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--- gods:atena [2024/04/04 01:47] – quiddlesticks
+++ gods:atena [2024/12/16 17:28] (current) – quiddlesticks
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-====== At'ena ======
+====== At'ena/Seherine ======
 **//Note: On this page, we use the terms Fact((A Fact is an event or statement that actually happened or is actually true in the history or meta of Jaern, Cahyali, etc. Facts can never contradict and are taken as canonical meta-info for GMs and Players. A PC can never be 100% sure of a Fact, as the divine requires faith in the unprovable.)), Truth((A Truth is what a god themself believes and otherwise purports as truth to the world and their followers. These are indisputable parts of their faith, from which is derived the Dogma and Tenets of their core Temple, acting as boundaries between their Temple and heresy. Truths are cohesive to a temple and the god, but may contradict the truths of other temples and gods.)), and Belief((Beliefs are subjective interpretations of Fact and Truth, personal to each individual. These can match the Truths and Facts presented, or diverge from it completely. Beliefs often conflict as they are entirely subjective. A major enough discrepancy in Belief from Truth will usually lead to schisms or excommunications.)) as key words that signify the in-game and out-of-game veracity of statements. See the attached notes for the definitions of these keywords as they are used and treated here.//**
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 ==== The Sigils and Signs, At'ena Obscura ====
-Before the mantle of At'ena was given to Freya, she was never seen in any andromorphic form. Instead, At’ena manifested herself in thousands of ways through signs and omens. She spoke telepathically or in visions, using puzzles, riddles, and enigmas. In such a way, all signs and omens from At'ena were taken as her aspects.
+Before the mantle of At'ena was given to Freya, she was never seen in any anthropomorphic form. Instead, At’ena manifested herself in thousands of ways through signs and omens. She spoke telepathically or in visions, using puzzles, riddles, and enigmas. In such a way, all signs and omens from At'ena were taken as her aspects.
 In this incarnation, she often used her abilities to make these manifestations subtle and powerful. At’ena appreciated those who craft intricate puzzles and plots, occasionally assisting them in some manner. People who crossed her suffered her greatest wrath: she would reveal the true, unavoidable future for them to play out . . . often to their doom.
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-==== The One With A Thousand Eyes ====
+==== The One With A Thousand Eyes, At’ena Ruinam ====
-When [[history:modernage#the_raze_of_centralia_and_the_one_with_a_thousand_eyes|At'ena was crippled and slain]] by the One With A Thousand Eyes and her power subsumed into it, reality and time ceased to exist for a brief / infinite / instantaneous / never-ending period. This, by technicality, made the One With A Thousand Eyes an aspect of At'ena, one that stood contrary to the ideals of her mantle.
+When [[history:jaern:modernage#the_raze_of_centralia_and_the_one_with_a_thousand_eyes|At'ena was crippled and slain]] by the One With A Thousand Eyes and her power subsumed into it, reality and time ceased to exist for a brief / infinite / instantaneous / never-ending period. This, by technicality, made the One With A Thousand Eyes an aspect of At'ena, one that stood contrary to the ideals of her mantle.
 The One With A Thousand Eyes had no "true" form, and instead took whatever form that suited it in the moment. It believed that time and causality were chains that bound it and all others into a pitiful sham of existence, and wanted to free itself and create a world where such things had no meaning. It started a calamity, consuming all existence and reality.
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 This aspect of At'ena no longer exists, but its disastrous history leaves a scar on those that lived through this time. It is remembered as a warning for the future.
-==== The Huntress, Freya ====
+==== The Huntress, At’ena Freya ====
+{{  gods:freya.png?300}}
 Freya was originally a member of a pantheon on another plane of existence, one consumed by the One With A Thousand Eyes in its calamity. As a goddess, she held over the domains of war, wisdom, and foresight. She was able to see the hunger of the One With A Thousand Eyes coming for her plane, and worked to try to save it, but could only succeed in escaping the calamity herself as her followers' plane was destroyed.
