viewed the greatest flaw of the Daer'lin to be their immortality, and so, thought that a greater sense of urgency was needed. Therefore, by Erisar's suggestions came about the Orcish race, with their short life spans, and intense passions. As each God was responsible for their children, Erisar, himself embodied the passions of the Orcs as his powers defined him. Erisar was most revered amongst the Orcs, although his followers stretched across all the races, his battle-skill a blessing to the Trollish, Dwarven and Ogrish races, while his skills as a woodsman made him propular to the Elves and humanity. Erisar was a strong and passionate God, strong without being cruel, and caring intensely not only for his child-race, but for all the peoples of all the races. This all changed, however, when Enchantress decided that she needed a general for her armies in the War of the Races, and the Godswar. She used her powers to seduce Erisar, and began studying him, finding ways that she could direct his passions to her purposes. Eventually, she won Erisar's aid, and so, launched the War of the Races, in violation of the Rules of Free Will, thus causing the Godswar. Erisar was held back in the battle, at first, acting as a general even in that, directing the Gods of Darkness, his directions slaying Arskol and Andaras quickly. Erisar, the obvious threat, became the primary target for the Gods of Light, and it was Maana who slew him, firing raw mana at him and continuing the stream as she weakened, while the other Gods protected her. Erisar was recently resurrected, and having had centuries of existance to consider what happened, his own guilt tearing at him all that time, he was, in mind in spirit a more careful and caring God, despite even the twisted powers that reformed his Godsaura. As before, Erisar's greatest following is amongst the Orcs, who, as a people, mourned his death, many of whom remained loyal to his memory. Erisar is also very popular amongst Rangers of all races, for his skills as a Hunter and as a Warrior. Erisar's return, in fact, became a matter of joy for most members of the Allied Races, for they believed, and still do, that Erisar will aid them in the battles to come. Based on the gains made by Nexus' army and the Allied Races, this may, in fact, be the case, as Erisar answers the prayers of the Faithful.
Arskol, Daer'lin God.
Alignment: Neutral.
Titles: Lord of Knowledge.
Patron Race: Renis.
Status: Destroyed. Arskol was killed in the Godswar, resurrected, and then Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed his power.
Sacred Colors: Jade, Slate.
Symbol: An eye set against an open tome.
Sacred Stone: Jade, Coral, Slate.
The Lord of Knowledge is one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races, and the only twice-slain God. Arksol's children, the Renis, were the race most like in mindset and lifespan the Daer'lin from which they came, increasing only their curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Therefore, like their patron, the Renis were a scholarly, pacific race. The Renis were charged with mantaining much of the Ancient Knowledges, and to this end, they mantained the Great University in Nexus. Arskol himself was a primarily solitary God, spending more time amongst his strudies than anywhere else, and was often accused of being disinterested in the affairs of the world, except that he could study them. Because of their common interest in knowledge, Arksol was most frequently seen with Maana. Arskol's pacifistic and scholarly life changed, however, with the coming of the War of the Races, and the Godswar. His people nearly extinct, Arksol was quick to join the side of Light in the war, despite his lack of battle skills. Erisar, being a crafty tactitian lured Arskol into his death by using "standard" tactics, the like he knew the Lord of Knowledge would have studied to bait his trap, making Arskol the first of the Gods to be slain during the battle. His Shade remained in Tilnar's Realm for centuries, and it appeared that the Renis people destroyed completely. Arskol's Shade was stolen by Rudestyle along with the souls of the other Daer'lin, and with the creation of Trista during that incident, Tilnar studied it, that he could duplicate the practice and restore Dilanis. Arskol, therefore, was the test subject, Tilnar destroying completely the Lord of Knowledge's Realm, sending the souls of the Lord of Knowledge's faithful into the realms of other Gods. Tilnar directed all of this power into Arskol, and the spark was struck Arskol returned to life, though his power, and his sanity was not stable. With their patron's return, the last colony of Renis made contact with the Allied Races, much to the joy of all those in the Realms. Arskol blamed and hated Tilnar for the centuries he had to endure as a Shade, and completed his disdain by placing the dagger of Plekto on display in his temple. Arskol then stole the souls of the fallen Gods, Dilanis, Erisar and Andaras, from Tilnar's Realm to "liberate" them. Tilnar, remained in his Realm while the other Gods confronted Arskol until Arskol slew Malakai. Tilnar, who was waiting for the soul of a God, and having studied the death of Gods, used his powers to restore Malakai's life, and Touched Arskol as Malakai slew him. There was a great magical backlash, as his Godsaura rekindled life in both Erisar and Andaras. At that time, no one claimed the Portfolio of Knowledge, although Tilnar later revealed that he held this power, upon his return to the Light.
