The Etharis Pantheon
"A Godless Universe"
In ancient time the many gods of Etharis guided their people to prosperity and enlightenment. That all changed during the Aetheric War, where the gods took up arms against a host of cosmic horrors called the Aether Kindred. This conflict led to the loss of nearly the entire pantheon. Many believe that the gods fled this reality for safer realms. Some scholars claim the gods were consumed by the very horrors they sought to destroy.
Those gods that survived returned to rule Etharis. With their balance disrupted, though, they could no longer exist at peace with one another. They made war among themselves over who should rule above the others. Thus, the last of the gods extinguished one another.
Etharis has been left a godless plane undergoing a prolonged dark age. All that remains of the once almighty pantheon are the lieutenants of these lost gods, Arch Seraphs and Daemons who have been left to their own devices. While they wield enormous power, these beings are far less than the gods they once served. Some still attempt to fulfill the functions of their lost masters. Others have opted to pursue their own agendas.
Arch Seraphs and Arch Daemons
In the absence of the gods, Arch Seraphs and Arch Daemons took up their mantle. While these beings are lesser divinities, they inherited part of their deity’s power, making them the source of divine magic in Etharis. The Arch Seraphs each correspond to a virtue.
The Primordials
When matter first formed from Chaos into fire, earth, air, and water, the Primordials opened their eyes to the light of Etharis. They spread across the land, sea, and skies, claiming territory for themselves. Then the gods decided to give a majority of Etharis to their mortal followers. War erupted with the Primordials, who, seeing they were outmatched, ceded their lands to mortals. It was this first great victory that convinced the gods to challenge the Aether Kindred, which led to their downfall.
While no match for the gods in terms of power, Primordials wield enormous elemental energy from their spheres of origin. They are not commonly worshipped in Etharis, save among Valikan clans in Grarjord and the elves of Tol Leyemil.
Gormadraug
The Great Prismatic Wyrm and originator of coldfire, Gormadraug was the most powerful of the Primordials. Gormadraug lorded over the other Primordials until its death at the hands of the hero Kentigern. His Primordial kin dread his resurrection and will do what they must to stop it.
Lady Morakesh
Commands the realm of Flamebourne and a host of salamanders, efreeti, and azers. As unstable and changeable as the element she controls, Morakesh aids or thwarts her fellow Primordials depending on her whim.
Citrolach
Supreme ruler of the vast underground realm of Stonereach. Creatures such as Xorn and Zaratans bow to his rule. Once he has set his mind on something, Citrolach is notoriously difficult to budge, holding to even his idlest whims for centuries.
Alondo
Lord of the Depths and ruler of the Endless Sea. Water elementals from the gentle hippocampi to the massive leviathans all follow his word. An isolationist, Alondo prefers to be left on his own without interfering or being interfered with, except in the most urgent matters.
Ilhara
Queen of Air and Shadow, who counts sylphs, djinn, and air myrmidons among her people. Ilhara stands with her ears to the wind— her spies watch all the Primordials, Seraphs, and Daemons, and report everything they see to her. She schemes to fill the power vacuum left by the death of Gormadraug and wrest control of Etharis from the Seraphs.
The Aether Kindred
The Others, or simply the Kindred, are cosmic horrors, the sight of which alone could torture a mortal’s mind into insanity. None can say where they originated, but scholars believe they are an aspect of the original chaos that existed before the birth of the universe.
Their goals—if they have any apart from consuming all of existence—are alien and inscrutable. Thankfully, after consuming many gods during the Aetheric War, the Kindred fell into a deep slumber. Their dormant state has left Etharis largely safe from their influence, but their dreams have still spawned abominations that haunt the continent.
Of the various Aether Kindred, these three are most known:
Where will you make your mark?
