Difference between revisions of "Enirra"

Revision as of 23:17, 9 April 2018

History in Avendar

In the age after the Sundering, magical storms scoured the surface of Avendar and released powerful elemental entities onto the Prime. For the battered alatharya, these beings posed a greater threat than the storms themselves, as they hunted or enslaved the survivors. Desperate and alone, the alatharya cried out to the heavens for succor, and their prayers were answered by Elarandan, an entity whose name was derived from pre-Sundering religious monikers. She became their protector, and acted in defiance of the Overgods by steeling them to endure. They enshrined the notion of apotechta, Elarandan's balance between natural and supernatural, into their dogma, and in Her name, carved paths through the wild. They founded numerous enclaves under Her protection, and within a few generations, the alatharya had secured enough territory to establish their first lasting peace since the fall.

While the War of Fire ravaged the kingdoms of humanity and the cities of the aelin, the alatharya continued to huddle in secluded sanctuaries, scattered from the Brintors, to the Mlejin Range, to the Rirro Jagka. Their role in the conflict is largely unknown; however, some historians suggest that they fought Bayyal's long tail of followers during the march across what is now the Crimson Sands. After the War, their connection to recorded history becomes far less tenuous. With the rise of the Republic, class disparity became a driving factor in the lives of human refugees. Many poor migrants set out as explorers, settlers, and mercenaries, following the draw of the moons to the uncharted beyond. Ancient texts describe contact between humanity and the sundered alatharya, enmeshing the former's dreams of conquest and security with the latter's belief in apotechta. Elarandan became known as Aninsta, whose expression took on a decidedly more mercenary flair.

The cult of Kelaith, which carried the banner of the Platinum Scales, borrowed its fundamentals from the far-flung Aninstans. Taking inspiration from Thales, Lord of Balance, the cult focused on transforming Her apotechta into a creed which carried "equal and substantive" weight within Republican theology. They cherished debate, expanding the prior definition of Aninsta's ideal to balance itself, spanning from societal to personal. Their most influential argument was contextualizing the War of Fire as a near-apocalyptic upset of cosmic forces. At their height, they constructed a temple in Earendam the Grand, but the horrors of the War of Night put an abrupt end to their parlor intellectualism. Conscription, cowardice, and fear caused their coalition to swiftly unravel. With the coming of the ch'taren, the cult was all but decimated, overshadowed by the growing faiths of powerful deities such as Rystaia Lightbringer.

Within a few centuries, magical advancement had brought an uneasy detente between the spheres, and the rise of the Great Houses lent a similarly precarious balance to the realm. This time, it was adventurers who resurrected and synthesized Aninsta's martial legacy with the broad extrapolation of the Kelaitans. They championed a deity called Enaerai, who acted as a permanent intersection between good, evil, law, and chaos, and sought to balance the ambitions of all who did not serve Her. They established a renowned order, The Knights of Enaerai, and built a keep at the foot of the Brintors. This fortress became their stronghold for a millennium, and from it, they waged a tireless military and philosophical campaign. They absorbed and appropriated the artifacts and ideas of their historical forebears until their dominance over conceptual balance was all but undisputed. Enaerai became known as Enirra, and their interpretation of Her was law.

With the coming of the modern age and the destruction of the Fortress of the Eye, Enirra's worship has loosened, again scattered in diaspora. Some of its ancient threads have revived, lending renewed vigor to the dissection of balance and the best path to Her enigmatic favor.

Goals and Methods

Enirra seeks equality between both mortalkind and gods alike. Some of Her followers suggest that it is because She sees intrinsic value in individuals of all walks, including those that despise each other. Skeptics assert that Enirra's focus on equality is a method by which to weaken other gods and elevate Herself as arbiter of what should and should not be. The former argument sees Her as liberator of the alatharya from their everlasting burden, while the latter sees Her actions as a power-grab rooted in the Compact. It is undeniable that many of Her more ardent followers assert Enirra as the only "true god", and is thus allowed to balance the rest of the pantheon's actions. The truth of the matter is far more difficult to discern, as Her following is as diverse as the multitude of beliefs that comprise it. Regardless, where there is an establishment to fight, Enirra's warriors fight for Her will even when they will surely be defeated.

The philosophical idea of balance as a moral code predate Enirra's modern identity. Although some militant preachers of Enirra would disassociate Her with previous deities and demigods (such as Thales and Kelaith), popular interpretation links the three because of their inter-bred lineage. It is more accurate to state that Enirra's religion absorbed prior followings and their artifice as time has passed, legitimizing Her and Her chosen's claim to the general concept of balance. Enirra's most recognizable following, the Knights of Enaerai, are often the first to announce Her desires, but are not alone in bringing them about; even when few or none openly serve Her, She has been known to prompt mortals to action in times of dire need.

Organizations and Followings

Like other religions, many different groups have organized in the name of Enirra, spanning millennia. Each represents a different, and not necessarily compatible, vision of balance. They are as follows:

The Knights of Enaerai

"Surrender the Stones or we will take them by force."

