Greetings to thee, seeker of knowledge. Ye of most puissant desire, creature of intellect, one who wishes to know all that might be known. Allow me to introduce myself. I have been known by many names throughout the ages – most of which would be meaningless to thee. For now, thou shalt know me as Beyak¹, for that is the name I have chosen. Many seekers of true knowledge dabble in the mystical arts. Some choose to master the blade, others seek happiness in the material. Without exception, these individuals are fools, dabblers in the realms of the mysterious. Shouldst thou be one of these, I urge thee to cast off thy childish ways.
     True knowledge and power comes only from understanding of the divine. Thus, any who seek to understand that which surrounds him must fully understand, embrace, and revere the divine.
     To begin, only males have the necessary discipline to understand the powers of the world². Females are too easily distracted, and their minds too small, to delve into the greater mysteries. Thus, they are best left to simple tasks, such as food preparation, and the birthing of children. So, if the reader of this text be female, give this tome over to thy husband or father, small one. Leave matters of the divine to those capable of understanding them.

Classifications of the Divine

     Divinity comes in many preternatural shapes and forms. To simplify things for thy undoubtedly simplistic mind³, I will categorize them for thee here. Divinity can be divided into six classes⁴: Elder gods, Greater gods, Intermediate gods, lesser gods, Immortals, and demi-gods. The true gods reside upon other planes, for their powers are such that, should one manifest on our weak world, he would most surely destroy it.
     Immortals are those beings of power which reside upon our plane. These beings can, and often do, walk among mortal men. Demi-gods are the children of those Immortals (and avatars of gods) who choose to sire mortal offspring.

The Elder Gods of Tryll

     The Elder Gods: monsters used by mothers to frighten their children, creatures of mystery and fear. However, like most tales spread by women, this is not at all true. There are but two Elder gods: v'Ran (the Keeper of Light) and (the Keeper of Darkness). These gods reigned supreme upon the pre-Sundering world of Idyllia, where each contested with the other for control of the souls of the living.
     In a final, terrible battle, defeated v'Ran, due to the treachery of v'Ran's arch-prelate vRen (a horribly self-important little man – I've no idea why v'Ran chose him, when so many other obviously superior choices were there for the making)⁵. In desperation, v'Ran summoned his waning energies, and used his power to imprison . This release of power tore the world asunder. As a dying gesture, v'Ran kept the mortals of the world of Idyllia safe, transporting them to the lands formed by the Sundering. As the Elder god died, lesser immortals absorbed his energies, and were elevated to the status of god-hood. These deities are detailed below. As for , he remains imprisoned, impotent and insane with anger.

The Greater Gods of Tryll

Tahl

     The first Immortal to harness the dying energies of v'Ran was Tahl. As such, Tahl absorbed great power, and was immediately elevated to the status of Greater god. Tahl is a god of healing, and the wilderness. He is the sun god, and keeper of the life force. Tahl is wise, calm and loving, and is most often seen as a powerfully built human, some 12' tall.
     Worshippers of Tahl are required to respect the wilderness, and seek knowledge and comfort for all men (and women too, I suppose). They are pacifistic when possible, but are quick to take arms when anyone under their care is threatened.
     Clerics of Tahl seek to exemplify these ideals. As representatives of a healing god, they may bear arms, but may not use weapons meant to cut or slash. Also, they may not pervert the healing magics they are granted by using them to harm. These clerics are guardians of the wilderness, and guardians of the weak. They are forthright, honest, and uphold all just laws of the land. While they will sometimes "bend" the law to protect the good, they are loathe to do so, and feel uncomfortable when forced into such a situation.

