Gods
The gods of Aventuria reside in the sphere of Alveran, where mortals who have proven themselves worthy in life dwell when they die. There are twelve gods, as well as numerous demigods, each of whom represent different virtues and aspects. They all have servants in Aventuria, active priests and members of the clergy of each church, who can often draw from their gods strength. The priests of the gods can, as a result, perform miracles dedicated to the aspects and virtues of each god, by calling upon a force known as karmic energy. Mages however can not become priests of a god, as the procedure that gives them the blessing of their patron also removes their arcane energy. There are regions of Aventuria that follow different gods and beliefs, but the Cult of the Twelve Gods has its followers in a majority of the cultured parts of Aventuria, even if the importance among the gods themselves can vary from nation to nation. Gods are capable of directly interfering with the way things work in Aventuria, but such involvements are extremely rare and most gods do their work exclusively through their followers instead of leaving their home in Alveran.
Praios
King of the gods and god of kings, Praios is the unquestioned ruler of the twelve gods. He is the master of light and the sun, the god of laws and rightful rulership. Truthfulness is sacred to Praios and his priests are bound to it. Known as a strict, unforgiving and uncompromisingly lawful god, Praios demands these virtues in his followers, who in return demand respect and obedience from Aventuria’s commoners. As the most influential of
the churches, the Church of Praios has temples in almost every major city of Aventuria and followers among all sorts of honest people who intend to uphold law and order. He is especially popular among the nobility and ruling elite, which further cements his importance. Magic is viewed with suspicion by Praios and his followers and many mages have found themselves on the wrong end of an investigation lead by Praios’ inquisition. Griffins are the holy animal of Praios and they serve as his messengers to the mortals of Aventuria. The church of Praios is also among the churches with military might, as they have the Sun Legion, elite knights in direct service of the church, as well as the Order of the Banray, a less organized order of fanatics, dedicated to enforcing Praios’ laws without compromise. The head of the church of Praios is known as the Envoy of Light.
Priests of Praios command the light. With their karmic energy, they are able to bring forth blinding rays of sunlight, to the point where they can kill demons or demon cultists with their powers, but they can also force people to tell them the truth. They are responsible for maintaining the law, in its purest, most uncompromising form, serving as judges, juries and, occasionally, executioners. They also hunt down heretics and guard dangerous demonic artifacts that are too powerful to be destroyed.
Boron
Boron is the god of sleep, dreams, mercy and oblivion, but especially the god of death. A silent, menacing god, Boron is not worshipped as ardently as Praios in most regions of Aventuria, unless a loved one has died. Priests of Boron are honest and quiet people who are known to be solitary and serious. They tend to the dead, whose souls are judged over by Boron. Furthermore, the priests make sure that the dead don’t rise as undead and they also tend to those who have gotten insane, granting them shelter and support. In the southern nation of Al’Anfa, Boron is worshipped as the king of gods, seen as more important than even Praios. This opinion has caused a rift between the Al’Anfanian church of Boron and the more popular Puninan church of Boron, which is active in most regions of Aventuria and submits to the authority of the church of Praios. The holy animal of Boron is the raven. As one of three divine churches, the Puninan church of Boron also has a military order to serve it, the Golgarits, who follow Golgari, the collector of souls and who fight against undead. The Al’Anfanian church of Boron has the far more numerous Raven Guard, elite warriors strictly loyal to the city state. The head of the Puninan church is the Raven of Punin, while the head of the Al’Anfanian church is the Patriach of Al’Anfa.
Priests of Boron can control sleep and dream with their karmic energy. This can be used to ensure peaceful sleep for those who need rest, but also to instill nightmares in enemies. They are especially potent against the undead, whom they can outright kill with their karmic energy, as well as to prevent them from rising in the first place. They are guardians of death, watching over graveyards and supporting those who grief. They also care for those who are mentally sick or disabled, tending to the insane and either giving them a home or trying to heal them.
