Yalvian Pantheon (Work in Progress) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Yalvian Pantheon (Work in Progress) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sachiel
12-12-07, 01:30 AM Yalvians are an original race in my homebrewed world, Usara, who I originally posted in this thread http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-177577, however it is only recently that I finally fleshed out their belief system some. Since I have nothing better to do for another few minutes, I figured I'd share it with you, on the off-chance that someone is interested. Enjoy!

The Yalvian Pantheon

The Yalvians pay homage to many Gods with various personalities and relations with one-another. There are many stories about the adventures of these Gods and their dealings with mortals. Sometimes, particularly famous stories are told and retold through the generations, eventually being incorporated into the Yalvian tradition.
There are three general groups of Yalvian Gods. The Kizyu (True Gods) are the true Gods, the ones who protect and rule over Yalvians. They live atop the world tree, but they often alter their forms and walk among mortals. Wanryu (Deceiver Gods) are usually less powerful, and are often scheming to steal power from the Kyizu using mortals that they dupe in some way. The Wanru live in the mortal world or in various other branches of the world tree, though they always try to get to the top. Last, the Malbyu (Nightmare Gods) are the former rulers of the world tree and are responsible for having shaped the world and created the other races. They are often very destructive, and are thought to cause most natural disasters from their home in the Dreamtime.

Kizyu
Ranyana – The Crone is the head of the Yalvian pantheon. She is very wise, and is responsible for the initial rebellion against the Malbyu that brought the Kizyu into power. Many stories that would otherwise end in disaster end with Ranyana helping with a suggestion that solves all problems. Often the suggestion is made at the beginning of the story, but it is either ignored or misinterpreted until disaster nearly strikes. Ranyana is depicted as a very old Yalvian woman with long hair and sometimes with a blind eye. Usually she is portrayed as kind and benevolent, but some stories have her acting wrathful towards the young Gods and mortals that do not heed her advice, and bringing ruin upon them. She is the Goddess of death that will eventually take each Yalvian into her embrace, and she carries the souls of dead Yalvians (as seeds) to her son Hrano so that he can determine their fate.

Ylavi – The eldest daughter of Ranyana, Ylavi is often called the Mother, as she is the mother of most of the Kizyu, usually either with Hrano and Yaranu. She is depicted as a kind yellow-furred Yalvian woman, either pregnant or nursing a child (or both). Ylavi seldom takes an active part in Yalvian tales, but she influences others to take action, and often steps in to defend her children from danger. Many tales depict her as lazy or meddling, but she is also the embodiment of unconditional love. Every Yalvian clan claims to be able to trace their lineage back to Ylavi, which is what makes her the mother of all Yalvians.

Artyria – Known as the Maiden, Artyria is the youngest daughter of Ylavi, and is always depicted as a very pretty nude Yalvian girl. She is known as the embodiment of beauty, youth, fertility, and lust; Yalvian women in heat are said to be under the influence of Artyria, an honored position in Yalvian society. Many tales portray Artyria as a mischievous and seductive girl interested only in enjoying herself in the moment. She is often the initiator in these tales. Lately with the rise of the popularity of Mralan, she is less often the trickster, and more often the beautiful maiden that is a goal for others to woo.

Hrano – A son of Ranyana, Hrano is the fate planter. He is depicted as a furless pale-skinned Yalvian man with a bag of seeds on one side and a bag of fruit on the other. It is said that each Yalvian is a seed that he places in the soil. Their good and bad deeds affect the health of the plant, and when they die, it bears a fruit. If the fruit is good, he ensures that they are reincarnated in a favorable form; should the fruit be poor, he may cast their soul to the Malbyu, though generally he only ensures that they are reborn in animal form for a few cycles. The very best fruit bear seeds that are taken to the top of the world tree so that they may flower in the garden of the Gods. Hrano is seldom mentioned in most tales, as his duties keep him busy, though he does show up as a stern disciplinarian on some occasions.

Yaranu – The water lord is known to have a violent temper, and cares little for the lives of mortals. A son of Ranyana, he is most often the mate of his half-sister, Ylavi, but he values his command over water far more than anything else. He is depicted as a Yalvian man with blue fur and a tail made from sea foam, and when taking an active part in tales, he is often accompanied by giant lobsters that serve him. Yaranu is one of the more villainous Kizyu, and it is not uncommon for him to be in leagues with Malbyu or Wanryu. It is through his negligence or effort that misfortunes happen. In modern tales, he is thought to be worse than ever, as it is over his oceans that the Morrigoths came to Ylmiria and enslaved many Yalvians.

