The Alékians believe the universe came from Nothing: Na, the primordial deity of space was a darkness of everything. Some ponder that among the emptiness, Na were lonely, yet nothing existed nor ever had, so what They could possibly long for, is not for mortal comprehension. It is said that from the Nothing, the Creator Xev– Deity of Beginnings -Made Themself, and began to Be. Beneath Their cosmic wing, They harbored Leje– Gods of Life. Leje begat Kiiri– Goddess of Death -and Kiiri in turn begat Saeza– Gods of Soul. Amid the Wake of the Four, entities Ts’ol and Ea were bore, and They gifted Xev with purpose: Time and Energy. Thus sprang forth the Gods of Matter: Favu, Muthou, and Hrobuu– Gods of Air, Fluid, and Ground -who formed nebulae, asteroids, and eventually planets with their Domains. It is in this which Alékians believe they are: a precious minuscule moment bound by the delicate Dance of Domains, and it is prophesied that one day the Eleventh Domain will arrive. Gox– The Destroyer, Deity of Ends -will come to consume all, and thus return the universe to the darkness of Na.
EXPLORE THE ALÉKIAN PANTHEON
EXPLORE EXTRA-PLANAR PANTHEONS
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CONTENTS
TYPES OF DEITIES
The gods do not stand equal, nor are they a single chorus. Deities known to Alékians span beyond this realm—born from different sources, bound to different duties, and revered in different ways. Some are prime powers, shaping worlds with every breath. Others are fragments, born of echoes, accidents, or need. They can act as guardians, attendants, and exiles, their ranks swelling into pantheons too tangled for any mortal mind to fully hold.
To speak of the gods, then, is to speak also of their order—their rank, their origin, their relation, their status. Such terms are not only tools of classification, but a way to glimpse the patterns of power: who creates, who tends, who destroys, who lingers. Though their forms and fates differ, all are woven into the same tapestry, and only through order can their enormity be approached.
DEITIES BY RANK
Overdeities
An overdeity is—just as the name implies—above all things. They are beyond the reach of mortal perception, even beyond the reach of most other gods. Though they could bend themselves toward mortal understanding, they never do. They do not walk among worshippers, do not answer prayers, do not grant or revoke power. If mortals know of them at all, it is never through direct encounter. Instead, their existence filters into creation like a watermark: present in idioms, echoed in languages, shaping the spine of myth and story across cultures.
They have no temples, no true priests—only scattered whispers and traces of recognition. Yet their reality is undeniable, for they are the deep structures upon which Alékia itself rests.
There are only two true examples of overdeities in Alékia: Xev and Gox.
High Deities
High deities stand just below the unreachable overdeities. They are still nearly beyond mortal comprehension, yet unlike their higher counterparts, their existence is firmly woven into the fabric of myth and worship. They are immense powers with vast domains—so expansive that mortals cannot perceive their borders—but those domains are still domains, meaning they have natural limits.
Unlike lesser gods, high deities do not draw their strength from followers. They exist whether or not they are named in prayer, and the worship they do receive changes them only faintly. High deities cannot be summoned by any means known. Their will alone determines when, if ever, they show their presence. Rarely do they manifest to mortals, and never directly; instead, they act through vectors—distillations, lesser deities, or events that twist the laws of physics and defy the mysteries of magic. This is why depictions and doctrines vary so greatly across cultures: each is grappling with only a sliver of the truth.
The best-known examples of high deities are the Cosmic Trinity—sometimes called the Fundamental Three: Na the Primordial of Space, Ts’ol the Primordial of Time, and Ea the Primordial of Energy. Together, they are the circuit of the realm: each woven into and fueling the others.
Greater Deities
Greater deities embody power more approachable to mortal minds. Their domains are narrower, more defined, and often tied to forces or phenomena mortals can observe—life, death, storms, tides, mountains. This conceptual clarity allows worshippers to personify them, and thus entire systems of organized worship arose: temples, effigies, doctrine, and ritual. Millions across Alékia honor these deities in public rites and private prayers.
