Demigods of Avlis, Volume 5

Zhitaril (Undead, Undeath)

Zhitaril is a recent addition to the Negarian pantheon. Many deities are descended from one of the greater gods, or were granted godhood through their favor, often after having achieved hero or immortal status. Zhitaril was born from the union of Maleki and Queen Yalyn'do of the cursed Forest of Midnight outside Elysia. During her "birth," a surge of magical energy emanated from the forest that was as huge as the one that originally cursed it; not long after, the undead began to speak of Zhitaril.

Zhitaril attracts two types of followers: intelligent undead, and the living who wish to become them. She does not have a formal church; her living worshippers usually meet in small cells in secret, often in graveyards or crypts. Most of her undead followers seem to grudgingly tolerate such intrusions, though conflicts sometimes arise.

There are numerous descriptions for Zhitaril's avatar. Some have described her as an extremely pale, thin vampire, resembling her purported mother. Others describe her as a beautiful woman’s head on a skeleton's body. And others still have seen her as a giant skeleton resembling a huge bone golem.

After Zhitaril's ascension, a new sub-race appeared. They call themselves thouls. Thouls are half-undead, similar to pale masters. They resemble hobgoblins but have paler skin and sometimes white, pupil-less eyes. Their touch causes paralysis, similar to ghouls.

There are no known temples or shrines to Zhitaril. It is rumored that there is a hidden temple to her in the Forest of Midnight. It is thought that shrines may also start appearing now in graveyards, crypts, or other places where intelligent undead gather.

Keros (Survival)

The word "survive" literally means "to live longer than others". "Survival" is the word often used to describe the set of skills needed in harsh, wilderness climates, where successful employment of such skills can indeed allow one to live longer than one's peers. It is in such harsh climes, be it the tundra of Tyedu, the steaming jungles of Jechran, the unforgiving Wastelands, or elsewhere in Negaria, that one may encounter followers of Keros.

Keros is one of those deities, like Verossa and Ingoren, who is often prayed to when people want them to refrain from acting. Just as sailors may beseech Ingoren or Verossa to not cause a tidal wave or a storm, Kerosians beseech the Lord of the Fittest to not subject them to a harsh test of survival. Keros is a god who delights in testing and judging his worshippers; those who pass are rewarded with survival and perhaps a boon; those who fail are punished, commonly with death. Those unfamiliar with surviving in the wilderness think of it as a combination of skill and luck. Kerosians pride themselves on mastering the former, because for them, the latter is not a roll of chance, but the hand of Keros, and his hand can be fickle.

There is no formal, organized Church of Keros, because in the places where most of his worshippers can be found people are too busy trying to eke out a living day to day to concern themselves with such things as titles and hierarchies. A shrine to Keros is known to exist in Eastern M'Chek.

Spirit Gods of Tyedu

Spirit-gods are minor deities worshiped almost exclusively by the barbarian tribes of Tyedu. The other gods of the world are largely forgotten there, for they never took interest in that land. Spirit-gods are almost uniformly nature gods although they sometimes also concern some other aspect of life. For example, a spirit-god's domain might be both Fire and Passion. They are generally demigods but some might be considered lesser gods, while some may be simply heroes. There are literally thousands of spirit-gods.

Though these spirit-gods may rule over different areas or geographical features, such as rivers, mountains, or a stretch of plains here and there, they all acknowledge the hard lifestyle that their followers live, and they demand that everyone stay fit and strong. All of these spirit-gods have that in common, though their actual philosophies can vary greatly. The superstitious Tyeduans are very loyal to their local spirit, whom they venerate as a god in all respects.

See also: Tyedu: The Frozen North