Religions & Deities:
The Seven Exiles
Worshipped as the great pantheon of mankind in Athios, the history of the Seven Mercy's, or as they're referred to in the ancient history, the Seven Exiles, is one shrouded in as much superstition as it is political contradiction. Their history is tied to the ancient Myth of Mankinds travel to the land known as Dystrexion.
Hailing from the lost homeland of Celara, where Humanity had waged a pointless war against itself that tore the land asunder, seven beings that were once human, whose names had been long to the centuries, travelled across the Sea of White Towers in search of a new place to call home. The journey across the sea was difficult, and hundreds died from illness and starvation, but after such a treacherous journey, Mankind finally settled upon the land that would one day be known as the Territory of the Immortal Empire-
Dystrexion
- The new land was stated to be beyond the recognition of anything the Seven had seen- the settlers dismantling all, but one ship, using the material to build their homes in what would be known as Farzad. From there, they expanded eastward, into the lands that would one day be known as Magion, described as then as a lush jungle of verdant life and powerful energies. The Settlers, however, faced numerous difficulties- The land was full of creatures that were considered hostile, the unfamiliar terrain made expansion slow and taxing, and Magion itself was ruled by a group of dark-skinned beings known as 'Yuthra', though their exact species is unknown. The Yuthra were ruled and worshipped the native dragons as Gods, beings the ancient settlers had never before encountered, and when they refused to submit to worship, the result was apocalyptic.(edited)
_ The Settlers lacked the magical capabilities that would one day become prominent in the Empire, and through an act of pure and unrelenting cruelty, the native Yuthra struck Mankinds settlements, before finally wiping out Farzad in what would be known as
The Night of the Screaming Moon. The only survivors of the tragedy were the Seven, spared as a 'Mercy' to the human race by the Dragons, allowing them to sail back west to spread word of what had happened. What had been expected by the dragons as a simple act of deterrence and correction, would ultimately become their downfall- The Seven returned to native Celara, now known as the Seven Mercy's, and spread word of the atrocities that had happened. Uniting what remained of the human race for the first time in written history, the Natives of Celara all sailed for Dystrexion, some say burning their maps to strengthen their resolve.(edited)
_ United against their great threat, carrying with them the knowledge of years of warfare, and the strength of the Human Race, the Seven lead a brutal war of retaliation against the Dragon Cultists and the Ruling Dragons. This became known as
The Hundred Years of Blood as it is stated that the violence from both sides was so horrific, it scarred Magion forever, turning the once verdant forest into a barren desert. Finally, after a hundred years of war, the Seven held the remaining dragon kings and Yuthera at blade point. Instead of massacring them and bringing an end to their nation, much like the Dragon's had done, the Seven showed mercy- offering their lives in return for their gift of magic. Thus ended the war- The native Yuthra mixed blood with the Humans, creating the standard human you see today, and the Dragon's awarded the mercy of the Seven by gifting them their titles and sharing with them their knowledge of magic and spellcraft. Guidance, Faith, Wisdom, Justice, Forgiveness, Healing, and Life were ascended to an almost deity-like status, and vowed to continue watching over Mankind, even as their skin and bones turned to ash. Their bloodlines would continue ruling the lands of mankind as Humanity expanded, becoming what is now known in history as
The Immortal Empire. Today, this ancient exodus is seen as a story of pride among the citizens of Athios, who believe that even now the Seven protect and guide them, just as they did from ancient Celara centuries ago...(edited)
The First Mercy- Guidance https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fgeofotoput.ru%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F08%2F44-186.jpg&hash=7207841803fc667cae1fe6e724cef7a5
The Second Mercy- Faith https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Forig05.deviantart.net%2F7f74%2Ff%2F2013%2F066%2F4%2F8%2Fnorthern_cross_priestess_by_lasahido-d5x8sk1.jpg&hash=f3cf69d69c9296643e3d917ac82e8f6b
The Third Mercy- Wisdom https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F67.media.tumblr.com%2F69fdc6264f335f1ce0e4cafcd0566566%2Ftumblr_nb66fdxloB1thxsmlo1_1280.jpg&hash=1b76c6e99084b3db03af119078df7865
