World of Eros

Eros is a small, Earth-like planet full of diverse environments and interesting landscapes. The inhabited continents of Eros are divided into four territories; Daefernia, The Erosian Demilitarized Zone, Raathos, and Varia. Each territory is unique in both its environment and people. 

Daefernia

On the arid southern continent of Eros lies Daefernia, land of the Demons. Here, the Demon Queen maintains peace between the Demonic Noble Clans through religious influence and military might. The Daefernian capital is the coastal city of Salenae and its major temples are The Old and New Temples of Agrona.

 The climate of Daefernia is incredibly dry and hot, except for the eastern swamp lands and the southern tundra. Due to this, the vast majority of Daefernia is uninhabited. Most of Daefernia's mortal population live along The River Styx, The Styx Delta, The River Lethe, and the Swamps of Callisto.

The Erosian DMZ

The Erosian Demilitarized Zone is an archipelago designated as a neutral zone by all the major territories. Each island is ruled by its government and is oftentimes run by Humans. This region of Eros has the highest Human population, with Varia being a close second. The climate of these islands is as diverse as their governments, ranging from temperate groves to dry plateaus.

 Most of the DMZ's population can be found on the Iros, Phobos, and Charah islands. Its largest city is the Port of Iros and the major temple of this region is The Temple of Elian.

Raathos

The easternmost continent of Eros is the land of Raathos. Here, Dragons rule with fiery fervor. Most of Raathos is under the governance of the Farthengrand (Lowland) Dragons, their king, and a council of trade and religious leaders. Some parts of Raathos are not ruled by the Farthengrand though. Almost all of the territory's mountain ranges are controlled by a small ethnic group of Dragons known as the Haathengrand, or Highland Dragons. These folk follow no known governance other than "old ways" of the Draconic kind.

 The climate of Raathos is about as diverse as the Erosian DMZ, with jungles towards its southwest coast, deserts, and plains at its center, and wetlands in the north and southeast regions. 

Its capital city is Ragnarock and its major temples are The Temple of Diana, The Temple of Hethanos, The Old Temple of Azrael, The Temple of Gian, and The Old Temple of Zoe.

Varia

The northwest continent of Eros is home to Varia. Here, the Angels govern through a council of twelve archangels, with Mayrah, Goddess of Wind, as its head. While Angels hold all of the positions of power in Varia, they do not make up the majority of its mortal populace. Humans in Varia outnumber Angels ten to one. Despite this, Humans peacefully allow Angels to rule them in exchange for stability and protection.

 Varia's climate ranges from deep evergreen forests to vast grassland, to freezing tundra.

 Out of all territories, Varia's winters are the harshest due to its colder temperatures. The capital of Varia is Bahram and its major temples include The Temple of The Gods, The Temple of Life and Death, and The Temple of Eyurippia.

Eros has existed for thousands of years and has had its fair share of historic milestones. Here is a brief rundown of the lore of Eros.

 In the beginning...

Before Eros, there were only two things, Existence, and nothing. Existence was an omnipotent, sentient being, but it had one problem, it desired something beyond itself. Unfortunately, Existence knew of nothing beyond itself, and this yearning brought it great distress. It could create anything, be anything, but it could not conceive of what.

 Eventually, the strain of this desire brought so much pain to Existence that it tore itself in two, creating the Primordial Gods, Diana and Elian. Through this, the two gods realized that what they desired was companionship, and that, through one another, they were complete. Through their love of each other, they created the universe.

 Diana created the planets, stars, and other physical bodies of the universe. For this reason, mortals know her as the Goddess of Space. Elian created the time that bound these bodies and kept them in balance and became known as the God of Time. In this burst of creation, Eros was formed.

 After creating the universe, The Primordial Gods descended upon Eros and made it their home. From there they created The Fates, Gods who controlled the flow of mortality and fortune. These Gods were known as Zoe, Goddess of Life, Agrona, Goddess of Chaos, Azrael, God of Death, and Shandren, God of Stability. After The Fates came The Elementals, Gods who ruled the landscape of Eros. These Gods were known as Mayrah, Goddess of Wind, Gian, God of Earth, Eyurippia, Goddess of Water, and Hethanos, God of Fire.

 Once the last God came into being, Zoe created mortal life to praise and worship what would eventually be known as the Divine Family. That is how the world of Eros came to be, and that is how it will always be.

 To be continued...

The Gods of Eros rule over the land and its essential functions. To mortals, they are known as The Divine Family and are given the respect of those higher than royalty. Their immense power and longevity are what bring them that respect and give them the right to govern over all mortals. Despite this, only a few of The Gods meddle in mortal affairs. Most of The Divine Family see interference in the politics of mortals as beneath them, looking down on Gods who choose to be involved in mortal governments.