Rondra
Rondra is the goddess of war and thunder, the fiercest warrior among the twelve gods. Her domains are courage, bravery and honour, virtues that can be found in most of her priests. Every priest of Rondra is a warrior and they are known as the most skilled fighters in all Aventuria. Due to this, the church thrives in times of war, where their code of honour and emphasis on noble and fair battle tactics puts them apart from the common soldier or mercenary. Beyond being warriors, the priests of Rondra also watch over duels and tourneys. They are respected, sometimes even feared as a military might without ties to any kingdom of Aventuria, a fact that has subjected them to diplomatic turmoil with nations or even other churches in the past. The holy animal of Rondra is the lion and the head of her church is the Sword of Swords.
Priests of Rondra are the best warriors in Aventuria. As such, they don’t wear traditional robes, but heavy armour. Their karmic energy is used to strengthen their fighting powers, make them ignore wounds and to instill divine bravery and fury in common soldiers. As warriors, they guard the human kingdoms from threats and serve as advisers and generals in major battles.
Phex
Phex, the Cunning One, is the crafty god of merchants, but also, and more infamously, the god of thieves, as well as the god of stars. He is a clever and mischievous god, who is known for practical jokes and who loves a good challenge to prove his skills as the best among all thieves. His priests come in two forms. There are those who worship the mercantile aspects of Phex, valuing honourable trade and the healthy pursuit of profit and then there are those who often appear little better than common thieves, even if the priests of Phex would never stoop so low as to steal from those who have nothing themselves. They have a strong code of honour despite their fundamentally lawless ways and a priest of Phex is usually found giving his spoils to the poor instead of hoarding them. In Tulamidya, Phex is also worshipped as the god of magic and seen as one of the most important gods, whereas priests of Praios and, indeed, all law-abiding folk view him and his followers with suspicion. Phex’ holy animal is the fox. The head of the church is known as the Moon, but their identity is unknown. It is said that whomever uncovers the Moon’s identity shall ascend to the position themselves.
Priests of Phex are thieves and merchants. Their karmic energy allows them to move unseen, to change their appearance temporarily and to open locks with ease. Merchants among the priests can use their powers to bless a contract or to gain better trading deals. A darker cult of priests who hunt and kill demon cultists also uses Phex’ energy for offensive capabilities, as assassins in service of the Twelve Gods. However, Phex is a fickle god and it is known that he tends to leave his followers just as quick as he comes to their aid if it amuses him.
Travia
Travia is the goddess of hearth and home, hospitality and faithfulness. Known as a strict, yet warm-hearted goddess, marriage is sacred to her, as is tending to the needs of the poor. As a result, almost every Aventurian had an encounter with the church of Travia before, who has temples in almost every larger town or city throughout the entire continent. Known to be sociable and generous, the priests of Travia are popular, especially among the poor of Aventuria, who always find a warm meal or a place to sleep inside the walls of the temples. The goose is Travia’s holy animal and harming one is considered a sacrilege among her followers. Unlike all other churches, the church of Travia has not one, but two leaders, a man and a woman, who are married and rule over the church as the Holy Couple.
Priests of Travia watch over marriage and tend to the poor. Their karmic powers can bless a marriage. They can also conjure simple meals for the starving, cleanse food and water from poison and give their blessings to a home, to keep it safe from intruders.
Rahja
Rahja is the goddess of love, beauty, rapture and lust. Unsurprisingly a very popular goddess, her temples function as the social centre of every city they are located in. Open-minded and easy-going, priests of Rahja are well respected and almost always of breathtaking beauty. Artists, dancers, yet also prostitutes pray to Rahja and her temples are occasionally seen as part drug dens, part high-class brothels, which brings them into conflict with the more orderly churches of Praios and Travia. This is not even a prejudice, as the priests of Rahja are known for being promiscuous and for experimenting with drugs. Rahja’s holy animal is the horse and the head of her church is called the Beloved of the Goddess.
Priests of Rahja are devoted to beauty and lust and many of them outright serve as courtesans. Their karmic energy is used for peace, to settle disputes and to revert the effects of age, rejuvenating body and mind.
