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'''Author: Yradan the Scholar''' | '''Author: Yradan the Scholar''' | ||
| − | <br> | + | <br>Throughout the ages our people have looked beyond themselves to find the answers to the many mysteries of life. Today we know that the Titans, masters of the four elements, control our destinies and direct the many forces that affect our lives. However, such was not always the case. |
| − | Throughout the ages our | + | |
| − | people have looked beyond | + | |
| − | themselves to find the | + | |
| − | answers to the many | + | |
| − | mysteries of life. Today | + | |
| − | we know that the Titans, | + | |
| − | masters of the four | + | |
| − | elements, control our | + | |
| − | destinies and direct the | + | |
| − | many forces that affect | + | |
| − | our lives. However, such | + | |
| − | was not always the case. | + | |
| − | Our Zealan forebears | + | Our Zealan forebears know not of the power of the Titans. Instead they worshipped the common emotions. Not realizing that feelings are popular sensations experienced by all people, the Zealans elevated the three primary emotions -- joy, grief, and fear -- to the ranks of deities. The goddess of joy they named Felicitar, giving her the powers of inciting and nurturing happiness. To the one called Doloras, the Zealans attributed the emotion of grief, giving him the role of judging the dead. Our ancestors assigned the seemingly opposing roles of bringer of fear and protectress against fear to Timyra. |
| − | know not of the power | + | |
| − | of the Titans. Instead | + | |
| − | they worshipped the | + | |
| − | common emotions. Not | + | |
| − | realizing that feelings are | + | |
| − | popular sensations | + | |
| − | experienced by all people, | + | |
| − | the Zealans elevated the | + | |
| − | three primary emotions -- | + | |
| − | joy, grief, and fear -- | + | |
| − | to the ranks of deities. | + | |
| − | The goddess of joy they | + | |
| − | named Felicitar, giving her | + | |
| − | the powers of inciting | + | |
| − | and nurturing happiness. | + | |
| − | To the one called Doloras, | + | |
| − | the Zealans attributed | + | |
| − | the emotion of grief, | + | |
| − | giving him the role of | + | |
| − | judging the dead. Our | + | |
| − | ancestors assigned the | + | |
| − | seemingly opposing roles | + | |
| − | of bringer of fear and | + | |
| − | protectress against fear | + | |
| − | to Timyra. | + | |
| − | Even older texts indicate | + | Even older texts indicate that the Zealans initially believed in not three, but six such deities! In addition to the rulers of joy, grief, and fear, Amoras ruled love, Odion controlled hate, and Apathas stood between them, in the role of arbiter and balance. Through time, however, the Zealans found it difficult and inconvenient to pay homage to so many gods and goddesses, so they elected to combine the aspects into three. |
| − | that the Zealans initially | + | |
| − | believed in not three, but | + | |
| − | six such deities! In | + | |
| − | addition to the rulers of | + | |
| − | joy, grief, and fear, | + | |
| − | Amoras ruled love, Odion | + | |
| − | controlled hate, and | + | |
| − | Apathas stood between | + | |
| − | them, in the role of | + | |
| − | arbiter and balance. | + | |
| − | Through time, however, | + | |
| − | the Zealans found it | + | |
| − | difficult and inconvenient | + | |
| − | to pay homage to so | + | |
| − | many gods and goddesses, | + | |
| − | so they elected to | + | |
| − | combine the aspects into | + | |
| − | three. | + | |
| − | Though anthropomorphic in | + | Though anthropomorphic in nature, each of the gods and goddesses was associated with an animal and said to be able to take its form. Felicitar was patron of scorpions, Doloras of jackals, and Timyra of crocodiles. Odion was associated with lions, Apathas with cats, and Amoras is said to have chosen humans as her favored pet and form. |
| − | nature, each of the gods | + | |
| − | and goddesses was | + | |
| − | associated with an animal | + | |
| − | and said to be able to | + | |
| − | take its form. Felicitar | + | |
| − | was patron of scorpions, | + | |
| − | Doloras of jackals, and | + | |
| − | Timyra of crocodiles. | + | |
| − | Odion was associated with | + | |
| − | lions, Apathas with cats, | + | |
| − | and Amoras is said to | + | |
| − | have chosen humans as | + | |
| − | her favored pet and | + | |
| − | form. | + | |
| − | Each of the Zealan | + | Each of the Zealan deities had a symbol. Felicitar's was the sun. Doloras, sometimes said to be her twin brother, sometimes her husband, was symbolized by an eclipsed sun. Timyra's symbol was a teardrop. Symbols of the other three are also known: Odion's was a flame-red scimitar, Amoras's was an open palm displaying a heart, and Apathas's was balanced scales. |
| − | deities had a symbol. | + | |
| − | Felicitar's was the sun. | + | |
| − | Doloras, sometimes said | + | |
