Hadrian Pantheon
When the universe exploded into being, the light and darkness were all in existence. They came to know themselves as Caliga and Lucius, mother and father to the cosmos. From their essence they created their siblings; Caelus, god of the moon, to reflect the light of Caliga into creation and Ortho, god of the earth, to foster life in Lucius’s shadows.
As the eons passed like fleeting moments, the love of Caliga and Lucius grew furious and passionate. From this union sprang the children of the creation. Aelia burst into being as a radiant fire and awoke the splendor of life on the earth. This was the first of a new generation of gods. Following Aelia, Lucretia spun into the world as life sprang into its many variations and forms. And Trajan washed over the earth and came to settle in its valleys to claim its hidden places and create new depths. The old gods found these children to be a powerful dichotomy to themselves, while the young gods felt their parents were idle and oppressive.
As the eons stretched on and the three youngest gods came of age, they began to create for themselves. More complex and intricate than their parents, they created fascinating creatures. Aelia convinced her siblings to come together, plot in secret, and created mankind. Humans were given free will that was unknown to the cosmos, the intelligence to invent, and the drive to evolve. Humans were unlike any other creature in creation. Caliga and Lucius were furious and commanded that these beings be destroyed. It was then that Aelia lead the war of succession. The Rebellious Three, the first children of creation, defended us from their parents as creatures devoid of life came to claim our souls.
After a long war, the Rebellious Three overthrew their parents, banished them to the corners of the cosmos, and rescued us from oblivion. But victory came at a cost. Caliga and Lucius vowed to return with their void creatures to clash again with their children to wipe the earth and start anew. Death was now the fate of all life since the sources of creation were gone. And our gods are now distant while they watch for the return of their rivals. Some believe the fires of Aelia will save us. Some believe those same fires will doom us. But we all share the believe that uniting mankind is our only salvation from the void.
It is said that after the old gods were overthrown, Aelia took her seat as the ruler of the gods and retreated to rest. As she slumbered she feared for the souls of the humans that she had created and dimmed as she sorrowed. In her dreams an ethereal woman came to console Aelia and promised to guide their soles to a secret place that her parents would not know of and keep them safe. When she awoke, she found Astara, the ethereal woman, still embracing her in comfort and affection. She was everything that Aelia was not. Astara was kind rather than ruthless, gentle rather than firm, calm rather than rash. She left to keep her promise and stand as a vigil for sight of Caliga and Lucius. A love was born between them as love between stars. Separated by great distances, their light and love will always be felt by one another. When the the sun is embraced by shadow, it’s a sign that Aelia and Astara have found a moment’s embrace amid their eternal watch over mankind.
Pantheon in Shorthand
Aelia - Sun, War, Fire, Victory
Partner to Astara
Daughter of Caliga and Lucius, gods of darkness and god of light respectively. She led a rebellion against her parents, with the assistance of her siblings, Lucretia and Trajan. She is ruthless and undying. The eldest of the siblings, she is driven to achieve and saw her parents as unfit leaders. She strove to set an example for the mortal realm, placing her favor only on the families and individuals that strove for greatness. She places her favor on the ruling family, gifting the matriarch of the family with greatness. (It is the believed that the empress is the mortal embodiment of Aelia. This has led to a tradition of the throne not being given to the oldest daughter, but the one who is proven to be skilled and ruthless. This in turn, has fueled the expansion driven culture of the Hadrians)
Lucretia - Luck, Fortune, Choices
The middle child of the rebellious 3. Kind and mischievous, gifted with visions of the past and future. She dreams of the end of the world. Where all realms are cleansed with an unending fire. It is suspected that this end will be brought about by betrayal and vengeance. She gives favor to gamblers, mercenaries, and equestrians.
Trajan - Sea, Wrath, Trickery
Youngest of the rebellious 3. Your typical youngest child, no consequences for his actions, no matter the harm done. Mortals rumor that Trajan will be the betrayer that brings about the end of times. He favors thieves, old sailors, those who seek revenge, and actors.
Caelus - Moon, Wisdom, Change
An old god. Uncle of Aelia, not given the same fate as his sister Caliga, due to his wise nature. He supported Augusta’s attempt at power, wanting to see the change that she could create in the world. He is an important advisor to Aelia, but has no loyalty to her. His loyalty is solely to growth and change. He gives favor to creators and inventors, philosophers and those who work at night. He is frequently represented by an owl, and it’s said that when you see an owl, Caelus is watching you.
Otho - Earth, Harvest, Revelry, Fertility
An old god. Born at the beginning of creation, he emerged from the earth as the fruit of the first tree. A fickle god that values entertainment and joy. Festivals are thrown in his honor that are raunchy and raucous. It is said that the largest families are those that are throw the best gatherings, and are favored by him. He gives favor to farmers, brewers and midwives.
Astara - Sleep, Death, Peace
Partner of Aelia
Born from the aether, appeared in the dreams of Aelia and when she awoke Astara stood before her. She guides the mortals to the realm of the dead, and is the keeper of the Hidden Plains from Caliga and Lucius. She gives favor to those who negotiate peace, day dreamers, and those who heal.