Continental Makeup:

The world of Eriscaea is home to several continents.  Veregar is one such continent, a large land mass north of the middle divide of Eriscaea.  It has known many names over the centuries but this one stuck after the wars between the Herathians and the Veregar.  The Veregar were an ancient barbarian tribe that once dominated the entirety of the lands but have since spread, mostly died out, and formed or been absorbed into other cultures.  But the name remains, at least in the terms of continental makeup of the world.  What used to be one nation is now many.  The Herathians, another ancient tribe, remained in the north and still maintain their tribal barbarian culture though it too has split, grown, and evolved over millennia.  They are now a collection of nearly a dozen clans, each consisting of several tribes. Among these snow-swept peaks and valleys are vast fields where the Clans have seen more times of war than peace. The nature of their perpetual conflicts are little explored as crossing into their region is a death sentence. Outsiders are not tolerated and few return to report anything other than hostility and war.  Their frequent raids from the north have prompted Caladonia to extend their northern borders for the protection of Runigar.  The Centaur and Minotaur of the Crimson Plains are as bellicose and unwelcoming as the Herathians that would dare enter their scarlet domain.  The northern Caladonian nations once stood strong against the raids of the barbarians, but Kiyr Kirys now stands alone with a wide border to the north since the desolation of Detrach.

Veregar sports a handful of geographical regions besides the snow covered flats and mountains of Herath in the north.  Though not a nation-state per se, the Crimson Plains in the East, home to the aforementioned Centaur and Minotaur tribes that concern themselves only with their sacred lands.  The nearby land of Detrach is a dead land, one that has succumbed to a mysterious disaster rendering the country lifeless a century ago.  The Cull seems to have stopped at the rivers and the lakes that separate Detrach from the Crimson PLains and Pikesmarch to the south, a large and fertile expanse that serves at the unofficial breadbasket of the Kingdoms.  They have expanded north in recent years, pushing into Kiyr Kiyrs to cultivate neglected farmland.  Kiyr Kirys has protested, but their troubles have diverted their attention elsewhere.  A good portion of their eastern territory has been taken by the Creeping Cull, their vast northern border has opened them up to Herathian raids that have turned into outright attacks and annexing of territory.  Their mining operations are their single source of boon.  Dominating the eastern part of Veregar is Woodgrave, the great forest of the Elves.  Few know what lies beyond the first few miles of the wood.  The heart of the Veregar mainland is a pair of great lakes that take up the center of the continent; the Heartwater and Wyrmwood Lakes.  Sandwiched between the massive lakes and the boundless elven forest are the frontier nations of Caladonia, Genivas and Low Caladonia.  Genivas' southern region is mostly swampland, but the north holds valuable land both in terms of fields and hills packed with valuable resources. Low Caladonia was once a No Man's Land where the vestiges of ancient barbarian nomads still hold on to the old ways.  The recent battles with Nimmur in this region have finally been won and a new nation is being forged.

Much of the western and southern parts of Veregar belong to the Empire of Nimmur.  Hills and rivers make up the West while the South is an array of mountains and valleys that hug the Razorback Mountains.  The Empire is rich in the coastline of the Nimmurian Ocean.  The rivers leading from the Heartwater make for a fertile West and the Razorbacks seem to contain endless treasures.  These treasures are not without their cost, however, as brushes with giants are not uncommon.  The border with the Kingdoms in their north has them bordering three nations, including High Caladonia. The heart of the great alliance of Kingdoms, these golden lands are home to the High King and his seat of power.  The Church of Talos and the Church of the Four headquarter here.  It is the favored home of Centaur immigrants and refugees from both Nimmur and Herath.  It enjoys incredibly strong alliances with Tesarus and its naval might, as well as Dunsbryar with its massive military and industrial muscle.  Runigar, once a more independent and mercenary nation, has become a closer ally to High Caladonia as well.  The raids from the north reached fever pitch and they came to an agreement with High Caladonia to defend their northern border and insulate them from attack. Since this time, the shared border between High Caladonia and Runigar has become nebulous.  Maintaining a more neutral status in the West is Doenstal, safely nestled in the foothills of the Starladder mountains, it shares no hostile with either Herath nor Nimmur. It has long served as a financial hub and trade capitol due to its position bridging the eastern and western Caladonian Kingdoms.

The final eastern kingdom is Ophalia, a nation long enjoying a flourishing lake economy and beautiful vistas. They share a border with Nimmur and their military and naval forces have been greatly diminished over the years as a result.  Inconvenient mountain passes made Doenstal the preferred trade route, and this has forced them to become a place of treaty with more diplomatic ties to Nimmur than anywhere else in the Kingdoms. They have also become home to the most prominent Mage's Spires since a historical schism and the growing persecution of arcana in High Caladonia.  The Caladonian Kingdoms can be described as the only thing keeping the Nimmurian Empire from taking over the entire continent.  That is not to say that they are some bastion of virtue and goodness.  But they are viewed by many as the better alternative to Imperial rule.  That view is, of course, not shared by all.  Caladonia has less gender inequality in some ways in that women are not technically allowed to own land or assume control of territory.  Even women of noble heritage are sometimes rulers in name only and do not always hold de facto power.  The Caladonian Kingdoms are also known for less religious and arcane tolerance and even alchemists and herbalists have been known to be condemned as witches if they demonstrate too much skill.  On the other hand, the Empire is marked with well-known corruption.  There is much more crime and an accommodating culture of laws being optional so long as you do not get caught.  Racial intolerance is abound and human supremacists have been gaining power, making the Empire an ugly place for other races to live or even travel.  This culture of racism is aided by legalized slavery that requires little proof that an individual is legitimately enslaved.


Races:

Humans dominate the landscape of Veregar.  They almost exclusively hold power and wealth in both the Kingdom and the Empire.  Humans are varied in culture, language, values, and beliefs.  A few things translate across all borders and languages though; distinctly Human traits.  Adaptability is the chief among them, being able to adapt to the challenges of any environment and thrive through ingenuity has contributed to their spread throughout the continent.  As many of them build social networks and mix with others as eschew and destroy what is alien.  As many of them yearn to discover as fear and resist the unknown.  As many of them seek to help and elevate others as absolve themselves of social responsibility.  They are a dichotomy that other races find as too varied to possibly be unified.  But the other trait chief among Humans is unity and mutual cooperation.   Though the reasons can be varied, when the Human race unifies they become unstoppable.  Their drive is unparalleled and can be used to create wondrous things or to power greed and dominance.

Elves are a rare sighting through much of the Empire and the some of the Kingdoms but the further East you venture, the more likely you are to see their kind.  Some have woven into the community, others travel back and forth from Woodgrave for trade, and still more come seemingly to simply visit and observe.  Elves and humans find each other fascinating, though for short periods of time, and their couplings are common.  The result of the unions has created many Half-Elves who can sometimes find it difficult to grow up in Human society, especially in the Empire.  In the Kingdoms they may run into bullying, insensitivity, and sometimes even cruelty in rare and extreme cases but are mostly accepted.  In the Empire, however, they are treated with cruelty as a matter of course.  They are considered non-people and are more often enslaved than allowed freedom.  Mothers of Half-Elves have been known to flee to the Kingdoms to keep the children from being killed or taken from them.  Others have taken measures to hide their ears, going so far as to cut the tips to keep their nature hidden.  These Half-Elves find little solace in the forests of Woodgrave, at least none that is known.  The enigmatic Elves tell little of their homeland and offer only cryptic phrases to Human and Half-Elf alike.  Many Half-Elves become Rangers of the wood, living in the outskirts, venturing deeper than many others.  But Woodgrave is a dangerous place and Half-Elves that venture far into the forest seeking Elven cities often do not return.

Dwarves have had a rough lot in Veregar.  At one point, this was their Kingdom.  The barbarian tribes of Humans that roamed the north were nothing more than brainless savages to them.  Dwarves enslaved humans and used them to forge their empires.  The Half-Dwarf offpsring were very rare and became a sought after commodity.  The Half-Dwarf, a unique mix of Dwarven toughness and rigidity as well as Human ingenuity and prowess, became venerated.  Purists at the height of power made sure they could never gain true authority; that they were little more than figureheads.  But the Half-Dwarves were crafty and they made in-roads, alliances, and turned politics and sentiment in their favor.  Soon Dwarven society was divided against itself and in the midst of this the barbarians that the Dwarves had enslaved rose up and overthrew their oppressors.  Since that day, Dwarves have been out of favor.  They are treated mostly well in the Kingdoms as they are wont to keep to themselves and craft all manner of items with incredible skill.  Most of the Dwarves, however, exist as a slave race within the mines and homes of the Nimmurian Empire.  The Half-Dwarves, once again coveted, are used as house slaves and are seen as status symbols.

