Secrets of Desylinn: The Divine Index (Part 2)

Part 1

Nhoj: (“The Apathetic King”, “Lorekeeper”, “The Unmaker”): One of the Firstborn of Chaos. He is the God of Knowledge and the Chaosgate of Void, Husband of Ssita, Father of Bahu and Tiala. Usually portrayed as being covered in armored scales, he has a massive spiked tail on which he impales his stray thoughts. The large ram's horns on his head twist and turn, each one inscribed with the most terrible of the Lorekeeper's secrets . He has six wings: two of a dragon, two of a giant bird, and two made of branches and leaves, though all of them have been known to change at random. His eyes burn with the hungry nothingness of the void and his own insatiable curiosity. As the Chaosgate of Void, he regulates the return of Ordered energies back to Chaos energies. During the First War he and Mar knocked over the Oldest’s stew pot and created the mortal plane. He cast Mar’ies out of the Realm of the Gods for the death of the Nameless One, and tore the young god Derrick apart. Using his ancient and terrible knowledge he crafted the Seal. He is the patron god of the Library. Some say creatures bound to him still live in the Blackfire Mountains, but those who have dared that place are unable or unwilling to confirm this long held rumor.

The Oldest: (“The Grand Stewmaker”, “The First”, “The Cooker of Men”) One of the Firstborn of Chaos. He is the god of Time and Fate. He is the Father of Mar, and the Husband of Daras. He appears as an impossibly old man sitting naked on the back of a turtle. A cloud of three-eyed ravens flies above his head. In his lap is a massive stewpot, within which is the Stew of Fate. As the first born of Chaos he is merely called the Oldest as there is none with the right to name him. The Oldest's powers are often nebulous. While he doesn't dictate the actions of men or gods, there is a specific plan for the Stew. He merely sets things into motion and then lets the flavors mix and combine in new and interesting ways.

Omoshiroi Renga: (“Slayer of Tyrants”) God of Justice and Destiny: One of the Five Glorious Transcendants. As a mortal he worked as a bodyguard for a young elven lord whom he loved as if he was his own. In a less-than-subtle political ploy, the young lord was assassinated. Renga ended up brutally slaughtering the assassin and several of the young lord's servants in his blind fury. He swore that he would make it right and bring Justice to those responsible for this crime. The trail lead him to Empress Arcadia herself. But knowing that he must keep his promise, Renga swore to kill the leader of the empire for her crimes. It was then that Daras came and reforged his shattered swords into the Claw of the Just and the Sword of the Dragon at War. They allowed him to unlock his full potential. In the final moments of his battle with Arcadia he was able to unlock his divinity, as was his destiny. Indeed, with him the concept of Destiny itself was unlocked. His ties to Daras remain deep, and he can even manifest as she does to those who are destined.

Ssita: (“Breath of the World”, “Goddess of the Infinite Sky”): One of the Firstborn of Chaos. She is the Goddess of the Sky, Wife of Nhoj, and the Mother of Bahu and Tiala. She has the top half of a woman and the bottom half of a long draconic serpent. She has six feathery wings sprouting from her back. She has three eyes: the sun, the moon, and a sandstorm. As the Chaosgate of Creation, she is the source of all magic and matter in the universe. She created the lash-ti-nowish when she sighed across the sand of the Dragon Sands. She was the one who devised the idea of the Seal against the gods. With the help of Daras and Nhoj she put forth the plan that destroyed the Marian Empire.

Talasia: (“The Glorious Strategist”, “Who Lied with the Truth”). Goddess of Secrets and Revolution. One of the Five Glorious Transcendants. She was a seeress of Ishari who escaped from the Imperial Capitol. Her divine task was to set in the motion the rest of the Five, and lift the centuries-old spell that had put the dragons to sleep. She is partly responsible for the Transcension of Badblood, because she told her that her line would end with her. While a true statement, she didn’t explain that this was because of her orc/elven ancestry. After the Fall of the Empire she devoted herself to seeking out the secrets of the Seal, and of the other Five's Transcensions. This knowledge and the secrets she gathered lead to her own transformation into a Goddess. Talasia is connected to the Oldest.

