Positive and Negative Energy Planes
Tobara Nan Og - Isle of the Well
Ethereal, Fey and Shadow Plane
Talem Glad - The Enchanted Realm
Skoath Moun - The Shadow Moors
Sioren Speirba - The Endless Sky
Uiscen Dolm - The Watery Depths
Talema Dolm - The Depths of the Earth
Piara Tinis - The Fields of Fire
Mor an Braith - The Silver Sea
An Calum Tontu “The Calm Beneath the Waves” (Death Realm)
Mar Nan Os - The Endless Forest
Cael Na Fionn “The Mists of the WIld” (Death Realm)
Alium Balath - The Golden City
Chathair Foirfe “the Perfect City” (Death Realm)
Elium Nan Og - The Isle of Battle
Y Gorora “The Borderlands” (Death Realm)
Kiric Balath - The City of Mists
An Liath Liath “The Gray Haven” Death Realm
Maneth Elia - The Meadows of Plenty
Neth Nan Ul - The Caverns of Flame
Elis Derg “Her Wicked Hand” (Death Realm)
The High Lord and The Silver Lady
From the peaceful fields of Maneth Elia to the burning depths of Neth Nan Ul, the Gods and their chosen roam the planes of Obera Dain. Those adventurers with the power and courage may find the gateways that lead from the material world of Alkevaaron, through the plane of Cair Nan Arq, to the God Realms themselves.
But beware to all those that try. Since the great Celestial storms the Shadowlands are no longer safe. Demons roam the folds of the spirit world and carve out abodes of their own within the great dark rifts of Cair Nan Arq. Others have made pacts with cruel Gods in return for protection and the life spirit they crave.
The Elder Gods are shackled by the laws of their own makers while the Namer God's embrace or battle the interloping Demons from beyond. The God Realms were never completely safe, but now only the powerful or insane travel beyond the mortal realm without good cause.
Beside the greater Namer Gods and their demi powers listed below, other lesser, cultural deities also are worshiped on the Isle. Some are simply greater spirits, natural or ancestral in origin while others are mighty beings who have attained power that borders the divine in scope. Bahamadd, the most powerful of good Shagoran is one such example. In general, these beings either share a plane with a Greater God or reside somewhere on the material or shadow plane.
When the Lord and Lady first created the World Tree of Obera Dain they saw the need to separate their creation from the multiverse. With divine magic of the highest power they set about creating a great barrier strong enough to withstand even Gods. This barrier completely detached the substance of their planes from the planes of the cosmos. When they were finished, all entrances and exits to and from the core planes of Obera Dain were destroyed.
Before the separation, the closest plane was that of Earth and its surrounding solar system. The gates between the two planes were many. Some believe that perhaps the Lord and Lady first created that plane and for some reason unknown to anyone, decided to leave it and its lesser Gods for their newer creation. Whatever the reason, the walls between Earth and Obera Dain were the thinnest point in the Great Barrier.
When the Spirit mage created his portal during the destruction of Atlanteus, he was backed by the combined power of the Atlantean immortals and the full power of the World Well. Even so, had it not been for the Great Gods own laws keeping them from direct action, it would not have been enough. As it was, the immortals were nearly destroyed.
After the rift and during the Celestial Storms that followed, the Elder and Namer Gods sent their minions to patch the hole. The struggles between the Atlareans and these servants were monumental. Though many powerful servants were lost, the rift was healed and strengthened beyond what it ever had been.
Within the World Tree of Obera Dain there are many realms, both physical and spiritual in nature. Many of the planes present beyond the Great barrier are also present here, with only their gateways and portals sealed by the Gods. Other fundamental planes of existence are either altered or missing as a result of the barrier. A brief overview of the Oberan Planes is described below.
It is important to note that all but the Aeranosian Planes are universal to all of Obera Dain. While these planes' appearance may seem celtic in geography and style to an Aeranosian, others from distant lands may see the positive energy plane as a desert oasis, or a monumental jungle paradise, just as two examples. In contrast, Aeranosian planes are the special domains of the celtic gods of Aeranos.
The same to all of Obera Dain. There is just one Prime Material plane within the Barrier, Alkevaaron. It is also known as the middle realm.
Also known as the Middle Realm by the people of Aeranos, it is the primary material plane. It is the center of the Oberan Cosmology and home to a large portion of the mortal Namer races.
The look and geography of these planes vary with the cultural pantheon. All have a device similar to the Life Well and Pit of Decay and both planes are always equal in power.
When the Great Barrier separated the planes, the Positive Energy plane ceased to supply its Oberan portion with abundant life force. The Lord and Lady foresaw this event and created the Life Well.
This well acted as a receptacle for the positive energy of the Oberan planes. When the plants and creatures of the planes would die, their life energy would flow through Basith Nan Og ( the Negative energy plane) and be returned once more to the Well for reincarnation. The only way to Tobara Nan Og is by crossing the Sea of Souls off the Northern shores of Basith Nan Og.
When mortal Namers emerged on Alkevaaron, their life spirits could not always find their way to Basith Nan Og. Mogda was created by the Elder Gods to manage these Namer Spirits and guide them back to the Life Well.
From a distance, Tobara Nan Og looks like a beautiful green island in the Sea of Souls. Creatures of Positive energy inhabit the plane and nothing is seen to decay or age. It is impossible to die while upon the isle but there is still great danger to those not native to the plane. Excess amounts of positive energy can cause creatures to cease their separate existence, effectively rendering them non-playable as their essence becomes one with the plane.