Halflings were yet another native species of Veregar, sharing lands with the Dwarves and Humans, staying out of the Elven forests.  It was the Dwarven Expansion that ultimately ended them.  The Dwarves and Halflings always coexisted in relative harmony.  The Dwarves never set their sights on what Halflings had because they were a simple folk.  They enjoyed peaceful lives, and kept their villages small.  However, in the Dwarves' quest to enslave Centaurs as beasts of burden they drove the herds ever northward until the Centaur clashed with the peaceful Halflings.  Many Halflings retreated into the Dwarven cities, others fled into Woodgrave, many more pressed on to the Crimson Plains.  Many of their ilk met their demise in the years to come.  The Dwarves pushed the Centaur further until the Crimson Plains were their only refuge.  Between the barbarian tribes to the north and the Centaurs to the south, the Halflings were trapped with the native to the Crimson Plains: Minotaurs.  The Centaur and the Minotaur clashed to make the Crimson Plains their home and their skirmishes last to this day.  A result of this ongoing war was the effective genocide of the Halfling race.  Those that did not perish in Woodgrave or the Crimson Plains died in the human uprising against Dwarven slavery, an innocent bystander to other races wars.  There are very few Halflings left in the world and the ones that are around hold bitter grudge against both Centaurs and Minotaurs.  This enmity does not extend to the Dwarves that actually caused the problem nor the Humans for fighting for their freedom in most cases.  This is mostly due to the lack of understanding of the history that drove them to near-extinction.

The ongoing war with the Minotaur has occasionally displaced Centaur populations.  There were many tensions in the Human lands to the south on several occasions due to these re-locations.  However, almost two hundred years ago the Church of Talos conspired to allow the refugees in (but under oppressive restrictions).  The Queen who ruled these lands at the time stood against them but the Church was able to twist the information to make this an unpopular move.  As a result, a large population of Centaurs immigrated to the Kingdom.  The Church used this population to build a powerful cavalry, requiring able-bodied Centaur to enlist in mandatory service.  Eventually the Queen was able to maneuver politically and lift the yoke of these laws off the Centaur population.  Further, she continued the open border policy in regard to Centaur refugees.  This caused the name of this city to be colloquially referred to as New Path.  Despite their military service no longer being mandatory, there was already a cultural shift.  The Centaur had a strong fighting background and inroads in the military and it was the easiest way for a Centaur to make a living.  Further, the central Kingdoms incentivized the centaur to relocate and join the Caladonian Cavalry.  While half of the Centaur live in a tribal culture constantly at war with the Minotaur in the Crimson Plains, the other half have made themselves an integral part of the Caladonian military.

Planar Races

The Aasimar among the Human population are widely accepted, even in the Empire (though still treated as somewhat lesser than in the Kingdoms).  Tiefling do not enjoy the same level of tolerance.  They are sometimes treated as monster races, but larger urban centers seem to be as safe a haven as they can manage.  The Succubi are another race whose features are not always obvious.  Their charm and beauty are often coveted but there is the occasional ugly incident where they are accused of ensorcelling the male population.  There is no male version of the Succubus known to the Kingdoms.  Perhaps the most enigmatic among the races of Veregar are known as Titans.  No Titan is known to have been born and many think they are created or perhaps simply put on the earth by the gods.  They are thought to be hundreds or even thousands of years old though the few that have answered the question do not always claim such advanced age.  They are exceedingly rare and some hesitate to call them a race in their own right as there seems to be at least one of every race.  However, something always distinguishes them from others of their kind.  This can be size, beauty, skill or any number of other attributes but always includes incredible power.  Their level of might leads many to believe them to be demi-gods but the Titans themselves outright deny they are the offspring of gods.

Monster Races

Some races with more obvious animal-like ancestry are called monster races.  The Centaur seem to be relieved of this classification, at least in the Kingdoms as a result of their respected contributions to the military.  The Bestial that are spread throughout Veregar do not share in the respect granted to Centaurs, though they resemble Humans much of the time.   They are possessing of beast-like features of some kind and possess a feral form that amplifies these features.  Though the prevailing idea is that their bloodline is tied to lycanthropy, their true origins are not known.  It is often hard to tell who is or is not a Beastman as it does not always become obvious until they can access their feral form, which occurs at the end of puberty.  Some are exiled to the Northlands where the Herathian barbarians venerate them and provide them places of honor in their society.  The majority, who live among Humans, do so with no small degree of intolerance.  Black Elves, Orcs, Goblins, Giants, Half-Orcs, and Minotaurs are also considered monster races.  A sighting of one of these is very rare whether in Caladonia or the Empire.  In some places they are attacked on sight, in others they are sought as slaves due to their physical attributes.  Many Half-Orc pregnancies are terminated, the babies slaughtered or drowned, or they are given up.  Those that are abandoned often find themselves raised in hostile Half-Orc barbarian tribes, Garian Mercenary Bands, or less commonly Orc or Goblin tribes.  The Minotaur that find their way into the Empire and the Kingdom are exiles or prisoners.  The Imperial slavers often seek them out for use in gladiatorial spectacle.  Human supremacists in the Empire and Caladonia tend to kill them outright.  They are incapable of siring a half-breed with humans.  The Black Elves are even more mysterious than their light-skinned cousins.  Very few are sure of their origins, intentions, or nature.  They are viewed with utter suspicion in the Kingdoms but are, oddly, completely accepted in the Empire.


Slavery:

Societal slavery exists in Veregar in many forms.  Centaur and Minotaur cultures possess slaves much as others would possess a dog.  That is to say that other races are considered non-people.  A similar sentiment within the Empire often applies to many of the so-called Monster races such as Orcs and Half-Orcs.  The barbarians of Herath enslave women as a matter of course, both their own and outsiders'.  Within the Empire, the Dwarves are a veritable slave race used mostly for labor.  Imperial Slavers capture other races for gladiatorial and sexual purposes.  There is also debt slavery within the Empire and, to a lesser extent, within Caladonia.  Debt slavery is technically the only kind of slavery allowed in Caladonia but protections have recently been ratified to ensure that this form of indebtedness cannot last an inordinate amount of time or be extended through expense of care arising during the enslavement.  There has also arisen a recent push to ensure that debt slavery be required to take the form of productive work.  That is to say not sexual slavery, prostitution, or other abusive activity.  This movement has not yet gained traction, and what laws do exist lack teeth.

Human supremacy sentiment has grown within the Empire in recent years and has bled over into the Kingdoms.  Human supremacist groups have begun to gain power or at least a voice.  This has given rise to legal arguments that some races are not people and therefore cannot be considered to be enslaved any more than a dog or horse can.  Thus far, these legal arguments have not been upheld by any legal presence in the Kingdoms.  On the contrary, royal decree has increased the severity of punishment for illegal slavery and some cities even started cracking down on human supremacist groups.  This has led to underground slave rings or outright execution of non-Humans by mob in some cases.  Abolitionist groups have formed in the Kingdoms and isolated spots within the Empire to combat the rising wave of supremacist sentiment.

A holdover of the Dwarven enslavement of humans in ancient time was their tendency to measure, weigh, and otherwise evaluate Humans.  This led to a measurement of men's genetalia and women's breast size referred to as Scale.  The scale was ordered in terms of precious metals meant to correspond to inches of length for men or inches the bust stood out from the chest for women; 1" Brass (A-scale), 2" Bronze (B-scale), 3" Copper (C-scale), 4" Deleterium (D-scale), 5" Electrum (E-scale), 6" Silver (F-scale), 7" Gold (G-scale), 8" Platinum (H-scale).  Since the time of the Dwarves the values of some of these materials has changed in comparison to one another.  Deleterium, for example, has become so valuable that it stopped being used as currency and is arguably as valuable as diamonds.  Electrum, on the other hand, fell out of favor as a currency because it was so exceedingly common that forgery became a matter of course.  Orichalcum, however, remains the most valuable substance in Veregar both due to its scarcity and its utility.  None-the-less, the order of scale remains mostly due to the system falling out of use.  It is rare that these systems are applied in regard to slaves any more though many Imperial and some Caladonian fashions and armorers still use the system.


Special Metals:

Deleterium - Originally referred to as dragon scale, this metal has only been found in the ancient remains of long dead dragons, often under the earth. Somewhat brittle with age, this was once so plentiful and ubiquitous that the lands of Veregar seemed to be built atop a mass grave of wyrms. The discovery in times past of its ability to suppress magic changed its use and value dramatically.  A more recent finding is of the sickness prolonged exposure can cause.

Rune Iron - A heavy and dense material found deep in the great mountain ranges of Veregar. This was once the prize of the Dwarven folk and one of the keys to their historical superiority. The Rune Iron is difficult to work, requiring a great deal of heat. The metal maintains a luminescence in random patterns after being forged. Weapons and armor forged from this are often decorative as they are often too heavy to wield, but have seen use by particularly strong individuals.

Caladon Steel - A pattern welded steel of superior quality with a distinctive wavy, mottled pattern free of the impurities of regular steel. While the secrets and methods of creating this steel are guarded, they are not exclusive to Caladonia. However, the makers of this extraordinary metal in High Caladonia have unique craft marks that identify them as true Caladon Steel by a master maker. The enhanced durability of this steel is as much a result of process as the skilled craftsmen and forgeries do not hold up as well.

Lightning Glass - Sometimes called Imperial or Nimmurian Glass due to its proliferation on the seaside cliffs of the Nimmurian Ocean, this remarkable material is one of the most sought after materials on the continent.  A specific form of enchantment was discovered that made the glass almost diamond-like in hardness. Though still slightly brittle due to its rigidity, its use in magical implements has boomed. Energies that flow through the glass are enhanced and the material has become the sole source of magical orbs.