Tiala: (“Queen of the Boundless Sea”, “Flesh Crafter”): The Goddess of the Sea, Wife of Bahu, Mother of the Dragons, Ishari, Tlal, and Daikado. She shaped the valleys of the continent and the shapes of the southern islands. When she first gave birth to the dragons she cleared the water from what came to be the Dragon Sands to create a birthing bed. Her afterbirth and the shards of the dragons eggs left the sands permanently colored. She shaped the forms of the dwarves from stone and metal ore and gave them to her husband, who brought them to life. Beneath the waters she is one of the most commonly worshiped by the strange creatures there, though above the waters it is only sailors and the most devoted of dwarves that honor her.

Tlal: (“Lord Stormcloud”, “The Crackling Dragon”): He is the God of the Angry Heavens, and younger brother of Ishari. When he was born he and his brother Daikado began their war. They were so loud that they distracted their older sister after she had given birth to the Nameless One. Such was her distraction that she could not protect her nameless child from Mar'ies. Like his brother, Tlal is frozen in place by the Seal. He lives on the southern pole at the center of a continent made from a solidified hurricane. His worshipers believe that one day he shall tear his prison asunder and punish the world with endless storms.

The Unbroken: (“The One Mind”, “The Over Golem”):Not a true God but a powerful force within the world. In the first years of the Empire the Imperial Guard were slowly transformed into automatons powered by the warriors' souls. When Bjord's song freed the golems from Arcadia's control those spirits reached out and found each other. Freed from containment but still connected to their bodies, these spirits formed a network of spiritual connections. This melding of spirits was the beginning of the Unbroken. Now any two Shards can create a fragment of the Unbroken but once a year all of the Shards will open their souls to create the fullest experience of it. It is then that many of the golems will seek guidance as to their place in the universe and their role in society. The Unbroken's existence was spared by Nhoj from Daras, who wanted to reclaim what was hers. Because of this, the Shards cannot see the manifestations of Daras and her worshipers are forbidden from touching them.

Wargog: (“The Kindred Father”). God of War and Dance. One of the Five Glorious Transcendants: Born into slavery under the elves as a young minotaur he was able to escape by traveling into the Blackfire Mountains. His strategic mind and personal strength are thought by many to have been enhanced by the strange magics there. He founded a band of rebels called the Blackfire Brothers, of which he was the sole survivor. He was renowned for his fighting style, the Dance of the Heavens, a terrifying dance of destruction that worked well against large numbers. He received the blessing of Ssita in the form of the Great Axe of the Heavens: a weapon without equal. His task was to gather the slaves under a single banner and lead them against the Empire. He was the one who spared the Library from the rampaging horde of the Kindred when they sacked the city. There is a designated shrine to him within the walls of that place. He is connected to Ssita.

The Wild Ones: Born from the three pieces of Derrick. They are regarded by many as one deity. They are changeling gods and have no set appearance or gender. They created the gren in mockery of the elves, who refused to play with them. They are known to change shape into the forms of mortals as a way of bypassing the prohibitions of the Seal, and they typically travel together. They are at their most powerful when they are together, though they are known to spend time apart. Sometime they set up small cults to themselves or their siblings.

-Shala- The Wild One of Beauty. Is concerned with vanity, physical beauty, inner beauty, natural beauty, and unnatural beauty.

-Daros- The Wild One of Desire. Is concerned with wishes, hunger, and physical desire. No known children.

-Kurro- The Wild One of Passion. Is concerned with love, hate, lust, rage, rancor, and all other things of that particular nature.  

Secrets of Desylinn: The Divine Index (Part 1)

Divine Index

Ariga: (“The Earth Mother”, “The Broken Hearted”): One of the Firstborn of Chaos. Her appearance changes with the seasons, though she always looks like a human female in a perfect, 'goddess' form. In spring she is a young girl. In summer she takes the form of a beautiful maiden. In fall she is a new mother, and in winter she is a crone. Apart from these guidelines, her actual physical appearance varies with the year she appears in. She created the humans and put them on the islands to the south, shaping them in her own and Mar's image. She was the betrothed of Mar, but he fell in love with Ishari, and broke her heart. She gave new life to the Wild Ones from the pieces of Derrick. During the Fall of the Empire it was her blessing (in the form of her everchanging hair) that created and imbued the Voice of the Changeling with power. This led to her and Bjord Halffoot becoming romantically entangled after his Transcention.

