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Ao Shun
Arani'vait
Ardu
Chi'ni
Cho-cho
Dri'an
Ho Hsien-ko
Irana
Kung Lei
Ni'ya
Nu'cha
O-Nushi
Tsenshuken
Tung-pin
Yin'wan
The Animal Courts

Nagosan Gods and Goddesses

Ao Shun

Keeper of the Moons, Protector of the Animal Courts, "Emperor of All Dragyns"

Areas of Interest: The Moons, Animals, Prophesy

Ao Shun is most often depicted in the form of a great golden serpent with a feathered head and four legs writhing through the air like a snake. He is the keeper of the moons of Thrael, charged by Chi'ni with juggling them in the heavens to keep them in their proper orbits, something he is uniquely suited to do with his abilities of flight.

As the Ruler of the Animal Courts, Ao Shun provides guidance for the Animal Kings and is the defender of the wild. The Animal Kings then direct their followers in proper behavior patterns. Strange behavior by animals is often a sign that Ao Shun is directly interested in an area. Both respected and feared, the focus of Ao Shun is not directed towards the sentient races, and this often puts him in opposition to the goals of expanding urbanization.

Ao Shun has a special relationship with Chi'ni, answering only to Chi'ni for any of its actions. Many suspect that Ao Shun is but another form of Chi'ni, though instances where the two have been opposed in a decision have arisen from time to time. The great dragyn is also believed to be the god of prophesy, but his disinterest in the affairs of the people of Thrael make him deaf to most appeals from them, thus a number of methods involving tiles, cards and examination of the position of the moons and stars have been developed in an effort to divine this knowledge from the god.

A celibate god, Ao Shun is the frequent companion of the minor goddess, Cho-cho, to whom he is devoted. He is also revered as the "Emperor of All Dragyns", given credit as both the founder of that race as well as one of its last survivors.


Arani'vait

God of the Void, "Judge of the Dead", "Commander of the Twenty-one Hells"

Areas of Interest: Death, The Sea, Water, Depression, Hopelessness, Cold, Ice

After The Conflagration wrought by his father Tsenshuken, Arani'vait came before Chi'ni and was charged with overseeing the spiritual retraining of the dead and was also given dominion over the seas.

Depending upon his mood, the God of the Seas sometimes manifests himself as a dolphin calming the waves and bringing fair breezes for seamen, but sometimes appears as a dreaded sea serpent, bringing with him horrendous storms at sea and massive tsunami. In his association with the icy seas of winter, he is sometimes said to the element of cold.

As Judge of the Dead and Commander of the Twenty-one Hells, he oversees those souls who must undergo transition before they can be reborn. Beings who have not yet attained Oneness and who require certain parts of their personalities to be removed are sent to an appropriate hell in order to perform the operation. The Twenty-One Hells are places of torment believed to be reserved for criminals, and all fear them. Hopeless and depression pervade the hells, and await all who do not attain the required level of spiritual perfection in each incarnation.

Spirits that manage to evade the judgement of Arani'vait are stranded on this Pale and become the undead creatures. When an undead is released its spirit is again sent before the Judge and if caught is certain to enter one of the hells.


Ardu

Goddess of Strife, Disease and Poisons

Areas of Interest: Strife of all kinds, Diseases, Plagues, Poisons, Monsters

Ardu is a deeply feared deity. Her area of control for the Universal Government is providing the vicissitudes of daily life. Taking an unwholesome pleasure in her work, Ardu has shown an incredible creative streak, providing things to test the world from diseases to monsters. Sharing the night with Yin'wan, she aids in the haunting and other evil uses of the undead. Ardu's influence can also be found in natural disasters, though Dri'an and Arani'vait fight fiercely against such interference in their bailiwick.

Ardu's marriage to Kung Lei and her alliance with Yin'wan have leant strength to the efforts of all three deities. The proliferation of strife and disorder perpetrated by Kung-Lei and Ardu, combined with Yin'wan's growth through the pain of others, has caused all three entities to gain power beyond the original scope of their individual mandates. Many fear the three will succeed in an attempt to upset the balance of the Universe, conducting a coup on Chi'ni. The results of such an occurrence are beyond a mortal mind's capability, but destruction of all that exists or a warping to rival all previous cataclysms visited upon the world are likely.


