Faiths of Sublanarya: The Bringer-of-Rain (Danu, Apep, Shambara, Vritra)

Dyeus the Sky-Father and Tefnas the Earth-Mother were fighting all the time and the world suffered for it. One of the Old Ones, Danu the Liquid Goddess, slipped past the safeguards and even the watchful eye of Ptah-Ra, and combined her essence with that of the Cosmic Serpent, Apep. Though their union was brief, with Dyeus and Tefnas subduing the alien goddess, it brought about the creation of a new threat that the sky and earth, exhausted from destroying Danu and spreading her across the wind and sea, could not subdue. From Apep and Danu was born, Vritra the Consumer.

Vritra was a great wyrm, a dragon with serpentine features, born of disharmony and darkness. As an embodiment and harbinger of Izft, the Envoloper cast darkness upon the River Iru, choking the river, from which all life sprang in ancient Hamutia, with his form.

Along the river, Vritra's asuran servant, Shambara the Builder, built 100 fortresses,like massive temple complexes, in the name of the draconic deity. Around these 100 fortresses, Vritra wrapped a wall of darkness and began choking the life from the world.

Dyeus and Tefnas were weakened but settled their arguments long enough to have more children. Firstborn of the east was the mighty Indra, fierce as a tiger, fast as lightning and with a warcry like thunder. Indra immediately set about trying to tear down the wall of shadow alongside his twin brother, Agni and his four other brothers. But the darkness pushed them back and no amount of force could surpass it. Only the demon ships of Shambara's men were allowed to pass from the sea, through the wall, and along the river.

Mithras had a plan.

Mithras was the youngest and wisest of the brothers. He knew of all creatures big and small that swam in the ocean. For his plan, he knew of a great fish, Apa.

Together, the brothers got Indra drunk on soma, the divine drink of the gods, disguised him as an ox's head, and cast him into the deep part of the sea. The great fish Apa swallowed Indra whole but suffered terrible indigestion. Fighting the beast from the inside, Indra guided it towards a demon pirate ship and killed Apa from the inside. The massive fish floated to the surface. The greedy demons netted Apa, dragged it from the primordial sea, traveled through the wall of darkness and up the river Iru.

Indra had been stuck in the belly of the fish for too long. He was furious and hungry. The golden god ate a whole out of Apa's belly and killed the pirates. He then turned his attentions on the 100 fortresses of Shambara. Each fortress fell to the might of Indra, lightning crashed and thunder roared, as he made his way to the 100th fortress.

There he faced Shambara. The asuran warlord was angry, proud and spiteful. He insulted Indra's smell, from the guts of Apa, and this caused Indra to fly into a drunken rage. The storm king threw Shambara down and tore his head from his shoulders, so he could never hold his nose or snark at the god again, before tossing the head into the heavens. To this day, the head circles the cosmos as a comet that returns periodically called "Shambara's Head".

100 fortresses destroyed and Shambara slain, Vritra descended on Indra to avenge his servants and slay his immortal foe. The two fought a legendary battle with Vritra breaking Indra's jaw but, as the fiend gloated, Indra flew into his mouth and summoned a storm inside of Vritra that destroyed him, casting his body down, and crushing the rest of his servants. Indra then gathered up all the water and threw it into the heavens. From that day on, he was known as the Bringer of Rain and the Storm King.

Together, with his brothers help, Indra buried the Wyrm deep within the earth but his servants still hear his whispers.

DANU THE LIQUID GODDESS
Title(s)

The Old Sea Mother, Danulosh, The Dark Womb, The Void Mother, The Deep and Dark Mistress

Pantheon(s)

Old One

Power Level

???

Alignment

Chaotic Evil

Symbol

Tigers and the vajra: a double-headed spherical mace

Portfolio

Water, darkness, chaos, creation, madness

Domains

Death, Nature

Worshipers

Kuo'Toa, Sahaugin, Sailors, Witches, Deep Ones,

Favored Weapon

Tridents and nets

APEP THE COSMIC SERPENT
Title(s)

The Father of Serpentkind, The First Fire, The Void Herald, The Apotheoses, Apophis

Pantheon(s)

Hamutian

Power Level

???

Alignment

Chaotic Evil

Symbol

A cobra with a flaming mouth

Portfolio

Creation, Destruction, Fire, Chaos, Serpents

Domains

Death, Light

Worshipers

Kuo'Toa, Sahaugin, Sailors, Witches, Deep Ones,

Favored Weapon

Unarmed Strikes

SHAMBARA THE BUILDER
Title(s)

The Beheaded, The Fortress Lord, The Dark Servant, The Flaming Star

Pantheon(s)

Hamutian

Power Level

Lesser Deity

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Symbol

A flaming head

Portfolio

Fire, creation, architecture, tyranny, earth

Domains

War, Forge

Worshipers

Demons, cultists, warlords

Favored Weapon

Hammers and axes

VRITRA THE CONSUMER

Title(s)

Prince of Darkness, The Enveloper, The Void Wyrm, The Foul Drake, The Whispering Vein

Pantheon(s)

Hamutian

Power Level

Greater Deity

Alignment

Chaotic Evil

Symbol

A pair of curved horns above a circle

Portfolio

Darkness, chaos, void, drought, famine

Domains

Death

Worshipers

Yuan-Ti, Dragons, Cultists, Kobolds, Snakes

Favored Weapon

Swords