History
Once, long, long ago, children were born to nine immensely powerful beings called the Elders. Three sets of nine children each came into existence — titans, aedra, daedra — and the galaxy was their playground. They came upon the planet Earth and began to toy with it, soon discovering that they could draw power from the worship of its mortal inhabitants. They began to grow jealous of each other and squabble for control of this world. Finally, the aedra (considered by most mortals to be "the gods") and the daedra (now known as the daedra lords) made an alliance against the titans, their elder siblings, killing some of them to steal their power and imprisoning others in the deep and hidden places of the world.
When the Elders finally returned, thousands of years later, and saw what their children had done to each other — and to the world that had become their battleground — they were furious. The surviving titans had been driven mad by their long imprisonment and could not be released; a third of the Elders' children had been lost to them. As punishment, and to keep the gods and daedra from meddling with any more worlds, they bound them to Earth and its sun, preventing them from leaving. They also bound each of their children to a specific sphere of influence, in accordance with his or her temperament and interests; henceforth, they could draw energy only from certain kinds of mortal activity, and none of them could kill any of the others and take their power. Then the Elders left their children to their punishment, as they themselves set out to explore the manifold wonders of the universe.
The gods and daedra soon turned on each other, rallying around Kammoloth and Ba'al as their respective rulers. For thousands of years the two sides struggled for dominance, pitting their own children and countless mortal pawns against each other as they fought to win over the hearts and minds of the peoples of Earth. Three of the gods — Kammoloth, Samekkh, and Dokorath — conspired to create a weapon that could end the war, a mortal being capable of doing what they could not: stealing the divine essence of the daedra lords. After long centuries of manipulating mortal bloodlines, they succeeded, creating the Starchild, but their weapon turned against them, casting gods and daedra alike to Earth in an event called the Great Fall.
Today these fallen deities walk the Earth like mortal beings, forced to eat, drink and sleep like any human. Though they still wield great power, and can still draw energy from mortal actions, they can be killed. And whoever kills them takes their power, and their place in the pantheon…
The fallen deities gain still energy from the day to day activities engaged in by mortals that fall under their sphere of influence, even if they do not perform any rituals in honor of these gods anymore. For instance, a birthday party may provide energy to Kammoloth, a one night stand would feed Suspira, and a scientist engaged in cancer research may be giving energy to both Akkala and Tallakath. Note, the gods do not get as nearly the same amount of energy from this day-to-day background process as they received from active worship and sacrifices.
The Gods and Modern Religion
Theists
The Ecclesia and Meraist churches both believe that the fallen gods were created beings, and that their pretensions to godhood were mere arrogance that was then punished by the true living god, Eli. The Ecclesia believes that the gods are parasites with nothing to offer humanity, and that their presence on Earth is a distraction from Eli's plan for his creation. The Meraists believe that the gods were meant to come here, that Eli intended for them to serve as caretakers and moral teachers for his creation, but that they lost their way and needed to be humbled. Meraists venerate the gods but do not worship them, much as the Ecclesia venerates Mother Yanlin and the saints.
Universalists
The Universalists believe that all of the gods, aedra and daedra lords alike, are fragments of the original Creator, and reflect different aspects of his/her/its personality. Several of the various Universalist churches are dedicated to a god for whom their members feel a special affinity and kinship, and they believe that by worshiping this god and studying his/her ethos they will bring their own souls more in alignment with that fragment of the Creator, and that their souls will thus be rejoined with that fragment after death.
In some churches, such as the Church of Hedonism or the Cult of Ba'al, the worshipers know who the god is whom they are serving; in other churches, such as the Church of Eternal Brotherhood, the fragment of the Divine that they worship is an abstraction, and the identity of the god behind it is concealed.1
Aedra (aka gods)
The gods drew their magical powers (predominantly) from the actions of those who do works in their service; a burnt sacrifice to Yajiit, for instance, siphoned power from the animals sacrificed (and to a lesser extent, from the worshipers) and transferred it to the goddess for her own use.
