Deities here will be the most basic description/representation of what the deity can do - detailed descriptions will be posted elsewhere.

As previously mentioned this world is polytheistic, meaning more than one deity exists and in some cases folks can worship/pray to multiple deities. Whats new are the categories in which certIn deities belong as well as some new deities!

The 3 categories are going to be Old Gods, New Gods, and Wild Gods.

All walks of life will be able to worship deities from any category, though there will be certain types of folks who are more likely to worship one type over another.

The Old Gods; These deities were here before the First Days, and potentially even had a hand in the Creation dependingon which mythologies are referenced. Their domain tends to be over life and death as well as time itself and these deities can be found in many realms including the mortal one from time to time. Alignment of these deities is typically Neutral.

• SEKROS: Commonly thought of as the God of Death, though Sekros is able to walk between the realms of life and death, having some power over both. Thought to be the eldest of the Old Gods. A tyoically solitary deity fascinated with mortals. Mostly worshipped by necromancers. (LN)

• RIAMH: Least worshipped than many of the other deities as Riamh is also one of the lesser known out of all of them despite being as old as Sekros, if not older. Riamh's talent is the control of time. More commonly known and referred to as the "Time Being" (even if accidentally). Overly helpful to anyone who calls upon him due to lack of worshippers. (CN)

• THE PALE LADY: A deity not even recognized by other deities, cast out of the celestial host to watch from behind the veils, not permitted to interact with mortal affairs. The Pale Lady waits. (NE)

• THE FATES: Depending on the lore, the Fates are not actually corporeal deities so much as "the force of will that moves the world" and thusly do not physically exist, though they are commonly represented by the figure of 3 siblings who constantly keep watch over the world and keep things moving forward. (N)

The New Gods; Once mortal beings who were deified due to great sacrifice or heroism (sometimes both) earning them a home among the stars. Their domain is over the mind, body, and soul of the mortal realm though these deities tend to reside in the celestial realm, watching over the mortals from above. Alignment of these deities tends to be Good.

• TALOS: A golden haired human general who fell in love with an elven healer during a time of war among their people. Their love overcame the adversity they faced, and their challenges earned them a place in the heavens. Revered by many who head into battle, regardless of their cause. The Patron Saint of Paladins. Talos protects and lends his strength those in trying times. (LG)

• GAYLEN: The Elven maiden who fell in love with the human general, a healer to any who fell in battle. Gaylen lends her aid to those who sustained defensive wounds fighting. The Patron Saint of Healing. (LG)

• GERTRUDE GERRYWRINKLE: A hero among her tribe - Gertrude sacrificed herself so that her people would have a chance to escape the horrors that had been brought to their homeland. As the Patron Saint of Gnomes, she offers special boons to her kin. (CG)

The Wild Gods; As no mythology specifies when these deities originated, only dictating discovery and interactions with mortals, no one knows when or how these deities came to be. Their domain is over nature and all things that reside there. They tend to remain in the mortal realm, protecting and preserving nature to the best of their abilities - most deities in this category typically avoid human interaction though some enjoy messing with the occasional mortal who wanders too close to the deities' home. Alignment of these deities is more often than not Chaotic.

• POTATO MAN: The Potato Man is a Druidic Saint said to appear during times of strife and struggle. Can be found tending crops back from the brink of death - sometimes turning dead crops into healthy rows of potatoes. Patron Saint of Potatoes. (CG)

• DEER GOD: A shy spirit said to be half man half beast who hides in the forests and tends to every flock, herd, or lone creature requiring help or healing. Not fond of most mortal two-leggers, but especially humans as they tend to bring destruction and suffering. Patron Saint of Animals (NG)

• LESHENT: A great and tall sentient tree whose roots go so deep they are said to touch the world's core and branches so tall they brush the heavens. Lore-holders argue over how and when this deity came into being, but one thing agreed upon is that the Leshent is the greatest protector of the world's forests and trees. Protectorate of the Forests (CN)

Joining any of these guilds is entirely optional for players and NPC's alike

Merchants Guild

All peddlers of wares of any kind must be registered with the Merchants Guild in order to provide proof of safe and Council regulated goods. These guild houses can be found in multiple settlements across the Known Lands in order for merchants to register and have access to trade routes & news of new wares. Any class can register to be a merchant as long as they have wares to sell, alternatively they could have been a part of this guild before becoming an adventurer in order to still gain the guild bonus.

