Gods

Introduction

The Gods, also called the 'Adac' in the Elven languages, are -- in technical terms -- a species of highly powerful spirits, far beyond the level of any others known to the world. They are the architects and creators of Atharen and its races, as well as the many planes and realms of reality, from Reverie to Bel. Because of their power, and their part in creating the mortal races, they are revered across the world and are looked to as great moral arbiters. Their perfection has been put into question, however, by the corruption and fall of half of their number, and the continuing division sowing through their ranks.

The Schism

The Living and Corrupted Gods were split apart upon the Sundering of the Planes, when the Light-God Venadak was exploited and utilized to destroy the stability of the planes of reality. With the energy of these converging realities colliding with one another, transfusing and blending with the chaotic and raw ether of the universe, all existing planes were severely compromised, flooded with ethereal blight. Venadak and the Gods nearest to him were corrupted beyond repair, twisting into a fundamentally different set of beings from their Living God counterparts. It is this event that split the pantheon in two, with Venadak crafting Bel as a method of imprisoning he and his fellow Corrupted, so that they would not leak their ethereal rot into Muid and the other planes.

The Living Gods

The Living Gods are the revered deities of Atharen, worshiped as the predominant faith in many societies, and with threads through nearly all cultures. They are those who stayed within Muid when Venadak was captured by Valen Dres, choosing to allow their peers to manage the crisis on their own. As a result of their non-proximity to the Sundering, they remain effectively as they were before, representing the 'perfect' divinity of their original conception. The Living Gods tend to be perceived as being kinder, more heroic, and more temperate. While these beliefs may or may not be correct, it is certainly true that they are more stable, and resist many of the wild and often conflicting impulses that come with severe corruption.

The Living Gods are as follows:

Kyrikain, God of Nightmares, Dreams and the Mind. The Lord of Reverie.

Izonata, God of Chaos, Freedom, and Darkness.

Maztyx, God of Corruption, Destruction and Regrowth.

Malek, God of Death, Souls and Disease.

Draz'Rizel, God of Science and Progress.

Ulluven, God of Arts, Water, and Love.

Evitrix, God of War, Craft and Tact.

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The Corrupted of Bel

The Corrupted of Bel are often called the Corrupted Gods, the Imprisoned Ones, or a mixture of the two labels. Far less mainstream in worship than their 'Living' peers, they are known for their mad games, their vile realms within Bel and the plethora of ambitions and vices imbued to them by their corruption. Unlike the Living Gods who try to present a unified front, the Corrupted battle in what is known as the Endless War, scheming and warring against one another without even an hour of rest. Their persistent need to acquire power has made the mortals of Atharen fearful of them, though some take pity in their plight and join their cause, seeking to help free their detained Lords.

While the Living Gods tend to traverse the planes freely, the Corrupted are bound to Bel and thus have formed physically traversable realms within the plane, as if creating a lair. This is one great distinction between them and their 'holier' counterparts, as rather than being filled with the vessel for their domains, the Imprisoned are filled with raw corruptive power while their domains are projected to their exterior, manifesting almost as an afterthought.

The Corrupted are as follows:

Venadak, corrupted God of Order, Creation and Light. The Lord of Bel.

Valteran, corrupted God of Starvation, Blood, and Pain.

Saryn, corrupted God of Time, Fate and Decay.

Quarae, corrupted God of Desire and Fear.

Nurax, corrupted God of Vengeance, Envy and Discord.

Yshendra, corrupted God of Life, Undeath and Malice.

Brazim, corrupted God of Joy, Entertainment, and Youth.

Melphas, corrupted God of Pests, Ash and Virulence.