The Last Horizon — A Living Fantasy World

22.07.2026 @ 1850

The Gods of the Saga

The gods of the world are known primarily through the Saga, a vast collection of sacred histories, personal accounts, prayers and teachings recorded across countless generations. Some cultures treat these stories as literal history, while others understand them as parables intended to reveal the nature of creation and the responsibilities of those who live within it.

The gods are commonly divided into two groups: the Elder Gods and the Younger Gods. This distinction does not necessarily describe their power or importance. Instead, it reflects when they first appeared within the Saga and how closely their existence is tied to the creation of the world.

The Elder Gods arose during the earliest ages of creation. Their domains are broad, fundamental forces such as death, fire, freedom and the bond between living creatures. The Younger Gods appeared later, awakening through the discoveries, beliefs and creations of mortal peoples. Their domains tend to be more focused, representing such things as magic, craftsmanship and storytelling.

Although temples and priesthoods may dedicate themselves to a particular deity, most people honour several gods throughout their lives. A smith may pray to Kharun while working, share Ifrid's blessing over the family hearth, remember the dead beneath Astra's stars and tell stories in Aurel's name.

The Elder Gods

The Elder Gods are the first deities described in the Saga. They appear in its earliest book and are associated with the forces that shaped life, death and the foundations of creation.

Astra, The First Mother

Titles: The First Mother, Keeper of the Cycle, Lady of Stars, Shepherd of the Dead, The Veiled Sky.

Domain: Darkness, stars, death, memory, endings and the Cycle.

Symbol: A white star enclosed within a black circle.

Origins

Astra existed before time itself, lingering within the Void as the last remnant of whatever had existed before creation. She looked upon the endless darkness and felt a longing for something that could not yet be named.

From this longing came the first Wisps, fragile beings of light that drifted through the Void. When the Wisps eventually faded, Astra mourned them. Yet from their passing came new life, and she learned that death was not destruction but transformation. Every ending carried within it the possibility of another beginning.

Astra became the guardian of the Cycle and the shepherd of souls. She watches over the dead, preserves their memory and guides what remains of them towards whatever comes next.

Appearance

Astra is depicted as a woman cloaked in a mantle of living stars. Her face is rarely visible, hidden beneath a veil resembling a moonless night filled with shifting constellations.

Wherever Astra walks, the world falls silent. This silence is not believed to come from terror. It is the stillness of remembrance, the quiet that follows the final breath and the peace found when a long journey reaches its end.

Teachings

• Death is remembrance.
• Every ending becomes the beginning of another.
• Nothing is ever truly lost.
• The Cycle belongs to all creation.

Worship

Nearly every culture honours Astra during funerals and rites of remembrance. Her priests often serve as undertakers, historians, keepers of family records and guardians of burial grounds.

Prayers to Astra rarely ask for death to be prevented. Instead, they ask that the dying find peace, that the dead be remembered and that those left behind find the strength to continue.

Ifrid, The Eternal Flame

Titles: The First Flame, Bringer of Light, Father of Stars, The Ember King, Keeper of the Hearth.

Domain: Fire, creation, passion, warmth, craftsmanship and transformation.

Symbol: A blazing eight-pointed star.

Origins

Ifrid was born from the sacred fire that consumed the resting Wisps. His first act was to gather their light and scatter it across the darkness, creating the stars that continue to burn within Astra's sky.

Through Ifrid, fire became more than destruction. It became warmth against the cold, light against the darkness and the means through which raw materials could be transformed into something new.

The Saga teaches that every flame descends from that first sacred fire. A forge, a candle, a cooking flame and a raging wildfire all carry some small echo of Ifrid's original power.

Appearance

Ifrid is depicted as a towering figure whose body is formed entirely from living flame. His eyes burn like molten gold, and sparks fall from him like glowing rain.

Although his form is fearsome, his fire gives warmth before it gives pain. Those who approach him with respect feel the comfort of a hearth. Those who attempt to seize or misuse his power encounter the full fury of an uncontrolled blaze.