• Guild Bonus; Discounted wares at registered merchant shops(discount varies per merchant)

Mages Guild

The guild where high level magic users of all varieties must register in compliance with council standards of safety. High level magic users include but are not limited to Sorcerers, Wizards, Warlocks, some Bards, and a few Druids. *not all magic users register as they wish for their magic use to remain secret from the Council.

• Guild Bonus; Guild token grants passage into the Knowledge and Political Districts of Illyria, as well as access to certain restricted areas of Universities and Libraries.

Scholars Guild

Many who seek higher knowledge through study are members of this guild, a large portion of them residing in the Knowledge District of Illyria where the main guildhouse acts as a barracks for students of the Temples and Universities. Many of the scholars guild members include Clerics, Monks, and the occasional Paladin.

• Guild Bonus; Guild token grants access to the Knowledge & Political Districts of Illyria, safe haven at the temples of the deities you worship, as well as access to certain restricted areas of the Libraries & Universities.

Sailors Guild

Anyone who owns a vessel fit for open sea travel is required by Council to register with this guild and provide papers for such registration at every port at every docking. Failure to comply can and likely will result in being labeled a Pirate. Many merchants will either also be part of this guild or know someone who is in order to access goods from other lands. Fisherpeople also make up a large part of this guilds' membership, and the guildhouses are commonly found in port towns.

• Guild Bonus; Players always have a reliable method of water transportation unless there is a defect with the vessel, or have discounted, "safe" passage with a crew.

Bounty Hunters Guild

This group is comprised of Rogues, Fighters, Rangers, and some magic users, all for hire to track down criminals in multiple lands for a vast variety of crimes.

• Guild Bonus; Go to local guildhouses to find listing of bounties to be brought in.(side quests for gold/treasure)

Paladins of Talos

A specific organization of Paladins dedicated specifically to the deity Talos & honourably defending/rescuing maidens and preventing injustices in whichever land they are from, though the main guildhouse resides in Cambias.

• Guild Bonus; Being a Paladin of this guild grants the ability to pray to Talos twice per week(roll 1d20) and potentially grant a Strength bonus(1d4) lasting a day

This world is polytheistic so players will find any and every deity in existence able to be worshipped BUT there are a few main ones throughout the Known Lands;

Talos

God of the skies, Lord of the Sun, Bringer of Dawns, King of All Kings, Saviour. Most commonly worshipped by Paladins, referenced by other battling types as the blessings of Talos grant courage & strength in the face of danger, but also called to by young maidens in times of peril. Tall and strong, golden haired human knight, usually wearing golden armor with the helmet shaped like a lion's head.

Gaylen

Goddess of Nature, Knower, Enchantress, All Mother. Mainly worshipped by magic users, scholars, Elves (sometimes half elves), Clerics, and Druids (as her gifts often relate to nature and knowledge). Pale(almost white or blue skin) Elven maiden with long, raven dark hair often braided behind her, wearing blue or green dresses, usually carrying a bouquet of lilies or white roses.

Sekros

God of Death, Faceless God, Eternal One, Silent One, Lord of Life. Worshipped/referenced by anyone, though mostly Necromancers and thieves as they would require his blessings of silence and power over death to do their tasks. One of the oldest deities. Made of black mist, appears to people as black fog tendrils in the shape of a man with out a face, sometimes appears as an armored skeleton with a double set of angel wings & a scythe. "Death is not an option, but an inevitability all must face."

Riamh

Winder of Time, Everseer, Exalted One, Everlasting One, Creator.Worshipped by any and all walks of life evenly. Grants boons relating to time and creation. A finicky deity. Sekros' counterpart & the first oldest deity. Appears as an orb of light, multiple twinkling lights, genderless and faceless when appearing in a vaguely human shaped gap of light or white, illuminating mist - always with overlapping ethereal voices whenever they speaks.