Delia

     Delia was the second Immortal to rise to godhood. Unlike Tahl, she was a greedy Immortal (typical of a woman), and sought to absorb all of v'Ran's dying energies for herself. Wisely, Tahl sought to prevent this, and locked with Delia in battle. While the two wrestled for control, the other immortals gained their power.
     Tahl prevented Delia from gaining greater power; because of this, she bears a special hatred for him, and all who follow him. This hatred is felt by her clerics, who also despise Tahlians. Delia is a goddess of treachery and disharmony. She seeks to bring chaos and disarray wherever possible. While maintaining an ordered clergy, she seeks to bring down any other form of government or society – preferably from within.
     Clerics of Delia want nothing more than to disband societies, organizations, governments and groups. While this does not mean that they will not cooperate with others, they do so only as long as such a relationship is beneficial to them. Upon completion of his task, the cleric of Delia will likely attempt to betray his companions at his earliest convenience.
     The average person calls upon Delia's aid when attempting anything dishonest and treacherous. She is the patron goddess of adulterers, spies, and those wishing to betray a trust.

The Intermediate Gods of Tryll

Fieros

     Fieros was first among the Intermediate gods to rise to power. And power is what describes this god best. Fieros is a god of warfare and combat. However, this is qualified by the fact that Fieros stresses honor in battle above all else.
     Thus, a war between nations, conducted according to rules of combat and honor, would be sanctioned by Fieros, and his clerics. However, a cruel bloodbath, where warriors slew peasants, would not.
     Clerics of Fieros live for the honor gained in combat. They never turn down an offer of fair combat; to do so would mean a loss of honor. However, they are not stupid. In situations where the cleric is obviously out-matched, it is considered honorable to refuse combat. Clerics of Fieros so respect anyone involved in honorable combat that they will provide healing to any such individual – even a defeated enemy. Of course, these clerics will make sure to heal themselves and their allies first.
     Fieros is called upon by the average person whenever a fight or battle is imminent. It is not uncommon to pray to Fieros for strength or courage before such an altercation.

Fleet

     Fleet is a god of trickery, thievery, and merchants. He is a god of money, primarily wherever an exchange of money occurs. Because of this, he is worshipped by both thieves and merchants alike. Clerics of Fleet are most often thieves or merchants. Of course, the thieves pretend to be merchants, so that they can practice their arts in secret. These clerics have little in the way of duties. Their primary goal is to keep money moving from person to person. They are quick to spend whatever they steal or earn, and seek to encourage others to do the same.
     Average people tend to call upon Fleet whenever involved in money deals. When asking for a raise, embarking upon a trading trip, or shipping cargo across the sea, most people seek Fleet's blessing. Of course, they also seek Fleet's blessing when attempting to pass through a crowded marketplace without having their pockets picked.

Lystros

     Lystros is the goddess of death, and of mortal magics. She is an enigma; a patient goddess. She does not seek to hasten the death of any creature – she knows that, eventually, all will come to her. There are two exceptions to this rule: items which unnaturally extend the life, and the undead. Lystros hates both of these with a passion, and seeks to destroy such items/creatures whenever possible. This passion extends to Lystros' clerics. These individuals are primarily the undertakers and morticians of the world, and are well versed in the burial customs of any given society on Tryll.
     When confronted by undead, or devices which extend life, these clerics are truly enraged. Devices such as phylacteries of long years, potions of youth, potions of longevity, etc., are abominations which must be destroyed. Also, any spell, creature or item which would unnaturally age a creature are things to be destroyed.
     Clerics of Lystros have a special hatred of the undead. All undead creatures they encounter must be destroyed (even in extreme cases, such as the good aligned arch-lich). If the cleric is unable to destroy these creatures on his own, he will seek out help at his earliest possible convenience.
     As the goddess of magic, Lystros is worshipped heavily among mages. Indeed, mage/clerics of Lystros are not at all uncommon. However, there often arises division within the church, as many mages seek to extend their life force. Thus, while they may worship Lystros, many mages do not allow this worship to interfere with their magic.
     Among the common folk, Lystros is usually a goddess never mentioned. She is most often prayed to when someone wishes to pray for a departed loved-one. However, she is often asked to spare a sick or dying friend or loved one's life.