Ynururu – Known to be the lady of the skies, Ynururu is a daughter of Yaranu and Ylavi. Depicted as a radiant Yalvian woman with golden skin and hair like clouds, she ensures that the sun is able to complete its voyage across the sky each day by defeating evil Malbyu that try to block its path. Rarely, she is defeated, and the sun is wounded, but at these times all other Kizyu rally to her aid and drive back the Nightmare Gods. She is portrayed as happy and full of laughter, taking the nights off to drink and fly about, playing jokes on unwitting people. In the daytime, she is serious in her duties, but never misses the opportunity to tease people that she believes deserve it. Ynururu is the second embodiment of the sun, taking over after Rofurn died.

Mralan – Mralan, the trickster God, represents the moon. He is the twin of Rofurn, and thus a son of Hrano and Ylavi. He is usually depicted either as a dark-skinned Yalvian man with glittering stars for fur and the moon at the tip of his tail, or as a young handsome Yalvian man with moons as his irises. In tales, he is extremely active, always sneaking about the top of the world tree, or trying to get away with something under Ranyana’s nose. He mates often with Ynururu; and the two share a romantic love affair. However, it is said that on the nights of the new moon, he walks among mortals in various forms to seduce or play tricks on them; it is like this that he causes much mischief for everyone. Lately, he has become much more popular than he once was, and many tales have sprung up about him trying to gain the affections of Artyria or opposing schemes of Yaranu.

Nyarani – Ylavi conceived the warrior Goddess, Nyarani, after Yaranu raped her. So moved by the plight of her daughter, was Ranyana, that she concocted a potion that allowed Ylavi to change the baby from being Yaranu’s by using the seed from her dead son, Rofurn (killed by Yaranu). Thus the fiery Nyarani was born, ever an enemy of Yaranu. She is depicted as a young Yalvian woman, well muscled, with bronze skin, and always carrying her fiery spear, Kyu-frena (Sunray). Nyarani is a brash young woman, always eager to fight on behalf of her mother, and usually the butt of Mralan’s jokes, bypassed by Artyria’s beauty, or the defier of Wanryu plots. She’s seldomly the main character in a story, but usually one that plays a vital role in defending the Yalvians from supernatural threats (though Mralan’s tricks end up stealing the spotlight).

Rofurn – Originally the Yalvian God of the sun, Rofurn was a son of Ylavi and Hrano, and the twin of Mralan. Though seldomly depicted, he is generally thought to have been a very tall Yalvian man with bright yellow skin that sparkled. There are a few older stories about the love affair between Rofurn and Ynururu, the Sun and the Sky, and the rivalry this inspired with Mralan. At one time, Ynururu lamented that her winds were unable to cavort about the depths of the ocean and bring joy to the sea creatures. To show up his twin brother, Rofurn used the sun to burn away large parts of the ocean. This angered Yaranu so much, however, that the sea God strode to the top of the world tree to demand the sun be handed over to him. When Ylavi refused, she was raped, and when Rofurn came to his mother’s defense, Yaranu killed him. Wise Ranyana refused to let Yaranu take control of both the sun and the sea, so she burdened Ynururu with the power of the sun, saying that it belonged in the sky. Ranyana then took Rofurn’s seed and implanted it in Ylavi, causing him to be reincarnated as Nyarani.

Minor Kizyu
Frura – The traveling God, associated with the wind, Frura is the son of Mralan and Ylavi. He is depicted as a young Yalvian man with a very streamlined look, always bounding forward on all fours. He is the messenger of the Kizyu, and is a very diplomatic God. He is said to have gifted Yalvians with their speed because watching them move about so slowly bored him. One popular story tells of Fruru stubbing his toe on a mountain and being unable to run until his foot healed up. So bored was he by the second hour of waiting, that he invented medicine in order to hurry the process. After his injury healed, he discarded the medicine in the mortal world since he had no further use for it. Now he is prayed to in order to help healing or for wisdom in the proper use of medicine as well as for his more obvious role in assisting travelers.