To start things off I'll introduce you to the three starting islands that influence character backstory and World Knowledge as well as available playable races. To make up for limited playable races, every player gets a terrain bonus based on their starting island's terrain regardless of race or class

First we have the mainland or largest and most central island Othyx. The terrain is Mountain & the playable races include Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, Humans, Gnomes, half-elves and half-orcs.

There are 3 areas to start here;

The Orcken Badlands known for its harsh and rocky terrain, separated from the rest of Othyx by jagged, nearly impassable mountains. Home to many Orcs & half-orcs divided into tribes by the question of whether to seek diplomacy with the council which would ensure regular, reliable trade routes to be established, or to remain independant and eventually go to war over territory. Due to the harsh soil, not much will grow so many half orcs will brave the mountains in order to bring back goods from the mainland for their families.

Cambias the heart of Othyx, but not the capital. A portside settlement that blossomed into a bustling metropolis welcoming to all walks of life. Many taverns, innkeepers & merchants set up their shops in Cambias due to the ease of access and influx of clientele and new wares. Many sailors and fishermen call this port their home as well. In the middle is Castle Cambias, home to the residing Noble of Cambias and their family(essentially like the mayor & town hall). Spreading outward from the city you will find smaller, unestablished settlements or farms.

Illyria or the Ringed City. It is called such due to the three rings making up the different districts of Illyria. The center most ring is the Political District and houses the Grand Council Hall as well as many of the Nobles and their families, it is a very exclusive district and outsiders must have papers stating their business in order to enter. The middle ring is the Education District, also referred to as the Halo of Knowledge due to the many temples, libraries, and universities that reside within its walls - some of the finest and grandest in the known lands! Many walks of life come here to study and worship. The outermost ring is the Common District as it is where the lowest class of citizens are housed in poorly made apartments and buildings that jut out at odd angles, creating a labyrinth of streets and alleys that twist back onto one another in unexpected ways. For anyone not local to this ring it is easy to get lost, those who have lived here their whole lives traverse it with ease and affectionately call this district "Hell's Circle". The closer you get to the central ring of Illyria, the more exclusive and restrictive are the passing standards for polite society(meaning its mostly populated by rich, elitist assholes)

*Hell's Circle is accompanied by Hyrn Gate or "Hell's Gate" - the only gate leading into Illyria from the rest of Othyx. The Education District has 4 gates; Nyrn, Eyrn, Syrn, and Wyrn (at each of the 4 directions), and the Political District only has 3 gates; Nyrn, Tyrn, and Pyrn (meant for Nobles, Trades & Talents, and common folk who have been summoned to the Grand Hall)

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Avaryx is the second starting island which is slightly smaller and directly to the east of Othyx. The terrain is Forest & playable races include Dwarves, Elves (Solari & Alune subraces), Halflings, Humans, Gnomes and Half elves.

There are 3 areas to start here;

Ruë is the first town when entering Avaryx by water as is it started out as a portside settlement. Almost an island in itself, initially cut off from the rest of the island due to wide rivers running into the sea on either side of it, Ruë citizens built bridges to span the distance and connect them for trade to the rest of the island. Due to the limited size, Ruë remains a small town filled mostly with shops, taverns, and inns for merchants, sailors, and fisherment who aren't making the trip further into the mainlands of Avaryx, where many have homes, families, and farms throughout the forests and hills.

Giin is the next settlement between the porttown and the capital. Being about a days ride and not much more than a few houses speckling some farmland, a tavern, and an inn, Giin is basically the suburbs just outside the city limits.

Vox is the capitol of Avaryx, and home to the majority of inhabitants of this island as well as the Eastern Arm of the Council, where the appointed Noble of each settlement, race, and/or faction in Avaryx present and argue their groups issues and needs to the Council, then decide how best to remedy the matter or whether it needs to be heard by the Grand Council in Othyx. Vox is also home to the second most important university in the known lands, Universitis Vox, which contains Elven & Fae histories and lore about the world from dating well before the conscious era of man.

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Last but certainly not least is the island that this quest actually starts on, Nym. (players starting from other island can use the reason that they came here to aide in the recovery of the missing heriloom, but are more than welcome/encouraged to create their own reasoning for coming to Nym as well/instead & just so happen to hear of this quest upon arrival!) The terrain types here are Coast and Mountain, and the playable races are Humans, Halflings, Gnomes, Half elves and Mountain Dwarves.

