The Ethos: Those that worship the God Iui recognize their own, as well as all other things place in nature. They are taught that all things have a particular niche and a particular place in the cosmos that must be filled. If any one thing did not dwell within nature, then the fabric of reality would simply break down into nothingness, and cease to exist. They also believe that all things go through the cycle of birth and death. They loathe the undead, and fear them as well. These creatures are fowl, and unnatural to the extreme. They are taught to love animals, but also except their place as food for its predators. For many creatures the hunt is the very core of their natural essence, and this must be respected. In this way the followers of Iui can be harmonious with the natural world, which abounds in every place.

The Clergy:The priests of Iui may only use weapons constructed from nature, Clubs, Staves, and other wooden or bone weapons. In addition they may also use spears, bows, scimitar, bolas, nets, and quarterstaves. They may not wear armor that is made of anything other than leather, bone, or wood. They may not kill another creature unless it is in self-defense, or for food. The Priests of Iui are primarily healers of nature, and do not wish to defile it in anyway. Many become druids, but there are also many who live within the confines of cities, who wish to preach a more natural way for the commoner. Priests of Iui tend to dress in natural colors. Preferring the browns of the earth, the greens of the trees, and the blues of the sky to any others. They also wear the skins of animals that they have hunted for food, or killed in defense, wishing not to waist the skins. When in ceremony, or other important events, they wear a simple brown robe with green edges around the cuff, the neck, and the bottom rim. The followers of Iui enjoy a close friendship and alliance with those of Vallelay. As they recognize death as an important part of the natural order. Arlanazth stands as Iui's most hated enemy, he who plagues the planet with undead is seen as a defiler of nature, and the priests of Iui detest and despise that wicked order.

The Power: Vallelay, the Soul King, the After Lord, the Grave Master, the Dead Watcher, the Hungry Death, and the End of Breath. These are the many names of the Power of death, The Unresting Vallelay. Vallelay is the fog the rolls in on all men one time in their life. He is the keeper of the dead, and the collector of the last debt. With a glance he can end the life of any man. Stillness follows him like his shadow. Some would say it is his shadow. Vallelay is neutral in the truest sense of the word. Death does not differentiate between good and evil, man or woman, child or elder. He comes to those of human and non-human stock equally, and unfalteringly. He has two symbols. One of a white orb emitting rays of darkness, the other a black orb, with white light coming forth. The first is an image of the soul within his grasp; the second is an image of a source of great light, being snuffed out like a candle.

The Ethos: Death teaches the equality of the soul. All things are subject to death. Life is an illusion, death, the way to eternal life. All men take a loan from the keeper of souls, and in the end it must be repaid. Those that live may die at any given moment. No one is immune. Those that seek to avoid and prolong death will only hasten the icy hand of Vallelay. Everything is cyclic. Life is granted when you are born, you must live while you are alive, but you must also die when it is time. Undeath is seen as a violation of this natural order. Vallelay teaches that when you die, you are in fact rejoining a larger self. There is nothing to fear. Life is to be cherished, death is to be accepted, and even embraced.

The Clergy: The priests of death have the duty of helping to ease the suffering of the dying. They may use any weapon, but seem to prefer weapons which do sufficient damage, but cause little pain. Rapiers and other piercing weapons are common, along with knives, and daggers. They will sometimes use poisoned weapons or herbs with the ability to numb a person's body so they will not feel pain. They must also be skilled in the use of bludgeoning weapons in order to more effectively deal with the presence of undeath. Priests of the god of death generally dress in values rather then in colors, favoring whites, grays, and blacks. For religious ceremonies they wear either a black or white robe, covered by a grey cloak with either of Vallelay's two symbols on the back. They also wear a silver medallion of a black circle, surrounded by a ring of silver outwardly pointing triangles. Vallelay is in a constant struggle for souls with both Arlanazth and Malchaack, and his priests hold hatred for the priests of these two sadistic deities.

The Power: Knowledge in all its forms is the gift of Gorran. He is the Wisdom giver, the truth bearer, and wisest among the gods, the ponderor, and he who meditates. His name is spoken with reverence among sages, scholars, and learned men of all Cyuk. He walks in complete illumination, and understanding wherever he goes. All things are known to him, he sees all, and understands all. Gorran watches as a silent observer, and waits until all is known to judge. He often acts as an arbiter among the gods, and is useful in settling many disagreements before they escalate into a battle of the deities. He is truth. He is study; he is lost and forgotten knowledge, and history in all its forms. Past, and present. His symbol is one book on top of another, the one on top is open, and the one on the bottom is closed. The known, and the yet to be discovered.

The Ethos: Gorran teaches his disciples that there is no greater pursuit then that of knowledge. History is all-important, as it is the only thing that lasts forever. Time goes on and on, but there is only one history. Those that know the past are best qualified to guess, and judge the future. History repeats itself in unavoidable circles. Gorran also teaches that thought is the purest of actions. To sit quietly in contemplation is the closest any mortal will ever get to god-hood, and it is truly the best way to spend time. Thinking men are the carriers of the candle, illuminating the world for those that will follow. It is better to respond than to react, which is the pleasure and the privilege of those that think, wonder, and seek greater understanding.

The Clergy:Priests of Gorran are those men who realize the basic wonderment of knowledge, and the importance of self-cultivation. They are enthusiastic learners, and generally love nothing more then learning something new, or something very old. The Clergy are generally pacifistic, and try not to fight. They will however go to great lengths and heroics to hide knowledge that those of a lesser kind would seek to manipulate for their own dark ends, as they would sooner destroy it than let it fall into the hands of evil. They keep libraries for the entire public to read, encourage literacy in all places, and are the guardians of great secrets. They generally dress in plain brown robes and carry no weapons save a dagger, short sword or long sword. The latter they will only carry if they fear that they are in great danger, or are seeking knowledge in some very dangerous place. Though they are pacifists, they are generally skilled in the use of the blade, for their defense and the defense of knowledge.

The Power: Baern is the god of justice and truth, and of the upholding of such justices and truths. Truth is his word, and his actions are to be followed. Baern walks the path of the righteous, and expects the same from not only his followers and priests, but from all of societies as well, be they civilized or otherwise. He makes no actions save for those justified by the laws and ethos that is the word of Baern. Tyrannical laws and those of questionable merit mean little to Baern, and are indeed ignored as such. His cause is upheld at the expense of laws if needs be, for the laws that men govern themselves by mean little in the grand scheme of things past or things to come. Baern is Lawful and Neutral, so long as the laws he follows are his own, and makes his home in the plane of Elysium. The symbol that Baern is known by is an iron circlet divided in four sections by rods of similar material.

The Ethos: Baern is primarily concerned with upholding justice as he sees it, and thus this is the main concern of his followers and clergymen as well. It is his belief that the laws that man create to govern themselves are not always impartial, and indeed are not always just. He consequently teaches that the only true laws by which one should be governed reside in ones heart, and that for the just to come about, each must follow his heart on a case-by-case basis, and to do the right thing accordingly. His is the guiding word in such matters, and followers of Baern ask frequently for his guidance in the matters of justice and truth. Baern praises truth above all things, considering honesty a prime virtue that few possess. It is this that Baern seeks in all men, as well as all matters.

The Clergy: Priests of Baern utilize a number of weaponry and arms, but are known to excel in the use of entrapping weapons such as nets, bolas, and man-catchers. Differing duties of the priesthood equip armor as fitting to the task, with most wearing little more than leather armor, but some can and do wear heavier equipment when needs be. Duties of the priesthood are often that of upholding justice as Baern sees it, whether they be pursuant in the course of law win a given case, or be it taking matters into their own hands. Kingdoms and cities where the faith of Baern is widely held will generally bestow all lawmaking abilities to his priesthood. Baern holds the unique position of being both friend and foe to the faiths of both the god of law and order as well as the god of chaos and disarray, as his word is often in negligence to one faith or the other, dependant solely on the circumstance at hand.

The Power: Quick to anger and slow to burn, such is the fury and the unruly temperament of the goddess Shindiak. She is the flame of creation and the smoldering ash of destruction. Hers is a realm ruled by the chaotic whim of a woman scorned. Hers is a favor short-lived, and of loyalties and servitude soon forgotten. Ever contained in the present, she is rash of action with little or no regard to the consequences at hand. Shindiak rules over the province of Fire and Flames, as well as the element of fire and fire magic. Shindiak resides in the plane of Ergassia, a plane overlapped by the plane of elemental fire and the Abyss. The symbol of the Goddess of Fire is a single open flame, one that requires no fuel to burn. Sighting of such a flame is either cause of great relief or great concern, dependant wholly upon ones' current standing within the thoughts and eyes of the Fire Goddess.

The Ethos: Shindiak's religion teaches of boldness and confidence, and of the determination to achieve that which is most desired. Those that fall into her worship have earned themselves an eternal struggle to please the Goddess of the Eternal Flame, as her short memory is soon to forget events of the past. Even the most loyal of servants may fall prey to the whim of Shindiak's fury. In exchange for this Shindiak offers the power and chaos of the element of flames, though even this is controllable in only the Goddesses most stable of moments, which may be few and far between indeed.

The Clergy: The clergy and servitude of Shindiak can often tell an outsider of the Goddesses temperament, for they are often a merely slight version of the Goddess them selves. This is due in part to the teachings of Shindiak, and due partly to the constant pressures she places upon her pupils to please her at every turn, an exacting toll to be sure. Her priests are able to wear and wield any weapon or armor which has been cast under the forge; those fed the creative energies of fire and extreme heat. Ceremonial robes and banners are bedecked with the colors of flame, with reds, yellows and oranges most abundant, with the colors of blue flame strictly reserved for the highest ranking officials of her order. Despite the close proximity of portfolios to Abithanoir, the god of Chaos, the two gods are bitter enemies, perhaps due to the fact that Shindiak has little will to conform to the edicts of Abithanoir's rule.

The Power: The Father of Chaos and the Lord of Pandemonium, Abithanoir is the ever changing, and the bearer of turmoil and discord. Abithanoir is the antithesis of Cyryllynese, and all that he stands for. His realm is one of confusion and upheaval, and delivers this trauma with blatant disregard for any in its path. Abithanoir takes shape in the chaos that is present throughout the prime material planes, the ruling destitute in lands abroad, and as the corruption of ruling governments. He wields the power of the shadows as his primary weapon, an element in which he hopes to see the God of Purity drown. Abithanoir is Chaotic and Evil in nature, and rules his followers from the plane of Pandemonium. His symbol is that of a single, unblinking eye, marked by the slit-like pupil found therein.

