Rise (War Witch Book 1) (88 page)

Terris

The Hawk Goddess of time.

It is Terris who keeps time flowing and moving, and separates tomorrow from yesterday. She’s something of a mystery beyond this, and few understand her or her ways. She is regarded as above the petty concerns of today, and possibly beyond even the concern of the depredations of the Demon Gods.

She is most often depicted as a hawk-headed woman holding an hourglass in her lap. Almost as popular is the depiction of a beautiful young woman wearing a feathered cloak standing astride a stream. Less popular, but more authentic, is a depiction that shows the same feather-cloaked woman, half her face withered with age, while the other half is young and vibrant.

Her symbol is the hourglass. Her priests often wear a white sash with yellow trim or tassels. As with many of the Gods, her symbol is often worn as some form of adornment, and on rare occasions, some few will even sport a feathered cloak.

The Divine Gift bestowed upon Blessed of Terris is
Shift
. With this potent Gift, Blessed are able to move short distances through time, both backwards and forwards, in the blink of an eye. More powerful Blessed of Terris are rare, but said to be capable of moving vast distances through time, able to reshape tragic events, or bring back warnings of dire peril.

Her Divine Mark is the Hawk Head.

THE EARTH GODS
watch over and protect the Middle World more so than any other Gods, for it is their realm and they know it’s the battlefield upon which the war with the Demon Gods must be fought. In the High World, they rule over the lands of Earth and Fire and are forces of change, agriculture, and life itself.

The Earth Gods place more importance on protecting the World and those who live within it. While they accept the law of Grannax, they’ve long felt that locking the Demon Gods away will not do the trick, and have come to seek a means by which the Dark Ones can be exiled into the Void.

The mark of the Earth Gods can always be found on the back of the right hand of those whom they Bless. This reflects their dedication to hard work and respect for the earth.

Verea

The Snake Goddess who lives inside the World.

It is said that Verea was born the moment she became aware that the World had been created, and began to coil about herself slowly, heating the surface of the World. It’s called the
Dance of Life
. Verea is considered the supreme earth deity, for she is the very world itself. A nurturing and kind Goddess, she has given up much so that those who live upon her body may have food to eat, shelter from the elements, and clothing to wear.

Verea is depicted as a snake, tightly wound upon itself, most often against a red backdrop. Some rare depictions show her as a strikingly beautiful woman with copper-colored hair, and the lower body of a snake.

Her symbol is a gentle, horizontal curve. It symbolizes the surface of the World, the horizon where earth and sky meet, and the bounty of the field. Her priests wear a green sash as a symbol of their ties to the Earth Mother.

The Divine Gift bestowed upon the Blessed of Verea is
Venom
. At will, the Blessed may produce venom like a snake, injecting through a bite, or spitting it into the face of their foe, condemning them to a quick and painful death.

Her Divine Mark is the Snake.

Roth Tor

The Rock Lord, Mole God, and father of the Dwarven Race.

Roth Tor is also called the Blind God, as he cannot see above ground. However, he is regarded as the God of rocks, mountains, mining, and precious gems. He’s an aggressive God, burrowing ever deeper, expanding his territory, and attacking any who stand in his way. While many consider moles to be meek creatures, they’ve never been bitten by one, nor have they faced the wrath of Roth Tor.

He is most often depicted in Dwarvish paintings as a man of great stature, muscle-bound, with the head of a mole, holding a pickaxe in his hand. Other depictions, not Dwarvish in origin, show him as a greedy skulker in the darkness, hoarding gems about himself.

His symbol is the diamond, appropriately enough. While he has few priests outside the Dwarf race, all who follow his path wear a green sash with golden trim or tassels. Almost always they wear a single ring with a gem of great value set into it, as a symbol of their loyalty to their God.

The Divine Gift bestowed upon Blessed of Roth Tor is
Ironbody
. This Gift transforms the Blessed into living iron, making them virtually invulnerable to physical and many magical attacks. The God himself may receive little respect, but his Blessed know not this problem.

