The Primitive Gods
According to Thetis, the 3 primitive gods have no direct lineage. The elemental gods are the closest things to a lineage that Azathoth has.
God of Death: Nyarlathotep
Depreciated God of Death Nyarlathotep is the ancient god of death, controlling passage into the astral plane. Most of Nyarlathotep’s worshippers were in modern day The Holy State of Odema and the Beryth territory in The Empire of Dagdra. Nyarlathotep is in the Far Realms, and sent an avatar to the Material Plane, who would’ve been a willing worshipper of them.
About 400 years ago (not in the Current Era), worship of Nyarlathotep died out because Nyarlathotep was trying to gain power over life and death itself and made an enemy of all the other gods. Nyarlathotep was trying to usurp the power of the original progenitor power. One of his major opponents was Genesis. The worshippers of the other gods killed Nyarlathotep’s worshippers to weaken him. Worshippers of Genesis sealed Nyarlathotep’s avatar on the Material Plane into The Mirror of Enveloping Darkness, attempting to keep his spirit trapped in a limbo in the mirror.
During the war between the gods, Nyarlathotep killed Yeenoghu, the God of Gnolls, and took his power. This is why failed vessels who look into the Mirror turn into Gnolls.
In modern day, The Order of the Fish worship Nyarlathotep.
Nyarlathotep has 8 Sinister Vows, who are super loyal followers of Nyarlathotep. Not much is known about them as history has been intentionally obfuscated.
- Abyss, General/Apostle of Nyarlathotep, similar in role / function to Hades, but isn’t a Plane, more so a conceptual being. It’s more than just an all consuming abyss. Veritus is fighting Abyss, and according to Thetis, died to Abyss and Emptiness while fighting them both. Abyss embodies emptiness.
- Emptyness, Veritus is fighting them too.
- King Hades, Ruler of the Plane of Hades, is the third vow of Nyarlathotep. In order to summon him, one must carry out a specific divine ritual. Its requirements include 3 severed heads, dried roots and ashes of the roots of a petricite tree in Geimshall Woods. The ritual takes 2 hours and requires immense concentration, hand gestures, and a summoning circle. According to Astrid von Novis, Hades is just a personification.
- Ruin, the strongest Sinister Vow. He has the ability to destroy anything he comes in contact or near with. If his full power is regained, he could wipe out all of Faltera.
God of Life: Genesis
Depreciated God of Life In their prime, Genesis was equal in power to Nyarlathotep. Genesis’s worshippers were mostly in the northern regions of Faltera, including Frostwind, Hyritia, and stretching into Fusilla. There is a theory in academic circles that Yddris and Nyx are two halves of Genesis, which is likely untrue. Thetis says Genesis would be angry to find another god masquerading as the god of life. Genesis was vain. Apparently he may have been complicit in Nyarlathotep’s evildoings.
God of Consciousness: Azathoth
Ancestor to the Gods of Human Nature One of the progenitor gods, the primitive god of consciousness, which gave creatures consciousness and intelligence. They find humanity intriguing. The God of Consciousness does not like Nyarlathotep who believes he should be the only one with sentience and intelligence and swears to go for Azathoth’s head. Furthermore, one can’t be conscious when they are dead. He is equal in power to Nyarlathotep. He finds humanity endearing.
Assisted in creating the Crown of the Elements.
At some point in time he split himself into multiple gods, now known as the Gods of Human Nature. The four that are common knowledge are chaos, order, fortune, and greed, but it’s believed among academics who research this he has more parts. Nim knows of two others, Benevolence and Malice. Due to the presence of the 10 pillars in the ruin in Everholden which also has Azathoth’s bust, it is likely that he split himself into 10 gods. However, based on the vision that was seen when sitting on the throne in Everholden, Azathoth split himself into 9 clay statues. The inscriptions on the pillars are (the gods in the parentheses are guesses as to which god relates to which inscription and unless bolded are not confirmed):
- As it is divinely ordained all shall be mine (Greed)
- The true beauty of life lies in its structure (Order)
- Others shall be crushed beneath my heel (Malice)
- scratched out
- Only in truth shall we find true justice (Honesty, Veritus)
- It is writ therefore it is thus (Justice?)
- Unpredictability is the highest virtue (Chaos, Hrym)
- Mind, body, and soul as one
- May the golden wind bless us all (Fortune)
- scratched out
Veritus, Lucius, Hrym, Aurus