The Ethos: Abithinoir teaches the weaknesses in order, and the advantages of chaos. All who profoundly oppose the god Cyryllynese likely worships The Lord of Pandemonium, as he is the antithesis of purity and order, all that Cyryllynese stands for. All who would oppose the stifling governments and the rules of the rich who ignore the common man might fall prey to the machinations of Abithinoir, as he is the lord of rebels, outcasts, and revolutionaries. He feeds their desires as much as they do his. He revels in any act that would lead to the destruction of order, or any other facet of his hated enemy. Abithanoir may stop nothing short of total world corruption and the dominance of anarchy and chaos.

The Clergy: Followers of the Chaos Lord lay scattered across the globe of Cyuk, subject to his every whim. Established churches fall largely under the category of underground societies, where the ruling government and most recognized religion of the area nary perceptible of their presence. His dark roots travel far and wide, if only to serve to corruption of the lands in which they live. The chaos for which he stands for keeps the sects separate and independent from others; in effect leaving many small centers of destruction throughout the lands. As is the nature of chaos, each sect may have altered if not completely different requirements of the priesthood, ranging from specific duties to weapon and armor that are permissible, to the differences in ceremonial garb and offerings. One thing that remains ever present, however, is the unblinking eye of Abithanoir.

The Power: Gruumsh the One-Eye is the Father of Battle and the Lord of War. His is the domain of violent conflict and the acquisition of new territory. He has been deemed as He Who Never Sleeps, because of his attempt to take part, whether it be in retaliation or as instigator, in all forms of battle that take place across the lands. Fragments of Gruumsh exist throughout the lands, in forms of the militant general, the bloodthirsty savage, and the rebellious peasant. His love of battle and conflict shows no favorites, as his only true love is the spilling of blood in his name. Wherever there is bloodshed, there is Gruumsh, and his hand has played an all too substantial part in nearly all of the major wars in the land of Cyuk's history. This Lawful and Evil deity makes his home in the Nine Hells. The symbol of the War-God Gruumsh is none other than a single, unblinking eye.

The Ethos: Strength and physical prowess are the standards for which the followers of Gruumsh are measured, valuing none more than the most capable warrior across the lands. It is the strong that survive in the societies of Old One-Eye, and none more highly respected than the grizzled veteran of countless battles and wars. Worshipping the God of War and battle has its effects upon one's clergy, as evidenced by the aggression and knack for thoughtless and rash retaliations for which they are well known. Their primary goal is to spread the affliction of war wherever the instigation will take hold. No greater pleasure is taken then when friends and loved ones separated by the ravages of war as brought on by a follower of Gruumsh. The War of Brothers is one such feat for which they claim conception.

The Clergy: The specialty priests of the God of War are more warrior than priest, with limited spell access balancing their ability to wield and use effectively any weapon or armor that they deem necessary. Shamans and witch doctors are pledged to give their left eye to Gruumsh, to be drawn by the shaman's own hand, as some form of crude initiation ritual to prove their worth to the Lord of Battle. His influences derive from many a varied nation, as there is an inherent need in men to resolve their conflicts through the pursuit of violence. As is the nature of war-like beings, the House of Gruumsh holds no true loyalties of any god, although has, in times past, sided with forces of like mind, however fleeting the moment may have been.

The Power: Abbathor is the god of greed and all manifestations thereof. He is the patron of thieves and of lust, be it born of intense desire or for unending power. Abbathor is the hand that taints all things and tarnishes them. He plays on the greed readily apparent in the hearts of all men in all races, and slowly but surely pulls them into his twisted and vile grasp. He is the beginning of the end of all morality in ones heart, slow pulling them down the spiral of greed and to the inevitable ends of deceit, loathing, lust, and avarice. Twisted and hunched in his treachery, Abbathor is the pinnacle of all that is wrong in the hearts of men, whether they belong to man, demi-human, or humanoid. Abbathor is corruption embodied, as will all be who are unfortunate enough to be enticed by his nefarious presence. Abbathor is Neutral and Evil, and exists on the plane of Hades. His symbol is a dagger bejeweled with gems and stones stolen in ancient times past.

The Ethos: Unlike most other gods in the Cyukkan pantheon, Abbathor’s religion teaches little, instead relying on his enticing words to induce the lustful and the power-mad into his tainted clutches. With this Abbathor is among the most active and influential gods in al of Cyuk, and has indeed played a great hand in the corruption of the world, which withers with each of his perverted passings. His soothing word brings the weak of mind into his possession, where he further manipulates them with promises of power and wealth, enough so that he is assured of their ceaseless devotion. With these followers Abbathor exploits the world around them, corrupting all that he can for his sheer amusement.

The Clergy: Priests of Abbathor rarely begin as such, instead usually first beginning to a rival faith, which would be nearly all of them, and over time being corrupted into his service. Many of them are not even aware of the being for which they now hold veneration, blindly following the will and the way of the master of greed. As such, the clergy of Abbathor usually come equipped however they were allowed in their previous faith, although they will find that the old restrictions no longer apply. Acolytes of the faith of Abbathor can be describes as no more than rogue-like, and equip themselves with armaments appropriate to that description. Abbathor never truly pledges his allegiance to any other god, thinking himself the head of all evil that resides in the pantheon of Cyuk. This boasting is widely known to exist throughout the lands, but is seldom disputed.

The Power: Deceit, lies, and treachery are the province of Valanae, the False Goddess. She is the Queen of Illusions and misconceptions, spreading her lies to all that will listen. Empty promises and the assurance of things never to come to pass are her favored weapons, tools she uses to influence the world to her liking. She is the bane of the blind, both physically and mentally, as her soothing words tell them of their tainted surroundings. She is neutral and evil in nature, caring little for any other than herself and those with whom she holds an immediate gain. Valanae makes her home in the levels of the Abyss, at comfort in a sea of like-minded creatures. The symbol of Valanae is a smiling mask, representing both the soothing word of her lies, and the face that she hides behind for all eternity.

The Ethos: Any and all can be drawn into the influences of Valanae, as she has mastered the art of promising that which is truly desired. With this knowledge the Perjuring Queen gains acceptance into the hearts of both the wicked and the pure, to do with what she pleases. Few are safe from her influences, and indeed her aims reach diverse and distant reaches. There are clearly two sects of Valanae's faith, those coerced by her empty promises, and those whose deceit and deception rival even her own. The latter type follow Valanae willingly, even going so far as to seek her out to expand her power base. Valanae is loved and adored by her followers, for to be any other way would be to deny themselves of the powers and desires that she promises to them.

The Clergy: Followers of Valanae arm themselves with small thrusting weapons such as daggers and short swords, favoring barbed and serrated weapons over all others. They typical wear little more than light chain or leather armor as protection. Weapons and armor are usually bedecked in the colors of her faith, those of deep purples, reds, and black. High-ranking priests in her clergy are often more suitably equipped with plate armor and matching serrated long and short swords, and a long flowing cloak of deep purple outlined in black. Valanae is in coalition with the god of greed Abbathor, as they are of similar ilk, and while enemy to nearly all of the good and neutral aligned gods, her primary adversary is Baern and his faith of justice and truth.

The Power: Khaan the Angry, Khaan the Rancorous, Khaan the Malevolent, and Khaan the Vengeful. These are but few of the names for which the lord of hatred is known and revered. He is loathing in all of its forms, and holds no reservations for emotions of any other kind. Rage is his fury, fury his rage. He is the Ever-Unpleased and the Raging King. It is he who hates all, as the Lord of Antipathy. Wherever hate exists is the presence of Khaan, and for this he is eternal, as all who love also hate, and those who hate bring hate to the world, and thus Khaan as well. He is chaotic and evil in nature, action, and word, and makes his home among the servants of the Nine Hells. The symbol of Khaan is represented as a great many-horned beast, with great demonic wings at its side.

The Ethos: Khaan feeds upon the hate in the world and channels it to his own dark ends. He also gives shelter to the loathsome, if only to induce the anger deep within them to his own means. All that is hated is kept within and fed by the malevolence that is the essence of Khaan. Fury and rage are his to inspire, festering and molting from within towards absolute corruption. Such are the aims and ambitions of Khaan. Many are those whose silent thoughts echo out Khaan's name at the coming of a battle, or for revenge against an unknown foe. This is but the beginning of Khaan's influence, as the slow but inevitable descent into the dominion of hatred and malice that is Khaan's realm.

The Clergy: The wicked order of Khaan is largely an underground faith, as there are few who tolerate his presence in the world at large. This does not hinder his faith in the least, as those who wish to succumb to his dark powers will find him soon enough. Priests of his order do not wear ceremonial garb or insignias unless in church related functions, so as to better hide themselves from the prying eyes of meddlesome do-gooders. All clergy are tattooed with Khaan's symbol upon their left shoulder blade. In ceremonies his priests are required to done the red scaled-plate of Khaan's champions, and the black-horned helm of his likeness. Any weapons useable are allowed to the Faith of Khaan, so long as it is put to good use. Khaan's faith is concerned primarily with it's own designs, and thus pays little credence to other faiths as friend or as foe, though they are regularly hunted by faiths of good and law.

The Power: He is father of seasons, and the great cycle. He is known as the harvester of change, and the master of Impermanence. His is the truth of evolutions, and renewals. Orin'thail manifests as the falling leaves before the land freezes, and as the freezing land. He manifests as the first rays of sun before the time of great heat, and as the great heat when it comes. These changes are the nature of Orin'thail, master of the seasons. He is revered by those that seek solace in this change, and are open to the many possibilities, which abound in the natural world. For Orin'thail, change is slow, measured and consistent. His nature is that he will not rush change, but he will allow it to come about in it's own time, and those that wish to disrupt this balance must be dealt with accordingly.

The Ethos: Orin'thail teaches that life is just a series of changes, each one happening one after the other in a calm and relaxed manor. Change is to be welcomed, as it is only temporary, and since all things work out in the end it is better not to try and disrupt the natural order. Life is like both the breathing in of the breath, as well as the exhale. If one is patient any displeasure will eventually fade away, but in the same respect all good things are temporary as well. This is why changes and new experiences are to be cherished because everything is temporary, pain, joy, and anger come and go, and are like the changing of the seasons. Each one being necessary for the others arrival.