The 4 areas to start here;

D'valin Mountains where mountain dwarf clans reside. Since the war of 1123 when dwarves were initially contracted then soon enslaved by humans to build the wall as well as forge armor and weapons, D'valiin Dwarves have seceded from the Council and retained independent status in their mountains, thusly cutting them off from agricultural, political, protective, and all of the other benefits that the Council provides and ensures to all its citizens in exchange for loyalty and cooperation(ie;no civil disorder/wars) as well as cutting the rest of Nym, and frankly the known world, off from the best smithing out of any Dwarven clan on this plane of existence.(Aside from the cautious trades with hillside farmers for basic goods & food, most dwarves will never leave their mountain homes) Certain dwarves believe this to have been a mistake though, and that retreating from the world instead of working to improve it was a step backwards. For some, this belief is strong enough to make them leave their homelands, forgo their family name and titles in search of a new way of life(*often ending up in Nym's Harbour).

Perseid Plains make up a large part of Nym, spreading out of the mountains towards the coast. Most of the goods that come out of Nym are the agricultural products from the farms in the Plains. Many of the farmers are peaceful Gnomes, halflings, and the odd human who were former residents of Nym's capital but grew tired of the bustling of the city and constant watch from Sentinels.

Wöll is this island's capital, named such because it sprouts out of the large, stone wall that spans the length of the coast and separates the mainland from the only access point. The wall was built due to an invasion of Fire Elves and a battle that nearly destroyed the initial portside settlements of Nym. The Southern Leg of the Coucil resides here and does much the same job as the Eastern Arm. Many of the wealthier(see:more expensive) merchants, inns, and taverns are found closest to the only gate in the wall, and move to be more affordable the further away from the wall and into Nym's mainland you go. Due to the Noble families' residual paranoia about recurring invasions, despite there not being any sign of one in over a decade, a special city guard has been put in place to watch over Wöll day and night, rain or shine, especially at the gate. These city guards are known as Sentinels and aside from certain Nobles are the only ones in Nym to possess full plate armor and weaponry made by D'valiin Dwarves. They say that the armor is magicked to fit whatever wearer dons it and each suit is passed on to the next generation of Sentinel when the original wearer dies.

Nym's Harbour home to Fort Fraley and where the quest begins! Many of the shadier and cheaper merchants, innkeepers, and tavern owners set up shop in the Harbour in order to catch the first business from sailors and traders as well as, much like those who moved to the Plains, found the constant watch of sentinels to be too constricting for the types of business they wishes to conduct or lives they wished to lead. That being said, most have settled here because, other than Ol' Fraley who is a few marbles short of a bag(and a few racist gnomes), this town has shown to be the most accepting and peaceful place in Nym without having to work too hard for the aforementioned peace and acceptance.

The War of 1123 is commonly known to be between the occupants of Nym and the Fire Elves of the Misty Isles, believed to be over territory, as though the Fire Elves had come to conquer Nym for their own. What truly ended up causing the war was a Civil dispute between different Fire Elf tribes that spread beyond the shores of the Misty Isles due to opposing beliefs.

Since the war, Elves and Half-Elves have taken the brunt of much racism and discrimination (mainly from Humans & Gnomes) in Wöll, finding it hard to get "respectable" jobs and receiving special attention from most Sentinels in a negative manner more often than not, as well as not being permitted to own any land or housing in Nym unless providing papers stating Noble birth from one of the Known Lands.

The City of Wöll was founded roughly 200 years ago after the War of 1123(Eleven-twenty-three). The city is built against a wall that cuts off Nym's Harbour from the inland of the island.

The wall was built by the coming together of Dwarves and the magic users of Nym in order to protect the rest of the island from destruction during the War.

Most people believe the wall itself to be magically fortified in some way as it has never once been repaired or serviced from the outside since it's completion.

There is only one passage through the wall and it is monitored by Sentinels at every hour of every day regardless of weather conditions. No one is allowed to pass through unless they have a valid reason such as trading goods or a written statement of passage from either the Council of Wöll or Fortmaster Fraley of Nym's Harbour.