The World of Nesperia
Notes on the known lands of Nesperia
Religion
Notes on religion and worship in the lands of Nesperia
The Dipantheon of Nesperia
The Cycle
Nesperia's heavens are ruled by two pantheons, each of nine gods. These groups of gods are the Mothers and the Fathers. Each group consists of nine gods, each representing a clerical domain in the DND5e ruleset (Arcane, Death, Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, War).
Only one group of gods rules the heavens at a time. Every ten years, the Mothers and Fathers alternate, one group becoming dormant while the other awakens from a celestial slumber and resumes deitihood. The world recognizes these periods of time as the "Mothers' Mercy" and the "Fathers' Reign", respectively. The periods are sometimes also referred as "Seasons".
At the end of each period, the world's citizens convene in the largest cities in the land to witness what is known as the Cycle. Towns, tribes, and peoples from all over Nesperia send runners to observe the event. Individuals venture out on their own personal pilgramages to attend. The world's people gather to celebrate the rebirth of the sleeping gods.
Alignment
The gods of Nesperia do not tend towards alignment on the Good vs Evil axis. Just like on Earth, good and bad people can worship the same god. Instead, Nesperia's gods are identified by their identity on the Law vs Chaos axis.
The Fathers are fierce gods, ruling strictly, but from afar. They smite those who defy them, insist upon offerings and sacrifices, and strike fear into their worshippers. The Fathers are lawful in alignment.
The Mothers are merciful and loving. They prefer that their worshippers honor them through festivals. They offer miracles and forgive trespasses often. The Mothers are chaotic in alignment.
The Church and Politics
The acting pantheon is represented on Nesperia by a council of nine church figureheads known as the Children. The Children keep indirect contact with the gods through angels and celestials that visit them.
Amongst themselves, they appoint one member to act as Speaker. They choose the Speaker based on the world's needs at the time. After a great plague strikes, they might elect the council member of Life, the child of Koro and Kara to be the Speaker. During wartime, the Child of Zeldar and Zelda may be elected. The Speaker makes all of the church's formal addresses to the people of Nesperia.
In Nesperia, the church has heavy political clout. The Children help draft and pass laws, and give aid and guidance to political leaders across Nesperia. It is not uncommon for most towns in a civilized region to have regional rulership appointed by the Children. These appointed leaders are called Delegates.
Naturally, when a Cycle occurs, all members of this leadership structure are retired. A new council of Children is formed by way of election amongst clerical orders, a new Speaker chosen amongst them, and new Delegates are distributed throughout the land.
Standing Army
The church has its own standing army which occupies the civilized lands of Nesperia. This army is known as The Children's Hand, or "the hand" for short.
The Father's Hand are a band of strict law lovers. They show no quarter for criminals and miscreants. They are firm but fair. These enforcers march during the Fathers' Reign.
During the Mothers' Mercy, The Mother's Hand doles out a more lax form of law enforcement. They won't turn a blind eye to truely dark deeds such as murder, but they adhere to the spirit of the law, not the letter.
The High Hand are the elite members of the Children's Hand, acting as personal guard to the Children themselves, and tasked with missions and duties of the utmost importance to the church.
The Slumbering Gods
It is not uncommon for an individual or entire cultures to prefer the Fathers over the Mothers, or vice versa. However, the worship of the gods that are not currently acting is a taboo act, shunned by most civilizations.
In Hampshire, such worship would be kept a secret. Secret cults form to continue taboo worship of inactive gods. Seeking out and breaking up these cult activities is one duty of The Children's Hand.
Entire cultures devote themselves to a particular god or set of gods. The tribal women of the Isle of Zelda honor the Mother of War regardless of the period.
Table of Gods
| Domain | Father | Mother | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcane | Kenwer | Kelwer | the all seeing eye |
| Death | Vox | Vex | a corpse on a pyre |
| Knowledge | Lukas | Lucia | an open book |
| Life | Koro | Kara | the soul |
| Light | Felorn | Felora | the rising sun |
| Nature | Rell | Ren | a growing tree |
| Tempest | Menos | Meenas | two lighting bolts |
| Trickery | Yorn | Yeln | a winding serpent |
| War | Zeldar | Zelda | two spears crossed |
Holy Symbols
Regions and Cultures
The geographic regions and peoples of Nesperia
Map of Present-Day Nesperia
Hampshire
Hampshire is the Northwestern region of Nesperia. It is composed of a predominately human population, but the region is bordered by lands home to Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Goliaths, so if ever there was a melting pot of Nesperia, Hampshire is it. The region contains light woods and mild slopes, and is home to Freeport, the largest city in the realm.