The Clergy: The priests of Orin'thail are allowed to use weapons, which suit whatever condition they encounter. When living in a forested area they might prefer the bow, when living in the jungle they might prefer the spear, and when living in the city they might prefer the staff. Their willingness to encounter new things makes them very versatile and able to become proficient in almost any local skill, or weapon. They are usually non-combative, but when forced to fight they can be fearsome opponents. They dress differently for the situation or season as well. In the snowy months they tend to wear white clothing, in the hot months they will wear reds and bright blues, when in the fertile months they might wear greens, and colors of local flowers, and in the months just before the snow falls, they might wear yellows, oranges and browns. Their symbol is that of a light yellow circle with a blue sickle shape inside of it. This is to represent the change of night and day, and change in general.

The Power: Norsia, the Goddess of the Waters, and the Keeper of the Serene Pools, governs over the usage of the element of water, and grants the power of Elemental Water to her faithful. Norsia is the Duchess of the ponds, as well as the morning dew. She of the Calm Waters hold power over the peaceful creatures of fresh inland waters, although she does hold sway with the larger beasts of the sea, most notably the amiable mammals the dolphins and the whales. Her presence is felt as the Calming Breeze across the Waters, and her voice is the lull of contentment and insouciant careening of the waves. Her tendencies are Lawful and Good, and her essence drifts among the Plane of Elemental Water, and her symbol is that of a single wave.

The Ethos: There is much to be learned from the Goddess Norsia, as she teaches the calmness and serenity necessary for a long, healthy and fulfilling lifetime. Placidity and rational thinking can bring an individual much closer to serenity than rash, unthinking actions. She holds her element of water as an example for all to learn by, as it’s silent, powerful strength is clearly present, despite its tranquil and seemingly slothful silence. Her s is the water that cleanses al things, and washes away the misdeeds and immoralities of the soul. She preaches of the purity of the element of water, and the purity of the soul that can be gained from its worship.

The Clergy: The devout of Norsia's followers shy away from the dangers of combat, and are thus unable to wear armor or learn the rudiments of any kind of weaponry, although most carry at their sides a staff as a last resort defense weapon. Her followers instead rely on the powers of the element of water to protect themselves and those around her, for they believe that they wield the true essence of their Goddess of the Lakes as their instrument. The ceremonial garb of her priestesses is made from a blue shimmering material, thought to be crafted from the waves themselves. The clergy of Norsia is both friend and ally to the likes of Cyryllynese and Iui, gods revered for their inspirations of peace and harmony. Not least among the Duchess of the Ponds' enemies are the Storm God Mantience, the Fire Goddess Shindiak, and the Black Queen Sarene, the primary defiler of the grace that is Norsia's Waters.

The Power: Gorkan the Mighty, and the Strong, is the ruler of the element of earth, and is the embodiment of strength and stability. He is the power of vitality and the model of health and well being. He is the rock, the land, and the mountain, and over these things does his power hold sway. Gorkan the Strong-Handed is known for his unerring belief in his word and the strength of his laws, and the fact that he holds even himself to his strictures and dogma, likening himself to the unforgiving strength of stone. In this Gorkan is Lawful and Neutral, though the overwhelming battle against the powers of darkness have led the Strong One to a faith of good and light. Gorkan's symbol is that of a large boulder, borne on the shoulders of a single man.

The Ethos: Gorkan's faith stresses the importance of a common law, for only in this structure can man exist in true order. Laws are the defining factor in a peaceful society, as laws made only of the strong mind of good intentions can supplant the darkness that broods in ones subconscious mind. Of secondary but still major importance in the faith of Gorkan is full strength of mind and body. His is a faith of strength of health and resistance to illness and desease. A strength of mind is required to lend ones heart to the needed strictures of society and to deny the thoughts of darkness which lurk in the recesses of every man's mind. His dogma is the unerring strength of mind, of law, and of body, as that of a rock, as that of Gorkan. Gorkan also brings to light the proper use of the land and all of its faculties, and that what is taken from it must be returned, in what his faith dubs the 'circle of the earth.'

The Clergy: The majority of Gorkan's faithful are warriors from all walks of life. Town defenders, barbarians far to the north, mercenaries, as well as workers of the land, such as miners, cultivators, and explorers of the cavernous Underdark all give veneration to the Earthen God, be it for his strength or his protection from the millions of tons of earth overhead. His followers wield weapons of strength, such as axes and bludgeoning weapons. Shields and armor of any make are permitted use by Gorkanites, as outward examples of their strength in both combat and as an example of leadership to the community. Gorkanites ally themselves with the faiths of Cyryllynese and Daergonn the Black Knight, for their examples of order and of unfailing strength, and disdain the orders of Abithanoir and of Lloth, and their chaotic ways.

The Power: Vyskerra is the goddess of Lust, Desire, Passion, and Love without Commitment, or love in the heat of the moment. Hers is a fleeting love, only lasting so long as the ultimate amount of pleasure can be drained from it, at which it moves on to better, and mayhaps even more temporary delights. Her moment is the present, and it is here that she lives life to the fullest, taking advantage of all that life can offer. She is insouciant and carefree, so long as the desires of the present moment are being fulfilled. Vyskerra resides in the future home of all of her worshippers, in the plane of the Seven Heavens. Her symbol is an ivory arc, its tip representing the pinnacle of happiness and fulfillment, a place of ultimate pleasure, where any and all of her followers strive to be at any given moment.

The Ethos: Followers of the Wanton Baroness believe that they are entitled to a life of enjoyment and undying indulgence and delectation, and will strive to great heights to achieve it. Vyskerra and her followers believe there to be pleasure and enjoyment to be found in most all things, and finding the beauty existing in their depths is among the most imperative of tasks of the clergy of Vyskerra the Lustful, for it is pleasure in the simple things that will allow her disciples to survive the low points in between the zeniths of ecstasy. They are to share these discoveries of delight to other members of the clergy, so that they too may partake of the enjoyment to be found in all things.

The Clergy: As can be expected, the followers of Vyskerra come from all walks of life, if only to represent the varied and vast desires of the different people throughout the lands. While many believe them to be little more than harlots and strumpets, their carefree ways pay little regard for the sticklers and the repressed. The higher echelons of Vyskerra's order is comprised mostly of women, who for good reason are among the most popular individuals in any given town or country, both for their fun-loving ways and for their lustful desires. Male followers of the order are often just that, followers in the paths of enjoyment laid out by her clergy. While considered a goddess among the good of heart, her ways are often held as frivolous and salacious by many of the more restrained and honorable gods in the pantheon of Cyuk. She is however seen as a force promoting happiness and well being, and is thusly appreciated as a positive force in the Lands of Cyuk.

The Power: Callaile is the God of melody, song, and poetry. He is the rhythm in all things, and the emotion that comes from that connectedness. He gave the world the gift of these things that they might communicate the ideas that can not always, be said with words in the normal sense. He is the father of pleasant sounds, and the creator of the medium of the unconscious mind. He is wise, calm, well measured, and graceful in all his actions and thoughts, which is representative of his gift to the world. His very being spews forth the beauty which men of Cyuk struggle to emulate in melody, or verse.

The Ethos: Callaile's teaching is a simple one. His priests believe that the greatest service or pleasure that they could give to their patron is creating new works in their god's name. To make a piece in his image, and to give it to the world is their highest goal. They try to record and pass on the beauty that their god has given the world, as well as the message of his music, connectedness, harmony, and symphony with all things. These are the virtues to which they aspire, and with hard work attain. He teaches that beauty exists as equanimity, and things are most at nature, when they do not conflict. This is the nature of Music, poetry, song, and a happy fulfilling life.

The Clergy: The Clergymen of Callaile do not battle often, but when they do they are not restricted in weapon choice. They do tend to lean toward piercing, and missile weapons above other more blunt forces. In addition some have been known to wield slashing weapons in a style that can only be described as music, in motion. The priests of Callaile are also not restricted in the types of armor or clothing they wear, but most have disdain for heavy armor, and clothing. In ceremony they wear cream colored robes and cloaks. The symbol of their god is a golden harp with four strings, which is symbolic of measure, form, harmony, and beauty, which they wear on a silver chain around their neck.

The Power: The God of Storms, and Lord of the Seas, Mantience is an entity named for the patience of man, and the destructive power of man's haste. He is the ruler of all that name the seas as their home, and He of the Sailor's Fortunes. He is the Destroyer and the Cleansing Rain, his voice is the booming thunder, and his rage the destruction of storms. His peace is the eye of the hurricane, a short but well deserved rest from the power of his devastation. He is non-choosing and uncaring as to where his destruction may fall next, a mere resulting symptom of his very whim. Mantience is Chaotic and Neutral in nature, with Evil tendencies, and spreads his ruin from the plane of Elemental Water. His symbol is that of a bolt of lightning, striking a single wave, the symbol of the Goddess Norsia.

The Ethos: Only the true followers of the Lord of Rains may be saved from the killing storms, or at least, this is what his followers believe. He is revered out of fear more than loyalty, where his very impulse can be the deciding factor in the life or death of men, whether they be landlocked or explorers into the deepest regions of the deepest and farthest-reaching seas. One can never be safe from his random chaos, none are safe from his devastation, and one would do well to pay homage before events have transpired beyond the point of no return. His destructive nature is also attractive to the impulsive and rash, and entire clans have been known to offer their services to the Lord of Rains in exchange for his might and havoc on the filed of battle.

The Clergy: Those few that call the God of Storms their own are deemed the use of any weapon and armor choice that they desire. Those that revere his destructive nature derive from many forms of existence, and thus are wide and varied in appearance and habits, although most will favor the use of heavy crushing arms and like minded armor to cushion the blows of fury unleashed. As a rule his direct followers will come across as rash, and many prefer the violent end to a conflict rather than considering alternative measures. The clergy of the God at Seas fears no other, although most pay homage to Abithanoir, the Father of Chaos, as a like-minded power. He counts among his enemies the serenity minded Goddess of the Waters, Norsia, a deity whom he wishes to usurp and assume her portfolio.

The Power: Revenge, and the righting of perceived wrongs and broken trust are of primary importance to the god Cael. He is the Patron of Backstabbing and Betrayal, and no friend is safe from the clutches of one influenced by the Traitorous God. He is the Agitator of Retribution and of forced repentance. Traitors pay homage to him, as do the avengers of the betrayed. Vengeance is his to grant and his to put forth. His is a visage of extreme hatred; forever locked in the grimace of anger to those who have wrongs him in the past, no matter how slight it may have been. He is Lawful and Evil in his nature, although the laws he chooses to follow are those of his own demented making, subject to change as the situation deems to carry out his ethos. The Angry God makes his home in the plane of the Abyss. The symbol of the Traitor is a black diamond, with a tear of blood at its center. Cael also has another, less known, and less used symbol, that of a scroll, presumably a treaty of some sort, that has been broken in two.

