Deities

The nine deities, or gods, of Tridia can be grouped into three categories: Celestial, Empyreal, and Infernal. Celestial gods and their followers use holy Light energies and devote themselves to positive ideals that many people support. On the other hand, Infernal gods work with unholy Dark energies, leading to their followers often being viewed negatively, avoided, and even feared. The Empyreal gods sit in a more neutral position between the Celestial and Infernal, as they can control both Dark and Light energies. Their followers are dedicated to ideas that don’t clearly fall on a moral spectrum.
The Celestial, Empyreal, and Infernal deities of Tridia have significant power over the land, affecting many lives through their devoted followers and sometimes getting involved directly when the situation demands it. Each deity has a recognizable appearance, a sacred symbol, and a set of Ethos that they represent. This basic information about the deities is widely known across many regions of Tridia, so it’s likely your character would have at least heard of them before.
Followers of gods automatically learn a special prayer (R3 spell) when they reach Rank 3 in the Divine Governing Skill.

Bastion Sunfire

Celestial god of guardians, justice, and valor. His followers tend to be noble, courageous, and honorable people. Many people of Tridia revere Bastion for his dedication to protecting others, and pray to him to bring sunlight and guard them from the Tempest. People may dislike Bastion followers as some tend towards holier-than-thou attitudes. A Bastion follower’s unending quest for justice often leads them into dilemmas that force them to choose between doing what is right and doing what is just. 

Bastion Sunfire typically appears as a helmless male Human warrior, dressed in gleaming, golden plate mail. He carries a shield and wields a massive flamberge one-handed. His face bears a single blemish: a hastily bound, bloody bandage covering both his eyes. His commonly-recognized sacred symbols feature a set of scales, or a sun, usually emblazoned on a shield.

Ethos:
Bravery. To act when others quake in fear—this is the essence of the warrior.
Protection. Threats to the land and to the people must be dealt with at any and all costs.
Greater Good. Our lot is to lay down our lives in defense of others.
Justice. A nation built upon just foundations will uphold freedom for all.
Truth. I care about the truth above all else, even if it doesn’t benefit anyone.

Prayer:
Discern Truth
Range: Caster
Duration: 1 Minute
Area of effect: Caster’s area of hearing 
The caster gains an unerring sense for falsehoods for 1 minute. Any spoken statements may be discerned as truth or falsehood. This is limited to the speaker’s belief on the truth of a statement.

Terra Heart

Celestial Goddess of the hearth, hope, and mercy. Terra Heart is a matronly force who cares for hearth and home. Many families in Tridia keep an idol and an offering bowl for Terra somewhere in their homes. Her temples often double as shelters for orphans and the homeless. Terra Heart followers have a reputation of being kind-hearted and nurturing, so much so that some criticize their tendency to avoid or not take sides in conflict.

Terra Heart appears as a large, four-armed, four-breasted female minotaur. She wears simple, homespun, undyed clothes. She carries with her a suckling babe. She always has a broom, fire poker, and a bundle of healing herbs with her. It is commonly known she is the wife of the god, Flint. Her typical sacred symbol is a crossed broom and fire poker, and sometimes features a small flame.

Ethos:
Common Good. My house serves a vital function, and its prosperity will help everyone.
Community. We have to take care of each other, because no one else is going to do it.
Empathy. No creature should be made to suffer.
Hope. I am guided by a higher power and I trust that everything will be right in the end.
Redemption. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Prayer:
Hospitality
Range: Touch
Duration: 8 Hours
Area of effect: One room, or an area in a radius of 30’
After uttering this prayer, The Matron’s power purifies and sanctifies a space, placing those within in a state of safety. No creatures within the area of effect may be targeted by any strike, offensive techniques or spells, and may not use any offensive strikes techniques or spells on others. This prayer requires 5 minutes to cast, and may only be cast once per long rest.

Flint

Celestial God of change, creation, and freedom. Known to be an exceptional hunter when he was a mortal man, Flint is popular amongst hunters, trappers, and other outdoorsy types. He is the favored god of craftsmen and artists – those who devote their lives to creation and innovation. His followers are known to be passionate and highly adaptable, able to take whatever change comes their way in stride. Some dislike Flint followers for their untamable, “wild” nature, as they notoriously struggle yielding to authority figures. It is known Flint is the husband of Terra Heart. His followers are sometimes known to aid and protect her followers, as well as take vengeance upon those who harm them. As a huntsman, Flint is known to be a bitter enemy of the she-wolf goddess, Shard. The grudge between the two has yet to fade from their past conflicts, and as such, their followers tend to bear a prejudice against each other as well. 

Flint appears as a large, antlered humanoid. His skin is bronze, and he would be considered hairy for a Human. He has great golden bird’s eyes, and wears a loincloth. He carries a woodsman’s ax and a mithril bow. His common sacred symbol is a stag’s head above a crossed ax and arrow.

Ethos:
Expression. Art, joy, and laughter are the keys to freedom.
Creativity. The world is in need of new ideas and bold action.
Anarchy. No person or law or custom can tell another what to do.
Change. Life is like the seasons, in constant change, and we must change with it.
Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them.