Two variances to the plane as compared to its outer barrier portion, are the Life Well itself, which lies deep within the interior of the plane, and the fact that there are no entrances or exits from the plane except through The Soul Sea and Basith Nan Og.
As with Tobara Nan Og, the Lord and Lady had to take special care in separating their portion of the Negative Energy Plane. The Forces of Life and Death had to remain equal and so the Plane of Negative Energy contains exactly the same amount of power and land as Tobara Nan Og.
Mogda the Collector resides in Basith Nan Og. From his Vast Hall of Spirits he fulfills his duty as the keeper of the balance and the gatherer of the dead, as well as pursuing his divine hobby as the collector of knowledge.
The plane is, geographically in most ways, an exact replica of Tobara Nan Og. Where positive energy affects the creatures and features of that island, negative energy forms the details of Basith Nan Og. Creatures not native to the plane run the risk of spontaneous decomposition without proper magical protection. The pit of decay lies at the plane’s center and all energy must be cleansed here before making its way to the Life Well.
Mogda's most hated foe is Thloch the Bone Lord, a chaotic Demon of undeath who is slowly growing in power as he feeds on the spirits of the dead while increasing the size of his undead legions. Mogda's servants fight an increasingly important battle against Thloch and his minions, trying to stop their threat before they upset the balance of Life and Death too greatly.
Few portals to or from Basith Nan Og exist. Those that do are most numerous to Cair Nan Arq. Any living spirit who travels through Basith Nan Og must strike a bargain with the powerful spirits of Death who ferry visitors across the Sea of Souls.
The parallel planes. Distorted mirrors of the local prime material plane.
Cair Nan Arq is the Ethereal plane of the Oberan cosmos. Like its greater portion beyond the barrier, Cair Nan Arq lies at least partially parallel to the material plane and many of its geographical features mirror Alkevaaron. Those features with strong energies often show up clearer on Cair Nan Arq, while those of new or weak natures are barely visible as misty representations. While in the near-ethereal, creatures within Cair Nan Arq can see into Alkevaaron but those on the material plane cannot normally see into the Ethereal. Traveling further into the deep ethereal is dangerous for all but experienced planar travellers.
With the exception of Skoath Moun, to travel from Alkevaaron to any of the other planes always requires a trip through the Twilight Lands. Since the Celestial storms, this makes planar travel perilous for Aeranosians due to the creation of the Daemoc Fenuira and the Demons that roam the plane searching for life energy.
Like Cair Nan Arq, the closer portions of the Enchanted Plane resemble the material world, but a super-sensory vision of the middle realm. All of a traveler's senses are heightened here. Colors are more vivid, smells are stronger, even emotions are more intense. Terrain also tends to be an exaggerated version of it’s material counterpart. Within this realm are the deeper sub-realms of the seelie and unseelie courts. These are areas of Talem Glad that have been claimed by the faerie courts and take on the characteristics of the bright and dark fey.
Many gates lead from Cair Nan Arq to Talem Glad. The dark fey lands of the Unseelie court have a multitude of gates to Skoath Moun, while the Seelie lands have greater access to Maneth Elia and Mar Nan Os.
Like Cair Nan Arq, the Shadow Moors are a parallel plane that co-exists with Alkevaaron. Things appear as eerie, negative images of themselves while in Skoath Moun. Those areas that are brightly lit on the material plane are obscured in mists and darkness on the Shadow Moors making travel difficult. No sort of vision can see through such areas, though senses that don't require sight work normally.
Certain areas of darkness act as gateways to the plane of the Shadow Moors and many creatures of darkness have learned to access it through spells and innate ability. Cair Nan Arq can be accessed from this plane and it is rumored that Mogda has opened certain gateways to Basith Nan Og as well.
These are vast planes that are consistent throughout the cosmos. They are not dependent upon cultural views to determine their appearance.
Sioren Speirba floats above the other elemental planes and many of the God Realms. Very little solid material can be found here and the plane's dimensions are mostly indefinable. Denizens of the plane refer to it’s hundreds of amorphous zones as Strata. Complicated charts that follow the spinning celestial bodies of sun, moons and stars are all but undecipherable without specialized instruments of navigation and the skill to use them.
Visitors without some means to fly are subject to starvation and death from old age as they plummet through the infinite clouded skies of the plane.
Elemental Lords and creatures of air inhabit the Endless Sky. Some powerful Elementals are worshiped as Gods by the races of the Isle. These Beings are often responsible for what little solidity there is here, as they maintain large and complex cities made of magical clouds and stone.
Gates and portals to Ulscien Dolm and Talema Dolm and all of the God Realms but Neth Nan Ul, are present though not common. Most portals are difficult to find, being mostly invisible and scattered randomly through the plane.
The endless ocean of Uiscen Dolm surrounds many of the outer planes giving them their island appearance. In some areas the waters are calm and gentle while in others (especially those that border Ruafa Manos) maelstroms are common.
Elemental Lords dwell here along with creatures of the appropriate elemental type. Some powerful Elementals are worshiped as Gods by the watery races of the Isle. Gates are common between Uiscen Dolm, Ruafa Manos and Sioren Speirba.
The earth plane lies beneath Uiscen Dolm and around the planes of many of the Aeranosian God Realms. It is mostly solid minerals and densely packed earth and sand. Those areas that lie near the God Realms and Elemental Plane of Air often contain vast fields of molten lava beds and arid expanses of dry twisted rockscapes.
