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 Crisis of Faith

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Joy&RaptorsUnrestrain
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Joy&RaptorsUnrestrain


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PostSubject: Crisis of Faith   Crisis of Faith Icon_minitimeTue Mar 23, 2010 4:03 pm

Thelixa is the City of Prayer, a tropical paradise in a medieval world where magic works and the gods grant powers to their faithful followers, other than humans walk the streets, and demons plot to destroy the world, and yet it is also a city of wonders, with gold and silver and marble domes, cavalry on winged unicorns, living gargoyles to protect the vast treasures and shrines, libraries full of unbelievable wisdom, and even the secret to immortality, for the few. Every aspect of city life, from the government, to education, to trade, is handled by a separate temple, and Thelixa's walls have never been breached. That, however, may soon change.

The demons have sought to undermine the gods since they were successful in slaying Yind, the First God, the Dawn Dragon. His death caused three separate pantheons to arise: The Terrestrial Gods, who rose up from the land, the Celestial Gods, who descended from above the sky, and the Aethereal Gods of water and weather who connected the other two. At first, the pantheons warred with one another, and several gods died, but in the end, the loss of those gods prompted the uniting of the pantheons into one, and though the various gods and their followers still do not entirely like each other, they have found common cause.

For the demons are still here. Common mortals are powerless to resist them... and they have raised an army intent on infiltrating and then invading the city. Only those ordained as clergy in some form or another can oppose the demons, and their god-given ability to work miracles, their spirits, and their faith, is all that stands between Thelixa and destruction. So Paladins don their shining armor, assassins sharpen their blades, mystics call on forces unseen, scribes search their scrolls for rituals and weapons, monks perfect their martial arts, exorcists hunt down the demons, and pastors rally the faithful, while the gods of war and love and music and the sun, the sea, death and the forest must come to peace, for all differences must be put aside, as this is a crisis of faith.


Terrestrial Gods: Each of these gods is associated with some feature of the landscape, and their worship was considered barbaric and quaint, something for the country folk until very recently. Ryond and Garidin are the nominal leaders, and they created race of humanoid dragons known as Zhong Long for their first followers in memory of Yind, the first god.
*Ryond - God of Spring, Devotion, Life, Forest, and Creation, and lover of Siriander. His church is patron of the arts. Every year, after taking the tired Siriander in his arms and carrying him off to sleep and dream anew until next winter, Ryond paints the world with vivid colors distilled from meltwater, revitalizing the land and inspiring love in mortals and animals, ensuring a healthy and well-cared for next generation. He teaches that every moment is precious and should be spent with great care and devotion, in order to prevent endless ennui that is the antithesis of life. His colors are Green and Pink, and his symbol is a butterfly made of leaves and flowers.
*Garidin - Goddess of Caves, Gems, Birth, Depth, and Hope, lover of Akala, mining and midwives fall under this church's jurisdiction. Myths can't decide whether Garidin lured Akala down into the earth with her glittering jewelry, or whether Akala enticed Garidin to rise to the surface of the world with her dancing flames. Garidin teaches her followers to search for and protect that which is precious, finding and defending new hopes. Colors are Green, Violet. Symbol is a geode.
*Trandus - God of Noon, Skill, Wealth, Trade and Metal, the forges and market are run by this church. Trandus is one of the few gods with no relationships among the others (though rumor has it he and Vellam are brothers), as he is too devoted to his work. Trandus teaches his followers to be industrious, careful, and hardworking, and he occasionally rewards those who follow his teachings with great wealth and increased trade. Many warriors and paladins also worship him, turning his powers of skill and metal to the arts of battle, trading blow for blow, and seeking out great wealth and reward with the blessings of the god of High Noon. His colors are Green, Yellow, and his symbol is a gold coin.
*Vellam - God of Morning, Wisdom, Time, Mountains, and Peace, the universities are run by Vellamic teachers. Vellam might be older than many of the other gods, and he has seen much. He is considered a friend to many of the other gods, who value his advice and decisions. He teaches that studying makes for greater learning, wisdom and peace, and that understanding comes from taking the time to truly experience life from the perspective of someone (or something) else. His colors are Green, Brown. His symbol is a partly unrolled scroll in the shape of a mountain.
*Kontar - God of Dust, War, Destruction, the Desert, and Rage, he has been pursuing Elashi romantically. His church runs the military of Thelixa. Rumor has it that Kontar is the child of some forgotten god or goddess and a demon, but that he balances to two sides of himself by turning that inner conflict into a weapon, a force that he can use in all external conflicts. He teaches his followers to do the same, overcoming their weaknesses and turning them into strengths, and grinding their foes and opponents into dust, the better to protect what is theirs. Followers of Kontar range from extremely focused martial artists to howling barbarians. His colors are Green, Orange. His symbol is an axe dissolving into dust.