Firun
Firun the Grim is the god of winter and hunting. A cold, harsh and utterly unforgiving god, he is popular in the colder norths of Aventuria, but often belittled in the south, where temples towards him are few and small. Due to being seen as a cruel and unapproachable god, few openly pray towards him, yet hunting is considered sacred to him and he is often asked to bless upcoming hunting trips. Firun’s followers are serious and silent people, often without mercy or compassion and borderline wild in their worldview. The civilized world of cities stands against all the god and his priests consider sacred and his most ardent followers are found as hermits in the untamed wilds. His holy animal is the polar bear and the head of his church is known as the White Man.
Priests of Firun are rare and can mostly be found on the outskirts of civilization. They are hunters and priests of winter, who can command the cold with their karmic energies, conjuring snow storms, but also easing the harmful effects of the cold. They can also bless a hunt, so that it may be successful.
Hesinde
The goddess of wisdom, science and magic, Hesinde is the most intelligent and well-read of the gods, as much as the followers of Phex claim otherwise. Temples to Hesinde function as public libraries and all manners of scholars worship her. Mages also see Hesinde as the highest of gods and worship her ardently. She is a quiet and solitary goddess and her followers are either the same, solitary bookworms who dedicate their life to studying what has been written before them, or bold explorers, who seek to increase the knowledge of the world. Her holy animal is the snake and the head of her church is called the Magister of Magisters.
As a goddess of wisdom, Hesinde offers her karmic energy to those dedicated to study and increase their own knowledge. Her priests can decipher ancient texts and understand foreign languages. Due to Hesinde’s affinity for magic, her priests can also uncover and identify magical effects on another person or object.
Ingerimm
Ingerimm is the god of artisans, fire and smiths. Among dwarfs, he is known as Angrosh and revered as the sole god of their religion, the creator and father of the dwarven race. He values craftsmanship above all other things and his followers are often talented in some aspect of it. Blacksmiths are seen as most favourable among Ingerimm’s followers. His priests command fire and perform miracles at the forge, albeit practicability is seen as more desirable than beauty by those who worship him. Unlike the other gods, Ingerimm does not have an animal that is holy to him, though some of his servants worship the hungry fire as his metaphorical holy animal. The head of the Church of Ingerimm is known as the Flamekeeper.
Priests of Ingerimm are craftsmen first and foremost. While they are capable of conjuring and controlling fire, most of them use their talents for crafting, creating work of otherworldly beauty, or blessing the tools of a craftsman. That being said, fire is holy to priests of Ingerimm and if they desire, they can wield it against enemies.
Peraine
Lady Peraine is the goddess of agriculture and healing. Seen as a goddess for peasants, she is not considered to be very powerful, yet her servants are numerous and temples or shrines to her can be found in every single city of Aventuria, wherever people live off the spoils of the land. Her priests are honest, simple and down-to-earth, people who care for the commoners of Aventuria, especially farmers and those who live outside of fortified cities. Healers worship Peraine, who, as it is claimed, was the one to teach the mortal races about healing and medicine. The holy animal of Peraine is the stork and the head of her church is called the Servant of Life.
Priests of Peraine directly serve in small villages, often outright working on the fields, or as healers in regions where proper medicine is hard to come by. As such, Peraine’s karmic energy is used to increase fertility of crops, animals and people, but also to heal, especially when disease is involved.
Efferd
Efferd is the god of the sea, the patron god of fishermen and sailors. Temples towards him can be found in every port in Aventuria, yet surprisingly also in the most arid regions of the continent, where his followers pray for rain. Seen as a mercurial god, Efferd is both, the calm aspect of the sea, providing food and life for countless people, but also the cruel, harsh and storm-plagued sea, which is why those who pray for him are equal parts grateful for what he gives and trying to appease him. These aspects can be found in his priests, who can be pleasant and generous, yet are also notoriously short-tempered and unforgiving. Efferd’s holy animal is the dolphin and the head of his church is the Keeper of Circles.
