Waejiran (pantheon)
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About
- A collection of deities, demi-gods, and other beings worshipped by the majority of the population of the Waejiran Empire. The pantheon is organized in rough family hierarchy with a singular mother goddess of creation and chaos, who birthed a series of lesser deities representing core elements or facets of the universe, and then secondary generations of children born from those. Many entities serving as servitors to the gods are also believed in and act as intermediaries between the gods and the mortal plane. In addition, the High Nobles, the ruling caste of Waejir, are believed to be demigods, born from the coupling of gods with mortal Treahni.
The First Goddess
Silat
- The Goddess Silat, is rumoured to exist on the earthly plane in a Siladun, a timeless fortress surrounded by the vast salt flats in the Northern Waejiran Desert. She is the all mother, birther of the world, the embodiment of chaos and creation. She is said to be both forever formless and capable of taking any form. From her all life was born, first as the principle elements, and later her incestuous coupling with her own children produced the lesser gods, and so on. She is the great creator spirit whom existed before all else. All things are born of her flesh, and return to her flesh after death. No one who has braved to cross the seemingly endless salt in an attempt to discover her home has ever returned. Some say the great faceted dome of indestructible glass which caps the central chamber of the her temple in Waejiradur was brought forth from her fabled home at the conclusion of the God Wars millennia ago.
- She is often depicted as an obese naked woman with three faces on her head, four pairs of arms, and four legs. The faces are a young maiden's indicative of the fecundity of youth, a mother's indicative of the nurturing role, and crone indicative of the return to Silat after a life well lived. Her four legs represent the four cardinal directions in which her various children have spread across the world. Four pairs of arms similarly to welcome back those who return into her divine embrace.
The First Generation
- The first children of Silat represent the six elements, Air, Spirit, Water, Earth, Metal, and Fire. Once the chaos of creation had materials to work with she begat further children, and they in turn begat children amongst themselves.
Dailor
- Waejiran elemental god of air, wind, and flight. He is said to have sprung directly from Silat. Dailor is depicted a a man in loose fitting silk robes, he has a pair of feathered wings instead of arms.
Neithur
- Waejiran god of death, the dead, time, and memory. He is sometimes called the Keeper of the Gate. Neithur is most often depicted as a figure robed in ash grey funeral shrouds wearing an expressionless full face mask of bronze. He is considered timeless and capable of seeing forwards and backwards through time. He is also attributed with the ability to slow or stop the aging process in mortals; part of what keeps the '#Children of Neithur' unaging and near immortal. Neithur oversees the passage of the souls of the departed; it is through his door that all living things pass, to be carried to Silat, to rejoin with the creator and await rebirth.
- Neithur is not feared, but welcomed, as Waejirans do not see dying as an end, but as another turning of the life wheel. Neither was born of directly from Silat.
Saedeia
- Waejiran elemental goddess of water, the sea, and all things aquatic. She is said to have sprung directly from Silat. She is attributed with teaching the treahni the arts of brewing, distilling, and vinting. Saedeia is often depicted as a beautiful woman with long flowing blue hair laced with ribbons of sea-plants, small shells and starfish, her lower limbs are sometimes depicted as a singular tail of some great fish.
Qeinor
- Waejiran elemental god of earth. Qeinor is said to have sprung directly from Silat. He is attributed with teaching agriculture, and farming to the treahni. Qeinor is typically depicted a a man with grey stone like skin, his head and shoulders covered in a layer of sod and green grass, with small trees growing up from this soil. Typically he carries a great mattock, and accompanied by a large black bull rabbox.
Vorsha
- Waejiran goddess of knowledge, invention, puzzles, secrets, and mystery. Vorsha was born directly from Silat. Vorsha is typically depicted as a veiled woman wearing a multitude of layered silk robes in many colours, usually holding a scroll and a wooden puzzle.
Shaelar
- Waejiran elemental god of fire. He sprung forth from Silat directly. Shaelar is considered responsible for war, strife, and general destruction. Shaelar is most often depicted as a extremely muscular man with deep bronzed skin, and flaming hair. Often shown wearing armour typical of the nobility of waejir, and wielding a flaming great sword.
Further Generations
- These gods and goddesses represent and oversee more refined aspects of the universe. They are seen as the children of Silat's first generation, and their descendants.
Aesat
- Waejiran goddess of true love, sexuality, and marriage. The lover and twin sister of Baithur, Aesat is a known shape-shifter, as true love can take any form. Aesat was fathered by Qeinor and birthed by Silat. Aesat is usually depicted as an attractive woman with a wreath of flowers in her hair, and almost always accompanied by Baithur.
Baileia
- Waejiran goddess of travelers, roads, and paths. She was born of Vorsha and fathered by Kaithur. It is Baileia who tricked her brother Qeisar into stealing the secret of the wheel from Vorsha, which she then shared with the Treahni. Baileia is usually depicted as a woman in travelling clothes with a walking staff, and a wagon wheel.
Baithur
- Waejiran god of true love, sexuality, and marriage, a role he shares with Aesat. He is the shape-shifting twin brother and lover of Aesat. Baithur was fathered by Qeinor and birthed by Silat. Baithur is usually depicted as an attractive man with a beard, a circlet of flowers about his head, and typically paired with Aesat.
Balfagor
- Waejiran god called the Master of Dreams, Balfagor is the god of night, shadows and darkness. He is believed to send out his stei, Rae and Nae, to deliver dreams to sleepers. Balfagor was fathered by Qeinor and born of Silat. Balfagor is depicted wearing a robe of shadow, his face obscured by a deep hood, in his hands sit two glass spheres containing dream-like images. Typically he is accompanied by his stei, Rae and Nae.