Chi'ni

Universal Ruler

Areas of Interest: The Creator

Chi'ni is androgynous, possessing breasts and a penis. All of creation came from its womb. Chi'ni is the personification of the will of existence. Chi'ni created itself, then the universe in a quest for knowledge and insight into itself. The universe was birthed from it and the womb of Chi'ni fostered the world after all the rest of creation had been formed. Chi'ni takes a direct interest in all things that occur, but will only interfere when existence itself is threatened, thus it take little direct interest in the affairs of the individual inhabitants of Thrael. This entity heads a construct known as the Universal Government, in which many entities play different roles for the positive movement and understanding of Chi'ni.

The Vri'ma is Chi'ni and Chi'ni is the Vri'ma, though when people refer to Chi'ni they are referring to the consciousness of the Vri'ma, as opposed to the underlying Oneness of everything that is the Vri'ma. The ultimate purpose of the universe is the understanding of self, for which Chi'ni willed itself into existence. All beings are a part of Chi'ni, and together are learning until they reach a state where their purpose is complete. At that point their Mahata joins with the Vri'ma, bringing Chi'ni closer to self realization. When everything has reached this state, the universe will end as its purpose will be fulfilled.


Cho-cho

Goddess of Hope and Beauty, "The Butterfly"

Areas of Interest: Hope, Beauty, Insects, Protection of Lovers, Love, Love Potions, The Spirit

Most often represented as an exquisitely beautiful bramble nymph with the wings of a butterfly, the goddess Cho-cho was created by O-Nushi to help her promote fertility and birth. In aid of her mistress, Cho-cho worked tirelessly, whispering to would-be lovers the secrets that would ignite their desire. In this role she also became the symbol of hope to those who were barren, but wished for children. A husband or wife suddenly sparked to couple are said to have been "visited by Cho-cho". Urged on by their parents, young girls often pray to Cho-cho to forestall her visits until after they are safely and respectably married.

Eventually elevated to the rank of goddess in her own right by her grateful mistress, Cho-cho's role in the celestial government is to promote love and devotion between couples and to foster sexual arousal. To many, Cho-cho is seen as the essence of the soul itself and the attainment of pure love as being a direct path to Oneness. Cho-cho protects lovers, and can make even the most physically unattractive person seem beautiful in the eyes of one besotted. Her aspect is often associated with romantic music and dance, in direct opposition to Tung-Pin who is linked with festival dance and song.

In spite of the difference in their sizes, Cho-cho is often known to travel in the company of the dragyn god, Ao Shun, the irony being that it is impossible for her to consummate a union with her greatest love.


Dri'an

God of the Soil

Areas of Interest: Earth, Explorers, Travelers, Hunters, Tropical Plants and Forests, Gardens

Created at the same time as his sister, Irana, Dri'an was initially placed in charge of the physical manifestations of the land, air and seas of Thrael. His excesses in trying to create a perfect world in concert with Tsenshuken, however, resulted in his powers over the winds and waters being revoked and given over to the more temperate Arani'vait.

Unhappy with his job, Dri'an continues repeatedly to create natural disasters to try and remove all beings from the surface of the world. Fortunately this is something that he no longer has the powers to effect, though Chi'ni must sometimes be called upon to prevent serious devastation.

Since accepting his sister Irana as a consort, his personality has softened slightly, and with proper homage performed he has even been known to give his blessing to a farmer's lands. Dri'an enjoys aiding his sister-mate in the creation of tropical plants, and his desire for order makes him particularly adept at designing elaborate gardens in which they can display their creations.

A vain and sometimes petty god, Dri'an favors the explorers and travelers who seek out his natural wonders and admire his beauty, and also hunters, as they deplete the numbers of animals that ravage Ever covetous of the power to control the waters, Dri'an's preferred habitat is a coastal swamp near the sea and his chosen form that of a large carnivore similar to a crocodile.


Ho Hsien-ko

Goddess of Longevity

Areas of Interest: Life Spans, Longevity, Physical Deterioration (or lack thereof), Resurrection, Balance

Ho Hsien-ko is distinguished as the first entity to be created by Chi'ni. Unlike most other beings, she has never gone through death and judgement. She shares with Chi'ni and interest in the balance of the universe, and has the duty of determining the length of time each being must spend in their present incarnation to attain the knowledge required, fairly judging the balance of the Mahata of each individual and assessing its to level of attainment to Oneness.

