Aquilegia/Chersonis Pantheon

Pantheon of Ancient Chersonis

From archaeological evidence consisting of texts, sculptures, and pottery, as well as the local folklore about the origins of the flower festivals of the Flow Peninsula, there appears to have been a pantheon of some sort among the inhabitants of Chersonis. Analysis of the evidence thusfar shows only that there were several goddesses, that the majority of myths and artwork related to these goddesses occurred during the time of the Three Sword Alliance up until possibly the exploits of the drunken poet Hamrod approximately one hundred years ago. However, nothing suggests then, and even now, that any true religion existed based on the worship of these goddesses, and it is also interesting to point out two specifics. First, all the "higher beings" referred to either in text or in artwork are given the feminine pronoun, so the inference is that, based on available evidence, only female deities existed in the Chersonis pantheon. Furthermore, Myrrhi is mentioned as among this pantheon. As most already know, Myrrhi was a real-life botanist who traveled throughout eastern Dwilight categorizing plants, collecting seeds, and growing flowers, and was responsible for the thousands of different flowering plant species now present on the Flow Peninsula. That she is mentioned as one of the goddesses is an intriguing suggestion that humans could also be admitted into the pantheon.

Worship

There are no accounts of any formal worship of the goddesses. Furthermore, there is evidence to doubt that there were any rites observed, as one text clearly states, "...Mnerothias bade Birou to grant his son victory in his [duel], and she agreed..." The usage of "bade" in the text's original language is the informal verb, more appropriate to use as one would bid a friend, or otherwise a peer for whom respect was not an issue. Although rumors say that the seasonal flower festivals are dedicated to certain goddesses, there are barely any signs that would suggest such a thing. Nor does the vast majority of the participants in the festivals know about such a story either.

Integration

The official stance from the offices of the Asterion regarding this ancient and mostly non-existent pantheon is in keeping with Aquilegia's identity as a theocracy. The pantheon would be admitted for academic study in museums, and scholars would be allowed to research the origins of the pantheon, the identities of the goddesses, the myths, artworks, and potential beliefs. However the Church of the Scarlet Trinity recognizes only that the goddesses are to be understood more as exceptional individuals or perhaps several individuals, or even ideas, that underwent transformation into something that transcended the physical human condition. While there is nothing wrong about considering that certain individuals can achieve a higher state of being (this is, after all, what results from the attainment of excellence), the term "goddess" would be incorrect from a formal perspective in the Church. Rather, the goddesses ought not to be worshiped, neither as superior to the Trinity, nor as equals, but one ought to understand "goddess" in a less grandly divine way, more in line of "excellent woman". Nevertheless, worship of the goddesses detracts from the proper harmonizing of the human whole with the Trinity's subtle influences, and is not allowed in public.

But so far there are no known modes of worship, and even the natives descended from the inhabitants of Chersonis do not take the goddesses to be anything more than characters of elaborate stories from ancient times. As far as the goddesses themselves go, there is no wrong in pursuing knowledge of the past, and this aspect is relevant to understanding the climate of Chersonis. That Aquilegia is a theocracy does not mean there can be no exposure to other religions. Rather the more important lesson to learn from this discovery of the Chersonis pantheon is that a believer should be secure in faith to the Trinity, but also tolerant enough and wise enough to contemplate the aspects of other religions or myths, and to understand how, if in any way, such aspects parallel ideas of the Trinity, and how they might be redeemed in value as a result.

-Korkeran Marstaadt, Royal Archivist of Aquilegia

Names of Goddesses and their Domains

Fate-Goddesses

The Fate-Goddesses were viewed at a slightly higher level than the other goddesses of the pantheon, and were all related to the concept of relative time, although there are some unclarities concerning just what was considered "time". The known Fate-Goddesses are:

Mrystra: Past Asoar: Present Sumri: Future Descutora: Eternity Irismur: Moments

Historical Goddesses

These "goddesses" have been confirmed as having real-world historical counterparts. Where such information exists, attempts have been made to explain the approximate time period the real persons lived and their roles in ancient Chersonis.

Myrrhi: Goddess of the Blossoming Peninsula. Myrrhi was a figure steeped in even greater myth than all the Curshixas combined. There was a botanist who lived in the Flow Peninsula around four hundred years prior to the formation of Curshixa's Chersonis, who traveled to faraway places gathering seeds. There is relatively little reliable evidence about the identity of the woman and her descendants.

Goddesses

While the term "generic goddess" would be rather improper, the remaining pantheon is given no further distinction. All the rest of the goddesses are categorized together, and if any further distinctions are made, there are none that can be discerned at this point. The known goddesses are:

Ezili: Life Bere: Death Oracii: Light Lanim: Darkness Hesera: Harvest Ferumone: Snow