| − | to be her twin brother, | + | |
| − | sometimes her husband, | + | |
| − | was symbolized by an | + | |
| − | eclipsed sun. Timyra's | + | |
| − | symbol was a teardrop. | + | |
| − | Symbols of the other | + | |
| − | three are also known: | + | |
| − | + | ||
| − | scimitar, | + | |
| − | an open palm displaying a | + | |
| − | heart, and | + | |
| − | balanced scales. | + | |
| − | A confusing aspect of | + | A confusing aspect of the Zealan gods serves to display the fickle nature of our ancestors' beliefs. The Zealans believed that, while the deities ruled the emotions, they were also subject to them. The more Zealans who experience a particular feeling, the stronger that deity's power grew. Conversely, discarded emotions, however temporary, meant a weakened deity, forcing some to enter near-catatonic states until they gained enough followers to re-emerge. Thus, an improbable cycle took place. As Timyra planted the seed of fear within one of her subjects, and as that seed grew and took root in others, Timyra would become more powerful, spreading the fear even further. |
| − | the Zealan gods serves | + | |
| − | to display the fickle | + | |
| − | nature of our ancestors' | + | |
| − | beliefs. The Zealans | + | |
| − | believed that, while the | + | |
| − | deities ruled the emotions, | + | |
| − | they were also subject | + | |
| − | to them. The more | + | |
| − | Zealans who experience a | + | |
| − | particular feeling, the | + | |
| − | stronger that deity's | + | |
| − | power grew. Conversely, | + | |
| − | discarded emotions, | + | |
| − | however temporary, meant | + | |
| − | a weakened deity, forcing | + | |
| − | some to enter | + | |
| − | near-catatonic states | + | |
| − | until they gained enough | + | |
| − | followers to re-emerge. | + | |
| − | Thus, an improbable cycle | + | |
| − | took place. As Timyra | + | |
| − | planted the seed of fear | + | |
| − | within one of her | + | |
| − | subjects, and as that | + | |
| − | seed grew and took root | + | |
| − | in others, Timyra would | + | |
| − | become more powerful, | + | |
| − | spreading the fear even | + | |
| − | further. | + | |
| − | Though most Zealans | + | Though most Zealans believed they had contact with their gods through their thoughts and emotions, only the royal family, sorcerers, and a select few others were allowed to speak directly to them. The Zealans and their sturdy wooden golems constructed pyramid temples housing gaudy shrines to each of the three or six patrons. A great pyramid, which is still standing, was constructed and filled with deadly traps. Secret passages were made for the sorcerers to enter, while the few Zealans who dared to seek an audience with the gods were forced to overcome the foils of the pyramid. Many died trying, few succeeded. |
| − | believed they had contact | + | |
| − | with their gods through | + | |
| − | their thoughts and | + | |
| − | emotions, only the royal | + | |
| − | family, sorcerers, and a | + | |
| − | select few others were | + | |
| − | allowed to speak directly | + | |
| − | to them. The Zealans and | + | |
| − | their sturdy wooden | + | |
| − | golems constructed | + | |
| − | pyramid temples housing | + | |
| − | gaudy shrines to each of | + | |
| − | the three or six patrons. | + | |
| − | A great pyramid, which is | + | |
| − | still standing, was | + | |
| − | constructed and filled | + | |
| − | with deadly traps. Secret | + | |
| − | passages were made for | + | |
| − | the sorcerers to enter, | + | |
| − | while the few Zealans | + | |
| − | who dared to seek an | + | |
| − | audience with the gods | + | |
| − | were forced to overcome | + | |
| − | the foils of the pyramid. | + | |
| − | Many died trying, few | + | |
| − | succeeded. | + | |
| − | Having passed through the | + | Having passed through the test of the great pyramid, a Zealan follower would then be allowed to pray for a boon from one or all of the gods. Regardless of whether the plea was heeded, considerable sacrifices of animals and valuables were required. Rarely did these acts lead to any benefit, though some stories claim that the first pharaoh had conferred with the gods and goddesses, through his adoratrice, before he was able to unify the warring tribes. |
| − | test of the great | + | |
| − | pyramid, a Zealan follower | + | |
| − | would then be allowed to | + | |
| − | pray for a boon from | + | |
| − | one or all of the gods. | + | |
| − | Regardless of whether | + | |
| − | the plea was heeded, | + | |
| − | considerable sacrifices of | + | |
| − | animals and valuables were | + | |
| − | required. Rarely did these | + | |
| − | acts lead to any benefit, | + | |
| − | though some stories claim | + | |
| − | that the first pharaoh | + | |
| − | had conferred with the | + | |
| − | gods and goddesses, | + | |
| − | through his adoratrice, | + | |
| − | before he was able to | + | |
| − | unify the warring tribes. | + | |