Twilia, Daer'lin Goddess.
Alignment: Evil.
Titles: Lady of Night, Lady of Darkness.
Patron Race: Dwarves.
Status: Destroyed. Twilia was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed her power.
Sacred Colors: Midnight Blue, Pale-Grey.
Symbol: A white four-pointed star obscured by cloud.
Sacred Stone: Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone.
The Lady of Night was one of the Daer'lin ascended into Godhood following the Great Council which led to the creation of the Races. Twilia's children are the dwarven race, born into the darkness of caves and mines, from the original Daer'lin. Twilia was originally a quiet, solitary Goddess, prefering to remain alone in the darkness, amusing herself with re-patterning the stars, positioning them like gems against the curtain of darkness. However, as time past, and Twilia's portfolios grew deeper within her, the aspect of Darkness, the prayers of those who asked Twilia to obscure them as they snuck in the Darkness to perform various nefarious and evil deeds. As the Dwarves as a people had turned primarily to Erisar (for battleskill) and Andaras (for craftsmanship), this represented the greatest amounts of Twilia's prayers, and, she began to answer them, changing her heart. Twilia's powers allowed the Gods of Darkness to obscure their role in the starting of the War of the Races for as long as they did, binding the hands of the Gods of Light under the Rules of Free Will. Twilia stood on the side of Darkness in the Godswar, and was Touched by Tilnar at that time. Tilnar still holds the powers of the Lord of Night and Darkness, however, filled with the Light now, and his other portfolio, the "evil" of this power does not seem to affect him.
Kyorl, Daemon God
Alignment: Evil.
Titles: Lord of Hatred, Lord of Lies, Lord of Lust, Lord of Greed, Lord of Desire, Lord of Pain, Lord of Chaos,
Patron Race: Goblins, Drow, Chromatic Dragons, Daemons.
Status: Active.
Sacred Color: Gold, Red.
Symbol: An Angel in silver robes placing a golden crown on his head, with the hand holding the crown scaled and daemonic.
Sacred Stone: Black Tourmaline, Carnelian.
The Lord of Lies is, in fact, the antithesis of the rest of the Gods. Kyorl was created by Tilnar, infusing a God's Aura into what was the leader of his daemons in his Dark Realms. Tilnar, to power the God's Aura, gave Kyorl of his own powers. Tilnar infused Kyorl with the powers and responsibilities of Hatred, Desire, Greed, Lust and Lies, portfolio which seemed to integrate well with the daemon's personality. As he was never Daer'lin, Kyorl seems to operate on different rules. For example, his power seems to grow as his porfolios are used - every lie told, every flash of lust that is acted upon, all of these things seem to increase his power. In addition to this, Kyorl seems to have retained the Daemonic ability to feed from negative emotions, making him stronger. As such, Kyorl used this ablity to "feed" while Tilnar was rejecting several of the powers of Darkness, causing Kyorl to become far stronger than he had been before, and giving him new portfolios to enjoy, although they were twisted by the process. Kyorl is now considered the Embodiment of Evil, and his followers left Nexus to join the Goblin Hordes, who faithfully renamed their unique powers in his honor. Kyorl took the patron races from Tilnar, happily accepting into his fold the Drow, Daemons and Dragons who did not wish to "return to the Light" when their Lord did, which grants Kyorl a large and powerful following. As stated, the rules and limitations of Kyorl's powers are unknown, and it is believed that his unique nature and power may make him a match for even the Brothers, easily exceeding the strength of the Ascended Daer'lin. The only known limitation of Kyorl is the Law of Free Will, which while he will bend it greatly, going so far as to attempt to convince, cajole, persuade and bribe mortal beings to act, he still must have the action come from them in order to feed. It seems unlikely that Kyorl would part with enough power to create an Avatar, although with his new-found strength, the possibility cannot be dismissed.
