The Pantheon of Gods

There are a multitude of gods who have followers among the people in the Estian Sea. The ones with the biggest following are Odin, Thor, and Freya, but several others have sizable cults. The gods live on the plane of Vanaheim, far above the mortal world. If beheld by mortals, the gods do not initially appear larger than an average human at a distance, but they have an enchanting presence and their voices drown out all other sounds, making them appear much larger when spoken to.

Some gods have several aspects, where worshippers might find entirely different traits to worship in the same deity. For example, some druids pray to Skadi as the Wildwatcher, the guardian of the wilderness. At the same time, a dragon cult can give sacrifice to Skadi as the Dragonmother, the originator of the chromatic dragons. Neither view is wrong, but neither party needs to accept the teachings of the other because they belong to the same deity.

Most people in the islands are henotheistic, preferring worship of one god above the rest while still respecting the power and worship of other gods. This still leaves room to direct a prayer to another god if their domain is more relevant. For example, someone who considers Heimdall their primary deity might still make a sacrifice to Thor or Aegir before setting out on a journey by ship, to ensure a safe passage.

The relationships between the gods can be difficult to understand for mere mortals. As beings of divine power that have lived for eons, they have mostly learned to live in mutual understanding, despite their sometimes clashing domains and ideals.

	Deity	Alignment	Primary Domain	Common symbol	Family
	Odin	TN	Magic	Raven	Both
	Freya	NG	Light	Sun	Vanir
	Heimdall	LG	Forge	Anvil	Vanir
	Skadi	NE	Wilderness	Dragon	Vanir
	Aegir	CN	Tempest	Waves	Vanir
	Loki	CE	Trickery	Spider	Vanir
	Hel	LE	Afterlife	Crowned Skull	Vanir
	Tyr	LE	War	Flaming Sword	Aesir
	Thor	CN	Tempest	Hammer	Aesir
	Sif	LN	Justice	Scales	Aesir
	Balder	CG	Poetry	Lyre	Aesir
	Idun	CG	Luck	Apple	Aesir
	Uller	LN	Hunting	Crossed Arrows	Aesir

All alignments, classes and background suggestions presented as connected to a gods are for inspiration only. Some of the greatest characters and moments can come from breaking these stereotypes.

The Aesir and the Vanir

The gods are divided into families, the Aesir and the Vanir. According to legend, the Aesir fought a war against the Vanir, who were eventually forced to submit and accept the Aesir as their equals. Odin is considered to be both Aesir and Vanir, symbolizing their union into a single pantheon.

The divide among the gods is still relevant in some tales and stories, but downplayed or not present in others. Some cultures only worship either family of gods.

The elvish word for god is vana (vana), and they consider themselves the vanadine, 'Children of the Gods'. The elvish word aesi (aesi), on the other hand, means 'dwarf'. This is reflected in that elves are more likely to worship the Vanir, and dwarves are more likely to worship the Aesir.

The Afterlife

The defining trait of the gods is the power to claim souls for the afterlife. The gods choses those mortals who embodied their ideals in life, or whose services they have use for in the afterlife. The most notable afterlives are that of Odin and Freya, who claim souls for their two great halls, Valhalla and Sessrumnir. While faith and devotion certainly matters, and a place in the afterlife is often given to devout followers, it is not the only reason a soul may be claimed. For example, Odin may claim a great warrior, even if that warrior has never prayed to Odin in their life. Refer to the different gods to see what qualities they wish for, and the nature of their afterlife.

A soul claimed by a deity can only be resurrected if the deity in question agrees to it. Some deities are more likely than others to do this. For example, members of Uller's Wild Hunt are almost never allowed to go back. If more than one god wants to claim a soul, there are a number of things that could happen. Perhaps the gods come to an agreement or trade, or perhaps the soul is allowed to choose their destination, or the gods may even turn on each other for the privilege of claiming a powerful individual.

While in the afterlife, a soul retains its personality and memories. Most afterlives have some purpose, and the souls are usually employed by the ruling deity, and are not free to leave on their own accord. In rare cases, a deity may instead confer sainthood on a soul, making them a celestial messenger who can travel to other planes in order to bear messages and carry out divine business. This is exceedingly rare, and only given to those who truly embody the ideals of that afterlife.

Not every soul is claimed to an afterlife. Those souls who are not claimed go to the frozen wastes of Helheim, where Hel keeps them forever. It is these souls who may sometimes find their way back across the Bifrost to their home plane as spiritual undead. This journey is a harrowing one, and one that rarely leaves the psyche of the spirit intact.

Ragnarok

Odin has foreseen the end of the world, but does not know when it will occur. The gods work hard to prepare for this battle at the end of time. Odin has seen that most of the gods will die in this battle, including himself. In his visions, Thor slays the World Serpent before succumbing to its poison, and Tyr duels with Fenrir, finally besting the Wolf that severed his hand when the world was young.

In preparation, Odin is gathering his army by having his Valkyries take the worthiest warriors who fall in battle to Valhalla, where they feast and train in preparation for the Battle at the End of Time. Odin has also given Freya the task of restoring civilization to Midgard after the battle is over. Freya gathers the kind and caring in her great hall, where they live in bliss until the time comes to repopulate the world.

The twilight of the gods will be heralded by a great winter, followed by a summer with no sunshine. When the battle breaks out, the borders between Midgard and the outer planes will open wide and the forces of darkness will invade. The jotnar, led by the fire giant Surtur, will lead a great host of evil, and the great wolf Fenrir (from the Shadowfell) and Jormungandr the World Serpent (from the Plane of Water) will take his side and fight the gods.

Divine Servants

The gods have many lesser divine beings in their service. These range from the minor lumin to the mighty solars. It is within a god's power to raise a mortal being to a demigod state, a process called apotheosis. This is a reward that is only given to those pious few who truly embody that deity's ideals. Those who undergo apotheosis are free to roam between the divine planes and the mortal realms at will, furthering their master's cause.

Sometimes, individual celestials can accumulate worshippers of their own, or gain a role in the general rituals that surround their god. This might be counter to the interests of their patron.

In the worship of some gods, these servants have different names. For example, mortals raised to serve Freya are called saints.

Some of the most well-known servants are:

• Hugin and Munin: Odin's ravens gather news and tidings of what happens in the realms of the world, and brings this information to the All-father.
• Aurora: The Dawn Solar is one of Freya's most trusted advisors.
• Kol and Eld: Heimdall's two forge-aides, who work the bellows and keep the furnace fed. They are often depicted alongside their master.
• Umbriel: A dark celestial bound in service of Hel. She is the origin of all vampires, having bestowed her Dark Gift on a cult that worshipped her in the early days of the Teccan Empire.