Priests of Effered control the water in all its ways. The more powerful of them can conjure storms, but also appease them, they can control water as a dangerous weapon, or can conjure it out of thin air. This has made them especially revered in the Khom desert, where they are often the only ones saving those who are dying from thirst.
Tsa
Tsa, the Young Goddess, is the goddess of life and rebirth, renewal and change. She is the youngest of the twelve gods and the most innocent, yet also the one who stands against the old order the most. Her followers are free-spirited travellers, who are outspoken pacifists and defenders of the rights of the poor and downtrodden. Often, they are opposed to the ruling elite of Aventuria, preaching for peaceful change. They don’t have much of a structure in their church and most priests of Tsa are wanderers, who are unsurprisingly welcome wherever they go. Tsa’s holy animal is the lizard. As the only of the twelve churches, the church of Tsa does not have a head, or any actual rank among them to begin with.
Priests of Tsa follow a variety of professions, celebrating life in all its ways. Just like Tsa is a peaceful goddess, they would never use their karmic powers to harm someone else. Instead, Tsa, like Rahja, can calm down those who quarrel, instilling harmony in others. Tsa’s karmic energy can also be used to heal, even to the point where her priests are the only ones who can properly regrow a lost limb.
The thirteenth god – The Nameless One
Though the cult of the Twelve Gods worships only the twelve main gods and their demigod children, there is a thirteenth god. The Nameless One was once the most powerful of the gods, yet his cruelty and lust for power drove the other twelve against him. In a series of terrible wars, he was defeated, yet even with all their power, the gods were unable to kill him. Instead, he was chained to the Wall of Stars beyond the sphere of Alveran, defeated yet unbroken. Ever since, he and his servants work to free him, to bring on what they believe to be the end times, followed by the golden age of the Nameless One. He is violently opposed by all other gods and even the archdemons, since his ultimate goal is to rule over them as well. In fact, there are demon cultists and even priests of the twelve gods who would be more willing to work with each other than with a priest of the Nameless One, especially if it means stopping one of them. Their goals are almost exclusively aimed towards freeing their master, which they plan to achieve by sacrificing souls to him to strengthen him until he can break his chains. Some give up their souls, parts of their bodies or even their entire lives willingly for this goal, but most of these souls are collected unwillingly. Naturally, this means that being a member of the Cult of the Nameless One is punishable by death in every single society of Aventuria and his cultist and priests have to operate in secret. Priests of the Nameless One are extremely dangerous, commanding powers not even the other priests of the twelve gods have at their disposal. The holy animal of the Nameless One is the rat. While the cells of his cult often operate independently and there are several High Priests who each see themselves as the true chosen one of their god, there is one individual that can be seen as the highest priestess of the Nameless One in Aventuria, namely the ancient High Elf Pardona, known as the Tongue of the Nameless One.
The Demigods
The gods of Aventuria have brought forth several demigods, their children, who often take on some aspects of their parents. The children of demigods are also considered demigods themselves and not seen as any weaker than those born from two gods. There are many demigods, also known as Alveranians, and their status varies from nation to nation, but the most important ones are those who are named here. Furthermore, there are some divine beings who are not currently worshipped, but have been worshipped in past eras, with knowledge about them merely privy to some scholars and obscure cults at the borders of Aventuria’s society.
Swafnir
Swafnir is the whale god of the Thorwalians, the son of Efferd and Rondra and god of freedom. He is particularly worshipped in Thorwal, where he is the highest and most important of all the gods, yet not particularly popular in the rest of Aventuria. Whales are sacred to him and hunting them is blasphemy to the followers of Swafnir, who can mostly be found in the ranks of the sailors and pirates of Thorwal.
Ifirn
Ifirn is the daughter of Firun, worshipped as the goddess of soft winters, beginnings and companionship. She is seen as notably more approachable than her father and as a result is worshipped more openly, often even in case of Firun. Temples towards her can be found throughout the entire north of Aventuria. Her holy animal is the swan.
