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Baygorth the Elderslime (Gonzo)

Cerulean Seas Deities[]

The Council of Nine[]

The Council of Nine enforces the most important religious edict of the seas; “there shall be only nine.” It began in the tumultuous time immediately after the flood. The area of the Cerulean Seas became unnaturally saturated with conflicting spiritual beliefs, warring holy factions, and confused worshippers. In addition, the dwindling drylander survivors often surged with repentance. In an attempt to reconcile with the gods they angered, they attempted to convert whomever they encountered to their faith; adding to the dilution of undersea faiths.

When Shazalar and the tritons appeared, they immediately appealed to the greatest zealots of the realm with a plan for order. The sebek-kas were a good choice. The entire race dreamed of the resurrection of the glory of their faith for millennia, and this was a prime opportunity. In short order, the leaders of eight other faiths were chosen to join.

Two important criteria were followed in their selection. First, the deities involved must not be among those angered by the drylanders. Second, they must represent a philosophical branch (alignment) unlike that those chosen before it. The result was nine vastly different faiths, with followers representing most sentient aquatic races. They had one unifying goal; to eliminate or assimilate all other faiths that did not belong to the nine.

The task was orchestrated by the Council of Nine; hierophants and representatives of their faith. The plan was potent. Within decades, all conformed to the new edict. While conversion and assimilation was the preferred method of eradication, and it generally worked very well, other, more deplorable tactics were also employed. Rumors of large scale genocide, especially against the vanishing drylanders, still abound today.

Sanctioned Cults[]

Since the Council of Nine was formed, a need for racial identity within religious context was recognized. The council understood that this was an important aspect of religion, and an even greater component of religious conversion. Sanctioned cults were the result. These “sub-faiths” are regulated under the umbrella of one of the nine faiths, and are usually slanted towards one particular race. Each sanctioned cult must agree that they do worship one of the nine deities, though they may call this god by a different name and even incorporate additional religious text, domains, and mythology to their deity. Dozens of cults exist, and often come and go with time. However, every cult must receive the stamp of approval by the Council of Nine, or suffer the wrath of inquisitors from nine different faiths.

Most cults believe that they are worshipping a more “purified” version of their god. In addition, most cults carry with them the remnants of another religious system, complete with different ceremonies, regalia, and customs. Clerics who belong to these faiths can even call upon a different set of domains. Some cults are so autonomous from their parent faith that they feature alignments one step different from them. The Council of Nine accepts this, so long as the leaders of these cults openly acknowledge that they are simply extensions of a “pure faith,” and the alignment/philosophy does not stray further than one step from this faith. Sanctioned cults have been a regular feature of the seas since the formation of the council, and to the diversity of religion in the realm.

The Jaxlenite Brotherhood[]

The Jaxlenite Brotherhood is the official name for the ixarc philosophical branch. Under a philosophy rather than a deity, the Jaxlenite Brotherhood is closely watched by the Council of Nine for evidence of divine power. Their many monasteries throughout the Cerulean Seas could pose a problem if they begin turning out clerics along with their many monks.

Religion in the Underdeep[]

The many facets of Underdeep religion are explored below:

Forbidden Faiths[]

While many sanctioned religions and cults thrive in the Underdeep, the deep sea still holds a few that escape persecution and the watchful eye of the Council of Nine. Among the worshippers of Saloth and Dagon, the most antediluvian and eldritch of faiths have worshippers hiding amid the deepest crevasses and darkest corners of the planet.

Religion in Nikaikoku[]

The many facets of Nikaikoku religion are explored below:

Jade Tiles[]

While all manner of holy symbols and talismans are used to represent devotion or provide a divine focus, none are more important than the jade tile. A religious person in this region will carry a small jade tile inscribed with his favored power’s unique symbol. In the case of death, if this tile is found on the body, it is customary to grant the deceased funerary rights concordant with his beliefs. Failure to do so would bring down the wrath of the Powers That Be. Most races practice this custom, regardless of whether they are hanran or imperial. It is considered bad luck to carry more than one jade tile at a time, especially if they are of different Powers.

The Mystical Elements[]

In the cosmology of Celadon Shores, there are five mystical elements: Rain, Wood, Fire, Wind, and Metal. Unlike the traditional four elements, these elements do not lay in opposition to another, but instead in harmony. Each element helps the others thrive. In addition, these elements are not tied to any specific inner or outer plane. Their force is said to be represented here in this world. When representatives are destroyed, it is up to the inhabitants of this world to keep it in balance.

