Elven Gods

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Table of contents

1 History

1.1 Creation of the Elven Race
1.2 Religion

1.2.1 The Powers
1.2.2 The Elven Gods

1.2.2.1 The Pantheon

1.2.3 The Fae Gods

2 The Nature of the Gods

2.1 Essences
2.2 Aspects

3 The Pantheon

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History

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Creation of the Elven Race

The elves are often considered the second oldest mortal race of Alusia, after the dragons, but they were not created on this world and arrived instead from other realms.

The elves are of fae lineage, though for much of their history they have been sundered from their kin. The fae dwell in realms that touch but lightly upon the mortal world, and when in the mortal world are often tied to sacred places, or areas of power that are close to the faerie worlds. The elves too once lived in these lands, but the ancestors of the modern elves left the fae places long ago and came into the mortal world, and stayed.

The original elves were the first to break the barriers that blocked the fae realms from the Physical realms and make the journey. Many fae came to the physical worlds and stayed, and they still do to this day althought few fae will reveal why they stay.

Of those early followers some found that being in this realm lessened the effects of iron and some began to use it to form physical barriers to mark territory. Over time many of the fae were changed by the use of Iron and lost their allergy to it entirely, these are the original ansestors of the Elves.

First Days
The Second Age

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Religion

Elves as a whole are not deeply religious folk. The lack of death through old age has left them with little need for belief in an afterlife and low population growth and a regard for the lands under their care means there are few living in the Elven kingdoms that require aid, charity or any of the other benefits of organised religion.

Those that do look to religion follow a number of paths.

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The Powers

For those Elves that venture into human lands the most popular of the religions is the Powers of Light. The belief that the Powers represent a protecting force for Good and that they hold back the darkness is a powerfula and compelling reason to support their cause. While they are not Gods as such they are powerful entities and that is often enough to suffice for younger elves.

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The Elven Gods

The early settlers on the physical plane followed their own religious doctrine believing in a pantheon of 16 Gods and a number of Elves (particularly the older Elves) worship these deities as their anscestors did. No formal organised religion exists for this but traditions are passed from Parent to Child through the generations with belief generally continuing along family on kin based lines. Many families will worship a single pairing and the family will often be defined by the concepts embodied by the Gods.

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The Pantheon

Eight male / female pairs of gods.

High King (m) - wisdom / winds & air / birds
Great Queen (f) - light (stars / sun / moon), truth

Warrior (m) - chivalry, courage, martial prowess
Dancer (f) - dance, poetry, song, grace, speed

Smith (m) - artificer, crafter
Earth Goddess (f) earth / nature, fertility

Healer (m) - healing
Dream (f) - dreams / desire

Death (m) - death
Fate (f) - weaver of dooms

Trickster (m) - cunning
Sorceress (f) - magical arts

Hunter (m) - forests / hunting / wild animals
Flowers (f) - spring / regrowth

Sea God (m) - oceans, seas, storms?
Goddess of Mercy (f) - mercy / pity / tears / rain

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The Fae Gods

Worshippers of the Gods of the Fae are few and far between. They tend to be amonst those Elves who spend the most time with their distant cousins the true Fae. It is believed that the connection with the Fae Gods was severed when the Elven Kin left the Fae realm and began to live in the physical realm. The ability to use and forge Iron is given as one of the reasons for this disconnection.

Thos who follow this path work in their own ways to try and reconnect with the Fae to varying success.

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