The gods received a greater portion of the day-to-day energy of living mortal souls and they still have access to much of that well of power.
Most of the gods would perform services for mortals who pleased them, but these services were rarely given (if ever) without cost. Akkala, for instance, will do difficult healings, and Velena will grant enhanced beauty, but they require a period of service or some sort of quest in exchange for their assistance. A god can only grant favors that lie within their sphere of influence. These favors from the gods are rare in the modern era. While it is still possible for them to perform "miracles" beyond mortal ability, the gods do not have access to the same amount of energy that they had before the Great Fall.
Akkala
Sphere of Influence: Healing, Purity
Akkala is an avatar of the Metamor Empire, serving as the head of the Ministry of Health. She is also the leader of the International Red Spiral, a nonprofit organization that works to provide medical care to the poor and needy around the world.
Artela
Sphere of Influence: Nature: Cooperation & Mutualism; Mercy
Artela is ruling the Elven kingdom of Quenardya. She and Kyia are staunch allies.
Dokorath deceased
Sphere of Influence: War, Honor
Dokorath is dead. Having joined the people of Metamor in the struggle against Talia during the 710s, he was severely wounded in the final battle with the Vampire Queen. Not wanting his power to pass to one of Metamor's enemies, he asked Rickkter to deliver the killing blow. The battlemage complied, and went on to use the power to help Raven defeat Talia and forcibly restore her sanity.
Dvalin
Sphere of Influence: Weather, Agriculture
Dvalin is the Prince of Silvassa, a protectorate in southeastern Sathmore and one of the Empire's "breadbasket" regions. Dvalin uses his power to insure that the crops grown in this fertile region are always well-watered. While he has been criticized by some of the other avatars for his penchant for taking human lovers (and thus siring half-celestial offspring), he is a trustworthy and competent governor who is generally well-liked by his people.
Kammoloth
Sphere of Influence: Hearth & Home, Celebration
Kammoloth's whereabouts are unknown. Devastated by the betrayal of his daughter Merai, disowned by his previously-faithful wife Akkala (for fathering Merai with the intent to make her a living weapon against the Daedra Lords), and rejected by most of his one-time followers, he disappeared into the wilderness, a broken man.
Rickkter
Sphere of Influence: War, Honor
Rickkter inherited the position of the God of War from Dokorath. Being a god didn't really change Rick all that much — he has lived out a mostly happy life with Kayla, to whom Kyia gave just enough of her own power to ensure that she never ages. Rick and Kayla withdrew from public life until 1001, when Kyia asked him to become the head of the Metamor Army. Today he serves as the Empire's Minister of Defense.
Samekkh
Sphere of Influence: Wisdom, Light
Samekkh is the High Lord of Pyralis protectorate within the Empire. His realm encompasses only the original city-state of Pyralis and a small region of its surrounding lands, not the entire area that was once controlled by the Pyralian Confederation. After the Great Fall he spent many years in the company of his current Oracle, Ophelia; he eventually developed a deep bond with her that most would call love, and apotheosized her to be his immortal consort. He came to Pyralis when the Confederation was self-destructing, around 1200 CR. The suggestions he made for reforming the government proved to be successful, and he was then elevated to High Lord by public acclamation. He brought Pyralis into the Empire by treaty in 1693.
Velena
Sphere of Influence: Love, Beauty, Truth
Velena is a walking apostle of universal harmony. Having learned humility from centuries of living among humans, she works tirelessly to promote peace and love throughout the world. Her organization, the Hope Foundation, is a non-profit venture with chapters all over the Empire and Quenardya, which works to promote peace in the war-torn Southlands, charity to the poor and needy at home and abroad, and cultural exchanges to promote understanding between nations. While no longer holding herself up as a religious icon, Velena is greatly loved by most of the people who know of her. A humble, selfless Mother Teresa with the photogenic, vibrant nature of Princess Diana and the motivational speaking ability of the Dalai Lama, she is perhaps the most widely recognized personality of the modern world.