Prayer:
Flint’s Cabin
Range: Touch
Duration: 12 Hours
Area of effect: A 10’x10’ space
This spell creates a moderately weatherproof cabin out of the natural surroundings. The cabin is furnished with bedding, a hearth and kitchen with enough food, water, and room to support 6 people. Lasts for 12 hours.

The Raven

Empyreal God of law, rituals, and death. The Raven is a creature of absolutes. He is the enforcer of the laws of the cosmos, and the collector of the dead. All things die, and therefore all things pass through his claws. All souls will fly with the Raven someday. Some people find Raven followers unapproachable, due to their perceived serious and grim nature. In established governments, Raven followers seek to obey the law and preserve tradition, even to the inconvenience of themselves or others. Many people, even if they do not like them, respect the Raven’s followers for their reverence for the dead. Temples of the Raven will often manage graveyards and funerals for the people of their community. They are also known to purge undead anywhere they can be found. Undead creatures are blasphemous to the Raven, and to create one is sacrilege to the highest degree.

When not appearing as a large raven, The Raven may also appear as a tall, gaunt humanoid with a raven’s head. He wears black silks and carries a scythe and his ledger. His most common sacred symbol is, of course, a raven. Superstitious folk claim that to harm a raven is to bring misfortune or death upon the offender.

Ethos:
Order. The law is meant to ensure that the gears of society turn smoothly and quietly.
Logic. Emotions must not cloud our sense of what is right and true, or our logical thinking.
Tradition. The stories, legends, and songs of the past must never be forgotten, for they teach us who we are.
Death. Nothing is eternal. The looming specter of death grants importance and weight to what life we have.
Fairness. No one should get preferential treatment before the law, and no one is above the law.

Prayer:
Speak With Dead
Range: Touch
Duration: 10 Minutes
Area of effect: 1 Deceased creature’s remains
This spell allows the Cleric to speak with the deceased. This spell lasts for 10 minutes, during which the caster may ask 1 question per rank of Prestige, minimum of 1. The deceased must answer truthfully, but will not respond to questions it does not know the answer to. The deceased may be asked a question that answers with an opinion.

Throat the Mad

Empyreal God of knowledge, balance, and dreams. Throat the Mad and his followers tend to fall somewhere between a little quirky and incredibly odd. Some people find Throatians’ strangeness unsettling and keep their distance from their temples. However, you will be hard-pressed to find anyone more dedicated to the collection and preservation of knowledge. A temple to Throat the Mad always has a library of some kind housed within. The knowledge contained within that library may only be of use to breeders of show turtles, or the library may be organized according to the last letter in each book, but there will be a library. 

Throat most often appears as a male Human Mage, wearing a peaked, wide- brimmed hat and over patchwork robes. He always carries with him roughly half of a broken crystal ball, which constantly emits a swirling stream of colorful clouds. His sacred symbol is a simple spiral.

Ethos:
Free Thinking. Inquiry and curiosity are the pillars of progress.
Wanderlust. One must expand their horizons by seeing the world and exploring.
Balance. Neither virtue nor sin are inherently better, and an imbalance of one can be a detriment to the world.
Witty. Brains are better than brawn. I rely on my wits and respect others who do the same.
Equilibrium. Do not fish the same spot twice in a row; suppress your greed, and nature will reward you.

Prayer:
Moment of Clarity
Range: Caster
Duration: 30 Minutes
Area of effect: Caster
The caster calms their mind, and in that instant has a moment of clarity. They are able to gain insight into a situation, puzzle, dilemma etc. The caster throws 3 challenges, gaining Advantage for any applicable lores.

Trip and Trap

Empyreal Gods of battle, luck, and youth. Followers of the Twins are restless folk. They are eager, always ready for a new endeavor. If one doesn’t find them, they’ll make one themselves, usually by gambling, playing tricks, and starting fights. They live life to the fullest, and if something threatens that life, they fight viciously to keep it. Followers of the Twins are known to give every battle their all, and treat every fight as though it were their last. Should you find yourself on a battlefield, you’ll want them on your side – if you can handle their unpredictable nature. While some may find joy in the lively spirit of a follower of the Twins, those who desire structure might find them aggravating, irresponsible, and unreliable.

Trip and Trap appear as a set of adolescent twins. Trip is a boy, and Trap is a girl, though they are known to be difficult to tell apart. In situations regarding battle, the twins appear in matching light armor, each with a spear or short sword in hand. Both are disheveled as if they were just in a fight. At other times, they appear with one wearing rags and the other finery, each carrying some sort of game (dice, cards, etc.). Trip and Trap’s most common sacred symbol is a pair of identical swords with dice for pommels, one pointing up, the other down. Oftentimes this is simplified to only a pair of dice. An older but still popular symbol is a young tree, bearing jewels instead of fruit.

Ethos:
Unpredictability. Keeping the enemy guessing and off-balance is my tactical strength.
Glory. I crave glory in battle, for myself and my people.
Adventure. I’m far from home, and everything is strange and wonderful!
Luck. Our luck depends on respecting its rules—now throw this salt over your shoulder.
Survival. You can’t win if you’re dead. Live to fight another day—when the odds might be more in your favor.