The Fourth Mercy- Justice https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Forig02.deviantart.net%2F0fb1%2Ff%2F2014%2F258%2Fe%2Fd%2Fcleric_by_joshcalloway-d7za0ya.jpg&hash=2804635e272039ddb84cad96bb5f6907
The Fifth Mercy- Forgiveness https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FvnCOgPFhpXc%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&hash=1e6b0c7606d10275c5649045860f0e1c
The Sixth Mercy- Healing https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.artstation.com%2Fp%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Fimages%2F000%2F664%2F844%2Flarge%2Fekaterina-burmak-green-magic.jpg%3F1430251681&hash=051c5457d28947c05deb66440c858a17
The Seventh Mercy- Life https://www.rpnation.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F53%2F2c%2F80%2F532c8002093a0cd20769b8d9162d89df.jpg&hash=9f39cf1913f099ff2d77ab838bb5453a
"I am not sure what lies ahead, but this one thing I am sure of is You are with me wherever I go. You are the One who guide me and walk with me till the very end through Eternity. Bless your servant to prevail under all circumstances, never to stray from your precepts and will. Lead me to make choices that bring you glory and allow me to experience the life you intended for me to live." - Prayer to the First Mercy The First to appear before the mortal races, Guidance has often gone under the title 'The Shepard', as it was he who led the first tribes away from their harsh landscape, so they could begin the process of slowly growing again. Though the terrain was harsh and the journey tiring, they were lead to a lush and beautiful landscape, where they could finally begin again. The monsters were scarcely seen, the ground was ripe for farming, a river ran through it for water, and there was plenty of game to hunt. A story often told is how two frogs left their swamp after it dried, and went off in search of a new home. Guidance appeared in front of them as a Pigeon, and cryptically instructed them to take the Long path, and avoid the Short one. The Frogs, slightly confused, continued on their journey, before coming across a well on the road. The first frog wanted to jump down there, as it was nice and wet. However, the Second Frog remembered the Pigeons words, and continued on the trail. The Second frog eventually found a large swamp, twice the size of his old one. The First frog's well eventually dried up, and the frog realized he could not get out. Trapped as he was, the First frog lamented that he did not follow the Pigeons instructions, before dying of the heat.(edited)
_ "Loving Mercy, When confronted with the magnitude of the worlds suffering, give me the grace to trust in the long haul. When besieged by doubt or despair, remind me to look for the small signs of your presence, embedded in the daily details of my life. When tempted towards cynicism and negativity, grace me with a mellow heart, so that I continue to find hope in beauty, love, and laughter. I place my cares and troubles, and my direction and goal, into your gentle hands" ~Prayer to the Second Mercy (edited)
The Second to walk the path of the mortals races, Faith often goes by the name 'Lady Fidelity', for she was the one who instructed the tribes folk to believe that they held their best interests at heart. She promised them reward for their loyalty, for the journey to their new homeland was long and harsh. Her words proved true, as they eventually settled and began again. She taught them that, despite the harshness of the journey, the reward is always worth it in the end. A story well known of the second mercy, was that of a Farmer. He toiled the soil of his home everyday, but could not achieve nearly as much as his neighbor, who owned more land than him. His neighbor, a greedy soul, offered him to feed him and give him half of what he harvested, in exchanging for working his farm, and the Farmer giving him his land. On the day he was to agree, a strong gust of wind sent flowers towards his home, as if warning him against going. The Farmer, now uncertain of the deal, decided against it, and went to continue his own farm work. The next day, the farmer was surprised to find his field filled with flower and crops. The flowers that had flown over the night before scattered seeds over the soil, giving way to beautiful flowers and healthy crops. The Farmer managed to gather the flowers, and sell them to provide proper equipment and more seed. His neighbor lost his entire crop, and was forced to move on, allowing the farmer to buy the land. Though the beginning was hard, The farmer was well rewarded in the end for his faith.
