Faith and the Gods in Rodozem
Dive in the forgotten tales of divine beings shaping the very fabric of Rodozem's reality, and find the mystical signs left in their wake, unveiling the truth behind the story.
Rodozem’s past is veiled in mystery. Its ancient origins reveal themselves to us only through myths and stories. Religious practices throughout Rodozem are based upon such fables and parables, but real evidence of the gods’ existence is scattered across the continent.
Pious people wield powers and bestow blessings that no doubt stem from the divine. Mountains, valleys, and dark swamps cover the lands, monumental scars of a past age when the gods walked upon Rodozem and shaped it through the power of creation—and through conflict and violence. The gods themselves, the most ancient of creatures, bear gifts that surpass the capacity of mortal understanding, and yet are still as flawed and, at times, as irrational as people.
The stories of their mistakes and humanity are told throughout their myths. Honestly, is it such a stretch of the imagination to believe that the gods of Rodozem created creatures not far from their own identities? After all, as the wise ones say, the sparks don’t fly far from the anvil.
Cosmogony, Myths, and Faith
Myths of Rodozem’s creation spread widely across the land, passed from generation to generation. These stories have survived in historical texts, religious books, and fairytales that villagers tell their children at bedtime. Even today, more ancient secrets lay buried in time, with only these stories left to hint at their existence.
Rod's Sacrifice
It is said that once there was no world, only a sea of chaos within a boundless infinite—primeval elements clashing ceaselessly in desolation and disorder. Then, in one eternal moment before time, all elements converged in one. Whether by destiny or chance, their primeval unity formed the first life—an egg that would birth the primordial creator of reality,
Rod. Some believe that Rod’s eternal dream within this primeval egg gave them the vision of totality—that the primordial creator dreamt of the need for change, the need to establish a cycle of existence and order. To manifest the dream into reality, Rod sacrificed their being, bringing divine order to the boundless infinite through the Sea of Chaos. Rod’s will condensed into one word, which consumed their essence upon its utterance—the spark of Creation. And just as a song, Rod’s eternal incantation of divine order echoed through their creation, binding all the formless into form. Or so it is said—no one truly possesses the knowledge of the actual events at the dawn of creation.
The first and brightest forms of Creation were said to be the stars. From their blazing cores, the gods of Rodozem were molded by the will of Rod, who bestowed each one with their own special gift and identity. Called the Starborn, or Zvezdorodni, each deity carries a piece of the essence of the Primordial Creator. They awoke to witness the dawn of Creation, learning to govern and guard Rod’s vision. Then from Rod’s incantation came Rodozem, the first land to give birth to mortal creatures. Long, long ago, deities and mortals walked Rodozem’s soil in unison, though no longer. Today, in times when mortals govern the lands of Rodozem, the truth of creation and Rod’s sacrifice is but a myth—the story that gave birth to all stories.
The Great Cycle
After Rod’s song of divine order, reality was contained in one plane. Gods, magical beings, and eventually the first mortal races coexisted together in harmony. Mighty, beautiful, enchanting, and colorful creatures filled the world with life. However, all of Rod’s reality was nearly destroyed as a result of cataclysmic clashes between the gods. In the first great war between divine beings, death and devastation swept through lands, seas, and skies.
A celestial council was summoned, and Perun, King of the Gods, deemed it necessary to divide the planes of existence, separating mere mortals from immortals for the safety of all. Svarog, the Bright Smith, was charged with the design and creation of a multitude of planes that would be intrinsically connected, yet separate at the same time. With the help of Morana, goddess of the dead, the Great Cycle was established after the planes were created. As each soul is the purest form of Rod’s spark of Creation, the Great Cycle harnesses the souls of the dead into the essence of the planes, continuously expanding their boundaries and subsequently creating more life.
Every god has their own powers, domain, and followers, but it is the combined duty of all the Starborn to preserve and protect the Great Cycle. Without it, the planes would not continue to expand, their barriers would begin to merge, and eventually all planes would collapse into themselves. This catastrophic event would force the world to revert back to its existence before the divine order—a Sea of Chaos
The Faithful of Rodozem
Those who choose a life of holy service can worship one deity as their patron, though most gods of Rodozem are respected and honored equally, for each plays an important part in every aspect of life. Sacrifices and gifts are commonly offered in the name of the gods, celebrating their distinct roles in governing existence. Rodozem’s religious traditions spread far and wide, and are just as distinct and individualistic as the creatures that inhabit this world. Most rulers and leaders have a patron deity they worship, though they never enforce it on their people, as everyone has the right to follow what resonates with their own heart and soul. Priests, particularly devout worshippers, dark sects, and similar groups, however, do spread their faiths—or impose them on others.
