Naidelyn - Religion

Part of the Naidelyn script regarding world religion and gods

Table of Contents:

1. Gods List

2. Creation Myth

3. The Chosen

4. Alene

5. Inara

6. Eliope

7. Atis and Yulla

8. Selica

9. Ledas

Gods List

• Pantheon of Seven:

  • Alene, Mother of Butterflies

  • Inara, Mistress of Strings

  • Eliope, the Sun Dancer

  • Atis and Yulla, the Moon Twins

  • Selica, the Shroud Blade

  • Ledas, the Blue Blaze

Creation Myth

According to the legend, before the world existed, the Pantheon of Seven walked the spaces between stars and observed the wider cosmos, a vast, wounded place torn by the ambitions of rival gods and wars that burned across the face of creation. Weary of that endless strife, the Seven made a covenant. They would withdraw from the cosmic battlefield and, together, shape a refugee: a single realm hidden from the larger universe, where life might flourish untouched by the madness beyond.

Each deity poured a fragment of their divine essence into the shaping, and the void answered. With their combined power, the Seven forged Naidelyn, a living sphere of earth and sea crowned by two moons.

Then came the Mythic Era, a time of wonder. The gods walked among their creation, teaching, guiding, and learning in turn from the beings they had made. The world grew in their light, and the first civilizations rose from collaboration between mortals and the divine.

But divinity is bound by laws older than the gods themselves. When the Seven saw that the mortal races had begun to forge their own paths, they understood that their continued presence would smother the very freedom they had wished to grant. That staying would turn children into pets.

And so the gods departed, but before they left, one by one, each member of the Pantheon bestowed upon the world a final gift, their parting blessing, drawn from the core of what they were. Then they withdrew beyond mortal reach, leaving Naidelyn in hands of mortals.

The scriptures teach that divine law now forbids direct interference by the gods in mortal affairs. They may watch, but they cannot return in the manner they once walked. Whether this is a promise or simply the natural order of a maturing world, the theologians still debate. What is certain is that the gods did not abandon Naidelyn. Because while they do not intervene directly, the existence of Chosen prove that they can do so by proxy when the world needs it.

The Chosen

The Chosen are said to be mortals touched by the divine. In each of them, a god has placed a spark of divine essence, transforming an otherwise ordinary life into a vessel for celestial will. Because the old laws forbid the Pantheon from reaching directly into Naidelyn, the gods raise up Chosen to be their hands, voices, and agents of necessary change.

How and why a god selects a Chosen remains one of theology's deepest mysteries. What is known however is Chosen responsibility: each carries a fragment of their god's nature, and through that fragment they can accomplish works no mortal else could.

The frequency of creating Chosen blessings varies with each deity. Selica, ever watchful, is said to raise a new guardian in every generation, Inara and Eliope on the other hand had never produced a Chosen recorded by the historical records, and while for Eliope her faithful know the answer why very well, for Inara it is yet another never answered mystery.

Alene

Known as the Mother of Butterflies, Alene is a goddess typically associated with nature and life, believed to be the creator of the beastfolk. She is usually depicted as a motherly and kind figure draped in green, watching the world through butterflies, which are considered sacred to those who pray to her.

Alene's parting gift is the Spirit of Alene, a special power distinct from magic, manifesting in some individuals and allowing them to control and command nature itself.

Inara

Seen as the goddess of fate and called the Mistress of Strings, Inara is believed to be the creator of humanity and its watcher, associated with the colors red and black. Inara is usually depicted as a stern but loving figure, yet somehow also always sorrowful. It is said that in the Mythic Era she watched over the intelligent races the most and was always there when needed.

Her deep care for mortals makes Inara's parting gift to the intelligent races the biggest religious mystery, because to this day nobody has truly figured out what she left behind for the world. Many scholars speculate what it could have been, with some convinced it was something deeply significant based on her apparent care for creation, but none have been able to prove what it could have been.

But there are also some that say the lack of a gift is proof that Inara never truly existed, that history was rewritten due to humanity's dominant position, and that humans are a godless race from somewhere else, just like the Merfolk.

Eliope

Known as the Sun Dancer, Eliope is considered the most important deity of the dragonkin and the one with the second-strongest cult worldwide overall, behind only the Moon Twins. Presented as a joyful and incredibly warm young woman, heavily associated with the colors yellow and orange, she is believed to be the happy face of the Pantheon.

Eliope's parting gift is also seen as the most important one, because according to the mythos, when it was time to leave, unlike the other gods, Eliope did not simply give part of her essence. The joyful goddess, unable to say goodbye to the children she had grown to love, decided to pour all of her divinity into a gift, abandoning her very godhood to stay longer on Naidelyn.

What came from that poured energy is what people call Eliope's Warmth, the very thing that makes the whole world's climate warmer, radiating from the South Pole, where she cast away her divinity, up to the far North. Her sacrifice brought a better life to every place in the world. Because of this, most dragons remain deeply loyal to their beloved mother and her ideals.

It is said that despite losing her divinity ages ago, Eliope continues to live among mortals, bringing joy wherever she wanders, with those she meets unaware of her true nature.

Atis and Yulla

Paired together as the Moon Twins, Atis and Yulla are considered together to be the gods of magic, making them the most celebrated and followed gods in all of Naidelyn.

Yulla, presented as the silver lady, is depicted as the calmer of the two, with the calm flow of mana being associated with her. Her twin brother, Atis, is often depicted as the amber lord, the more chaotic of the pair, which is why the wilder side of magic is believed to come from him. Both of them are also often associated with elves.

Their mutual parting gift to the species of Naidelyn is believed to be the ability to wield mana itself, leading many mages and witches to be believers in either Yulla or Atis through the mere practice of magic.

Selica

The Shroud Blade, Selica is believed to be the guardian protector of the world and creator of the orcs, depicted as a woman in dark grey wielding a large sword.

It is said that since the Mythic Era, she has stood as the Pantheon's main fighting force and the shield standing between Naidelyn and the outside cosmic forces that would want to interfere with the world and claim it.

Selica's parting gift is said to be the very Shroud that surrounds the world, a protective barrier that cuts it off from anything that would bring it harm.

Ledas

Known as the Blue Blaze, Ledas is the god of courage, patron deity of adventurers and the dwarves, heavily associated with the color blue and blue flames. His fire is said to be the only source of light that isn't consumed by the Duskhollow's darkness, with anyone delving into the underground system hoping to receive Ledas's protection there.

Unlike the rest of the Pantheon, according to legends Ledas was not born as a primordial god, but as a mortal in some faraway realm who achieved godhood during his life, in times before Naidelyn came to be.

The gift said to be left behind by him is the ability to wield an inner flame, the so-called Aura, a power distinct from magic used to amplify one's physical capabilities and grant those brave enough a fighting chance against the Duskhollow's horrors.