Celestial Gods: Each of these gods rules from above the world, pulling the strings of fate from their astrological palaces. They were traditionally the most influential gods in the major cities, but have suffered losses lately and were forced to seek alliances with the other gods. Orinne and Akala are their leaders, with Colbir a close third, but there are running arguments between the three of them. Their first followers were the Ettin, giants with some strange feature, such as two heads, a single eye, extra arms, etc.
*Orinne - Goddess of Summer, Protection, the Sun, the Plains, and Trust, she is the sister and rival of Akala, and she and Colbir have an on-again-off-again relationship. Many guards serve Orinne, as do functions of the governing council.
*Akala - Goddess of Autumn, Death, Fire, Change, and Fear, sister and more peaceful rival of Orinne, recently lover of Garidin after centuries of mourning for her first lover (said to be the first mortal woman to die in childbirth), the cemeteries and mortuaries are run by this church.
*Colbir - God of the Evening, Attraction, the Moon, Delirium, and Beauty, he and Orinne have an on-again-off-again relationship, but he frequently falls in love with mortals or other gods and goddesses. Matchmakers and socializing are designed by this church.
*Zash - God of Night, Magic, Mystery, the Stars, and Silence, the rare wizards and more frequent astronomers serve Zash.
*Umuru - The missing god, believed lost in the pantheon wars, but his followers still receive their blessings and miracles from him. God of the Void, Equinoxes, Solstices, Borders and Transition, his church is in charge of the rituals of growth (including graduations, caring for the soon-to-die, and rituals not unlike bar/bat mitzvahs).

Aethereal Gods: The gods who brought an end to the pantheon wars, coming out of a tradition of avoiding conflict, they are each associated with some form of weather. Their leader is Siriander, though Murioth has earned the grudging respect of many, and they created the fragile, gossamer-winged Shi as their earliest followers.
*Siriander - God of Winter, Dreams, the Sky, the Sea, and Joy, he is the gentle lover of Ryond, and sailors and travelers revere him, as do those troubled by nightmares.
*Murioth - God of the Wind, Speed, Excitement, Communication and Mischief, most messengers and mail is handled by the church of Murioth.
*Elashi - Goddess of Rivers, Agriculture, Purity, Freshwater, and Sorrow, pursued by Kontar (though she cannot bear the sorrow inspired by his wars), provides services for farmers as well as emotional counseling.
*Brizzit - God of Electricity, Magnetism (both the phenomenon and personal, charismatic magnetism), Luck, Invention, and Insight, twin to Donau, this church leads many of the physical sciences, as well as a number of casinos.
*Lyal-Liel - Gender-neutral god/dess of Illusions, Memory, Scents, Clouds, and Obscurity, this church is in charge of most forms of visual entertainment and research... as well as espionage.
*Donau - God of Thunder, Strength (physical and spiritual), Music, Dance and Friendship, twin to Brizzit, this church organizes sports and musical entertainment.

*Orinne - Red, Yellow. The suggestion of a circle, with a curve of the sun at the top and the curve of a golden field at the bottom.
*Akala - Red, Orange. A lit candle.
*Colbir - Red, Silver. A silver rose.
*Zash - Red, Indigo. A star with a circle of runes around it.
*Umuru - Red, Black. A stylized red X in the middle of a black circle.