Moon Iron - Sometimes referred to as Lunar Iron or Orcish Iron is a metal found exclusively in the far off Caladonian peninsula and remote parts of Herath. Remarkable for its toughness compared to other irons, it is not as tough and durable as steel. However, it is simple to manufacture and seems especially resistant to rust. It is also possessing of a distinctive greenish hue and mirror sheen. This matches the distinctive green tint of the Eriscaea moon that gives the metal its namesake.

Elven Oak - Wood from distinctive Woodgrave oak trees that represents the peak mix of strength and flexibility that seems to border on magical. Bows and shields made from this material are of superior make and their sole source being from Low Caladonia and Genivas make it extremely rare and valuable. The Elves of Woodgrave seem to have been able to craft wonders from their trees and see them as an invaluable resource. The lumber efforts of Caladonia at the edges of Woodgrave are understandably not appreciated.

Cullwood - Harvested from what was once the fertile trees in Detrach, this cursed material is especially malleable when wetted and then firm once dried, but impervious to fire. With a single source, and a deadly one at that, its use is not widespread. Most common in Kiyr Kiyrs, outlawed in Pikesmarch for fear it will spread the Creeping Cull, and otherwise not something one would find in the shops and markets of Caladonia.

Orichalcum - Sometimes referred to as star metal, this glittering golden metal seems infused with power and can be forged into light armor and razor edged weapons. Magic can be woven into the material with the greatest of ease, and has been known to pick up on the magicks of the area around it. There seems to be no source of this in the known regions of Veregar, but it has been seen in the greatest treasures of the Empire, sighted in south much more often than the north.


Magic:

There are very important cultural distinctions regarding magic in Veregar.  To begin with, one does not go around announcing that they are a sorcerer, wizard, witch, or mage.  It is best to not even look like one.  Adventurers possessing magic ability are usually better off making themselves look like a cleric, or some kind of warrior.  One also does not go around casting spells willy-nilly, especially not on people.  Even beneficial spells cast on others require express permission in accordance with law.  Even minor uses of magic like prestidigitation or messenger, while allowed, are often not appreciated and better done in private or not at all.  This is especially true in Caladonia where any kind of untoward magic use can get one branded as a witch.  That is not to say that the use of magic itself is against the law.  But then, neither is lynching and that is exactly what can occur when one makes their magic power known.  Necromancy is especially frowned upon, of course, and can often earn the caster a one way ticket to the stake no matter the capacity in which it is used.

The only exception lies in the case of graduates of the Seminaries, Ozyan Colleges, or Mage's Spires who are presumed to have learned to use their magicks responsibly.  They are expected to carry their identifying papers with them, such papers have unique identifying marks now requiring very rare and expensive deleterium to forge.  The existence of these papers does not grant them any measure of leeway when it comes to casting on others or causing chaos or destruction with their gifts, just in general casting.  The Empire is more forgiving about magic use but much more restrictive about who can and cannot use it.  The Ozymandian Colleges are the only universally accepted source of permitted magicians, but crossing borders is sometimes problematic.  A mage with a license from a College in Caladonia is wise to exercise even more caution than usual in the Empire, and vice versa.  Much like with the Colleges, the Seminary licenses are met with suspicion from places where other churches hold more sway, as when travelling between Caladonia and the Empire.  The Imperial Mage's Spire license is unsurprisingly accepted in the Empire, but very hard to achieve and sometimes not accepted in Caladonia.  This has led to some Imperial Spires making deals with the Colleges to grant tandem licenses.

Magical scrolls and potions have fallen out of favor in Veregar.  Scrolls are only able to hold the lowest of spells and weaving arcane energies onto paper, vellum, or papyrus is a tedious process compared to simply infusing energies into Lightning Glass orbs.  While larger orbs are required for more powerful spells, their light weight makes up for the sometimes unwieldy shape compared to paper.  The same material is used to power many wands and magical staves.  Potions, meanwhile, see an expansive black market replete with counterfeit, poison, and snake oil.  Throughout Caladonia, and even the Empire, the only official makers and sellers are Herathian Alchemists.  It is the only way to ensure quality and protect the precious deleterium needed to make the more powerful potions.  Potions made without the precious metal are a fraction of the potency.

The other distinction is the lack of Conjuration magic on Eriscaea.  Conjuration (creation) spells are sometimes possible but often require higher spell levels or more expensive material costs, usually two spell levels higher and at least one.  Other Conjuration magic, particularly Summoning (Summon Monster for example), is simply not possible.  This includes, to a certain extent, healing magic.  That is not to say healing magic does not exist, but that it is not Conjuration based.  The way that healing works in Veregar is through chronomancy or time magic.  Healing energy from the Positive Energy Plane is not being used to knit the wounds; rather, it is a localized advancement of time.  This causes any cure spells to accelerate the age of the recipient.  It is for this reason even cure spells and channeling are not just delivered without permission.  This has given rise to the tendency to use Convert spells that, rather than heal wounds, convert the lethal damage into nonlethal damage.  The nonlethal damage can then be healed normally through rest or mundane medical care without aging the subject.  Convert spells exist at every level of spell power, but cure spells are one spell level higher, making even Cure Light Wounds a second tier spell.  The only manner of magical healing that does not age the recipient is the lay on hands ability of Paladins, making their healing especially coveted.

The forces of magic on Veregar are not fully understood.  The most learned of practitioners have experimented and studiously traced at least three sources of magical power.  They are called the Crown, the Crux, and the Cull.  There are several schools of thought regarding these empirically distinct sources.  The Talosian churches claim to have a monopoly on the Crown, claiming it to be purely divine.  It is thought to be high energy linked to the gods.  The difference between Crux and Cull are, to them, the difference between arcane destructive and non-destructive magicks.  The Imperial Church has a more generous view of the sources.  They do not see divine magic as separate from the arcane.  They are much less concerned with the sources of magic than they are who is using those magicks.  It has been left to the Colleges and Spires to track down the source of magic in regard to spell power.  Some work on the hypothesis that the Crown, Crux, and Cull are divine, arcane, and eldritch power respectively.  Others do not think everything is so cleanly delineated, and that each individual spell or perhaps how or where that spell is used determine the magical ties to the Crown, the Crux, or the Cull.


Religion:

The Talosian Pantheon:                        The Imperial Pantheon:

Foralayne - Good & Life                       Nimmur - Queen of the Seas, Rightful Ruler of the Gods
The Infernal King - Evil & Death              Rexzartosarius - The source of all magic and wonders of the world
Talossus - Order & Light                      Hadogar - Son of Nimmur, brother of Raelnagar, seen as the underdog prodigy
Desolayne - Chaos & Darkness                  Halicarnassus - God of not just commerce but human ingenuity, drive, and superiority

Raelnagar - War & Strategy                    Foralayne, Miralayne, & Desolayne - Sister Gods, triplets, the Mother, the Lover, the Rebel
Hadogar - War & Destruction                   Ozymandias - A judge, observer, and arbiter in the affairs of the gods
Miralayne - Love & Beauty
Rexzartosarius - Magic & Monsters             Herath - Rival Brother to Nimmur, King of the Lands, associated with barbarians and savages
Herath - Nature & Beasts                      Talossus - God of the Sun and Life, he seen as the life part of the life and death cycle
Nimmur - Oceans & Storms                      Infernal King - God of Death & Shadow, seen as two sides of the same coin with Talos
Halicarnassus - Craft & Commerce              Raelnagar - Son of Nimmur, brother of Hadogar, seen as oppressively ordered and overbearing
Ozymandias - Time & Healing


There are many religions in Veregar.  The Herathians are tribal and their worship of ancestral spirits and animal totems is said to blur lines with demon worship.  Other times the line is not blurry at all as some tribes, and the Orcs that hold sway in Eastern Herath, outright worship demons.  Centaurs and Minotaurs are known to be star worshippers, drawing their power from mythological figures they find in the night sky.  Their crown constellation is that of Herath himself.  This is actually what gave way to people describing the tribes of the north as Herathians when they meant to refer to Centaur.  It is still apt, however, as the barbarians call their land Herath.  Confusing things further, mainstream religion sees Herath as the son, or perhaps lesser brother, of The Four.  But the inhabitants of the north and the Crimson Plains say he was the progenitor of the natural world and predates even the existence of the human race let alone The Four.  Differing still is the rising Imperial Church who sees Herath as the brother and rival of the goddess Nimmur, who themselves see as the rightful ruler of the gods.  Many leading religious scholars in the mainstream church dismiss these alternative views of Herath as the same name for a different divine force altogether.

The Elves of Woodgrave have their own set of gods that they do not discuss with outsiders.  What scholars and more civilized elves have described sounds much like worship of elementa or ancient natural forces.  Others have gotten the idea that, much like the Quadrum, Elven gods are ancient heroes excepting that the Elven heroes continue to walk among them.  But it should be noted that none of what has been written seems to get to the heart of the matter.  Some Druids and Rangers also lean toward the religious philosophy of the worship of some natural force but getting them to explain it is like pulling teeth as they are an extremely secretive, even cultish, lot.  There are some violent sects of Druids and Rangers, more human-centric, who worship a god called Herath (Herathian Cultists) but who do not worship the primal forces most others of their ilk seem to and engage in what can basically be described as eco-terrorism.  Once again, the prevailing theory is that this Herath is an entirely different entity.