The Ethos: All those who wish vengeance upon another being venerate Cael. Those driven by the after effects of betrayal seek his guidance to right the wrongs upon their being. The violated and the transgressed who wish no more than to see their enemy meet a suitable end give their lives in the servitude of the Angry God. It is thus that the followers of Cael are extremely dangerous, as they are quick to anger and slow to forget. The influences of Cael drives his followers to believe even the slightest of slights as a grievous betrayal or insult upon their beings, an offense that cannot be appeased by anything short of revenge. It is in this way that Cael manipulates his clergy to his every whim and desire.

The Clergy: As the followers of the Lord of Vengeance come from all walks of life, there is little to recognize them as distinctive of one another in any way. They wield all manner of weaponry and arms, and don whatever armor they perceive to be necessary to their individual cause. As the faith of Cael is largely opposed by the forces of good throughout the lands, his followers are marked in only the tattoo of his symbol which they wear upon their back. Full Clergy members are more open with their faith, however, and are seldom seen without the ceremonial garb of Cael, dark green robes lined with silver runes of vengeance and retribution, and the serrated daggers which bear his mark.

The Power: Arlanazth the Undying, more affectionately known as the Prince of the Dead, is the Lord and Keeper of the Undead and undying. Arlanazth is the promulgator of Undeath, the Undead, defiling and Necromantic or black magicks. His is the province of eternal life and boundless power, at the consequence of morality and humanity. He of Death on the Lands is the keeper of the souls of the undying, which he retains to fuel his unholy existence. Arlanazth is the walking corpse, the bloodsucking fiend, and the essence of blackness from his home, the Negative Material Plane. He and his shadow minions rule here undisputed and content in their own oblivion, loosing their darkness and iniquity to all lands that disdain their foul presence and place or lack thereof in life’s cycles. The Endless Dead is Neutral and Evil in essence and mind, caring for little else than the apocalyptic return of darkness and shadow to all lands depraved of its existence. The symbol of Arlanazth is a red skull, held aloft by a bony hand.

The Ethos: The power that can be gained from unlife is the largest attraction to the teachings of the Soulless Lord, as the quest for never-ending life and unlimited power potential is commonplace in the subconscious man, and those not able to suppress these desires fall prey to the machinations of the Blackened One. Arlanazth also gives credence to the fatalist among men, and is credited as being the cause of the end of life as men know it to exist. He teaches the advantages to life everlasting first, and when that stage has been reached Arlanazth then introduces the power level that can be gained from Undeath, slowly corrupting the hearts and minds of the more noble to his dark perverted ways.

The Clergy: Followers of the Black Death can be found among those inordinately ravenous for unending power, those fatalists that believe the end of human life is in the hands of the Prince of the Dead alone, and those seeking mere immortality, and an end to death and suffering at the hands of nature’s cruelty. These are held in three separate sects of the Undying Lord’s fanatics, each with separate dogma and ethics to uphold and adhere to. Those fatalists are among the fewest although most organized of his followers, often banding into what one would call a cult, displaying radical actions and spreading fear of their word to all whom will listen. Hearts of the good are sometimes drawn to Arlanazth as well; those whose minds believe that men should not die, and thus bring anguish to their loved ones. Arlanazth caters to these thoughts bordering on the irrational, twisting and perverting their desires to whose own wicked ends. Arlanazth calls no other power his ally, instead focusing his efforts toward his hatred for the Lord of the Dead Vallelay.

The Power: Malchaack the fiend is the Patron of Pain, Agony and Suffering. He is the Lord of Fiends, and the Instigator of Torture. His realm of power is one filled of the screams and torment of tortured souls, keeping the demonic grin upon the face of The Agonizer for all eternity. His eyes pierce the soul and his touch rends the flesh, He is the embodiment of pain, and he spreads his pain to all around. The Torturer is chaotic and evil in nature, and makes his home in the plane of Tarterus. The symbol of Malchaack is a three-horned dog, and the presence of any such beast illicits fear and loathing to the beholder. The horned dog may appear with many horns and spiked protruding from its body, accentuated by massive musculature. Malchaack often sends the horned dog to wander the outskirts of civilizations, an eternal reminder of his presence.

The Ethos: The worshippers of The Torturer succumb to the pain inflicted under his tutelage, believing that the suffering they endure under his reign is merely a small portion of that which will be inflicted upon non-believers in their afterlife. His followers unerringly spread the suffering their god preaches, in an attempt to give them a taste of what they will experience if their lord gets hold of their souls. Pain is the way of the world, and it is this fact that draws the Fiend his followers. His priests attempt to harness this pain, and redirect it towards those who are most susceptible to the agony he brings.

The Clergy: The priests of the god of pain, called Welts, are allowed the use of any weapon, but most tend towards those that cause a great deal of pain, but little real damage. Bludgeoning weapons and whips are both common and barbed varieties are among the most common. They generally do not wear armor, as this would protect them from the pain they so wish to endure. Welts at most wear leather or studded leather armor. Priests of pain wear robes in the colors of pain, deep purples and blues, as well as the crimson red of blood, reserved for holy functions revering the Agonizer. The clergy of the Lord of Fiends is in direct conflict with that of Vallelay, as Malchaack seeks to steal the souls from the god of the dead for his own tortuous designs.

The Power: Increas, the Stealer of Secrets and the Tormentor of Rest, is the God of Mental Dominion and Domination. The Lord of Minds and the Thief of Memories, Increas is the patron of psions, and the keeper of secrets stolen through the arts of the mind. He of the Unspoken Word is the Intruder of Dreams, and the Harbinger of Nightmares. The Lord of Night Tremors haunts the night, and plagues the minds of the unwary. He is the cause of mental breakdowns, from common stress to the brain dead invalid. It is he who causes the death at sleep, inducing his victims to perish of fear from the nightmares he brings to them. Increas is Lawful and Evil in temperament, and spreads his influence from the plane of Tarterus. The Dream Lord's symbol is seen as an up-turned crescent moon, which underlies a single, unlit candle.

The Ethos: Those who desire the powers of the mind fall prey to the influences of Increas. He speaks of the strengths of a capable mind, and the weakness in relying upon the physical form. Mental strength is ones perseverance, and their salvation. It is the solitary asset that can follow a man past his existence on the physical plane, and enables one to be much more than one that is confined to his physical being. The nightmares he brings are the signs of a weak mentality, a symptom that can only be nullified by the strength of ones mental dominance over their mortal bodies. These he brings in full force and frequency to those whose weak wills are most susceptible.

The Clergy: All who rely on the powers of the mind as a way of life pay homage to the Disturbed One, as it is said that in doing so, ones mental powers have the potential to increase tenfold. His priests are fearsome foes indeed, as they utilize both the powers of the mind as well as spells aimed at the state between wakefulness and the deepest of sleep. His clergy is wide and varied, for they are mostly solitary in lot, although his true priests have formed small enclaves in various locales. These priests wear the robes of mauve and purple lined with red, and weild no weapons, believing them to be inferior to the powers of the mind, and the power they hold over dreams. The principle foe of Increas is Gorran, the Lord of Knowledge that Increas desires to steal. Also among his enemies is the Black Knight, as his foolish defense of the weak takes a large part for the weak of mind as well.

The Power: Piskees is the Goddess of adoration and affection. She is beautiful, yet childlike in her disposition. She is affectionate and caring, and is the patron of those who see these emotions as an important part of development, and life. She cares little for regulations and codes of behavior, just as long as she is free to express her feelings. She is both open adoration, and hidden devotion. Piskees also manifests as a deep respect and homage that is almost idolization. She is loving, and caring, and bestows these gifts to anyone who is willing to except them, and return them in a like fashion.

The Ethos: Piskees teaches that there is no greater feeling than to be admired, and to admire. She teaches that it is important to openly show, and give love that it might help to heal this dying world. She teaches not only the importance of physical affection, but mental affection as well. The bond that exists between people is tentative, but is only strengthened with the showing of this affection, as well as respect. In another sense she teaches that idolization is a healthy way of finding yourself. When we know, and respect others it helps us find out just who we are, and why. We learn what is important to us, and the people around us.

The Clergy: The faithful of Piskees do not use weapons, but may carry a staff, or bow for self-protection. They do not train in the use of these weapons, and so any experience they have with these is from outside of the temples. In most situations they try to avoid combat, but they will protect their friends and loved ones, as well as people weaker than themselves, fiercely and to the best of their means. They dress in white or light blues, but may be seen in any variety of clothing. For ceremonies they wear simple white robes and light pink cloaks and gold trim, with a gold chain and medallion depicting the symbol of their goddess upon it. Her symbol is that of a smiling face, with eyes closed in joy.

The Power: Sharindlar is the Goddess of Healing and Mercy, and the hopes that peace will once again rule this land. The Lady of Life cares little for violence and travesty, and wants only to hear the quieting sounds of a peaceful trusting society. Hers is the hope that prisoners will be spared and set free, rather than tortured or summarily executed. Sharindlar the Kind-Hearted desires nothing more than to help all people live a happy and fruitful life, regardless of whatever sacrifice she must make to attain it. Sharindlar is Lawful and Good, and makes her home in the Plane of Elysium. Her symbol is a flame rising from a steel needle.

The Ethos: Sharindlar desires only that her faithful heal those they can, and do whatever is in their power to grant the freedom of prisoners of war, and that those same prisoners are not mistreated or tortured in any way. She believes that this is beneficial not only for the freed captives, but the captor as well, as truth and honesty are allowed to prevail, leaving their souls among as clean and pure. The goal each of her members strive for is harmony for the soul, which can be reached in a number of ways, but mostly through the aiding of others, and in bringing them closer to that same harmony.

The Clergy: Much to her chagrin, Sharindlar is worshipped largely by priests wishing to utilize her healing powers so that the cured may live to fight again. Many of her highest priests roam the land preaching her ideals, and promoting the honor within them as an example for all to follow. She allows her priests the use of bludgeoning weapons to serve her cause, and they may use armor of any desired material or fashion. Sharindlar is both friend and ally to Luthic, the Goddess of the Home, and considers her a kindred spirit. She is at odds with Maalchaack, a fiend that stands against every ideal Sharindlar ever held dear.

The Power: Baerven Wildwanderer is the patron of forests and those that dwell within them, and is concerned primarily by the protection of these things as well. His are thoughts held closely to nature, in tune and in harmony with its ebbs and floes, its rhythms and nuances. He is the protector of these lands, and is bent on keeping them they way they presently lie, devoid of evil, devoid of poachers and foul beings that care little for the land that gives so much for them. Baerven's attitude is one of innocence, believing in the purity of his woods and relying upon good-natured pranks and mischief as forms of entertainment. Baerven is Chaotic and Good, and resides in the Twin Paradises. His symbol is a raccoon's face, both for their woodland presence and for their mischievous natures.