While the kamigei are specially appointed to such tasks, they are not solely responsible for maintaining this balance. According to this belief, each individual must strive to find the balance with the five mystical elements both within his own self and his environment. Many believe that the Great Flood occurred because the “Wheel of Five,” as some refer to these elements, was irreparably damaged.

The Powers That Be[]

On the Celadon Shores, worshipping a singular god or goddess is a somewhat foreign concept. Even for those races such as the river ningyo or the sebek- ka with an overtly dedicated deity, faith resides in a much more diverse cast of divine powers. In addition, it is not uncommon to pray to concepts or beings that are not considered a divine power in other realms.

In Nikaikoku, the pious usually worship an array of “Powers That Be” along a particular theme. Each of these Powers can grant divine spells much like a deity can in other lands. Powers are usually made up of a menagerie of individual sources which can include gods, spirits, heroes, magical races, mystical locations, and even potent philosophical concepts. Each individual of faith collects her own unique set of these sources, and derives her arsenal of holy symbols and regalia to represent their chosen Power. Occasionally, these unique sets are passed down through family lines.

As a result, two clerics of the same Power That Is may have different holy symbols, religious texts, and even belief structures. The only thing that would be similar is that they can draw from the same domains and they would both carry the same jade tile (and therefore common funerary rights). In a land with thousands of different ways of worship, dictating religious practice would be an impossible task. The dragon emperor has done his best to create unity as well as religious tolerance, including implementing the jade tile system, and enforcing their meaning with strict laws, even when those laws favor the hanran or even the naga. This is not to say that he has not worked at promoting a more unified religion. Through subtle propaganda, he encourages putting faith in the Empire itself. This has been very successful as this devotion has not only risen to a potent Power That Is, but it has become the most common religion for imperialists.

The most common Powers That Be are listed in order of popularity. These Powers take the place of singular deities for religious classes such as clerics.

Favored Weapons: Since powers draw on a much broader array of ideologies, favored weapons tend to vary from one individual’s belief to another’s. Consequently, for any class that refers to a deity’s favored weapon, the player must instead pick any one weapon upon gaining the first level in that class. That weapon becomes the favored weapon of his personal faith, and cannot be changed.

Religions of Isinblare[]

The many facets of polar religion are explored below:

Inuksuit[]

An inuksuk (singular form of Inuksuit) is a landmark or cairn built of stone, snow, or ice to signify a holy place or temple. Its form, often humanoid, denotes what deity or force is being honored. In Isinblare, the inuksuk form is also considered the holy symbol of that religion, in addition to “holy gems” specific to each faith. While each representative form is unique or specific, they all share the same crude style, easily represented with a pile of rocks even by the least artistic of the faithful.

Deities of Isinblare[]

Isinblare itself has no official religion or pantheon, though many nations have specific laws or decrees regarding the faith of its subjects. Several nations, such as the squawk empire, have outlawed religion altogether. For the most part, however, religion is left to the individual to decide and lacks the intense focus that it often holds in other regions of the world. Detailed below are a few of the common deities of the realm, some of which are shared by those in the standard Cerulean Seas campaign setting. Other deities and cults from the core setting may be found in Isinblare, though they are much less frequent.

Religions of Devonia[]

The many facets of Devonian religion are explored below:

Deities of Devonia[]

Devonia was founded by atheists and primitives, and therefore it took quite a long time for religion to reemerge. When it did, it was in one of three ways. Some deities were pieced together from vague inscriptions, rotted tomes, and shaky oral tradition. Dumothan, Fenmestarelle, and Grumsholah are examples of these deities. Others were adopted from primitive or ancient cultures that filtered in through the rifts. Ryuo and Umbotuhan are examples of these. Lastly, some gods arose from a collection of personifications and superstitions. Chronos is a good example of this.

Regardless of their origin, the gods of Devonia are somehow both novel and ancient at the same time. While clerics and paladins are rare, they are not unheard of, and seldom scorned for being such. The culture has shifted from staunchly atheist to curiously agnostic. This brings a new dawning of the age of gods and man, and may signify the Devonian’s readiness to rejoin the world.