The major nations and smaller nation-states around them have all united under the Talosian Pantheon, also known as the Quadrum or Quadrumvirate.  Talossus, Foralayne, Desolayne, and the otherwise unnamed Infernal King are referred to as The Four, sometimes blasphemously as the Big Four.  It is documented historical fact that The Four were once mortal men and women.  How they became gods is much less well-known but these events are thought to take place during a calamity widely known as the Godfall.  The gods of Man, Elf, and Orc; the gods of Dwarf, Halfling, and all other form of person.  All came to their end in a war between gods.  Even those who did not do battle fell to other invading forces.  In the end, a pantheon of more than a score of gods was seemingly obliterated.  The world of Eriscaea was open to any god that wished to take hold.  It was in this time that four heroes emerged.  In the midst of war and apocalypse, the heroes ascended to godhood.  They took the place of the gods of old and cut the world off from the planes, preventing the invading gods from taking hold in the world of Eriscaea. This happens to take place during a time of widespread natural disasters, war, and other strifes in which several civilizations were wiped out.

Powerful clerics of the Quadrum gods have made independent, and thus widely accepted, claims that some of the lesser gods are the children of the Four: Raelnagar, Hadogar, Miralayne, Herath, & Nimmur.  The remaining three, Ozymandias, Halicarnassus, and Rexzartosarius, have never been claimed to be such and their origins remain mysterious as they are not mentioned or noted in any ancient texts or ruins.  Some churches even count them as being outside of the Pantheon or do not acknowledge their existence at all.  Some worship these three not as outsiders at all but as a Triumvirate of the true gods, with the others being considered pretenders and invaders.  Some historians and religious scholars have dedicated their lives to finding these origins, as well as the sites and artifacts that these mortals-turned-divine have touched.  Few know much about the old gods that perished in the Godfall, called the Ancient Ones, as they have faded from the hearts and minds of the people of Eriscaea.  Some of the most learned have the books and tomes of the ones that came before, but that knowledge is sparse and the Church restricts the dissemination of this knowledge with ardor.

The Quadrum are all seen as responsible for life as it is today and, because of that, all four are honored.  The Church of Talos and The Church of the Four are the major religious powers in the nation-states.  The Imperial Faith is an offshoot of said same that puts more emphasis on the roles of the so-called minor gods in the daily lives of citizens of the Empire.  In particular Nimmur, whom the capital city is named for.  He is considered the King of all Gods, the God of the Oceans, and the brother of Herath.  Herath is seen as his rival, trying to usurp the rule of Nimmur.  The Four are provided no special dispensation in this pantheon.  Talos & The Infernal King are depicted together most times as part of the cycle of life and death.  Foralayne and Desolayne, meanwhile, are relegated to neutral positions and said to share sisterhood with Miralayne.  This flavor of Imperial Faith has a good way of getting around the issue of true worship of the pair that has come to be called the Opposers or the Opposition.

The Opposers, The Infernal King and Desolayne are controversial figures.   Worship of The Infernal King and Desolayne are somewhat taboo across all versions of the Quadrum religion in both the Empire and the Kingdoms.  It is fine, it seems, to worship them in conjunction with the Four but not to worship them on their own.  Worshippers of Darkness, Chaos, Evil, and Death and practitioners of necromancy are unsurprisingly frowned upon.  In most parts of the land, it is something that is seen as strange but allowed so long as one keeps it to themselves.  Dessyns prefer it this way; secrets are their currency after all.  Other parts of Veregar, however, are more adamant to put it lightly.  Some countries, mostly Talosians in the Kingdoms, think themselves righteous when putting worshippers of the Opposition to the stake and have even gone so far as to declare the Opposers dead gods.

The Church of Talos does little to dissuade this line of thinking publicly.  The Church of the Four is less inclined to downplay the influence of the Opposers.  Both churches' holy text however, The Book of The Four, is a rather incomplete history of the great heroes and leaves out much of the contributions of the Opposers.  The vague mystery surrounding the Opposition and the varying degree of persecution of their worshipers has sparked cult worship in many places.  And they are not the only ones with cults.  Besides the eco-terrorist Herathians there are pirates who have eschewed all gods but Nimmur as their way of rebelling against the rigid laws of Caladonia and the Empire.  Arguably this is less about Nimmur, and more about piracy, but it has not stopped the people from dubbing them Nimmurian cultists and they have done little correct this fearsome reputation.  There are followers of Miralayne whose temples have sprung up all over the nation-states.  Many of the Miryn are true believers in art, beauty, and love.  They see it as their duty to educate people in the ways of sex just as a chef wishes to show people the art of combining flavors.  Some, though, are there because it is a place where a woman can ensure she will not be abused when engaging in sexual acts.  Still others are simply plying the salacious trade of prostitution under the guise of religion.

Some would argue that the Paladinhoods are cults of their own.  The Holy Orders of Nimmur, Raelnagar, and Talossus are fervent and fanatic believers in their god, their way.  That includes the Sisterhood of Foralayne, an all-female Paladin Order.  Then there is the enigmatic and misunderstood group of slayers known as Avengers.  Incorrectly thought of as Anti-Paladins, the Avengers are worshipers of Hadogar who dedicate themselves to the slaying of vicious monsters.  Other Hadogar cultists managed to unite some years back and ensure across all nation-states and the Empire that you must come to the Garians to be approved as a mercenary band.  Then, of course, there are the Rexzarians who are said to be the secret power of the Nimmurian Empire.  The Cult of Rexzartosarius is a dragon cult dedicated to the worship of arcane magic and the creation of mutants and other abominations, as well as the awakening of their great dragon god.


Foralayne:

Symbol - The Lioness or other Great Cat
Colors - White & Blue, Red, or Gold
Devotees - Foryn Diplomat, Sisterhood of the Shield, The Crown of Foralayne
Weapons - Varied, often a Staff, Flail, or Mace
Domains - Charm, Community, Good, Protection, & Water
Invocations - "By Fora", "Fora protect you", "Foralayne's blessing upon you", "Fora's blessed cunt"

Foralayne's mortal contributions in the Book of the Four have not been hidden as they have with the Opposers.  Yet there is no clear answer when it comes to the question of her role in the Godfall.  She is described as fighting alongside the others, keeping the peace between them, and there are vague mentions of protecting them in their travels.  Whatever she was in life, Foralayne is now seen as the mother god.  She is associated with protection (particularly of women), family, goodness, diplomacy, as well as birth and life.  She is often invoked in terms of goodness and charity, hope, wisdom, community, marriage, and friendship.  Often referred to as Fora, one might hear "Fora bless you" when someone refuses pay from a poor widow, when a woman announces she is pregnant, or when someone undergoes an endeavor for the good of the community.  There are many though, who see her as a fearsome protector.  Many warrior women invoke her in battle.

This includes the Sisterhood of the Shield, an all-female Paladin Order.  The Sisterhood are fierce knights who have dedicated themselves to protecting the innocent.  They, like any Paladin, are fearsome forces on the battlefields of the nation-states to which they swear fealty, more often than not the defenders of borders.  They often find themselves along the northern expanse of Caladonia and Kiyr Kiyrs, protecting small towns against barbarian raids from Herath.  They are particularly protective of women and are within their legal rights to invoke the Hearth Decree which states that a home where there is abuse is no home.  The abuser is driven from the home, exiled from his land, and given to the custody of the furthest Garian mercenary band for three years (actually 1,111 days).  Most do not survive, still others stay on, and those that do come back are evaluated by the Sisterhood they can return to their family.  However, there is a law which supersedes their own throughout the land: The Writ of Commerce.  None can interfere in legal commerce.  Prostitution and slavery being legal throughout the continent often prevents them from protecting some women.

Foryn Diplomats used to be nothing more and nothing less than priestesses in the Church of the Four. They dedicated themselves to study of the Book of the Four, and this study drew debate among these scholars. Over time this made them the foremost experts on the Four.  Arguably, this is still the case to this day, but their study and argumentation fostered something else: namely, a dedication to the peaceful ways of Foralayne and expert level skills in debate. As time wore on, their ranks grew to include even those not associated with the Church. They came to be called upon to settle arguments on scripture and then to settle disputes between the Church and other religions, races, even governments. Foryn Diplomats are sought throughout Veregar for this expertise. This created a golden opportunity for the worshippers of Foralayne, unprecedented access to places all over the continent. A little known secret group emerged within the diplomatic envoys, people who carry out rescue missions of political and other wrongful prisoners.

Foralayne clerics have many duties in the Churches, mainly in the form of officiating marriage and aiding in childbirth. They are often also the organizers of community events, holidays, and other such celebrations. They also provide wisdom and counsel of all sorts, but their function goes beyond festivities and family affairs. The most powerful of their order are possessing of a singular talent, psionic spell power. The Crown of Foralayne are a guarded and secret order within the Foryn clerical leadership who can read thoughts, control others, and move objects with their minds. The secrets of this magic are cultivated, not born, and closely guarded. The limits of their power are not known. The enigma is entirely purposeful as they are keenly aware of the abuses that could be doled out with the proliferation of their powers. They have been known to flex their mental muscle when pushed, however, becoming insurmountable foes when unleashed.