 The Primordials

The Primordials are the two Gods who arose from Existence, a singular, all-powerful being, which split itself in two. These Gods are known as the mother and father of all divine beings.

 Elian (God of Time & Energy)
Known as the Divine Father, Elian is the God who controls the forces of time and energy that hold the universe together. He is often depicted as an eyeless man of many faces, ranging in age and demeanor. Elian is most known for his mystery because he does not interact much with mortals or the other Gods. Only his partner, Diana, knows much about him and the way his powers work. Due to this mystery, few are known to worship him. His symbol is a white burst on a black circle.

 Diana (Goddess of Space & Matter)

Known as the Divine Mother, Diana is the Goddess who controls space and matter. She is depicted as an older woman with glowing eyes and hair resembling a starlit sky. Diana is known for being the first creation deity and is referred to as the All-Mother. She is the matron deity of mothers and artists, especially sculptors and bards. Her symbol is a black circle within a white burst.

 The Fates

The Fates are the first set of Gods that were created by the Primordial Gods. These Gods rule over the forces of chance and mortality.

Agrona (Goddess of Chaos)
Bringer of all change and creator of Demons, Agrona has been a well-known and well-worshiped Goddess among most mortals. She has been a center of many Demonic cults including the Daughters of Agrona, Sons of Agrona, and the Cult of the Virgin Demon. Her motives are a mystery to mortals and have been debated for eons among her worshipers. She is often depicted in many forms, but she is most often seen as a beautiful woman holding a mask and a serpent. Agrona is the patron deity of Demons, rogues, assassins, and theatrical performers. Her symbol is either a white mask or an ouroboros, sometimes a combination of both (this can vary with each cult).

Zoe (Goddess of Life)
Creator of all lifeforms except for Demons, Dragons, and Angels, Zoe is known as the second of the creation deities. She is well beloved and worshiped among all races and is considered the matron deity of midwives, healers, and parents. Over the eons, many of her cults have become healing centers for both physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds. She is often depicted as a slender green-eyed woman with loose robes and a wooden staff. Her symbol is a rainbow butterfly on a white flower.

 Azrael (God of Death)
All mortals at some point in their lives will meet up with Azrael, or one of his servants, either through their death or by witnessing the death of another. As the God of Death, Azrael is tasked with the duty to take the souls of the dead and judge them on their actions. For this reason, Azrael is known as the God Among Mortals, for he interacts with mortal kind regularly. Despite having many worshipers, Azrael discourages the creation of cults in his name. Thus many devout worshipers either work directly with him or within cults dedicated to other deities. There are few temples in his name because of this. Soulbinding is considered a sin among Azrael's worshipers, thus few Demons worship him. Azrael is often depicted as a bony, black-haired figure in black robes carrying a scythe. His symbol is a raven.

Shandren (God of Peace & Stability)
Due to his role as a god of peace, stability, sameness, and stagnation, Shandren is not known for his interactions with mortals. A good portion of his worshipers believe him to be a force that tries to keep things “as is” to achieve balance, yet others disagree with this idea and will consider him as a god whose motives are peace above all else, regardless of the means to achieve it. These differences in beliefs have caused many schisms within the cults that worship Shandren. He is the patron deity of judges, paladins, and most lawmakers. This God is often depicted as a short, round man with a bald, tattooed head and always-closed eyes. Shandren's symbol is a silver balance scale.

 The Elementals

The Elementals are the second set of Gods created by the Primordials. These Gods control the forces of the land and sea.

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Gian (God of Earth)
Gian is known as the shyest of the Gods. His realm lies beneath the earth of Eros and he rarely interacts with mortals on the surface. Despite this, Gian does grow lonely and will visit his worshipers from time to time, usually in the spring. As the God of Earth, Gian's duty is to control the plate tectonics of Eros as well as the composition of the Erosian soil. He is the patron deity of farmers, brick builders, and miners. Gian is often portrayed as a very large, very muscular man with long black dreadlocks and brown eyes. His symbol is a brown bear on a gray mountain.

Mayrah (Goddess of Wind)
Also known as the Queen of Angels, Mayrah is the Goddess who controls the forces of the wind and weather. She is also the Divine Mother of Angels, creating them to be the protectors of all mortal life. Every Angel is a devout worshiper of her and considers her as their matron deity. She is the unofficial head of the Angelic Council and has the last word on all political matters in Varia. Many non-Angels in Varia also worship her, but not with the same reverence as Angels. Mayrah is the matron deity of Angels, airship navigators, and music-based bards. She is often depicted as a four-winged Angel with white hair and eyes. Her symbol is a pair of white wings attached to a pearl.

