Hey all, welcome to another World Lore Wednesday - Today we’re talking about the Towan pantheon! More specifically, the second third of it!
This post assumes you already know what’s up with the Sigil of Dusk Campaign Setting. If you’re new to the series, I suggest checking out our first post on the matter (I suggest skipping down to “The Word of Unatowa” if you’re impatient). I also recommend reading our first post on the gods
Anyway, without further adieu, lets jump into it!
Hortus’s symbol - a thorned rose.
Hortus, the Virulent Verdance
Gender: Male
Ancestry: Dryad
Alignment: CG
Domains: Ambition, Earth, Nature
Favored Weapon: A Whip
Description
A male dryad cloaked in thorned vines, with a single horn curling across the right of this face. Artists depict Hortus as he appeared near the end of his life - ancient in age, but extremely fit, with a cruel look in his eye and discord poisoning his soul.
History
Hortus started off the Wild Wars as an elder among Dryads. While they lead fractured and dissociated lives, Hortus carried enormous influence among their ranks, and all considered him the defacto leader of their kind.
As such, when the Wild Wars started, both Ur’Goth and Achnikor quickly came to Hortus to bid his kind’s favor. But, unfortunately for the Towans, the choice was clear - the dryads allied with Achnikor, who promised the retreat of Towan civilization. For the Dryads were neither Towan nor Ash’kin, given their birth during the Dawn Curse, and they hated both Towan machines as well as their indifference to nature. They hoped, through an alliance with Achnikor, they could spread the Ash’kin’s oneness with nature - choosing to ignore its twisted cruelty.
And so, Achnikor decided to bless Hortus - elevating him as their champion to act as a saboteur against Towan fortifications through overwhelming natural invasion. Towan armies soon found their camps overrun with thorns, man-eating plants, snakes, and other hazardous fauna - becoming ruined by the ravages of nature, all at the behest of Hortus.
After the wars, of course, Hortus found himself on the wrong side of history and his luck quickly running out. He met his end during The Godscar Event - where, in a desperate bid, he attempted to bring about the end of Civilization by his own hand, before Ur’Goth’s champions intervened and trapped his blight forever in the Blackthorn Valley.
But not all was lost for Hortus. For many remember him not for the havoc he wreaked amongst the Towan forces, but instead for his devout passion toward Nature, and his ultimate goal to bring balance and natural prosperity to the world. And so, while many view him as a conflicted figure at best, he managed to find his place among the Towan pantheon - worshiped by a not-insignificant portion of the populace even with his conflicted and difficult history.
Followers
Many perceive followers of Hortus as “hermit in the woods” types - curmudgeonly old men or women who spend their days communing with nature and staying As Far Away from Everyone as they possibly can. Likewise, Druids and Dryads often take after Hortus - seeing him as the animus of the righteous vengeance of Nature. As a result, finding out an otherwise “normal” looking person primarily worships Hortus might come as a surprise to most people - although it does frequently happen.
Religious Texts
Hortus left behind 3 slabs in the Blackthorn Valley containing his message - placed near the Malignant Seed, and painted in the blood of Towans. His followers see visions from Hortus of the tablets, and he regularly encourages them to recover the slabs and plant a new malignant seed from the Blighttree growing nearby - but none yet dare to make the journey, nor consider themselves capable of returning alive if they did.
The slabs say the following in Sylvan:
Reject civilization
Fight subjugation
Proliferate
Relationship with His Followers
Hortus keeps his followers at arms length - viewing none of them as “good enough” or “pure enough” for his tastes. That said, he still views them as useful tools, giving them the aforementioned visions and promptings to try and get them to carry out his will.
Malli’s symbol, a laughing theatrical mask.
Malli, the Bawdy Joy
Gender: Female
Ancestry: Dirgish Human
Alignment: NG
Domains: Confidence, Family, Indulgence
Favored Weapon: Lance
Description
A slender, dark-skinned woman - likely from Marrós (although genetically Dirge) - with long braided hair and spartan traveling clothes. Artists often depict her carrying a fiddle and flute, as well as a small library’s worth of tales of intrigue. Many famous works show her singing or reciting to a crowd, and she wrote many journals about the epic deeds she performed to inspire others.
History
Where armies march, the need for rest and relaxation surely must follow. Malli became dragon blessed due to her prowess in keeping the soldiers entertained and inspired through jest and sheer charisma. She played songs for the joyless, cheered on the weary, helped the depressed find meaning hand hope, and inspired confidence in the meek and fearful.
Historians say any army Malli traveled with would fight forces 10 times their number to the death, and still come out in good spirits. As a result, she became a coveted companion in any band she joined, and the myth of her presence impacted the Towan forces almost as much as she herself did directly.
Followers
Malli’s followers tend to be outgoing, often becoming the life of whatever party they go to. They want to inspire others through word or deed, and they live to lift others up through their own actions. As a result, many Bards, Sorcerers, and other folk who depend on sheer force of personality to make their way in the world follow Malli.
Religious Texts
Malli’s texts, Annals of Heroism, talk not of her or what her followers should do, but of the many valiant deeds she saw on and off the battlefield. They speak of selfless acts of desperation, valiant triumphs, devastating self-sacrifice, and stunning heroism
Her followers view this as a guide on how to live, and see it as demonstrating where they should set the bar for themselves, which is accurate - Malli particularly likes her followers which go above and beyond the call of duty while in doing something for others.
Relationship with Her Followers
Malli maintains a loving and forgiving relationship with her followers, but doesn’t communicate directly very often. Instead, she acts subtly - providing divine inspiration while performing oratory, or a flash of eloquence while entertaining guests, or a spark of charisma when providing cheer to the downtrodden.