The Ethos: Baerven Wildwanderer teaches of the joys in the simple things in life, from the beauty of nature to the perseverance required to survive in the wilds. He is at home with himself and his simplicity, and expects as much from his followers. He teaches of taking from the land, and returning what is taken as a measure of faith. The society of the trees provides a sense of harmony and brings one's self closer to realization. It is for this reason that these lands should be protected from all that would defile it, it's sanctity to be preserved for all times; for its innocence and truth is an example to all, and one of the few things holding any purity at all to this land.

The Clergy: Followers of Baerven's ways are usually of like-minded ilk, rangers and woodsman vowing to protect the purity of nature from the fringes of civilization. As such, they generally look the part, wearing only what can readily be made from the elements of the woodlands, and wielding weapons of similar composition. They are generally loners and sometimes outcasts from their societies, learning to love and become apart of the society of the trees. Many among them seem to be experts with the bow and arrow, and use of the spear is not uncommon. Armor worn is usually of hide or leather materials, again made from materials found deep within the woodlands. Druids are known to be the priests of Baerven Wildwanderer, learning to indeed become one with nature as even his rangers and woodsmen may never know.

The Power: Rognaar is the Beast Lord, and the Lord of the Hunt. He is the beast from within, along with the latent aggression and ferocity found within us all. He is the Hunter of All, as well as the Hunted. His is the domain of Savagery, and of tribal roots. Rognaar is the nurturer of Bloodlust, the ravager of civility, and patron of the rabid beast. The Hunter takes shape in the beasts of the wilds, and the hunters of the plains. The Beast is Chaotic and Neutral, and rules over his minions from the plane of Twin Paradises. The symbol of the Rabid Dog is that of a great hoofed animal, with huge musculature, and two pair of horns, one resembling those of a great steer or bull, and the other of those belonging to the ram.

The Ethos: Rognaar teaches that all things needed for survival can be found within the beast, and that hunting is the only practice needed for the survival of the tribes. His teachings center on the complete usage of the hunted, from using the hides as clothing and shelter to crafting crude tools and weapons from the creature’s bones. He teaches survival of the fittest, believing that creatures that cannot survive on their own have little right to do so. Despite the apparent lack of compassion, Rognaar has a soft spot in his heart for the more defenseless creatures of the wild, and will intervene when he feels that the creatures are being abused. Rognaar also teaches the protection of the beasts who are being poached for little more than material gain, and commands his clergy to bring about retribution from the poachers, usually in the form of hunting the poacher, as he would have done to the beasts.

The Clergy: The clergy of Rognaar are outfitted in the skins and weaponry fashioned from the creatures that they have personally extracted from beats that they have hunted. While this usually is in the form of leather armors and bone weapons, scale mail is not entirely uncommon. They will adorn themselves with jewelry fashioned form the claws and fangs, and will often cover their bodies in the blood and feces of their victims, displaying effigies of their god and mentor. Rognaar opposes no god directly, but his priests’ primary enemy includes the assassins and poachers that can be found under the worship of the god of commerce and the lord of assassins.

The Power: He is the great inventor, the innovator, he is the master craftsman, and architect. He is the one who builds, and the unmatched engineer. Anyone who has ever created using his hands and mind has done honor to Gilgan, the master smith. His presence is seen in great works of ingenuity, structural art , and buildings that pay homage to the gods. The simple inventor praises him with his mind and actions, and attempts to do him justice in the only way Gilgan can see praise, great inventions. Gilgan is lawful neutral in disposition and makes his home on the plain of the Twin Paradises.

The Ethos: Gilgan's teaching is simple. He has given the world the ability to create and to build things to better serve ones people, and to carry on the true meaning of existence, intelligence. It is exactly the ability to think, and create which separate intelligent beings from animals, and allows them the capacity to build things of wondrous value, and endless virtue. Gilgan's forge is the forge of all creation, but more important is the ability to build and create he has given to the people of Cyuk, to honor him with their intelligence. All creations are valued simply because they have been created, proving again the power of reason, and ingenuity. It does not matter weather a creating is a large juggernaut, built only for destruction, or it is a building perfectly constructed to house the sick, and weary, just that it is build, and speaks loudly the accomplishments of the mind.

The Clergy: The priests of Gilgan are great craftsmen, and inventors who perform these acts to honor their god. They are not all that concerned with warfare in the normal sense of hack and slashing, and so suffer somewhat as far as combat ability is concerned, though many are quiet skilled in the use of the war hammer. They may not use any weapon in the piercing, of slashing categories, and tend not to be proficient in more than three of four weapons at any one time. They may wear any type of armor. There clothing is usually functional, as they tend to wear things which ease their inventive pursuits, like jackets with many pockets, or utility belts. Gilgan's Symbol is that of a Hammer, surrounded by a brown circle.

The Power: Shya, the Whispering Maiden, The Whispering Winds, and the Wind Witch. She is known by many names, which seems to be reflective of her temperament. She is the carrier of the clouds, and medium of the birds. She manifests in warm summer breezes, and furious wintery torrents. Shya is both the soft breeze and the furious tornado. She can be calm, soothing, and inviting, and she can be destructive, fickle and dangerous. Although she is not evil in nature, chaotic neutral, her temper is such that she often has moments of uncontrolled rage, which seem to be responsible for her more destructive side. All magic of the element of air is under her power, as well as the element of air itself. Shya makes her home on the elemental plane of air. Her Symbol is that of light blue wind chime surrounded by bright yellow orb. The priests of her more destructive nature use a black cone in a dark blue field, representing a tornado, as their symbol.

The Ethos: For an outside observer, it is difficult to detect the exact nature of the teachings of the wind goddess. Shya seems to say different things depending upon her mood. She teaches that there are times to be nurturing, and she is a healing force, but she holds her power over others, and if crossed can leave a bitter mark. She has a horrible temper, which can cause her to be as unreasonable as a small child. Generally she teaches that one should go through life healing others, but at times it may be more important to gain a position of power, or show others your strength so that they will respect you and comply with your wishes. Anger is a natural emotion and when it occurs it is best to let it out, full force, holding nothing back, so that it does not build up and create poison among the populace. When anger is properly dealt with (released) one is free to be good and nurturing.

The Clergy: Her priests vary greatly in attitude and composer. The priests generally worship her as a son would worship his mother. Likewise her priests are for the most part male. This is because it is a very virtuous woman who can put up with the temper of another woman. They are forbidden the use of crushing cleaving weapons as a whole, but find a particular efficiency with the use missile weapons, especially bows, for obvious reasons. They usually are found in shades of blue and gray, but their colors often change with the weather. They carry the symbol of their goddess tattooed upon their brow, and painted above their ceremonial white robes.

The Power: Kalaeveil is the God of Astrology and Abstract thought. He is known in most places simply as Kalaeveil, but many refer to him as the Great Abstractor, or the Divine Conjunction. His is the plain of infinite numbers, and countless stars. Although he will light the way, it is very unlikely that he will provide the answers. His mind can not be understood by conventional thinking, because one must first become the realm of endlessness, before one might approach him. He takes form in those that wish to comprehend the universe, as it truly is, incomprehensible. He is also the patron of the stars, and their positions in relation to their meaning within the world of Cyuk. He shows future possibilities in the heavenly bodies surrounding the planet, but these possibilities can only be understood by his priests, who have comprehended, the incomprehensible. Kalaeveil is true neutral, and it is unknown as to which plain of existence he makes his home.

The Ethos: Kalaeveil teaches the faithful to have confidence in the limitless possibilities surrounding themselves, and the cosmos. He also teaches that truth is also unfathomable, except in terms of the great connection between the cosmos, and each individual. The stars, though seemingly unconnected to man, affect him in countless ways. Future events can be judged and predicted according to the great dependence between all things and the positions of the heavenly bodies. It is possible to predict the likely, and unlikely future events surrounding individuals, and to prepare to guide these events into the best outcome. This is his teaching.

The Clergy: His priests are forbidden to use weapons excluding daggers or similar small bladed weapons, and the staff. They may also use clubs and cudgels, but all weapons that they use must be used entirely for self-defense. His priests wear either black or dark brown robes at all times. They do not shave, cut, or comb their beards, or hair. Often these beards hang straight the ground, where the fraying caused by walking has kept it at this length. Their hair is usually tangled and knotted, and also hanging to the floor, though surprisingly clean. Their symbol is that of two horizontal black lines, one on top of the other, forming a large black square with no sides, which they wear on their backs, between their shoulder blades.

The Power: Marik the Goldpouches is the patron of commerce, wealth and merchants. He is the father of coins, and the great Fast Talker. He is the hoarder of gold, and the trader of valuable things. Marik's domain is one of the wealthy markets, and all their happenings. He is worshiped by both those who wish to turn a quick profit, and those that have more extended business pursuits. He is worshiped by those in debt, as well as wealthy tycoons. Kings praise his name for the great stores of gold they posses and street urchins do likewise in hopes of gaining some. He is lawful neutral in nature, and makes his home on the plain of Concordant Disposition

The Ethos: Marik Goldpouches teaches that the most honest pursuit is profit. His delight is money, wealth, and status and he imparts this upon his priests. Often his priests are people who were once poor, but by some chance of luck in a business deal gained a substantial amount of money, convincing them forever to own great thanks to the Goldpouches. He teaches his priests to deal with merchants, and in fact be merchants themselves. In his name they seek to hoard as much gold and riches as they can for some unknown, and possibly non-existent purpose. The priesthood believes that the greatest use of money is to get more money, and the worst use of money, is simply to squander it on useless things or other people.

The Clergy: Marik's priests are generally far more concerned with gaining more wealth for the priesthood and thereby themselves, than fighting, and are consequently poor in the fields of combat, even if they are not restricted in weaponry. Most priests who first become a part of the order begin dressing rather expensively as a social status symbol. They can often be seen wearing rich silks, gold rings and medallions, and other lavish things. The higher ranking they seem to be however, the more plainly they tend to dress, wishing to save their money rather than spend it on clothing. One exception to this would be what ever priest is presently in charge of that particular sect that usually seems to be dressed in clothing worth more than most small towns. Marik's symbol is that of a gold weighing device, with a bag of coins on one side, and a diamond on the other.

