Copyright © 1988, 2000, 2001 Chris Gonnerman
Distributed under the Open Content License version 1.0

Revision 2001.0

Mythos of Nevermore

All three major religions of Nevermore agree on the following points:

• There is one creator, Luminar, and he has one major foe, Duskur (in elder forms of the religions, the names are sometimes different, i.e. Gaeus and Mefystus, but the mythos remains the same).
• Each has his own band of agents, be they called angels, demons, etc., through whom he acts.
• Each avoids at all costs direct intervention in mortal affairs, acting only through his agents.
• There are also powerful spirits, near or equal to the agents in power, who are neutral in this struggle. They are often called the Shadow Forces, but sometimes are referred to as the Elder Gods (in reference to ancient religions which revered them). The three great religions of Nevermore all agree that they are powerful but not godly.

The primary differences in the three religions are as follows:

• The Imperial Church expressly believes that slavery of sentients is acceptable providing they are enslaved according to certain rules. In general, indenture for bankruptcy or criminal action is considered acceptable, though in Gault, many slaves come from primitive cultures in other lands where slavers kidnap them. Such slavers are allied with one tribe, who captures members of other tribes and presents them as "criminals" for sale to the slavers. The Celestial Church and the Temples of Hsilon consider slavery barbaric and evil.
• The Temples of Hsilon teach that honorable business transactions with the Shadow Forces are acceptable, though often dangerous. The Celestial and Gaultic churches consider this paganism and forbid it.

Below are lists of the major forces of Light (the angelic), Darkness (the demonic), and Shadow. These lists are by no means complete.

Forces of Light Everwynn (the winged) Duendor (the healer) Lunari (of the white moon) Solari (lord of the sun) Bar (the elder) Giru (the "burning axe", reaver of evil) Galara (earth mother)

Shadow Forces Folnar (the dancing shadow) Babon (the trickster) Silari (of the grey moon) Tauron (the bull-man) Sagitus (the archer) Librus (the balance) Ki (treespirit) Voris (the swordsman) Maran (son of storm)

Minions of Darkness Devonak (of darkselm) Barachas (the snake) Kreskor (the clawed) Zurakor (lord of death) Dehavar (lord of venom) Scoris (the scorpion) Shaz-Tur (madness) Shu (the gale storm) Ruoss (the despiser)

Most of these beings live on other planes of existence, accessible through the astral plane. Some of the planes are listed below:

Light Realms Antedain: The Morning Land, where the good souls are rewarded.  This plain is home to Bar, Everwynn, and Duendor.

Shadow Realms Umbriel: A closed Moebius strip of world, home to Tauron, Sagitus, and Voris. Parliel: A region of death, where Librus sees to the sorting of good souls from evil ones.

Dark Realms Hadrok: A region of death, home to Zurakor, to which the evil are condemned. Zai-Tal: A large dimension of tiered lands, home to Dehavar, Scoris, and Kreskor. DarkSelm: This realm has seven moons but the sun never rises.  Devonak and his undead minions live here.

Many of these beings take a more direct role in mortal affairs, and maintain dominions in the Ethereal plane. In particular, the following beings are found there:

• Light Forces: Lunari, Solari, Giru, and Galara
• Shadow Forces: Folnar, Babon, Silari, Ki, and Maran
• Minions of Darkness: Barachas, Shaz-Tur, Shu