Wvelkim
Sphere of Influence: The Sea
Wvelkim is the king of Maeriliala (MARE-ee-lee-AH-la), or "Aquaria" in the Common tongue — the Maeril (merfolk) nation whose communities are scattered throughout the world. Most Aquarian citizens live a simple lifestyle that has changed little over the centuries, but every Maeril may travel to the capital city (Neriisiliala) and petition their king for a redress of grievances. Some Maeril communities are beginning to modernize, making use of technomagic to construct beautiful, elaborate cities beneath the ocean surface — but this new way of life has yet to reach the majority of the population. Wvelkim uses his position to ensure that the oceans are protected from exploitation by the surface dwellers; any commercial fishing, oil drilling, or other invasive activity must be approved by the Sea King, and he reserves the right to revoke this permission if it is abused. Many surface-dweller nations and megacorps resent the Maeril's strict regulation the marine habitat, but Wvelkim has Kyia's backing — any attack on the Maeril is considered an act of war against the Empire itself. In the last 150 years or so, no one has been brave (or foolish) enough to challenge this.
Yajiit
Sphere of Influence: Fire, the Sun
Yajiit lives a quiet life among the dragons. Wielding no political power in the Dragon Federation, she is nonetheless highly respected by these noble creatures and is welcomed wherever she goes. A small community of humans live with her, embracing the same simple life that she pursues and enjoying fellowship with her in a family-like setting. She is a mother and a sister to them, even a lover to some, but never a goddess — she revels in the simple pleasures of being mortal.
The spoken word is not used among Yajiit's people, except in teaching the young and dealing with outsiders; Yajiit believes that "tongues multiply lies", probably due to her negative experiences with Samekkh and Kammoloth's manipulations. Her people use a form of sign language that is both visual and tactile, so it is impossible to communicate without the use of touch — something that Yajiit considers very precious, since she was unable to touch anyone when her power was at full strength.
Daedra (aka the Daedra Lords)
The daedra draw power from chaos, violence, evil, and selfish actions. There are nine Daedra Lords who act as counterparts to the gods of the Pantheon. They usually exhibit no aura: they would often take physical form to deceive mortals, so they did nothing to attract suspicion that they are anything more than mortal. Only when they have been discovered — or make their strike, drawing power from their victims — do they manifest an aura.
The daedra were cut from the majority of the living energy pool by the aedra, but they developed the Hells as a way to process the energy of souls that had died. However, with the Great Fall the daedra are cut off from the Hells, and therefore the energy of the departed souls that the Hells process, whereas the aedra still can access the majority of the energy of the living available to all of the fallen gods.
The daedra would grant favors to mortals, just like the gods, but their price were almost always dangerously high; the immortal soul is a particular favorite of several Daedra Lords, especially Agemnos. Like the gods, it is still possible for them to perform "miracles" these days, but they have access to a smaller energy pool than the aedra because they cannot access the Hells. However, two of the most powerful of all the fallen gods are the daedra lords Suspira and Talia.
Agemnos
Sphere of Influence: Avarice, Ambition, Cities and Industry
Agemnos is the CEO of Majestic Industries, a megacorp with offices around the world. MI specializes in technomagery, and was instrumental in the creation of the WorldNet. While he is still unspeakably vain and self-serving, Agemnos no longer seeks to be revered as a god — the power he holds as a captain of industry is roughly equivalent, and working "within the system" allows him to remain below Kyia's radar most of the time. He is probably the second richest businessperson in the world; only Talia is wealthier.
Ba'al
Sphere of Influence: Revelry, Debauchery
Ba'al rules a small but ardent cult that operates in some parts of the Giantdowns and in several major cities in the north. Rather than advocating overthrow of the government, the cult focuses on the pursuit of sensual pleasure.
Klepnos
Sphere of Influence: Madness, Prophecy, Knowledge
Klepnos is at large, wandering around the world as his whims lead him. No one is quite able to track him, as he is an expert in disguising himself, but he comes out of hiding repeatedly to spread his message and his mission. His pranks are never lethal, but they can often bear interesting consequences for those who fall prey to them. He continues to seek new disciples, helping others in their journey of self-discovery, whether they want it or not. The best parallel is probably Coyote, from the legends of the Native Americans of the RL Southwest.
