Note: On this page, we use the terms Fact¹⁾, Truth²⁾, and Belief³⁾ 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.

“Only the future will bring enlightenment…”

“…Time and Destiny will reveal all.”

It is a commonly held Belief that At’ena carries with her all the knowledge of the “future” that has occurred in her past, from the moment she was formed at the “end” of the universe. Observing the world around, she realized that as it was, all life was complete and therefore meaningless, there would be no purpose to the universe unless life had to achieve that perfection. Thus, she reached out and took knowledge from all parts of the universe, slowly obscuring the knowledge so that, from a mortal perspective, they would discover this knowledge and achieve perfection.

Although this Belief seems to suggest that At’ena just lives in reverse, that is not entirely accurate. In Truth, time is a fluid concept for At’ena, who regards such limitations and representations of linear progression as trivial and meaningless. “Beginning” and “end” have no meaning, linear causality is a reality that exists only for mortals. However, the complexities of time are often simplified to a linear cause-and-effect or past-present-future depiction, and this falls short of the At’enites Truth of the Reto’tempo, or the Web of Time. To At’enites, time is not merely a line that stretches off into the past and into the future, but instead a complex web of timelines that branch off, connect, and spiral off into infinite infinities. They see At’ena as the grand weaver of this web, plucking off strands as they occur, and snipping those lost to impossibility.

As a Fact, At’ena lives omni-temporally, at all times at once. She has already taken the knowledge from at the Founding and will already have been born as soon as the first thought is “released” from At’ena’s wisdom. This means that At’ena knows what will happen as soon as anything ever happens at any point along the time stream. She can act in any point in time before or after she decides to do so. This can give off the impression that At’ena does not answer calls or is not “paying attention.” The opposite is true, she is always answering calls that will have happened years, decades, centuries in advance, and always paying attention to all points in time “simultaneously”.

However, since so much of the world is fluid under the actions of the mortals that inhabit it, most predictions and prophecies that At'ena supplies her Seers, as well as other knowledge of the future only really takes into account likely and probable timelines, or events that are preordained or otherwise inflexible. These “knots of fate” are incredibly difficult to unravel, and are usually so complex that At'ena can only warn her followers and the other deities of their consequences and arrival.

It is a Truth of At'ena's priesthood that she protects the ideas of Fate⁴⁾ and Free Will⁵⁾, but these ideas are poorly understood by even the most devout of At'ena's priests. Many have their own Beliefs about what Fate and Free Will mean and many may believe that Fate and Free Will are diametrically opposed.

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.

It is said that one of At'ena Obscura's Servitors, Ornias, was granted with the gift of prophecy in order to assist At'ena in creating signs. However, a Belief says that Ornias saw a future that caused him to go mad, and decide to act against At'ena, believing her future and destinies were a path to disaster. Ornias was one of the first Fallen Servitors, and due to his gift of prophecy, was able to escape being bound within the Beneath. Some claim that the reason At'ena speaks in enigmatic riddles is to avoid revealing too much of the future to mortals, and avoid causing one to descend into madness like Ornias.

Some societies favor an aspect of At'ena called The Fateweaver, sometimes called At'ena Arachne, or just Arachne. There are some on Cahyali that also believe in The Fateweaver, but call her Seherine Anandi, or just Anandi. The Fateweaver can sometimes present as an older humanoid of indeterminate race, possessing spider-like traits, such as multiple eyes or multiple arms. Sometimes, The Fateweaver can also appear as a large human-sized spider, with the pattern on its abdomen in the shape of an open eye. In either incarnation, The Fateweaver is treated as a goddess of wisdom, cunning, wit, and stories. It is believed that she weaves all stories and fables into existence, and spins the Web of Time like a loom.

Arachne or Anandi is a more mischievous aspect of At'ena, almost acting as a trickster deity in order to outsmart foes and use her sharp tongue and wit to cut through others' ego and defenses. She is said to appear to those who are too prideful or ambitious and trick them into humiliating themselves and keeping their ego in check. Others believe that she quietly listens in the corners of taverns and guildhalls to collect stories from which to weave time and destiny. It is regarded as an omen (sometimes bad, other times good) to walk through a spider's web, as it means At'ena has big plans for you, and is weaving you into destiny.

When 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.

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.

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.

Freya was able to reach the plane of Jaern, and ask the Jaernian deities to assist her and a group of adventurers in defeating the One With A Thousand Eyes, journeying to the previous celestial home plane of At'ena, and putting an end to the End of Time. Freya was then granted the mantle of At'ena by Orus and the other Jaernian gods, welcoming her into the pantheon. The Huntress Freya is now an aspect of At'ena, her memories, experiences, and wisdom living within her.

