Dark Side of the Sun
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==The Floating Palace== | ==The Floating Palace== | ||
Upon the waters of the Chalice floats a magnificent structure constructed of nothing but, it seems, glass and music. Appearances can be deceiving, though, for this is the domain of the demons, the Blue Men. Unlike the raiding beastmen, they hold the population nearby in thrall, exchanging access to the waters of the Chalice and their marvellous magic for total servitude. Their subjects are happy enough, ensorcelled by their masters, and very often entire communities take off and march into the palace, never to emerge again. Powerful magic exists here that prevents any thought of trying to pass beyond the Chalice and into the unknown lands, and demons of the wind are constantly on watch for the few strong enough to pass through the spell. | Upon the waters of the Chalice floats a magnificent structure constructed of nothing but, it seems, glass and music. Appearances can be deceiving, though, for this is the domain of the demons, the Blue Men. Unlike the raiding beastmen, they hold the population nearby in thrall, exchanging access to the waters of the Chalice and their marvellous magic for total servitude. Their subjects are happy enough, ensorcelled by their masters, and very often entire communities take off and march into the palace, never to emerge again. Powerful magic exists here that prevents any thought of trying to pass beyond the Chalice and into the unknown lands, and demons of the wind are constantly on watch for the few strong enough to pass through the spell. | ||
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| + | =The Gods= | ||
| + | The pantheon of the Line has three gods, each believed to be equal in prominence to the other two. Though a particular priest may venerate Mraz most of all, he will still pray to Pepel over, for instance, the forging of a holy sword. | ||
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| + | ==Pepel, the Lady of Cinders== | ||
| + | Depicted as a tanned girl-child with short-cropped ashen hair and cracked skin, Pepel is the one-eyed goddess of heat and light. Those who venerate her above the other gods extol the life-giving power of her light, her power to burn away sin and temper steel, and her sense of justice, for all are equal before her brilliant gaze. Her worshippers usually include judges, farmers and craftsmen. Short-lived races such as the orcs also tend to worship Pepel. Pepel is associated with metals, and the colour gray. The Gray Men are named after her colour, for they live in an arid land and are as relentless as Pepel herself. | ||
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| + | ==Mraz, the Black Marshal== | ||
| + | Mraz presides over darkness and cold, and is shown as a wizened old man in a spiked suit of ebony armour. His depictions are always drawn with a shadow, which is dotted with a myriad of tiny yellow specks - the eyes of his endless army. Mraz is the patron of all who risk their lives, and is venerated specifically for his skill at deception, his cunning and his skill in battle. His worshippers include soldiers, adventurers and thieves, and longer-lived races such as elves also tend to worship him. Mraz is associated with gemstones, and the colour blue. The Blue Men are named after his colour, for they and their deep waters are as treacherous as Mraz himself. | ||
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| + | ==Holuby, the Source of Life== | ||
| + | Holuby is never anthropomorphosized, and is depicted as a mass of swirling ribbons of many colours. Holuby stands for trees, animals, water, nature, humanity and life in general, and is venerated by just about everybody for these gifts, farmers above all. The philosophy attributed to Holuby is balance - tempering light with shadow, heat with cold and life with death. Holuby is associated with mud, and the colour green. Humans and half-human hybrids tend to worship Holuby more than other races. | ||