Lilith deceased
Sphere of Influence: Undead, Dark Nature
Lilith is dead; she was overthrown in the early 700s by Talia, a renegade Lightbringer priestess, shortly after the Great Fall.
Nocturna
Sphere of Influence: Dreams, Omens
Nocturna influence over the mortal world is negligible, as she has no desire for corporeal power. She has her hands busy just trying to keep the Dreamlands in order, and keep the Great War from spilling out into the material world. After the murder of her first mortal daughter by Talia's hand, she has remained within the walls of Metamor itself, almost never leaving the opulent splendor of her home within the Citadel. She leaves it to Malger (Dream), her consort, to travel the world and aid in her cause. Together, they work to prevent the release of any sort of magic or technology that would grant mortals unrestricted access to the Dreamlands. Despite being a Daedra Lord2, Nocturna has become one of Kyia's closest friends and advisors, as well, as she has one of the most detailed, intricate, and accurate information-gathering resources on the planet: dreams.
Malger oversees Nocturna's network of Dream Walkers — a group of Nocturna's own children and a small number of humans who have proven themselves capable of defending themselves from the constant strife in the Dreamlands. These Dream Walkers gather and disseminate information through the dreams of chosen individuals. Ethically, this may be questionable, but it's done anyway
Unfortunately, while dream-control software (being produced by a few key spelltech firms around the world, and tied up in perpetual legal battles by Nocturna and her allies) has not yet opened the doors of the Dreamlands wide to the general public, it has allowed the paranoid to barricade themselves away from the Dreamlands. (A dangerous side-effect of this is insanity — deprived of dreams, the mind turns on itself.)
Oblineth
Sphere of Influence: Winter, the Void
Oblineth is an avatar in the Metamor Empire, and the Chief Administrator of the protectorate of Arabarb. She has largely "reformed" from her days as a daedra lord3, and is a very competent (if rather unemotional) viceroy.
Revonos
Sphere of Influence: Rage, Death deceased
Revonos is dead, having been killed off by a White battlemage during his wanderings through the Southlands in the mid-900s. His power has passed among several great wizards of the Southlands since that time, and is currently held by the battlemage-ruler of one of the larger dictatorships in that region. The fact that the power's owners have used it frequently over the centuries has kept them weaker than some of the other members of the Pantheon.
Many mortals believe that, after he died, Revonos was too full of rage to ever pass over into the afterlife; instead, he took over Nocturna's old job as psychopomp, harvesting the souls of the dead and ushering them on to the rest he can never have. In present-day artwork he is often depicted wearing a black shroud and carrying a scythe, the "grim reaper" of Metamor's world.
Suspira
Sphere of Influence: Passion, Desire
Suspira has her own sensualist cult, the Church of Hedonism. While generally frowned upon by most of society, the Hedonists have a substantial membership from all social classes: corporate and government VIPs, middle-class professionals who yearn for a taste of the wild life, and disaffected lower-class workers from the inner cities. While their meetings are clandestine, it's fairly easy to become a member — they take out ads in papers all across the western world, and their domain on the WorldNet (MK2K's cyberspace) is well-known. Hedonists actively (but usually discreetly) seek to bring others into the cult, since every new member is a new source of power for their Mistress. The upper levels of management in the Church are filled with incubi and succubae.
Talia
Sphere of Influence: Nature: Competition & Predation; Undead
Talia is the Vampire Queen and the Mistress of Dark Life, a position she stole from Lilith when she killed the daedra lord with the assistance of one of Lilith's own artifacts.
During the early 700s, Talia was restored to sanity and sickened by the deaths she had inadvertently caused during her insanity. Talia rejected the path of war and conquest, and even forbade her vampire subjects from killing mortals unless she commanded it. She later turned her focus toward the conducting of "quiet business", organizing her disciples into a worldwide underground organization. The Church of Eternal Brotherhood, as it is called, is a fusion of secret society, religious cult and organized crime syndicate, with Talia as its head and the vampires as its ruling class.