Badblood: (“The Transcended One”): Goddess of Magic and Self Sacrifice: First of the Five Glorious Transcendants. She was the only one of the Five to self-transcend. She bore the Orb of the Forbidden, a nexus of bizarre powers given form by Nhoj. Her mixed orcish/elven heritage drove her towards her destructive destiny. She died siphoning off enough power to level the Sentinel City of the Empire. The power she gathered made her subject to the power of the Seal and ejected her from the mortal plane. Each of the five became representative of one of the Firstborn; Badblood is connected to Nhoj.

Bahu: (“Greatest of the Dragons”, “Father God of Dragonkind”, “Life Breather” “Mountain Maker”): God of the Mountains, Chief God of the Dwarves, Husband of Tiamet. He created the mountains by sowing the earth with his scales so that his children would have homes. The dwarves he created by breathing life into dolls fashioned by Tiamet. He is the sire of all dragons and the father of Ishari, Tlal, and Daikado. He rules the universe in the role of steward because his father (Nhoj) never wanted the job.

Bjord Half-Foot: God of Music and Altruism: One of the Five Glorious Transcendants. His task in the final battle was to inspire those around him and to distract the golem army that protected the elven capitol. His song made the stones of the city wall weep. Once the Golems stood before him during the siege of Salastria, such was the power of his music that it freed them from the control of Arcadia. This magic allowed for the creation of the Unbroken. In the days after the fall he was instrumental in the creation of both the city of Hub and the surrounding proto-nation of E'artlan. Bjord is connected to Ariga; through this connection, they fell in love.

Chaos: The formless void of infinite potential that the Firstborn spawned from. Ssita and Nhoj are the only of the Firstborn who still have any direct contact. All others both mortal and god are protected by the Chaosgate that the two lovers maintain. Ssita draws substance from it to sustain creation, while Nhoj draws the excess order and returns it to Grandmother Chaos. In the mad ramblings of the Prophet, it is said that the love of King and Queen shall falter and all shall return to the Grandmother's terrible embrace.

Daikado: (“King of the Burning Mountain”, “The Hell Toad”): God of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. The twin brother of Tlal. He hates his brother with the deep burning rage only found in the molten heart of the planet. Their constant war with each other forced Ssita and Nhoj to lay down the limitations on god mortal interaction, and create the Seal. As punishment, he and Tlal (as well as Mar’ies) were used as the three points affixing the Seal to the mortal plane. His followers speak of a time when the egg of the world will crack and loose the Hell Toad to devour his enemies.

Daras: (“The Gentle End”, “Queen of the Last Breath”): She is one of the Firstborn of Chaos and bound in marriage to the Oldest. As the Goddess of Death, she brings souls from the world. She is pictured as a skeletal dragon with huge white wings and one black claw and one red claw dripping with gore. She uses this form to carry the souls away from large battles. For more personal deaths she takes the form of a pale maiden with black hair in a white cloak. One hand is black, the other red and dripping. In either form her black hand is used to sever the soul from the flesh (a painless and rather soothing process to the recently slain), and her red hand severs the flesh from the soul. This red hand is reserved for those that try to impede her in her work. The spirits severed with the red hand remain on the mortal plane until the madness brought by the pain of the severing is gone. For some this is a few years, while others have still yet to fade. The manifestations of Daras (of which she can have as many as needed) are drawn to dying things. Violence, decay, disease, and famine are signals that will summon her manifestations. Daras is one of few gods that mortals can actually see (with the exception of occasionally the Wild Ones, and the three that are trapped on the plane for punishment). Those that are close to death will be able to see the manifestations of Daras. The closer they are to death, the more clearly they will be able to see the goddess. Only those that are truly dead have ever seen her eyes.

Derrick: The god that burst from the Nameless One’s genitals. He was a short-lived changeling god. He/She/It was pestering Nhoj and in a fit of annoyed rage, Nhoj tore Derrick into three pieces. These pieces were later picked up by Ariga and transformed into the Wild Ones.