Cerulean Seas Deity Table[]

Name Pantheon Alignment Areas of Concern Domains Favored Weapon
Keilona Council of the Nine LG merfolk & carchardians (patron), justice, loyalty, honor, family, friendship, protection, military Community, Glory, Good, Law, Protection, War war fork
The Cult of Jaadel Council of the Nine LN carchardians, liberation from tyranny, societal order Glory, Law, War, Protection, Liberation fin razors
The Cult of Keilonagonar Delitakna Council of the Nine LN nommo, law, ancient knowledge, military Law, War, Protection, Knowledge, Rune trident
Poseidon Council of the Nine NG kai-lio & anthromorphs (patron), sea creatures, strength, healing, bravery, leadership, weather Animal, Good, Healing, Nobility, Strength, Weather triton fork
The Cult of Mahilon Council of the Nine NG kai-lio, healing, strength, freedom, security Good, Healing, Liberation, Protection, Strength longbow
The Cult of Neptune Council of the Nine LG military leaders, battle, strategy, defense, cities, physical prowess Good, Law, Nobility, Protection, Strength triton fork
Mariblee Council of the Nine CG feykith & delphins (patron), magic, beauty, art, love, music, steam, air Air, Charm, Chaos, Good, Magic, Steam shortbow
The Cult of Aear Emerwen Council of the Nine CG sea elves, magic, beauty, love, art, family Community, Charm, Chaos, Good, Magic elven fork
The Cult of Sedna Council of the Nine CN selkies, sea creatures (especially seals), magic trickery, charm, hunger, food Animal, Charm, Chaos, Magic, Trickery harpoon
Sebek Council of the Nine LN sebek-ka (patron), nobility, construction, earth, wealth, civilization, death rites Artifice, Earth, Law, Nobility, Repose, Rune moon glaive
The Cult of Halbok Council of the Nine LN genai, contracts, mediation, invention, magic Artifice, Law, Magic, Nobility, Rune rapier
The Cult of Scalis Council of the Nine N dragons, reptiles, leadership, treasure, treasure hunting Knowledge, Magic, Nobility, Rune, Strength dragon fork
Undine Council of the Nine N naiads (patron), nature, water, plants, coral, animals, waves, currents, tides, astronomy, fertility Animal, Flora, Healing, Sun, Travel, Water net
The Cult of Hefring Council of the Nine NG fishing, animals, waves, astronomy, invention, travel Animal, Artifice, Good, Sun, Travel fisher spear
The Cult of Ondine Council of the Nine N nature, coral, plants, animals, weather, seasons, water currents, tides, fertility Animal, Flora, Healing, Sun, Weather net
Clagguth Council of the Nine CN squibbons (patron), trickery, freedom, secrets, madness, luck, mutiny, gluttony Chaos, Knowledge, Liberation, Luck, Madness, Trickery spiked chain
The Cult of Guthlak Council of the Nine CG freedom, secrets, celebration, drinking, games of chance, greed Chaos, Community, Knowledge, Liberation, Luck sea reaver
The Cult of Thulu Council of the Nine CE anarchy, trickery, lies, madness, devouring living creatures Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Madness, Trickery spiked chain
Pluvak Council of the Nine LE contracts, cold, ice, undeath, tyranny, greed, wrath Death, Evil, Law, Strength, War, Water halberd
The Cult of Dijo Council of the Nine LN contracts, ice, imprisonment, penitence, sacrifice Death, Law, Protection, Strength, Water glaive
The Cult of Vanak Council of the Nine NE undeath, greed, agony, wrath, punishment, torture, blindness Darkness, Death, Evil, Strength, Water ranseur
Dagon Council of the Nine NE sahuagin & shargs (patron), evil, destruction, disaster, murder, deceit, insanity, monsters, death Death, Darkness, Destruction, Evil, Madness, Weather flayspear
The Cult of Leviathan Council of the Nine NE giants, kraken (and other gargantuan monsters), ruin, punishment, obliteration Death, Destruction, Evil, Strength, War treble fork
The Cult of Typhon Council of the Nine CE aberrations, evil, dismemberment, drowning, insanity, predatory animals Animal, Chaos, Death, Evil, Madness flayspear
Saloth Council of the Nine CE deep drow (patron), poison, hatred, steam, darkness, betrayal, pain, envy, lust Chaos, Charm, Darkness, Evil, Magic, Steam crossbow
The Cult of Morganae Council of the Nine CE evil feykith, deception, poison, hatred, pain, torture Chaos, Charm, Evil, Magic, Trickery crossbow
The Cult of Sarla Council of the Nine NE boggers, battle, murk, red tide, sargassum, suffering, death Evil, Death, Darkness, Madness, War spear