Settlements
Freeport
Settlement Details
Population. 75,000 residents
Government. The Council of Children resides at the High Temple of Nesperia in Freeport.
Defense. The Children's Hand, the church's standing army, is garrisoned in Freeport. Knight-Commander Maxeen Dubois is the current commander of the church's army.
Commerce. Port trade. Freeport serves as the main shipping yard for the northern Hemisphere of Nesperia. Freeport mainly trades with the exotic Zeldaean women, the southern capital of Duning, and the half-Orcish sea folk of Rok'Tur. Magical services are available in the Scholar's District.
Myram
Settlement Details
Population. 4000 residents
Government. Holy Delegate appointed by the Children of Freeport. A new Delegate is appointed during the Cycle.
Defense.The Delegate commands a sizable army, members of the Children's Hand, and a private retinue of bodyguards.
Commerce. Tourism. Myram benefits from being centrally located in Hampshire. It enjoys a good deal of foot traffic and therefore focuses on trade goods from the neighboring regions. No magical services or sales are available.
Frickley
Settlement Details
Population. 87 residents
Government. No structured government. The townsfolk look to the innkeep Pello Stoutpipe and hunter Tastra Fleetsong for leadership. More recently, Jahia Lennowen has settled into a leadership position in the town of Frickley after laying her life down to defend it from Giant attacks.
Defense. The town's only line of defense are the bowmen and hunters lead by Tastra, and Jahia herself.
Commerce. Frickley has a small logging industry, and routes trade carts to and from Freeport, selling timber in exchange for common goods.
Lukestown
Settlement Details
Population. 232 residents
Government. Mayor Jackson Felderman is the elected official of the town.
Defense. Mayor Felderman also serves as sheriff and does his best to keep the peace.
Commerce. Lukestown keeps to itself, only producing enough goods to sustain itself.
Lake Varia
Isle of Zelda
Settlements
Unknown...
People
The Zeldaens
Summary
Calling themselves The First Daughters, the Zeldaens are an amazonian-like tribe of women who live off of the coast of Hampshire. Said to have been birthed by Zelda in her image, these women maintain a matriarchal culture. The only men found on the island are those they have deemed worthy to serve as breeders.
Culture
It is a rare occasion to see a Zeldaen on the mainlands of Nesperia. They only leave their home in search of worthy mates, and only when the breeders on the island become too old to reproduce. It is a common joke amongst the people of Nesperia that a man's greatest dream is to be kidnapped by a Zeldaen and live a life of debauchery on the Isle of Zelda.
Relationships
Trade ports are open to receive and deliver goods to the outside world. They also maintain an amicable relationship with Tritans, an aquatic race of people the Zeldaens admire for their honor and honesty.
Religion
The Zeldaens worship Zelda exclusively. They recognize the Mother of War as their creator and live to exemplify her tenants and morals. They consider themselves more closely connected to the god than mainlanders, although the reasons for this belief of theirs remains a mystery to most Nesperians.
Felora's Wake
400 years ago, the event known as Felora's Wrath laid waste to much of the southwest coast of Nesperia. In a fit of rage, she called white hot light down upon the region. Some speculate that Felora was targeting an evil that threatened the foundation of the world. Others chalk her wrath up to a scornful lover's quarrel. Whatever the case was, the land was eradicated of all life. Alongside the many monstrous tribes and civilizations in the area, the High Elf city of Leu'cadia was also lost to Felora's Wrath.
Since the event, the area has kept its desolate landscape and civilized races no longer inhabit the area. However, this has only created a safe haven for goblins, orcs, and more exotic creatures. Monstrous races have flourished in the region, and only those with a death wish or insatiable taste for treasures dare trek the bogs and badlands that remain.
Settlements
Unknown.
People
Unknown.