Ishari: (“Marsh Maker”, “Great Protector”, “Sal Iba”[Eye Mother], “Beautiful Mother of Mar’ies”): The Goddess of Truth and Running Waters. Daughter of Bahu and Tiala. Mother of Mar'ies and the Nameless One. She married Mar, but after the Fall of her Unnamed son she left the god of Law. The grisly death of the Nameless One was defended by her husband and so soured her love for him. She hasn't spoken to either Mar or Mar'ies since then. She created the lizardwomen and the great Geato marsh by mixing her tears with the blood of her murdered child, the Nameless One. She created the krishtog when her joyful sigh mixed with her tears. Each of those races worship her almost exclusively.

Mar’ies: (“Beloved Father of Elf Kind”, “King of the Infinite North”): God of Ice. He is the arrogant and beautiful ancestor of the elves. He threw his nameless brother to earth because he thought that his beautiful mother shouldn't be near something so ugly. He was cast down to the mortal plane for this action. He created the Northlands by freezing the sea water around the place he landed. He shaped this mass of ice into a beautiful and dangerous realm. When the Seal was put into place he was used as one of its affixing points, and as such cannot physically use his powers to influence mortals. He is allowed the use of his voice, however, and so dictates his will to those that remain in the Northland. However, he has no true power to enforce his edicts.

Mar: (“The Father of Mar’ies”, “The Shining Protector”, “The Beautiful Tyrant”): The god of Law and Son of Daras and The Oldest. His appearance is that of the perfect human male. He fought with Nhoj for the hand of Ssita to become king of the universe. His loss in the First War is perhaps one of the most defining moments in this universe. Briefly betrothed to Ariga until Ishari was born wherein he married the wildly beautiful River Goddess. He loved his first son more than his wife. He is the model for the human physical appearance because of Ariga’s loneliness and betrayal by him.

The Nameless One: (“Lord Tomorrow”, “The Deformed King”, “The Burning Gatekeeper”, “The Smoldering Judge”): The God of Fire. He is the son of Ishari and Mar, and the younger brother of Mar'ies. He gave life with his death. The Kindred were created from his teeth and brains and the Geato Abira from the mix of his blood and his mother's tears. His loins were what made the Fertile Lands fertile and his genitals became the changeling god Derrick. He is worshipped as the god of the afterlife amongst the Kindred. He judges each soul before they are sent to their afterlife. He grades each Kinfolk as one of his teeth, those that are worthy are placed back in his mouth. Those that aren't are sent back to the world. Those that have some great sin on their souls are eaten and sent back once they have been purified within him. He is also used as a boogieman by the elves.

Religions of Desylinn (Part Two)

Other Religions of Desylinn:

Cults abound throughout the world, worshipping an aspect of a single god or paying honor to several gods. There are a handful of faiths other than those mentioned in the previous post. These churches and cults have massive influence on Desylinn. Some are loosely organized but share common themes in their worship, others venerate a specific god as creator of their race affecting their culture and politics. Some of these faiths welcome worshippers with open arms, while others attempt to remain secretive. 

The Cults of the Brothers: (Violence, Earth, Storm): Cults venerating the brothers Daikado or Tlal are common. This is especially true in the Kindred lands where the races of the Kindred still practice ancient tribalism rather than the current khan society. No cult venerates both brothers, instead choosing one or the other, and declaring any cult worshipping the opposing brother as mortal enemies. Violence is a sacred act made more holy if the violence is done to the “enemy”.  The cults can also be found in the lands of the Geato Marsh, practiced by a few of the more bloodthirsty lizard folk who have been influenced by their Kindred allies. Cults made up of Gren males worshiping one of the brothers are not uncommon. These cults rarely last long as Gren tend to embrace the violence too enthusiastically without the influence of the Soothing. 