Ho Hsien-ko sees to the resurrection of the spirit in cases where a current life has been terminated prematurely, preventing a soul from achieving the next level of incarnation. When someone has lived this life poorly and are in danger of reversion when they are reincarnated, a truly honest petitioner may suddenly awaken from their meditation with several strands of what appears to be black silk in their hand. Those who ingest these hairs from the goddess find their youth and vitality returning, in essence gaining a second chance to make good use of their current life.

Ho Hsien-ko married Tung-pin, having fallen for his deceitful ways and roguish charms. His current state is due to a miscalculation on his part, but Ho Hsien-ko is happier with the situation now, having a child to care for. Ho Hsien-ko is always depicted with her hair flowing down her right shoulder, though a few blasphemous depictions from followers of Ardu show her as having hair only on the left side of her head with the right side bare.


Irana

Goddess of the Harvest

Areas of Interest: Plants, Rice, The Harvest, The Seasons, Commerce, Civic Building, Compassion, Insects and the warding of such, Foxes, Currency, Alcoholic Beverages

Created by Chi'ni from the hairs of Tsenshuken and O-Nushi, the beautiful blue-skinned Irana's main interest lies in the cycle of life, which is obvious in the cycles of planting and harvest of rice.

Creator of Tsenshuken's great sword "Chain", Irana was the initial patron of sword makers but passed that duty on to her son by that god, Nu'cha. Her attention to detail and patience in craftsmanship is still sought by many and it isn't rare to find Irana's symbol opposite Nu'cha's on a sword blade or hilt.

Irana became associated with foxes when Tung-pin, prior to his transformation, tricked her into the form of a fox and led a hunt by several villages against her. Foxes of the entire region began laying false trails and aiding her in hiding from the hunters, with one eventually sacrificing itself to trick the hunters into thinking they had caught her. When she regained her true form and powers, she petitioned Arani'vait for the soul of the fox and made her a spirit servitor. The fox became the first kitsune. It still sits at her side, and in most pictures rests before her, still guarding her against all who would bring harm.


Kung Lei

God of Disorder

Areas of Interest: Disorder, Anarchy, Trickery, Deception, Lies, Imbalance, Insanity, Violence Committed on the Innocent, Murder

Kung Lei embodies misrule. His department within the government has grown beyond its original intent, the testing of the spirit through the use of trickery and deception. Kung Lei enjoyed the pained confusion the Mahata underwent and found an intoxicating power over the Vri'ma. By causing distress to the spirits of beings, he could bend the them to suit his designs, driving many to insanity and subsequent irrational violence. Kung Lei soon was promoting lies, anarchy, violence, and all manner of instruments of misrule throughout existence.

Chi'ni realized what was happening soon after and limited Kung Lei's power. Strength of spirit and Arani'vait's judgement can counteract most of the abuses of Kung Lei, but he still is capable of causing unimaginable distress to others and promoting such behavior in them as well. His marriage to Ardu has been fortuitous, allowing him to find entire new avenues for delivering his gifts to mortals.


Ni'ya

God of Fire

Areas of Interest: Fire, Light, Learning, Warmth

Ni'ya is depicted as a man whose head has been replaced by a flame. His anger is very destructive, but in most aspects when properly fed and maintained, Ni'ya provides light and warmth.

His ability to provide information over long distances through the use of signal fires and light for scholars to study even after the sun has set has made Ni'ya also be perceived as a wise deity who benefits scholars. Lessons from Ni'ya often teach the limits of prudent knowledge and the dangers that knowledge used without thought provide. Many an inventor of devices has paid for his dangerous experiments in a fiery blaze leaving only their ashes as testimony to their folly.


Nu'cha

God of Knowledge

Areas of Interest: Physical Laws, Mechanics, Repeatable Results, Metal Working, Craftsmanship

Born of the union between Tsenshuken and Irana, the level headed yet beneficent Nu'cha has been placed in charge of a broad reaching domain within the Universal Government, that of Keeper of Physical Law. His appearance is that of a giant sized daun of noble features with blue skin, a thin mustache and goatee and wearing a worker's simple garments. The personification of logical thinking, Nu'cha prescribes the limits to reality. Mass, interaction of physical bodies, and all other purely mechanical processes fall under his purview. He is known for having a distinct dislike for beings using magic, believing anything can be accomplished through knowledge and the use of sound physical principles if people would take the time to study the world itself.

