Cosmology (Akar D'zon Setting)

The Akar

Excerpt from "Climbing the Ladder" by Klietar Olimvaris Koelania

One of the centerpieces of the VorsTel culture is the system of D'zonir. In this system the Master (the D'zorni) owns slaves (the D'zon). However the master has a 

responsibility to his charges. He must teach them and educate them so that they may one day be accepted as a full member of VorsTel society and stand as his social equal.
Akar is the word used to refer to the Gods of the VorsTel Pantheon. This word is both singular and plural.

So in the VorsTel language the name of the world translates into the idea that this place is where the Gods teach mortals to become Gods.

The Akar

Akar is the name for the primary pantheon of Gods worshipped on Obiniaras.  It is the name used for the Gods as a collective and also as individual entities.  There are other 

dieties, such as the Brandi=Mantran pantheon known as the Sonantine, but none of them is very widely worshipped beyond a single race. Only the Akar have followers among more than one race.

Starting with the Liberation of the Telians from the rule of Dryll, this pantheon has taken a more or less active interest in the affairs of sentient beings, with the VorsTel being the 

original driving force behind the spread of their worship.

In all societies there is some difference, but all those who acknowledge this pantheon see Vors as being the most powerful diety.  Even among the VorsTel derived cultures there 

is some disagreement. The Ele Drize see Vors as the sole diety worthy of worship. All the other Akar are seen as his servants and derive their power and authority from him. The Huziest, the descendants of Clan Uzmarante, see the power structure as being Dual. Vors and his wife Atula are seen as being equal in power but having very different spheres of influence. The Penstafolis Clans take something of a middle ground, but are closer to the Ele Drize POV. They believe that Vors is the most powerful of the Akar and that the others (while still operating independently according to their particular spheres of influence) are subject to his rule. The nations of the Kai have a different view. Their perception of the Akar is a reflection of their own culture. Each one of the AKar is viewed like a King or Queen. Some rule larger kingdoms and some rule smaller ones, but each is free to make their own decisions and only hampered by fear of what the others may do. Places, like Mujanil, see the Akar much like the Kai nations but focus on veneration of one or a few Akar who are their special patrons (Paris Faelen, Shroud, and Krovvy in the case of Mujanil). The Racians of the Isle of the 7 Sisters, see the structure of their own society as a reflection of the way the Akar interact with one another... so long as one does not interfere with the sphere of another then they leave each other alone.

Each of the 13 Major Akar is believed to reside on one of the 13 Moons (actually large asteroids that have been drawn into more or less stable orbits around the planet).  These moons 

have regular patterns of rotation and each is assigned their own month (usually this month contains the day in which this moon is closest to the planet, but in the case of the Moon known as Merges <the dwelling place of Paris Faelen> this is when the moon is not blocked from view by its neighbor Atulasti). There are also Minor dieties who are still considered to be part of the AKar, but are not viewed as being part of or hampered by the constraints of the Major Akar. These Akar tend to be worshipped in much smaller areas and are seen as being less powerful than the Major Akar. Shroud is a good example of this, but may one day be considered part of the Major Akar if her worship continues to spread as it has in the last 3 decades.

The Major Akar (Vors, Atula, Drigos, Paris Faelen, Bin, Indrafa, Uergol, Minsil, Enstat, Guenos, K'ai Rone, Ingis, Zethrin,)

Vors

Vors is a Martial Diety, but is not, technically, a War God.  He is the Lord of Order, Justice and Defense.  HE is concerned with Law, its just prosecution and defending those who fall 

under its protection. He is favored by Warriors because of his defensive aspect, but he does not condone aggressiveness. He condones war if executed for the purpose of bringing order or destroying Chaotic or Unjust systems of Government. Societies which venerate Vors are Orderly, and possess a strong Martial ethos. He does not believe that might makes right he believes that Might should serve The Right.

Atula

Atula is a Nature Diety.  She is the Lord of Balance between the Natural World and Civilization.  She is not against Civilization, but she does wish to ensure that Civilization is not allowed 

to destroy the Natural order. She believes that Civilization should obey the tenets of Vors and that Nature should not be subject to him but a complement on which it depends without being exploitive. She is a favorite of Druids and Rangers but also of Farmers and Herdsmen and those who make their living from interaction with the natural world. She is widely worshipped but has very few dedicated followers because she is so broad in her scope. Several other Akar are viewed as being her helpers and have much more limited scopes of interest which attract dedicated followers.