Unlike the high deities, greater deities sometimes intervene in mortal affairs, though rarely. When they do, they appear in simplified manifestations—glimpses contained enough for mortals to withstand, yet unmistakably divine. They are known to have gifted great power to mortals they favor, as well as to revoke power from those they deem no longer worthy.
There is debate among both scholars and worshippers about whether greater deities can be summoned. Some argue they cannot be compelled at all, though mortals may invite their presence if the deity chooses to abide. Others hold that while the true god can never be summoned, aspects or projections of their power can be called forth—though only at tremendous cost in energy and ritual precision.
Two Alékian Trinities exemplify greater deities: the Mortal Gods and the Material Gods.
The Mortal Trinity, sometimes referred to as the Existential Gods or the Conscious Trio, are the deities most closely bound to the cycle of mortal life: Saeza, Leje, and Kiiri. They are the foundations of the mortal experience- conception, growth, and death.
The Material Trinity, also known as the Elemental Gods or the Chemical Trio, comprises the deities Favu, Muthou, and Hrobuu. These are the anchors of the physical world- air, water, and stone. They shape the elements that mortals walk upon, breathe, and drink, building the mortal experience to the very foundation of the planet.
Where the Mortal Trinity moves through the fleeting lives of people, the Material Trinity embodies the enduring world itself. Together they form the sixfold balance upon which mortal existence depends.
Intermediate Deities
Intermediate deities hold domains over more finite concepts than greater gods, yet still command powers vast enough to shape millennia. They often stand in allegiance or vassalship to greater—or even high—deities, forming the connective tissue of pantheons. Their worshippers number in the hundreds of thousands, and though they rarely appear to mortals, when they do, their forms remain restrained for mortal comprehension.
Some are aspects of more powerful deities and act as servant avatars or incorporated fragments of their suzerain. Ba’lejel, the gods of knowledge and an aspect of Leje as well as Ba’saemo, the goddess of spirit, and Ba’saeshej, the god of Sentiment—both Aspects of Saeza—are prime examples of this.
Others operate more independently, tied to multiple higher powers or none at all. These shifting allegiances can make their worship diffused and complex, as with the Triplet Goddesses: Hroje, goddess of bone, Muje, goddess of blood, and Faje, goddess of breath. All three are associated with Leje and Kiiri, however, each is also claimed by one of the three Material Trinity: Hroje to Hrobuu, Muje to Muthou, and Faje to Favu.
Lesser Deities
Lesser deities govern even narrower domains, though the line between this rank and intermediate is often blurred. Their followings usually number in the thousands to tens of thousands, with some even surpassing what is believed to be the threshold to a higher rank. However, the relative power of a divine entity can shift with time: via conflict, alliances, number of followers, or intensity of worship.
Most lesser deities serve directly beneath a greater god, appearing to mortals without the need to veil their forms. To worshipers, their raw presence could seem as overwhelming as any higher deity, creating a fluid sense of rank within pantheons.
Some are direct aspects of their patron gods. Each deity of the Mortal and Material Trinities is said to embody paired aspects of virtue and sin, yielding twelve in total: Lehro, Yeythou, Nabele, Kyavu, Saeri, Zajay, Fabuu, Vuthou, Mubuu, Thouvu, Rrovu, and Buuthou. Others serve in sub-groupings beneath their suzerain, such as the Vector Deities of Kiiri, the Multifaced Gods of Emotion, or the countless evolving pantheons that unfurl under Leje’s domain of life.
Demigods
Despite their name, demigods are not half-gods, but the weakest rung of true divinity. They can perform the most basic godly acts, yet even these are vastly beyond superhuman capabilities. They typically represent single facets of mortal life and attract hundreds or thousands of followers.
Because of their limited scope, ambitious clerics rarely pledge to demigods, but when they do, these minor deities often pour all their strength into their chosen, gifting blessings out of gratitude. Demigods are also the most likely to appear when called, manifesting openly to their worshippers—though never with the overwhelming force of their betters. Common examples of Alékian demigods include Le’fep, the gods of music and dance, Ta’toi, the god of money and wealth, and Ku’wis, the goddess of hearth and hospitality.
