Overview: Drule Gods

The Star of Andrynir: symbol of the Drule pantheon

What information the Alliance possesses on Drule religion comes almost entirely from diplomats on the Seventh Kingdom capital of Raltara. The Hydrans also retain some records, though they abandoned the Drule religion after developing shamanism. Each kingdom is known to handle religion quite differently, so any conclusions from these sources should be taken with a certain amount of caution.

The Drule pantheon consists of sixteen primary gods, each of which rules over a Vala'uk, or Domain, of related lesser gods. The number of lesser gods in these Domains vary wildly, though this seems to have no impact on the primary god's prestige. Each kingdom acknowledges every god, though in practice, each favors somewhere between three to six as their main benefactors.

Organized religion is uncommon among most kingdoms of the Supremacy. The Sixth and Eighth Kingdoms are the exceptions; both are considered theocracies, though they seem to implement this in very different ways. Among the other kingdoms, most organization exists among the two religious orders: priests and witches. Priests represent the 'public' face of religion, maintaining places of worship and hearing the prayers of civilians. Though educated in occult science, this is not their primary duty. Witches are more solitary scholars of religion and occult science, rarely venturing out into society. Witches found working in the public sphere are almost always an expression of favor by their patron god towards the population they serve.

Drule places of worship are called velo'kru, best translated as sacellums, which house representations of each god and offer space for prayer and reflection. The design of the sacellums is one of the few areas where Drule religion, or indeed Drule anything, is explicitly uniform across the Supremacy: though implementation varies wildly, every sacellum is a circular chamber lit in a spectrum of colors, with the location of both the colors and each god's representation being set. This configuration was apparently decreed not by the gods themselves, but by the first Drule prophet.

Prophets are those who practice the arts of both witches and priests. They are exceedingly rare, as to pursue both paths voluntarily is sacrilege of the highest order. A prophet must be charged as such by their god, and it is not an easy matter to convince their peers they have been so charged. The first Drule prophet was Andrynir the Heretic, a prophet of Xi'turi. He was a contemporary of Zarvarith the Unifier, who united the ten warring Drule kingdoms into the Supremacy; the fact that he is honored in the modern Supremacy implies he must have been allied with her, but details are scarce.

Among the Drule deities, there are both beasts and gods. Beasts represent the most ancient and primordial of forces, while gods and goddesses usually rule over more 'civilized' realms. This applies to lesser deities as well: there are beasts in the Domains of the primary gods and goddesses, representing their oldest or most unfathomable aspects.

This report lists the deities in the order they are found in the sacellums. There is, without doubt, a logic to this arrangement; Alliance analysts are simply unsure what it is. Likewise, the reader should keep in mind that all information on the Drule pantheon is fragmented and incomplete. In particular, it is almost certain we lack an exhaustive list of any Domains.

Thra'nik'ta, God of Magic: Appears as a humanoid vortex in tattered robes. Thra'nik'ta illustrates some interesting elements of the Drule psyche: Occult Science (a category which encompasses all native Drule magic) and Faith are both part of his Domain, offering some insight into how the Drules see both the reach of their gods, and the utility of worship. Other known lesser deities in his Domain include Ritual, Gra'los (best translated as 'spontaneous channeling'), and Transcendence.

Graxinal, Goddess of the Arts: Appears as a four-armed woman in a stained tunic, carrying various implements of the arts. Graxinal has the largest Domain of the gods, as there are lesser deities for nearly every form of art known to the Supremacy. In addition to these, some broader concepts are known to be represented among her Domain: Imagination, Anaqul (roughly 'the blank canvas'), Color, Stories, and Melody are among them.

Ulqoras, Goddess of Knowledge: Appears as a featureless humanoid holding a torch, often wearing a witch's robes. She is seen as one of the most purely benevolent Drule gods by those who favor her; as the ruler of knowledge, it is believed freely granting wisdom to those who seek it increases her power. Ulqoras is one of the Seventh Kingdom's main patrons. Lesser deities in her Domain include Logic, Study, Education, and Mysteries.