His Divine Mark is the Mole Head.

Shadra

The Elk Goddess of forests, mother of animals.

Anywhere a tree grows, Shadra oversees. Forests are her home and her sacred places, the animals her children. Hunters are wise to thank Shadra after a hunt and ask her permission before one. Often seen as removed from the other Gods, Shadra is something of a loner. She prefers to spend her time wandering the wild places, and it’s rumored that she helps those in need in the guise of a barbarian woman, but punishes poachers and the like in the form of a hideous beast.

Shadra is most often depicted as a beautiful woman with the antlers of an elk growing from her head, garbed in green. Other depictions hold that she’s a woman with an elk’s head, sitting amidst the forest.

Her symbol is the tree, showing her sacred place and the shelter it gives to her animal children. Her priests wear a green sash with brown trim or tassels, symbolizing the plants and the earth they grow from. It’s more common for Druids to be her priests, however, and they will not wear any sort of identifying garments, leaving the trappings to the fading priesthood.

The Divine Gift bestowed upon Blessed of Shadra is
Animal Speech
. With the use of this Gift, a Blessed gains the ability to speak with animals, being understood and understanding them clearly. Some Blessed consider this an odd Gift, but stop doubting its uses when they’re forced to track Demon Spawn through the forest, and must rely on animals for information.

Her Divine Mark is The Antlers.

Hepheron

The Bull God of Fire, the forge, and metal smithing.

Long ago, after Ker Zet first betrayed the Gods, Hepheron understood that she was likely to return, and invented the art of forging, creating Ramor's Divine Sword. Since then, Hepheron has been the smith of the Gods, forging their weapons and accessories. The secondborn of Grannax and Isel, he’s a gruff and unapologetic God. He has little time for those who boast their own greatness, or waste time with lazy pursuits. To Hepheron, the deeds that matter the most are the deeds that are done by one’s own hand, and left for others to discuss.

Hepheron is depicted as a great Minotaur, bent over his forge, hammering out weapons for his divine family and their Ascended. There exists no other depiction of this great God outside the Troll Kingdoms, the children of Hepheron knowing their God better than anyone else ever could.

His symbol is the hammer. His priests, those few who exist, often wear a green sash with red trim or tassels, symbolizing Hepheron's ties to the earth and to fire.

The Divine Gift bestowed upon Blessed of Hepheron is
Forge Fire
. When invoking this Gift, the Blessed's weapon is wreathed in flame. A manifestation of Hepheron's hatred of evil, this Divine Fire is known to be particularly potent against Demon Seed, burning them to ash in seconds.

His Divine Mark is the Bull’s Head.

Altimar

The Rabbit Goddess of love, sex, marriage and children.

While this Goddess doesn’t create Blessed often, no one can deny their contribution to the war against the Demon Seed. The wife of Ramor, and mother of many of the Gods herself, Altimar was the firstborn daughter of Grannax and Isel. Where her elder brother and husband is stoic, Altimar is laughter. She revels in life and love, embracing each experience with passion and adoration, making her among the most popular of the often grim earth Gods.

Altimar is most often depicted as a woman of unsurpassed beauty, nude in the field, surrounded by rabbits. Other depictions show her in a similar fashion, only with rabbit ears herself. It’s worth noting that there are no depictions of Altimar dressed.

Her symbol is the knot, symbolizing the ties that bind all in love, trust, and happiness. Her priests wear a sash of green with white trim or tassels, and more often than not, have her symbol as adornment, or stitched into their clothes. Clerics of Altimar are a welcome sight everywhere they go for they bring joy, and perform marriages anytime they’re asked, making them among the Demon Gods’ most hated enemies.

The Divine Gift bestowed upon Blessed of Altimar is
Charm
. With the use of this Gift, the Blessed is able to sway enemies to becoming allies, turn the most hated of foes to the fastest of friends, and end the petty rivalries that daily tear at the Middle World. Some say Altimar's Blessed have a weak Gift, but others know the true power of it, and rarely depart on missions without one of these trusted friends by their side.