Unlike most other deities, Nu'cha has no consort, the reasons behind this choice a mystery to all.


O-Nushi

Goddess of Fertility, "The Great Mother", "The Shepherdess"

Areas of Interest: Ancestors, Fertility, Birth, Lust, Sex

O-Nushi was the first true female created by Chi'ni. Wrought from the inner light of Chi'ni and the cloudy vapors of the burgeoning cosmos, he placed in her center the Womb of Mortal Life. Charged with the creation of the sentient races and with guiding their Mahata to Oneness, O-Nushi as such is the goddess of fertility and mother of the kami, spirits that inhabit many geographic regions. In the interest of creating new souls out of the Vri'ma, O-Nushi fosters lust between men and women, and it is common for her followers to honor their goddess with orgies that can sometimes last for many days and nights. The birth resulting from these celebrations are greeted with great joy and are seen as a sigh on hope and betterment of life in the future. To aid her in her work, O-Nushi created the beautiful butterfly, Cho-cho, who flitted among the populace, whispering secrets to bashful would-be lovers and inflaming their desire.

Having experienced the pain of labor, she watches over mothers and newborns, and it is said that a being blessed at birth by a Follower of O-Nushi is destined for a positive life.

O-Nushi's place as the ultimate ancestor also and acts as a facilitator for those who wish to seek protection and guidance from ancestors believed to have completed their resurrection cycles. Such beings become members of Chi'ni's court and provide the labor force that sees to the menial tasks found in any bureaucracy.


Tsenshuken

God of Justice, "The Champion"

Areas of Interest: Rulership, Order, Law, Justice, Righteous War, Truth, Honor, Light, Metals, Paladins

Divining a need for order on Thrael, Chi'ni wrenched a volcano from its surface and gave it life by breathing upon it. The fearsome creation, black as the basalt from which is was formed and lit from within by the intensity of a holy fire, stood straight and tall upon the right hand of Chi'ni who bade him to guard the souls of Thrael and to help O-Nushi to guide their Mahata to find Oneness with the Vri'ma.

Upon Thrael, Tsenshuken found great disorder among the people there. O-Nushi had created them in many species, but seemed to Tsenshuken to value physical beauty and wealth above spirituality and self-knowledge, and spent their days in commerce or upon frivolities. Tsenshuken fostered order by favoring the rise of great rulers, and he made the mountains from whence he had been formed into sacred places of refuge and meditation. Yet millennia passed and still there was great disorder. In his frustration, Tsenshuken called upon Chi'ni for aid. Interrupted from its experiments with the cosmos, Chi'ni plucked two glistening hairs from the head of O-Nushi and two coarse strands from Tsenshuken and twined them together. Sighing upon them, it created Irana and Dri'an. Dri'an it charged with cleansing and maintaining the land, and Irana with replanting it.

Thus did Dri'an cause great waves and winds to crash over the land and flames to belch from its mountains, devastating Thrael with The Conflagration. Tsenshuken presided over all with satisfaction, while Irana, who at first sight of the intensity of the god's burning eyes had fallen deeply in love with him, wept, and cradled to her bosom those few souls whom he chose to survive of the many. When the deed was accomplished, Irana set the survivors gently back upon the barren land, aiding them in the building of new settlements. She walked the length and breadth of Thrael, replanting it and watering the seedlings with her tears.

When she was finished, Irana returned to Tsenshuken. Inflamed with her passion for him, yet appalled and indignant that he had sacrificed so many instead of nurturing them and guiding them to the Vri'ma, she offered to him a brew made from the rice that she had planted, which she promised would be potent and full of fire like himself. And when he was made drunk, Tsenshuken became as disordered in his thoughts as those he had cause to be slain, and he looked upon Irana with lust and coupled with her roughly. Waiting until he was asleep, she severed his lingam and carried it to O-Nushi as an offering for the loss of her children. O-Nushi formed from it the god Arani'vait. Together, the three went to Chi'ni to petition him for greater balance. Chi'ni saw the wisdom in this and took from the sullen Dri'an dominion of the waters of Thrael to limit his destructive powers. Chi'ni awoke Tsenshuken and made him aware of what he had done in his drunkenness, filling the god with shame and the awareness of how easily even he could lose control and fall to disorder. Irana turned from Tsenshuken forever, but as a parting gift reached into his being and drew from it the essence of the metals that had lain in the mountain from which he was created, fashioning for him a magnificent suit of armor and the katana of law and order, "Chian".


