Encyclopedia Yggdraversica

Overview

The gods of the Zinyini live above the Vale, on great clouds of smoke eternally belched by the volcanoes to the west. They are much like any other gods, taking the love and respect of their followers and returning it in the form of blessings and miracles. However, they have weakened over the last several hundred years, as the city-dwelling people began to renounce the old faith in favor of more secular philosophy and reason. It is believed that the Vale’s Empress Carawynne is now more powerful than all the gods put together. So while the gods still seek to serve their interests, they are effectively forbidden from bringing harm to the people of the Vale as a result.

Each god commands Spirit Warriors, the souls of faithful who died in service to the gods and who happily return to continue that service after death. They are translucent glowing creatures, but corporeal and able to manipulate tangible items. Spirit Warriors cannot be killed, since they are already dead. If you destroy a Spirit Warrior’s body, s/he will “resurrect” the next day. The Spirit Warriors’ faith in life also allows them to occasionally command primal energies in a shape suiting their gods’ natures (e.g. a Spirit Warrior of Ezalb would be able to blast people with gouts of flame). As part of the pact with Empress Carawynne, the gods are only allowed to send Spirit Warriors to aid those Zinyini who are allied with (or at least have promised not to harm) the people of the Vale.

List of deities

The old king of the gods was Norebo, but he died fighting demons in the recent war some 20 years ago. When he died, all of the Spirit Warriors who served him simply winked out of existence. This was a severe blow to the morale of both the gods and their followers.

Modnar, god of thieves, is now ruler of the gods. Not all the gods or their worshipers are absolutely pleased with this. Modnar basically played one god against the other and thus became the King of gods. He is a typical trickster god. who may or may not have slept with the Empress (either seduced by her or seduced her) to solidify his powerbase. (I.E. the Empress likes Modnar and none of the other gods would dare to challenge him now.) Rumor has it that he will soon marry into the royal family of the Vale.

Other deities:

• T’Cidien, god of war: He is the defender of the gods. It is one of his precepts that he should not be the ruler of the gods even though he may be the wisest and most proficient in battle. He (and his followers) stick to a code of honorable battle and he is wise enough to realize that the person in charge of the gods and the Zinyini sometimes must behave in a less than honorable fashion. Modnar convinced him that he was the lesser of all the possible evils that COULD rule the gods. and once T’Cidien gives his word it will NEVER be broken. (He doesn’t give his word often.) He is actually a very powerful figure since many Zinyini now worship him to defend the clans against any other threat like the demon hordes.
• Nerwoc, god of learning and art: He was seduced and trapped by a beautiful demoness (let that be a lesson to you young Zinyini, book learning and high ideals are not enough to save you!). Still his wisdom in battle turned the tide in the war once Modnar saved him. Honestly he seems sad, and many think he may be mourning for his lost demon lover. Others think he mourns for the lost knowledge that was destroyed in the war.
• Li’Marolf, goddess of love and beauty: Goddess of divine love and lust. Many fear her and some have even said she has turned traitor. It is rumored that she took the Empress’s brother Florin as a lover and has even borne him a child. She could just be using her wiles to turn the Vale back to the path of the gods. Or she could have sold the Zinyini out. It is said that Modnar tricked her into supporting him by flattery and convincing her that the Empress’s Brother was interested in her.
• Einac, god of the sea and of navigation (the latter being mainly why he is worshiped out in the desert): The only god that apparently supported Modnar unbidden and for his own inscrutable reasons. This one is an enigma. He resides far from the cloud city and travels back and forth to the dread black stone island where the ancient gods scream and wail in despair for their old homes in the stars. Perhaps he has listened too long to their wailing. Perhaps that has given him further insight. It is known that he (and his priests) are openly angry at Nilarem and his mechanical navigation devices. They distrust one who would abandon his own people and his very mother.
• Darreg, god of strength and the earth: A rather simple god. Supported Modnar when he was told Allewel would flood the desert if she alone was supporting Modnar. So he too rushed to support him. He is the strongest of the gods and the one who is most supportive of his people – even to the point of cutting himself to allow them to grow things.
• Noi’fei, goddess of magic and the air: Noi’fei was the only goddess that did not support Modnar. She only recognizes him as king in so much as she was out voted. It is rumored she may not be welcome much longer in the cloud city. Her priest and priestesses are the only magic users any in the Zinyini clans know of save the royal family of the Vale. She is mysterious and fickle.
• Ezalb, god of fire: Supported Modnar when he was told point blank the Modnar would give Allewel leave to rain on all fire whenever she wished, and Noi’Fei leave to blow out any fire she came across, and Darreg leave to blast sand on any fire he came across. straight blunt threat. Ezalb hates Modnar, and only Modnar’s closeness with the Empress of the Vale keeps him from open warfare.
• Neil’Aja, god of hunting and tracking: Modnar tricked him into being gone hunting when the gods chose the new King. This is a slight that also makes Neil’Aja hate Modnar. Neil’Aja is a quiet but vengeful god. His followers know that Modnar’s days may be numbered. There is NO prey that escapes Neil’Aja.
• Allewel, goddess of water: Supported Modnar when told that Ezalb and Darreg were. She felt she should go along. She is probably the most beloved goddess of the Zinyini. Nothing could live without her blessing. And she truly is a kind goddess; however, if slighted her temper can turn in an instant.
• Ni’Krowd, Ancient god of Time and father of the gods (retired): Long ago the great black stone island fell from the stars and the ancient gods screamed in despair from being torn from their home in the heavens. They fell to earth in a mighty crash. The stone was very large and it created the sea. The stone was very hot and it burned the desert. The stone was very mighty, so much so it rose the volcanoes on the very other side of the world. and as the rain of the wounded world rained down upon the steaming black rock, one ancient god looked up from his despair. Ni’Krowd saw opportunity where the other only saw pain and despair. He tried to reason with the ancient gods but they would not listen. So sadly he left the great black stone to see what was about in the world. it is said he wandered for an eternity, sometime making races of people to entertain him. After a time when some of his creations had rebelled against him and had made horrible war on each other he retreated into a cloud and thought. He worked for some time gathering the best pieces from many other races, testing and retesting them. Finally when he was done the Zinyini came to be. But they were so honorable and strong, it reminded him of his long lost brothers still wailing in their despair back deep in the sea deep in the black rock island. So he raised up Norebo and told him to be king of his greatest creation and went back to tell his brothers that all was not lost and that he had made a wonderful people to worship them. Alas, while he had been away the ancient gods had gone mad with grief and attacked poor Ni’Krowd. Again sadly he returned, but he wisely realized his time had passed and his son Norebo was a great king indeed. Now it is said he lives in the great Volcano that smokes the cloud that the city of the gods is carved out of. Good Zinyini always throw good liquor into the volcano so the old god can have a good time in his retirement.
• Nilarem, Youngest god of making and technology: The son of Nerwoc and a demoness that captured him in the war. The story goes that the demons were winning, so Modnar snuck into the Demon’s camp/city and found Nilram. Modnar then spoke to Nilarem of the bravery and nobility of the Zinyini and how they can ride though the trackless wastes. Of the beauty of the Zinyini women and how the most “talented” ones would be his as spirit warriors. And how strong and brave the Zinyini men were, and how the strongest of these would serve as his warriors after they died and became spirit warriors. And how he would be honored as his Father’s son among the gods instead of merely serving in the demon’s army as his mother’s aide. So Nilarem betrayed his mother and led Modnar to where Nilarem’s father Nerwoc was trapped. After gaining vows that they would both support Modnar as the king of the gods if something should happen to the king Norebo, Modnar freed Nerwoc and all three rode into the final battle turning the tide with Modnar’s cunning, Nerwoc’s wisdom, and Nilarem’s amazing devices. Nilarem IS part of the pantheon now. but VERY distrusted. He did betray his own kind. Some call this returning to the side of righteousness. but others watch him carefully. He does not feel welcome.