Elemental Lords and creatures dwell within the earth itself and often carve large and winding caverns for the use of planar visitors. Some powerful Elementals are worshiped as Gods by the races of the Isle.
Gates to Talema Dolm are uncommon. Those that do exist often lead to Ruafa Manos or Piara Tinis - or through Cair Nan Arq to the deep caverns of the Evergloom.
The planes of fire border Talema Dolm and surround Neth Nan Ul. Seas of molten fire and endless fields of dancing flames make up the predominant features of Piara Tinis.
Breathable air is rare within this oxygen consuming plane and those visitors without some sort of magical protection from the heat are assured a painful death in most areas.
Elemental Lords and creatures dwell throughout the plane. Some powerful Elementals are worshiped as Gods by the races of the Isle and their stone and metal cities can be found floating above the flames in places throughout the plane.
Gates to other planes are rare but some can be found leading to Neth Nan Ul and Sioren Speirba. Some areas of volcanic activity in Alkevaaron have portals through Cair Nan Arq into this plane. It is said that during particularly large or aggressive wildfires spontaneous portals leading directly to Piara Tinis are formed for short times.
Mor an Braith is the astral plane of the Oberan cosmos. It is the realm of pure intellect and the plane of the bodiless spirit. Like its namesake beyond the barrier, Mor an Braith is a transitive plane between the material realms and the upper planes of the Gods. A vast, endless expanse of silver clouds and bright vistas, Mor an Braith contains very little physical matter.
Most who visit Mor an Braith do so by spell or arcane meditation, leaving their bodies on the material plane while their spirits travel through the Silver Sea on their way to other destinations. Few Namers and even fewer creatures call the plane home.
Importantly, Mor an Braith is the plane that borders the Great barrier, which separates the Oberan cosmos from the rest of creation. It is in the deepest recesses of the Silver Sea that the wall can be found—a vast and impenetrable construct beyond which no god or demon can pass or communicate.
Homes to the Aeranosian Pantheon. These planes are consistent in their celtic appearance and geography. Others from differing parts of the world may visit these realms without changing the appearance.
Each of these realms, while visitable from the middle realm, also have Death Realms, where the spirits of deceased Namers reside, protected and watched over by Scions of their Gods. These Death Realms are not accessible by the living, though certain divination spells and summonings might be able to communicate with the dead.
The Male half of the Elder Gods has many incarnations throughout the world of Obera Dain. His domains of influence are always the same, though his name and image may vary greatly. On the isle of Aeranos he is known as Erod The Summoner and his God Realm of Ruafa Manos is a dangerous plane of Steep mountains, raging seas and violent storms.
The creatures and beings who inhabit this plane tend to be chaotic and powerful. Many great spirits of the earth, sea and purely violent energy dwell here, making visiting The Sea of Storms hazardous in the extreme.
Gates to Sioren Speirba, Uiscen Dolm, Talema Dolm, Piara Tinis and Mar Nan Os are present in limited numbers. Many portals also lead through Cair Nan Arq to Alkevaaron.
As one of the Elder Gods, Erod does not house a great many spirits of the dead in Ruafa Manos. Those he does allow to stay are often his priests and druids, or those who sacrificed much in their lives to the Summoner. An Calum Tontu, or The Calm Beneath the Waves, is said to be a chain of rugged islands and deep, undersea grottos where the dead live a life of peace and solitude.
The female half of the Elder Gods has many incarnations throughout the world of Obera Dain. Her domains of influence are always the same, though her name and image may vary greatly. On the isle of Aeranos she is known as Cynwen The Huntress and her God Realm of Mar Nan Os is a feral place of deep forests and many other types of wilderness common to the Isle.
Great Animal and Plant Spirits, and creatures now long extinct from Alkevaaron still roam the wilds of Mar Nan Os. Civilizations are few and far between here, mostly consisting of small tribal settlements of powerful Druids and Rangers who revere Cynwen and help protect the lands from destructive visitors.
The plane borders the Seas of Ruafa Manos and gateways are plentiful to Erod's realm. Both sides of the faerie realm of Talem Glad also lie close. Sioren Speirba can be accessed by a few portals. Pathways through Cair Nan Arq to Alkevaaron can be found as well.
Unlike Erod’s death realm, The Huntress’s is more like a thin veil over the whole of her realm. The chosen dead of Cynwen roam the same wilderness as the living, only a parallel version that can’t normally be seen or sensed by the living, except when the Cael Na Fionn, or the Mists of the Wild gather, allowing the spirits to be seen, and sometimes communicated with.
Murbagh's realm consists of miles of agricultural farm and pasture land neatly bisected by natural streams, gently rolling hills and light, plentiful woods. At its center is a beautiful walled city of golden stone which sits atop a grass sloped mountain rising breathtakingly from the valley floor. Silver cobbled roads wind their way to the golden city from the many farming villages that dot the countryside. All the best aspects of Neran Community living can be readily found in Alium Balath. Healers cure sickness before it can spread, food and shelter can be found for all. Though the laws are strict, they are fair and justly enforced with the ultimate punishment being banishment from the plane.
Work is required by those spirits who dwell here, but harvests are always bountiful and the rewards of one’s labors are always readily apparent.
