Chapter 7: The Elder Divine

The Demayth universe was not born from nothingness; it was shaped by the will and power of the Elder Divine, eighteen beings of immense cosmic scale who emerged from the primordial interplay of Light and Dark Demayth. They are the architects of the realms, the sources of divine power, and the ultimate arbiters of fate. Understanding the Elder Divine is crucial for any Demigod, as your lineage may trace back to one of their Exalted Ones, your alignment might mirror their values, or your destiny might become intertwined with their ancient conflicts and designs.

This chapter provides brief summaries of the eighteen Elder Divine who currently form the Council of Stars. For more detailed information on their domains, aspects, relationships, Exalted Ones, and history, consult The Book of Demayth.

The Foundational Creators

Romana - The World-Mother: Goddess of nature, worlds, life, and artistry. Romana shaped the Five Gaias and countless other realms, placing a Demayth Nexus at the heart of each. She embodies both the nurturing beauty and the untamed power of the natural world. Characters connected to nature (druids, rangers), artists, or those who value life and creation might revere Romana. KeyKoryans and Elves often feel a connection to her.
Rokuru - The Father Sky/Rain: God of water, gases, seas, and atmospheres. Working alongside Romana, Rokuru provided the essential elements for life to flourish. He embodies fluidity, adaptability, and the life-giving power of rain and air, but also the destructive force of storms and the crushing pressure of the deep sea. Sailors, farmers, travelers, and those living near water often seek his favor. Ranidae has a connection.
Duryin - The Divine Smith: God of creation, crafting, technology, invention, and the transformative power of fire (as a tool). Duryin gifted fire to the world and inspired the arts of blacksmithing and engineering. He values skill, dedication, and innovation. Dwarves and Petit see him as their divine father, and artificers, engineers, and craftspeople of all races often worship him.

The Virtuous Sisterhood

Tor Ray Say - The Righteous Warrior: Goddess of protection, justice, righteousness, and the war against evil. She is a fierce protector of the innocent and an unwavering champion of good, though she carries an inner darkness she battles. Paladins, righteous warriors, and those dedicated to combating evil follow her. She is one of the creators of the Celestials and Luna.
Komora - The Merciful Guide (Mother of Mercy): Goddess of guidance, mercy, compassion, redemption, and understanding. She offers solace, forgiveness, and second chances, believing in the inherent good within all beings. Healers, counselors, peacemakers, and those seeking redemption are often drawn to her. She is the protector of the Fifth Gaia, Tovak. She is one of the creators of the Celestials and Luna.
Lyate - The Goddess of Love: Goddess of love (in all forms), compassion, understanding, fertility, and soulmates. She fosters connection, empathy, and the life-giving power of love. Lovers, families, artists, healers, and those seeking meaningful connections often worship her. She is one of the creators of the Celestials and Luna, particularly the Cupids.

Deities of Law and Order

Herya - The Lawgiver: Goddess of law, order, justice, cosmic principles, and structure. She dictates the fundamental laws of the universe, including the Elder Edicts that bind the gods themselves. She is impartial and unwavering, concerned with cosmic balance over individual lives. Judges, scholars, philosophers, and those who value order and structure might respect her authority, though she has few active worshippers.
Un Du'Walc Shu'Way - The Purifier: God of punishment, guilt, rebirth, and purification through suffering. He embodies karmic justice, ensuring consequences for actions and offering redemption through difficult trials. His path is harsh but ultimately aimed at cleansing souls. Those seeking atonement or those who enforce harsh justice might follow him, though he is often feared. He protects the Rhordarians with his curse.
RonBakku - The Honorable Warrior: God of honorable war, ethical battle, warrior codes, discipline, and redemption from dishonor. He emphasizes how war is fought, valuing integrity and adherence to a code above mere victory. Warriors who follow strict codes (like samurai or knights), disciplined soldiers, and those seeking to regain lost honor often worship him. The Plasmators turned to him for redemption.

