Biographies (1/2)
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Below you will find a description of the important characters, countries, organizations, and even worlds that appear in this novel. Some of this content will include spoilers, so I recommend using this only as a reference after the fact.
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The Five Creator Gods
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The five gods who are credited with forming Ea from inter-dimensional chaos. Unlike the Ascended, mortal beings who have achieved Tier 5 and then ascended to godhood after embracing an Aspect of Divinity, the Creator Gods have always been divine. Or so they claim.
They are responsible for laying down the destined path of Ea and all of its inhabitants, and as such, exercise a degree of authority over the Ascended, albeit to a limited degree. However, they are not omnipotent. Forces both external and internal frequently seek to undermine or divert the Destiny of Ea, and only through regular maintenance is calamity avoided.
The creators are not monolithic, and they each have their own interests and agendas which are often at cross purposes to one another. While infighting is not uncommon, they have a tendency to unite in the face of external threats, which is what allowed their continued cooperation over the millennia.
Each of the Creator Gods rules one of the five Heavenly Realms, which are in turn connected to the House of Convergence, the meeting hall and neutral ground a the gods. There, the path of Destiny is forged and maintained, with both the Creators and Ascended responsible for overseeing their individual Aspects.
Because of circumstances placed upon them by both the act of creation in and of itself and the establishment of the System, the Creator Gods are severely limited in what actions they can take outside of their home realms. Indeed even leaving the Heavenly Realms can be a dangerous prospect for them. As such, they commonly employ servants or followers to exercise their will.
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Aminatrea
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Also known as the Goddess of the Sun, Mother of Light, Mistress of the Skies, Sovereign of Fire, and a host of other regional names and titles, Aminatrea is one of the Five Creator Gods of Ea and is viewed as their leader by mortal worshipers. The truth is a little more complicated. While she lacks any actual authority over her fellows, she sees herself as the first among equals, and often tries to overtly direct their actions.
Like all of the greater gods, she has no definite form, but often appears as a graceful young woman seemingly made entirely of light, whose radiance is painful to look upon. Her voice is said to sound like notes plucked from the finest harp, and her presence is said to be simultaneously comforting and enchanting.
She is frequently associated with birds, and her sacred animal is said to be a Phoenix.
Personality
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Thanks to millennia of cultivating an image of herself as a responsible and dedicated goddess that strives to help the unfortunate, defend the weak, and punish the unjust, she is viewed by the people of Ea as the epitome of holy virtue.
Truthfully, she is an irresponsible meddler, who uses her position as one of the Creators to pursue her own interpretation of justice. This includes a zero tolerance policy on beings she classifies as evil or unnatural, such as the undead, demons, and certain kinds of monsters. As such, her angelic legions are often deployed to various realms to combat the growth of these dark forces, while her mortal followers attempt to do the same on Ea.
She is also the only one of the Five Creator Gods who goes out of her way to punish serious transgressions against her churches or priests, earning her faith a fearsome reputation. The methods vary from minor (such as setbacks in business or the loss of important crops) to lethal (incineration in a beam of intense light) depending on the nature of the transgression. As a result, her clergy tend to exercise a great deal influence on mortal authorities, as most leaders are hesitant to make enemies of someone with a deity backing them up.
Among other gods, she tends to be bossy and overbearing. This makes her somewhat popular with the more militaristic of the Ascended, who are accustomed to more rigid hierarchies than the nebulous collection of independent factions the gods actually fall in to. However, she often suffers setbacks when confronting the other creators due to her inability to garner assistance from others.
Spheres of influence
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Aminatrea governs the Aspects of Sun, Sky, Light, Fire, and to a lesser extent Nobility and Justice. As such she is commonly worshiped in all corners of Ea to some extent or other, with the notable exception of Lacot for obvious reasons. Her most devoted followers include judges, magistrates, rulers, bureaucrats, and other government functionaries, although she is frequently called upon by soldiers and knights who ask for her blessing in battle.
Most of the sentient races of Ea pay her some degree of homage, due in large part to her association with the Sun, and its not uncommon to encounter her shrines and temples in most major cities.
She is the patron goddess of the Sun Elves, and a member of the Triune of Mirithia. Her elven followers tend to worship her mostly in her Aspect as the Goddess of Fire. As a result, Fire Elemental mages enjoy a high standing in Sun Elf society.
She is less commonly worshiped among certain populations, especially those who tend to be nocturnal or live underground. Due to her uncompromising hatred of the undead, Lacotians, and those in a similar state of unlife, tend to treat her as an enemy.