The Infernal King:

Symbol - Horns on Human Skull (various kidnds of horns)
Colors - Black or Gray & Purple
Devotees - The Graved, Necromancers, Blood Magi, The Dead Riders
Weapons - Varied, often serrated weapons and swords
Domains - Death, Disease, Destruction, Fire, & Vermin
Invocations - People rarely invoke the name of the Infernal King, even his worshipers exalt him by his full name.

Clerics in the Church of the Four invoke the Infernal King during funerary ceremonies, especially when the death is wrongful in some way.  The Infernal King is known by no other name save The Infernal or The Infernal One.  His role in the Book of the Four is thought to be that of the mage as he is mentioned to have wielded great power, but these mentions are vague as his contributions to the Book have been even more hidden than those of Desolayne.  While she was known as a sower of dissent he has been associated with betrayal and wrongful usurpation.  His part in the Godfall seems to end with him taking the lands of Detrach to himself.  Some say this was calamity or curse for his betrayal, but others say this was his goal.  Detrach is a dead land infested with a deep rot known as the Creeping Cull.  The Cull has been slowly spreading from Detrach for many years now and few have been able to halt its progress aside from the rivers of the Crimson Plains.

Sanctioned Infernal King clerics in the Church of the Four preserve and protect the dead.  Outlaw mages and clerics of the Infernal King, however, are Necromancers.  They practice their craft sub rosa due to the persecution throughout the Kingdoms and even the Empire.  Those who have gained enough power to survive the unforgiving environment of Detrach can afford to be much more bold.  The mages do not hold as much sway over the undead but they are also known to practice a unique form of sorcery known as blood magic.  Sacrifices and self-harm enhance their power, but it is considered a form of necromancy in most of the continent.  Whilst any mage who specializes in necromancy can be called a necromancer there are few who do so without dedicated worship of The Infernal King.  Moreover, the practitioners not dedicated to the Infernal King end up worshiping him over time the more they delve into necrotic and blood magicks.  There is little understanding as to why but even augurs, mediums, and spiritualists feel a pull to Detrach the more they practice.

Not all undead are beholden to Necromancers.  All manner of undeath falls under the purview of the Infernal King some of whom command undead in their own manner.  Whether it is The Infernal King or the Necromancers that concoct the wide variety of undead is unknown.  Zombies, Ghouls, Vampires, and Liches are all examples of his work.  Some are mindless, some are sentient.  The necromancers and Blood Magi are known to shift toward undeath as they continue to use their dark magicks.  Undoubtedly though, the favored child of the Infernal King are skeletons seemingly set aflame.  The flames vary in color and type but they are invariably infused with negative energy.  These abominations have come to be known as The Graved.  Over the years they have come in increasingly more powerful varieties and in ever-increasing numbers in the dead lands.  There have been rumors of sentient Graved commanding hordes of others in attacks on settlements.

Anti-paladins of The Infernal King start mortal and slowly pass over into undeath just like the Necromancers and Blood Mages.  They are known as the Dead Riders, a fearsome cadre of death knights who hold immense powers.  They travel alone and wreak famine, disease, and bloodshed on the places they stop.  Some folk have abandoned settlements simply because a Dead Rider passed through.  No one knows why or when one will appear.  They travel the countryside endlessly it seems and then pick a town seemingly at random to visit misfortune upon.  When they are met with resistance, they are known to flee but occasionally one will fight to the death against a squad of The Sisterhood or The Order and eliminate as many of their number as possible.  When fighting in this manner they have been known to somehow corrupt a Paladin they touch or wound.  This Paladin finds themselves drawn to Detrach soon after.


Talossus:

Symbol - The Rising Sun, The Starburst
Colors - Red & Silver, Purple & Gold
Devotees - The Order of the Last Watch (Watchmen), Caladonian Cavaliers, Talosian Colossi
Weapons - Varied, often morning star and traditional swords
Domains - Good, Law, Strength, Nobility, & Sun
Invocations - "Talos' Light!", "Talos rights" (short for rights all wrongs), "Talossus had his hand in it" (fortuitous event)

Talossus is arguably the most powerful god in all of Eriscaea if it comes to sheer numbers and fervent belief.  Talossus is considered to be the great hero of the Book of Four.  He is associated with glory (particularly in battle), justice, righteousness, and the sun.  He is associated with rightful rule and many in the nobility invoke him to justify their claims to land and title.  Talossus is known as a slayer of evil and the undead.  The Church of the Four and especially the Church of Talos feature his contribution to the good of the world more than any other, sometimes to the exclusion of the other gods (even the rest of the Quadrum).  While the Church of the Four is the most common throughout Veregar, the Church of Talos has begun to gain foothold in the Caladonian Kingdoms.  The Church of Talos is as close to a monotheistic religion as any in Veregar.  They are also the most intolerant when it comes to specific worship of the other gods, worship of the Opposers, and the practice of necromancy and witchcraft.

One powerful group of Talosians is the Order of the Last Watch; holy warriors of Talos stationed in a stronghold called Dawnborne Keep, which is forbidden to visitors and known to be uniquely designed. Only the Order knows its purpose, but it has been noted by military experts that the Keep is poorly designed for defense and another castle, Dawnhold, has been built to defend the Keep. It is from Dawnhold that the Watchmen operate as dedicated slayers of the undead. Their ranks are filled with all manner of slayer, even those who do not worship Talossus. The destruction of evil and undead is all that matters and they have further dedicated themselves to cleansing the Creeping Cull from the dead lands of Detrach. They alone have been able to mount successful campaigns against the undead armies of the Graved that spew forth.  They have little care of political influence but have garnered much despite this, and they have often been pulled into advisory positions where there are issues with necromancy and undead.

Often mistaken for Paladins of Talossus, the Caladonian Cavaliers are an elite military group based out of Hellstag.  They wear Talossus' crest upon their shields and armor, invoke his name in battle, and even do the work of the Church of Talos.  Their upper ranks are known to be devotees of Talossus though the divine power contained within their ranks is incidental. The Cavaliers are a highly organized and powerful mounted force, taking the role of dragoon, horse archer, light, and heavy cavalry. Their leadership is almost exclusively Centaur, undisputed experts in mounted combat, and have spent more than a century adapting their expertise to human military capabilities and tactics. No army in Veregar has been able to withstand a charge from the Caladonian Cavaliers and there was even a time when their mere presence in a neighboring land was used to force an enemy's surrender. Most of their number spend their entire fighting lives in the cavalry and those that can no longer fight retire into service for the Church.

Talosian Colossi are some of the most powerful people in Veregar. The Church of the Four and The Church of Talos both sport these elite clerics. Their churches have become so rich and they have been so shrewd with its use that they have wealth to rival nations. The most powerful among them are called Talosian Sun Clerics who are capable of devastating enemy forces with spells of radiant glory. Among the highest ranks of these elite priests, there is a selection of their best. These paragons in their ranks are chosen to become a Colossus.  The Talosian Colossus is capable of becoming an armored giant, a being of pure energy, and even a powerful Gryphon. The Colossi are a true conduit of the divine and channel seemingly unlimited power. No military or divine force can match their raw power and they act a major deterrent to any serious threat against Caladonia. They remain a question for which the Empire has no answer.


Desolayne:

Symbol - The Chaos Star
Colors - Gray or Black & Yellow
Devotees - The Dark Court, Imperial Spies, Succubi
Weapons - Varied, often Axes or Whips
Domains - Chaos, Darkness, Knowledge, Madness, & Trickery
Invocations - "Desolayne's whisper" (rumormongering), "Doing Desolayne's work" (spy work or thievery), "Dess has his tongue" (lying or keeping secrets), "By Dess" (concerning a mystery or a discovery), "In Desolayne's shadow" (don't know what happened), "Dess, take my eyes!" (when seeing something horrific)

Desolayne, sometimes called Dess, is thought to be the rogue in the Book of the Four. There is no doubt in its pages that they could not have ascended without her, but she is also known to have sown discord among the Four. While some worship Desolayne as a man, others a formless being, but most have come to identify Desolayne as a female. She is known to have many aspects; darkness, secrets, lust, trickery, madness, and revenge. Thus she is favored by rogues, assassins, and spies though passingly in most cases. A burglar might give a wink and a nod to Dess before he climbs into a second story window but it hardly makes him a worshiper. The official role of Desyn priests is as sin eaters who hear confessions. As they advance, a vow of silence and secrecy has been known to become a missing tongue, fingers, and even eyes. These sin eaters are called on to care for the mad.

The Imperial Spies are led by a devotee of Desolayne and it is said they hold the favor of the goddess. Only the name of their leader is widely known, Cronos. He is said to be a Black Elf but is just as widely known to be a master of disguise or perhaps even a changeling of some kind, though many believe he is nothing more than a boogeyman. The Imperial spy network is thought to be vast, containing ears in every inn of the Empire and eyes in every port of Caladonia. Many are common laborers or prostitutes, bought with coin.  Some are rogues or assassins at various levels of employ to the Empire. A few, though, are true spies trained in tradecraft and nation building. The Imperial Spies are considered one of the most feared groups throughout the Empire and the Kingdoms. The knowledge that they have been able to gather is staggering and there are those even in the Empire that fear their influence.