Teachings

• Fire is a gift.
• Creation requires sacrifice.
• Power is neither good nor evil.
• Flame must be passed on.

Worship

Ifrid is honoured by smiths, craftsmen, warriors, bakers, travellers and families who gather around the hearth. His shrines are often built around an eternal flame, carefully tended by priests and never willingly allowed to go dark.

The lighting of a new forge, oven or household hearth is traditionally accompanied by a blessing to Ifrid. His faithful believe that knowledge, like flame, should be shared so that others may use it to create something greater.

Vaelor, Keeper of the Wild Bond

Titles: The Untamed Heart, Guardian of Beasts, Lord of Freedom, Keeper of Companions.

Domain: Animals, companionship, instinct, freedom, trust and wilderness.

Symbol: An open hand beneath an antlered crown.

Origins

Vaelor was born from the first true bond freely shared between living beings. He represents companionship founded upon trust rather than ownership, obedience or fear.

In the Saga, Vaelor once walked closely beside the ancient Elves and taught them to speak with the beasts. When some Elves attempted to turn that understanding into dominion, commanding animals rather than befriending them, Vaelor responded with terrible anger.

He severed the natural bond between Elf and beast, declaring that loyalty without freedom was meaningless. Since that time, every true bond between mortal and animal must be earned.

Appearance

Vaelor appears as a tall wanderer crowned with great antlers. Moss, leaves and living vines grow across his body, changing with the seasons.

Wild creatures walk beside him without fear. Predators and prey may travel together in his presence, though neither is commanded to deny its nature once he has passed.

Teachings

• Trust cannot be commanded.
• Freedom gives meaning to loyalty.
• Every creature walks its own path.
• Companionship is a choice.

Worship

Vaelor is honoured by rangers, druids, shepherds, animal handlers and hunters who respect the lives they take. His shrines are rarely enclosed temples. They are more often found beneath ancient trees, beside animal trails or at places where the wilderness remains untouched.

Those who care for working animals often ask Vaelor to strengthen the trust between them. Hunters may leave part of a kill behind as an offering, acknowledging that survival does not grant ownership over the wild.

The Younger Gods

The Younger Gods appear in later books of the Saga. They did not awaken during the first moments of creation. Instead, each arose from something discovered, created or imagined by mortal beings.

Their existence is often taken as evidence that creation is not finished. Mortals continue to shape the world, and through their actions even new divinity may become possible.

Nymira, The Song Between Worlds

Titles: The Listening One, Lady of Runes, Mother of Magic, Weaver of Songs.

Domain: Magic, song, runes, ritual, knowledge and harmony.

Symbol: Three concentric circles crossed by a flowing rune.

Origins

Nymira awakened when the first Elf truly listened to the hidden Song of Creation. According to the Saga, magic had always existed within the world, woven through stone, flame, water, wind and every living soul. Until that moment, however, no mortal had learned how to hear it.

Nymira did not create magic. She became its voice, giving form and meaning to something that had previously remained silent and unseen.

Her awakening taught mortals that magic was not an object waiting to be claimed. It was a relationship between the practitioner and the deeper harmony of creation.

Appearance

Nymira is depicted as a graceful elven woman formed from pale light and drifting runes. Her garments move as though carried by music that cannot be heard by ordinary ears.

Words, symbols and fragments of forgotten songs often appear around her. No depiction agrees on the exact shape of her runes, and scholars claim that their meaning changes depending upon who observes them.

Teachings

• Magic is discovered, never owned.
• Listen before you speak.
• Harmony is greater than force.
• Power reflects the heart that wields it.

Worship

Nymira is worshipped by mages, scholars, druids, musicians and those who seek hidden knowledge. Her temples frequently serve as schools, libraries and places of ritual study.

Prayer to Nymira often takes the form of music, meditation or the careful tracing of runes. Her faithful value understanding over control and believe that reckless magic begins when a practitioner stops listening.