Nandus
Nandus is the son of Hesinde and Phex and the god of education and insight. He is viewed as a weaker god and even considered dead by some scholars, even if his followers keep receiving his blessings occasionally and there is still a small, yet active church dedicated to him. The cult of the twelve gods says that his twin sons are the Alveranian of Forgotten Knowledge and the Alveranian of Forbidden Knowledge.
Kor
Kor is the son of Rondra and the elder dragon Famerlor. He is known as the Lord of Battle. Combat is holy to him, yet unlike his mother, he has few restraints and no notable code of honour, which makes him the most brutal and bloodthirsty of the gods and demigods. He is worshipped primarily by mercenaries and his priests are either mercenaries themselves or see that sellswords throughout Aventuria are properly paid for their service. They are particularly strong in southern Aventuria, where he is often more revered than Rondra, whose principles of honourable combat is less popular among the more opportunistic warriors of the south.
Aves
Aves is the son of Rahja and Phex and worshipped as the god of wanderers and adventurers. Those who travel for the sake of travelling are favoured by him and it is said that Aves is one of the few gods who walk on Aventuria, always unseen and in different shapes, living among mortals and enjoying their lives and company more than any of the other gods. He is worshipped by adventurers and his priests are travelling heroes and explorers.
Xeledon
Xeledon is another son of Hesinde and one of the least worshipped gods in all Aventuria, even if he is one of the most active. He is the god of madness, despair and vicious mockery, who appears to mortals who have grown too proud to show them their true insignificance. He loves driving people mad, mocking those who are struggling, especially if they are prideful and arrogant, and he also does not care for mortal worship at all. As a result, there are only a handful of shrines dedicated to him in all Aventuria.
Other religions of Aventuria
Not outlawed by the Cult of the Twelve Gods, yet neither considered to be a part of them are several other religions, who have achieved regional power.
Los
Los is the creator god, the first being in existence, who is responsible for shaping the world. However, as the father of gods, he leaves actually dealing with his creation to them. Los’ existence is not disputed by scholars, but it is known that he has never interfered with his creation, either directly or indirectly. As such, he is not worshipped by anyone and no temples in his honour are known.
Sumu
Sumu, the first giantess, was the second being in creation. Los, in his desire to be the only being in existence, slew her out of spite. However, he came to regret his decision and from her body, he created the spheres and the worlds within them. This makes Sumu the mother of all creation. Despite being dead, she is actively worshipped by druids and witches, the protectors of nature, who consider their elemental powers as Sumu’s gifts to them.
Satinav
Not a god in the usual sense, the entity known as Satinav is nonetheless rumoured to be as powerful as each of them. Not much is known about him and most of the general public of Aventuria isn’t even aware of his existence, as he is only worshipped by some highly obscure sects. However, some scholars have shown interest in him and it is generally agreed that he is the guardian of time, who makes sure that the fabric of time itself moves along as it has to be. He also punishes severe alterations of the timeline. Satinav’s intervention in Aventuria has happened only a handful of times since the beginning of creation.
Kamaluq
The people of the southern rain forests worship the sun god Kamaluq, who is either a son of Praios, or an aspect of him, according to more open-minded praiosian scholars, a claim that is deeply denied by the church itself, who does not wish to be affiliated with the heathen Moha tribes. Kamaluq is seen as a jaguar and all jaguars are sacred to him. However, his cult has not spread farther than what little civilization the Mohas, the men of the rain forest, have managed to build up. However, his main aspects are the sun and the hunt.
Brazoragh and Tairach
The Orks of the northern Orklands have their own pantheon, most of which consists of renamed iterations of some of the twelve gods. However, their two chief gods are unique to their pantheon and their names are Brazoragh and Tairach. Brazoragh is the creator of the orkish race and seen as the son of Tairach. His aspects are battle, virility, slaughter and forces of nature, as well as wild beasts and his holy animal is the bull. His father Tairach is the god of blood, death and spirits in the orkish pantheon. Not much is known about either of them among the civilised people of Aventuria, yet it is generally agreed upon that they are mysterious entities, not part of the twelve gods, yet no demons either. In the name of Brazoragh, the orks justify their aggression towards the other races and even towards each other, because nothing is more sacred to him and his father than bloodshed.