Deities of War and Rage

Mythyos - The Judge of Battle: God of war, battle, glorious combat, and the judgment of warriors. He assesses the valor and skill of those who fight, offering rebirth or a place in his afterlife to the worthy. He embodies the martial spirit and the glory found in battle. Warriors seeking glory, strength, and recognition for their prowess often follow him. The Okand are his most fervent followers. He has a strange connection with Zakyr.
Azmorath - The Primal Fury: God of anger, fury, rage, and primal emotion. He embodies the raw, untamed power of destructive emotion, a force that can both destroy and create change. He is not inherently evil but represents a volatile and dangerous aspect of Demayth. Berserkers, those consumed by rage, or those seeking to harness primal power might be drawn to him (often unwisely). He is linked to the creation of Orcs and Furyins, and works with Ran'Dyus.

Deities of the Cycle of Life and Death

Synthera - The Weaver of Endings: Goddess of death, reflection, darkness, witchcraft, and the afterlife. She guides souls through the transition of death, overseeing the spirit realm. She is not inherently evil, but associated with the feared and misunderstood aspects of existence. Practitioners of witchcraft, those who commune with spirits, and those seeking understanding of death might follow her. She is linked to the creation of Dark Elves and Devil Tormentor Kin. She is close to Buta.
Buta - The Rotting Hands: Deity of rot, disease, necromancy, and decay. An embodiment of the necessary decomposition within the cycle of life and death, appearing as a mass of hands. Unsettling and macabre, Buta delights in manipulating the dead. Necromancers, plague doctors, and those who accept the necessity of decay might follow its path. It is linked to the creation of Devil Tormentor Kin.

Deities of the Wild and Mystical

Muu'Dya - The Fey Enchantress: Goddess of the fey, elves, magical creatures, and mystical nature. She embodies the beauty, wonder, and unpredictable danger of the fey realm and wild magic. Elves (especially High Elves and Wood Elves), rangers, druids, and those connected to the fey often revere her. She created many magical races, including Dragons and the Exalted One Azul Rageon.
Maka Kyky - The Mother of Beasts: Goddess of beasts (mundane and magical), primal instinct, and the wild. She dictates the nature of animals and embodies both their nurturing and savage aspects. Rangers, hunters, beast tamers, and humanoid beast races (like the KeyKoryans and Ranidae) worship her. She created the Spirit Beasts to guard her faithful.

Beyond the Council

Phantor - The Architect of Fate: God of fate, time, space, the multiverse, and chance. He created the Clepsydra Multiverse but remains a detached observer, allowing destinies to unfold. Those seeking knowledge of fate, time travelers, or multiverse explorers might study his workings, though direct worship is rare. Nyxaros is his Exalted One.
Zakyr - The Lord of Chaos: God of chaos, misfits, madness, unpredictability, and spontaneity. He revels in disruption and randomness, appreciating both creative and destructive chaos. Rebels, tricksters, gamblers, and those who embrace freedom from order might be drawn to him (often with dangerous consequences). He is linked to the creation of Dark Elves, Duergar, and the Mal Kye alliance.
Ran'Dyus - The Demonic Engineer: God of demonic engineering, demonic creation, and power through monstrous beings. A twisted creator who uses rage (often Azmorath's) as a catalyst, obsessed with a corrupted form of perfection. His followers are rare outside the Abyss, typically those seeking demonic power or drawn to his dark creations (Demons, Devils, Devil Kin, Furyins).

The Fallen God

Hektor - The Fallen Trader: Formerly the god of trade, exchange, and negotiation. He was banished from the Council of Stars for directly interfering with mortals, granting them magic and causing devastation. He now wanders the mortal realms, his power sealed, seeking to manipulate others and regain his lost divinity through cunning deals and schemes. He serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of breaking divine law.