Kharun, The First Smith

Titles: The First Smith, Master of the Forge, The Patient Hammer, Father of Craft.

Domain: Craftsmanship, invention, stone, metal, perseverance and mastery.

Symbol: A hammer resting upon an uncut stone.

Origins

Kharun awakened when the first Dwarf created the First Hammer. Earlier tools had been made only because they were needed. The First Hammer was different. It was balanced, decorated and shaped with care beyond simple usefulness.

It was the world's first work created not merely to serve a purpose, but to express the skill and vision of its maker. In that moment, craftsmanship became something greater than survival, and Kharun opened his eyes.

The Saga says he did not take the First Hammer from its creator. Instead, he asked to borrow it, studied its construction and then returned it with suggestions for how the next hammer might be improved.

Appearance

Unlike the other gods, Kharun appears almost entirely mortal. He is broad-shouldered, soot-covered and dressed in the practical clothing of a working smith. His hands bear calluses, scars and old burns.

He wears no crown, carries no divine weapon and surrounds himself with no supernatural display. His only possession is a simple hammer whose surface has been worn smooth through endless use.

Teachings

• Listen to the material.
• Every masterpiece begins as a question.
• Skill is earned through patience.
• Tradition is wisdom remembered.

Worship

Kharun is honoured by smiths, artisans, architects, engineers, miners and jewellers. His temples are usually working places rather than silent halls. The sound of hammers, chisels and tools is considered a form of prayer.

Many workshops maintain a small empty space at one of their benches so that Kharun may work beside them unseen. A finished masterpiece is rarely offered to him. Instead, craftsmen dedicate the lessons learned during its creation and promise to use them in their next work.

Aurel, The Storyteller

Titles: Keeper of Stories, The Wandering Bard, Lord of Possibility, The Dreaming Voice.

Domain: Stories, imagination, history, hope, discovery and inspiration.

Symbol: An open book beneath a rising sun.

Origins

Aurel was the first deity born entirely from mortal belief. Humanity looked upon the world and imagined things that did not yet exist. They told stories of distant lands, impossible heroes, kinder futures and dangers that might one day be overcome.

From this shared act of imagination, Aurel awakened.

His birth is considered one of the most important events in the later Saga. It demonstrated that mortals were not merely inhabitants of creation. Through hope, invention and storytelling, they could help shape what creation might become.

Appearance

Aurel appears differently to every person who sees him. He may resemble an elderly storyteller, a wandering bard, a curious child or a road-worn traveller.

His face always seems familiar, as though he resembles someone the observer once knew or always hoped to meet. After he departs, no two witnesses remember him in quite the same way.

Teachings

• Stories shape reality.
• Imagination is creation's greatest gift.
• Every ending begins another tale.
• The future is a story not yet spoken.

Worship

Aurel is honoured by bards, historians, teachers, explorers, children and writers. His shrines can be found in libraries, theatres, schools, roadside inns and beside the paths travelled by wandering storytellers.

His worship rarely follows a single formal tradition. A story told to a frightened child, a faithful record of forgotten history or a song that inspires others to continue may all be considered prayers to Aurel.

Faith and the Gods

The gods of the Saga are not distant rulers who demand that mortals devote themselves to only one divine power. Each represents a truth woven into creation, and those truths frequently overlap.

A funeral may honour Astra for the soul of the departed, Aurel for the stories they leave behind and Ifrid for the flame that carries their memory into the darkness. A ranger may follow Vaelor's teachings while seeking Nymira's guidance when confronting unfamiliar magic.

Disagreements between temples generally concern interpretation rather than the existence of the other gods. Priests debate what the Saga means, which teachings should guide a particular situation and whether its stories describe literal events or spiritual truths.

Whatever form belief takes, the central lesson remains the same: creation is an unfinished story. The gods shaped its beginning, but every living creature helps determine what it will become.