*Siriander - Blue, Violet. A spiral vortex with a snowflake in the center, the image of a smiling sleeping face appearing on that
*Murioth - Blue, Orange. A winged hand.
*Elashi - Blue, Turquoise. A teardrop with the image of a sapling inside
*Brizzit - Blue, Yellow. A lightning bolt within a gold ring.
*Lyal-Liel -Blue, Gray. A meaningless swirl of blue-gray, or a stylized cloud.
*Donau - Blue, Peach. A flying eagle with an open beak, as if it was crying out.

*Xaosal - An alpha, zero, and omega overlapping one another.
*Jalabelle - the silhouette of a knife.
*Naaleth - A pair of red lips.
*Ires - A terrible maw full of sharp teeth.
*Farilus - A skull burning with green flames.
*Quirloorl - A pool of shifting colors.
*Wenda - A heart painted out of blood.

To play you will need to post a bio including your character's...
NAME
CHURCH (one of the above gods)
ORDER (see below)
SPECIES
APPEARANCE
BACKGROUND

SPECIES:
+Human - Apparently created by Yind, the Humans are the most populous and influential race, and they often gain greater divine blessings and powers. Their skin and hair colors match those found on Earth.

+Zhong-Long - With reptilian snouts, carplike whiskers, long manes, gemstones imbedded in their forheads, delicate scales covering their bodies, sharp talons, graceful tails and vestigial wings, the Zhong-Long resemble a cross between dragons and humans. They revere natural cycles, and can eat anything (including minerals... they consider gold a delicacy), and their bodies generate coiling breath of flames when they're angry. Their scales and manes are usually metallic, with gold, silver, copper, and iron shades being most common, sometimes with "rust" or "patina" of red or green shading them.

+Ettin - Each Ettin looks slightly different, with either more of some physical feature or less of it than is common in humans. Otherwise, they are quite similar to humans, if about twice as large. Their skin and hair are usually gray, white, cyan or black. They are thoughtful and studious.

+Shi - Shi are slim, graceful, elusive creatures. Until they reach adulthood they live underwater and have graceful finned tails instead of legs. Puberty changes that, giving them legs as well as shifting the fins on their backs and sides to turn them into gossamer wings, with which they can glide, hover, and ride drafts of air. Their "ears" are actually long, pointy fins, and their skin and hair ranges from pink to violet to indigo to blue. Female Shi are called Banshi, while males are known as Tirshi.

+Janni (plural Jann) - Children of the elements, each Janni's body appears to be cut from some sort of gemstone, with the hair, eyes, foot talons and retractable feathered arm wings made of fire, water, earth, air, sand, crystal, ice, smoke, lightning, magma, or clay. Janni are immune to all forms of pain or death resulting from their "element," and can fly (though not hover). They were created by the gods to help shape the planet.

+Risen Demon - Just as angels can fall, it is possible for Demons to repent and rise. With cloven hooves, horns, forked tongues, short batlike wings, and spined tails, Risen Demons are landbound and cannot fly, but can sense other demons.

+Breathless Ones - There is an ancient ritual that is known to only the most mysterious groups within each church, for bestowing immortality to a human being. This ritual is performed on those (no matter their social standing) who have some great destiny with the faith, even if that person doesn't know it at the time. They become beautiful, strong, fast, agile, and nearly impossible to kill (they do not breathe, eat, or drink most liquids, and their body can slowly recover from everything but being burned), though they must spend a certain amount of time each day praying and they must drink only from the holy cups of that Church. Should they break that rule, they will swiftly degenerate into cruel and vicious blood-drinking monsters until they can be captured and ritualistically restored. If they complete their destiny, they will immediately become mortal again, though they will retain their supernatural benefits all their lives, though those who do succeed are rare.