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 Freya appears as a light skinned human, wearing a feathered cloak and often accompanied by cats. She is often seen with a bow of silver and a distaff, and capable of wielding a unique type of magic called seiðr native to her home, which allows her to see into and manipulate events in the future. This aspect is said to appear in times of trouble and disaster, acting as a warrior wielding both magic and weapons into battle with forces that threaten the world.
-==== The Starweaver, Seherine ====
+==== The Starweaver, Seherine Stella ====
-The Starweaver Seherine appears in the form of a young [[settings:cahyali:dahabu|Dahabi]] elf, just at the age of adulthood, with light brown (or sometimes silver) hair, and usually wears what appears to be an elven cloak filled with the colors of the night sky, reflecting stars, moons, and constellations that slowly move across it, a gift from her mother [[gods:rudri|Tenebrius.]] She is commonly depicted and seen with a pouch that glows from the seams with the brightness of the sun, a gift from her father [[gods:ra|Peregrinus]], filled with stars.
+The Starweaver Seherine appears in the form of a young [[settings:cahyali:dahabu|Dahabi]] elf, just at the age of adulthood, with light brown (or sometimes silver) hair, and usually wears what appears to be an elven cloak filled with the colors of the night sky, reflecting stars, moons, and constellations that slowly move across it, a gift from her mother [[gods:rudri|Tenebrus.]] She is commonly depicted and seen with a pouch that glows from the seams with the brightness of the sun, a gift from her father [[gods:ra|Peregrinus]], filled with stars.
 Seherine in this form is the goddess of wisdom and travelers, fate and fortune. She may also be called "Pathstrider" or "Starweaver." She can be mercurial and mischievous, often playing tricks or using riddles and doublespeak to communicate, but isn't manipulative. People often say that she can be found at crossroads or while traveling, especially when one has a burning question or riddling doubt about an upcoming choice or decision. She speaks with these travelers, offers advice in the guise of riddles and analogies, before disappearing without a trace the next day.
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 Many famous works of fictitious literature on [[settings:cahyali|Cahyali]] include a reference to Seherine in this way, acting as an enigmatic guide to the protagonist that they meet seemingly randomly on the road, pushing them towards their fate and the climax of the story. Some believe that use of this trope and the inclusion of the Starweaver as an unnamed character is lazy writing.
-==== The Star Bearing Jade River, Shuibian Seheyun ====
+=== Sister of Ninos, Seherine Starsister ===
+WIP
+(Not a full aspect of Seherine, and instead an interpretation of Seherine Stella as Ninos’ sister, as part of the Ninos faith.)
+==== The Star Bearing Jade River, Shuibian Seheyun, Seherine Shuibian ====
 Shuibian Seheyun, or the last Dianxia (Crown Princess) of Shuibian, is an aspect of Seherine found in the Abundant Expanse of [[settings:cahyali|Cahyali.]] She appears as a beautiful and elegant [[settings:cahyali:ruefang|Ruefang]] elf with pale skin said to be the color of pure white jade, wearing the imperial Ruefu (ancient Ruefang dress) of the Shuibian Dynasty. Often, she is seen with her long dark black hair down, flowing with stars in the inky darkness. Other times, she is seen in a general's ceremonial armor, with a jian (traditional sword) drawn.
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 Some epics and tales depict the Shuibian Dianxia as an immortal that is sent down from the Heavenly Realm (commonly interpreted as the [[settings:planes:celestial|Celestial Planes]]) to defeat evils that arise from the Ghost Realm (debated to be the [[settings:planes:beneath|Beneath]] or [[settings:planes:kurago|Kurago]]), or as a goddess that presents a chosen hero with a divine trial to expose their flaws and fallbacks, and learn from them.
