Religion: THE GODS OF THE SEVENSIX

The Sevensix is the aether’s main pantheon, comprised of two classes of gods - those derived from the Six Sisters, mothers of the elementals and the physical world, and those derived from the Ascendants, patrons of daimons and morality.

The Six Sisters (The Elemental Gods)

These are the eldest gods, born long before the aether’s existence. They were said to appear as crystalline dragons larger than worlds.

They are Agna, Sister of Fire;

Omia, Sister of Water;

Aria, Sister of Air;

Tierra, Sister of Earth;

Gaia, Sister of Aether;

and Nihila, Sister of Void.

At the dawn of time, the first four sisters battled for dominance over the lifeless space which would become the aether, despite Gaia’s pleas for peace. This War of the Six resulted in an elemental tempest that allowed life to take root, but cost the Sisters their lives - leaving nothing but their crystalline hearts behind.

The tempest grew after their deaths, threatening all of the newborn life and leading to Gaia’s Sacrifice - an act that shattered and reformed the youngest sister’s body and soul into what became the Great Sphere, protecting the aether and taming the elements. And with her dying wish, Gaia conjured seven deities to protect and guide the sentient creatures of the aether - the Ascendants.

Bitter and distant, the eldest Nihila retreated into the Void, never to be seen again.

While they are long gone, many still worship the Six Sisters, offering prayers to their still-beating hearts, the everlasting sources of elemental energy nestled within the aether's cardinal points. Druidic practitioners, mages who practice elemental evocation magics, and any who are close with nature find close connections with the elemental goddesses. Aethrin praise them as their ancestors, and almost all species acknowledge Gaia as the creator of the aether itself - and the giver of all life.

Worship of Nihila is much more shunned, as She's viewed as a sort of boogeyman by many cultures - especially since many believe She still lives, lurking beyond the darkness of the Void where She reigns from a city of black obsidian, where lost souls and shadow beings wander the mazelike streets. The Vacivian Sylori praise Her as a matron deity of protection, and Void aethrin credit Her - and Her emissaries, the Void Primals - as their watchful, morally grey patron.

The Primals

In the aftermath of the War of the Six, the remains of the Sisters’ souls reformed into miniature versions of the elder goddesses. These now-ancient dragons, the Primals, are guardians of the elements and creators of the aethrin who serve as their messengers and agents. The Void Primals, serving the sole surviving Sister, are instead powerful emissaries made from Her living flesh and blood. There are dozens of Primals, serving as different aspects of each element. Here are a few.

Fire Primals

Solon; Lord of the Golden Sun
Ashera; Wyvern of the Ashfallen Horizon
Flaghrán, The Hungering Flame
Calara, Maiden of the Hearth’s Ember

Water Primals

Cyluna, Lady of the Silver Moon
Glacius, Harbinger of the Silent Cold
Fluvina, The Riversinger
Thalas, Caller of the Echoing Deep

Earth Primals

Radyx, The Seed-sower
Calculon, The Stonehearted
Ratnah, Queen of the Jeweled Hoard
Skohn, Wraith of Shifting Sands

Air Primals

Arctos, Wind of the Bitter North
Anatol, Wind of the Spirited East
Sembra, Wind of the Benevolent South
Hesper, Wind of the Guiding West

Aether Primals

Kardha, Daughter of the Heart
Physica, Daughter of the Sight
Anima, Daughter of the Spirit
Crea, Daughter of the Breath of Life

Void Primals

Inaan, The Shadow Unseen, Lord of Cloaks
Svazka, The Darkling Minstrel, Lord of Masks
Morus, Toller of the Bell, Lord of Bones
Exitius, The First Rider, Lord of Misery

The Seven Ascendants

The Seven Ascendants are neutral deities born from Gaia’s final wish - to guide the newborn species of the aether toward their future fates. Reigning from reclusive, hidden pearls called the Seven Stars, they are the stewards of mortalkind, creating legions of daimonic servants to further their purpose. The Ascendants value balance over all, allowing sin and virtue in equal measure. The Ascendants gifted the creatures of the aether with the first magics, with each school of magic associated with and named after the Star of each god.