Sarga, Goddess of Death: Appears as a dark silhouette with tendrils of shadow surrounding her. Why the death deity is not a beast is a question of great interest to Drule theologians, and far outside the scope of this report. Sarga herself is well respected in the Supremacy, but her lesser deities are often feared, and invoking them is a grave taboo among many kingdoms. These lesser deities include Ghosts, Undeath, and Eternity.

Senthral, Beast of Pleasure: Appears as a lithe ferret-like creature with delicate features and silken fur. Senthral's Domain is of some interest: it includes Lust and Romantic Love, as one might expect, but also Devotion and Chastity.

Xi'turi, Beast of Paths: Appears as a sleek three-tailed canine with luminous markings, leaving glowing footprints behind it. Xi'turi is agreed to be one of the two original beasts to emerge from the primordial mist, though which was actually the first is hotly contested. It is one of the Seventh Kingdom's main patrons. Lesser deities in its Domain include Journeys, Wanderers, the Lost, and Destiny.

Indurkra, Beast of Chaos: Appears as a hulking six-legged reptilian beast, with a mane of half fire, half water. Indurkra is the most feared of the primary Drule deities, and has only a scarce handful of witches and priests, as it is believed to be unable to be swayed by worship. Its lesser deities are considered more receptive to prayer; they include Fear, Illusion, Chance, and the Unknown.

Dra'ki'iri, Goddess of War: Appears as an armored warrior holding a bloody sword, back to back with Dra'sun'iri. Dra'ki'iri represents raw strength and the heat of battle, with her Domain including the lesser deities of Wrath, Morale, and Bloodshed.

Dra'sun'iri, God of War: Appears as an armored warrior holding a scroll, back to back with Dra'ki'iri. Dra'sun'iri represents the strategic elements of war, with his Domain including the lesser deities of Tactics, Logistics, and Mercy.

Kus'da, God of Authority: Appears as a featureless humanoid in royal robes, often carrying a crown or a sceptre. All ten Drule kingdoms are believed to revere Kus'da fairly equally, as he essentially rules over all the things they believe are required for an orderly society. Lesser deities of his Domain include Monarchy, Obedience, Conquest, and Service.

So'rou, Beast of the Unseen: Appears as a shrouded creature with four glowing eyes. In certain mediums, sculpture in particular, its form can be seen to vaguely resemble a spider. Its Domain includes Shadows, Stealth, and Silence; it should be stressed that So'rou rules the unseen, not the unknown, which falls under Indurkra's Domain.

Qaorak, God of Prosperity: Appears as a large, cheerful man with spiraling golden horns, accompanied by a goat-like beast loaded with riches. Qaorak is one of the Seventh Kingdom's main patrons. Lesser deities of his Domain include Wealth, Fertility, and Staklur (the best translation is uncertain, but seems to be either 'good fortune' or 'success').

Zonjal, Beast of Life: Appears as a winged equine with three antlers, often incorporating some representation of the primordial realm. There is robust debate among Drule theologians as to whether Zonjal or Xi'turi was the first deity to emerge, and though the beasts themselves are not portrayed as rivals, no kingdom counts both among their main patrons. Zonjal's lesser deities include Blood, Flesh, Bone, and Spirit.

Kistrial, Goddess of Honor: Appears as a four-winged warrior, always carrying a small innocent creature of some sort. Representations of Kistrial are unusually regional, as the creature she holds is often drawn from the artist's local wildlife. Her Domain includes the lesser deities of Hospitality, Loyalty, and Platonic Love.

Ou'kintas, God of Family: Appears as a child holding a representation of a large family, usually in the form of several dolls. He is occasionally depicted in an adult form, in which case he appears as an armored warrior, but still carries the dolls. His Domain includes Piety, Bloodlines, and Familial Love.

Rexja, Beast of Nature: Appears as a vaguely feline creature with a ridge of mountains running down its back, wings made from leaves, and grass and flowers as its fur. Rexja's Domain is the second largest of the gods, including lesser deities of Mountains, Rivers, Oceans, Sky, Flora, and Fauna. The Goddess of Mountains, Rulika, is one of the few Drule deities the Hydrans retain some affection for; the volcano which taught them of shamanism, now a sacred site, was originally consecrated in her name.

Standard sacellum layout