Scales of Divinity - Religions, Organizations and Magic Systems
Introductions to the religions and magic of Soleos and some of the organizations that stem from them
Hello Poliwags, back with another little info drop for Scales of Divinity. Just a little blurb on some of the religions, organizations and magic systems. I’d rather these be expanded on in the actual story rather than be spoiled all at once. Hopefully this little bit is interesting though.
The Gods of Light
This is the main religion of the land of Soleos, based upon the common fantasy theme of light against dark. In Soleos, people believe in an ancient balance of light and dark forces, constantly shifting on the Scales of Divinity. It is said there is an ancient war between the forces, but tipping the Scales is very dangerous. Too far towards the darkness and the result is predictable, but too far towards the light, and the world may be blinded and lose their free will.
Worshipping the light, inevitably results in the the worship of the greatest sources of it. In Soleos, the people turn to Liotan, the god of the sun, to protect them against the shadow. He is considered the stronger of the gods, managing to keep the darkness almost completely at bay. However, Lunessa, the goddess of the moon, may be even more beloved. For Lunessa protects people when the shadow is strongest and they are most vulnerable.
Every year, during the closest full moon to the summer solstice, people all across Soleos will celebrate the shadow’s weakest day. It is considered a great blessing of the gods should the full moon occur on the solstice itself.
The Goddess of Love
Neighbouring the land of Soleos is the small country of Amorlia. Oddly enough, while Soleos, also known as the Sunlands, holds the greatest respect for the warmer months, Amorlia is most festive during the colder months. Amorlia is a country of love, and so they worship the time of year when they must hold one another close to keep warm and safe.
Being a country of love, it is no surprise that Amorlia came to worship a goddess that represented such emotion. Valanna is said to guide her greatest worshippers to their soulmates. Some who are knowledgeable of the Sunlands believe that Valanna may in fact be another representation of Lunessa. The city of Lunaria lies on Amorlia’s eastern border, and some have even wondered if the magic of the Sunlander goddess may flow through the veins of some Amorlian women.
The Goddess of the Sea
To the east of Soleos, an island nation of great seafaring warriors holds strong against the tide. There are many similarities between the small country of Scarvaya and Soleos, particularly the eastern coastal city of Ferivar. It is said that Scarvaya was founded by explorers from Ferivar, known for raising the fiercest warriors in all of Soleos. So, it is no surprise that their love of battle only grew from there.
In Ferivar, the people worship Liotan for his strength and might in the heat of battle, but they love Lunessa’s refusal to allow the shadow any respite in the ancient war. It is this religious fervor that likely nurtured the Scarvayan worship of what is likely another aspect of Lunessa, much like the Amorlians worshipping Valanna. The Scarvayans worship Seida, the warrior goddess of the sea who controls the tides of the sea…and of battle.
The Bull God
While the Scarvayans and the Ferivans have an ancient rivalry that stems from common origins, the minotaurs have an ancient rivalry with each of them due to their many differences. The minotaurs love battle and the sea. They test their spirit against the goddess Seida and their strength against Liotan. They refuse to acknowledge Lunessa as a protector of Ferivar and Soleos, however.
In Tauria, the minotaurs also worship Lunessa, and they worship her in human form. For the minotaurs acknowledge what they believe to be their weaker half. They are half man, and Lunessa is the mother of their race. But their father is no sun god. Their father is the mighty bull, Tauraz. And Tauraz will lead their charge to their destiny.
The Spirit of the Land
Although the elves that reside in the Regidium Mountains believe strongly in the gods of light, they also live their lives according to an ancient code. The gods are merely a part of the ecosystem. Not just the ecosystem of their own land, nor the world. They are part of the universe. They believe in a much deeper form of the Scales of Divinity. One in which every action must be very precise, for the Scales tip at the slightest touch.
The magic of Angels and the gods blessed ones may come from the ancient rules of the universe, but how do they touch the land. Do they nourish it, or destroy it?
The Lord and His Chosen
The most mysterious of the religions. The Angels influence a great deal in the world, but in reality, the people of Soleos and the other lands know very little about them. This is not particularly surprising, however, as the Angels, much as their name suggests, came to the world from the heavens. They look like men, they act like men, but many, including them, see themselves as something more.
When the Angels landed, they arrived in a shower of strange stones. It was a great disaster at the time, and it is a wonder that so many Angels survived their fall from the heavens. They rose to become a mighty force in the world, however, thanks to the strange magic that they developed from the stones that brought them there. They believe there is one reason for this.