Serving the Divine: Followers, Prophets, and Exalted Ones

While the Elder Divine are vastly powerful, their direct interaction with the mortal realms is limited by the Elder Edicts. Their influence is primarily felt through those who serve them, willingly or otherwise. It's important to understand the distinctions between the different ways beings relate to the gods:

Common Followers: These are the vast majority of individuals – mortals and Demigods alike – who hold faith in one or more of the Elder Divine. They offer prayers, participate in rituals according to their culture and faith, and strive to live according to the tenets of their chosen deity. While their devotion may grant them comfort, guidance, or even minor blessings in times of need, they do not have a direct, personal line of communication with their god, nor do they wield divine power directly. Their faith is a matter of belief and adherence to tradition.
Prophets: Prophets are rare individuals chosen by a deity to receive direct communication. This is not something earned through piety alone, but a specific selection by the god. Prophets might receive visions, hear divine whispers, or be tasked with specific missions. They act as messengers, delivering warnings or commands from their deity. Some Prophets may even be granted the ability to channel minor divine power, performing small miracles or blessings related to their deity's domain. They are conduits, mouthpieces, but they are still fundamentally mortal or Demigod, distinct from the Exalted.
Exalted Ones: These beings stand on a different level entirely. As detailed in Part 3 of The Book of Demayth, Exalted Ones are direct creations of the Elder Divine, crafted from Demayth energy or elevated from powerful beings. They are not mere followers or messengers; they are agents and intermediaries, imbued with a significant portion of their creator's power and tasked with carrying out the divine will in the mortal realms. They are far more powerful than Prophets and possess a direct, intrinsic connection to their patron deity. They are the beings responsible for the creation of most Demigod lineages.

Understanding these distinctions is crucial when developing your character's relationship with the divine. Is your Demigod a devout follower, a chosen prophet, or perhaps someone who rejects the gods entirely?

Divine Wishes and Curses

While the Elder Divine are bound by the Elder Edicts, prohibiting direct, widespread interference in the mortal realms, their immense power allows them to bestow profound blessings or inflict terrible afflictions upon individuals – mortals and Demigods alike – whose actions significantly impact the cosmic balance or draw their personal attention. These ultimate expressions of divine favor or wrath are known as Divine Wishes and Divine Curses.

Divine Wishes (Elder Wishes)

The granting of a Divine Wish, sometimes called an Elder Wish, is an exceedingly rare event, reserved for those who have demonstrated exceptional courage, unwavering devotion, profound wisdom, or who have accomplished truly monumental deeds in service of a deity or the greater good of Demayth. It is not a reward to be sought lightly, nor is it granted easily.

A Divine Wish holds the potential to reshape reality itself, limited only by the domain of the granting deity and the fundamental laws of the universe (the Elder Edicts). A Wish granted by Romana might restore life to a barren world. A Wish from Duryin might forge an artifact of unparalleled power. A Wish from Komora might grant true redemption for the most heinous crime. A Wish could potentially grant immense power, knowledge, immortality, or fulfill almost any deeply held desire.

However, even a Divine Wish is not without potential peril. The forces involved are immense, and the consequences, even of a well-intentioned wish, can be unforeseen and far-reaching, rippling across time and space in unpredictable ways. Mortals and Demigods who receive such a boon are forever changed, often marked by the experience and tasked with wielding their newfound power responsibly.

Divine Curses

Just as the Elder Divine can grant immense blessings, they can also inflict terrible Divine Curses upon those who earn their ire. Such curses are not common; they are typically reserved for those who commit grave transgressions against the divine order, who directly defy or betray a deity, who break the most sacred oaths, or whose actions threaten the fundamental balance of Demayth.

A Divine Curse is a manifestation of pure divine power, often inescapable and incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to break through mortal means. These curses can take many forms:

Transformation: A physical transformation into a monstrous or weakened form.
Power Stripping: The complete or partial removal of a Demigod's powers or connection to Demayth.
Eternal Torment: Inflicting unending physical or mental suffering.
Fate Binding: Twisting the victim's destiny towards ruin or despair.
Generational Curses: Afflicting not just the individual, but their entire lineage.