ORDERS: Each church has at least a few members of each order, no matter their philosophy or beliefs. Some orders are more respected or influential than others, but all bestow some benefits on their followers. After spending two years as an acolyte, those who wish to join the order are welcomed in through a powerful ritual that gives them a connection to their god. Despite that, members of the Orders are under no restrictions or poverty or chastity, though some eschew pleasures to devote themselves to deeper religious understanding. All must swear obedience to the leader of Thelixa, the Papess (elected by the council and the masters of the orders, as well as through divine guidance), currently Valressa IV.
*Paladin - Warrior heroes devoted to a noble code of conduct, they wear gleaming armor and weapons, and call on their gods to give them greater strength, speed, protection and healing.
*Hospitaler - The healers and doctors of the world use their divine blessings to work miracles and heal wounds, cure illness, and purify poison.
*Assassin - Deadly, stealthy warriors whose specialty is slaying enemies of their faith.
*Monk - By studying their bodies and mastering their minds and spirits, Monks are capable of feats of martial arts that seem to almost defy physics.
*Pastor - Leaders of the people, the teachers and guides and caregivers, Pastors are blessed with an ability to lead and guide others.
*Scribe - The learned, teachers, students, scholars, and genii, these masters of ritual and lore protect the secrets and treasures of the Faithful.
*Exorcist - Seeking out and destroying the enemies of the gods, this order is blessed with the power to banish demons and break spells.
*Prophet - Mouthpieces of the gods, the prophets are able to see the future, speak to the gods, and act on it, though they lose the ability to lie as a result.
*Mystic - The gods used powerful forces to create the world, and those forces are still present in everyday life, dormant. Mystics can sense and shape the raw power of their god.

Orinne can be overbearing to other gods, Kontar can start fights, Murioth is not above trickery, but the greatest threat to the gods is the demons. The demons come in many shapes and sizes, and they can possess humans, but they are led by their own "gods", or Dark Lords.
*Xaosal - the demon who destroyed Yind, he is Dark Lord of Endings, Beginnings, Control, Apathy and Emptiness, and father on many of the other Dark Lords along with Jalabelle.
*Jalabelle - the Dark Lady of Shadows, Lies, Predation, Deception, and Nightmares, she is mother of most of the other Dark Lords with Xaosal.
*Naaleth - Dark Lord of Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, and Excess, Naaleth is son of Jalabelle and Xaosal.
*Ires - Dark Lord of Envy, Pride, Wrath, Cruelty, and Vanity, he is brother to Naaleth.
*Farilus - Once mortal, he was a sorcerer who stole power and managed to kill a god during the Pantheon wars, using his new energies to become Dark Lord of Undeath, Corruption, Abomination, Radiation and Theft. He and Quirloorl are considered paramours ("lovers" cannot describe demons).
*Quirloorl - Dark Lady of Filth, Rot, Poison, Ooze and Acid, daughter of Xaosal and Jalabelle.
*Wenda - Once mortal, she became goddess of Pain, Torture, Delusion, Schemes and Murder, and has been romantically linked to both Ires and Naaleth.

Demons have human allies as well... the magic-using sorcerers, grasping for power, the cruel dark priests, the savage blackguards who serve as anti-paladins, and the crazed barbarian shamans who worship them, along with those mortals possessed by demons.

OOC - Note that Humans, Shi, and Ettin are inter-fertile with each other, but mechanically their children are one species or the other. Human-Shi children tend to be slimmer and lankier, with strange colored eyes and vaguely pointed ears or Shi-Humans with pink skin that is almost a human skin tone and unusual height (for a Shi). Human-Ettin children tend to be taller than humans, but not as tall as Ettin, and they might share some vestigial feature of their ettin parent (half-blind, or with three eyes, for one whose parent had only one eye, for instance, or smaller weaker versions of extra arms), while Ettin-human versions tend to be on the short side (which is still taller than the Human-Ettin version) for Ettins, and relatively lacking in Ettin physical features. Ettin-Shi are rare, but they tend to have large pointy ears, brightly-colored birthmarks that resemble tattoos, and other features (such as antennae) while being Ettin height, and Shi-Ettin tend to be Shi with Ettin coloring and features (extra eyes or arms, giving them an unusually insect-like appearance) and greater size than their pureblood shi kin. Zhong-Long are reptiles, not mammals, and therefore not able to interbreed with other species, and while Jann are interfertile with all others, their children are always Jann. Breathless Ones lose the ability to produce children in their ritual until they complete their destiny, and Risen Demons are not of this world, though they've given up the powers and spiritual nature of their evil kin, so they cannot have children even among themselves.
ONE'S SPECIES DOES NOT LIMIT ONE TO PARTICULAR CHURCHES OR ORDERS. Beliefs in Thelixa are considered a personal choice, and while Ettin Assassins, Shi Paladins, Risen Demon Hospitalers and Breathless One Pastors are rare, they do happen. ALSO, YOUR CHARACTER CANNOT BE A CURRENT WORSHIPER OF A DARK LORD, though all Risen Demons used to be, and some particularly devout followers of the gods might be fleeing early acts that they feel stained their souls.