_ "Almighty Mercy, The Giver of Wisdom, without whose help my resolutions are vain, without whose blessing my study is ineffectual, I beg you to enable me to attain such knowledge as may qualify me to direct the doubtful and the instruct the ignorant, to prevent wrongs, and terminate contentions; and grant me blessing, so that I may use that knowledge which I shall attain to your glory and my own salvation." -Prayer to the Third Mercy
The Third to appear before Mortal races, Wisdom has gone under the title 'The Teacher' more than once, for he was the one that taught them to farm and to hunt, how to build shelter and boats, how to craft machinery, and taught them the first words of magic that began their Empire. Though his methods were seen as strange and sometimes questionable, His knowledge gave them a well needed push to survive. None could question Wisdom, and not receive the proper answer. A tale about wisdom speaks of how A hunter was attempting to find food for his family, but could not find prey. Wisdom appeared before him as a Hermit, and told to follow the tracks to a local bear den, but instructed him to 'Only shoot when the moon was at it's peak'. Granted this new knowledge, The young hunter followed the trail. Soon, he would come across a large bear, easily able to feed his entire family, outside of a cave. The Young hunter wanted to strike the bear now, as it slept, but remembered the Hermits words, and stayed his hand. Nightfall came, and the Hunter impatiently watched as the bear arose from it's slumber, and walk away from his cave. The Hunter notched an arrow, and looked up at the moon. When it finally reached it's height, The hunter let the arrow loose. It pierced the neck of the bear, killing it instantly. The Hunter would walk over towards the bear, curious as to why he was instructed to wait, before taking a look inside the cave. Inside, the Hunter saw an entire family of bears inside, all still slumbering. Had the Hunter hit the bear earlier, the noise would've been enough to wake the bears, and would prevent him from harvesting his game, along with alerting them of his presence. The old hermit had saved this young boys life. From that day forward, the Young Hunter never questioned Wisdom again.
_ "I shall not be a victim, I shall not be a perpetrator, but above all, I shall not be a bystander. Grant me the readiness to speak out for the weak and vulnerable. Grant me the readiness to point out the corrupt and indefensible. Finally, grant me the righteous to stand for the just and Innocent." -Prayer to the Fourth Mercy
The Fourth to come to Celara, Justice has gone under many titles, but her most common is 'The Defender'. With her mighty shield, she protected the tribes of Celara under their guidance, and to those that threatened their newfound prosperity, her mace brought down a swift justice upon their heads. She instructed the young races on morality, on the terms of right and wrong. It is said she laid down the first Code of Laws, which the Empire followed to it's demise. A story told long ago, was that a tribe of heathens and degenerates were raiding and stealing from the people that the Seven chose to protect. Justice appeared before them as a frail old woman, warning them that if they continued, that they would be punished. Most of the tribal's laughed and scoffed at the woman, uncaring of her words. However, a handful heard this woman, and decided to stay back during the next raid. When the tribal's came, They were met with the frail old woman again. The woman would transform into the visage of Justice, and said she would fulfill her vow. Holding her mace towards the sky, she gestured downwards, bringing a bolt of lightning down on the invaders, killing a few. Some tried to run, and were quickly captured by ensnaring vines from the ground. Others gave up, and dropped their weapons, pleading for mercy. Those that choose to stay behind, she appeared before them, and praised them for their good nature, offering them sanctuary in the village, which they gratefully accepted. Once she had the ones from before. captured, One of the tribal's asked why she never appeared before them in her true form. She responded that were she to do that, The Tribal's would only listen because of fear. She wanted them to listen because it was Just.
"Mercy, Bless me with your wonderful power of forgiveness, give me the grace to unconditionally forgive those who have done me wrong. Give me the strength to let go of all ill-will, the strength to forgive myself of my own failings and sins, knowing that you have already forgiven me. Free me of all anger, bitterness, and hate." -Prayer to the Fifth Mercy The Fifth to arrive on Celara, Forgiveness has often been called 'Lord Mercy', leading to the misconception that he lead the Mercies that came to earth. In truth, Forgiveness was merely just another who believed the mortal races deserved a chance. Where as his younger sibling Justice taught them how to fight and stand for themselves, Forgiveness taught them the meaning of mercy, and to forgive those that had wronged them. He was described as gentle soul, always more in-tuned with nature and animals. A Story about him describes the time when his younger sibling Justice had captured the enemy tribal's. Justice wanted them to be crucified, so everyone could see the price of what would happen if you did wrong to others. Forgiveness asked her if he could see them. When he went there, the heathens expected to killed, but instead of the harsh hand they'd come to expect, Forgiveness opened their cell door, and offered them food and work. The tribal's were shocked by this, but took his offer, and began working in the town. A month passed, and one of the Tribal's finally had the courage to ask Forgiveness why he spared them. He told them that he didn't believe they were evil, just scared and hungry. He said that everyone deserved a second chance, no matter who they are. Thus is how the first tribe converted to the Seven.