Ayanyan – Daughter of Ylavi and Yaranu, Ayanyan is a very clever Goddess. She is calm and thoughtful, never one to rush into a situation without coming up with plans. Ayanyan was Mralan’s tutor for a while, and taught him many tricks, though his capriciousness caused her to abandon him. She is the Goddess of laws and tactics, and it is she who taught Yalvians how to use traps to their advantage in conflict. Her ingenuity is said to have saved the world from Malbyu many times over, but her stubbornness often makes her the recipient of Mralan’s practical jokes.
meigin
12-12-07, 07:05 AM not bad, i sense a blending of greek and norse mythology with a tidy helping of originality, is that fair to say?
Sachiel
12-13-07, 04:26 AM Quite fair actually. The Yalvians prefer their gods and goddesses to be larger than life and to influence the world around them, rather than have them as philosophical concepts or detached preachers of dogma. I also decided to present the pantheon as the Yalvians actually present their gods, as opposed to the more traditional scholarly presentation that one usually sees.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sachiel 12-12-07, 01:30 AM	Yalvians are an original race in my homebrewed world, Usara, who I originally posted in this thread http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-177577, however it is only recently that I finally fleshed out their belief system some. Since I have nothing better to do for another few minutes, I figured I'd share it with you, on the off-chance that someone is interested. Enjoy! The Yalvian Pantheon The Yalvians pay homage to many Gods with various personalities and relations with one-another. There are many stories about the adventures of these Gods and their dealings with mortals. Sometimes, particularly famous stories are told and retold through the generations, eventually being incorporated into the Yalvian tradition. There are three general groups of Yalvian Gods. The Kizyu (True Gods) are the true Gods, the ones who protect and rule over Yalvians. They live atop the world tree, but they often alter their forms and walk among mortals. Wanryu (Deceiver Gods) are usually less powerful, and are often scheming to steal power from the Kyizu using mortals that they dupe in some way. The Wanru live in the mortal world or in various other branches of the world tree, though they always try to get to the top. Last, the Malbyu (Nightmare Gods) are the former rulers of the world tree and are responsible for having shaped the world and created the other races. They are often very destructive, and are thought to cause most natural disasters from their home in the Dreamtime. Kizyu Ranyana – The Crone is the head of the Yalvian pantheon. She is very wise, and is responsible for the initial rebellion against the Malbyu that brought the Kizyu into power. Many stories that would otherwise end in disaster end with Ranyana helping with a suggestion that solves all problems. Often the suggestion is made at the beginning of the story, but it is either ignored or misinterpreted until disaster nearly strikes. Ranyana is depicted as a very old Yalvian woman with long hair and sometimes with a blind eye. Usually she is portrayed as kind and benevolent, but some stories have her acting wrathful towards the young Gods and mortals that do not heed her advice, and bringing ruin upon them. She is the Goddess of death that will eventually take each Yalvian into her embrace, and she carries the souls of dead Yalvians (as seeds) to her son Hrano so that he can determine their fate. Ylavi – The eldest daughter of Ranyana, Ylavi is often called the Mother, as she is the mother of most of the Kizyu, usually either with Hrano and Yaranu. She is depicted as a kind yellow-furred Yalvian woman, either pregnant or nursing a child (or both). Ylavi seldom takes an active part in Yalvian tales, but she influences others to take action, and often steps in to defend her children from danger. Many tales depict her as lazy or meddling, but she is also the embodiment of unconditional love. Every Yalvian clan claims to be able to trace their lineage back to Ylavi, which is what makes her the mother of all Yalvians. Artyria – Known as the Maiden, Artyria is the youngest daughter of Ylavi, and is always depicted as a very pretty nude Yalvian girl. She is known as the embodiment of beauty, youth, fertility, and lust; Yalvian women in heat are said to be under the influence of Artyria, an honored position in Yalvian society. Many tales portray Artyria as a mischievous and seductive girl interested only in enjoying herself in the moment. She is often the initiator in these tales. Lately with the rise of the popularity of Mralan, she is less often the trickster, and more often the beautiful maiden that is a goal for others to woo. Hrano – A son of Ranyana, Hrano is the fate planter. He is depicted as a furless pale-skinned Yalvian man with a bag of seeds on one side and a bag of fruit on the other. It is said that each Yalvian is a seed that he places in the soil. Their good and bad deeds affect the health of the plant, and when they die, it bears a fruit. If the fruit is good, he ensures that they are reincarnated in a favorable form; should the fruit be poor, he may cast their soul to the Malbyu, though generally he only ensures that they are reborn in animal form for a few cycles. The very best fruit bear seeds that are taken to the top of the world tree so that they may flower in the garden of the Gods. Hrano is seldom mentioned in most tales, as his duties keep him busy, though he does show up as a stern disciplinarian on some occasions. Yaranu – The water lord is known to have a violent temper, and cares little for the lives of mortals. A son of Ranyana, he is most often the mate of his half-sister, Ylavi, but he values his command over water far more than anything else. He is depicted as a Yalvian man with blue fur and a tail made from