Malakai, Daer'lin God.
Alignment: Neutral.
Titles: Lord of Justice, Malakai the Cruel.
Patron Race: Ogres.
Status: Destroyed. Malakai was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed his power.
Symbol: A set of unbalanced scales.
Malakai was the Lord of Justice, and stood with the Gods of Light in the Gods War. However, after the Gods War, when the Void launched their massive assault, known as the Time of Darkness, Malakai refused to stand with the other Gods stating that the Void had come to destroy creation, not the gods and only creation had refused Justice and would not stand by their side. Tilnar knew that only the forces of all the gods could stand against the Void, so he touched Malakai, becoming assuming the mantle of Lord of Justice.
Vrackon, Daer'lin God.
Alignment: Neutral.
Titles: Lord of Hardship, Lord of Bitterness.
Patron Race: Trolls.
Status: Destroyed. Vrackon was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed his power.
Little is known of Vrackon, his followers having destroyed many of their holy texts after his death. It is believed that he was the Daer'lin who originally convinced the others to commit war on their brothers and sisters. Vrackon believed that the Gods themselves must face hardships and loss in order to become worth of their worshipers devotions. When the war turned on the gods of Darkness, Vrackon was the last to be touched, and legends say Tilnar did not allow Vrackon to die easily.
Novind, Daer'lin God.
Alignment: Neutral.
Titles: Lord of Chaos, Stormreaver.
Patron Race: Kobolds.
Status: Destroyed. Novind was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed his power.
When the Gods of Darkness asked Novind to join their cause, Novind's chaotic nature baulked at joining any organization, but he knew that in war everyone must find a side, so Novind is rumored to have flipped a coin to decide his allegiance. For a time, Tilnar's madness and the Power of Chaos "re-created" a Novind, as a Drow, but this was only an extension of Tilnar's madness.
Enchantress, Daer'lin Goddess.
Alignment: Evil.
Titles: Mistress of Greed, Lady of Desire, The Temptress, Mistress of Lust.
Patron Race: Goblins.
Status: Destroyed. Enchantress was Touched by Tilnar, who absorbed her power.
Before the beginnings of the God War, Enchantress used her power to twist her race from a beautiful creation into a dark and twisted shadow. The goblin's lost their creative drive, their culture fell apart and they began a vicious race. Goblins as well, began to breed much quicker than ever before, all the machinations of their cruel goddess who cared nothing for her subjects. When the God's War began, Enchantress seduced Erisar, pretending to love the God of War, and corrupting his mind with lies.
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Paelina, Angel Goddess
Alignment: Good.
Titles: Lady of Honor, Lady of Valor, Lady of Duty.
Status: Active.
Symbol: Crossed Swords, one of Steel (Valor), one of Silver (Honor).
Paelina is not one of the Ascended Daerlin, but rather one of Tilnar's own Daemonspawn, gifted with the powers of a Goddess. When Tilnar was deep in his madness, it was Paelina's noble efforts that allowed her Lord to help overcome the twisted madness in his soul. Tilnar rewarded her well for her service, granting her dominion over Honor, Valor and Duty, as those were qualities abundant in her.
