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.

Faiths of Sublanarya: The She-Lion and the Buffalo Demon (Mahisha, Durga)

It was during the Wyrd Wars, that the battle between the She-Tiger and the Buffalo demon came to pass. The lesser Raj-Hamutian gods, the Devi, has been at war with the asura, their fiendish enemies, led by the buffalo demon, Mahisha. Indra the Storm King led the devi bravely and it seemed assured that he would lead them to victory over the asura but Mahisha gained a powerful boon that tipped the war in his favor:

He gained the gift that no man could kill him. The devi were defeated and forced to retreat into the mountains. There they prayed for help and the goddess Shakti hearing the devi, who were like her own children, crying out in despair came to render aid with her mercy. Their prayers coalesced and the Mother-Of-Many transformed into a form that was as terrible and mighty as it was beautiful and serene: Durga the Merciful.

Their leader, Mahisha, laughed heartily as he thought that he could hear the wailing of his foes atop the mountain. He led his army up the mountainside, slowly, soaking in the assured victory that would see him reign over all of Hamutia. But the sound he heard wasn't the wailing of the gods. It was the warcry of just one goddess. Durga came down the mountain astride a golden lion like a sunrise coming over the horizon. The demons fell back at the sight of her majesty but Mahisha stood to meet the goddess in combat. He had not considered the technicality of his invincibility.

No man could kill Mahisha. But Durga was no man. Durga was a goddess.

She knocked him off of his own buffalo and the lion that durga rode upon swallowed the buffalo in one bite. Mahisha's joy turned to fear. He backpedaled and tried to join his fleeing army. The goddess and her lion maimed and devoured his forces as they chased him, turning the soil red with their blood, until finally the lion pounced upon him. The demon was scared, overwhelmed and desperate but the goddess was calm, collected, and serene as she took his life.

The buffalo was slain and Durga, the merciful counterpart of Kali, completed the female Trimurti.

Durga the Merciful

Title(s)

The She-Lion, The Serene, The Warrior Princess, The Wailing of the Gods

Pantheon(s)

Hamutian

Power Level

Greater Deity

Alignment

Lawful Good

Symbol

A warrior goddess astride a lion

Portfolio

Singing, mercy, grace, female warriors, combat

Domains

War

Worshipers

Warriors, righteously vengeful women (especially mothers), catfolk, dancers

 

Favored Weapon

Trident

Mahisha the Buffalo Demon

 

Title(s)

The Stubborn Bull, The Invincible General, The Iron Buffalo

Pantheon(s)

Hamutian

Power Level

Lesser Deity

Alignment

Chaotic Evil

Symbol

A water buffalo's horns with an upside down crown

Portfolio

Strength, durability, pride, determination, cruelty

Domains

War

Worshipers

Warlords, minotaurs, beastfolk, demons, cultists

 

Favored Weapon

Swords

Faiths of Sublanarya: The Ramayana (Sahasranama, Brahma, Shiva, Padma, Sharada, Ravana, Vayu, Hanuman, Jatuya, Mithras, Agni, Indra)

The story of the Ramayana is a central story in Raj-Hamutian religious beliefs but also plays a big part in the cultural oeuvre of the modern Raj-Hamutian. It tells the story of Rama, a prince born in the kingdom of Yodhya and the seventh avatar of the creator god Sahasranama, and his hero's journey. It is an epic that champions of the four sutras: accordance, pursuance, love and liberation. His story is split into tomes of his life.

This article also details of most raj-hamutian dieties.