Gates to and from Alium Balath are few. Most join Alkevaaron through Cair Nan Arq and only allow those of Murbagh's choosing to enter. The Elder Gods both dislike Alium Balath due to its efforts to tame the ways of chaos and nature. Both Cynwen and Erod occasionally create portals linking their realms to The Golden City which wild spirits and Severe Storms drift through causing disorder and death when they do. Those warriors and Wical who dwell here are usually stationed along the perimeters of the plane to help battle these threats. It seems that the chaos of nature will always fight the order of civilization even in the God realms.
To the south of the Golden City is Chathair Foirfe, a walled community dedicated to the chosen dead of the Tiller God. Here, the best, brightest, and most noble of Murbagh’s chosen souls make the laws of Alium Balath, and stand as the highest judicial council, when required. The only living who may enter the Golden City are the Lawgivers, specialized priests who carry the wisdom of the Platinum Council to Alium Balath.
Culan's large island realm of Elium Nan Og is dedicated solely to the dead, and is a warrior’s paradise. Strong defensible castles and forts dot the rugged lands, inhabited by brave and famous warriors of many ages. The caverns beneath the isle are extensive and filled with the strongest durin warriors.
Intricate rules of warfare govern the lives of the spirits who dwell here. Though massive battles are fought and many warriors die, as long as their deaths were honorable they are reborn again when the war is finished. Life is lived to the fullest here with celebrations and feasts to lift the heart of any fighting spirit.
More than any other God save, perhaps Mogda, Culan sends his spirits into Cair Nan Arq and Skoath Moun to hunt the Demons who prowl there. Parties of brave Culanian spirits led by powerful Scion warriors patrol the pathways of the Ethereal and Shadow planes though death at a fiend’s hands could mean destruction of their very souls.
Gates to Alkevaaron through Cair Nan Arq are the most numerous. Several portals connect Elium Nan Og to Basith Nan Og through the Soul Sea as well. Mar Nan Os and Ruafa Manos can also be accessed, though the gateways often shift. Lastly, within the Paladin God Berem's great castle on the Isle, there are several gates to Manith Elia.
Because all of Elium Nan Og is technically already a Death Realm, the living have great trouble visiting. Planar travelers to the Isle of Battle can only access one of its many border forts and towns, along it’s rocky beaches. Once here, if a planar traveler is found worthy, they might be invited for a short sojourn inland, to train with dead warriors or visit with departed loved ones. If they stay too long, or are just unlucky, they might not be able to return. The Isle of Battle is a rough place for the living.
By Gleeve's own choosing, his Realm darkly mirrors that of Murbagh's Golden City. Where that fair city is all sunshine and law however, Kiric Balath is dark and mist shrouded.
Shadowy thieves and murderers prowl it's more dangerous streets. In its protected neighborhoods fabulous dwellings are the homes of inventive geniuses and extravagantly wealthy merchants. Everything has a price in Kiric Balath and most spirits find nothing shocking here.
Its countryside also vaguely mirrors Alium Balath, with villages and roadside inns a common occurrence. Unlike its counterpart, the woods can be wild and every sort of rogue and traveler can be found along the pathways and roads.
Of all the God Realms, Kiric Balath has the most portals and gateways. As befitting the God of Travel, Gleeve has seen to it that nearly every other plane can be reached from somewhere in his realm. It is even rumored that within Gleeve's own mansion a gateway to the Life well itself exists.
The abundance of cross realms portals within the city makes Kiric Balath a tempting stop for planar travelers who wish to avoid the dangers of the Daemoc Fenuira.
Because of the similarities to its lawful mirror city, Kiric Balath has several portals into Alium Balath. Of course most of these are heavily guarded on their lawful side, but like the Elder Gods, Gleeve expends much power keeping these portals open for mischief's sake alone.
At the center of the city, metaphorically speaking, lies An Liath Liath, The Gray Haven, where the Traveler’s chosen dead rule. These special spirits control the living portions of the plane, and issue their commands to special Gleevian clerics within Kiric Balath. Few living souls have ever been invited into the Gray Haven, and even fewer get the chance to leave once they have.
Nedra's realm of peace and healing has three distinct areas within its plane. The outer ring is a deep and tranquil forest called the Ringwood which acts as a natural barrier to those who come uninvited to the plane. Many paths wind their way through the trees magically altering themselves to lead unwanted visitors away from the interior. Without a Nedran guide, those with cruel intent often wander lost for long periods before giving up or being led out of the plane once more.
The trees and animals of the forest are incredibly resilient to damage and their powers of regeneration often foil the worst attempts to destroy them.
The second barrier is a body of water called Solace, a large and peaceful lake, shrouded in mist. Like the forest, only those who are invited may cross unhindered, being led by Nedra's own Great White Swans. Those who try to fly or boat across unguided have little chance of ever finding the flowered island that lies at its center as the mists shift and roil across the glassy water, magically hiding the enchanted isle.
Nedra's most ardent enemy is Agmored. The Destroyer’s minions often attempt to waylay travelers to Maneth Elia and powerful and evil Agmoredian servants often try to force their way through the passive defenses of the plane, though rarely with any success. Celestial Paladins under Berem's command guard the gateways to the realm and often patrol the forests as well.
There are few gateways leading to and from the Meadows of Plenty. Those that do exist are linked to Elium Nan Og, Alium Balath and Alkevaaron. It is whispered that Nedra has a special portal which leads quickly through Basith Nan Og to the Life Well itself.
