The Ancient Gods were the major pantheon that were worshiped until the end of the Age of Legends and the rise of the Panarii Church.
Overview[]
Gods[]
The pantheon of the Ancient Gods consists of 8 Lesser Gods (one for each of the sentient Races); 3 Greater Gods (one for each point of the balance of Alignment); and the All Father, ruling over the 11 others. A few of the ancient gods still have some followers, but most of the ancient gods have faded into obscurity. These have been replaced to some extent by cults of personality to historic figures like Nasrudin, Arronax, and Kerghan,
Altars, Offerings, and Blessings[]
Each god has an altar, and each altar can accept a particular offering, and each offering grants a particular blessing. Offerings to the lesser gods can be made at any time. Offerings to the greater gods and the All Father require special conditions.
Mazzerin's Mystery[]
All 12 gods are interconnected in a way not fully understood by contemporary scholars. The web of relationships is called "Mazzerin's Mystery", after an historic Elven mystic who attempted to unravel the threads. Professor Aldous T. Buxington at the University of Tarant has a graphic illustration of it on a wall in his office that The Player can view, and a book on the subject that the player can keep and read.
Multiple Offerings[]
The main consequences of this mystery are felt when the player tries to make offerings to multiple gods. Sometimes one blessing is replaced by another. Sometimes the blessings are stacked together. And sometimes a blessing is lost, and replaced by a curse instead. The Ancient Gods Quest (see below) is the attempt to amass as many blessings as possible without being cursed in the process.
The Gods[]
Lesser Gods[]
The Noble Lesser Gods[]
Ter'el[]
- Ter'el is the Elven God of Wisdom
- Location: A grove sacred to the elves at Falcon's Ache
- Offering: A statue of Li'tani, which are purchased from Elven Traders
- Blessing: +4/20 Bow, +1 Perception
Geshtianna[]
- Geshtianna is the Human Goddess of Love
- Location: The Temple in Stillwater
- Offering: Passion Root, found at the temple, the Wheel Clan garden, and randomly in the Glimmering Forest
- Blessing: +1 Beauty
The Neutral Lesser Gods[]
Alberich []
- Alberich is the Dwarven God of Stone
- Location: The Temple in the Wheel Clan
- Offering: Lava Rock, which can be found in various Dwarven caverns
- Blessing: +1 Strength
Makaal[]
- Makaal is the Bedokaan God of the Hunt
- Location: The altar at the Bedokaan Village
- Offering: Heartstone, 5 of which are lying scattered about the camp
- Blessing: +1 Dexterity
Bolo[]
- Bolo is the Halfling God of Thieves
- Location: Bolo's Altar
- Offering: Any ring, found as loot and sold by Tailor shops
- Blessing: +4/20 Pick Pocket, +4/20 Pick Locks
Kerlin[]
- Kerlin is the Gnome God of Gold
- Location: Kerlin's Altar
- Offering: Mnura Coin, found as loot and sold by Junk dealers
- Blessing: +4/20 Haggle, +4/20 Persuasion
The Darker Lesser Gods[]
Shakar[]
- Shakar is the Orc God of War
- Location: The altar at Kree
- Offering: Bone Dagger or Reaper's Axe
- Blessing: +4 Dodge, +4 Melee
Torg[]
- Torg is the Ogre God of the Heart
- Location: Torg's Altar
- Offering: Any Ruby gem or Ruby jewelry
- Blessing: +1 Constitution
Greater Gods[]
Halcyon[]
- Halcyon is the God of Truth (Good)
- Location: The Temple at Vooriden
- Offering: Olive Tree Branch, found at the Wheel Clan garden
- Blessing: +2 Willpower, +2 Perception, +4/20 Heal, +4/20 Spot Trap
- Note: The Blessing of Halcyon overrides all of the first circle blessings
Moorindal[]
- Moorindal is the God of Shadows (Evil)
- Location: The Altar at the Ancient Temple
- Offering: Black Diamond, sold at the Black Markets and one each found at the Ancient Maze and the Palace in Caladon
