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Author's Notes

# The Olydrian Pantheon

The Olydrian gods are not distant abstractions. They are passionate, flawed, and bound to the same rivalries and desires as mortals. Each embodies both a gift and a curse, and their quarrels often mirror the rivalries between the cities.

Though there are dozens of minor gods, the Twelve Patrons are the most revered, each tied to one of the great cities.

## Veyros, Lord of War

Patron of Theron. A bronze-helmed warrior whose shield is said to be forged from a fallen star. He is honored before every battle, with bulls sacrificed and their blood smeared on spear tips. Veyros is seen as stern and relentless, yet fair to those who show courage. His priests wear crimson cloaks and lead war chants.

## Thaleia, Muse of Wisdom

Patron of Lysara. A goddess of philosophy, law, and reason, yet also of cunning speech. Depicted with a scroll in one hand and a dagger hidden in the folds of her robe. Lysarans believe she guides both orators and generals, for wisdom without sharpness is folly. Her festivals feature debates, riddles, and contests of wit.

## Pelath, Keeper of Tides

Patron of Myrake. A god with skin like wet stone and hair like seaweed. He rules the ebb and flow of the sea, and fishermen pour the first catch of the day back into the waves in his honor. Pelath is generous but easily angered, and storms are seen as signs of his wrath. His priests wear shells and coral as sacred ornaments.

## Kharneia, Lady of the Forge

Patron of Erythros. A goddess of fire, bronze, and toil. She is said to live inside the volcano itself, hammering out weapons for gods and mortals alike. Smiths whisper her name with every strike of the hammer. She blesses creation, but also destruction, for fire devours as easily as it gives.

## Ormenos, Lord of Coin and Fortune

Patron of Kalynth. A sly god with a golden mask and ever-changing face. He governs trade, wealth, and the shifting winds of fortune, but he is also the god of thieves and gamblers. Merchants offer him a coin before every journey, cast into the sea so that their ships return laden with goods. His temples double as treasuries, guarded by mercenaries who swear loyalty to no one but gold.

Ormenos, Lord of Coin and Fortune

## Nyros, the Wanderer

Patron of Phorakos. A god of explorers, strangers, and the endless horizon. He is pictured as a cloaked figure with a staff, sometimes carrying a lantern of starlight. His priests bless voyages into unknown seas, and it is said that shipwrecked sailors who call his name three times will find their way home.

## Enyra, Lady of the Vine

Patron of Zarynthos. A goddess of fertility, vineyards, and ecstatic revels. She is worshipped with dances, songs, and endless cups of wine. While she brings bounty and joy, she is also the mistress of frenzy, and her rites sometimes end in madness. Her festivals are infamous across the Isles.

## Phyros, the Flame-Tongued

Patron of Drakonos. A god of fire, prophecy, and the destructive voice of the earth. He speaks through smoke, embers, and the mouths of frenzied oracles. His priests inhale fumes from volcanic vents to utter visions of the future, though their words are often riddling. His favor is feared, for prophecy brings both glory and doom.

## Meliane, Voice of the Waves

Patron of Aeryne. A goddess of music, poetry, and beauty. Her voice is said to be the sound of waves against stone, both gentle and overwhelming. Singers dedicate their first song to her, and it is believed that those who drown at sea are taken into her choir beneath the waves.

Meliane, Voice of the Waves

## Doryas, Shield of Stone

Patron of Kythera. A god of walls, cliffs, and steadfast defense. He is pictured as a massive man of stone, carrying a broken spear but an unyielding shield. Kytherans pray to him before sieges, believing that so long as his name is spoken, no wall can fall. He is steady, but also unmovable in judgment, punishing oathbreakers.

## Irythe, Bringer of Health

Patron of Ostranos. A goddess of healing, herbs, and sacred waters. Her temples are filled with baths and springs, where the sick come to be cured. She is pictured holding a bowl of clear water and a serpent curled around her arm. Her priests are physicians, skilled in both medicine and prayer.

## Erethus, Lord of the Deep

Patron of Xanthros. A shadowed god of death, the sea’s abyss, and the silence of tombs. Sailors leave offerings to him before long voyages, for all lives eventually sink into his keeping. Unlike other gods, Erethus does not demand revels or temples of grandeur; he asks only for remembrance, and in return grants peaceful passage to the dead. His priests are somber, their faces painted with ash.

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