The Power: The Demon of the seas takes shape in the form of Sarene, The goddess of Death at Sea. Sarene is the bane of all who would sail the seas without first paying homage to the Queen of the Dead Sea, and even then, ones safety is far from assured. Whenever the stench of death is at hand, it is likely that the Terror of the Deep has left her mark. She of the Watery Grave has claimed many an ill-fated traveler of the dark expanses that comprise the waters of the Sea Witch. It is she who governs over the death blows of the seas, in the forms of whirlpools, torrential rains, and tidal waves. It is she who brings the dead from their watery graves, only to serve her and to bring greater quantities into their ranks. The Master of the Killing Wave resides solely in the depths of the waters of Cyuk, having been banished to there long ago. Sarene has two symbols, one being a human skull marred with the rowed teeth of a shark, and another a single tooth of a Myontis, the largest predator of her seas.

The Ethos: Sarene desires company above al things, but her foul ways drive most creatures of heart from her presence, and her curse prevents her from leaving its icy grips. Her anger at this is what drives her to bring all that travel her seas to meet her at its depths. Most if not all of Sarene's veneration is cast in fear, but the Sea Lich cherishes it all the same. There are however, those that do worship her foul ways, believing that she will one day bring them from their confinement to the seas to an end, so that they might scour the lands they so despise.

The Clergy: The clergy of The Death Below is comprised mainly of the dead and soulless residing at the bottom of her foul waters, brought back from the grave to serve her eternally. Small underwater covens of her following do exist, and serve as her primary envoys of destruction. The dead under her power are all marked in some way by her symbol, as though it were some requirement to their unnatural rebirth. This usually comes in the form of imbedded shark teeth throughout their bodies, some large enough for them to use as weaponry should the need arise. Able, full-bodied clergymen are allowed use of any weapon, but are usually restricted to those functional in the depths of the sea. Armor is generally disdained, as it hinders underwater travel. Sarene harbors no direct rivals, and is seen as merely a nuisance to most of the other gods. Mantience, surprisingly, does not harbor ill will towards her presence in his waters, and actually considers her to be an important part of his power, though Sarene would never admit to this.

The Power: Lloth the Spider Queen, is the Goddess of Turmoil, Intrigue, and Discord, and as such is an essential part of Abithanoir's rule. Lloth is the patron of double-dealings, and the master of the backstab. The Spider Queen delights in the chaos of her actions, and thus stays as close to her followings as possible, where she can cause the most disturbance. She relishes the irony of situations, and seeks to find at every turn, whether or not she must place it there herself is of little consequence. None are among her most trusted for long, as she soon grows tired of the monotony and plans their untimely demise. She is Chaotic and Evil to the extreme, and rules several layers of the Abyss as her home. Her symbol is any form of spider or arachnid creature.

The Ethos: Societies run but the ethics of the Spider Queen are dangerous and deadly places indeed. Trust there is a long forgotten word and loyalty is present only as the subject of jests. The Spider Queen rarely lays credence into any permanent kind of edicts or ethos, as she would well tire of them quickly enough to enforce new ones. Her teachings supply little other than to rid ones vocabulary of words such as truth, honesty, loyalty, and honor. Aside from this, her every effort is extinguished upon the attempt at obliterating all of her enemies, whether they be real or imagined, or whether they were friend or foe in previous days.

The Clergy: Followers of the Spider Queen, or those forced under her rule, will be nothing if not armed. Indeed, one similarity of all her people is that they will have abundant supplies of armaments and protections at their immediate disposal. All followers to be members of Lloth's clergy are to be of female stock, as no men are allowed the privilege of her attentions. Men indeed are to be subservient to the females in her society, and are to be regarded as little more than slaves and property for her clergy to do with as they please. This lends her many enemies, but most of them are among her own people and followers. Lloth has few allies and even fewer friends, and is seen as a blight to be ridden of by most all other gods in existence. Her overlap in portfolio is allowed by Abithanoir only because he too gains from her teachings, indeed gaining most of the power from her chaotic ways.

The Power: Yeenoghu is the patron of Fear, both real and imagined, and the panic and paralysis brought on by its power. He is the Lord of Paralysis and Enfeeblement. He is every man's fear and the subject of their loathing. His presence brings only fear and trepidation. He is the cause that has men falling to their knees, or better yet, cowering in terror from his very presence. He inspires his men into battle, while inspiring fear in the enemy. He delights in the presence of his power, bringing men to their knees and women to tears. He is the tyrannical lord to powerful and feared to be opposed, and the foulest of creatures needing only their horrid visage to protect them from harms way. He is the patron such beasts, whose misshapen figures are the stuff of nightmares of men and children alike. He resides in a fetid layer of the Abyss, even striking fear into the hearts of fiends and demons that reside there at his side. His symbol is a trip[le headed flail.

The Ethos: Fearlessness in battle, and fearlessness in life's trails, are the promises Yeenoghu brings to his followers. Yeenoghu rules through fear, the fear of both his minions as well as his enemies. His followers know well the advantages of this most powerful of tools, essential in defeating the hopes, dreams, and more importantly, the morale of all who stand opposed. His is an iron fist, one that is unyielding and unrelenting. His teachings center on the importance of fearlessness, easily using his own influence of fear to show the disadvantages inherent in allowing it to encompass ones' thoughts. He teaches this to a certain point, of course, for standing against Yeenoghu means certain death.

The Clergy: Unrelenting warriors and savage barbarians fall under the province of Yeenoghu, as do tyrants and dictators, as do pirates and raiding pillagers. His followers weild any manner of weaponry, so long as it is a weapon of battle and strength. Many of his followers have indeed been known to disdain armor, believing it to be the device of cowards and women. Priests of Yeenoghu's faith are among the most savage and brutal of beings to mar the face of Cyuk, blessed by Yeenoghu with the strengths of fearlessness, as well as the ability to cause paralysis and enfeeblement in their enemies when under Yeenoghu's good graces. As a fellow god of battle, Yeenoghu is well respected by Gruumsh, while maintaining adversaries such as Cyryllynese, and Baern. For unknown reasons, Yeenoghu is a bitter enemy of Maalchaack, believed to be caused by Yeenoghu attempting to steal the worshippers of the God of Pain and Torture into his own fold.

The Power: Melipyr is the ancient god of pestilence, rot, and decay, as well as the bringer of plagues and desease. He is the patron of the host, and the spoiler of life in all its forms. He is the withered crone, the rotted corpse, and the leprous youth. Life withers in his presence, achieving a state closer to his decadence. His breath is contagion, and his touch putridity. His form is that of rot and decay, hidden behind the folds of a blackened robe. He is Lawful and Evil in nature, and spreads his atrophy from the plane of Hades. His symbol is that of a skull, with red eye-sockets and nasal cavities. This skull is surrounded by a pentagon, one point for each of pestilence, decay, rot, desease and the plague.

The Ethos: The spread of his ire is of primary concern, the weeding out of the weak that would fall to his blight. Life as it exists is unacceptable to the Rotten King, and it is his goal to accelerate the life spans to their more natural state, that of decay. His teachings center upon the acceptance of decomposition, a state in which everything is susceptible, but few appreciate the inevitability of the power of rot. Rot rules all things, it touches all things, and in the end, it is all things. Such is the power of rot, and it is this power that his worshippers feed upon. His followers learn the acceptance of decay into their beings, welcoming it with open arms, nourished by the power it brings to them.

The Clergy: The clergy of Melipyr is small in number, but devastating indeed. His priests disdain armors and wield short, thrusting weapons or staves. They are also allowed the use of the sickle, and of the scythe, weapons noted for their premonition of death. His priests, known as hosts, are adorned by flowing robes of dark colors, devoid of any type of jewelry save for the purest of silver medallion depicting the symbol of their hated god. The priesthood despises any gods of healing and curing, not least among them Sharindlar and Lathander, as their presence merely prolongs the eventual dominance of rot and decay.

The Power: Nad Strongbow is the protector of the animals that inhabit the rich and densely populated woodlands. He is the ever-watchful eye of the forest and the guardian of the creatures therein. Rangers revere him as the great defender and woodsman. His step is one with nature, and respect for its laws, and all it's creatures. Poachers fear his name, and do not defile the land under protection of his priests. Above all else Strongbow provides safe haven for both beasts and man alike when they are within the boundaries of dangerous woods, and forests. The druids speak his name with reverence, and the creatures of the land bare his presence in their every step. Strongbow is Chaotic good in alignment, and makes his home on the Prime Material Plane of Cyuk.

The Ethos: The Warden of Woodland creatures teaches his priests that all life in nature is to be respected and cherished. Many of the priests have given up the practice of consuming flesh, but still respect the need to do so of other creatures, for survival. They are the bane of poachers, and the silent watchers. Their presence is seldom seen, but often felt by irresponsible travelers and responsible travelers alike. They are taught to live harmoniously with all the creatures of the lands, so that they do not tarnish the delicate balance of forces existing within the great woods. In areas where that delicate balance has been disrupted, they serve to help return it, and protect it from further harm. The priests have gained a profound resect for living things, and the forces which enable them to do so. Others that with to upset this balance will be strictly punished.

The Clergy: The priests of the Warden of Woodland Creatures are generally very skilled in the arts of combat. They are however restricted to weapons with an application to their life among animals. In addition to common woodland weapons they are allowed to use swords of all varieties, excluding two-handed swords, to protect the creatures from poachers or other threats. They are permitted to wear only armor made of natural materials, fore example bone, hide, wood, etc. The priests dress similar to any traveler that might be found within the forested woodlands, and have no official ceremonial garb. Their symbol is that of a large Grey Bear's head. This symbol is found commonly in many different and unique forms among the priests.

The Power: Luthic is the Goddess of House and Home, or castle or cave, as the case may be, and holds sway over mothers both expectant and established, as well as nurse maids, servants, and those valuing family life over all other things. She comes in the form of the wet-nurse, bringing new and cherished life into the world of its loved ones. She is the Goddess of fertility and homemakers, and the common way of life. Above all this she is the Protector of these things, taking whatever means necessary to ensure the survival of society, and of the young in those societies. She is Neutral and Good of heart, or at least she is worshipped as such. Her symbol is the same found on many a cave entrance, one meaning safe passage.

The Ethos: Luthic is a Goddess of Healing as well, ensuring the safe return of fathers and other family members back home where they belong. There is little more important to Luthic than the survival of the family, to keep intact the caring environment, especially when young and children are involved. She places importance on the family and on the home, but is unhesitant in defending these same homes whatever it may cost her. Duties of her priesthood are to promote the importance of the family, and to promote the act of childbearing. In cases where fertility is lost, the clergy of Luthic is to grant them fertility, and occasionally provide counseling for bickering families and loved ones.