Morgon

     Morgon is a god of disease, rot and decay. He is closely linked with Sarthon, and often works together with that god to achieve common goals. Clerics of Morgon are a fearsome lot indeed. Many purposefully inflict themselves with disfiguring and painful communicative diseases. They then pass among the populace, spreading these diseases wherever possible. The clerics are not, however, immune to the affects of these diseases.
     Morgon is sometimes called upon when one wishes harm on another. Conversely, Morgon is often asked to lift a ailment or illness from a loved one, or some other important figure.

Sarthon

     Sarthon is truly a dark god, devoted to assassination, conquest and domination. He is a dark, unforgiving god, who is just as interested in avenging perceived wrongs as he is in gaining more power for himself. Sarthon is closely tied to Morgon, and often works together with his brother-god to achieve similar goals. Both gods have been known to work with Delia, but are definitely subordinate to her.
     Clerics of Sarthon are always assassins⁶, and are associated with the Brotherhood of the Skull. While most are active members, some few work as "freelance" assassins. These are the chosen of Sarthon, and are often sent on special holy missions by the god.
     When the average person prays to Sarthon, he is taking his own life into his hands. Dealing with the assassin-god can be a life-shortening experience. Sarthon is a lawful deity, however, and always honors his agreements. The common folk have been known to pray to Sarthon when they wish to gain revenge. Thus, a spurned lover may pray for the death of her rival, while a merchant may pray for the death of a more successful competitor.

Thorob

     Thorob is a god of law, order, and knowledge. He is a wise, though stern, god, well known for swift justice, strict but impartial. Thorob holds himself aloof from the other gods, maintaining that, to be impartial, one cannot be part of the proceedings.
     Clerics of Thorob make excellent solicitors and judges. Their services are always highly sought, and they can charge the most outrageous of rates. These clerics, however, will charge only based on what the client can afford to pay. Some clerics of Thorob actually have the ability to discern a party's guilt or innocence in any matter. This ability makes these clerics the world's most sought after judges. However, the clerics usually dislike resorting to this ability; they prefer to use their own wits to solve the mysteries they confront.
     The average person prays to Thorob whenever they wish for true justice. The guilty flee any contact with this god, as they rightly fear his wrath and ire.

Zyrina

     Zyrina is the goddess of agriculture, home, hearth, and family. She is known as a kind, loving goddess, more concerned with the welfare of a single worshipper than with the events of the world. Where Tahl is a god of nature in it's wildest form, Zyrina is a goddess of cultivation – of nature bent benevolently to man's will. Both deities work well together, as each recognizes the need for the other.
     Clerics of Zyrina are quite often farmers in their own right. They prefer the hands-on experiences of working in the field right next to their brethren. These clerics favor progressive farming techniques, and actively preach and teach these methods. Some clerics travel from region to region, teaching modern agriculture processes to those who have never encountered them. As these techniques invariably yield long-term increases in profit, most farmers are quite pleased to see a cleric of Zyrina walking up the lane.
     Apart from Tahl, Zyrina is likely the most actively worshipped god. It is to her that people call when praying for successful crops, a loving marriage, or a healthy and safe pregnancy.

The Lesser Gods of Tryll

Cthiss

     Cthiss is worshipped primarily in Naal'Maz, with pockets of worshippers throughout the rest of the world. Cthiss was unable to absorb much of the power generated by the death of v'Ran, as other lesser gods took almost all of it, leaving little for her. As such, she despises those gods. Cthiss works primarily through trickery and deceit, and her clerics do the same. She is the goddess of reptiles, poison, and aging.
     Clerics of Cthiss breed and care for snakes and other reptiles. They brew poison for the use of those who serve them. Clerics of Cthiss also try to infiltrate and corrupt foreign governments and other organizations, in order to weaken them. A weakened country or organization can be invaded more easily.