Drigos

Drigos is a Fire Diety.  He is the Lord of the Sun and unlike the other Akar he lives in it rather than on one of the Moons.  He is Lord of Fire, heat and all that they produce.  He is also a god 

of industry and craftsman, especially Blacksmiths and others who work with forged metals. He is also seen as a Volcano God and by extension has some Earth God aspects. Like a Volcano he is viewed as both destructive and a force for change and rejuvenation. This regenerative quality is what causes strife between Drig and the Lord of Death (Paris Faelen). He is not widely worshipped in Civilized areas except for by craftsman and such but he is the only Akar who is credited with the creation of a sentient race (the Dakin). At the height of the Dakin Empire he was widely worshipped but since the disappearance of the Dakin his worship is much more about appeasement and seeking his blessing for industrial undertakings than it is about worshipping him.

Paris Faelen

Paris Faelen is a Death Deity.  Unlike most death deities he does not rule the Afterlife (each Akar maintains an afterlife for those souls over which it is determined that they have dominion.  Paris

is the one who determines which Akar gets which souls. He is also concerned with the actual force of Death itself. He does not determine when someone will die merely that the process of Death is not disrupted. Paris is a new Akar. He attained his status merely 3 decades ago when he usurped the power of the former Akar of Death Muergo. Like his predecessor he also concerns himself with those who seek to cheat death or prolong life. He often rewards his followers with the girf of Undeath (usually vampirism or Lichdom) and he jealously guards the right to do so. Any who would achieve Undeath by other means are asking for his ire. The mindless undead are not of much concern for him but Vampires, Lich, and other powerful undead are. He is worshipped everywhere, usually in hopes of prolonging life and better judgement after death, but in Mujanil his worship has a very different character. There he is viewed as a Patron and the very different nature of his Mujanil Priesthood will be dealt with elsewhere.

Bin (The Speaker), Indrafa (The Dancer), U’ergol (Fate Spinner)

Bin, Indrafa and U'ergol are viewed as 3 separate Akar whose duties are inextricably intertwined and thus they are viewed as a collective with each having their own responsibilities but being interdependent upon the other for their execution.  They are known as the Triumvir.  Bin and Indrafa are always referred to as being fraternal twins.  Bin is male and Indrafa is 

female. U'ergol is most commonly portrayed as the lover of one of the twins and at times U'ergol is a lover they share. They are The Akar of The Arts, Culture and Civilization. Bin is primarily concernedwith Social mores and unwritten laws of how one should conduct oneself in society. Where Vors is concerned with an orderly cosmos it is Bin who is concerned with orderly society, but not strictly regimented along one line. Bin knows that sentients, their free will and circumstances make a rigid and singular set of rules impossible to maintain. Bin represents the desire to find a way to get along for the good of the individual AND society. Since this is always a balancing act Bin is usually seen with scales in one of his hands. Bin is a serious Diety but he also knows that while he must find a way for people to get along, someone must make getting along more than an end unto itself. Something must give life meaning beyond rules and regulations.

That is where his sister Indrafa comes in.  Indrafa is The Akar of Life.  Not Life as a cosmic force but life as a lived experience.  She concerns herself with the things that give peoples' lives and 

societies meaning and purpose. She is the one who inspires the artist to create his art. She is also the one who blesses the observer when they find their own truth in the creation of the Artist. She is also the force that blesses societies and cultures who make it possible to have artists and observers of arts. She is the Patron of Art, but that is not the full scope of her influence. Her true scope is that she blesses and drives people to do whatever gives their life some meaning beyond survival. She blesses the man who creates Art, but she also blesses the actions of the mother who has dedicated her life to raising her children. She blesses all those who have found a calling which makes them feel like their time (and the surrender of free will necessary to living in society) has been meaningful. She is the Akar who rewards those who have found that which makes their life rewarding. Those who seek to find their 'calling' or ways to make their passion come to fruition call upon her for guidance and reassurance.

U'ergol has a more basic function than the twins.  It is his/her (U'ergol) is viewed as being both Male and Female at the same time) duty to assist the other two by finding the 'middle ground' that 

is right for each person and society as a whole. U'ergol's duty is to remind all that both society and the individual have rights and obligations in regard to one another. A society must not be too permissive or two controlling of the individual. The Individual must also realize that in order to receive the Gifts of Indrafa and Bin, they must make some sacrifices and give up some rights. U'ergot is called 'The Fate Spinner' because it is his/her duty to keep that balance. Individuals and Societies that swing too far one way or the other will be punished, but only enough to 'keep the ball rolling'.

Of all the Akar Indrafa is the most likely to be worshipped singly.  Most of her rituals are very personal and private in nature.  Almost every social organization has rituals they perform in Honor of Bin, U'ergol is viewed as a diety that does not need rituals or worship because if U'ergol has gotten involved then things are already too far gone.  
According to VorsTel legends it was The Triumvir that first taught mortals how to harness the Weave.  They are not seen as being Patrons of Weavers or shown to have any control over the Weave

itself, merely given credit for showing mortals how to manipulate it.

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