A Category of Gods and Goddesses

                A Category of Gods and Goddesses
                    Revealed to Fae and Man
              And Their Relations to One Another

              by Laurentius, Imperial High Priest

   Foremost in Power, Influence and Might is Echer, Lord of Dragons, King of Eagles, Reignsman of the Four Winds, and Fount of Wisdom. From Echer comes the powers of the Arcane to those who practice his mysterious ways among the Fae and Half-Blooded. Echer, in Ancient Times, first gifted the powers of Magic to the other Gods, and it is through Him that the most devout and studious of Men might achieve wizardry, should Fae blood flow in their veins.
   Foremost in our Honoring is Archambau, the First to render Music, and the Lover of the Goddess Aurinia. It is through is undying devotion to love in spite of the consequences that we Men of Tyrium know the pursuit of wine, women and happiness to be higher than all other goals, save the defense of our beloved, and no jealous foe shall ever keep two lovers apart or a people from prosperity and happiness. He watches us from among the clouds, ever waiting for Aurinia of the Sun to descend from Her lofty place in the heavens. He grants luck and fortune to the bachelor and maiden, strong wines to the vintner, and music and rythmn for the player and dancer.
   Foremost in our Love is Aurinia, the Sun-Goddess, Mother of Elves, and Fairest of All Women. She blesses our world with Light and Beauty, shrouded in Her golden hair within the vessel of the Sun. It was in the Ancient Times that she was forced into marriage and imprisoned cruelly by Mortsognir, the Stone-King, who kept her within his caverns. Only the endless love of Archambau would spare her torment from that eternal night, and together She was freed to light the world with love and beauty.
   Foremost in our Scorn is Mortsognir, the Stone-King, who dwelled in the Ancient Times within His caverns, creating works of invaluable wealth and hoarding them for himself. In his greed for treasure Aurinia was tricked into wedlock and thus imprisoned within the chambers. By the magic of Echer, instructed to Archambau, and a dagger of Taurgir, gifted to Aurinia, the God Mortsognir was slain within His bedchamber and His body rent asunder, Praise Be.
   Foremost in our Compassion is Maliba, Sister of Mortsognir, Maiden of the Wood. Though long She wept for Her Brother, now She secludes Herself in nature, gifting Her followers with blessed hunts, and granting farmers their harvests. She is friend to all and any living creature, and her devout rarely suffer hunger long should they be lost within the wilds.
   Foremost in Purity is Veleda, Virgin of the Moon. She is the protector of the northern folk of Vohrland, who value deprivations of both body and mind above enjoyment of the God's many fold gifts. She protects the Bride and the married Home, and holds all children dear. She is the younger sister to Aurinia, and they vie for the privilege of lighting the world, although the fickle and sometimes wrathful Veleda conceals the Moon to deprive all the world of light each month, leaving only stars, and at other times blocks the very Sun. As such she reminds us of the terror of Darkness and the final reckoning for the sinful.
   Foremost in our Dread is Taurgir, the God of Death and Darkness. Far more is known, but no more shall be written here, of His Ways and Machinations, save that Murderers, Thieves and Orcs worship him, and they are cultists fit for fire and stake.