The fragrant island that lies at the lake's center is simply called Center, and houses most who dwell in Maneth Elia. The lakeside villages are the only places that the living can visit. They offer hospitality and healing to welcome visitors. From there, only the dead may travel the well tended earthen roads which wind inward through flowered fields and over bubbling streams.
Small, modest villages dot the landscape where the chosen dead of The Mistress take counsel with powerful Celestials of Goodness and Healing, ever searching for the cures to disease and suffering in Alkevaaron. It is said that no ailment is beyond curing by the powerful Scions of Maneth Elia.
The painful fires of Neth Nan Ul echo with the screams of servants and spirit slaves. The sharp and twisted caverns of Agmored house many horrors who revel in pain and destruction, including the largest host of outworld fiends within a God realm.
The caverns are divided into nine domains, each ruled by a powerful Domain Lord. Without special domain keys, or permission from the Domain Lords themselves, each domain is only accessible from the one before it and the one after. Therefore, traveling from the first domain to the third requires a journey through the second, and so on. The first domain, known as the Burning Lands, or Avarn to outsiders, is the only entrance to Neth Nan Ul from other planes. Without the above mentioned magic, any visitor to Agmored’s realm must first come here.
To get to further domains, they must follow the Black river or pass through the Black Gates, guarded by a fearsome host of knockfara and devils. Once in the second domain, The Onyx Halls, there are multiple gateways leading deeper through further domains.
Since her birth as a Namer God many of Agmored's most faithful servants have been Knockfara and dispossessed outworld devils and demons. Large numbers of these goblinoid and fiendish spirits reside in Neth Nan Ul, having sold their souls for power or given themselves through faith in her cause. Agmored has struck a balance with her fiendish host, allowing them just enough life energy to satisfy them but not so much as to deplete the Life Well. This is done partially by encouraging them to fight amongst themselves, thus redistributing their gathered power.
Though the servants of Agmored despise Nedra and her healing ways, they fear Mogda more than any other. The God of Death dislikes Agmored for her embracing of the outsiders, though he realizes her usefulness as an instrument of destruction and entropy. Most of all, he worries that Agmored will go too far with her infernal pets and ruin the balance between life and death that is so critical to the closed cosmology of the Oberan planes. She is, after all, the God of destruction and if she should ever decide to attempt the destruction of the cosmos, she has a potent weapon at hand with the creatures of the Outworld.
Gates from the first Domain, The Burning Lands to Alkevaaron through Cair Nan Arq are common, as well as those to Piara Tinis. Some portals exist to the Elder Gods realms but Agmored is careful to allow few outworlders there lest she anger Cynwen and Erod too greatly. Due to Neth Nan Ul’s cavernous locale, several gateways to Tolema Dolm also exist.
Due to Neth Nan Ul’s unique role as home to Outworld fiends, most of the dead souls unlucky enough to call it home have been captured, or sent there as punishment for heinous crimes in life. These dead spirits are slaves to the Lords of the Flames, and remember little of their lives.
The most wicked of Agmored’s followers are granted the chance to reside in Neth Nan Ul after death as ambassadors to the fiendish lords, and as lords themselves. Unlike the spirit slaves, the Lords of Elis Derg remember their previous lives, and revel in the power they are granted.
During the Celestial Storms, when the Atlareans broke the great barrier, thousands of devils and demons streamed through the rift that the immortals had created and infested the planes of Obera Dain. These outworld fiends had no refuge of their own, and a host of powerful enemies including many of the Gods.
Fortunately for them, the Celestial Storms also affected Cair Nan Arq and Skoath Moun along with the material plane. Great tears in the ethereal and shadow planes created pocket dimensions that were still within the great barrier, but outside of the Outer planes and thus beyond the reach of those of this cosmos.
Some lawful devils and fewer chaotic demons made pacts with Gods and elder powers granting service in exchange for protection. The fiends who discovered such rifts sought sanctuary within them. Once free of the immediate threat of destruction by angry Gods, the smarter ones set to doing what fiends do best - planning.
Hundreds of Daemoc Fenuira exist within Cair Nan Arq and Skoath Moun. Some rifts are small, and can only house a few lesser fiends, while others are vast pocket dimensions which can hold hundreds or more.
Because these pocket realms are outside of the gods’ influence, those that enter the rifts are bereft of their gifted abilities. No spell, divine or arcane, works within the rifts, unless it is granted by the personal power of the demons and devils that reside there. While the Gods and their servants search for a way to overcome this obstacle, the fiends slowly grow in power.
The cosmology of Obera Dain has four classes of deities. The Creator Gods are the greatest of these powers. Known by different names throughout the planes, there are few facts known about them. It is widely believed that they are a pair or couple - one being male and one female.
It was this pair that established the Great Barrier around the Obera Dain Tree at its creation and also established a set of divine rules by which all of the lesser Gods must live by. They do not grant spells to priests and take no part in the affairs of the lesser Gods or the world they created.
The next in divine power are the Elder Gods. These powerful deities are also known by many names throughout the world. Charged by the Creator Gods to care for the elemental and animal spirits, and tend to the lands of Obera Dain, their mortal worshippers vary greatly from land to land as well as their culturally specific appearance and personality. In Aeranos, they are known as the Huntress and the Summoner.