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 appears in the form of a young 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 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 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.

Many famous works of fictitious literature on 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.

Shuibian Seheyun, or the last Dianxia (Crown Princess) of Shuibian, is an aspect of Seherine found in the Abundant Expanse of Cahyali. She appears as a beautiful and elegant 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.

Seherine in this form is the goddess of fate and wisdom, stars and moons, as well as war, strategy, and military insight. She interchangeably referred to as Shuibian Seheyun, Shuibian Dianxia, Sehe Xingniang, or Xingzhou Yuhe. She is said to be shrewd and serious, and regarded as a patron goddess of heroic endeavor, appearing to those that beseech her in times of need and danger, and acting as a mentor and counselor to heroes. Some believe she appears to rulers as an advisor when they need strategic advice, testing them and making known the sacrifices and consequences of ill-planned and hasty actions. Others say she appears to those that are oppressed, and acts as a teacher in the ways of battle to help them overthrow their captors.

Some epics and tales depict the Shuibian Dianxia as an immortal that is sent down from the Heavenly Realm (commonly interpreted as the Celestial Planes) to defeat evils that arise from the Ghost Realm (debated to be the Beneath or Kurago), or as a goddess that presents a chosen hero with a divine trial to expose their flaws and fallbacks, and learn from them.

Any origin myth of At'ena is taken as Truth and/or Belief, rather than Fact. The factual origin of At’ena is simply unknowable, and any legend or story cannot be proven or confirmed.

The most popular origin myth in Lojem, Ageron, and the Rhine on Jaern purports that At’ena is in actuality the collective consciousness and wisdom of all peoples at the end of time, bound together into a single entity, of full omniscience and knowledge. This At’ena then surpassed time itself, and acted to begin moving through time in reverse, obscuring and hiding knowledge to make the world imperfect and unknown, so that the people of the world could discover and understand it in the proper flow of time. This myth suggests a tautological and paradoxical At’ena whose origin and existence requires itself, and has no beginning or end.

Kratal has a different origin myth, and instead views At’ena as a Creator Deity, which had existed with Ra, Osiris, and T’or before all other gods and existence. At’ena in this myth was responsible for the creation of time and space, as a canvas for Osiris to separate Land from the Sea, and populate the land with life. Ra then created Light from the Darkness, to support the new life followed by T’or creating Law from Chaos, establishing hierarchies, and structure, and reason to nature. Finally, all four Creators created the first sentient race: Dwarves, and made them stewards of the world, to live within it and shape it to their will. The four creators then traveled away to the Holy Promised Land of Kratal, and from there, the other gods arrived or were created, and the other people of Torandor evolved from Osiris’s creatures.

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.

In Ruefang and the Raikougan Archipelago, as well as some parts of Ulos on Cahyali, Seherine is called Sehe XingNiang 璱河星娘 (Ruefang) or Sekawashin 璱河神 (Raikougan) or Seha Singniang 璱河싱니앙 (Ulos). After the fall of the ancient Dahabi empire, these cultures adapted Seherine's myth into their own. She was believed to be a mortal Dianxia (殿下) or crown princess of the last emperor of the Shuibian dynasty that ruled over what is modern day Ruefang, Raikougan, and Ulos. This crown princess was named Shuibian Seheyun, her name roughly meaning “Bright River of Jade among Clouds.” However, during her time as Dianxia, a court preceptor mage opened a portal to the Ghost Realm (what modern day mages believe could be either the Beneath, Kurago, or some other monstrous plane of existence), triggering an invasion. The Dianxia trained in the ways of divine immortality, and acted as a general and tactician in the fight against the evil forces that spilled into Cahyali, but was eventually defeated and killed in the fall of the Shuibian Dynasty. It is said that when she died, the immortal dragons of Ruefang wept tears of white and green jade that formed the stars and moons in the night sky, and they enshrined Seheyun as an immortal xian, the goddess of war, wisdom, stars, and the moons.

Followers of At'ena are known as At'enites on Jaern. On Cahyali, she is known as Seherine, and her priests are called Seherites.

This section of the page is split into regional categories. The “Orthodox” temple of At'ena (the one that has been most thoroughly described and explored in previous iterations of the AQ: Jaern system and world) is presented first, and is most commonly found and practiced on Jaern in the regions of Lojem, Ageron, and The Rhine Archipelago. If a section doesn't exist, it may be a Work in Progress, and open to suggestion and workshopping. Contact the current At'ena God GM⁶⁾ and a Story Board member if you have ideas!