The Dark Court are a powerful and mysterious group. They are said to be a secret power behind many things. They are the favorites to blame on any conspiracy theories that pop up. They have been accused of controlling the Church of the Four and the Paladinhoods, being the secret power behind the Kingdoms and/or the Empire, making up the entirety of the Imperial Spies, and trying to take over the barbarian clans of Herath to invade the Empire and lower Kingdoms. The paladins of Desolayne, if she has them, are the favorite boogeyman of the continent. Those who are more familiar with the secret goings-on of governments know only this: The Dark Court is at least a group of extremely influential people dedicated to the machinations of Desolayne. Their goals are unknown, but their influence can be felt in nearly every major power shift throughout Veregar.

The Succubi are one of the most misunderstood races in Veregar. They are thought to have a direct connection to Desolayne, to be her avatars. They are also thought to be a kind of demon that sucks the life out of men through sexual coupling. There are grains of truth to both but neither idea tells the whole story. While they do seem to be able to gather power through sexual contact, their connection to Desolayne is not as clear cut.  Many a Succubus do not worship Desolayne; most worship Miralayne in fact. Their connection lies only in that while most Succubi are simply born, some can be made through a pact with the goddess of darkness. The details of this process are known only to the most devoted and powerful followers of Desolayne.  It is these high level priestesses who are responsible for the rumors of draining souls, flying on bat-wings, and clouding men's minds.


Rexzartosarius:

Symbol - Black Dragon, Pentagram
Colors - Black & Red
Devotees - Summoners, Warlocks, Ravagers
Weapons - Any curved blades
Domains - Knowledge, Magic, Scalykind, & Void
Invocations - "Dragon's Breath!" (a curse), "You've got Rex by his tail" (playing with fire), "Rex-touched or Touched by Rex" (cursed), "Rexarcana" (black magic)

Rexzartosarius is an enigmatic god. His origins and workings are mysterious enough to make Desolayne jealous. But within the Talosian pantheon, he is the god of magic and dragons. The role of the Rexzarian priests are to investigate and stave off magical afflictions. It is because of this role that many Rexzarians delve into dark magicks, including the summoning and breeding of monsters in honor of their god. In the Empire, they make use of slaves for their pursuits, digging for powerful metals and minerals that aid in their experiments. They are at the heart of expansive criminal and slavery rings that fund these pursuits. With countless cult members in positions of influence, they are the secret power within the Nimmurian Empire. Their most notable contribution, though, is not to the Church. It is the creation of the Mage's Spires, places of learning where sanctioned magic-users are educated.

Dark Paladins of Rexzartosarius, exclusively male in this case, are called Warlocks and also have their fair share of both divine and arcane power.  They are one of the only other known wielders of conjuration magic besides the Summoners themselves.  Warlocks have a special place in the Nimmurian Empire as an elite military force.  They are shock troopers sent out to devastate an enemy and destroy morale.  Due to their versatile use of spells, they are highly capable of blending into the ranks of other clergy and paladinhoods, and even into mage conclaves.  Warlocks are useful spies in this regard, and some claim there is a Rexzarian spy in every church.  Many claim their mission is to gather the secrets of the eldritch and arcane possessed by other faiths and powers, rather than Imperial interests.

Rexzarian Clerics are one of the few people capable of using both arcane and divine powers.  They are exclusively female and used to be known only as Witches.  Witch has lately been a term applied to any female practitioner of magic, and has thus fallen out of use among Rexzarians as it fails to describe what they do.  Now these devotees of the Demon Dragon have called themselves Summoners. This distinction is apt as they are one of the only practitioners of magic that are able to summon monsters and creatures from other planes.  No one has been able to offer a satisfactory explanation as to why they have this ability and no one else does.  Summoners, Warlocks, and Rexzarian mages are the only ones who possess the arcane knowledge behind the process of creating Ravagers and there is always a Summoner and Warlock in the Imperial Advisory Council.

Ravagers are one of the trump cards of the Empire.  They are immensely powerful, possessing of super-human strength on level with giants.  Magicks, fire, and mental effects have very little hold on them.  They seem to be little more than cruel, angry, and merciless juggernauts.  Very few people know exactly what empowers these men and women or how they are created or controlled.  They do know that they were men but no real humanity remains once the process is complete.  That is not to say they are mindless brutes, they are capable of thought and speech, just incapable of sympathy toward others or really any feelings that deviate from rage.  They are given a free pass to use force on any that agitate them save those of Imperial import, so a wide berth is afforded. Ravagers are present in every squad of Warlocks and have been adopted as Imperial bodyguards and protectors of Summoners and Rexzarian mages.


Raelnagar:

Symbol - Shield or Sword/s and Shield
Colors - Red, White, & Blue
Devotees - Raelian Warmasters, Raelian Sentinels, Juggernauts
Weapons - All Weapons, particularly swords and shields
Domains - Glory, Protection, Strength, & War
Invocations - "Raelnagar!" (battle cry), "A Raelian effort" (heroic)

Raelnagar is the god of war in the Talosian pantheon though it is probably more accurate to call him a god of protection.  While Raelnagar is known within the Church of the Four as a great warrior and strategist he is also associated with the defense of cities against much larger invading forces.  Raelnagar is also invoked in the Book of the Four as the slayer of a great dragon and having not suffered from the burns of its great flames.  With the near extinction of dragons, the once powerful Order of the Dragon has been all but disbanded. However, the association with defense and protection from dragons and fire has given rise to many constabularies wearing the Raelian shield though this may not necessarily translate into actual worship.

The Raelian Warmasters are clerics of Raelnagar who have dedicated themselves to the study of warfare and who practice divine magicks centered on combat. A Raelian Warmaster is capable of imbuing himself and others with incredible combat attributes.  Not all clerics of Raelnagar are Warmasters, but even they are better trained and equipped than most holy adventurers.  A Raelian Warmaster is quite literally a holy terror on the battlefield, not only capable of command and strategy, but also able to bolster allies, and make himself a living fortress. Warmaster is a rank attained within the Church of the Four, and anyone devoted to martial pursuits thinking they will cross blades with a gentle holy man will find themselves sorely disappointed. This was once a joint Order of Warmasters shared with the Hadogar clerical leadership, but a schism in centuries past have made the groups into rivals, sometimes violently.

The Raelian Brotherhood of Knights are known as Sentinels or the Order of the Stone. This Order was established in Caladonia after the Battle of Bloodstone, and serves as the right hand of the King. Their top ranks make up the royal guard, protecting the King and the royal family. Their senior members serve the King as advisors to both war and religious matters. It falls on this Order to train and lead the rank and file soldiers of the Royal and Caladonian armies, and at least one of their rank can be found in every platoon. Sentinels are often the first born of noble and military families, but many others are specially selected. The chosen are born and bred to become knights; they train day and night in weaponry and warfare. But becoming a part of the Raelian Brotherhood means much more than being born with the right blood or even being carefully cultivated. The Brotherhood has a long, storied history of accepting members who demonstrate significant acts of bravery in service of Caladonia.

Further south at the so-called Hole in the World the Juggernauts protect the Kingdoms from Giants. The Hole in the World in a great canyon through which lies the only known pass to the little known Eastern part of the continent. The Juggernauts are a sanctioned force of the Church who stand sentinel here in worship of Raelnagar; building a wall of rock to stop the advance of the Giants. Uncaring of political and other happenings in the world, their isolationism is as much purposeful as incidental. The rocky terrain and constant threat of Giants dissuade visitors to be sure. The Giants have been advancing north for years, and many were frightened of their movement in Caladonia and the Empire, but they have been mostly bottle-necked at the Hole in the World.  The Juggernauts are known to use a unique form of Raelian magic that increases their size and strength exponentially to aid in their endless fight, though it is said to come at a price.


Hadogar:

Symbol - Several Pikes or Spearpoints
Colors - Red & Black
Devotees - Garian Mercenaries, Avengers, Garian Warmaster
Weapons - Any lethal, especially swords & spears
Domains - Destruction, Liberation, Strength, & War
Invocations - "Hadogar's arm" (strength & muscle), "Hadogar" (short hand for "lift with your legs"), "Hadogar's blade" (referring to a bloody scene)

Though Raelnagar and Hadogar are sibling gods, Garian has come to be associated solely with Hadogar's flock while Raelian is associated with their counterpart.  Despite these gods' overlapping demesne there is surprisingly little conflict between them other than sibling rivalry.  Hadogar seems to have gotten the short end of the stick, however, culturally.  While Raelnagar is associated with righteous victory, bravery, glory, and defense, Hadogar has been accused of being responsible for conquest, enslavement, rape, destruction, and tyranny.  In the eyes of the churches it is not a fair assessment, and it is one the Church of Talos and the Church of the Four fight to correct.  His deeds in the Book have much more to do with competition, athleticism, and sport than warfare, though blood sport and single combat are emphasized heavily in his stories, so too is uprising, liberation, and the slaying of fearsome beasts. The Church has been met with mixed success in trying to correct his image, portraying the two war gods as brothers and allies, both fighting against evil but in separate domains.

While some might invoke Hadogar to wish destruction on their enemies, few actually worship him outright.  The ones that do were barbarian tribesman that had migrated south from Herath long ago.  One such tribe, as they civilized, formed a mercenary band.  As time went on, they muscled out other mercenary bands and expanded until Garians became the nearly the sole source of hired soldiers in Veregar.  That is not to say they are a great power unto themselves as they have an informal code which says no two mercenary bands may work for the same patron at the same time.  There have been exceptions to this over the years in times of great conflict, but they mostly adhere to this rule.  There have always been a set number of these mercenary bands spread throughout the land, only twelve allowed.  However, there always exist thirteen.  This ensures that the Garians are constantly competing and jockeying for position sometimes even actively looking to wipe each other out.