The more traditional and well-known gods are honored by religious holidays, and these festivities remind everyone that no matter the differences between the gods, the collective tenet of the Starborn is to be harmonious and respectful. However, all manner of deities beyond the traditional are worshiped in Rodozem—even those that should be forgotten, or who don’t espouse the same teachings of harmony and unity. The moral and ethical differences between the gods and the worship of darker deities result in fanatical, menacing cults, though these creeds typically conceal their activities. They hide from the world, whispering in secret, until the opportune moment arises to achieve their self-righteous goals.
Shrines and Places of Worship
When people visit temples in Rodozem, they do so for a holy festival, a religious ceremony, or the help of priests and clerics. Naturally, grander and more elaborate temples are found mostly in larger towns and cities. These temples are where monarchs are crowned and where special sacrifices and spiritual rites are performed. In contrast, smaller settlements have shrines or small chapels, and often a dedicated spiritual guide, seer, or volkiv who looks after the hallowed sanctuaries dedicated to their god. Even if a chapel or a shrine is dedicated to one specific deity, that isn’t the only deity that may be worshiped at that altar.
People pray, perform sacrifices, and place gifts in the name of all the Starborn through unified altars. Smaller settlements can’t afford the construction and upkeep of temples and shrines dedicated to all the possible gods freely worshiped by their denizens, so unified shrines allow widespread worship. And as religious belief isn’t imposed but is a matter of choice, there are many shrines scattered throughout the world. Some are humble, while others are elaborate and awe-inspiring. One thing remains true, no matter the location: everyone is welcome as long as they are respectful.
Primeval Forces
Many deities in Rodozem’s pantheon are the Starborn, the gods given existence by Rod—but there are other forces in the universe that are just as powerful and just as eternal as Rod’s divine children. One such force is Chernobog, the very essence of chaos and evil. Chernobog is a primeval entity beyond understanding— malice, corruption, and darkness given form, unable to be defeated or destroyed. Some wise folk hypothesize that such entities are an inseparable part of the universal order established by Rod. They theorize that for order to truly exist, the absolutes of cosmic good and evil must be present; primeval forces created out of necessity, all in service to the delicate cosmic equilibrium.
Other scholars claim these entities were not intended by Rod, but are an accident, an unaccounted byproduct of Creation. Such theories even reinforce the need for the Starborn as Rodozem’s shepherds and guardians of the universe’s balance. Chernobog is not the only godlike primeval force in existence. Other such beings exist in the universe for good or for ill, and wield powers so immense they can rival those of the gods. Some are vestiges of dead and forgotten deities that refuse to be swallowed by oblivion. Hungering for past glory and influence, they spread their ancient gospels through secret cults, attempting to regain their power.
Others still are mysterious entities with unfathomable magic who dwell on the fringes of the planes of existence. Sometimes they lend their power to mortals who act as pawns in their incomprehensible ploys, but at other times they answer the calls of those in need of help or inspiration. Some theories even suggest that these godlike beings might have been created by the Starborn themselves, imbued with divine power and will in order to serve and protect Creation itself.
The Starborn(Zvezdorodni)
The Starborn are the prime deities of Rodozem, created by Rod. They represent the colorful spectrum of life, death, fate, love, guardianship, and all other aspects of existence in the known world.
The gods that followed the Starborn, commonly referred to as the children of the stars, were formed either through the union of prime deities or other mystical forces in existence. They represent the second age of celestials, though are just as popular and, for some, even as powerful as the Starborn.
The ethos and moral values of the gods sometimes cause conflict between their followers, but most celestials favor harmony and peace, and expect their worshippers to do the same.
The gods in this adventure are presented below in order of their general hierarchy in the pantheon.
Gather around the fire, hear the story of the gods buried by time and discover the mythical grains of truth in the song of creation - the tale that gave birth to all tales. Warm seats and timeworn fables await you around the hearth in our adventure the Devil’s Bridge!