Tallakath
Sphere of Influence: Pestilence
Tallakath's present whereabouts are unknown. He has been suspected of fomenting a number of the most destructive plagues in human history, and of promoting the idea of germ warfare in general, but if so he has succeeded in keeping a low profile. Not even Klepnos seems to have any notion of where he is. Given his morbid fascination with death and dying, it seems likely that he is acting as a sort of wandering scholar, bearing witness to the atrocities of human history for the sake of intellectual discovery.
Correspondences
The Aedra and Daedra are set up in sets of siblings, across the "racial" lines. For example, Suspira and Velena are sisters; and love and passion are very close to each other. The following table matches the pairs of siblings together. Many of the correspondences are obvious, however some are not.4
| Aedra | Sphere of Influence | Daedra | Sphere of Influence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artela | Nature: Cooperation & Mutualism; Mercy | Lilith (d) / _Talia | Undead, Nature: Competition & Predation |
| Velena | Love, Beauty, Truth | Suspira | Passion, Desire |
| Yajiit | Fire, the Sun | Oblineth | Winter, the Void |
| Samekkh | Wisdom, Light | Klepnos | Madness, Prophecy, Knowledge |
| Akkala | Healing, Purity | Tallakath | Pestilence |
| Dokorath (d) / Rickkter |
War, Honor | Revonos (d) / unknown Southlands battlemage |
Rage, Death |
| Kammoloth (d) / The Widow |
Hearth & Home, Celebration | Ba'al | Revelry, Debauchery |
| Dvalin | Weather, Agriculture | Agemnos | Avarice, Ambition, Cities & Industry |
| Wvelkim | the Sea | Nocturna | Dreams, Omens |
The Good, Evil, Neutral and the Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic
The "morality" of the Aedra and Daedra, while seeming to be split along racial lines, is a bit more complicated. There are Aedra and Daedra who are more… neutral/elemental than their brothers and sisters. Sometimes, Take for instance, Yajiit and Oblineth. They're really personifications of elemental forces, and it's more their "genetic" heritage that places Yajiit as an Aedra Lord and Oblineth as a Daedra Lord than their actual actions. It's almost hard to say if it's because of that heritage that makes Yajiit more personable (warm and caring) than Oblineth, or if it's because of their spheres of influence.
There's also a sliding scale of Law and Chaos that the aedra and daedra lords embody.5
Based on this, one can see that while yes, the Good side of morality is filled with Aedra, and the Evil roles taken up by Daedra… the neutral and chaotic elements of existence are represented by both Aedra and Daedra Lords.
| Good | Evil | Neutral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawful | Akkala, Dokorath/Rickkter | Agemnos, Ba'al | Samekkh (A), Oblineth (D) |
| Neutral | Artela, Kammoloth/the Widow | Lilith/Talia, Tallakath | Dvalin (A), Nocturna (D) |
| Chaotic | Velena, Yajiit | Revonos/Battlemage, Suspira | Wvelkim (A), Klepnos (D) |
Misc
Kate refers to the Aedra and Daedra as "The Gods of Heaven and the Gods of Shadow" respectively in Welcome to the City
Author's Notes
The Lothanasi, over time, have had a significant impact on how most of the mortal world views the supernatural and supernatural history. The aedra as the gods and lasting impression of the majority of the daedra as an unfaltering "evil" presence has a lot to do with how the Lothanasi saw them. Keep in mind that the Lothanasi were founded by a priest of Kammoloth and constantly influenced by the aedra "gods". Also, the Lothanasi developed the use of the term daedra to refer to the Daedra Lords, their offspring, and their more removed descendents (the later two groups more properly defined as fiends).
In essence… the Lothanasi won the PR war for the aedra long before the Great Fall happened.6
Original source: [http://mkworld.wikidot.com/org:lothanasi MK Wiki Entry- Lothanasi, conversation with RavenB at the 2010 SSDWC not-picnic