Tung-pin

God of Luck, "The Prankster", "The Puzzler"

Areas of Interest: Pranks, Gambling, Revelry, Debauchery, Slums, Mazes, Confusion, Enlightenment, Luck, Thievery

Tung-pin made a slight miscalculation. How was he to know that too much youth could be a bad thing? The Child-god, Tung-pin, was once a mature deity given to nasty tricks and causing grief and trouble to others for its own sake. Always a charming rogue, as the other deities found matches to mimic the human relationships they observed Tung-pin wooed Ho Hsien-ko. His reasoning was simple, since Ho Hsien-ko controlled longevity he would gain immortality beyond the ability of Arani'vait to end. Once he learned that Ho Hsien-ko's hair was the key to reducing age, he convinced her to allow him to give her a new hairstyle. He shaved off the right half of her hair before she realized what he was doing. He took the locks and ran, swallowing them all before she could catch him.

The result was not only physical, but mental. Tung-pin became an adolescent in body and mind. He still thinks incredibly fast, able to craft problems and reach solutions long before many of the mature gods. The intent and focus of his machinations has changed drastically. Tung-pin no longer tricks people to cause pain, but instead to improve them, make them think, or help them solve other problems. Having the mind of an adolescent does pose problems though, causing him to sometimes overestimate the abilities of a victim of his pranks.

Tung-pin's favorite shape is that of a black monkey, and in that shape he is prone to prowl the back streets of cities where he delights in confusing travelers and getting them lost among the unfamiliar streets. Fond of revelry, he also seeks out gambling dens where he can carouse throughout the night with other errant spirits, and a festival is not complete without a dancer or mummer dressed as Tung-pin in his monkey guise. For these reasons he is considered the patron god of thieves and gamblers.

Tung-pin is most often represented as an extraordinarily beautiful male Tesugan child with a careless attitude.


Yin'wan

Goddess of War, "The She-Devil", "The Vengeful One"

Areas of Interest: War, Wanton Destruction, Revenge, Hatred, Plants, Night, Darkness, Torture, Pain, Dark Creatures, Control of the Darker Forces of the Undead, Prophesy

The being who was destined to become Yin'wan was the spirit of the largest tree ever to have existed. The roots of this tree covered an entire continent while its branches stretched miles up into the air. None had ever reached its top.

When the giants ruled the land, a great warrior-king among them wanted his throne fashioned from this tree, proving his might by felling the oldest living thing. Giants labored for ages cutting at the tree and eventually managed to do enough damage to the trunk that the majestic tree was felled. The spirit of the tree went before the judgement of the underworld. She managed to avoid Arani'vait's will and went before Chi'ni, furious and full of hate demanding retribution upon all beings that harmed others for greed. Chi'ni studied Yin'wan and decreed that she would henceforth take the place of the former deity of war and destruction, an incompetent deity whose name has been lost to time, and to counter Tsenshuken, who had become too strong.

Yin'wan immediately used her authority to break the giants, pitting them against each other as well as pushing the dragyns to expand into the giants' territory. Her hate spurring her on, she used all her powers in order to prevent any plans the giants had from reaching fruition. Destroyed, the society of the giants dissolved, leaving only hulking brutes rampaging occasionally through the world.

Finding no succor to her Mahata, Yin'wan turned her attention to the developing races, using guile and any other means at her disposal to bring senseless wars to the world, reveling in the pain and destruction that resulted. Having perfected the ability to circumvent Arani'vait, she learned to control and pervert the undead, suing them for her dark purposes and releasing them to haunt the night.

Her chosen form is that for a statuesque woman with Tesugan features and three faces around her head. She is often depicted talking to three different parties with each face as they attempt to slaughter each other.


The Animal Courts

Each type of animal in the world has an intelligent, "perfect" epitome of its kind. These are known as the Ruler of Monkey, etc. They often band together in small groups of near kinship called Animal Courts. Each Animal Court is subservient to Ao Shun and reports to him on the activities of their animal kin.