Their Lord. He is said to be all powerful, more so than Liotan, Lunessa, or any of the others that are worshipped in Soleos and throughout the world. And this Lord selects great champions among His people.
The Chosen.
The Daughters of Lunessa
Many millenia ago, Lunaria was founded by the most fervent worshippers of the goddess Lunessa. Thankful for their undying support, Lunessa descended from her palace in the heavenly palace in Regidia. She blessed these precious children of hers, all women, and they became the Daughters of Lunessa. With this blessing, these women developed strange powers. Through intense focus and difficult training, they were able to channel some of the powers of their Great Mother through her sacred moon. These powers allowed them control of the elements, although they were limited in their control of fire and earth…the elements of Liotan.
To the surprise of the Daughters, their abilities passed on to their children. Over time, the Daughters grew, and while some of their magical ability did dwindle over time, some young disciples could be found who were said to have the strength of the original blessed ones. As the millenia passed, the Daughters grew a mighty city, developed an extraordinary academy and ultimately became one of the strongest magical forces in the world.
Only the Angels appear stronger.
The Sons of Liotan
Much like the Daughters of Lunessa, the Sons of Liotan were founded by their greatest worshippers who were blessed by the mighty god of the sun. Sadly, their magical abilities lasted little time. When Liotan blessed his favoured children, he was unaware of the power his great source of energy. His divine body could handle it, whereas his mortal children would sometimes burn alive at the slightest trickle of the power they channeled. Only one or two centuries after Liotan’s blessing, the Sons of Liotan were merely fervent supporters of his with no magical ability once more.
But fervent supporters of Liotan are mighty enough without his magic. As Lunaria grew in the north, Solea grew in the south. Guarded by a mighty military, it rivalled the strongest cities in the land…until the Angels came.
Tempted by the power of the newcomers, the city changed allegiances to a new god. One that wouldn’t curse his children with tainted magic. Liotan’s most loyal left in disgust.
The Sons of Liotan remain as little more than a band of mercenaries.
The Sun Angels
When the Angels landed and their new strange ways tempted the city of Solea, a new group rose up to drive the city further to their new god. These were the Sun Angels. Preaching the way of the Lord and His Chosen, the Sun Angels blazed a path for the new god to rise to power and prominence.
Now they hold their own power in the newly named Solangelis. A magical power.
Just in case Liotan’s light shines a little too brightly.
The Angel’s Wing
While the Angels are a mysterious people, one thing people in nearby lands will know of them, is their strongest military force known as the Angel’s Wing. As the Angels rose to power after their strange arrival, their mighty army crushed those who thought them easy prey or a bothersome party of barbarians. This mighty force has only suffered one defeat and it is their greatest shame.
But they haven’t lost since.
Gods Channeling
In Soleos, two kinds of magic have graced the land in its history, both brought by their sacred gods, Lunessa and Liotan. As mentioned previously, both blessed their most fervent supporters, with Lunessa’s power more manageable by her mortal children than Liotan’s.
Each of their powers are similar, however, with both controlling the elements, often through gravitational pulls from the source of power. The Daughters of Lunessa may channel the moon to control water and air quite strongly, while also having limited control over fire and earth. The use of this power will often cause nausea and dizziness if done too much.
With Liotan’s power, the user channels the energy of the sun. This proved problematic for the mortal body, with the sun’s radiation killing many of the original users, and ultimately overwhelming the survivors too much to use it beyond what they performed initially. But when Liotan’s power is channeled, it is a force like no other. Fire and earth are controlled with ease, and even air and water may be controlled with extreme force, albeit not as strongly as Lunessa’s Daughters.
Meteor Magic/The Lord’s Hand
In Angelos, where the Angels landed, the strange magic they obtained is known as the Lord’s Hand. Elsewhere, it is merely known as Meteor Magic. This power comes from the meteors that crashed upon the land when the Angels arrived. Within these meteors, are strange stones that may be fashioned into pendants for certain qualified individuals to wear.
When holding these pendants, the user is able to control a specific element, depending on the colour of the stone. Red stones control fire, green stones control the earth, blue stones control the water and grey stones control the air.
These stones have largely been used for good, helping the Angels recover from a horrific arrival to the world. This is why this magic is known as the Lord’s Hand. The Angels believe their Lord’s Hand guides them in using these stones.
But what lies ahead for the world when these stones serve another purpose?
For war.