Saving the world on a Sunday afternoon
My dear elven friend since our pantheon of gods seemed to confuse you during your last visit I have decided to translate a book we often give our youngsters so they can better understand the gods they should worship. I have started with the ones that I, Ozzimandias favour since it’s a long list and If you remember even a small amount of this book I’d rather be the bit that is obviously the most important!
Bastet: Life, Animal Druidism – Represented as a cat, Bastet is worshipped by those who favour love, life and companionship from animals.
While she started off in life as a fierce lioness warrior it is said that Bastet fell into the lake Ishuru and returned to the surface as a household cat. Purified and tame, she became the symbol we know her as today.
Her fierceness only surfaces when her children are in grave danger for she is protective to those in her care. The mother of all, Bastet will keep us all safe from harm.
Every year in the spring we have the festival of Bastet to appease our goddess which is also known as ‘the festival of drunkenness.’ It is a week long festival of feasting, drinking, music and dance.
Horus: Order, Light, Tree Druidism – Represented as a Falcon, Horus is the god of leadership, light and the kingdom below the sky.
Horus’ job above all else is to balance against Set. After a boat race where Horus cheats by painting a wooden boat to look like stone, the two divide the land between themselves. Horus got the fertile lands while Set got the desert.
The two are constantly at odds but one cannot worship one above the other unless they wish to tip the balance of their house to one side or the other.
Every year during the winter Solstice we dedicate our time and energy to Horus with gift giving, feasts and rituals of protection and prosperity for the next year.
Set: Chaos, Anarchy, Dark Druidism – Represented by a donkey-eared aardvark Set is the god of the desert,storms, violence and chaos.
Set is determined to rid the world of Horus and all he represents and often uses any means necessary to get it done. In one such conflict, Set tore out Horus’ eye causing an eclipse.
Set is monstrous and a trickster but must be worshiped simply to keep the peace. Failure to appease the god can often turn his wrath upon you and your household.
Set does not have any festivals dedicated to him.
Osiris: Justice, Seasonal Druidism – Represented by a green-skinned humanoid, Osiris is the god of rebirth, the afterlife and the judgement of souls.
With the help of his 42 judges, Osiris’ job is to decide what happens to a soul once it’s body has been laid to rest. In his own life, Osiris was tricked and assassinated by Set but soon returned from the dead to teach mortals how to create a sustainable civilization. For this reason, he’s often associated with the life cycle of crops and farmland over the seasons.
Every year before crops are planted in spring, Osiris is worshipped with a fertility rite that encourages the growth of plants over the coming year.
Anubis: Might, Earth – Represented by the Jackel, Anubis is the god of mummification and being laid to rest.
Anubis is the often see protecting tombs and graves which started when he protected Osiris’ body from Set. Set attacked in the form of a leopard and when Anubis defeated Set he flayed the god and wore the pelt as a trophy. When it came to Osiris being laid to rest, Anubis helped Isis (mother of gods) to embalm the body and he was given the organs as a gift for his help. Later, Anubis would be given the role of ‘weigher of the heart’ along with the lesser god Ammit. If the heart weighed less than the feather of Ma’at he was allowed into the underworld for judgement. If not, then he was given to Ammit to be eaten.
Ammit The devourer: Death, Necromancy – Represented as a crocodile with a hippopotamus body, Ammit is not to be worshipped, only feared. She devours those Anubis judges unfit for the afterlife. It is said she can become restless and hunt for souls she feels are hers to be devoured but have somehow escaped her.
Amun-ra: Balance, Fire – Represented by a male with a sun diadem Amun-ra is the god of all god and the sun. It is his job to keep all the other gods in balance with each other to keep the world running as it should.
Isis: Freedom, Water – Represented by a woman in a fancy dress, Isis is the mother of all. She wants all her children to act and to grow as they see fit though often jumps in when life needs to be restored for the natural order of things.She is also well known for her magical powers to grant wisdom and offer suggestions to her followers to help lead them in the right direction.
Kenshu: Darkness, Air, Spellsword – Represented by a mummy with a moon diadem, Konshu protects those who travel long distance, particularly at night and it said to be the cause of the wind and air we breath. Konshu was also tasked to be a guardian to those on the road and it was said he could heal and grant strength to those he deemed his followers. He seemed to chose elven visitors in particular because of their feeble nature.