Third in ranking are the Namer Gods of Obera Dain. First created by the combined will of the mortal Namers of the world, these Gods embody the emotions and lifestyles of their worshippers and thus vary greatly from culture to culture. Some resemble once-mortal Namers who embodied certain virtues and were raised to divine power. Nedra is an example of such a circumstance. Others simply take the form best suited to their portfolio. Culan is an example of this type of God.
The Namer Gods are the only deities that rely solely on their followers' worship for power and life. Some with many adherents are extremely powerful, while others are barely of divine status, with only local followings.
The fourth rank of deities are the lowest divine status. Powerful elementals, celestials, fiends and some magical creatures are sometimes worshiped by the Namer races of the world. With time and sustained belief, these beings can begin to feed on the devotion of their adherents. Eventually, some may even be able to grant minor spells and abilities to their followers.
Namer Gods can also grant a namer this rank of divinity, though it requires a large expenditure of their power to do so. Such Scions would cease to be demigods if their creators were to die from lack of worship.
The fundamental difference between Namer Gods and Demigods can be summarized in the following way: Though Demi-Gods will never attain the divine power of Namer Gods, they do not require the worship of their followers to survive.
The fifth types of powers are not Gods at all. Each aspect of nature and the elements is represented by a spirit energy. Some of these animistic powers are barely sentient while others are powerful within their own domains. Every tree, rock, river and storm has at least a small spark of spiritual essence.
Those whose physical forms last long enough or whose spiritual strength is great enough have their own specific identities. The great spirit of Faolchumul is the father of all wolves and will live as long as wolves prowl the forests and tundras of the world. Monabhar the Elder is the protective spirit of the ancient forest of Ocien. She resides in the largest Oak of the forest and sees to the welfare of her domain.
Namer Spirits also sometimes live past their physical forms. Ancestral spirits occasionally choose not to return to the Life Well and instead become guardians who dwell amongst their living descendants. Others are kept from returning for one reason or another and wander, lost and angry, becoming ghosts and spectres that plague the living.
All of the above spirits who are so inclined have the potential of becoming demigods or namer gods with enough time and focused worship. Most either continue their existence as they are or eventually “die” with the passing of their physical forms and return their energy to the Life Well.
Unless they are destroyed utterly, all Namer spirits linger near the sight of their death for three days and three nights. On the dawn of the fourth day, if they haven’t been disturbed by infernal or magical threats, they encounter one of the following scenarios.
In most cases, the dead soul is met by a Scion of the Collector, who protects and guides them through Cairn nan Arq and Skoath Moun to the Isle of Decay, or their God’s domain. Those who are led to the Basith Nan Og, are divested of memory and pain, and led through the Black Gate, to emerge, clean and reincarnated from the Life Well. This journey sometimes takes days, during which the Collector’s agent questions the spirit on its life and experiences.
In rarer cases, if the spirit has a strong will and/or unfinished business, is lost in a far plane, attacked or disturbed by spiritual threats, or prevented from journeying on by magic, it may linger as a ghost, or even the earliest stages of an ancestor spirit, or Spirit of Place.
Spirits lost in far planes might become prisoners of fiends, or extraplanar creatures. They might also simply wander, unable to find the way to their next incarnation, or chosen afterlife.
The highest powers in Obera Dain. The energy of the world is their power. Though they grant no spells and take no part in the affairs of the world, most regard them as the highest Gods. It is theorized that these ultra powerful deities are actually “Gods” to all of the other Gods of Obera Dain.
(The Huntress and the Summoner)
Titles: Lady of the Woods, The Beast Mother, The Emerald Crone
The feminine half of the Old God duality, Cynwen is a protector of the wilderness and the untamed spirits of nature that dwell there. Hers is the subtlety and stealth of the moon. She is a wild Goddess who is known for her mercurial moods and wrathful temper when angered. Along with Erod the Summoner, Cynwen has a simmering contempt for the Namer Gods though she can and does deal with them occasionally as a Matriarchal figure. The bow is her favored weapon.
All creatures of Obera Dain respect and recognize Cynwen's power. Those with the Gift who worship her become Druids and Rangers, protecting the forests and wilderness. The Faelinarie are Cynwen's own creation and are first amongst her most ardent worshippers. Nerans, Syvani, Oroka, Trulla and many kudra tribes also revere her and gain her blessings.
Spirit Realm: Mar Nan Os “The Endless Forest”
Death Realm: Cael Na Fionn “The Mists of the WIld”
The White Hart is a Powerful nature spirit that usually takes the form of an impressive antlered deer of ivory hue. Its followers are Rangers known as Greenmen.
Titles: Lord of Storms, King of the Sea, The Sun Father
The masculine half of the old god duality, Erod embodies the ferocity and power of the elements of the sea and sky and the blazing energy of the sun. Like Cynwen, his moods are swift to change but none can match the violence of his uncaged power. He is cruel and uncaring when it comes to the Namer races, the one exception to this being the remaining Morodin, giants whom he created to first walk Obera Dain.
Erod usually appears as a powerfully built and exceptionally tall Morodin Giant. Occasionally he will choose another race’s form, but his proportions are always large. He either wields a powerful hammer or a dangerous spear or trident which flashes with elemental energy.
All creatures of Obera Dain fear and respect Erod's power. His Aspect is known by a thousand names throughout the world. Though he has affection for none but the Morodin, he grants many his power to better serve his will. All manner of Namer races serve as Druids and Clerics of Erod for the power he grants.
Spirit Realm: Ruafa Manos “Sea of Storms”
Death Realm: An Calum Tontu “The Calm Beneath the Waves”
Followers are Giant-kin called Black Clouds.
