Arth’s Pantheon: The Gods of Air

This is part of a series on Arth’s Pantheon. Twice a month we’re taking a look at life on Arth and the gods that shape it. If you’re new to the series, get started with an overview. This post looks at the gods of the realm of air.

The gods of Arth’s skies are said to send messages to their followers on the wind. A gentle breeze could be a reminder of a god’s favor or promises, or a sign of good fortune to come, or a call to a vow of service left unfulfilled. A thunderhead or tornado, on the other hand, conveys a much clearer meaning.

Wust

Wust rules all winds, but is most strongly associated with the West Wind. He is legendarily curious; it’s said that Wust makes the wind whisper Arth’s secrets to him. He is said to have invented music, and made songbirds to sing it for him. He’s also credited with the creation of math, and held in high-regard by philosophers and scientists. His drive for knowledge and ingenuity make him a fitting patron for Clan Tinkrin, the Scribkin.

Wust’s priests often construct prayer-mills: great, complicated contraptions with odd assortments of sails and fans. These wind-powered devices serve no purpose other than pleasing the Cloudking and inspiring devotion in his followers, but they do make it easy to identify his temples. He is a favorite of tinkers, inventors, musicians, painters, actors, mummers, and every other sort of creative soul. His whims often run counter to Dakran’s plans, and he and the Dwarven gods are frequently at odds. Generally, however, his temple only enters open conflict with Kug’gar, Mugluck, or their allies.

• Titles: Cloudking, The Rushing Wind, Songbird
• Race: Gnome
• Favored Weapon: Hand cannon, crossbow
• Holy Symbol: Any songbird
• Colors: Sky Blue, White, Yellow

Kud’gar (formerly Kadrak)

Kadrak was the Dwarven god of thunder, the great fire in the sky. He is associated with the East Wind. People living underground, however, pay little attention to the sky, and bitter Kadrak willingly turned to join Mannon in the Second Age.  When Mannon twisted the Shadowkin, Kadrak became Kud’gar, the Goblin war god.  Today, Kud’gar serves only himself, hating Mannon for his betrayal, and hating the Dwarves for ‘forcing’ him to join Mannon. He is temperamental and violent, striking with more fury than precision.

Kud’gar’s clergy and followers are usually to be war-like tribes of Shadowkin, including Gnolls. Some Humans in Faespar worship him as well, and their culture often is reminiscent of Goblin society. Kud’gar is a often an unwitting ally to Razar, and a rival to Az’gar for the Goblin peoples. Some more amusing Shadowkin legends focus on Gich and Kud’gar scheming together for profit or glory, but Kud’gar’s brash incompetence and Gich’s worldly urges perpetually undermine them.

• Titles: The Storm King, formerly Thunderbeard
• Race: Dwarf, formerly Goblin
• Favored Weapon: Mace
• Holy Symbol: Stormcloud
• Colors: Yellow, Black

Leurieth

Leurieth is the Goddess of rain and snow, sleet and hail. She is associated with the North Wind.  Leurieth is a favorite goddess among Elves, as she is strongly associated with seasons and the passage of time. Her affections are said to be sweet but fleeting; she has borne children to Wust and left him to raise them, befriended Baedrun before freezing him out, forged and broken alliances with Uldine, showered gifts upon her sister Maeneth one year and shunned her the next. Mortals pray for her favor, but know that even when she is smiling upon them, it will not last.

Leurieth’s temples are tall spires with elaborate banners. They often have gutters and channels to collect rainwater in deep reservoirs, for the times when the goddess turns away.  She has taken over much of Kud’gar’s domain, making her a natural enemy of the Storm King. She is also at odds with Razar, and some say her wandering is a ploy to find the Fire god and drown him in rains.

The second month of Arth’s calendar, commonly called Dawngreen, is named for Leurieth.

• Titles: The Rain Dancer, the White Lady, the Woman in Seasons
• Race: Elf
• Favored Weapon: Javelin
• Holy Symbol: Butterfly
• Colors: White, Sky Blue

Stennish God or Goddess

The temples say there must have been a Stennish god of the air or sky, but nobody knows who he or she was. Presumably, he or she was associated with the south wind.

• Race: Sten
• Status: Banished

That’s it for this section of Arth’s Pantheon. You can get a good overview of the gods of Arth here. There’s more Arth Lore available on the blog as well. And in case you haven’t journeyed to Arth yourself yet, check out my books for some fantasy adventure that’s so funny, it’s epic.