Rastullah
Rastullah is not considered a god by the cult of the Twelve Gods, yet his religion is accepted as a major force in the arid lands of the Novadis, the inhabitants of the Khom desert. Scholars see him as a giant and ally to the twelve gods and he is not able to give his followers karmic energy to perform miracles. Nonetheless, he is unquestioned as the sole god the Novadis are allowed to worship and his aspects are pride, honour, duty and self-discipline, which are rooted into the Novadi culture more than any other virtues.
Rur and Gror
The twin gods Rur and Gror are the creators of everything, according to the strange worldview of the Maraskanians. Unlike with the other gods, there is no evidence that they actually exist, as no recorded involvement of them in the affairs of mortals is known, nor can they grant karmic energy to their followers. The church of Rur and Gror is active mostly on the island of Maraskan and they are often seen as more of a philosophy than an actual religion, preaching rebirth and freedom of choice to their followers. Every Maraskanian is a follower of the Rur and Gror cult and there are only few non-Maraskanians who have taken the time to study or even convert to their unusual way of thinking.
Demons
The twelve gods are not only opposed by the secretive agents of the Nameless One, but more importantly, by the more numerous and more immediately dangerous demon cultists. For the promise of power, or the fulfillment of their wishes and desires, desperate individuals sometimes decide to reject the twelve gods and to give their souls to one of the Archdemons of the Nether Hells, in exchange for terrible powers. Like the cultists of the Nameless One, they have to operate in secret, as their goals, or at least the goals of their demonic masters, are usually destructive. Some might be driven by revenge, some by greed or the lust for power, some might be desperate, but every cultist has a reason and what makes the Archdemons so dangerous is that they actively tempt mortals with weaknesses known to most of them. In time, no matter how strong the mortal who entered the pact, or how noble their initial goals, the demons corrupt them, as they fall deeper into the pact, losing aspects of themselves but gaining destructive powers among the way. A pact can be broken, however, this goes against the will of the demons and usually cannot be achieved without support from the priests of the Twelve Gods. The Archdemons themselves reside in the Nether Hells, another realm, from which they send forth their demonic minions if summoned. Demons, even lesser ones, cannot be trusted and it takes a strong mind to get them to do their bidding. Higher demons have horns and usually, it can be said that the more horns a demon has, the more dangerous he is. Each demon is also bound to a specific Archdemon. There are twelve Archdemons and each of them is the twisted counterpart of one of the twelve gods. It should also be noted that they each have a second name in Zhayad, the language of mages and demons and these names are sometimes used interchangeably. The first name is the more common one, the Zhayad name is mentioned behind it.
Blakharaz/Tyakra’man
Blakharaz is the Lord of Vengeance, the demonic counterpart to Praios and usually seen as one of the most powerful Archdemons. His chief aspect is ruthless and boundless revenge, not caring for moral boundaries or the law, which brings him into conflict with the priests of Praios. Other aspects of his are darkness, torture and domination. Strangely enough though, cultists of Blakharaz are among the more reasonable of the demon cultists, as their worldview values those who either don’t stand in their way or even actively help them achieve their vengeance. They uphold their own codes of honour, but go to extreme length to destroy those who wronged them. Loyal servants of Blakharaz can expect great rewards as long as they stay on the Archdemons good side. However, vengeful to a fault, even small slights are reason for them to target someone with cold revenge. Blakharaz himself is impatient and demanding and slighting him or outright attempting to break off the pact usually results in a painful death for the cultist.
Thargunitoth/Tyjakol
Thargunitoth is the Queen of Undeath and the demonic counterpart to Boron. Her aspect is Necromancy, though the art itself can be practiced without a pact or even just any actual ties to the Archdemon. This has, of course, led to a ban of Necromancy in most parts of Aventuria. Thargunitoth abhors all life, but values undeath. Her servants often worship her in order to cheat death itself by prolonging their life to unnatural degrees, or to gain control over the various types of undead that serve the Archdemon. Thargunitoth is patient, but unrelenting. A pact with her is a pact for life and beyond and she can wait. In the end, death always wins and nobody has managed to cheat her out of a soul so far.