- Blessing: +8/20 Backstab, +4/20 Melee, +10 Critical Hit, +4/10 Prowling
- Note: The Blessing of Moorindal overrides all of the second circle blessings
Kai'tan[]
- Kai'tan is the God of Balance (Neutral)
- Location: Gorgoth Pass
- Offering: Geode, one is found near the Altar, others are found in Dwarven Mines
- Blessing: +1 Beauty, +1 Charisma, +8/20 Persuasion, +4/20 Haggle, +4/20 Bow
- Note: The Blessing of Kai'tan overrides all of the third circle blessings
Velorien []
- Velorien is the All-Father
- Location: The temple in the Vendigroth Ruins
- Offering: Yourself; This results in your death, so make sure that you do not try this alone, and that one of your followers has a resurrection device that can revive you
- Blessing: 100 hit points, +100 Fatigue, +12/20 melee, +12/20 dodge, +12/20 Pick Pocket, +12/20 firearms, +12/20 persuasion, +4 dexterity, +30 damage resistance, +30 magic resistance
- Note: The Blessing of Velorien overrides all previous blessings
Accumulating Blessings[]
- Blessings of the lesser gods in a particular circle will accumulate (stack) if done in the proper order
- The Blessing of the greater god in that circle will override all of the lesser gods' Blessings
- Velorien's Blessing overrides the greater gods' circle Blessings
- Accumulating Blessings can be halted at any time, thus keeping all previously received Blessings intact
- Getting Velorien's Blessing prevents making any more Blessings to any of the altars
First Circle[]
- Lesser Gods:
- Ter'el
- Makaal
- Alberich
- Geshtianna
- Greater God
- Halcyon
Second Circle[]
- Lesser Gods
- Torg
- Bolo
- Kerlin
- Shakar
- Greater God
- Moorindal
Third Circle[]
- Lesser Gods
- Alberich (2nd time)
- Makaal (2nd time)
- Kerlin (2nd time)
- Bolo (2nd time)
- Greater God
- Kai'tan
Final Blessing[]
- Velorien
Blessings out of Order[]
Replacements[]
- Normally when done out of order, the Blessing of one lesser god simply replaces the previous lesser god's Blessing
Curses[]
- However the lesser gods can inflict curses upon the player
- This occurs when an offering is given first to one god, and then the next offering is given to that god's opposite
- The opposing Pairings are:
- Geshtianna and Kerlin
- Ter'el and Bolo
- Alberich and Shakar
- Makaal and Torg
Lifting Curses[]
Examples[]
- The character makes an offering to Ter'el, receiving +1 PE, +4 Bow
- The character then makes an offering to Bolo
- Because Bolo is the god "opposite" to Ter'el, Ter'el's blessing will be removed
- The character then receives Ter'el's curse (-1 PE, -4 Bow), and Bolo's blessing will not be received.
Options[]
- Option A: If the character makes another offering to Ter'el immediately, then Ter'el's curse gets lifted
- Option B: If the character instead makes an offering to another lesser god (including Bolo), then that god's blessing will be received, but Ter'el's curse will not be lifted
- Option C: If that happens then the character can make a later offering to Ter'el, which lifts Ter'el's curse but allows the other blessing to stay
Altar inscriptions[]
Ter'el's Altar | Offer to him
Who cannot see |
---|---|
Makaal's Altar | Call not to the Snake-fathers
Unless you dream the cold-blood dream |
Alberich's Altar | Do you know of Dwarven Stone?
Is anything so true? |
Geshtianna's Altar | Geshtianna, we pray
That you show us your Love |
Halcyon's Altar | Halcyon, great god of truth
Master of the sky |
Torg's Altar | Great Torg, mighty Torg
You know our bone and blood |
Bolo's Altar | Bolo, clever thief
Progo, watchful eye |
Kerlin's Altar | Kerlin, heart of gold
Who sung the world to be |
Shakar's Altar | Great Horned God
Terrible, powerful, Great Horned God |
Moorindal's Altar | Flows like a shadow
Over the ground |
Kai'tan's Altar | She weighs your worth
Within her hands |
Velorien's Altar | All gods have a father
And he watches over them |