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PostSubject: Re: Crisis of Faith   Crisis of Faith Icon_minitimeTue Mar 23, 2010 4:04 pm

NAME: Mykale
CHURCH: Siriander
ORDER: Paladin
SPECIES: Human
APPEARANCE: Mykale is a handsome, 6'2" tall young man with short curly brown hair, a charming pearly smile, and eyes as blue as ice. He bears a longsword strapped to his waist, inscribed with images of icicles, snowflakes and curling waves. His (clearly used, slightly chipped and dented) kite shield has the holy symbol of Siriander (a spiral vortex with a snowflake in the center, the image of a smiling sleeping face appearing on that), an image that he also wears on a necklace. His armor is silvery plate mail, with blue and violet trim and barding and a helmet with stylized gull wings extending on either side. He has a mount as well, one of the Avicorns (winged unicorns), whom he calls Brine and has gray hide and feathers, with the mane and feather tips (including the birdlike fan of peacock feathers on the tail) shading into the blue-green of a peacock, with actual feathers" covering the cloven hooves.
BACKGROUND: Mykale was an orphan street urchin raised in the gangs of pickpockets and thugs that clutter some of the darker streets of Thelixa, until he tried to pick the pocket of a Scribe of Siriander. The old man, unfortunately, was a Librarian, and used to catching people doing things they weren't supposed to, and so he was easily able to catch the boy. However, he showed mercy, and took the child in, giving him a home, cleaning, and education, and instilling in him faith that the world wasn't dark and empty, but full of dreams and joy. When he grew old enough, Mykale chose to devote himself to the Order of Paladins of Siriander, and has been fighting to defend his home and bright new world from the shadows and darkness he experienced firsthand as a boy. When he reached the rank of cavalry, he was delighted to be given Brine as his mount, and spends part of the day patrolling the skies above Thelixa and the surrounding lands.
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PostSubject: Re: Crisis of Faith   Crisis of Faith Icon_minitimeTue Mar 23, 2010 4:06 pm

Avicorns - Winged unicorns, they are not simply horses with horns. With an equine head, goatlike beard, graceful neck, powerful body, legs like antelopes, with actual feathers on their hooves and in their manes, and a long tail of peacock feathers (in the males) or a leonine tail (for the females), along with a 13 foot wingspan, they are formidable creatures.

Gargoyles - Uncertain origin, these creatures are bestial images wrought of stone that can come alive to defend the faithful. Some of them have wings and can fly (or even serve as mounts), and all have fierce claws and prodigious strength.

Drakes - Swift, agile fliers, drakes are horse-sized dragons that breathe jets of freezing cold and ice and serve as mounts for those brave enough to tame them (frequently paladins or Zhong-Long).

Tauri - Powerful winged bulls, they are symbols of faith and the sun and fetility, and are valued by the churches of Orinne and Elashi.

Schmettlerlings - Giant butterflies, capable of carrying five people aloft at a time, they are raised by the Shi as mounts and beasts of burden.

Perytons - With the front body of a stag or deer and the hindquarters and wings of a great owl, their shadows are strangely humanoid, and they are fierce carnivores, possibly of demonic origin, who will eat mortals if allowed to do so. Their special power is the ability to inspire mindless terror in others thanks to pheromones, and they are prized mounts of particularly brave paladins and assassins or monks who are masters of their body's inner balance.