For the majority of the Jaernian priesthood’s history, only females were ever considered or accepted into the faith as clergy. It was believed that non-female followers of At’ena could never develop the skills and abilities to read signs. However, with the mantle of At'ena passed to Freya, the traditions from the Frøsland At’enites began spreading across Jaern. Now, all individuals are considered for the priesthood regardless of gender, but not without backlash from more traditionalist members of the faith.

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.

The elves of Dahabu that migrated to the lands and caverns of Buyuk Vahsi after the fall of the Ancient Dahabi Empire see Seherine as a goddess of travel and fortune. They have no restrictions on who could enter the priesthood, and believe that those with an unquenchable wanderlust and keen eye are meant to be Seherites. Many Seherite temple also function as travel agencies and guilds, where one can find guides to traverse the wilderness, beseech seers for advice and tidings of their journey, and stock up on supplies for survival.

The Seherite Temples or Sehe Shenmiao of the southwestern nations are found in two types. Public temples are seats of foresight and prophecy, where the seers and readers of Sehe Xingniang spend their time reading futures and possibilities, and painting scrolls that depict events of auspicious or calamitous nature. These temples can serve as an advance warning system for large scale dangers, such as a monstrous invasion or the arrival of a insidious villain. Additionally, these temples accept donations in exchange for answering personal questions and auguries, similar to the orthodox temples of Jaern.

The other type of temples are the Private Temples, where some Seherites are trained in the ways of their namesake, Shuibian Seheyun. These Seherites are marked to become warrior-monks on the path of xian, and cultivate their divine powers at the same time as training martial ability. These priests are sent to defeat evil and seal away demons and monsters that threaten the people of the world.

In both types of temples, women are preferred as the ideal initiate, but there are no restrictions on who can or cannot join.

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. 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.

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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 Peregrinus and Seherites are uncommon.

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.

The structure of the priesthood remains mostly the same as it was. Most of the members of a Convent are Readers. They have learned to recognize signs, and roam the parish governed by the Convent, silently observing the events occurring in the outside world.

A very few are gifted with The Sight, a mystical power that allows them to see future events. These Seers are secluded at the Convent, and the Readers report their observations to them. When anyone comes seeking advice, the Seers are consulted, for it is believed that At’ena herself supplies these visions of the future.

With the new tradition from Frøsland, a third section of the At’enite temple was founded. After the threat to the Reto’tempo and At’ena herself, the Gard’okulo⁷⁾, or the Keepers of the Eye, were created. These At’enites are particularly talented Readers who travel the world of Jaern, looking and reporting omens and signs of greater catastrophe. The Gard’okulo are capable of learning magics that are safely guarded by the At’enite temple, capable of powerful divination, manipulation of time, and affecting fate itself. The Gard’okulo usually travel with adventuring parties, the first line of defense against world-ending cataclysms.

Many servants and civilian employees reside at the Convent and are responsible for the daily tasks to maintain the members in their proper lifestyle.

The main body of the priesthood lacks formal organization. Needed tasks and readings are done by the nearest available and willing priest. Trivial decisions involving the running of the Convent are left in the hands of the civilian employees and volunteers. When an important decision must be made, all the priests gather to seek the advice of a Seer. This advice usually guides the actions of the individual priests. There is no seniority or ordering schemes.

While most tasks are eventually done, everyone is at the whim of the priests. If they do not follow and spread the faith, the Seers will foretell an evil that will befall them.

For the Gard’okulo, the Cloister is headed by the elder instructors, senior Gard’okulo priests given the title Sentinel. The Cloister is a sequestered section of the Convent, which is not made available to the public. Most Cloisters often employ a separate staff of employees to manage it. The Sentinels of a Cloister are responsible for the organization and teaching of Gard’okulo, and usually have a more formal organization, especially given their duties toward protecting the Reto’tempo.

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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.

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.

After the Frøsland tradition came and the Gard’okulo was founded, the requirement of female virginity was dropped entirely, as married women from Frøsland were seen to be able to interpret signs and commune with At’ena with no impediment.

Now the only requirement to enter the priesthood is a demonstration of wit and intuition.

At’enites seek out young individuals, quick of wit and of even temperament, to induct into their order. The families of these chosen look upon such an invitation as an omen of good luck and great honor, and thus rarely refuse the Convent’s summons. For the chosen, it could mean a life free of the cares and pains of ordinary life.

Additionally, there are those that apply to become a priest of At'ena, and are assigned an apprenticeship.