Scour

     Scour is a draconic god who has found worshipers in the humans of the continent of Vax Dracos. Scour was an Immortal among dragon-kind, but accepted his human worshippers, elevating himself to lesser god status. Having obtained his lesser god status after the Sundering, Scour was never in a position to absorb v'Ran's dispersing energies. Scour is the Immortal of Dragons, and the desert.
     Besides performing their normal ceremonies for the worshippers, clerics of Scour also gather tributes to whatever dragon resides nearby. Once a week, these tributes are left on a special altar, about an hour's walk away from the city or village. These tributes consist mainly of livestock, gems, and, when possible, magic items. The local dragons know of the worship of Scour, and accept these donations. While they themselves do not worship this god, they accept the adulation of the people of Vax Dracos, who hold all dragons holy. Anyone killing a dragon in Vax Dracos will be hunted down and killed by worshippers of Scour.

The Immortals of Tryll

Aidan the Scholar

     Aidan the Scholar is an Immortal devoted to knowledge, and the tomes which contain it. He is often known as the Librarian, and travels the world, seeking knowledge, and protecting it. A calm, serene god, he can fly into a rage at the site of a book burning.
     Clerics of Aidan are often preservers of ancient texts and tomes. They make excellent librarians, and are often among the most learned and wisest sages of the land.

Arioch of the Sword

     Arioch is an evil, twisted Immortal, who lives for the joy of causing intense pain and suffering in battle. He is a ruthless opponent and terrifying sight in war, as he rends his opponents limb from limb, inflicting vast, painful wounds. Arioch prefers to leave his victims alive, but in excruciating anguish. Arioch is associated, and often works closely with, the Immortal Jhuva.
     Clerics of Arioch are a chaotic bunch, and have no official ranks or organizations. They are free to do as they see fit, interpreting their god's wishes however they like. These interpretations invariably involve intense pain and suffering for all they meet.

Asentor the Fiend

     Asentor is devoted to sewing misfortune and misery wherever possible. He is a thin, gaunt Immortal, who's fields of power are pestilence and drought. Clerics of Asentor are few, but they get around. These clerics attempt to poison wells, sew salt in farmer's fields, and kill livestock. They exist to bring hunger and thirst to all humanity. Needless to say, they move around quite a bit. Temples of Asentor are rare, and well hidden.
     Asentor despises (and, in turn, is despised by) the Immortal Neuras. Clerics of these gods will attempt to kill each other on sight.

Corvatz the Defender

     Corvatz is sister to Asentor, and also works as a Guardian of . She protects those who would do evil to the world. She appears a disgusting hag, bent and hairy, with gray skin, straggly white hair, and glows with a soft blue light. Clerics of Corvatz must protect anyone of evil alignment, especially if that person is an evil cleric, or if they are in currently in pursuit of doing evil to innocents.

Darnizhaan the Solid

     Darnizhaan is a huge, massive creature, resembling an earth elemental, but consisting entirely of dense granite. He is an immortal of caves and tunnels, and the creatures who live therein. Darnizhaan is a mortal enemy of Grome. Darnizhaan is worshipped primarily by evil subterranean dwellers, but has a few worshippers among the surface folk. These individuals seek to keep the proper balance - surface folk remain on the surface, denizens of the Underdark remain in the Underdark.
     Should a cleric of Darnizhaan find a human or elf underground, he will seek to make that individual go back to the surface, using force if necessary (even killing him, if it comes to that). Likewise, if he saw a drow on the surface, he would attempt to force the drow back into the Underdark.

Desatice the Huntress

     Desatice appears as an attractive brunette, garbed in a simple tan leather bodice and skirt. She carries a longbow and long sword with her at all times, and wears a circlet of gold in her hair. Desatice revels in the hunt, and, as the Immortal of the Hunt, is an unparalleled hunter and tracker. She spends a great deal of her time hunting, but rarely kills her prey.
     Clerics of Desatice revel in the hunt. Whether the hunt be of a wild beast or an escaped convict, they care little. They spend the majority of their time in the wilderness, honing their skills. These clerics never kill unless necessary, and consider blood hunting to be poor sport.