Quasi-Deities
This rank of entities is also known as hero deities, and they are beings with divine qualities but not full godhood. They may be children of gods, or mortals who—through millennia and ritual, or stolen power—achieved immortality. They cannot grant power in the manner of true gods, but they may lend their own strengths to chosen mortals, often binding them by divine oath, blood magic, or the sacrifice of their souls.
Quasi-deities are the liminal threshold of divinity, with the potential to ascend into full godhood if they secure sufficient worship or power. Many sought followers through fear or devotion, weaving cults around their near-divine presence. Examples include Primordial Dragons, Ascendant Vampires, and Knights of the Hells.
Pseudo-Deities
Pseudo-deities are beings of divine heritage who lack true immortality, or whose divinity has withered. Often, they are the distant descendants of gods, bearing fragments of divine power but never its permanence. In some cases, pseudo-deities lack the intelligence to comprehend godhood and are simply so physically powerful that mortals value them as divine. Others still are fallen quasi-deities—those who lost their worshipers, the gifts of their patrons, or their sanity.
These entities are defined by their lack of ability to ascend to godhood. Pseudo-deities can appear no less powerful than true gods to common mortals, inspiring fear and reverence, but only for a time. Alternatively, they may appear to have no power at all—the withering remains of some unrecognizable previously divine entity. Examples of such entities include Ancient Sand Woerms, Awoken Minotaurs, and Artifacts of Fallen Divine.
DEITIES BY ORIGIN
The origin of a god may be considered in three ways: where a deity is from, when they first appeared to mortals of Alékia, and how they came into being. These lenses are not exclusive; most deities can be placed within each, and together they provide a framework of divine ancestry and identity. Yet there are also those gods whose beginnings remain hotly debated, or whose origins are cloaked in mystery and contradiction.
Realm of Origin
A god’s birthplace is not always Alékia itself. Some were born of the fabric of this realm, others entered from distant planes, and still others defy every attempt at classification.
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Native Deities are those whose essence arose from the Alékian plane. Over the course of countless ages, they manifested from the energy, matter, and will of this world and became inseparably woven into it. The Cosmic, Mortal, and Material Trinities—as well as the majority of their sub-pantheons—are considered native. There are exceptions, of course: some deities merged with foreign powers through overlapping domains or combined worship; others accepted non-native gods into their courts, whether by voluntary pact or enforced submission. Outside such unions, native deities are believed to be recognized exclusively by the peoples of Alékia; their names are seldom worshipped beyond this plane. The First Peoples—Sylva, Myconids, Athropleurs, Muthoua, Rung, Scalefolk, Tortles, Featherfolk, and Furfolk—were the earliest and remain the most faithful followers of native deities.
∇
Interloper Deities, by contrast, trace their origins to realms beyond Alékia—drawn into this world by migration, conquest, or crossings whose causes remain unknown. Many seemed to carry divinity with them at the moment of their arrival. Where their portfolios overlapped with native gods, some merged to share power, while others clashed for dominion. The defeated might be usurped, absorbed, or slain outright, leaving the victor with an expanded domain. In such contests where the loser survived, they were forced into a diminished role, relegated to a lesser portfolio or a subordinate place within the rival’s pantheon. Two great waves of interlopers are recorded in Alékian history: first, in the aftermath of The Cataclysm, when the Giant and Draconic pantheons first appeared; and second, within the last three millennia, with the rising presence of Celestials, Infernals, and Fey.
Yet not all gods fit neatly into either—those Deities of Unknown Origin—who bear no clear lineage. Some have origins cloaked in contradiction, as is the case with the Goblinoids and their pantheon. Others deliberately obscure their history. Such is the case with The Exile, who, alongside his followers, has almost made it a point of pride to veil his heritage. These unknown deities remain worshipped despite the mystery, for their power is undeniable, and for many, mystery itself is proof of divinity.