A prime example is the Unlimited Guilt curse inflicted by Un Du'Walc Shu'Way upon those who harm the peaceful Rhordarians, a testament to the Purifier's unique sense of justice. Breaking a Divine Curse often requires intervention from another deity (perhaps one opposed to the deity who inflicted the curse), the discovery of an artifact of immense power, or an act of profound sacrifice and atonement that satisfies the angered god.

The Battle Master's Role: The bestowal of a Divine Wish or the infliction of a Divine Curse is a major narrative event within a Demayth Adventures campaign. It should not be treated lightly. The Battle Master determines the circumstances under which such an event might occur, the specific nature of the Wish or Curse, and the ultimate consequences for the characters and the world around them. These are powerful tools for driving the story forward, rewarding heroic deeds, or raising the stakes of a conflict to a truly cosmic level.

Faith and the Demigod: A Matter of Choice

For beings like Demigods, blessed with near-immortality and a tangible connection to the divine spark, the question of faith is not merely a matter of abstract belief, but a choice with potentially profound consequences. While their lineage may tie them to a specific Elder Divine through the Exalted Ones who came before, Demigods possess free will. They can choose to embrace the faith of their ancestors, forge a connection with a different deity whose domain resonates with their own values, or reject the gods entirely, seeking their own path through the vast expanse of Demayth.

Why Follow a Deity?

For many Demigods, choosing to follow a deity offers significant advantages and a sense of purpose in their long lives:

Guidance and Purpose: The Elder Divine embodies fundamental aspects of the universe. Aligning oneself with a deity can provide a moral compass, a sense of direction, and guidance in navigating the complexities of Demigod existence. In a world of constant change and conflict, faith can offer stability and meaning.
Divine Favor: While direct intervention is rare, consistent devotion, acts performed in a deity's name, and adherence to their principles can attract divine favor. This might manifest as subtle blessings, moments of unexpected luck, answers granted through divination, or even, in extraordinary circumstances, a Divine Wish.
Afterlife: As discussed previously, the fate of a soul after death is often influenced by faith. Devout followers, whether mortal or Demigod, have the potential to join their deity's realm within the greater Divine Realm, finding eternal rest or purpose in service, rather than simply returning to the cycle of Demayth or risking darker fates in the Abyss or the Realm of Shadows.
Community and Connection: Faith provides a connection to a larger community of believers, fostering alliances, shared rituals, and mutual support among mortals, Demigods, and sometimes even Exalted Ones who serve the same deity.
Access to Divine Power (Indirect): While Demigods draw their power from Demayth itself, faith can grant access to specific forms of divine aid. Prophets receive direct communication, and devout followers might be granted the use of holy artifacts, blessed weapons, or knowledge of specific rituals related to their deity's domain.

Why Reject the Divine?

Despite these potential benefits, some Demigods choose to forgo faith, embracing atheism or simply remaining indifferent to the gods:

Independence: Some value their free will above all else, rejecting the idea of owing allegiance or service to any higher power, even the gods tied to their own lineage.
Disillusionment: Witnessing the conflicts between the gods, the apparent indifference of deities like Phantor, or the harsh methods of others like Un Du'Walc Shu'Way can lead to disillusionment and a rejection of faith. The fall of Hektor also serves as a reminder that even the Divine are fallible.
Focus on Self: Demigods pursuing Ascension or Intent often focus entirely on their own power and potential, viewing reliance on deities as a weakness or a distraction from their ultimate goals.
Fear of Entanglement: Some may fear being drawn into divine conflicts, used as pawns in the gods' games, or burdened by unwanted responsibilities.
Belief in Demayth: Some Demigods may choose to revere the fundamental forces of Demayth – Light and Dark – directly, seeing the Elder Divine as mere manifestations rather than the ultimate source of power.

Consequences of Faithlessness

Choosing not to follow a deity is a valid path, but it carries its own implications. Atheistic or indifferent Demigods cannot expect divine aid or blessings. Their fate after death is less certain, more likely resulting in a return to the cycle of Demayth. While most deities are unlikely to punish mere lack of belief, actively opposing a deity or committing acts that blatantly violate their domain can certainly incur divine wrath in the form of a Divine Curse.