| − | There is much to be | + | There is much to be learned from studying the mythology of the past. Although we know today that the powers of the Titans are -- unlike the deities of our forbears -- quite real, we can learn much about the violent and emotional personalities of our ancestors. <br> |
| − | learned from studying the | + | |
| − | mythology of the past. | + | |
| − | Although we know today | + | |
| − | that the powers of the | + | |
| − | Titans are -- unlike the | + | |
| − | deities of our forbears | + | |
| − | -- quite real, we can | + | |
| − | learn much about the | + | |
| − | violent and emotional | + | |
| − | personalities of our | + | |
| − | ancestors. | + | |
| − | <br> | + | |
---- | ---- | ||
Back to [[GLRP:EMs:Royal Spies & Guard:2011:Ouroboros|Ouroboros]] | Back to [[GLRP:EMs:Royal Spies & Guard:2011:Ouroboros|Ouroboros]] | ||
Latest revision as of 20:49, 25 October 2011
Title: Mythology of Zealan
Author: Yradan the Scholar
Throughout the ages our people have looked beyond themselves to find the answers to the many mysteries of life. Today we know that the Titans, masters of the four elements, control our destinies and direct the many forces that affect our lives. However, such was not always the case.
Our Zealan forebears know not of the power of the Titans. Instead they worshipped the common emotions. Not realizing that feelings are popular sensations experienced by all people, the Zealans elevated the three primary emotions -- joy, grief, and fear -- to the ranks of deities. The goddess of joy they named Felicitar, giving her the powers of inciting and nurturing happiness. To the one called Doloras, the Zealans attributed the emotion of grief, giving him the role of judging the dead. Our ancestors assigned the seemingly opposing roles of bringer of fear and protectress against fear to Timyra.
Even older texts indicate that the Zealans initially believed in not three, but six such deities! In addition to the rulers of joy, grief, and fear, Amoras ruled love, Odion controlled hate, and Apathas stood between them, in the role of arbiter and balance. Through time, however, the Zealans found it difficult and inconvenient to pay homage to so many gods and goddesses, so they elected to combine the aspects into three.
Though anthropomorphic in nature, each of the gods and goddesses was associated with an animal and said to be able to take its form. Felicitar was patron of scorpions, Doloras of jackals, and Timyra of crocodiles. Odion was associated with lions, Apathas with cats, and Amoras is said to have chosen humans as her favored pet and form.
Each of the Zealan deities had a symbol. Felicitar's was the sun. Doloras, sometimes said to be her twin brother, sometimes her husband, was symbolized by an eclipsed sun. Timyra's symbol was a teardrop. Symbols of the other three are also known: Odion's was a flame-red scimitar, Amoras's was an open palm displaying a heart, and Apathas's was balanced scales.
A confusing aspect of the Zealan gods serves to display the fickle nature of our ancestors' beliefs. The Zealans believed that, while the deities ruled the emotions, they were also subject to them. The more Zealans who experience a particular feeling, the stronger that deity's power grew. Conversely, discarded emotions, however temporary, meant a weakened deity, forcing some to enter near-catatonic states until they gained enough followers to re-emerge. Thus, an improbable cycle took place. As Timyra planted the seed of fear within one of her subjects, and as that seed grew and took root in others, Timyra would become more powerful, spreading the fear even further.
Though most Zealans believed they had contact with their gods through their thoughts and emotions, only the royal family, sorcerers, and a select few others were allowed to speak directly to them. The Zealans and their sturdy wooden golems constructed pyramid temples housing gaudy shrines to each of the three or six patrons. A great pyramid, which is still standing, was constructed and filled with deadly traps. Secret passages were made for the sorcerers to enter, while the few Zealans who dared to seek an audience with the gods were forced to overcome the foils of the pyramid. Many died trying, few succeeded.
Having passed through the test of the great pyramid, a Zealan follower would then be allowed to pray for a boon from one or all of the gods. Regardless of whether the plea was heeded, considerable sacrifices of animals and valuables were required. Rarely did these acts lead to any benefit, though some stories claim that the first pharaoh had conferred with the gods and goddesses, through his adoratrice, before he was able to unify the warring tribes.
There is much to be learned from studying the mythology of the past. Although we know today that the powers of the Titans are -- unlike the deities of our forbears -- quite real, we can learn much about the violent and emotional personalities of our ancestors.
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