Era of Origin
Because deities arise from many realms, and time does not flow equally between them, it is difficult to measure the relative age of the gods. What matters is not when they came into existence, but when mortals of Alékia first came to know them. By this reckoning, deities are considered ancient, old, or new.
ↀ
Ancient Gods predate The Cataclysm. Since no interloper deities are recorded before this event, all ancient deities are regarded as native. Their myths form the bedrock of Alékia’s earliest faiths, though not all remain prominent figures. Some were slain, others absorbed, and still others simply forgotten as centuries wore on. Yet even the lost are remembered in fragments—names etched in ruins, echoes in language, or vestiges in ritual practice.
ↂ
Old Gods arose in the fractured millennia of the Eon of the Aftermath. Some appeared in The Cataclysm’s immediate shadow, when mortal order disintegrated and society turned to ash. Others emerged much later, as civilization clawed its way back from the darkness. Their worship often reflects this era of survival—gods of endurance, vengeance, and rebuilding, born from the raw struggle of a broken world.
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New Gods are those whose worship has flourished within the last three millennia, during the Eon of New Realms. Many are bound to young races, ascended mortals, or ideas shaped by shifting philosophies. To some, they are untested and suspect, viewed as fragile shadows compared to the ancients. To others, they are proof that divinity has not withdrawn, but still rises anew wherever mortals reach toward the divine.
Method of Origin
A final lens of origin considers not where or when a god appeared, but how they came to hold divinity.
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Primordial Entities are inseparable from the creation of their realms. They are the first-born powers that anchor every pantheon’s creation mythos and—at least for this portion of their godhood—held vast domains over fundamental forces. Their presence is woven into the fabric of existence itself, and to imagine a world without them is to imagine no world at all.
∯
Risen Entities emerged later, as realms and societies matured. Some split from primordial stock, branching into more specialized domains. Others were elevated by elder powers, entrusted with fragments of greater authority. Still others coalesced naturally as the complexity of a realm evolved. Their existence reflects both divine inheritance and mortal evolution.
∰
Evoked Entities are the most fragile and the most dangerous, for they exist only because mortals demanded their divinity. Willed into being by ritual, sacrifice, or sheer intensity of belief, their power waxes and wanes with worship, making them volatile, yet no less real. They are living proof that worship does not merely follow power—it can create it, shaping divinity from the fervor of mortal hearts.
DEITIES BY RELATION
A god’s identity is not only measured by rank and origin, but also by their ties to other deities. These relationships are what shape pantheons, define hierarchies, and color the myths by which mortals come to know the divine. Some are bonds of unity, others of dominance, and still others defy all categorization.
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Aspected
Aspected deities are those incorporated into another. They may share one body, one essence, or a tightly interwoven domain.
Sometimes they are inseparable manifestations of a greater whole, such as gods whose forms have always been depicted as entwined, their powers indistinguishable in worship. This is exemplified by Leje and Ba’lejel, whose forms meld as one and have always been shown together. Other times they are facets of a god—distinct flavors of a greater presence—like the Twelve Gods of Virtues and Sins, where Thouvu and Mubuu, gods of patience and wrath respectively, embody Muthou’s dual aspects. In other cases, lesser gods are amalgamated into greater ones, either by force or willful union. These mergers leave both entities alive and distinct, yet fused in essence and domain.
⨺
Subservient
Subservient deities are distinct beings who exist in vassalage to another, whether through kinship, sworn oath, or conquest.
Some are children of greater gods, ruling smaller domains under their parent’s mantle. Hragavla, Pel, Bayth, and Ysal are such deities, each governing parts of Muthou’s seas in her honor. Others are unrelated gods who willingly offered themselves into another’s pantheon, like Aerti and Aerto, twin gods of north and south who swore loyalty to Saeza. Still others hold their stations unwillingly, having been defeated and bound into servitude. This is the case with Arrax, the native Alekian goddess of spiders, mites, and ticks, whose claim was usurped by a mysterious interloper. In all forms, subservient gods hold domains enclosed within—or overshadowed by—the power of the greater deity they serve.