Mundus. The First Star, Elementalis (Magics of the Elements and Transmutation). The four-faced god of change, cycles, and the seasons, he governs the aether’s year and works closely with the Primals to balance the elements. He is patron deity of all Sacred Taurians, respected by aethrin, and worshipped by the Capry of Fable and Feroxan Sylori.

Atropos. The Second Star, Antithesis (Magics of Destruction and Necromancy). The worm-god of decay, certainty, and inevitability. Its worship is widely feared, shunned, and respected in equal measure. While not openly worshipped in many societies, many find ways to privately revere it, especially during funeral rites and the festival of the Evensong. The Ynxa do not practice organized religion but respect Atropos deeply. It is to Atropos’s embrace that corrupted Sacred Taurians find refuge. Some reclusive cults worship it more openly.

Doma. The Third Star, Thesis (Magics of Protection and Restoration). Adorned in wheat and wildflowers, Doma is the maiden of home and hearth, protection, fertility and family. She is venerated by the Capry and Manu, as well as the scattered wildfolk in many lands.

Historia. The Fourth Star, Ostis (Magics of Enchantment). The intangible, unknowable deity of knowledge and secrets, it gives its gifts in vague moments of lucidity and images of sacred geometry. The Nebulon often find kinship in it, as well as Scientian Sylori and the Caelha. Many arcane institutions, libraries, and academies are dedicated to Historia.

Aetas. The Fifth Star, Praestigis (Magics of Illusion). The beautiful and fickle god of luck and change, legendary for passing quietly among mortalkind as a traveling bard. He is revered wherever art and music are valued, paid respects by travelers and wayward souls, and beloved by the Satisan Sylori.

Licentia. The Sixth Star, Anima (Magics of Conjuration). Unlike the other Ascendants, Licentia is a Manu turned god, wielder of a divine spear that represents the decisive moment in which mortalkind shook off the shackles of the Ascendants’ rulership. They are the patron saint of all Manu and command special respect among the other Ascendants, governing the freedom of will and spirit.

Ananka. The Seventh Star, Caelestis (Magics of Divination). The mournful and long-vanished goddess of fate, whose mysterious daimons appear to work without guidance. On the dawn of Licentia’s ascendance, Ananka’s throne sat empty. Nevertheless, her power still touches those with psychic abilities and foresights, giving rise to oracles and seers. She is worshipped by those who believe that despite everything, fate has shown her kindness.

The Chaos Triad

Three deities once held the title of Ascendant, but through an act of critical betrayal - breaking the pacts imbued in them by Gaia’s last wish - they became scorned entities of chaos.

Rue. Maiden of Crimson Vengeance, The Forsaken. The fierce and wrathful goddess of retribution and war, she was once said to have been the lover of Ananka. She walks among mortalkind, gathering armies of followers and warlocks to do her bidding, seeking revenge against the Ascendants for allowing Ananka’s demise.

Crestfall. The Sorrowbound, Angel of Weeping Wings. A deity of indescribable beauty, Crestfall is a delicate, celestial being wrapped in wings and the shimmering vestiges of stars, with a face thought to be both so beautiful and so corrupted that it cannot be seen unmasked. They once served as an Ascendant of Memory, but the weight of mortalkind’s burdens shattered their spirit.

Calamitas, the Beast Who Claims. Once possessing the throne of Praestigis and serving as a god of change, his force of will broke him free of his ancient pact - a freedom which led to his corruption as he delighted in wreaking chaos and devouring the innocent. He governs a vast and growing horde of banished daimons, along with doom cults like the Nexim. Calamitas fundamentally despises both the Void and the Mirrored God - forces that Calamitas believes are too interested in claiming his hunting ground for themselves.

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Religion: THE GODS OF THE SEVENSIX