Donblas the Justice Maker

     Donblas is tall and thin, with a bluish cast to his skin. He is incredibly beautiful - so much so that legend states any who see him will worship him. Donblas is an Immortal of Justice – justice at any price. Clerics of Donblas seek to further the cause of justice wherever possible. They often work as solicitors, and will defend only clients they believe to be innocent. They often work as prosecutors if they believe the defendant to be guilty.

Entatia the Many

     Entatia was a powerful human enchantress, who mastered magics which allowed her to clone herself, but retain control of the clones. When she became an immortal, she fused all her clones into one being. Entatia is now a five part entity. Each clone is identical, and appears as a short woman (5'1" tall), with long, straight platinum blonde hair and pale blue, almost white, eyes. Her features are very delicate, with a china doll complexion. Entatia's realm is that of revenge – in any shape or form. Whether it be a kingdom gaining revenge on raiding pirates, or a wife gaining revenge on a cheating husband, Entatia's hand can be found.
     Clerics of Entatia seek to aid those seeking revenge. They also spend a great deal of time with plots and plans of their own, as these clerics take offense very easily, and they never forget a grudge.

Jhuva

     Jhuva is an immortal devoted entirely to pain. Long imprisoned in a minor demi-plane by a group of adventurers, Jhuva is now free on the Prime Material Plane. Jhuva appears as a gaunt, man-shaped creature, approximately 12' tall. He appears to be made of badly stuffed rags, and has a skull like face, similar to the one found in his holy symbol.
     Clerics of Jhuva are despised the world over – even by clerics of other gods and immortals devoted to pain. These deities see pain as an means end - Jhuva sees pain as a goal. These clerics delight in causing pain wherever possible - to whomever possible. They also spend time involved in ceremonies of self-mutilation, often pushing themselves to their pain threshold, and passing unconscious. They understand pain better than most anyone alive. They make excellent torturers, and their skills are in high demand.

Jilleth of the Hearth

     Jilleth is a protector and patroness of the home and marriage. She is skilled at cooking and fire building, and she appears as a quiet, motherly type. She is a virgin Immortal, but her clerics stay chaste only until marriage (which is regarded as an exalted state). Jilleth works in close harmony with Zyrina. Her church is a small, quiet one, but she has a loyal flock. Her clerics who go adventuring do so to protect or guard their people, never to gain fame for themselves, nor the church. These clerics tend to be proficient in fire building and cooking.

Kord the Brawler

     Kord is a colossus of muscle with a long red bear and red hair. He wears a simple girdle of red dragon hide, boots of blue dragon hide, and gauntlets of white dragon hide. These items are rumored to possess magical powers; however, he is not diminished by the loss of these items. He will sometimes lend them to other fighters during battle. The saving throws of these items from all forms of attack is 2.
     Kord is the Immortal of battle, and is a favorite of Fieros, and he often works to further the goals of that god. Unlike Fieros, however, Kord loves to fight merely for the joy of fighting. Honor, while nice, is not necessarily prudent in Kord's books.
     The clergy of Kord dress in bright red, white and blue vestments, but none may duplicate the exact pattern that Kord wears on his girdle, boots, and gauntlets. Only his sons and daughters who join the clergy may dare to don dragon hide armor as Kord does. Kord's clergy are either chaotic neutral or chaotic good. Kord's clergy must show bravery and leadership in battle at all times. To foster their fulfillment of this role, Kord strengthens his clergy with a bonus on saving throws involving fear and special spells attainable at higher levels.