-==== The Everturning Cycle, Tlayahucoatl ====
+==== The Evershifting Dream, At’ena Reverie ====
+WIP
-According to ancient Zinaparan and Tonatiu legends, [[gods:tlayahucoatl|Tlayahucoatl]] is the being that commands the string of fate itself and keeps the world in constant motion. They are represented by a two headed snake moving in a circle as if dancing with itself. Anything that fits within the nature of cycles falls under the domain of Tlayahucoatl, including the dawn and dusk, life and death, and fate itself. In the modern age, worship of Tlayahucoatl has diminished greatly in [[settings:cahyali:splint|Splint]] and is only really observed by natives of Zinaparo. However, the faith is still incredibly strong and influential in [[settings:cahyali:itlanyouali|Itlan-Youali.]]
+Alwadiha Aspect of At’ena worshiped in tandem with [[gods:rudri|Rudri]] within the Order of the Oneirophant.
-It cannot truly be said that Tlayahucoatl is an aspect of At'ena, because it is a singular deity that is indivisible yet composed of and equivalent to multiple Cahyali deities.
 ===== Origins =====
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 === Cahyali - The Sublime Veld (Dahabu, Buyuk Vahsi) ===
-Cahyali believes that Seherine (At'ena) is the goddess of foresight, wisdom, and the moons. Ancient Dahabi myth said that she was created by Peregrinus (Ra) and Tenebrius (Rudri) when Cahyali lay still and unmoving, half of it shrouded in dark and the other emblazed with light. Seherine was given the task to travel the sky and place the constellations, planets, and moons upon the firmament, weaving lines and art across the horizon. However, seeing the unmoving world below, she urged her parents to gift movement to Cahyali, so it could turn and see the beauty she had placed in the sky. From that point on, day and night were no longer permanent and unchanging, and time began to flow in the world. It is said that Seherine and Thoth (Tarus) mark the passage of time, so that it moves in a predictable and ordered way, forming the seasons.
+Cahyali believes that Seherine (At'ena) is the goddess of foresight, wisdom, and the moons. Ancient Dahabi myth said that she was created by Peregrinus (Ra) and Tenebrus (Rudri) when Cahyali lay still and unmoving, half of it shrouded in dark and the other emblazed with light. Seherine was given the task to travel the sky and place the constellations, planets, and moons upon the firmament, weaving lines and art across the horizon. However, seeing the unmoving world below, she urged her parents to gift movement to Cahyali, so it could turn and see the beauty she had placed in the sky. From that point on, day and night were no longer permanent and unchanging, and time began to flow in the world. It is said that Seherine and Thoth (Tarus) mark the passage of time, so that it moves in a predictable and ordered way, forming the seasons.
 === Cahyali - The Abundant Expanse (Ruefang, Raikougan, Ulos) ===
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 === Jaern - Kratal ===
-Kratal had even higher restrictions on who could be a member of the At'enite priesthood. The Tetrarchy had enforced that only female dwarves could be priestesses of At'ena and Osiris, and enforced that only male dwarves could be priests of Ra and T'or. They believed that this balance and boundary between the genders mirrored the balance and boundary of genders in their Tetratheon. Once Kratal opened their borders in 10074 SF, outside traditions began to circulate within, and many towns and cities outside the capital began accepting all people into the priesthood, regardless of gender and lineage. However, within the capital city of Driedheim, traditionalists enforce the old ways and refuse to accept or acknowledge At'enite priests that are not female dwarves.
+Kratal had even higher restrictions on who could be a member of the At'enite priesthood. The Tetrarchy had enforced that only female dwarves could be priestesses of At'ena and Osiris, and enforced that only male dwarves could be priests of Ra and T'or. They believed that this balance and boundary between the genders mirrored the balance and boundary of genders in their Tetratheon. Once Kratal opened their borders in 2550 SD, outside traditions began to circulate within, and many towns and cities outside the capital began accepting all people into the priesthood, regardless of gender and lineage. However, within the capital city of Driedheim, traditionalists enforce the old ways and refuse to accept or acknowledge At'enite priests that are not female dwarves.
 === Cahyali - The Sublime Veld (Dahabu, Buyuk Vahsi) ===
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 === Cahyali - The Heartlands (Ley'Ork, Splint, Itlan-Youali) ===
-In Ley'ork, worship and practice of any magic is outlawed, including divine. There is no official temple of Seherine in Ley'Ork.