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Mone and Mona
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Also known as the God and Goddess of the Moon, Twin Masters of the Night, Weavers of Mystery, Reflections of Stilled Water, and a host of regional names and titles, Mone and Mona together hold a position of one of the Creator Gods of Ea.
Like all of the greater gods, they don't have a defined form, but most often appear as identical androgynous youths with pale skin and dark hair. For reasons unknown to even their peers, they never seem show up in the same place at the same time, but will trade places with each other at seemingly random intervals. This had led to a few of the braver among the Ascended to theorize that they actually share a body, although they never say such things too loudly.
Mone is frequently associated with fish, especially aquatic predators, while Mona has affinity for reptiles and amphibians. Their sacred animals are said to be Sharks and Sea Serpents respectively.
Personality
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Much like the changing face of the celestial body they represent, Mone and Mona have very different personalities. Mone is harsh, direct, and cares little for the welfare of others. His only apparent goal seems to be deriving as much entertainment as possible from the suffering of the mortals under his charge. It is rare indeed for someone to ask for his intercession on their behalf, and such petitioners often regret drawing the attention of this malign god.
His most frequent worshipers include sailors, pirates, and criminals who act under the cover of night, and they only do so in order to avoid his ire. On rare occasions, merchants will also offer a prayer to the Dark Side of the Moon when seeking the downfall of a business rival, but such efforts are risky. Mone is just as likely to harm the petitioner as he is to help them.
Mona, on the other hand, is calm, rational, and often inclined to act in the best interests of her mortal followers. Of all the creator gods, she is also the one most likely to respond to the heartfelt prayers of her worshipers, and is often credited with aiding those afflicted by her brother's pranks.
Artists, performers, and musicians are her most ardent followers, and it is not uncommon for them to whisper a silent prayer to her before going up on stage or unveiling a new piece. Merchants and craftsmen will also petition her for inspiration and the protection of their trade, while hunters, watchmen, and adventurers ask her for protection when performing their duties at night.
However, like all things to do with these mysterious deities, not everything is as it appears.
Among other gods, they have a tendency to be viewed as untrustworthy schemers and deal makers, who have been known to play both sides of a conflict against each other. Despite that, they command a great deal of influence among the Ascended thanks to an impenetrable network of agreements and contracts. While the full scope of their faction remains a mystery, the Twins are often considered to the most politically powerful of the Creator Gods due to their ability to apply unexpected leverage at critical junctures.
Spheres of Influence
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The Twins together represent the Aspects of Moon, Darkness, Deception, Water, and Night. Mone is also in charge of Criminals, Trickery, and Cruelty, while Mona governs the Ocean, Music, and Love. Unofficially, they are also the gods most commonly associated with Wealth and Commerce, and are therefore frequently worshiped in cities that rely heavily on trade.
Much like their fellow goddess Aminatrea, temples to the Twins are found throughout the Inland Sea Region, and most sentient races pay some degree of homage to them. That said, their religious centers are concentrated in urban areas, especially in coastal regions, and its difficult to find many of their followers in the countryside.
The Twins are the patron gods of the Moon Elves and are one facet of the Triune of Mirithia. As such, they have garnered a fair amount of influence among Arcane Mages and adherents of Arcane Magic, something that remains a point of contention between them and Lysande.
More so than any of their peers, Mone and Mona are likely to be worshiped by secretive cults, with practices that vary from the benign to the murderous. Everything from ritual poem composition to the sacrifice of infants is rumored to take place at their hidden gatherings.
Dwarves tend to be distrustful of the Twins, viewing them as malicious entities that foster chaos and disorder. Mone especially has a reputation for interfering with honest, dwarven craftsmen and laborers for no reason save his own satisfaction, causing their works to break down unexpectedly.
Beastmen, on the other hand, treat them with the greatest of respect, second only to Teun in their prayers and rituals. This stems mostly from their Aspect of the Moon, which figures heavily into most traditional beastman religious practices.
Aquatic or reptilian races, and sentient monsters from the ocean likewise pay homage to the Twins, although this faith is often overshadowed by members of the Ascended more closely aligned with those individual species.
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Lysande
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Also known as the God of the Stars, Lord of Magic, Master of the Unseen Library, Ruler of the Five Winds and a host of regional names and titles, Lysande is one of the Five Creator Gods of Ea.
Like all of the greater gods, he has no definite form, but usually appears as a grey haired, scholarly man in the prime of his life. He is known to carry a book with him wherever he travels.