The Clergy: Followers of Luthic are indeed mothers, homemakers, and other such family oriented peoples. Nearly all mothers and wives of men at war pay homage to Luthic, and war is nary close to a rare thing in these times. Her priests and priestesses weild only subduing weaponry, so that their enemies might return to the families from whence they had come. They are to wear the most protective armor that they might come across, limited only by what is available and what one can afford. Luthic's nature afford her very few enemies, though there are those gods of evil that would see her wince at the death of a mother-to-be in times of war, only to revel in her sadness.

The Power: Dreddson, also named as Drembus, is the patron of rogues of circumstance. It is the Masked Lord who watches over the man who steals bread to feed his children, and of the bandit that takes from the tyrant, to give what is rightfully theirs back to his peoples. His heart is one that feels right from wrong, and does so each circumstance as separate, rather than lives under the stifling laws of any land. If laws must be broken to preserve the greater good, then so be it, and Dreddson will be present. His spirit is one that values freedom above all things, laws be damned. While he does recognize and condone good laws that favor the people, he is generally adverse to their restrictions, especially so to those governments and laws that suppress and subdue the people. Dreddson is Chaotic and Good, and watches over his faithful from the plane of Concordant Disposition. The Masked Lord’s symbol is a loaf of bread, broken evenly down the middle, representing Dreddson’s views that food and resources be split evenly between those who can afford and the needy.

The Ethos: Followers of the Masked Lord are generally of a like mind as Dreddson, although more than a few have come from the ranks of those that have been saved by his graces. Their goal is to spread wealth to all in need, whether this wealth be theirs or obtained otherwise. The Masked Ones also make it their duty to see the release of any man imprisoned on charges induced by good means, such as the man who steals for his children’s survival. In any land where it has been heard that such justices have occurred, it is more than likely that the hand of Dreddson has been at work, and is more often than not merely the beginning.

The Clergy: Priests of the Masked Lord are generally little more than thieves themselves, with nary little to distinguish themselves from the more common followers of Dreddson. They are permitted the use of leather armors, including padded and studded, and commonly wield small thrusting weapons that are easy to use, quick, and able to be used in tight quarters. Many also utilize the strengths of the bow, with some attaining high levels of adeptness. As the Masked Ones are not a lot that would wish for their presence to be known, they do not possess ceremonial garb of any kind, instead preferring to blend in with the surrounding populace, where their deeds will go further unnoticed. Followers of Dreddson are opposed to any tyrannical force, and are humble allies of the Black Knight, and his like-minded province.

The Power: Daergonn, better known as the Black Knight, is the protection for those who have none, and the Guardian of His Lands. The Defender of the weak, the Black Knight exists to protect the defenseless. He is the Silent Defender, the Thankless One, and the Savior from the Shadows. Ominous in his presence, yet beneficial in his intent, the Blackened One seeks to defend the rights of the common man from harm. A vigilante by nature, he is the punisher of misdeeds against the traveler. The Black Knight manifests as a huge man adorned by ancient black armor; the memory of the crests and symbols bedecking them lost in time. His skin beneath the armor is decayed and leprous, and his red glowing eyes the only thing that can be seen from behind his great horned helm. Daergonn's symbol is a blackened helm with horns wrapping around to nearly meet in the front of the helm, with nothing but red glowing eyes shining from beneath.

The Ethos: Followers of the Black Knight serve to uphold the defense of those in need. The Black Knight preaches that protection of the common man is essential to the prosperity of the community. It is important to provide for those who cannot defend themselves, for there will come a time when the defender will be in need of his own defense. The Black Knight offers defense with relentless passion, stopping just short of death to aid against the aggressors. The defender cares little for good or evil, race or creed; only that the preyed upon be protected from raiders throughout the lands. His silent, unquestioning fury is given whenever the need arises, and as much is expected from his priesthood and followers.

The Clergy: The clergy of the Black Knight scour the land in regions known for raiding and ambush, seeking to ply their trade and spread the word of their master and defender. The Protectors of the Black Knight are allowed the use of any weapon and armor, but generally prefer slashing weapons for their heavy damage potential, and devastating effects they contrive against their foes. They are normally found wearing blackened scale mail and shield their faces with closed great helms, believing that their duties are not done for recognition or fame, but merely to uphold the word of their chosen god. No single god defies the will of the Black Knight directly, although he has come into conflict with Rognaar and Cael, as well as Daerhyn on more than one occasion.

The Power: Daerhyn, the Lord of Scales, and the Master of Stealth, the King of Ambush and the Navigator of Shadows, rules his domain from the Plane of Shadow. He is the shadow in the distance, and the lurker in the darkness, the whisper in the night, and the silent aggressor. His is the realm of silent pursuit. He who lives in the corner of the eye is lawful and evil in nature, and he is the patron of ordered ambush and assault. He is a relatively new god in the pantheon of Cyuk, and his stock is on the rise. His symbol is that of a single claw with in a field of black, and represents the unseen lurker of the darkness.

The Ethos: All that would be lost in shadows follow the god in darkness, for his teachings center around ordered assault, most often in the forms of ambushes and other underhanded trickery. He teaches unity among his followers, for there is indeed a certain safety in numbers. It is in this way that small numbers of shadowalkers have overtaken larger, less organized communities in his name. Shadow and silence are the ally of the stalker, a Daerhyn teaches the use of these agents to the utmost of import. These agents are the primary weapons of the followers of Daerhyn, tools at which they are particularly adept. Followers of The Lurker rely on any means necessary to vanquish their foes, not putting themselves above any kind of underhandedness to perform the deed.

The Clergy: All that would walk in obscurity revere, if not worship Daerhyn. His clergy wear no heavier than leather armor and this only in times of war, as it is too hindering and cumbersome for mundane usage. Followers of the Silent One wield any type of bladed weapon, however, most prefer the use of small piercing weapons to those that would take more space to operate. Daerhyn is in direct opposition to the goddess Lloth, and despises her every machination to the very core. This hatred has spread to his priesthood, who must maintain every ounce of self-control to refrain from instant aggression. Daerhyn has become a great ally of the Shadow Dragon Jahkess, and followers belonging to both cults are not uncommon.

The Power: Jahkess is the god of shadows, as opposed to Daerhyn, who merely uses that what is Jahkess to ply his trade. Jahkess is the shadows, and is everywhere and nowhere all at once. The Shadow Dragon is the Darkness That Lurks; he is the Lost, and the Hidden. All is lost within him, never to be found again. He is The Curse, and the Harbinger of Darkness and nightmares. He is the rescinder of the forgotten, and the punisher of past penalties. Jahkess is Neutral and Evil in nature, and joins his brethren Daerhyn in the plane of Shadow. Jahkess' symbol is that of the profile of a black dragon, teeth bared and eyes a blaze.

The Ethos: Jahkess answers the prayers of the accursed, and preys upon the words of the blasphemer. It is he who answers the words of curses and brings them to fruition. The followers of the Darkened God serve him as a result of favors that Jahkess has granted them in times of need. His clergy serves to complete his demands to the letter, fulfilling the desires of potential associates in cases where his divine influence is unnecessary. He teaches his clergy the use of his power, the darkness of shadows, and how to utilize it to their gain. His followers live with the essence of shadow within them, imparted by their god to fulfill his every desire.

The Clergy: The Shadow Dragon draws his powers not so much from devout followers of his regime, but from the unspoken hatred of the grieved upon, the dark-handed, and those that deem shadows their home. Priests of the Shadow Dragon do exist, however, and are clad in vestments of blackened silk, and rely on weaponry that can be concealed, utilizing such tools as hidden sheaths, spring out blades, and weapons easily disguised as mundane equipment. The Dark-Handed are allowed use of any armor, but most are seen wielding scale or studded leathers. Jahkess is the brother god of Daerhyn, and answers to Increas, the god of Nightmares and Mental Dominion as superior. Cael Sardren is also among his allies. All gods of light, as those that would vanquish the shadows, are the direct adversaries of the Shadow.

The Power: Ice, Glaciers, Elemental Ice Magic, and those who dwell with the arctic lands of Cyuk all fall under the power of the Ice Wraith, Saervengaelanval of Ice Hold. His intent is only to cover the globe in a blanket of ice and glacier that he might rule it with supreme power. He is cold and unfeeling, possessing the same numbness that is the product of the flesh against the ice. His stare is frozen, and his destructive nature is great. His symbol is that of a blue triangle inside of a white sphere, representing his glacial fortress in Ice Hold.

The Ethos: Saervengaelanval teaches his minions that the planet is in an utter state of impurity. Life is meaningless and now is the time of destruction for all those who oppose him and his followers. The only safeties he can offer is to join him, to become one with the strong who naturally not only rule, but dominate, and decimate the weak. Ice is unforgiving. Those that are weak seek only to abuse their weakness until they can become strong; at which point they would destroy us. That is why the realm of ice must grow, and like a fog roll down upon the petty commoners. Only then could the natural order of society exist. Only from the complete destruction of this fragile society could their emerge from the ice a more lasting, and pure one.

The Clergy: The Priests of the Ice Wraith are for the most part High Curr, and a few Ice Elves who have traveled north and embraced the teachings of Saervengaelanval. They are not restricted in their weapon choice, and usually use the common weapons of their own cultures, though the pickaxe is a favorite. Many of the priests prefer cleaving weapons simply because of their shear brutality. Curr Priests generally dress in animal skins and other symbols of their tribes, but other priests prefer the colors blue, light blue, and white. These colors are to remind them of the greater society, which will be brought about by the Glacier. Ceremonially all priests of the Ice Wraith wear a black robe, a light blue cloak, paint the symbol of their god upon their face, and carry a pickaxe of black steel.

The Power: Gormauth Souldrinker the ancient is the Wandering God, and the god of the Lost Home. He is the Elder God from the Lands Unknown and of ancient times past. The Wanderer stakes his claim in no one plane of existence, as he is the Exiled of his homeland. As such, Ghaunadaur is the patron of the outcast, and the rebel, and any other that may have lost or been exiled form their homeland, or their perceived place in existence. All those who, like he, have lost or forgotten their own beings are kin to the Wandering God, for only he can truly know the loneliness and despair that plagues ones heart. Ghaunadaur is Chaotic and Evil, using whatever means necessary to protect his followers and to attain retribution for their sorrow. His symbol is a thrice broken triangle of amber hue, on a background of deep purple.