Kraz the Taker

     Kraz is a powerfully built man, with a commanding presence. He spent his life as a necromancer, specializing in striping power and life energy from innocents, to feed and strengthen not only himself, but his undead hordes. Kraz's primary domains are power, life energies, and blood. He is often seen as the Immortal of Aging. Kraz is capable of striping life energies from those he attacks, and using that power to fuel his own fiendish ends. Kraz and Kord get along poorly, and each seeks to thwart the other's goals.
     The clerics of Kraz have but one purpose: to provide blood sacrifices to Kraz. These clerics must sacrifice at least one creature per day. This creature may be animal, but a human or demi-human sacrifice is required at least once per month. The sacrifice is a hideous one, and involves as much pain and suffering as the cleric can induce. The longer the sacrifice takes, the more pleased Kraz is with it.
     Note that the reversed healing spells that clerics of Kraz can cause have a special effect. Any damage caused by these spells has a 1% chance per level of the cleric of being absorbed by the cleric, healing him of a like number of hit points. These healed hit points cannot go beyond the cleric's normal healthy total.

Neuras of the Depths

     Neuras is the immortal of the oceans and seas. He is made up entirely of water, which he shapes to form the outline of a large, powerful man, some 120' tall. He has a long, flowing beard, which seems to resemble a waterfall. His eyes are a deep blue, almost black, and those who look upon him are often spellbound by his gaze.
     Clerics of Neuras travel the seas and inhabit port towns. They seek to further the interests of the Sea Immortal, care for the sea, and those who travel upon her (most notably sailors). They oppose any who exploit the sea selfishly, especially those who rape her resources. Clerics of Neuras are opposed by clerics of Asentor. They despise these individuals, and will seek to kill them on sight.

Pyaray, Whisperer of Impossible Secrets

     This terrible being is the lord of the ocean depths, and keeper of sunken secrets. He appears as a huge, blood red octopus, with a pulsating blue gem fixed atop his head. Pyaray's primary domain is the depths of the oceans, secrets, and the guarding of treasure (especially sunken treasure).
     Clerics of Pyaray live primarily under water, although many can and do live amongst the surface dwellers. Their duties are to plunder the treasures of the land (hoarding them in underwater caves), and to sink all ships and boats.

Saycalus the Healer

     Saycalus was a mortal healer, a cleric of Tahl renowned throughout the land. When he discovered an herb that could raise the dead, Lystros sent her Dancers to destroy him. In the epic battle which ensued, Saycalus managed to escape. He used the knowledge and power he had obtained to become an Immortal. Saycalus is the Immortal of healing and Medicine. He works closely with Tahl, as their goals often meet. However, where the goals of healing and law part, Saycalus and Tahl may often be at odds.
     Clerics of Saycalus see evil as an infection that must be cleansed. They are protectors of the innocent, and always take healing as a first level proficiency. They are first and foremost healers, and may not refuse healing to any good or neutral individual or creature.

Telisha

     Telisha appears as a young, blonde woman, with strikingly deep blue eyes. She is beautiful beyond description, buxom yet slim, with deeply tanned skin and fine muscle tone. She is scantily dressed, and what little she wears is diaphanous and enticing, without ever quite revealing any….interesting parts.
     Telisha seems flighty, and acts like she has a short attention span. This is all a misleading act she employs to fool those around her. She is a cunning and manipulative Immortal, who constantly seeks new worshippers. She enjoys the attention of males the most, and will seek to enslave them on a whim. She often delights in breaking up marriages. Telisha is the Immortal of love, intercourse, and fertility. She is worshipped primarily by those seeking the heart of another, or by those attempting to start or expand a family.
     Clerics of Telisha see to matters of the heart. They offer advice and counsel to those seeking a way to win the heart of another. Who that person is, and whether they are married already or not, is of no concern to them. They have been known to brew love potions to help someone win the love of another.
     These clerics are always the most beautiful and handsome of people. They never wear physical armor, as it detracts from their beauty. A cleric of Telisha who is scarred, or whose Charisma or Comeliness drops below 16 loses all clerical abilities until that ability score is raised back up again. Although clerics of Zyrina and Jilleth acknowledge the need for Telisha, her somewhat unpredictable attitudes often put them at odds with one another.
     Clerics of Telisha are expected to avoid physical combat (the sweating is unseemly). Instead, they are expected to have love-slaves of the opposite sex on hand to do their bidding and fighting for them. A cleric of Telisha will have 1 protector per every 4 levels on hand at any one given time. These protectors cannot be more than 2 levels lower than the cleric.

