The World of Nesperia

Notes on the known lands of Nesperia

Religion

Notes on religion and worship in the lands of Nesperia

Religion

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

Regions and Cultures

Map of Present-Day Nesperia

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Regions and Cultures

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. 

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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

 

Regions and Cultures

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. 

Regions and Cultures

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.