Another group of Garians are known as Avengers. They have a long history of being the best at what they do because they train from birth, but they do not do it for free. What they do is enact vengeance for those that cannot do it themselves, and in violent terms. Even poor villages must find a way to pay an Avenger. Their price, however, is rarely just coin. If they do not ask for objects of power, it will be something just as valuable such an unborn or orphaned child or, a maiden in the village (though only with her consent) to be taken to the Avenger stronghold secreted somewhere on the continent. This is how they are thought to grow their ranks as they turn away people looking to "become" an Avenger. Refusing these prices, or otherwise trying to rook the Avenger, invokes a rather harsh retribution from the group as a whole. Avengers are sometimes seen as heartless mercenaries but some know them to be honorable folk. The truth likely lies in between as no two Avengers are the same save for two things: they wear distinctive ruby rings and you do not want to cross them.

The Garian Warmasters are the Clerics and Paladins of Hadogar that have forged themselves into a living weapon.  Much like the Raelian Warmasters, the Garians train to weave magic enhancement into their combat. Their concentration leans much more toward on speed, strength, and combat prowess than defense as well as the nullification of offensive magicks. Neutralizing magic-users evens the playing field and forces a more martial conflict for which they are better equipped than most. There is often attempt to bring Warmasters into the fold of military forces in the Kingdoms and the Empire, but these clerics are utterly devoted to the Churches. While many see them as liberators, others paint them as agents of chaos they try to overthrow rightful rule and sow discord. Their actions have often put them at odds with some of the Kingdoms, their Raelian counterparts, and certainly within the Empire, but their dedication to resisting despotism and dictatorship is unwavering.


Miralayne:

Symbol - Sun & Moon
Colors - Green & Gold, Red & Silver
Devotees - Miryn Consort, Freemen, Miryn Seers
Weapons - Any nonlethal, often lasso, nets, and whips
Domains - Charm, Liberation, Luck, & Repose
Invocations - "Mira's beauty", "Mira's tits", "You have the eye of Mira" (a good eye for quality or even suggesting favor of the goddess)

Miralayne is the goddess of love, beauty, and art. Though many perceive her simply as the goddess of sex. The Church of Talos, and the Church of the Four in particular, have fought hard to promote her as a goddess of more than carnal thoughts and desires. It is an uphill battle, however, as this goddess' temples have sprung up all over the continent, almost ubiquitous in any town of a sufficient population. They serve as places to worship the goddess, profess love, and receive instruction in sexual performance. This is a safe way for many to be aided through their first experiences, to learn of consent and boundaries, and to otherwise enjoy and learn about the myriad methods of sex. However, they offer so much more than this. They teach poetry, music, dance, etiquette, and all other manner of art. They also offer counsel on matters of love and marriage. This instruction is often treated by the general public as secondary or even a non-consideration. This is due partly to the fact that inconsistency in the widespread temples has sent mixed messages. While most temples are legitimate, some are nothing more than glrofied brothels and some in the Empire are even hubs for trafficking and slave trade.

The most well known worshippers of Miralayne are called Consorts. All clerics of Miralayne receive this instruction. They are true artists of the highest caliber, able to evoke profound emotion through music, dance, and other art. They also offer companionship, instruction, and wisdom in terms of love and, yes, sex. But their main talents lie in the court of political and social influence. They are the favorites of nobles and other powerful figures and have come to be able to gather a great deal of information and power. Becoming a Consort requires some devotion to Miralayne and the Church, but it is not always worshippers who undertake this calling. Sometimes a person is sponsored to receive this training, particularly by rich and powerful benefactors. Some of the temples try to discourage these insincere pursuits, but others see it as an opportunity to gain coin from and sway over the rich and powerful.

The paladins of the goddess are known as Freemen. Even the female paladins are called Freeman as an honorific. Respected throughout the Kingdoms, the Paladins of Love, are known as great liberators and vehement abolitionists. They are travelers, almost ever moving across the lands to aid in matters of freedom and love. The Kingdoms have enacted the Law of the Open Road in their honor. None are allowed to bar the path and travel of a Freeman. In areas that are less a matter of law, one does not stand in the way of a Freeman intent on liberating a captive. Slavers and kidnappers tremble at the approach of a Freeman, who will stop at nothing to make sure that anyone wrongfully taken is freed. They have also informally taken up the job of policing the Temples of Miralayne, reporting the less reputable ones to the Church and even shutting some down if they are not upholding the tenets of the goddess.

Seers are the clerics of Miralayne who devote themselves entirely to the goddess. Above the rank and file even of the faithful, these clerics have shown special aptitude for the arts or even other skills that suit them for service to the goddess outside of the temples. Their visions and portents often come in the form of, or as a result of, the practice of their art and rarely contain specificity. These oracles are a well-kept secret of the Temple. There are people in the know, but their identities are closely guarded. Many use their skills to become investigators. Their abilities make them sought after by peasants, thieves, and kings alike that would use their gifts for gain. It is for this reason the Miryn cleric leadership insulates them from Church affairs and only one of these oracles can be involved in the Miryn leadership, called the Sybil, whose identity they also safekeep even from the leaders of the Churches.


Nimmur:

Symbol - Cresting Wave, Cresting Wave w/ Lightning
Colors - Blue, Green, & Purple
Devotees - Stormbows, Stormlords, Society Arcanists
Weapons - Any spear, often harpoons, tridents, or other barbed/hooked spears
Domains - Air, Travel, Water, & Weather
Invocations - "Nimmur's wrath" (a terrible storm), "Nimmur's beauty" (nice ocean view),

Nimmur is the namesake of the Empire that dominates the southern continent and much of the seas around Veregar. The sea goddess's power and importance seem to have increased with the rise of the Empire's own. The Imperial Church of Nimmur has direct ties to Emperor Nimmur and has dominated the landscape of the South. In direct opposition to the Church of Talos and the Church of the Four, the subversive influence of the Rexzarians on the Imperial and religious structure of the continent has created deep divides. The Nimmurian clerical leadership in the Kingdoms is a shadow of its former self, holding almost no influence even in the port cities. In Caladonia, Nimmur is a powerful goddess of storms, plagues, and natural disasters. One worships her that she would favor them with kind weather. In the Empire, though, she is vaunted to the status of rightful Queen, the God Empress and decider of the fates of all things as her waters channel prosperity or calamity to all the people of the continent.

The Stormbows, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Stormblades, are a huge faction of paladins. They are an elite military unit of that have made themselves an essential part of the Imperial Marines as well as the army. The Order of the Storm channel lightning into their weaponry and unleash devastating elemental forces against their foes, most notably into their arrows. There is a small unit of these marines on every naval vessel. There are several elite scouting units that have mastered reconnaissance and ambush. There is also a massive contingent available to the army for use in more conventional defense and warfare. The Storm have made themselves more than just a holy order, they have dedicated their lives to the bow as much as they have to Nimmur and are often practicing and competing in archery to hone and maintain their skills.

Dedicated Clerics of Nimmur come in many forms, especially ones that aid in sailing. Making use of their goddess' gifts, they use influence over the wind and water to fill sails and calm waves. There two on every ship, master and apprentice, who bring favor to the ship. Moreover, minor magical abilities to mend wood are bolstered by dedication to shipwrighting and carpentry, making them master bosuns. The most powerful of these clerics are called Stormlords and their command over the elements make them a holy terror. Able to bring down great calamity over enemy forces, they are valued throughout the Empire for their abilities to literally and figuratively turn the tides. Stormlords are ingrained into the highest levels of leadership in Nimmur from the admiralty to the halls of nobility. Thusly, the leadership of Nimmur is very much tied to the Imperial Church.

Arcanists of the Storm Society, sometimes called Agents of the Storm, Agent Arcanists, or just The Storm. They are a group of gish dedicated to gathering esoterica, legendary items, treasures, and eldritch knowledge beyond the simple arcane or divine magicks. This society formed as a result of the precarious position of the Nimmurian clerical leadership in the Kingdoms. The rise of Nimmur within the Empire caused no small amount of defection, and the place for Nimmur in the Church of the Four and Church of Talos dwindled in kind. The Storm Society's mission is to improve the fortunes of Nimmur within the Caladonian Churches. Discovery of unique and powerful artifacts or new aspects of magic is their milieu.  Agents are well-versed in history and magic, and skilled at delving into dungeons and ruins to find what they seek, not to mention overcoming the dangers that lurk within them. Most follow a tradition of mixing martial prowess with various magical items and mixtures to bolster their power.


Herath:

Symbol - Oak Tree & Raven
Colors - Green & Brown
Devotees - Druidic Alchemist, Herathian Callers, Wardens
Weapons - Any wooden weapon, often bows and clubs
Domains - Plant, Sun, Water, & Weather
Invocations - "Herath's bounty" (harvest), "Looks like Herath's home" (a beautiful home or farmstead)

Herath is thought to be one of the oldest gods. He is invoked all over the continent and is even known to the Elves of Veregar. Herath is an ancient word that literally means "Homeland", presumably derived from the namesake of this god. Thought by many to be the progenitor of the world, Herath is not short of worshippers in nearly every part of the continent. Remaining Halflings worship Herath almost exclusively. However, some believe these depictions to be confusions and misinterpretations of ancient usages of Herath. The Church of Talos in particular believes Herath to be a god that has been anointed by The Four to take over the demesne of the earth god, much as Halicarnassus and Ozymandias have taken up the mantle of gods that perished in the Godfall. In every case, though, Herath holds court over the natural world and his followers work to preserve and protect the balance of the earth.