The Non-Human Pantheon

     There are obviously more deities than just those worshipped by humans. While many non-humans can and do worship human gods, so are there many non-human deities, often worshipped by humans.

Duran Breakbone
Lesser god

     Duran is an immensely muscled, powerful deity, worshipped primarily by half-giants. What he possesses in brawn, he lacks in brain power (while slow witted by the standards of deities, he is still quite intelligent by mortal standards). He is a chaotic god, given to rapid mood swings. One moment he may be happy and giving, the next, he may fly into a homicidal rage.
     This strange nature is perfectly demonstrated by the god's domains of Battle and Horticulture. When calm, Duran is a gentle, kind god, who presides over gardens and fields. When angered, he is a vengeful, violent god, a god of bloody battles and confrontation.
     Clerics of Duran see to the needs of half-giants, and other worshipers of Duran. Contrary to what might be expected, these clerics are actually a fairly straight forward and intelligent group, who seek to lessen the damage half-giants often do to themselves.

Freehammer
Intermediate god

     Freehammer is the god of dwarves, and appears as a normal dwarf, garbed in a leather apron and carrying a large warhammer. Although short, Freehammer has a definite presence - a sense of power that makes it obvious one now faces a god. Freehammer is the god of dwarves, the forge, battle and weapons.
     Clerics of Freehammer are often weaponsmiths, blacksmiths, and warriors. They see to the general needs of the dwarven community, and often act as advisors to the Thane during times of war.

Grome - Lord of the Earth
Immortal

     Grome looks like a huge gnarled and earth colored oak, although he seems much more muscular and powerful than any plant could be. Grome is the protector of nature, earth, flora and fauna; and he takes these duties very seriously. Grome consents to no attacks on nature, in any form. No one may hunt, dig, burn, cut or otherwise affect nature in any way; no matter how responsibly. Grome has few human or demi-human worshippers, being honored primarily by creatures of the earth. However, his worshippers amongst the surface folk do exist. Clerics of Grome seek to protect the earth, and nature, at all costs. A cleric of Grome would rather kill a human lumberjack, than allow him to cut down a tree.
     Grome's clerics often work side by side with those of Zyrina and/or Tahl, although it is an uneasy alliance. Clerics of Zyrina and Tahl recognize the fact that man must often bend nature to his will. While they support a responsible usage of nature, clerics of Grome1 despise any such practice.

Kakatal The Fire Lord
Immortal

     Kakatal appears as a huge (20' tall) human, muscular and fair, enshrouded in immensely hot flames. He is the lord of fire, and of fire using creatures.
     Kakatal has few human and demi-human worshippers, being primarily worshipped by fire elementals. Those few he has tend to be rather ... warped, usually pyromaniacs and arsonists who live for the joy of setting fires.

Nnuuurrrr'C'c
Immortal

     Nnuuurrrr'C'c appears as a giant mosquito, with a wingspan of some 140 feet. Although horrific in appearance, this Immortal also possesses a strange beauty, as it is iridescent, and it's wings seem to shift and shine in the sunlight.
     Nnuuurrrr'C'c is the Immortal of insects, both giant and normal. It is worshipped primarily by insects, but it does have a few human and demi-human worshippers. These are, on the whole, usually quite insane, and persist in the belief that insect life forms are superior to all others. They believe all mammals and reptiles must be exterminated to make way for a new Insect Kingdom.