Cothur
- Waejiran god of storms, precipitation, and weather. Cothur was fathered by Dailor, and born of Saedeia. Cothur is typically depicted as a young soldier armed with a shaft of lightning for a spear, and wearing a cloak made of cloudstuff.
Haesur
- Waejiran god and collector of all treahni lore, also called the Thief of Time. Son of Dailor and Vorsha. Haesur is believed to steal the knowledge of the treahni, and bring these secrets to his mother’s library. When someone dies with secrets, it is Haesur who spirits these away. Haesur is attributed with knowing every story ever told, as well as the truth behind these stories. Haesur is usually depicted as a man with a large sack full of scrolls upon his back. He sometimes is shown carrying an hour glass, and a key.
Kaithur
- Waejiran god of commerce and trade, the master of all caravans, merchants and shopkeepers. Kaithur is known to be a gambler, and is attributed with making wagers and undertaking risky endeavours; as such he is considered the Lucky God. Kaithur was born of Vorsha and fathered by Qeinor Kaithur is usually depicted as a portly man in typical merchant garb, his hands hold forth a pair of dice, and several coins.
Laina
- Waejiran goddess of platonic love, friendship, and courtesans. She was fathered by Baithur and born to Aesat. Laina is usually depicted as a young woman dressed in light robes, holding a single rose and a wine-cup.
Qaela
- Waejiran goddess, and the patroness of thieves and conspirators. Called the “Daughter of Dusk”, Qaela was fathered by Balfagor and born of Saedeia. Qaela is usually pictured as a stern faced woman. She is armed with a dagger, and candle that burns with a black flame. Sometimes she has a serpent draped about her shoulders.
Qeisar
- Waejiran god of the seasons. Called the Slave at the Wheel, Qeisar is responsible for advancing the seasons. He was tricked by Baileia into stealing the secret of the wheel from Vorsha's Library, and in punishment is forced to turn the seasons for the rest of eternity. Qeisar is born of Kaithur and Sidaelia. Qeisar is depicted as a man covered in lash marks, and emaciated from being underfed, and overworked. He appears bent from his labours, but wears an expression of joy or ecstasy. Typically shown turning a ox-wheel upon which the four seasons can be seen in sequence.
Raitha
- Waejiran goddess of the beasts, instinct, and the purity of wild nature. She was born of Silat and fathered by Qeinor. Raitha is attributed with teaching treahni how to domesticate animals by working with their natures. Raitha is typically pictured as a woman in the clothes of a peasant, carrying a crooked staff, and a horn. She is usually accompanied by a vocanei.
Sidaelia
- Waejiran goddess of light, and daytime. Sidaelia was born of Silat and fathered by Shaelar. Sidaelia is typically depicted as a woman in robes of pure white, she holds aloft a lantern containing the sun.
Thanor
- Waejiran god of forges, metal working, and smelting. The Son of Dawn was fathered by Shaelar and born of Sidaelia. Thanor is said to stoke the sun every morning, and the dawn’s glow is the heat of his forge. Thanor is typically pictured as a muscular bald man, wearing a heavy leather smith's apron, and wielding a heavy hammer.
Theila
- Waejiran goddess of female strength. She was fathered by Qeinor and born to Raitha. She is attributed with giving names to the stars, and teaching the secrets of navigation and astrology to the treahni. Theila is most often portrayed as the young woman in hunting clothes, armed with a bow and arrow, and carrying an astrolabe.
Sleeping God
- A nameless Waejiran god or goddess whose name was removed from history for a great offence. Some believe this nameless one still has some power over the mortal realm, but exactly what is left unsaid.
Other Beings
- Beings that are part of the Waejiran religion, but not gods or goddesses proper. These entities are servants of the divine, or semi-divine beings.
Balfagor's Stei
- The God Balfagor is said to be served by a pair of stei, whom assist him with delivering dreams and visions to mortals.
Nae
- Waejiran mythic figure believed to deliver benign dreams to sleeping people. One of Balfagor’s stei, Nae is associated with the silver moon, and appears as a grey and silver marbled tabby.
Rae
- Waejiran mythic figure believed to deliver nightmares to sleeping people. One of Balfagor’s stei, associated with the red moon, and appears as a red/orange striped tabby.
Children of Neithur
- Also called Sons of Neithur or Daughters of Neithur, Priests and priestesses of the Waejiran god of the dead who willingly undergo a transition to an undying state through an elaborate ritual. they are required to relinquish their will and soul to their god in order to serve as living agents indefinitely. The process of becoming a Son/Daughter of Neithur involves an unbreakable oath. Even dying is only the beginning, not a way of getting out of the promise, as one gains a sort of immortality after death. If Neithur finds them pious enough to grant their desire, they remain alive well beyond their mortal life expectancy. Their bodies slowly deteriorate, and require constant upkeep to keep their physical integrity. They are not truly immortal and can be destroyed, but if they avoid catastrophic injury will continue to exist indefinitely. These liches are the most dedicated members of his faith who still direct the church in everyday affairs. The current head of the church has been a Son of Neithur for nine centuries.
High Nobles of Waejir
- The High Nobles of Waejir are demigods placed into power by the gods themselves to help guide and protect the Treahni living in the empire. They possess godly powers, are near-immortal, omniscient and possessed of a divine right of rule. These High Nobles are beautiful, yet slightly alien in appearance; their hair is always some shade of the metallic spectrum (silver, gold, copper, etc.), and their eyes the colours of precious gems (amethyst, citrine, emerald, sapphire, ruby).