From the day they become an apprentice, the prospective At’enite spends their time shadowing and learning from a Reader, who teaches them to recognize signs and omens. Additionally, apprentices are expected to have a good knowledge of history and modern science, taking classes and embarking on studies only rivaled by Tarusian and Vormaxian apprentices. As long as an apprentice remains in good standing with the At'enite Temple and makes suitable progress towards their initiation, their room and board, as well as transportation and livelihood, is entirely provided for.

As an apprentice nears completion of their studies, their instructor will decide the time for them to be tested. The instructor sets up a situation and creates false signs that signal a conclusion that they have prearranged. If the young apprentice accepts the events at face value and does not see through the deception, they are considered unworthy of the Convent and must return to their studies. Multiple failures may result in the apprentice being returned to their family, or given the opportunity to work as an attendant or instructor in the temple instead.

If they read the real signs correctly and realize the situation was prearranged, they are accepted into the Convent. The other members host the induction ceremony, and tattoo the All Seeing Eye on their forehead, nape of their neck, or on the backs of their hands. This tattooing is optional, but many believe that having a sign of At'ena on their body will help garner At'ena's attention.

In special circumstanced, if the apprentice predicts an outcome other than the prearranged one, and it comes to pass, the Convent recognizes they have The Sight. These initiated Seers go through a special induction ceremony, and must learn to navigate the world either blindfolded or permanently blinded.

Sometimes, the elders of the Convent select particularly talented apprentices who are able to read real signs correctly, but are not gifted with The Sight, and conduct a secondary, induction ceremony. These initiates are gifted with a set of personal Augury tools, and brought to the Cloister to begin their Gard’okulo training.

The members may do as they please, and the civilian employees see to their needs and wishes. The Seer of a Convent is obliged to be present and perform readings as needed for the Convent and chosen outsiders.

The Gard’okulo have additional duties beyond the Readers, and are sent out to travel the world, documenting and reporting signs of any possible world-ending calamity, and to help defend against smaller catastrophes. The Sentinels are responsible for the training of Gard’okulo initiates.

The primary function the At’enite Temple provides to the people is covered in Advice, further in this section. The Gard’okulo service the communities they visit by helping forestall, prevent, or warn about catastrophes or calamities.

With no real pecking order, the Readers and Seers do not advance in any real sense. Often older, more experienced priests are looked to for advice, but it is never binding.

Senior Gard’okulo, on the other hand, can advance to become Sentinels, if they display a comprehensive understanding of the importance of protecting the Reto’tempo, and show a proclivity towards teaching and guiding others.

While the priests do not conduct worship ceremonies, those people who are truly devout feel a need to donate what they can to maintain the priesthood. Many people who primarily worship another deity may also worship At’ena to gain her favor and luck.

People often ask a Reader to interpret the signs surrounding an occurrence or an upcoming event. This is usually accompanied by some sort of donation, or gift to the Temple of At'ena. The Reader interprets the given signs and makes a prediction. The answer the person seeks is most often given as an analogy or parable, leaving the true decision making to the individual.

For very important questions, people visit the Convent and consult the Seer (most Convents have only one Seer). The Seer is generally hidden by a mask, or by more elaborate means. Seers must accept the question and offering asked, or refuse and give the offering back. If the question is accepted, Seers tend to give more direct answers, and possibly even share visions or prophecies to the asker. However, these visions and prophecies are almost always accompanied by the revealing of a harsh consequence should something favorable come to pass, forcing the asker to weigh the odds and make the decision and take the result, good and bad.

Once every ten years, when the calendar is adjusted by adding three days between the months of Pim and Gorn, the followers of At’ena celebrate the Festival of the Foretelling. The holiday allows the seers to predict things to come for the next ten years, and allows the clergy and followers to release their fears and forebodings.

On the first day, all meditate, seeking divine inspiration and comfort. On the second day a large feast is held. At the height of the feast, the local seer is led out and tells of future events in the upcoming ten years. The third day the followers and clergy are encouraged to seek out companions and celebrate life.

Children conceived or born on this holiday are considered a gift from At’ena.

It is a Belief that only At’ena has complete knowledge, so her priests may regard other deities as reflections or aspects of At’ena, and as such, each contain some aspect or facet of At’ena’s wisdom. Many hold the Belief that Tarus and Vormaxia are aspects of At'ena concerned with the Past and Present, respectively. At’enites have cordial relationships with Vormaxian Libraries and Research Centers, and sometimes work in tandem with them to more easily see and find signs. Tarusian Archives are also sometimes utilized to properly document and decipher prophecies.