The Morodos God of the Ice Giants. Cruel and Strong like the Unending blizzard.
(The Tiller, The Mistress, and The Warrior)
Titles: The Planter, Lord of Grain, The Great Chieftain
Murbagh is the protector of the Clans, unlike most of the other Namer Gods, his concerns lie mainly with the Nerans of the Isle. A bountiful harvest and well well-protected and cared-for community are his main agenda.
Murbagh generally chooses the form of a wizened elder neran with a graying beard. He has a still powerful body under white robes and wields a Heavy Flail of Golden light.
As would be expected, most Gifted followers are neran clan folk. Almost all Nerans pay homage to Murbagh in exchange for his protection. Wical tend to have influential roles in their communities. It is rare but not unheard of for like-minded races to have a gifted follower amongst them. Generally, these Wical are dedicated to merging their cultures with the Neran culture for the betterment of both peoples. Thus the occasional Syvani, Kirith-Syvani, Oroka, or Durin will be found in his service.
Spirit Realm: Alium Balath “The Golden City”
Death Realm: Chathair Foirfe “the Perfect City”
Followers run a powerful lawful good farming guild called the Grainsmen’s Guild.
Titles: The Mother, Summer Daughter, Maiden of the Gentle Hand, The Lady of Peace
Nedra is the guardian of the family and the bringer of peace and healing. She gives love and hope to all creatures and eases pain wherever she can. As one would expect, she is constantly opposed by Agmored and often at odds with Gleeve and his darker designs.
Nedra often chooses the form of a young female of any Namer race with nothing in her possession. In her more protective aspects she appears as a beautiful adult female wielding a glowing round shield with which she both attacks and defends.
Followers of Nedra often take the role of healers and judges in their communities. They are ever watchful for the signs of Agmored's influence and many take to seeking out and ending pain and suffering in the world beyond their communities. Those that seek this path tend to be at odds with the more peaceful followers and associate more with the Bardic Metrani and Knightly Beremians.
Spirit Realm: Maneth Elia “Meadows of Plenty”
Death Realm: Ionadd “Center”
Metran was a beloved Neran Bard during the Morodos Wars whom Nedra took favor to in her early divinity. Upon his death, Nedra elevated him to Demigod status and he is now the patron of most good bards.
Son of Metran and The Mistress. Followers are Paladins called Beremian Knights.
Titles: The Forge Father, The Brown Bull, The Battle Father, The Unbending
Culan was the first of the Namer Gods of Aeranos. Originally a Durin God of Strength and Metals, he eventually came to be worshiped by many Namer races as a Lawful patron of war and martial prowess as well. Culan takes no pleasure in senseless conflict. Though he cherishes a good fight, it must be for a worthy cause. Honor is of utmost importance to him and therefore he despises Agmored beyond all other powers.
Culan often appears as a great brown Dire Bull when amongst his Neran followers. He is also fond of his guise as a corded and virile Smith with massive arms and a narrow waist. When in humanoid form he wields in one large hand a plain two handed blade and an iron headed smithing hammer in the other.
Followers of the Warrior vary from race to race and location to location. The Durin place the Great Maker, Gungin Mokra, as they call him, just below Erod in prestige, and often look to him more than any other God for guidance and example. The Nerans on the other hand, revere Culan as the keeper of Martial Law and Neran followers act as Judges and guardians to the Clans.
Spirit Realm: Elium Nan Og “Isle of Battle”
Death Realm: Y Gorora “The Borderlands”
Dalm was a Neran peasant during the Morodos occupation who single-handedly raised a rebel army against the Giantkin and broke their hold on the clans of the Isles. After his death, for his deeds, dalm was empowered as a demi-God by Culan. It is largely the Dalmian Marshals that police the Neran clans as judges and enforcers.
Patron of a brotherhood of Durin Smiths and Fighters called the Blade Clan. Torc Graybeard is said to be the Durin smith whom Culan first showed the secrets of forging steel to in the distant past. It is a durin smith’s greatest achievement to die and be invited into the ancestral circle of spirits known as the Forge Father’s Hall.
(The Collector, The Traveler and The Destroyer)
Titles: The Winter King, The Raven of Whispers, The Harvester of Souls, The Water Bearer, The Keeper
When the first race of the Isles gained the power of True naming, the elder Gods found that the Namer spirits would not always return to the well of Life when their mortal lives ended. Some became disconnected and without guidance. They lost their way in the Shadow lands of Skoath Moun. To prevent this loss of energy from the Well, Cynwen and Erod created Mogda, a powerful guide who evolved into an efficient if somewhat malicious collector and cataloger of Namer Spirits.
After the Celestial Storms, when the first of the Outworld Infernals began tempting, cajoling, or eating the souls of the Namers, it became necessary for Mogda to reveal himself to the living Namers of the isle to better fight the growing threat of the outworld infernals. Mogda is only concerned with doing his duty to the Elder Gods. He has no love of the living and often takes pleasure in his role as the bringer of death. Throughout his long service, though not bidden to by the Elder Gods, Mogda has compiled a great deal of knowledge. It is said that Mogda keeps record of all True Names and is privy to every secret of the Gods.
When Mogda deigns to show himself to the living, he often appears as a shadowy skeleton draped in starlight robes or as a benevolent looking elder with sunken features and wispy white hair. He has also been seen as a sore-riddled, bent and diseased boy, usually as a precursor to a plague or similar epidemic. In all these forms he carries a gleaming scythe (hand or large) which he wields with wicked effectiveness.