The First Forges of the Ancestors: (Dragons, Stone, Crafting, Honor, Humility): Paying deep homage to their ancestors, the Dwarves also revere and honor the Dragons, worshiping the divine creatures which guide their race. Since the Dragons reawakened after the collapse of the Empire of Mariea, there has been resurgence in pilgrimages to earn a place at the First Forges. It is here where a clan’s dragons hold court and the seers who have followed the Paths of the Ancestors can consult with the divine “parents” of the Dwarven race. The Path of the Ancestors can be taken either through the maternal line or the paternal line, tracing oneself generationally back to the First Forge and walking back through the line to the clan’s First Forge. Most view this as metaphorical, choosing to “walk” the path between two altars at one of the holy sites. However the most devout will physically walk from shrine to shrine until they arrive at the First Forge. The devout who take arduous journeys earn significant respect from fellow Dwarves and from the Dragons. 

The Chantries of Mar: (Law, Tyranny, Conquest, Light): The Imperial Elves worship Mar like children worship grandparents. There is a certain awed reverence as well as an enthusiastic hope in the ceremonies of the elves that does not exist in their culture outside of their cathedrals. Mar, being the literal grandfather of the elven race, is one of the few gods that actually welcomes worshipers. Part pomp and pageantry, part genealogy those Elves active in the Church learn the chant of their ancestors back to Mari’es the father of the race. The shorter your chant, the more pride and honor you have among the church and the race.  While the elves worship Mar with a strange enthusiasm, there is little in the way of outright worship of Mari’es. He is respected and honored but there is little worship among the Elves in Desylinn. There are faithful who will make a pilgrimage to the Throne of Mari’es, in order to honor their father and their divine grandfather. Most never return from these journeys, but whether it is because they have chosen to stay at the Throne or because they have perished few can say. 

The Temples of Ishari (Truth, Running Water, Purity, Visions):  Before the Empire of Maries encroached on the Geato Marsh, the temples and shrines of Ishari  were loosely organized with tribal seers wandering the swamp and guiding the villages. After the Empire’s fall the church became more militant, bringing order to the Marsh. It has since become a loose confederacy of village shrines and temples, controlled by the priestesses of Ishari in the City of Pure Waters. The city has always been their holy city but has become even more important since the church's organization. The church is highly structured with holy days and weekly observances, with emphasis placed on truth and purity. They also strive towards fulfilling and preparing for the visions of the priestesses. Telling a falsehood in a temple of Ishari is always met with a watery death, and because her temple is usually filled with magically purified river water, this death comes immediately. 

The Nameless One: (Unnamed things, Ugliness, Sacrifice) There are no true cults or churches to the Nameless One. Those created from the Sundered God’s body may say a quiet prayer of thanks after waking, after a battle, or after a long journey, but no temples or shrines exist. He is treated as a divine judge, particularly by the Kindred races, who believe they must stand before him and be accepted as one of his teeth. The belief is learned by Kindred children, and is carried into adulthood. Whether the Nameless One actually does stand in judgment, and more importantly what he actually judges, none can say. But the idea carries weight even by Kindred raised outside the khan. 

The Cults of the Wild Ones:  (Beauty, Desire, Passion): The gods Shala, Daros, and Kuro are worshipped by the Gren as the creators of their race. They are venerated by artists, musicians, warriors, and lovers. Most cults are impromptu affairs, coming into existence when there is a perceived need, and dissipating as soon as the congregation loses interest. Gren ceremonies are typically short and informal, making a sacrifice of wine, song or dance to the gods as a simple acknowledgment before celebrating. The Gren women will conduct secret quiet ceremonies to Shala once or twice a year, and at the same time Gren men will banish themselves to secret places to revere Kuro. These rituals sometimes become bloody and disturbing affairs. The Wild Ones, the three gods other than Daras that can slip through the Seal, will sometimes create their own cults, making them large and extravagant before being distracted by something else and moving on. 

The Church of Divine Harmony: The Church of Divine Harmony honors divine love, especially that between Nhoj and Ssitta, rather than a single or small group of deities. The Church’s primary motivation is to honor creation, which they see as coming from the divine love of Nhoj and Ssitta, but also through the other divine couples. They worship Nhoj and Ssita as well as Bahu and Tiala, with many sects also revering Ariga and Bjord Half-foot. Most of the weddings throughout Eartlinn are conducted by the clergy of this church. The religion is not particularly formal, finding the celebration of love through simple acts between couples and treating marriage, consummation, and even child-birth as sacred joyful rites. Ceremonies are celebratory in nature without strict tenants. The clergy are typically couples who are happy to give love and comfort to anybody seeking it, and will dole out advice to the lovelorn and heartbroken. 