Nightsingers - Bats the size of bears, these creatures are surprisingly friendly (and herbivorous) and capable of bearing riders aloft. Perhaps the most agile of all fliers due to their echolocation, they are also known for their ability to sing musically. Favored by the churches of Garidin, Akala, Siriander and Donau

Wyvernflies - 11-foot long dragonflies, these creatures are incredibly fast, and frequently serve as mounts for shi messengers.

Rattatosk - For the truly thrill-seeking riders, the Rattatosk are horse-sized squirrels, favored by the church of Ryond and Vellam (and Murioth).

Aerelons - Flying sea turtles with wings instead of flippers, they are common mounts for 5 people at a time, and frequently serve as taxis around the city.

Skydolphins - Enchanted by a ritual of Siriander, these dolphins can fly (and seem to swim through the air), serving as friendly and swift mounts.

Warscarabs - Heavily-armored, bright green-blue-gold carapace wings allow these giant insects to bear aloft the heaviest (and fully-armored) riders into the thick of battle. They can also fire a burning acid from their mouth.

Coatl - Feathered serpents with cobra hoods and parrot-like wings, these creatures are favorite mounts of mystics and hospitalers. They are poisonous, but gentle, and their toxins can be used to make antivenoms for most known illnesses.

Sleipnir - Eight-legged horses, able to leap farther and higher and run faster (and up walls) than other horses.

Hippocampi - Amphibious horse-sized Seahorses with lionfish fins that they use as wings.

Veloci - trained velociraptors designed to fight and carry mounts. Popular among the barbarians and many mercenaries.

Keep in mind that all characters in this game are members of a religious order, not just everyday people. They have decided that this is what they will do with themselves for the rest of their lives. They believe in the message and comfort offered by their god above all others. Their powers come from a combination of rigorous training and devotion to one of the gods. A mystic of Siriander could blast people with waves of seawater called from thin air or wintery ice or confound them with dreamlike illusions, while a mystic of Zash would instead conjure burning stardust. A pastor of Elashi would be a consoling and gentle leader of the farmers and fishermen, while one of Orinne would be a fiery and decisive member of the richest and brightest society folk. A hospitaler of Ryond would draw healing power from the green and living things of the world, while one serving Lyal-liel would make the wounds seem to be illusions and fade them away. A paladin of Colbir would be a passionate (and gorgeous) defender of romance and protector against creatures of darkness, while one of Brizzit would be a cautious thinker in mechanical armor who makes well-planned lightning raids against the barbarians. A scribe of Vellam would know rituals for drawing power from the geomantic forces of the earth itself, while a scribe of Donau might not have books or scrolls but instead be a dancer whose rituals and teachings are memorized as elaborate dances. An exorcist of Kontar is a terrifying thing, with combat readiness as well as the power to blast and banish demons and undead with holy power, while an exorcist of Garidin might instead find ways to bind and trap demons deep in the earth. An assassin of Murioth might be cheerful and friendly (all the better to blend in and project innocence) but moves like a silent wind to strike when least expected, defying gravity and visibility like empty air, while one devoted to Umuru might seem to teleport and see death as a way of extending the clear and quiet power of the void. A prophet of Akala would predict death, but also great changes and prevent wildfires while gazing deep into the holy flames, but a prophet of Trandus might divine the future trends and needs of the market by flipping coins and looking for omens while conducting business. A monk of Ryond would be quiet and balanced, but able to strike with the force of a falling tree, climb like a monkey, and fling (or deflect) leaf-shapes shurikens at foes, while one devoted to Donau would be jovial and strong, practicing various disciplines like dances and kicking with the power of a thunderclap.