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Eyurippia (Goddess of Water)
Ruler of the aquatic realms, Eyurippia is the Goddess who rules over all water in all its states. She is the one who controls the tides and currents of the seas and forms the glaciers at the poles of Eros. Her worshipers often make their churches near or on the water; some even build huge ships dedicated in her name. It is not uncommon for her worshipers to carry containers of their “holy” water in the event they come in contact with someone who is dying of thirst. Eyurippia is a strong believer in doing what is right by all mortals because they all need her to survive. Those who are not in her favor are punished by drought, drowning, dehydration, and hypothermia. This rarely happens though, because Eyurippia believes that most mortals are worth redemption. She is often depicted as a blue-haired woman with a stern face and webbed hands and feet. Eyurippia is the matron deity of sailors, fishermen, pirates, and the human tribes of the north. Her symbol is a blue kraken over a glacier.

Hethanos (God of Fire)
Lord of fire and passion, Hethanos is well known for their meddling with mortal kind. Due to their mischievous and often flirtatious behavior, Hethanos is often mistaken as a god of trickery and fertility (neither of which are their domains). Their followers are very boisterous in their dogma and will almost always make a scene in the name of their God. The largest cult of Hethanos worships them as the God who will “cleanse” the world of evil at the end of days. Hethanos is not fond of these worshipers and will do everything they can to avoid associating with them. They are also known for being the creator of Dragons. Hethanos is the patron/matron deity of whores, oratory bards, jesters, and Dragons. This God is often depicted as a gorgeous man or woman (sometimes both) with few clothes and surrounded by fire. Their symbol is a bright red, orange, or yellow flame.

Mortals are the backbone of Eros. They are numerous and diverse, both in personality and culture. Mortals are divided into two major categories: Sentient Mortals and Non-Sentient Mortals. Sentient Mortals are the people of Eros, and it is their prayers and loyalty that power The Gods of Eros. Non-sentient mortals are the creatures and plants that inhabit Eros, with the exclusion of fish*. Non-sentient mortals feed off of the power of The Gods of Eros. Without The Gods, their souls will wither and they will perish.

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Sentient Mortals come in several different species. These include Humans, Demons, Angels, and Dragons. Each has been created by a different God. Here is a list to detail each of the Sentient Mortals.

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Humans:
Humans are the most common, most widespread, and oldest of all the Sentient Mortals in Eros. They had once ruled over Eros as the only sentient beings, but their empire quickly fell after Agrona created Demons. Now they have blended with the non-human cultures all around Eros, adapting to all the various cultures and traditions around the planet.

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Daefernian Humans often come as one of two types; Soulbound Humans and Non-Soulbound Humans. Soulbound Humans are Humans who have been soulbound to a Demon. These Humans are often bound by social rules and even Demonic laws that require them to be loyal to their demon. They often wear some kind of head covering to indicate their role in Demonic society. The styles of such head coverings vary between different regions of Daefernia. Non-Soulbound Humans are often the descendants of Non-Daefernian Humans. These humans are granted the same rights as Demons if they have been born within Daefernia. These humans often wear the same style of clothes as Demons.

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Varian Humans are the second most common Humans due to a mass exodus during the First Great War. Humans
in Varia get special privileges due to the Angels' commitment to protecting them, as long as they provide tribute to the Angels. This tribute often includes a tax on goods or funds that come from Human businesses and farms. Humans are also given a standard education through the Angelic government and are allowed to follow any cultural practices as long as they are non-violent.

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Humans in Raathos vary on where they are located. The Humans in the Draconic cities get the same rights and protections as Dragons. Meanwhile, Humans near the mountains live in barbarian tribes that fear Highland Dragons. Humans in the cities often work as food merchants, cooks, and brewers.

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The Demilitarized Zone is a group of islands in Eros that were used as a neutral zone during each Great War. This is a prominently human-inhabited portion of Eros and most of the Humans there keep up the old traditions from the Golden Age of Humankind. Most of the humans from here come from small tight-knit villages and farms and aren't too familiar with Non-Humans. The only exception to this are the Humans that live along the coastal cities of the DMZ.

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Angels:

 Angels are the third race to have been created, and they are the second most common in Varia. They were created by the Goddess of Wind to protect all mortal life. The Angelic people take this purpose very seriously and integrate it into every aspect of their society; from adopting vegetarianism to providing security and military service to Human towns and cities. Angels have a strong sense of pride in their heritage and often discriminate against Demons and hybrids. As far as gender relations go, Angels are very egalitarian and have no sense of gender roles outside of "women typically get pregnant and men typically don't". In combat and warfare, most Angels tend to “play fair” and follow strict codes of honor. Their political system consists of a council of twelve Archangels whose souls are regularly re-incarnated to maintain a sense of consistency in law and order. At the head of this council is the Goddess of Wind, Mayrah, who has the final word on all decisions.

