[Information] The Ancient Gods

[Ziether]

Murinus, the Unseen Guide(LN): Murinus is the patron god and father of the Ratfolk. His aspect appears as a figure cloaked in a three-hooded mantle. Beneath each hood is the face of a male ratfolk: one a thin child, one an adult, and the last a scarred old man; all three have bandages wrapped around their heads, blindfolding them. When he speaks, the faces take turns speaking. Murinus champions the downtrodden, and advocates using whatever means they have available to them to escape or overcome their oppressors. His worhip consists of volunteering for shifts in the village watch, and providing safe harbor for any who are fleeing something.

Portfolio: Ratfolk, Perseverance, Underdogs, Innovation

Domains: Community, Protection, Animal, Artifice, Liberation

Favored Weapon: Sai

[Ziether]

Koralra, the Voice of the Depths(LN): Koralra is the patron god of the Merfolk. His aspect is that of a great black kraken, tentacles spread. He has no need to speak, but projects his will into the minds of those both near and far. He encourages his followers to live orderly lives, to obey the authorities, and to oppose disorder. He is worshipped by more than just merfolk, though. He is the master of scholarly magic, and the Merfolk maintain the Koralra Institute, an underwater magical academy dedicated to the study of the arcane. Koralra's worship varies depending on each worshipper's magical aptitudes. The most adept craft wondrous magical items for the Trove of the Guardians, the less adept scribe scrolls for the priests. Those who have no magical ability feed the poor and clean up after the more apt worshippers.

Portfolio: the Sea, Merfolk, Wizards, Students

Domains: Artifice, Law, Magic, Rune, Water

Favored Weapon: Harpoon

[Ziether]

Kordun of the Many Colors (N): Kordun is the patron god and father of the Kobold race, as well as all dragons. His aspect is that of an absolutely ancient great wyrm, with massive jaws filled with wickedly sharp teeth and scales of all hues and metals covering his body. He has been known to take the guise of various humanoids, but always with some aspect of his disguise having many colors to it. Kordun is the father of sorcery, manifesting many bloodlines. True magical power emanates from him, and his clerics often are some of the most beautiful and compelling people around. His worship is by no means exclusive to kobolds, or reptilians in general. Those who crave power, revere arcane magic, or wish to emulate any aspect of draconic perfection often turn to Kordun. His sacred ritual is performed in a basin of five layers, Brass flows into Copper, Copper into Bronze, Bronze into Silver, and Silver into Gold. Water is passed through a pipe of Ivory, Onyx, Jade, Blue Topaz, and Red Garnet, flowing out of the pipe and into the bowls, each overflowing in succession until it is collected in a vast depression in the ground beneath. At the conclusion of the ritual, a flask of acid is poured into the depression, a bolt of lightning strikes the surface, which promptly blazes with brief flame before freezing solid. The resulting ice is broken into pieces and shared amongst the worshippers, supposedly granting power and the favor of the King of Dragons.

Portfolio: Dragons, Kobolds, Sorcery, the Elements

Domains: Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Scalykind, Strength

Favored Weapon: Blowgun

[Ziether]

Amphara, the Swamp Mistress (LN): Amphara is the great frog-goddess of the Grippli people. Her aspect is that of a large poison dart frog, bright yellow with red markings. She is the mistress of passive defense, isolationist policies, and strong community. Her worshippers are almost exclusively Grippli, but a few members of other races call her "Mistress." Her worship is very simple. Worshippers of Amphara build up immunity to deadly toxins, then smear them on their skin. In times of war, they bare their flesh and stand passively. While not pacifists, they refuse to actively fight until one of their number is slain, preferring to retaliate rather than be seen as aggressors.

Portfolio: Grippli, Swamps, Amphibians, Poisons

Domains: Community, Law, Nobility, Protection, Water

Favored Weapon: Scythe

[Ziether]

Pliesce, the Sword of Justice (LG): Pleisce is the patron goddess of the Halflings, though not their creator. The creator of the Halflings is lost to the sands of time, but Pliesce pulled the Halfling people out of their subservience to the Humans and out into the glory of their own nation. She is a keen swordswoman, and calls upon her followers to be champions of justice like her. Whether it be in deeds great or small, or merely influential words, followers of Pliesce seek to root out opression in all forms. Pliesce advocates a martial approach to problems in general, resorting to words only if the individual lacks the strength to effect a solution. Her worshippers hone their minds and swords in ritual sparring as their worship, spending one day each week practicing with arms and armor to defend the weak and disadvantaged.

Portfolio: Halflings, Paladins, Injustice, Swordplay

Domains: Good, Healing, Law, Liberation, Protection

Favored Weapon: Longsword

[Ziether]

Leishara, the Queen Beneath (LE): Leishara joins the ranks of the Ancient Gods, but is not one of their original number. She came to power in the waning days of the First Age of War, when her offshoot branch of elves murdered much of the elven leadership before betraying their human allies to the hordes of goblins, orcs, and tieflings arrayed against them. Leishara ascended to godhood as Harden Salecio, the main human deity lost power as his worshippers were slaughtered. Leishara is the mistress of matriarchal domination of males, and the main deity of those who live deep beneath the earth. She advocates the keeping of males as worker drones, but not the waste of their lives. She admonishes her followers to maintain orderly lives, and to respect one another, but is not above using tricks to remove opponents. Her worship is performed by letting the blood of subjugated males until they weaken, but not die. Waste of life outside of war is heresy.

Portfolio: Drow, the depths of the earth, subjugation, treachery

Domains: Earth, Evil, Law, Nobility, Trickery

Favored Weapon: Spiked Chain