Cult of the Unmaker (Destruction, chaos): The only cult of Nhoj dedicated to his aspect of Chaos to remain in existence longer than a few arbitrary years or decades. Being far more organized than any cult dedicated to chaos should be the Unmakers have two clear goals: First seek out lost knowledge and divine artifacts from the First War, the war fought between Njoh and Mar over Ssitta in the days before mortals. The second goal is to use the artifacts, bits of knowledge and raw magic to seek out those it considers abominations and unmake them. The history of the cult is contradictory, much being lost to time. Those that are particularly devoted have an uncomfortable aura about them and a distant mad look in their eyes. As if they had looked through the Chaosgate itself. 

The Bloody Sacrament of the Everwar: More than a simple cult of the Brothers, the Sacrament is organized, efficient and focused. The goal of the Sacrament is simple: All of Existence must choose a side of one of the Brothers, and until that time the Sacrament must endeavor to convert each and every thing to the battle. A congregation will worship either Tlal or Daikado never both, and violence will erupt between the opposing congregations. But each congregation will work together to bring outsiders into their battle. The Sacrament’ goals are not obvious, and they may appear as a cult or church of another god from the outside. Seeking out the downtrodden and the disenfranchised, as these individuals most often make the most devote adherents. The Sacrament often conducts secret esoteric rights, only including converts after they’ve completed certain forms of initiations that range from dangerous to humiliating. The Sacrament will happily convert entire villages to lead them to war. They will also seek out separate cults of the Brothers to bring them into the fold, or annihilate them depending on the sect.  

Religions of Desylinn (Part One)

The Church of the Five:

The Church of the Five Glorious Transcendents, or the Church of the Five, is usually found under a single roof. The five separate cults share a common theme, the idea that through glorious acts even mortals can ascend as godly beings. Most of the clergy follow a single cult, though a small group of the clergy follow all Five Transcendents. They are usually in charge of overseeing the church as a whole and act as ambassadors for the church in other lands or to the Great Guilds. They also mediate between individual cults when there is conflict. The majority of followers live in Eartlinn, primarily Hub, where the church was founded and where it has a major influence on the city. The cults are as follows:

• The Cult of the Beloved (God of Music and Altruism): The followers of Bjord Half-foot (the Beloved) know the path to transcendence comes from aiding others. Adherents strive for the same level of compassion that bard Bjord had during his life. The clergy are usually musicians, even if they are poor ones. This isn’t a strict requirement though, and any are welcome who are willing to give of themselves. Always striving for the easement of others through selfless acts, the only true sin is watching another suffer and doing nothing, particularly if that person is a child. 
• The Cult of the Slayer (God of Justice and Destiny):  The followers of Omoshiroi Renga (Slayer of Tyrants) follow one of two paths: The followers of the path of Destiny are usually disappointed to discover they are not destined for great things. Only those destined to become divine can truly excel in the Destiny aspect of Renga’s portfolio. Most adherents are followers of Renga’s aspect for Justice and come from the ranks of the Blacksmiths Guild. The Arbiters are the clergy of this branch and are considered the fairest judges in Desylinn. Their verdicts are rarely opposed and their judgments are oft times profound, reaching the level of prophecy.
• The Cult of the Strategist (Secrets and Revolution): The followers of Talasia (The Strategist) seek out secrets like thirsty men seek water. The cult’s primary goal is the acquisition of forbidden or suppressed knowledge. Using that knowledge to rout corruption makes this path a tricky one to follow. Followers are warned that knowledge can corrupt as easily as it enlightens. The clergy of this cult tend to be secretive, only keeping a token presence in any Church. Set up as small cells, they are treated with mild suspicion by outsiders especially because many members of the Music Guild are adherents. 
• The Cult of the Self Ascended (Magic): Those that follow Bad-blood (the Self Ascended) all have the spark of magic running through their veins. Of all the Cults of the Five, the worshipers of Bad-blood seek raw power as a means to transcend. Shrines are found in nearly every Mage’s School, as well as in the Churches of the Five itself. Anyone with the ability to cast some magic will find themselves whispering a prayer to Bad-blood to bring about the Bliss or relinquish them from Despair. While widely worshiped her clergy are barely organized compared to the other Cults. 
• Cult of the Kindred Father (War and Dance): The most popular cult among the Kindred, the followers of Wargog (The Kindred Father and The Wardancer) consider themselves a brotherhood. The clergy of The Kindred Father hope to guide the followers of Wargog through trials teaching that life is a great Dance. Also a god of war, the cult places more emphasis on the idea of sound strategy before the glorious battle. When battle must be engaged the Church teaches the worshipers to embrace it, it’s all part of the Great Dance.