Belhalar/Xarfai
Belhalar is the Butcher of the Nether Hells and the demonic counterpart to Rondra. He is the most violent and bloodthirsty of the Archdemons, which is saying a lot. His aspects are, as a result, all a dark twist on Rondra’s virtues. Where she values honourable combat, Belhalar sees the world as one big battlefield. His domain is one of endless war and bloodshed and his cultists are feared as the most dangerous fighters imaginable, with all the skills of a priest of Rondra, yet none of their code of honour. His demons are summoned for one purpose only, for war and they know nothing else. If Belhalar has any sort of restraint at all, it is that he never makes a blind move despite all his rage, instead he always tackles the greatest challenge, something he expects from his servants just as well. In fact, they can appreciate a good challenge and would never back out of one. It is said that followers of Belhalar are found particularly in the savage regions of the world, where their master revels in constant war.
Tasfarelel/Zholvar
Tasfarelel is the Insatiable Haggler, the demonic counterpart to Phex. His aspects are greed and avarice and he is known to share Phex’ fondness for practical jokes. However, where Phex is often educational and ultimately fair in the pranks he pulls, Tasfarelel selfish to a fault and always only out for his own personal gain. This includes his cultists, who enter a pact with him almost like they would enter a contract and they are yet another resource to him at best. In the end, Tasfarelel always twists the odds to his favour or even outright cheats and many of those who follow him cannot revel in their unnatural riches for long. This does not stop the poor and desperate, or the rich and greedy, from worshipping him and Tasfarelel never has to worry about a lack of cultists willing to sacrifice their souls for the faint promise of worldly riches.
Lolgramoth/Tezzphai
Lolgramoth is the Seeder of Strife and the demonic counterpart to Travia. Where Travia preaches a home, honesty and trustworthiness, Lolgramoth is restless and so are his servants, who are often equipped with unnatural speed at the will of their demonic master. He is treacherous and paranoid, traits that appear and only grow worse in each of his followers, who often wish to protect themselves from the betrayal they sense around all corners. He abhors faithfulness and a cultist of Lolgramoth can never be trusted. However, his demons make for excellent workers, due to their tireless efforts. Lolgramoth is also known as a seducer, who revels in people breaking their vows of marriage.
Belkelel/Dar-Klajid
Belkelel is the Mistress of Dark Desires and the demonic counterpart to the goddess Rahja. Not necessarily female and capable of assuming any form considered alluring to those she appears to, Belkekel is nonetheless referred to as such. She stands for the darker aspects of lust and selfish pleasures, in stark contrast to Rahja’s teachings of consensual desires. Her followers are often extreme, even for the standards of demon cultists and therefore not particularly numerous, but those who are known appear as masterful seducers, hiding their darker, perverse urges behind superficial charm and fiendishly good looks. It is perhaps because of that that worship of Belkelel is particularly strong in areas where Rahja is worshipped. Wherever people enjoy Rahja’s teachings, Belkelel is not far, tempting them to go the extra mile to satisfy their pleasures.
Belshirash/Nagrach
Belshirash, the Winter Beast, is the demonic counterpart to Firun. Standing for merciless hounding and freezing cold, he is the most skilled hunter of the Nether Hells. Like Blakharaz, vengeance is also part of his domain, but whereas followers of Blakharaz often take vengeance even for smaller slights, a cultist of Belshirash only has one goal, a single, extreme vengeance to take. It is said that arrows cursed by Belshirash never miss their mark. Of course, the mark itself is decided upon by the Archdemon himself. He is patient and unrelenting, his followers often becoming cold, physically and emotionally, as their pact progresses, up to the point where they are emotionless shells, there only to follow their masters order. While Belshirash is rarely worshipped, compared to some of the other archdemons, his promise of cold vengeance can be tempting to those unwilling to give themselves in with a master as mercurial as Blakharaz. There are also witch covens in the northern parts of Aventuria that are loyal to him, known as the Daughters of Nagrach.