Nuru'Ah
Immortal

     Nuru-Ah appears as a large, powerful male bull. Nuru-Ah is black, with a white star on his chest. He is an Immortal of healing, and the primary Immortal of herd animals.
     Nuru-Ah has few human and demi-human worshippers, being worshipped primarily by The Devout, a sect of pacifistic Minotaur. Clerics of Nuru-Ah seek to promote health and healing to whomever needs it. No cleric of Nuru-Ah may withhold his skills from someone who needs them, no matter what his personal opinions. These clerics will even cure enemies they have defeated in battle.
     Clerics of Nuru-Ah are totally forbidden to harm other creatures.

Phaulkon the Flier
Immortal

     Phaulkon appears as a powerful, usually bare-chested man. He is clean shaven, and his hair is short and always tousled. He is the Immortal of the open air, and of birds.
     It is the responsibility of Phaulkon's clerics to care for and defend feathered beasts. Clergy of Phaulkon wear white robes and multicolored feathers during ceremonies. While traveling, they prefer to dress in varying shades of blue.

Raldrak
Immortal

     Raldrak appears as a giant black wolfhound, with an upright stance and manipulative front paws. He is the patron Immortal of canines, and is worshipped by intelligent canines the world over, regardless of alignment.
     Although worshipped primarily by canines, Raldrak does have human and dwarven worshippers. Their duties are to protect canines, and to foster good a relationship between canines and humans and demi-humans.

Shayista Raygold
Intermediate goddess

     Shayista is a beautiful elven woman, with long flowing white hair and piercing green eyes. She is always accompanied by a female mountain lion and a beautiful white stag. She is the goddess of elves, healing, hunting, and the wilderness.
     Clerics of Shayista are somewhat individualistic, and have few real duties. They must care for any good elf, and provide healing and comfort whenever possible. Also, they protect the wilderness against those that would destroy or damage it. Note, this does not mean they would stop a human male from hunting, but they would attempt to shut down a group of poachers who were killing animals for body parts and abandoning the meat.

Summarization

     Having read the above, and assuming that thou: (a) paid attention, and (b) are capable of some level of advanced reasoning, it is now reasonable to assume that thou hath gained some level of understanding of the divine. However, I am not optimistic.
     Let these be my final words to thee: study well the ways of the gods, that ye may one day gain wisdom.

Translations of the Master Work

     The preceding text has been altered to include endnotes. We, the members of the Sages of the True Oracle, have done so to provide clarification where necessary. Much of what Beyak refers to has been shown to either be exaggerated, unverifiable, our even out and out lies. When such texts occur, we have sought to provide corrected information, or to delve further into the matter than Beyak saw fit. This information is presented herein for all to see.

Endnotes

1.  Relatively little is known of the sage who refers to himself as Beyak. There are records in the realm of Altos of a court cleric and sage by that name. He was a trusted advisor and confidant of King Lepra II, King of Altos from the years 122-127. The name "Beyak" has no meaning in either the common or Altonian tongues. However, in Vax Draconian, it is loosely translated to mean "madman" or "visionary". Beyak certainly lived up to his chosen name, as legends of the time clearly show.

2.  Beyak was well known as a misogynist. He cared little for women, seeing them only as servants and vessels of lust.

3.  Beyak was also well known as a megalomaniac of epic proportions.

4.  Despite his obvious neurotic tendencies and undeniable eccentricities, Beyak was as genius. No one has ever had as high a level of knowledge on matters divine as he. His classifications, studies and teachings are still being examined to this day, as we seek to gain greater knowledge.

5.  One of Beyak's many ravings. These ravings lead some sages to suspect that Beyak may have been alive before the Sundering, and may even have been a cleric of v'Ran. They point out that Beyak seems bitter over vRen's ascension to Arch-Prelate, and may have felt that he would have been a better choice for the job. Other sages point out that this is totally unsubstantiated conjecture.

6.  This supposition has been vehemently denied by Vendar, Prelate of the Church of Sarthon in Dath Marl. As more than one person has pointed out, however, he would hardly have confirmed the rumor, now would he?