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Demons:

 Demons are the second Sentient Mortals to have been created. For reasons unknown, the Goddess of Chaos created Demons to devour all life on Eros. They happily did that but were greatly discouraged after the First Great War between them, the Angels, and the Dragons. Ever since then, Demons have developed a society that is symbiotic with the Humans in their territory.
 

Almost all Demons have a human companion that they have soulbound with. Despite following the treaties of the past Great Wars, the violent history of the Demonic people causes a lot of discomfort among most mortals. This ends up putting many Demons in a disadvantageous position within the other territories. Even though Demons aren't usually in good graces with the other mortals, they tend to be welcoming to those who are non-Angelic. It is not uncommon for interbreeding between Demons and Non-Angelic mortals to be socially normalized within the Demonic culture.

While Demonic society is mostly welcoming to non-Angelic mortals, they are not egalitarian when it comes to gender. The majority of Demons follow a strict matriarchal structure that makes it almost impossible for the males of their kind to crawl up the socioeconomic ladder unless they perform well in the demonic military or marry into a well-off family. This structure follows their belief that the original Demons were created in the likeness of their mostly female Goddess and that males came second due to reproductive necessity. There are some exceptions to this ideology, but those come from the few noble clans that do not practice the matriarchal structure. Demonic government is ruled by an aristocracy made up of their Queen, the seven Demonic Clans, their military, and their religious leaders.

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Dragons:

 Dragons are the last of the Erosian mortals to have been created by The Gods. After becoming frustrated with the destruction of the First Great War, Hethanos created Dragons to eliminate all of Eros if the war wasn't resolved. After this war, the Dragons took over the northeast continent of Eros and called their territory Raathos. Dragons are the strongest of all the mortals as well as the most rowdy. Few mortals ever have the bravery to provoke them. Because of this, the Lowland variety of Dragons has been able to develop a rich and powerful society, whose influence has a hand in every Erosian government. Dragons are split into two different ethnic groups: the Haathengrand (Highland) Dragons and the Farthengrand (Lowland) Dragons.

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The Farthengrand are the most populous of Dragons, making up 90% of Dragon kind. Through their brand of soulbinding, lowlands have both a Draconic form and a Humanoid form. Because of their more Humanoid form, the Lowland Dragons have been able to use diplomacy to build grand, multi-racial cities in the flat lands of Raathos. This civilization expansion allowed the Lowland Dragons to create their own unique culture that combines the practices of other mortals in Eros. For example, they have a council like the Angels, but the head of that council is a monarchy similar to that of the Demons.

Lowland Dragon society is split by gender though; causing most cities to have a female district and a male district. This is because the male and female Dragons don't get along with each other outside of mating. This typically leads to conflict that oftentimes ends with the male Dragon getting eaten by his female counterpart. The only exception to this is in the government districts and in the royal court, in which male and female Dragons peacefully mingle due to strict anti-cannibalism laws. Within their government, there is no hierarchy based on gender. Those who are on the council earn their place through merit while the royal head is passed down from King/Queen to firstborn successor.

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The Haathengrand live in the mountains within Raathos and practice the old ways of Draconic culture known as Territorial Law. This law dictates that only the physically strongest rule and those who are weaker either submit to the strong, move to another territory, or get eaten. The Highland Dragons live a very harsh and violent life which is the foremost reason why many Dragons have given up the Territorial Law to become Farthengrand. One defining feature of a Highland Dragon is that they do not have Humanoid forms. This is because Territorial Law considers the practice of soulbinding to corrupt the purity of Dragons and make them weak. The Haathengrand see all other mortals as potential food and only swear fealty to the strongest of their people or The Divine Family.

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Hybrids and Demigods:

 Hybrids of every Sentient Mortal species exist; some are more common than others. Demigods are another form of hybrid between a God and a mortal. These mortals are given great and unique powers but maintain their mortal status. All hybrids, of divine origin or otherwise, are born infertile. The only exception to this are cases of divine intervention from a member of The Gods.

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*Fish are self-replicating flesh constructs created by the Goddess Eyurripia to feed her followers who travel the seas of Eros (as well as other mortals that live near the water). They are not included as Mortals because they do not have a soul. Aquatic mammals, reptiles, squid, and octopi do not count as "fish" in this world.