The Ethos: Gormauth embraces the outcast as none other is willing, and in this he is able to hold sway over their thoughts and desires, and more able to bend them to his will. This embrace is felt by his followers as a void being replenished. They see the Lost God as a savior for their loneliness and the rejection that they may have felt from former loved ones. He is the sheltering wing that all who yearn for accompaniment seek sanctuary in, whether this be a need that is openly recognized or merely a subconscious desire, festering and distended within the very soul of their beings. He is the star in the sky, that which the wanderers of the world look to for their direction and purpose, as they place their fate in his hands to guide them, for which they are grateful that the burden does not need be dealt with alone.

The Clergy: Wanderers of the Lost God vary greatly in appearance and mannerisms, though most are of roguish pretensions and attitudes. His followers wield mostly long ranged weapons or small quick weaponry such as daggers and short swords. High priests of Ghaunadaur carry the same armaments are wear flowing robes of shimmering purple, red, or deep green. Gormauth the Souldrinker calls no one being his ally, although his services are well enjoyed by the God of Chaos Abithanoir, if and when he is able to procure the Lost One to his cause. Many of the Wandering God’s followers also ensue the stricture of Cael, as his teachings often allow them to take revenge against the home in which they did and could not belong. His dark ways have made him more than a few enemies, not least among them Cyryllynese and Luthic.

Cults

Description: The Brotherhood of the Clouds is one of the three opposing Cults located in the Kingdom of Arwindwor, on the continent of Suun. Like the remaining two cults, it arose out of the ashes of the Siege of Shadows when many believed that the Gods of Goodness had abandoned them. Its numbers are small, and the Brotherhood battles against the remaining two cults of Arwindwor, the pleasure seeking Mourning Sky, and the ascetic Barren Fist. The Brotherhood was founded by a former priest of Melipyr named Dwind Nine Niym, after he had what seemed to him, an important revelation. In his former teaching he had learned that all things would decay and this was the natural state of the universe. He then discovered that not only will all things decompose, but also they will recompose, and decompose again, in a never-ending cycle of life and death, and this was the natural state of the universe. He discovered that all things, including the gods are subject to this, and thusly the gods are powerless, and any attempt at grasping mortality or immortality, ultimately fruitless and futile.

The Ethos: The Brotherhood of the Clouds, also known as the NiymMen, believe that all the gods who are left are false gods. They believe that the gods are only concerned with their own petty advancement along the divine system of ranking, all seeking the title of Overpower. If Balance is to be found on Cyuk, then balance must first be sought within the self. This basic assumption has led them to seek a pure existence beginning with the denial of many sensual pleasures, which are thought to unbalance the Origin. They define the "Origin" as the center of their being which is by nature balanced, and lies in their center of gravity, in their lower stomach. Strong emotion and craving can however, unbalance the Origin.

The Brotherhood: The NiymMen are allowed to use any weapon, but are best known for their bare handed attack form, which they call Origin Speak. This is composed of throws and grapples which seek to manipulate the unbalanced Origins of their opponents. This, combined with deadly kicks, as well as both open, and closed handed attacks combine to make a fighting style unique to the NiymMen. They dress in large black pants, which are designed to allow maximum flexibility, a sleeveless white vest which tightly hugs the torso, a black belt and black cloth bracers which are believed to be a perfect balance of light and dark, allowing their Origin to remain balanced. Their symbol is that of a large grey ring that is depicted on the back of their vests, which represent the realization which Dwind Nine Niym had that lead him to create the Brotherhood of the Clouds, it also symbolizes the naturally balanced state of the Origin.

Description: The Mourning Sky is one of the three opposing Cults located in the Kingdom of Arwindwor, on the continent of Suun. It arose shortly after the Brotherhood of the Clouds formed. A high-ranking priest of the brotherhood named Sharlin Waiel Kenpei had a dream in which he was approached by beautiful green woman, with four arms, and three eyes, in the shape of a triangle. There she told him that purity arose out of the truest forms of sensual and physical pleasure. In the dream he lived for ten years as she showed him every possible form of pleasure, and when he awoke, he separated from the Brotherhood, and began his own cult.

The Ethos: The members of the Mourning Sky believe that purity lies in the gratification of physical desire, lust, and pleasure. They still believe that all things compose and decompose in a like fashion, but they believe that the only moment that is important is the present moment, and that moment is purest when spent in total, and complete ecstasy. They believe that all factors, which stand in the way of a complete and utter climax, must be eliminated, as they stand in the way of complete truth. The members are taught to seek pleasure in all its forms through violence, material wealth, physical pleasure, and hallucinogenic herbs and substances. Complete truth lies in the gratification of the self.

The Clergy: Priests of the Mourning Sky are not restricted in any action, whatsoever, including the use of any weapon. If they must harm others in seeking pleasure, and purity, then that is the ultimate nature of reality. They are particularly proficient with slashing weapons for which they have developed a fighting style that looks more like a seductress dancing wildly than a military art. This is however misleading, as it is very effective. They tend to wear reveling clothing, but in rituals the priests wear long purple robes which are open in the fount exposing their body underneath, clothed in only a red loincloth. Their symbol is that of a red triangle, representing the three eyes of the seductress whom was first encountered in the dreams of the founder.

Description: The Barren Fist is one of the three opposing cults located in the Kingdom of Arwindwor. It arose at the same time as the Mourning Sky, when a radical fraction of the Brotherhood of the Clouds broke off and began their own tradition. Their leader, Van Bin, came to the conclusion through his practice that the nature of reality is meaningless, and the truth of life is emptiness. To reach the great emptiness one must forgo all pleasure, and accept a life of pain and deprivation. The founder of the Brotherhood was strictly opposed to this form of thinking, believing that seeking pain in this fashion would not lead to truth, but an unbalanced Origin. Because of this Van Bin condemned the brotherhood as a charlatan of truth that must be eradicated.

The Ethos: The Barren Fist teaches that Life is emptiness, and meaningless, and that all things which are, in reality, are not. The members undergo strict asceticism which they believe gives them strength over reality, and a higher understanding of the impermanent self, and the impermanent cosmos. Pain is the purifier of all things, and without it all things live and exist in utter delusion. If others cannot except the nature of pain, it is the duty of these priests to teach it to them. The priests also perform extreme self-tortures, which they believe releases the suffering which existence causes upon them. While it is true that they revel in pain, this pain in fact is used to banish what to them is the greater pain of a false existence.

The Clergy: The clergy may use any weapons, but they are usually non-combative. They believe that self-pain is far more liberating than giving pain, which is almost a gift in this sense, to others. Because of this they are forbidden the use of any type of armor. Only when seeing a person or group of people denying the actual nature of pain will they seek violence. Their willingness to encounter pain makes them fearless in some sense, which makes them a deadly opponent that is fanatical about their beliefs. They generally wear very little clothing, just enough for modesty, all year round. They do not wear shoes at any time nor do they cut, clean, comb, wash, or trim their hair or beards. Their symbol is a large X, which is carved into the skin of their chests, backs, and left cheeks beneath their left eye, which is symbolic of their willingness to undergo pain to find a greater reality.

Description: Acting upon ancient texts proposed to have been written before the dawn of this world, the Seekers of the Dark endeavor to learn the whereabouts of one of the ancient Lost Gods, known simply as the Dark God. They believe that only with the reemergence of the Dark God can this world truly be saved, and that only by bringing about its total and utter annihilation. They believe that the Dark God roamed these lands once before, and is solely responsible for the shape of their planet as it now stands. Their ancient texts claim that the Dark God's first attempt, the Siege of Shadows, was marginally successful in his attempt to envelop the world into his darkness, and was summarily evicted back from whence he had come. The Seekers of the Dark envision the return of their god, so that he might finish the task he had begun and so quickly abandoned. The Seekers have adopted the symbol of the Dark God as their own, a black robe and an iron torch.

The Ethos: The Seekers are an obsessive lot, expending their full and total concentration into the quest for the return of the Dark God. They believe that the world is lost, and can only again reach a state of purity by becoming a part of the eternal darkness that is the Dark God. There is among the cult a small faction within the Seekers of the Dark, those that believe that the Dark God is the end of all things, and will alone stand when all else is lost. These Seekers wish to be enveloped by the Dark God's cold darkness, so that they might be reborn at the end of all things that have perished in his wake.

The Seekers: Understandably, there are many who disdain the practice of the Seekers of the Dark, and those who fear the ramifications should they succeed. It is thus that Seekers of the Dark are largely a secret society, dwelling in underground crypts and even going so far as to have societies on the fringes of hostile lands, so that their practice might go unnoticed, undisturbed. They are almost always clothed robes the color of the deepest void, and their underground dwellings bedecked with the iron torch along its hallways. Seekers commonly wield long staves adorned with wicked horns of bests foul, and with long, curving daggers. Many of the cultists are also close with Ghaunadaur, reputedly one of the Lost Gods in his own right.

Description: A faction of the Seekers of the Dark, this organization formed shortly after the inception of the Seekers, wrought with the knowledge that only by reuniting the triumvirate of the Lost Gods, might the End truly come to pass. Based upon a single line in the ancient texts that govern the return of the Dark God, and thus the Seekers of the Dark, the Brethren of the End seeks to bring about the return of Jubilex, the Faceless Lord. Whether the Faceless Lord has ever held presence in the Lands of Cyuk is yet in conjecture, and it is thus that the Brethren of the End are further away in their efforts than that of the Seekers of the Dark. Their efforts are none the less fervored for his return to power. The symbol of the Brethren is a black circlet, representing the end of all things for all eternity.

The Ethos: The Brethren of the End believe that Jubilex is the third leg of the triumvirate of Lost Gods, and thus the majority of their efforts hinge on locating knowledge of his existence. Of late they have been acting on the rumor that there exists a portal to the realm of Jubilex, and the cultists are working arduously for the discovery of this gate, believing it to be the a major advancement in their efforts. They hope to advance beyond the proceedings of the Seekers, if only so that they might then concentrate their efforts on the return of the Dark God as well, as receive full credit as their saviors. The Brethren hold loyalty to Jubilex first, then the Dark God, and finally, to the sole present member of the Lost Gods, Ghaunadaur.

The Brethren: The Brethren exist more as an underground network than do the Seekers of the Dark, for their primary efforts at this point are centered around the gathering of knowledge, both arcane and extra-planar. Brethren of the End hold many contacts in vast reaches of the planet, all working as mostly solitary envoys for their dark cause, infiltrating organizations of scholars, and of magic where they can be found. They hold ritual meeting annually, a month long event in which knowledge is shared and scouting reports recorded. The Brethren thus appear as they must to perform their espionage, wearing no markings or clothing that would otherwise distinguish them as infiltrators. Brethren of the End can be found to wield any and all varieties of armaments, but generally disdain the use of armor.