The Gods

The average person prays to multiple gods for help in their respective spheres, but looks to a specific god as a patron. There are some who devote themselves entirely to the service of a single god, and others who pay no heed to the gods at all, trusting in their own skills and wits to survive. There are even those who openly defy the gods, but they are usually shunned by society lest they bring down bad luck by their impiety.

If you choose to play a cleric, you must choose a single deity to serve. You can choose one of the gods listed below, or invent your own. Other characters are not required to choose a patron god, although doing so is encouraged as it can help provide a connection to the setting and material for role-playing.

Wozar (WOE-zar), the Oathbinder, god of thunder. Wozar is a proud and jealous deity, with no love for the arrogant. An oath sworn in Wozar’s name is a considered sacred and binding; those who break such an oath are said to be cursed forever. Preferred offering: Anything with cloven hooves.

Meluwa (MELL-oo-uh), Gentle Meluwa, the Life-giver, Meluwa of the Moon. Meluwa watches over the innocent, especially children. Preferred offering: Repentance and a contrite heart.

Yagi (YAGG-ee) of the Flames, the Kindler and the Consumer, god of passion, god of inner fire. Yagi is the god of fervent love, desperate hatred, fierce ambition, and burning desire. The good and the evil alike call on Yagi to lend strength to their cause and visit destruction on their enemies. Preferred offering: incense and oils.

Zagon (ZAGG-on), the Terrible and the Glorious, god of war. Zagon is the patron of both friendly contests and deadly battles. Desertion and treachery are anathema to Zagon, as are laziness and cowardice. Preferred offering: blood.

Queob (KWAY-obb), the Knower and the Maker, god of knowledge. Queob is the god of books and tools, secrets and mysteries, magic and machines. Queob is worshipped by craftsmen, inventors, and sages, but also by scheming wizards and cultists seeking to learn that which should not be known. Preferred offering: fasting and self-denial.

Beffihesh (BEFF-ih-HESH), the Gardener of the Gods, the First Sower, the Lord of Bees. Beffihesh is a god of seeds and soil, the bounty of the earth and the beauty of growing things. Beffihesh is also the patron of farmers, guilds, and all who labour like bees for the common gain. It is taught that one must never to kill a songbird or a honeybee, lest one invite the wrath of the Gardener. Preferred offering: Plant flowers, feed the birds.

Tinx (TINKS), the Trickster, the Happy and the Bold, god of luck. Tinx is the god of thieves and rebels, liars and scoundrels, wit and wile. Tinx delights in games and wagers, art and music, and the pleasures of food and wine. Preferred offering: libations of wine.

Gnagk (guh-NOCK), the Eyeless and the Hungry, god of death. Gnagk is not worshipped openly in civilized lands, and is not recommended for player characters. The death god’s cultists and minions are most likely to appear in the game as villains and foes. Preferred offering: the still-beating hearts of virgins.

The Temple teaches that the gods can appear in any form they choose, whether that of man, woman, or beast. As for the many gods and goddesses that populate song and legend, it is taught that these are only aspects and avatars of the eight immortal deities.

Despite these teachings, down on the ground there remain shrines and temples to a panoply of gods and goddesses, with their own names, personalities, traditions of worship, and associated myths. There is many a village priest who claims to lead a church of Meluwa when the bishop comes by, then returns to the ancient fertility rites of the local goddess when the bishop is gone.