Gorgulth

Forbidden Faiths CN Estrel, Deep drow Chaos, Charm, Darkness, Protection, Madness, Magic Greatspear
Kaydolas Forbidden Faiths NE Goggayya, Rogues Darkness, Destruction, Luck, Evil, Trickery Claws
Pholos Forbidden Faiths N Ceratioidi pisceans Animal, Sun, Strength, Trickery, Protection, Water Spear
Torumdar Forbidden Faiths LN Austorian dwarves Artifice, Earth, Law, Rune, Steam Zharaz
Scalaxis Forbidden Faiths N Dragons and reptilian creatures Glory, Knowledge, Magic, Nobility, Rune, Strength Claws
Zissel Forbidden Faiths LE Oculi Darkness, Knowledge, Law, Travel, War, Water Excaecara Fork

The Empire

The Powers That Be LN Imperialists, pacifists, politicians, nobility Community, Glory, Law, Nobility, Protection, Travel, War Any one
Imperial Dragons The Powers That Be N Dragons, imperialists, reptile-kin, nobility Glory, Knowledge, Luck, Magic, Nobility, Scalykind, Strength Any one
Philosophical Doctrines The Powers That Be N Pacifists, monks, warriors, philosophers Chaos, Charm, Community, Evil, Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Strength, Void Any one
Ancestral Spirits The Powers That Be N Traditionalists, scholars, monks, warriors Artifice, Community, Darkness, Death, Earth, Glory, Luck, Nobility, Repose Any one
The Greater Kamigei The Powers That Be NG Lesser kamigei, mystics, mages Air, Animal, Earth, Flora, Fire, Magic, Steam, Water, Weather Any one
Nature The Powers That Be N Anthromorphs, trueforms, nature enthusiasts, hai nu Animal, Flora, Healing, Plant, Protection, Sun, Travel, Water, Weather Any one
Magic The Powers That Be LN Mages, mystics, gamblers, rogues Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Madness, Magic, Rune, Trickery Any one
The Kami The Powers That Be N Spirit folk, oni, spiritualists Animal, Darkness, Destruction, Healing, Luck, Protection, Rune, Sun Any one
The Yokai The Powers That Be CN Kappa, mages, hai nu Chaos, Darkness, Magic, Protection, Luck, Trickery Any one
Nagakind The Powers That Be CN Naga, reptile-kin Artifice, Charm, Darkness, Healing, Knowledge, Liberation, Protection, Scalykind Any one
Sarasvati The Powers That Be N River ningyo Charm, Community, Darkness, Healing, Knowledge, Magic, Protection, Water Any one
Sebek The Powers That Be LN Sebek-ka Artifice, Community, Death, Earth, Law, Nobility, Scalykind, Repose, Rune Any one
Ægir Isinblarean Deities NG Merfolk Earth, Healing, Protection, Repose, Sun, Water, Weather Spear
Aumanil Isinblarean Deities LN Thanor and ningen Artifice, Knowledge, Law, Nobility, Rune, War Javelin
Dijo Isinblarean Deities LE Crystolix, politicians, nobility Darkness, Death, Law, Protection, Strength, Water Glaive
Helka Ilfirin Isinblarean Deities CG Sea elves and ice elves Air, Chaos, Destruction, Luck, Magic, Water, Weather Elven fork
Sedna Isinblarean Deities CN Selkies, hydrurgans, ningen Animal, Charm, Chaos, Liberation, Magic, Trickery Harpoon
Talakasha Isinblarean Deities NE Magic users and evil-aligned feykith Darkness, Death, Evil, Madness, Magic, War Sickle
Chronos Devonian Deities LN Chronomancers, chronopterids, philosophers Darkness, Erosion, Healing, Knowledge, Luck, Repose, Ruins, Sun Sickle
Dumothan Devonian Deities LN Pragians Artifice, Earth, Protection, Rune, Strength, War Any axe
Fenmestarelle Devonian Deities CN Eifelians Chaos, Charm, Knowledge, Liberation, Madness, Magic, Void, Water Any sword
Grumsholah Devonian Deities CE Sahuakins Chaos, Darkness, Death, Destruction, Evil, Madness, Strength, Trickery, War Shark fork
Ryuo Devonian Deities NG Non-mammalian races, gnomes Animal, Glory, Good, Luck, Magic, Nobility, Protection, Scalykind Harpoon
Umbotuhan Devonian Deities NG Famennians and viseans Air, Animal, Community, Earth, Flora, Healing, Knowledge, Steam, Travel, Water Any spear
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