+In Ley'Ork, worship and practice of any magic is outlawed, including divine. There is no official temple of Seherine in Ley'Ork.
 In Splint, they worship a mix of different aspects and beliefs of Seherine, and there is no singular identity and cohesive temple. The most popular interpretations are of Seherine Anandi the Fateweaver and of Seherine the Starweaver. Since there is no central order or organization, there are no restrictions on who may become a Seherite priest.
-In Itlan-Youali, as well as some parts of Splint occupied predominantly by Zinaparo natives, people worship the deity of Tlayahucoatl, god of cycles. In one sense, Tlayahucoatl is a singular aspect of multiple deities at once, but this belief is deemed heretical by the Tonatiu. The Tlayahucoatl Mysteries state that it is a divine //Truth// that Tlayahucoatl is one being and indivisible into constituent parts((It is //Fact// that Tlayahucoatl is simultaneously one deity and all its constituent deities at once, defying natural intuition. Seherine is one of such deities, and governs the domain of Fate. The other deities within and equivalent to Tlayahucoatl are Peregrinus (Ra), Tenebrius (Rudri), Anpu (Anubis), and Aset (Isis).)). Priests of Tlayahucoatl usually select one or more domains to practice and preside over. Those that concern themselves with the domain of Fate resemble Seherites of other regions and cultures.
+In Itlan-Youali, as well as some parts of Splint occupied predominantly by Zinaparo natives, people worship the deity of [[gods:tlayahucoatl|Tlayahucoatl]], god of cycles. In one sense, Tlayahucoatl is a singular aspect of multiple deities at once, but this belief is deemed heretical by the Tonatiu. The Tlayahucoatl Mysteries state that it is a divine //Truth// that Tlayahucoatl is one being and indivisible into constituent parts. Priests of Tlayahucoatl usually select one or more domains to practice and preside over. Those that concern themselves with the domain of Fate resemble Seherites of other regions and cultures.
 === Cahyali - The Oxis Alliance (Vervand, Arenti, Shinneok) ===
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 === Cahyali - The Pale Reach (Nahrūl, Pthora) ===
+In northern Pthora, worship of any god is outlawed, as the people are expected to venerate their country's leader as a deity and devote their lives to no one else. Nahrūl does not outlaw divine worship, but most Nahrūli devote themselves to worship of [[gods:ra|Peregrinus]] and Seherites are uncommon.
-**WIP Section**
+In southern Pthora, where the reach of the Pthoran government wanes to nothing, the Johtalit indigenous people do practice Seherite worship, in a way. They have no name for Seherine, and call upon her by invoking "spirits of the mind, stars, and wind". Seers of the Johtalit, or shamans, fulfill multiple duties along with divining the future and reading the threads of fate. They may also be healers, teachers, and community leaders. Prospective shamans are raised from a young age to fulfill this position, and engage in a long period of apprenticeship with a tribe's existing shaman.
+On rare occasions, a shaman or shamanic apprentice may be sent out from the tribe on a mission when they divine some great change or calamity for the tribe. The nature of this mission and the journey's distance varies, but many Johtalit seers become adventurers as they seek to fulfill this mission for the future of their tribe.
 ==== Structure and Organization ====
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 === Cahyali - The Pale Reach (Nahrūl, Pthora) ===
+In the many scattered, often nomadic tribes of southern Pthora's Johtalit, a shaman, an indigenous Seherite, acts as a community leader. They are often just as influential as the tribal chief. The shaman does not necessarily trace their roots back to a high place within the tribe. When it comes time to choose a new shaman apprentice, the old one performs a ritual to see the future and divine which child within the tribe is best suited for the role of the next shaman.
-**WIP Section**
+From then on, the child enters into an apprenticeship, training in duties from reading the future to seeing hidden signs in the present. Duties understood as Seherite are not all they do; a Johtalit shaman usually also fulfills healing duties common to Asetites and teaching roles often assigned to Vormaxians.
 ==== Requirements and Duties ====