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Associated
Associated deities are neither aspects nor vassals, but exist in looser ties of kinship, pact, or perception.
Some are equals, bound together in alliance, siblinghood, or shared purpose. The pact of Faje, Muje, and Hroje—sister goddesses of breath, blood, and bone—exemplifies such union. Others are of unequal power, where the stronger deity seeks dominance but never fully succeeds, as with Hrobuu’s many failed attempts to bring his daughter Hroje into his fold. Sometimes, association comes by permission rather than struggle, where a greater power allows a lesser one freedom to move between pantheons. Aunrae, goddess of auroras, flits between the families of Ea and Saeza. Associations may also arise purely from mortal perception: worshippers linking gods whose domains seem entwined. Thaaflae, goddess of rain, is often tied to Muthou through water, while also linked to Favu through the skies.
Unique Relationships
Gods can rule for incomprehensibly long times and often retain inscrutable memories, so certain connections are simply too complex to qualify—beyond aspects, vassalage, or loose association. Some have bonds that echo mortal life: unions, both matrimonial and those of more intimate natures. Others align with a more cellular existence: gods who split into twins or lovers who merged into one being. These unique relationships stand apart from all else, reminding mortals that even the divine are shaped by bonds that resemble their own.
DEITIES BY STATUS
Deities can also be categorized by their living status: alive, dead, merged, or reborn. This categorization holds because a fundamentally altered or dead deity was not necessarily unable to influence the world. Though a deity can die or otherwise be lost, at least part of them always remains—ruins of power, relics still humming with resonance, or lingering cults clinging to their memory. There are instances of mages tapping into such artefacts to wield divine magic, sometimes attempting to ascend themselves.
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Alive
Alive deities remain active powers within the cosmos. They may intervene directly or through avatars, answer prayers, or bestow gifts upon their followers. Some are distant and rarely perceived, while others walk openly among mortals. To worshippers, continued evidence of vitality is proof that the divinity of these entities endures in the present.
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Dead
While immortal, deities are capable of dying. Dead deities have been slain, unmade, or otherwise stripped of their divinity entirely. Wars with other gods, conflict with great mortal heroes, and neglect were among the most common causes of a god’s passing. Although it was also possible for a god to lapse into apathy, drift into sleep on the Emptiness of Na, and eventually perish.
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Merged
Merged deities are those who combined with another, whether through willing union, conquest, or necessity. In such cases, both powers may remain distinct within a single body, one may subsume another, or they both may assume a collective new identity. To mortals, the line between merger and annihilation is rarely clear. What is certain is that their worship entwines, domains overlap, and pantheons shift around the new composite power.
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Reborn
Reborn deities are rare and fanatically revered. They are those who perished, then revived; were forgotten, then remembered; merged, then torn apart again; or cast down only to ascend once more. Some return to previous forms, but others come back transformed—reborn in new bodies, domains, or even names. Such gods inspire both awe and unease: to their followers, they are living proof that divinity is eternal, but to their rivals, they are evidence that a god may never be wholly defeated.
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Missing
Some deities are neither fully alive nor truly dead, but lost. They may have vanished without a trace, slipped into silence, or become obscured by contradiction and doubt. For many, the uncertainty is formative: a god who is missing is still a god who might one day return. Worshippers often attempt to keep faith in their absence, clinging to omens, fragments, and unanswered prayers, for legends of lost gods can shape the birth of new ones, or potentially remanifest the very entities they mourn. However, belief can curdle through eons of perceived neglect, leading followers to denounce these deities, in turn sentencing even memory of them to the forgotten abyss.
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Unknown
Other deities are unknown, either lost to time or so young they have not yet become an integral part of it. The youthful have a chance to either carve their throne or be lost to history. Those forgotten have been erased more completely, surviving only in unidentifiable temples or whispers of lost myths.
From here, there are only two fates for a god: to die or be reborn unrecognizable…
XEV
Unknown