The History of Scarn - The Gods Part 5
Nalthalos
Nalthalos and his twin brother Jandaveos, are the two gods of the elves, born to Mormo and Mesos. Like their sisters, Madriel and Belsameth, Nalthalos and Jandaveos were opposites in nature, Nalthalos preferred structured and order while Jandaveos was a free spirit who preferred freedom and chicanery.
Like so many of the other gods, Nalthalos and Jandaveos were both abused by their parents, however their response was different. While Hedrada and the other major gods found safety by fleeing to the outer plains, the two elf gods found safety hiding among the mortals, all but relinquishing their divine abilities. Nalthalos found the dark elves of Dier Drendel to his liking, and dwelt among them. In time he became a leader to them, and they worshipped him.
Everything changed for Nalthalos during the Divine War. The dark elves, who lived in a great underground city, were neighbors and allies with the dwarves of Burok Torn. During the war, the area where the two races lived was attacked by the titan Chern and his forces. Nalthalos and Goran, the god of the dwarves, were set to defend their people, but a tragic betrayal took place just as Chern’s forces struck. Both the dark elves and the dwarves claim they were betrayed by the other. Goran was gravely wounded in the battle, and Nalthalos would have been killed by Chern’s horrible diseases if not for the quick thinking of his high priests. The dark elves are master artisans, and Nalthalos’s divine soul was channeled from his rotting body into a gigantic lead golem. So, while Nalthalos has survived, he has lost nearly all of his divine abilities.
Since the war Nalthalos has grown twisted, bitter, and corrupt, characteristics which have also manifested in his followers. The god Chardun, recognizing a kinship in Nalthalos, has offered him succor in his divine realm, and a heaven for the now mortal dark elves. But Nalthalos himself is trapped on the material plane, for the construct would tear apart if magically transported, destroying him for good.
Jandaveos
Jandaveos and his twin brother Nalthalos, are the two gods of the elves, born to Mormo and Mesos. Like their sisters, Belsameth and Madriel, Jandaveos and Nalthalos were opposites in nature, where Jandaveos was free and easy going and Nalthalos was disciplined and orderly.
Like so many of the other gods, Jandaveos and Nalthalos were both abused by their parents; however they solved their problems differently. The other gods found escape in the outer planes, but the elf gods discovered they could hide from the titans among the mortals. Jandaveos was able to hide among the elves of Termana, and in time became their god, able to bestow upon them divine powers. Jandaveos grew to be more like his chosen people, with fondness growing into love and respect for them. He treated them as peers, preferring the company of equals rather than subordinates.
At the height of the Divine War, Jandaveos was killed by the Titan Chern. His death was so terrible that his very name was erased from all time, even from the minds of the gods and titans. The surviving elves started to refer to him simply as That Which Abides. The elves of Termana were lost, and became the forsaken elves, wallowing in despair and misery.
Over 150 years after the war, the god’s high priest and war hero Vladewen, the Titanslayer, set out to resurrect his god. He journeyed to Ghelspad and the land of Darakene, and converted the province of Wexland to worship the dead god. He also made alliances with Hollowfaust, Burok Torn, and Vigils of Vesh. He also received help from some surprising places, including the dark goddess Belsameth. In the end he was successful, and Jandaveos was returned.
Jandaveos represents freedom and good. He is a god of knowledge, magic, and trickery. He is the god of the high elves, bards, and free spirits. He appears as a regal elf, but with a sense of ageless elegance and wisdom that even the oldest elves cannot match. He is tall, lithe, and graceful. He wields an ornate rapier, and is also known for using a magical punching dagger as a secondary weapon.
Jandaveos is primarily worshiped in Termana by the high elves, and in Ghelsapd in the newly formed country of Wexland near Darakene. Since his return, he had been working on aiding in the restoration of his long forsaken people and creating his new divine realm in the Eternal Glade.