The Knights of Enaerai are the most well-known of Her representatives, whose stated aim is to preserve balance throughout Avendar. With the destruction of their stronghold, the Knights no longer cling to their traditional, complex hierarchy; instead, they congregate in secret, and regard their fellows as equals. Their foremost concern is the Stones of Power and the interplay of the Great Houses, as Knights tend to regard both as highly volatile representations of the cosmic balance. They frequently will ally themselves with one the Great Houses to oppose more dominant ones, seeking to disperse that strength to other factions or individuals. However, the ease with which those alliances end can (and do) make Knights seem hypocritical to their former compatriots. Alatharya are the race most likely to find themselves among the Knights, their physical prowess and neutral bent making them well-suited to a soldier's life.

The Heralds of Rebellion

"You didn't think I'd let you have your way, did you?"

Drawing inspiration from the class struggles prevalent in the great cities, Heralds of Rebellion are keenly attuned to the ideas of social leveling and revolution. They often seek out whatever power structure is readily available and thwart it, usually whichever hegemony is strongest. However, their scope is broader, including a manner of social justice by exclusively championing the underclass of a given region. In the absence of an institutional structure to battle, this may manifest itself in an obsession with striking down the most threatening individuals, and dispersing their monies and possessions as they see fit. Balance, to a Herald, is maintained by never allowing any individual to become too powerful; in effect, imitating the aims of Enirra within the pantheon in the mortal world. Rogues often find this path to be one of the simplest, as many of them have faced poverty or injustice firsthand.

The Apotechta

"Death to the false gods!"

The Apotechta are descended from the oldest alatharyan Enirrans. Taking their name from Elarandan's balance between the natural and supernatural, the Apotechta are trained for battle with sapient magical creatures, including but not limited to elementals, djinn, seraphim, and demons. They are known to hunt such beings with expert proficiency, as they believe they are too dangerous to be left alive. The most radical of the Apotechta consider the branded followers of other deities to be of similar cast, touched as they are by extraplanar forces. While they do not necessarily hate or fear magic (as it is as fundamental as aging or death), the Apotechta are wary of arcanists who manipulate the spheres of Spirit and Void; they are, after all, the most likely to conjure the entities they are driven to kill. Alatharya warriors and naturalists are the most common of the Apotechta, but they rarely dismiss those who are willing to fight at their side.

Individual Followers

The life of a follower of Enirra is often a difficult one, as their mental and physical fortitude are often tested to the limits. Many who follow more popularly tolerated religions proclaim followers of Enirra as both intellectual and military pariahs. A strong heart and the ability to function with little support are vital, as is the knowledge that most adventurers, save other Enirrans, regard Her soldiery as disposable. Often, a follower of Enirra will imagine themselves as a lone, sane voice in an insane world, spiraling ever closer to ultimate destruction. This leads to an obsession with what others are doing and innately divisive interactions with potential allies. Regardless, Enirra requires balance within Her warriors, meaning that only those who are true neutral may receive Her blessings.

Enirra's worship is primarily found in alatharya sanctuaries, rather than major cosmopolitan cities. Earendam at one time housed the Temple of Enaerai, but it was razed after the removal of the Enirrans' building charter. As such, that city in particular harbors no love for Her followers, who have often sided with those attempting to destroy it in one way or another. Her acceptance is further hindered by the assertion that Her power rivals that of the Overgods, which many politically powerful devoted consider the direst of blasphemies.

Those who find favor with the Lady of Balance are marked with the Eye of Enirra.

Relationships

Enirra is not well-regarded by many deities across the spectrum of the pantheon, as Her assertion of the necessity of balance disrupts virtually all of what they attempt to individually do. Her aid is fleeting and Her actions temporary, serving largely as a stumbling block for those who encounter it. However, some deities have substantial affinity for the Herald. Girikha, for example, owes much to Enirra, as it was through Enirra's followers that Her religion was brought to prominence. Chadraln finds Enirra a fascinating historical curiosity, as Her support has wider roots than much of the pantheon at large. Dolgrael's warriors often find at least some common ground with Enirra's, as they often share the same battlefields. Yet, their varied methods inevitably prevent a fruitful and permanent alliance.

Enirra's most important relationship is with Lielqan, whom She views as the most significant threat to ideological balance. Lielqan's indiscriminate resurrection of the dead is maddening to Enirra, who chafes at the knowledge that even great disruptions to the balance of power cannot be stopped for long. Perhaps more infuriating is that Lielqan ignores any who would suggest Her actions are harmful. Ultimately, Enirra's following must embody Her anger, putting all who serve the Sunset to the sword.

Shrines, Sigils, and Mobs

Areas

The Fortress of the Eye (vnums 22051-22099)

Sigils

the Sigil of the Eye of Enirra (vnum 1211) (for mobs)

the Sigil of the Eye of Enirra (vnum 1214) (for PCs)

Mobs

Irionne (vnum 22051) - Priest of Enirra and Knight healer

Gahret Mieldoon (vnum 17149) - Prophet of Enirra

Eronth Todok (vnum 3703) - Directs neutrals in the School of Heroes

God Mark

You notice [he|she] has triangle-shaped pupils in [his|her] eyes.

Notes, Logs, and Other Documents

Helps

Original Enaerai website overview (9/21/2004)

Old Enaerai staff wiki notes

Lore

Logs