Written In Shadows

We’re gonna run out of titles for these posts by tomorrow, aren’t we? Oh, well…

If you missed the first two posts you can find them here and here.

1) The Valcrest pantheon consists of 16 Gods

Mother, Father, and their 7 pairs of Twins are the Gods that make up Valcrest’s mythology. However, only the Twins are actively worshiped in Valcrest.

2) Sun and Moon

Sun and Moon were the firstborn Twins and the basis of Newhaven society and religion. While Sun is more widely known and worshiped, Moon has a small-yet-strong following all across Valcrest, mainly amongst vigilantes and thieves.

Worshipers of both Twins tend to have a strong sense of justice, however their perceptions of right and wrong may conflict in certain matters as Moon worshipers tend to be of the opinion that doing the right thing is more important than keeping within the boundaries of the law. Whereas Sun worshipers are of the opinion that justice shouldn’t be enforced at the cost of order.

3) Fire, Water, Earth and Air

Fire and Water were the second born Twins, Earth and Air the third. Their worshiping within Valcrest is concentrated in the Desert to the south. Amongst what remains of the cities of Effort and Brightvale. While in the earlier days of Valcrest, Fire and Air were revered in Brightvale, and Earth and Water in Effort, following the destruction of both Cities during the War, what remained of both cultures merged into one. In recent times, while some individuals would cite a single element as their Twin of worship, they are considered complementary to one another and worshiped as one.

People who follow this belief system value their home, families, freedom and traditions above almost everything else. They’re also incredibly honor-bound and loyal.

4) Life and Death

The fourth pair of Twins to be born were Life and Death. While not affiliated with any of the major Cities or Factions, Death does have a small and quiet following across Valcrest. Whereas Life is one of the few Twins not actively worshiped in Valcrest.

Those who worship Death believe the knowledge that all things inevitably end is what makes life meaningful. Therefore, mortality is a gift to be appreciated. To them life is precious and not to be squandered, but at the same time not something to selfishly cling to either. Everything has its time in the mortal world and nothing is meant to last forever.

5) Heart and Mind

The fifth pair of Twins were Heart and Mind. Their worshiping is mostly concentrated within the Valcrest forest and those who reside there. Their belief system consists mostly on seeking balance within oneself and accepting that there is always a time to exercise reason and a time to exercise empathy.

6) Space and Time

Space and Time were the sixth-born pair of Twins. Not much is known about Space and there is no known worshiping dedicated to Her. Only a few handwritten tomes have ever been found regarding Time. The majority of what’s written revolves around how every moment is one from which you can experience and learn. Worshiping this Twin is seen as a waste.

7) War and Peace

War and Peace were the youngest of the fourteen Twins. Their worshiping within Valcrest was split between the cities of Blackpond and Blackhurst. The first devoted to the worship of War, and the latter Peace. The two Cities were known to clash from the early days of Valcrest history and even long after the complete destruction of Blackhurst, there is a lingering disdain in Blackpond for the settlement that formed in its place.

Despite what that may sound like, War worship isn’t about violence at its core. It’s about knowing how to take a stand for yourself and what matters most to you. And people who follow this belief system tend to be headstrong, resilient, and borderline fearless when faced with a challenge, be it physical or of any other sort.

Meanwhile, people who worship Peace tend to preach acceptance of the things in life that can’t be fought against. Again, despite what it may sound, it isn’t about not standing up for yourself, but rather knowing when a struggle is fruitless and choosing to turn away rather than allowing it to make you miserable.

8) The Twins may have physically existed in Valcrest

There is much debate on whether or not that’s true, but when faced with the existence of magic and the bizarre ways in which it behaves in Valcrest, many are led to believe this to have been fact.

9) Enlightenment might have originated from the Twins directly

Part of Valcrest mythology says Enlightenment originated from the Twins directly when, against Mother and Father’s will, they began to form relationships and generate offspring with humans. This as well is cause for much debate.

10) The First Children

Tied to this notion is also the myth that tells of the First Children born from the Twins and how they were so immeasurably powerful, while being mostly still human, that it drove them mad. They nearly devastated Valcrest before they were finally contained. Not being fully Gods and taking into consideration all the harm they’d caused, Mother and Father refused their entry into the Immortal Plane and secluded them in a separate dimension. This is the only known mention of Hell in Valcrest mythology.

And on that cheerful note. These were our 10 facts for today!

Want to learn even more about Valcrest? Tune in tomorrow!

Can’t wait another day to start reading Shadows Rise? It’s already available on Patreon!

– The Crew