sea foam, and when taking an active part in tales, he is often accompanied by giant lobsters that serve him. Yaranu is one of the more villainous Kizyu, and it is not uncommon for him to be in leagues with Malbyu or Wanryu. It is through his negligence or effort that misfortunes happen. In modern tales, he is thought to be worse than ever, as it is over his oceans that the Morrigoths came to Ylmiria and enslaved many Yalvians. Ynururu – Known to be the lady of the skies, Ynururu is a daughter of Yaranu and Ylavi. Depicted as a radiant Yalvian woman with golden skin and hair like clouds, she ensures that the sun is able to complete its voyage across the sky each day by defeating evil Malbyu that try to block its path. Rarely, she is defeated, and the sun is wounded, but at these times all other Kizyu rally to her aid and drive back the Nightmare Gods. She is portrayed as happy and full of laughter, taking the nights off to drink and fly about, playing jokes on unwitting people. In the daytime, she is serious in her duties, but never misses the opportunity to tease people that she believes deserve it. Ynururu is the second embodiment of the sun, taking over after Rofurn died. Mralan – Mralan, the trickster God, represents the moon. He is the twin of Rofurn, and thus a son of Hrano and Ylavi. He is usually depicted either as a dark-skinned Yalvian man with glittering stars for fur and the moon at the tip of his tail, or as a young handsome Yalvian man with moons as his irises. In tales, he is extremely active, always sneaking about the top of the world tree, or trying to get away with something under Ranyana’s nose. He mates often with Ynururu; and the two share a romantic love affair. However, it is said that on the nights of the new moon, he walks among mortals in various forms to seduce or play tricks on them; it is like this that he causes much mischief for everyone. Lately, he has become much more popular than he once was, and many tales have sprung up about him trying to gain the affections of Artyria or opposing schemes of Yaranu. Nyarani – Ylavi conceived the warrior Goddess, Nyarani, after Yaranu raped her. So moved by the plight of her daughter, was Ranyana, that she concocted a potion that allowed Ylavi to change the baby from being Yaranu’s by using the seed from her dead son, Rofurn (killed by Yaranu). Thus the fiery Nyarani was born, ever an enemy of Yaranu. She is depicted as a young Yalvian woman, well muscled, with bronze skin, and always carrying her fiery spear, Kyu-frena (Sunray). Nyarani is a brash young woman, always eager to fight on behalf of her mother, and usually the butt of Mralan’s jokes, bypassed by Artyria’s beauty, or the defier of Wanryu plots. She’s seldomly the main character in a story, but usually one that plays a vital role in defending the Yalvians from supernatural threats (though Mralan’s tricks end up stealing the spotlight). Rofurn – Originally the Yalvian God of the sun, Rofurn was a son of Ylavi and Hrano, and the twin of Mralan. Though seldomly depicted, he is generally thought to have been a very tall Yalvian man with bright yellow skin that sparkled. There are a few older stories about the love affair between Rofurn and Ynururu, the Sun and the Sky, and the rivalry this inspired with Mralan. At one time, Ynururu lamented that her winds were unable to cavort about the depths of the ocean and bring joy to the sea creatures. To show up his twin brother, Rofurn used the sun to burn away large parts of the ocean. This angered Yaranu so much, however, that the sea God strode to the top of the world tree to demand the sun be handed over to him. When Ylavi refused, she was raped, and when Rofurn came to his mother’s defense, Yaranu killed him. Wise Ranyana refused to let Yaranu take control of both the sun and the sea, so she burdened Ynururu with the power of the sun, saying that it belonged in the sky. Ranyana then took Rofurn’s seed and implanted it in Ylavi, causing him to be reincarnated as Nyarani. Minor Kizyu Frura – The traveling God, associated with the wind, Frura is the son of Mralan and Ylavi. He is depicted as a young Yalvian man with a very streamlined look, always bounding forward on all fours. He is the messenger of the Kizyu, and is a very diplomatic God. He is said to have gifted Yalvians with their speed because watching them move about so slowly bored him. One popular story tells of Fruru stubbing his toe on a mountain and being unable to run until his foot healed up. So bored was he by the second hour of waiting, that he invented medicine in order to hurry the process. After his injury healed, he discarded the medicine in the mortal world since he had no further use for it. Now he is prayed to in order to help healing or for wisdom in the proper use of medicine as well as for his more obvious role in assisting travelers. Ayanyan – Daughter of Ylavi and Yaranu, Ayanyan is a very clever Goddess. She is calm and thoughtful, never one to rush into a situation without coming up with plans. Ayanyan was Mralan’s tutor for a while, and taught him many tricks, though his capriciousness caused her to abandon him. She is the Goddess of laws and tactics, and it is she who taught Yalvians how to use traps to their advantage in conflict. Her ingenuity is said to have saved the world from Malbyu many times over, but her stubbornness often makes her the recipient of Mralan’s practical jokes.
meigin 12-12-07, 07:05 AM	not bad, i sense a blending of greek and norse mythology with a tidy helping of originality, is that fair to say?
Sachiel 12-13-07, 04:26 AM	Quite fair actually. The Yalvians prefer their gods and goddesses to be larger than life and to influence the world around them, rather than have them as philosophical concepts or detached preachers of dogma. I also decided to present the pantheon as the Yalvians actually present their gods, as opposed to the more traditional scholarly presentation that one usually sees.