_ "Mercy, look upon me with eyes of kindness. May your healing hand rest upon me, may your life giving powers flow into every part of my body, cleansing, purifying, restoring me to wholeness and strength for service to your people. I beg you to have compassion on all those who are suffering, so that they maybe delivered from their pitiful circumstances." -Prayer to the Sixth Mercy
The Sixth to arrive, Healing was often called her title, 'Healer', more than anything. She taught the mortal races the ways of the plants and nature, how the simplest things could mean the difference between life and death. She taught them how to use herbs to cure illness, how to stop bleeding, how to cleanse the body of poison, and how to mend broken bones. She also taught the first healers, many wandering herbalists to this day still send prayer to the Sixth Mercy, praying that their next charge would be healed. A story told is how two brothers went searching in the woods for food for their ill parents. They found an old herbalist, who told them about a nearby field filled with berry bushes. The Herbalist instructed the brothers to only pick the blue berries, not the red berries. The two brothers followed the directions, and were delighted to find the Herbalist told the truth: The field was filled with berry bushes, and the two brothers would proceed to take their fill of berries. The older of the two however, seeing the red berries as more plentiful and bigger, decided to try one. On the way home, the older brother fell ill, and the younger brother took him to the Herbalist, asking what was wrong. The Herbalist stated the older brother ate one of the berries, and that he needed to be cured right away. The Herbalist told the young one that she herself couldn't make it, but the young brother could. Following the Herbalists careful instructions, by taking a red an blue berry, pouring the juice into a small cup, and heating it up, the brother fed the warm tonic to his older brother, and was relieved to see it immediately take effect. While the two brothers went onto the merry way, the Herbalist took off their shawl, revealing them-self to be the Sixth Mercy, and she was pleased to see the younger brother look curiously at other flowers, stating that he would one day grow to be a fine healer.
_ "Holy Mercy, let everything I do today and every word I say, be done and said with gratitude. Life itself is a gift that we often take for granted. Help me to understand that who we are is always because of who you are in us. I ask for peace, prosperity and for the values of your teachings to be upheld. Protect our nation and bring it under your influence." Prayer to the Seventh Mercy
The last to travel to Celara, and often regarded as the youngest and most powerful of the Seven, The Mercy known as 'Life' was never given a title, for how could one describe such a wonderful and powerful thing? Known as a Gentle Trickster and Carefree being, It was he who taught the mortal races the joys of living, how to paint and create art, how sing and dance, how to create instruments and music. He is was the Father of culture, and many minstrels that choose to wander still pay homage to the young deity. His story is by far the most inspiring. It is said that, when he arrived to Celara, he saw the tribes go about their daily work. His siblings had done well to instruct them how to survive, but he didn't see.....life in the tribes. He saw them go to school or work, do their tasks, then return home, eat, and sleep, only to repeat it again the very next day. His siblings thought it was very efficient, but the young Mercy was already forming a plan in his mind. Tricking his older siblings to travel away from the village, Life walked into the center, and began playing his lute. The villagers stopped their current tasks, and walked towards the sound, having never heard something so enchanting. Once everyone was present, Life approached a burning fire, and used magic to make embers dance and flicker, twirling around the towns people to his music. As night fell, Life told them to look up, and showed them the beauty of the stars. The villagers had never known such beauty to exist in the world. The next day, when his siblings returned, They saw that the villagers attempting to make instruments of their own, working magic for entertainment, or attempting to paint, instead of working. Confronting their younger sibling, Life merely smiled at them, and said that, while his siblings taught the young mortal races how to survive their land, he taught them how to enjoy it.
Knights of the Order of the Tower The Knights of the Order of the Tower, or as they're commonly referred to as, The Tower Knight's, are a member of the prestigious House of Squires of Athios. Serving as the Primary Defenders and Guardsman of the Cities and Walls of Athios's cities, they claim heritage as one of the many imperial knight orders that protected the Divine Gate when the Heroes lead Athios Ancestors to safety. After the First Cataclysm, during the time of Expansion, these forlorn knights would be one of the many orders that would eventually form the House of Squires, vowing to protect the last descendants of the Old Empire. As the Empire spread, so too did the order, the Tower Knight's establishing offices and serving as Constables and Head Guards for the Nobility and the Trade Houses, enforcing the edicts and laws of Athios's King. However, during the Second Cataclysm, the Demons launched a horrendous attack against the Order and their headquarters, Dantelios, the City of Shields. Though the battle was won, almost the entire order was wiped out, they were forced to abandon the ancient stronghold, and during the last century, they've struggled to rebuild. These are trying times for the Order- forced to serve a corrupt power due to the binding of their ancient oath, their numbers are demon-scarred, and their powerbase of Dantelios is an honored memory. Still, resilient as ever, they stand firm in their duty, guarding the children and Divine Walls of Athios with diligence and integrity.