Amazeroth/Iribaar
Amazeroth, the Duke of Dark Wisdom, is the demonic counterpart to Hesinde. It is said that he has once been a god who joined the forces of the Nether Hells out of his own free will. He rules over dark, forbidden knowledge and is master over madness and despair. Tempting mortals with dark secrets, he is an expert in driving dedicated scholars to madness, sometimes slowly, over the course of years. Those who seek him out freely do so out of a desire to uncover Aventuria’s deepest and darkest secrets. However, his knowledge comes at a price, as he is master over things mortal minds are not meant to know. Sooner or later, every cultist of Amazeroth is driven to madness. The Archdemon is a known deceiver, who has tricked even fellow Archdemons before. And yet, he knows fully well that the knowledge he offers will always be tempting.
Agrimoth/Widharcal
Agrimoth, also known as the Corrupter of the Elements, is the demonic counterpart to Ingerimm. Like him, Agrimoth stands for the elements and for craft. However, where Ingerimm shaped the elements, Agrimoth corrupts them, with the exception of ice, a domain of Belshirash, and water, a domain of Charyptoroth. He twists fire, earth, stone and air to his desires, corrupting it by unnatural means and his followers often have control over these corrupted elements. Associated with craftsmanship, he and his followers forge terrible and unnatural weapons, capable of bending even the laws of reality to create what they desire. He is a very powerful Archdemon, outfitted with destructive power that can easily go toe to toe with Belhalar’s martial skill. His followers however are almost exclusively craftsmen, seeking to improve their skill beyond what is possible for them. He is also the primary Archdemon fallen druids and witches pray to.
Belzhorash/Mishkhara
Belzhorash, the Lady of Plagues, is the demonic counterpart to Peraine. She is associated with all things diseased, with rot and decay, which makes her a natural ally to Thargunitoth. As mistress over every disease known to the mortal races of Aventuria and then some more, she enjoys decay and infertility. This is a stark contrast to the goddess she once used to be, before she was corrupted by the Nether Hells, as she was once the sister to Peraine and a goddess of harvests and birth. Twisted beyond recognition, she now seeks to spread plagues upon the mortals of Aventuria. Her followers often have a rotten mind and are among the most physically and mentally revolting of the demon cultists. However, many start out their service to her with good intentions, as she offers knowledge of diseases that goes way beyond what the church of Peraine teaches. She also offers an end to disease, for a price, therefore tempting and corrupting as she once was tempted and corrupted.
Charyptoroth/Galk’zuul
Charyptoroth, the Deep Daughter, is another former goddess who fell to the Nether Hells over the years. She once was the daughter of Efferd and like him associated with the seas, more particularly with the deep sea and the animals that dwell within it. Nowadays, she is his demonic counterpart. As she fell, so did many of the creatures she watched over and it is said that sea serpents and krakens are all still bound to her service. She is associated with the deepest parts of the sea and also with the most unforgiving storms, an aspect she shares with her divine father. While worship of Charyptoroth is rare among humans, she has a bulk of her followers among the Achaz, the lizardfolk of Aventuria, who worship her as a goddess of their pantheon, as well as the maritime races, who are in close contact with her servants.
Asfaloth/Calinaar
Asfaloth, the Many-Handed Shaper, is the demonic counterpart to Tsa. Associated with chaos and unpredictability, but also with the creation of chimeras, monsters fused together out of one or several animals. Asfaloth is an enigmatic Archdemon and few things are guaranteed about her, aside form the fact that each of her servants can change their shape at will. She is particularly tempting towards those who wish to change their appearance, but also to those who have lost a limb, as regrowing what was lost is one of Asfaloth’s primary appeals. Unlike the other Archdemons, it is not entirely certain if Asfaloth’s intentions are necessarily bad, but her aspect of eternal chaos is aiming towards complete and constant change of everything that is established. She is also associated with insects and used to be one of their chief deities during the era of insectoids.