All Namers of the Isle fear and respect the power of Mogda. In some cultures, like the Nerans, his Wical are given the same respect as other Wical, and some serve a vital role in their communities as preparers of the dead. Others keep ever-growing libraries of Kingdom knowledge and laws. There are still others who actively seek the death of their fellow Namers for their God’s pleasure and they too are rewarded by Mogda with greater power.
Spirit Realm: Basith Nan Og “Isle of Decay”
The Ebon Man was a Wical in mortal life, and a valiant fighter of Demons, especially the Bone Lord Thloch. Upon his death, Mogda raised him to Demigod status and gave him the power of Shadow. The Ebon Man's followers are shadowy spirits and Wical who fight Thloch’s influence on the mortal realm and in Skoath Moun.
Titles: The Great Thinker, The Weary Traveler, The Master of Dark Deals, The Unseen God
Gleeve is the ultimate inventor. Ever seeking the quickest methods for arriving at an end, he contrives, swindles, builds, and wanders his way to a better tomorrow, at least for him. In his brighter aspects, Gleeve is the God of inventiveness and ingenuity. As well as the protector of the career traveler. In his darker aspects, he is the prince of lies, deceit, and murder in the name of greed and profit. The means don't matter much to Gleeve, only the ends are of any importance.
Gleeve often appears as a greyish tabby cat or a black dove. When in humanoid form he can be anyone or anything and often enjoys appearing as a close friend or loved one or in the rag-tag clothing of a dusty traveler.
Most Namer races deal with Gleeve in one way or the other. Whether it be a wandering Bard paying for his favor and blessings in a Travelers Temple, a Dinar tinker consecrating a favored tool, or a guild assassin praying for an easy kill at a hefty payoff. Wical of Gleeve run the gamut from upstanding merchants to evil-hearted thieves though only the former worship openly.
Spirit Realm: Kiric Balath “City of Mists”
Death Realm: An Liath Liath “The Gray Haven”
Followers, Thieves called Crescent Knights often can be found at or near the head of large Thieves Guilds.
Son of Gleeve and Patron of Dinari Tinkerers.
Titles: The Red Queen, The Blood Raven, The Scourge of Five Flames, The Pain Maiden
Agmored is the epitome of the Namer race's capacity for evil and destruction. She is the destroyer of hope and the strong oppressor of the weak. She enjoys inflicting pain and takes pleasure from suffering in all its forms. Agmored often incites violence in others, especially if such violence causes great destruction.
Agmored has earned the ire of many of the Aeranosian Gods, including The Elder Gods by willingly embracing and recruiting some of the outworld Demons and devils. The only God who will willingly give aid to Agmored is Gleeve, who also keeps a few less violent Demons in his following.
Agmored often appears as a noble-dressed woman of an exquisite, if harsh beauty or as a large Gore crow of crimson hue. In her humanoid forms, she regularly wields a flaming five-pronged scourge capable of inflicting unending pain.
Occasionally, those of good alignment will give offerings to Agmored in hopes of appeasing her but there are no open temples dedicated to her worship within the Neran clans. Most followers of the Red Queen serve for the power she grants them. Many of the Knockfara worship her, but there are some of all races within her priesthood. Agmored's Wicals gain position and power through the subjugation of those weaker than themselves. “Might makes right” best sums up their philosophy on life.
Spirit Realm: Neth Nan Ul “Caverns of Flame”
Death Realm: Elis Derg “Her Wicked Hand”
Though not technically of demigod status, Sevos is a Demon of significant power who came through the rift during the celestial storms. Upon finding a hostile pantheon ranged against him, Sevos gave allegiance to Agmored in return for her protection. See below for more on Sevos.
In addition to Sevos, Agmored has brought many other Demons under her protection. Though none compare in power to The Master of Torments, together they make up a potent threat to the Namer races of the Isles.
Tehamuth is one of the two most powerful Shagoran in Aeranos. Her power, residence within Neth Nan Ul and habit for destruction and cruelty are the only reasons she is considered a demipower of Agmored. Within her own domain Tehamuth bows to no one.
(Master of Torments, Bone Lord, Mistress of Webs)
Of all the outworld creatures who entered the Oberan planes, these three are the most powerful and feared on the Isles. While some have given allegiance to Gods, others openly or secretly defy them.
Though this is not an exhaustive list, these three are the most prevalent and most likely encountered. Other equally powerful creatures have left the shores of the Isles for distant lands and realms. Many less powerful aliens also roam the Isles and dwell within the Democ Fenuira.
An outworld demon once dedicated to chaos alone, Sevos deals in physical and mental torture. The strong dominate the submissive. Patron of Slavers and favored by the Kuranani. Sevos has given his services to Agmored.
A Powerful Devil of the undead, Thloch is a rival to Mogda due to his enslavement of souls. Thloch gains power from his entrapment of spirits. His Rift realm, “The Bone Steppes' ' is one of the largest in the Shadowlands and of all the Outworlders, the Gods fear Thloch’s growing power most of all.
A demon of anarchy and shadows, Minerest deals in subtle plots that sow the seeds of chaos. Turning friend against friend through lies and deception is her specialty. Her followers have slowly taken over many Democ Fenura and she serves no gods, though she sometimes works with the Shadow Court.