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PostSubject: Re: Crisis of Faith   Crisis of Faith Icon_minitimeTue Mar 23, 2010 4:07 pm

Myth: The Gift of Colbir
Once upon a time, Colbir, the beautiful god of the Evening and Attraction, was troubled. His love, Orinne, had just completed her duty guiding the sun across the sky, but when it was time for his power to thrive in the evening, she pleaded that she was too tired to enjoy the dusk with him. He needed something, a sign or gift of some sort, that would inspire his romantic feelings in Orinne, and give her new life once darkness fell. So he set out to seek such a treasure. He passed the marketplaces, where the merchants closed their stalls, but they had no such prizes. He passed the treasuries of great kings, but they had no jewels that could equal the sun and summer goddess. So he turned to Elashi, in her water garden in the clouds. She couldn't help him, but she offered to care for the gift and clean it so that it would sparkle, making it strong, if he could but find it. He gave her the love of the farmers who desired her rains. He then went on to Garidin, who couldn't help, but who promised to support the gift with minerals and something to grow on. Colbir gave Garidin the love of families for the power of birth. He then sought Siriander, thinking that the Laughing Dream would be able to help him come up with a concept for the gift, and the Lord of Sea and Sky slept on the decision. As he dreamed, he wove Colbir's dream into shape, and water spun in the air, crystallizing into a curving, branching shape, with finlike leaves and gently unfolding petals that exuded the softest scent, and the next morning, when both gods awoke and saw the sculpture, Siriander smiled and promised to protect it from any who might try to take it, breaking off some icicles from his crystal grotto to decorate it with tiny thorns. Colbir thanked him, and gave him the love of sailors and fisherfolk and, for the inspiration, he promised to pull the waves of the sea higher every night to cover more of the land. Then, he went to Siriander's love, Ryond, the Verdant Lord, to see if he could create the gift. Ryond, seeing the value of such a gift, agreed to make it real, and in exchange for the love of children, the forest god turned the power of life to the earth, and a single seed appeared. Saddened by such a tiny, plain thing to give his beloved, Colbir thanked Ryond, but fled into the wilds, where he fell to the ground and cried, his tears of shame and sorrow and loneliness falling to the seed and the soil in rested in. While he was separated from his love, Ryond and Siriander cared for each other, Elashi was pursued by Kontar, and Garidin... Garidin was beloved of Akala. He spoke into the night, asking the Burning Lady to help him, and though she was a rival of her sister, Akala agreed, and since then fires are beloved by all who need light or warmth. The seed glowed with the sparks of the Autumn Queen, and a tiny sliver of Death, known only as Age, entered the seed. With Colbir's tears, the seed sprouted and grew, using its thorns to climb up the Moonlord, and absorbing the gentle light of his love. With that, the first buds opened, and silvery petals unfolded. First they slid open and a crescent of light spilled out into the night. Then half of the rose slid out, highlighting the shadows. Then the full rose emerged lighting the world like day. Then the rose began to drop petals, slimming again, until the last one dropped to the ground... and another opened and repeated the process. Colbir was overjoyed, and flew through the sky that evening to give the gift to his love. When Orinne saw the blossoming rose that he brought to her hands, and breathed in the scent of love and desire and sweet delirium, she fell in love all over again, and promised the give her light to extend the life of these roses, a sign of Colbir's love for all to see. She then kissed him, and their rose drifted into the air, growing larger with their light, until it formed a new home for Colbir, a silver bower to illuminate lovers and awaken desires in all who should otherwise be tired and sleeping. And the Rose of Colbir shines down upon us to this day, blossoming, living dying and returning, lit by the brilliance of love.

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Hope you enjoyed the myth... I am working on ones for Siriander and Akala as I type this, and will put at least one myth starring each god whom a player character reveres up as the game progresses.

The idea behind this myth is that Colbir, for all that he is something of a rake, and prone to be attracted many people, is also something of a knight errant who ACTUALLY loves Orinne (he just happens to actually love many other people, but because he is the god of attraction and desire, instead of a mere mortal, he has enough love to share with everyone), and he values those who, like him, go to great (and romantic) ends to prove their love and support their loved ones, while marveling at the beauty and romance of life... the majesty of the forests loved by tree-climbing children, the mystery of the sea loved by sailors and fishermen, the love of children by families, the love that brings warmth, even in old age, the caring of agriculture, and so forth and so on. Colbir may appear to be a cad, but he, like the Moon-Rose he lives in, and like love itself, has many faces and phases, and that he wears perhaps the most fallible face of them all makes him all the more beloved.
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