There are various Druidic Orders dedicated to Herath and sometimes to Herath and Nimmur. Others still invoke Herath's name as they have more of a totemic or elementa-based worship. These Orders of Herath help cultivate food and lessen the impact of agriculture and manufacture on the natural beauty of Veregar. Working within the Churches they can sometimes be at odds with the royalty and the progress of nations, but they ultimately strive for solutions. Another minority of Druidic Orders, however, are a handful of Herathian cults that have declared war on various industries throughout Veregar from mining to farming, and even magic. Some eschew the destruction of mountains for metals and jewels while seeing no problem working skins and woods for armor, weapons, and clothes. Others wear only manufactured product to spare natural destruction, and some of these cults wear neither skin nor armor and seem to have issue with society altogether. The latter are sometimes mistaken for Herathian barbarians. The most powerful of Herathian Druidic elders across all Orders, referred to as Callers, are able to summon and command extraordinary and magical wild creatures.

Druids dedicated to the teachings and worship of Herath are many and varied. From Shamans in the barbarian tribes to proprieters of potion shops and even actual Druidic Orders throughout the continent, followers of Herath are second to none when it comes to herbalism. While some Halicarn and Ozyan experts have unlocked some secrets of alchemy, the Druidic Alchemists of Herath have mastered the art and the science. Capable of making potions that grant fantastic power, they have been granted nearly exclusive right to sell alchemical creations throughout Veregar. Ozyan Medician are allowed only to deal in healing and other medically beneficial tinctures and the like. Halicarn have only just managed to put other non-potion related alchemical creations on the market. A black market exists, of course, but with exorbitant prices. If you want a legal potion in Veregar, you go to an Alchemist of Herath.

The Wardens are not a church affiliated group, or even an organized force. They are often Beastmen, and sometimes Rangers and Druids, that feel a compulsory call to a particular place. This is called the Will of Herath by many of them, and they sojourn with all possible haste to the lands in question. These can be many and various. Often just one is called, but it can be a few or many. While a Ranger employed in the Kingdoms may be an official Warden of an area of wilderness, this is not to be confused with this true divine calling to protect the natural balance in the area from whatever threatens them. While under the influence of the Will, these Wardens are granted extraordinary battle prowess, senses, and powers that enable them to safeguard their locale. These missions can be big or small, but truly dedicated Herathians always heed the call.


Halicarnassus:

Symbol - Hammer & Anvil or Hammer & Fire
Colors - Black & Orange
Devotees - Halicarn Artificer, Halicarn Defenders,
Weapons - Any hammer, axe, many knives, weapons that double as tools
Domains - Craft, Commerce, Fire, & Metal
Invocations - "Halicarn quality", "Halicarn tastes" (expensive)

Halicarnassus is considered one of the new gods. Historical references to this god only begin after the Godfall. Many theories exist surrounding this sudden emergence. A new invading god or a child of The Four. A more insidious theory that the Churches have suppressed historical records related to him, as they have with the records of the Ancient Ones. Still more think he is a renamed or reborn version of the one god whom the dwarves of Veregar worshipped, Hodrvaegr. In all cases, however, Halicarnassus is the god of craft, commerce, and wealth. Some have even attributed human ingenuity, drive, cities, and even society to Halicarnassus' influence. This idea is seen as sacrilegious by the Churches throughout the continent as an afront to Talos, but clerics of Halicarnassus do not overly protest the assertions. The Halicarn clerical leadership are organized and wealthy and, though not as vast and pervasive, have nearly equaled the power of the Talosians in Kingdoms, and the Nimmurians in the Empire.

One of the drivers behind Halicarn dominance are their Artificers. Unparalleled creators of magical wonders and enchanted artifacts that drive innovation in the Kingdoms and Empire alike. Conveniences of heated running water in the homes of the wealthy and gaslight in some major cities are because of Artificer ingenuity. The inventions and technologies of the Artificers are closely protected by the Halicarn leadership. They alone decide what innovations are available, and to whom. Their power remains secure so long as the knowledge is theirs. Happy to concentrate on crafting magical arms and armor, wands and orbs, the true technological marvels are marked by their inclusivity. An exhaustive selection process to ensure faith, loyalty, and secrecy keeps the ranks of the Artificers thin. Only the most powerful and highest ranked clerics can become Artifcers.

Helping to ensure the secrets of the Halicarn church do not spread are the Paladin Order of dedicated guardians. The Order of the Adamant were formerly little more than merchant caravan guards who, over time, began to develop trade organizations. As these guilds and trade groups began to come into the fold of the Halicarnassus Priesthood, these guardsmen became elite protectors of the most valuable treasures. The Halicarn Defenders are an elite force skilled in phalanx and siege defense, experienced with skirmish tactics to counter ambush, and are marked by their extreme discipline and fearlessness. While much of their duty revolves around protecting the treasures of the Churches, they are always moving through a training rotation. They are known to run drills at the northern borders against the Herathians and have been making a concerted effort of late to bolster the defenses of the Sisterhood in Kiyr Kiyrs.

As the Artificers' technological advancements gained more and more import, the role of the Defenders became keeping these secrets.  Now, among the elite guard, is a secret society of Halicarn Inquisitors who safeguard the secrets of Halicarn Artifice.  While nearly every church have people tasked with rooting out those that would damage the Churches, the Halicarn Inquisitors are not burning witches or chasing down necromancers.  These Inquisitors ensure defection is punished and those who gain forbidden knowledge are ended.  The secrets of the Artifice, and the secrets of the Churches, are kept by their blade.  Rumors persist in recent time that their spying and assassination may be extending beyond the purview of the Halicarn wonders, and into a more political or personal arena for those with the coin to persuade them.


Ozymandias:

Symbol - Two, Three, or Four-Headed Ouroboros
Colors - Sky Blue, White, & Gold
Devotees - Ozyan Medician, The Seekers, Loreweavers
Weapons - All manner of daggers/knives, staves, and saps
Domains - Healing, Intelligence, Magic, & Time
Invocations - "Osyan trick" (deja vu), "Ozymandias' gift" (intellect or magic)

Ozymandias is a god of the mind. Knowledge and the interconnected nature of time and healing fall under his purview. He is another of the so-called new gods, seemingly appearing during the Godfall. Just as with Halicarnassus and Rexzartosarius, there are various schools of thought regarding the truth of the matter. Arguments of ancient or neo-divinity aside, Ozymandias has made his mark in the Churches due to the great contributions of the Azure Sage. Of his many accomplishments, the most notable is he and his fellow Ozyans' creation of the Ozymandian Colleges and the co-founding of the Mage's Spires. The Spires and Colleges are a network of mages and clerics sharing magical secrets and knowledge in all disciplines. They are insular and isolationist in terms of politics, but freely sharing of knowledge in principle. In practice these places of learning are reserved for the children of nobles and other powerful figures.

The clerics of Ozymandias are dedicated Medicians. They have a singular talent to manipulate time. While the manifestations of this time manipulation is mostly minor, more powerful priests are capable of freezing time or speeding some while slowing others. These chronomancers have a great deal of skill with healing spellwork, but have also gathered a significant amount of medical knowledge in an attempt to mitigate the aging complication that is caused by healing magicks. The preference for conventional medical study in conjunction with restorative magic has resulted in great advances in everything from field medicine to chirurgery. Their services both in temporal and medical matters are in the highest demand all over the continent. As many move around as stay in place, some serving in the border wars and other battles that plague Veregar. Others serve the Churches as local healers, and many have answered the call to study the Creeping Cull in Detrach.

The Order of the Seekers are paladins of Ozymandias. These knights have taken on the role of traveling investigators, as well as lore keepers tasked with the protection of rare artifacts. The Seekers have garnered a reputation for being keen investigative minds, unraveling mysteries and apprehending fugitives. They are well versed even in the most esoteric subjects, they are able to construct intricate solutions to perplexing cases. Their keen powers of observation allow them to glean profound insights from seemingly trivial clues, even amongst the arcane and obscure. Their analytical power is combined with the fighting prowess typical of paladins, marked with a distinctively clever fighting style that gives one the impression they already know their opponents' next move. These tools are used to find, preserve, and cultivate items of historical and arcane import.

The Azure Sages, a title passed on from the originators of these institutions to the current leaders, have created a group dedicated to bolstering knowledge throughout the land. In recognizing that the Colleges had become a place only for the elite, they have made a concerted effort to disseminate knowledge in the form of the Loreweavers. They travel all over the continent doing the work of the Chruches and Colleges alike by building schools even in remote places. Finding the funding and gaining the support of the community is their greatest challenge. Many troubled places cannot afford to lose the labor of their progeny, or divert attention away from the dangers that abound. It is therefore not uncommon to find Loreweavers aiding the villages and cities of Veregar and seeking the inroads with powerful people who can aid in their mission to spread enlightenment across the world.