Prayer:
Fortune’s Favorite
Range: Touch
Duration: 30 Minutes
Area of effect: 1 Creature
Blessed by the gods of luck, for the next challenge series thrown, the target may treat all ties as wins.

Marissa Darkdreams

Infernal Goddess of corruption, order, and war. Marissa Darkdreams is the ultimate tyrant, commanding unconditional obedience from everyone, not just her followers. Her followers seek to dominate and corrupt any person or organization they come across, whether by raw power or clever words. She is the favored deity of generals, crime lords, ruthless politicians, and slavers. They make brutal and effective tacticians. A Darkdreams follower is never without a goal in mind, and as determined folk, they will do almost anything to achieve them. If this goal happens to coincide with yours, you have acquired a strong ally. Of all the unholy deities, Darkdreams is the most commonly seen openly practiced, as her followers value an orderly society and often pursue positions of power.

Marissa Darkdreams appears as a pale, dark-haired, captivatingly beautiful woman. Her skin is covered in battle scars. She is either fully armored, or dressed in fine, black, immaculately tailored clothing. She always carries a set of shackles and a bladed whip. Her sacred symbol is a vertical armored gauntlet, sometimes holding a chain or whip in the closed fist.

Ethos:
Strength. In life as in war, the stronger force wins.
Advancement. Money and power can be gained more easily within an organization. Gain as much as possible.
Eloquent. I use my words to sway others to my beliefs.
Might. The strongest are meant to dominate the weak.
Order. Like a well-pruned tree, society thrives when everything is kept in good order.

Prayer:
Taskmaster
Range: Touch
Duration: 10 Minutes
Area of effect: 6 Willing creatures
The caster embodies the drive of their god, pushing themselves and their companions onward in their task. This prayer reduces the necessary time for a Recovery period to 10 minutes, regaining all abilities except for Endurance. At the end of the Recovery, all targets Exhaustion is increased by 1.

Shard

Infernal Goddess of deception, greed, and fear. Shard followers are cunning and selfish. They wield panic and lies as weapons. They fight for themselves and their own interests, which is usually material gain. Temples to Shard are rare, as her followers can only associate for so long until one backstabs another. Instead, most Shardians worship their goddess independently, and gather with others only on special occasions.
Shard’s preferred form is a large, black she-wolf. She is also known to occasionally appear as an attractive humanoid female dressed in flowing, sheer black gowns. In this form, she carries a hefty purse of coins and gems that she uses as a mace. Regardless of form, she is always seen with a trickle of blood coming from the corner of her mouth. Her sacred symbol is a wolf’s open maw, and followers will typically wear a wolf’s tooth as an accessory.

Ethos:
Callous. I am unconcerned with any negative effects my actions may have on the lives and fortunes of others.
All for a Coin. I’ll do nearly anything if it means I turn a profit.
Terror. Deception and the unknown are weapons. Strike from where your foes won’t expect.
Fear. People should not respect power. They should fear it.
Secretive. I trade in secrets, and am not about to let any of mine slip.

Prayer:
Veil
Range: Caster
Duration: 5 Minutes
Area of effect: Caster and any Target Creatures within 5’.
The caster calls upon Shard’s blessing to deceive the eyes of those around. Shard wraps the caster and any targets within 5’ in a veil of fragile magic that bends light around the caster, making them invisible. The targets may not use any other technique, spell, or attack without breaking the Invisibility. May not be cast in combat, and breaks if combat begins within the same scene.

Raash

Infernal God of chaos, destruction, and murder. Followers of Raash are feared and despised by almost everyone. Even followers of the other unholy gods think twice before associating with a Raashian. They are unpredictable, violent people, sometimes just as much a danger to themselves as they are to others. Raash has no temples, because to organize one would be counter to his goals. He seeks to create nothing and maintain nothing.
Raash always appears as an Elven man, often dressed as a well-to-do merchant. In battle, he wears only a loincloth. His head is marked with a glowing, sickening green rune. The head of the battle ax he carries is forged from a shard of pure reality. He has no use for a universal sacred symbol. Each follower of Raash has a sacred symbol of their choice, unique to themselves. Though not always present, people have learned to recognize a sickly green glow as a sign of Raash’s influence and unholy magic.

Ethos:
Destruction. I want to dance among the flames as the world burns down around me.
Rage. To live is to feel and express the rage burning in your belly.
Chaos. The more chaos that swirls around me, the more opportunities I can find to profit.
Impulsive. No plan survives contact with reality. It’s easier to dive in and deal with the consequences.
Murderous. Life is as fragile as it is worthless, and I will take it freely and without concern.

Prayer:
Entropy
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Area of effect: 1 Object no larger than 5 cubic feet.
This prayer invokes the dark power of destruction. Upon completion, the prayer causes 1 unattended, non-magical object to be broken. This object’s rank may not exceed the caster’s rank of Prestige, minimum of 1. Objects do not include entire structures, but smaller components of structures may be affected.