Vollex’s symbol - a sacred moth.
Vollex, The Third Eye
Gender: Male
Ancestry: Ravnen Human
Alignment: NE
Domains: Secrecy, Nightmares, Luck
Favored Weapon: The Dagger
Description
Vollex takes the form of a large, surly, bald Ravnen man - unadorned except for a swirl of multi-colored face-paint - which changes in imperceptible ways you can’t quite put your finger on while looking. And of course, as soon as you turn away, its color changes completely
History
Master of poisons and hallucinogens, Vollex terrorized his enemies with drug-induced nightmares and terrors, all while helping his allies foretell the outcome of battles and decisions through the use of… Well, drug-induced nightmares and terrors, just with allied commanders instead of his enemies.
Followers
Followers tend to heavily experiment and partake in mind-altering substances. As a result, followers of Vollex have gained a strong, some-what negative reputation somewhat akin to the reputation of hippies. Followers, of course, embrace this reputation as often as not.
Assassins who deal in poisons, especially of the neurotoxic variety, likewise follow Vollex - although for different, much more sinister reasons.
Religious Texts
Vollex left behind a book covering his World-Soul Formula, describing a divinely inspired drug his followers desperately seek to recreate. Due to the tricky nature of the formula, though, none can take certainty in the success of their reproduction - especially as Vollex only left some basic formulae and light instructions on the production of the formula, rather than the substances’ effects.
Relationship with His Followers
Vollex maintains a complicated, dispassionate, ever-changing relationship with his followers. He views them favorably one day, then with incredible rage the next, over seemingly arbitrary reasons relating to the Aura and Energy they supposedly exude, as well as the impacts even minor acts put out into the world (ex: “Saying hello to that squirrel this morning improved the nation’s flow considerably”)
While he speaks directly to his followers, it often comes during the use of mind-altering substances, making the events difficult to recall and, moreover, difficult to distinguish from the normal effects of said substances.
Ga’el’s symbol - a leaf blowing freely in the wind.
Ga’el, the Streamlined Man
Gender: Male
Ancestry: Rilleven Elf
Alignment: LG
Domains: Air, Truth, Freedom
Favored Weapon: Bo Staff
Description
Remembered as a towering, green-skinned elf made of well-toned muscle. Depicted as wearing a loincloth and several iron-ring earrings, as well as keeping quite long, unkempt, wild black hair.
History
Ga’el never fit in with the other Rilleven elves. While they preferred to stay in the Shywood Forest, sequestered from the world, Ga’el desired to roam Unatowa and see everything it had to offer. It was thus why he left his home shortly after reaching adulthood, never turning back once he set out.
But he didn’t leave everything behind. His respect for nature and one-ness with the land, imparted to him by his childhood in Rillenvas, helped him flourish as he explored the wild wonders of the world - the forests and seas, the caves and planes, and the deserts and mountains.
And so Ga’el found himself here when the Wild Wars started - leading a nomadic life and existing as one with nature - and it was that life which would bring Ga’el across Ur’Goth’s path. For at the beginning of the Wild Wars, Ur’Goth needed champions, and, after searching the world over for someone strong and wise to lead his armies, he found Ga’el - a sight of physical perfection, at peace with himself and all around him.
Ga’els life would thus transform into a career as one of the major generals of the war, occupying the same rank as Gornin’kak, Ullator, and Catfoot. But, unlike the hot-headed Gornin’kak, or the spirited Catfoot, Ga’el sought not to win through sheer might alone. Instead, when the time for battle came, Ga’el would seek to solve the conflict through words as soon as his fists - often helping each side come to a mutual understanding, walking away unscathed. That said, when the time came, those he traveled with knew Ga’el to rain fury down like thunder among the unjust souls who refused to come to terms.
This led to discord and discontent among his men - as Ga’el would as likely end up singing songs around the campfire with the enemy generals as fighting them - but at the end of the day, all appreciated the high probability of going home to see their families after a campaign under Ga’el.
After the Wild Wars, Ga’el retreated from the public eye, leaving behind his service in the military in order to return his life of wandering and exploration he had left behind to lead Ur’Goth’s forces. And, before anyone knew it, Ga’el left the mortal plane - having seen everything there was to see on the green earth, and looking to ascend to where he could help shepherd along a new generation of truth seekers and world wanderers.
Followers
Travelers and Monks in particular strive to achieve the sheer perfection of Ga’el, viewed as the purest manifestation of perfection attainable in the Towan form. They tend to be a buff, yet humble lot, viewing their pursuit of truth and vitality as the ultimate honor they could pay to Ga’el - enjoying music, simple foods, and experiencing the world in order to reflect the life Ga’el led during his time on the mortal plane.
Religious Texts
Ga’el left his teachings behind in song form - passed from follower to follower and traveler to traveler. His songs tell of Truth, Beauty, and respecting both Nature and Towans in all their shapes and forms.
Relationship with His Followers
Ga’el prefers to commune with his followers through song, joining in as they play through divine accompaniment. As they play, he’ll join through their voice, singing songs about the goings ons in the world, or giving advice about living a streamlined life, or how to find peace with whatever happens to trouble them at the moment - or maybe nothing at all, simply singing for the joy found in a good song.
Anyway, that’s it for this week. Let us know what you think of the gods down in the comments! We’ll have our next segment of lore - part 3 of the Towan Pantheon - up in 2 weeks on February 26th. In the mean time, you can also catch our GM Tips series, returning on February 18th to take a look where you even start when building a world.