The Churches of the First Born of Chaos:

The First Born of Chaos created the world of Desylinn. This does not make them “good” however.  While some, like Ariga or Ssita could be considered beneficent, they are most often indifferent to the world at large. Being more interested in studying the outcome of their experiment than they are in being worshiped. Even so many of the races praise the names of the First Born  and their cults are an important part of everyday life throughout Desylinn. Their worship is more informal than that of the Church of the Five, or the Chantries of Mar. The churches are as follows: 

• Church of the Oldest(Fate):  The one requirement of the Church of the Oldest is that all clergy  must be able to cook. The priests learn to cook to gain knowledge of the subtle interplays of flavor. They parallel this with Fate, which is also subtle and easy to miss. The faith’s goal is to seek out knowledge to help understand intricacies of Fate. Unlike the Cult of Strategist, the knowledge the Church of the Oldest gathers is open to anyone. The clergy are eager to learn all things but place a particular emphasis on history and natural events. This church is not widely popular, but does have some followers ranked among spell casters, members of the Ogrekhan and the Shards, the latter worshiping the Old Man despite their inability to taste their own cooking. 
• The Church of Ssitta(Creation, Sun, Moon): The most commonly worshiped of the Firstborn, Ssitta (The Chaosgate of Creation) is both the goddess of creation, as well as the goddess of the sun and moon. Her adherents follow many paths and her church is much less a church than it is a series of cults. Regarded as a benevolent goddess many crafters follow Ssitta, shrines existing wherever there is creation being done. Travelers also pay homage to the goddess, seeking her guidance as she looks down upon Desylinn. The Lash-ti-Nowish have organized their worship of her, placing shrines at regular intervals in the Dragon Sands. They have solemn ceremonies that have become common to the entire race. 
• The Church of Ariga (Farming, the Seasons): Worshiped by farmers, lumberjacks and even miners, Ariga is respected by all who work the land. Closely tied to the seasons as well, every town, village, enclave or outpost will have a shrine to the goddess. Her church is simple the clergy hold ceremonies seeking the goddess’ blessing for the growing season, harvest, or even for a safe winter. While honored all over Desylinn, she’s most widely worshiped by humans in the southern islands, where her church has become central to the Kingdom of Arigunta. 
• The Churches of Nhoj (Magic, Knowledge, Chaos): Nhoj’s (Chaos Gate of the Void) cults, while not forbidden, are regarded with suspicion. The cults are often linear in their worship. While one cult may embrace the pursuit of learning to the point of self-deprecation and asceticism, another may endeavor to meaningless destruction. The most predominate cult of Nhoj, The Cult of the Unmaker, is discussed below.  Most who worship the knowledge aspect of Nhoj do so in private. The exception to this is the Shards who venerate the god as a creator. It was his interference that prevented Daras from collecting their souls making her blind to their deaths and allowing the creation of the Unbroken. 
• The Cult of Daras (Death): All mortals know Daras, the Gentle End, for all must die. She’s is rarely worshiped directly, but all will see her. One of only four gods able to penetrate the Seal, she’s the only god every living creature will meet. Although those around death will see her as she comes to collect the souls of those who’ve just died. She does not approve of worship, but she does tolerate a small cult that aides her in the gathering of souls, typically by summoning her manifestation. These manifestations are summoned to gather spirits that have not moved on or have become lost, or to punish those who have tried to escape her embrace.  

(Part 2 Here)