It is important to remember that the New Gods are all members of an extended family. Sometimes, in order for a new god or gods to be born, unusual pairings occur. In the case of the parentage of the storm brothers, Nimb and Strata, this begins with their mother
Pyra, the goddess and embodiment of elemental fire.
Pyra is not only the goddess of fire; she is "The Burning Heart", a patron goddess of the relationship between the euphoric epiphany of creation as well as the visceral pleasure in destruction and she takes interest in all master artists, craftsmen, inventors and tacticians. While most gods found the Wyrd Wars a troubling time, Pyra reveled in the explosive bursts of empires and their explosive demise. She takes pleasure in destruction of wonders and their masters because, in her view, it provides fuel for new creations and creators. And so she fell in love with a destroyer of unparalleled cunning and brutality:
Mal Dorig.
Mal Dorig worshiped Pyra and each time he overcame a brilliant defense, each time he conquered the unconquerable and each time he burnt a city to the ground, unbeknownst to the dread conqueror, she found herself becoming more and more interested in the mortal. Eventually, she visited him and showed her appreciation for him by making him her champion and concubine. Who could deny the passionate advances of the goddess of passion? He was her prince and she was his queen.
But Pyra is a fickle goddess. When Mal-Dorig lay siege to the city state of Korin, he met his end at the hands of King Gurda, and Pyra abandoned his side and believed him dead. Shortly thereafter, she gave birth to twin sons of Mal Dorig: Nimb and Strata.
The first-born Nimb was quiet, quick-of-wit and even quicker-of-foot-and-spear. He was an impressive god to behold, his visage striking, and his skill with weaponry unmatched. In his martial ability, he took after his father, the dread conqueror. None of the gods would wish to do battle against Nimb, save his brother, who usually came second in these bouts.
Nimb's brother, the second-born Strata, was a boisterous, loud and good-humored god known for his powerful bellows and jovial laughter. He was known to entertain the gods with his musical talents, performing on his massive drums, and putting on a show. A bit clumsy and even goofy, Strata enjoyed revelry nearly as much as matching his mettle against his brother.
Their contests entertained the gods greatly and found favor among all their aunts and uncles. Yet, despite being born of such a prominent goddess, the two had yet to claim any domains or birthrights by the time they had reached maturity. They asked the gods which domains they should take:
Aurelion and Yolo bid Strata to take up music. Tyr could only see Nimb as another warrior god. But it was there mother that instructed them to seek out their sister Brigid the Smith. She told them that they were obviously born to rule the storm together: Nimb would be the Lord of Lightning, which strikes fast and first, and Strata the Thunder Lord, who comes second but shakes the very bones of the earth. She told them that in order to claim their birthrights they would need to seek out a storm titan, Qumolong, who had forced Brigid to forge him a staff that could control the storms. She did as he asked in order to escape his clutches but he was unable to handle the power. He had gone mad and now roamed the mountains of Mimia, striking down all that crossed his path. Brigid told them that if they defeated Qumolong they would command his power and that she would gladly make lightning bolts for them from the metal in the staff.
The two brothers set out for Mimia, the homeland of the giants, and quickly set to battle against Qumolong. They set upon him in turns but were cast down quickly before the might of the storm tyrant. Nimb was fast but not fast enough to dodge lightning nor strong enough to withstand its destructive power. Strata was strong enough to withstand the blows but not be countered by the tyrant's swings. It seemed lost until the two were possessed by a strange idea.
Nimb and Strata somehow combined their essences into one being Indra. As fast as lightning and strong as thunder, the fused god easily overwhelmed the Storm Tyrant, snapping the staff in twain and casting him down the side of the Shattered Mountains, where he fell dead in a crater at the bottom that has since become known as Qumolong Valley.
The two separated and took the broken staff to Brigid who, from that day on, would forge lightning and thunder for her brothers. It is their storms that bring rain and wind along with their lightning and thunder that is said to be the two quarreling with the gifts from their sister Brigid. Her prowess as the master craftsman of the gods increased from this new duty but the previous accolades of Pyra's daughter Brigid the Smith are not to be understated either:
Brigid was born of a tryst between Pyra and the patron god of the fey human shape-shifting Tuathans, King Dagda. She was an eccentric girl with incredible gifts depending on her mood that made her seem like three daughters in one: Brigid the Healer was a caring but methodical sort who could diagnose and cure any ailment, Brigid the Poet was a tempestuous artists who swung between melancholic beauty and manic energy in her crafting, and finally, most famously, Brigid the Smith, an unrivaled genius and craftsmen who could make admantine armor as light as a feather and swords that could cut through darkness.
While Brigid is often called the "Wielder of the Sacred Flame" by doctors and "The Beloved Muse" by poets, it is by engineers, inventors and smiths that Brigid is most often admired and called upon for a blessing upon their works. Unfortunately, while her skill so often has aided the gods, such as in creating the tether that binds Fenrir, it has also caused woe, such as the creation of the Tower of Rowa, in which young Yolo was trapped. Villains as often as heroes sought Brigid out and, even if she refused to make their magical items, she was often coerced into it. Sometimes she managed to build weaknesses into the items, such as the staff driving Qumolong to madness, but other times she was forced to create evil like the armor the armor that gave Mal-Dorig his divinity.
It was her success at making her brothers the Lord of Lightning and Thunder that inspired Darkheart to kidnap her to the Nine Hells and force her to build his armor. And with that armor, Mal-Dorig nearly conquered all of heaven and Narya. And yet, ultimately, it was her lightning and thunder bolts wielded by the brothers that defeated him. Only time will tell whether Brigid the Smith's works will be used for good or evil.
NIMB THE LORD OF LIGHTNING AND STRATA THE THUNDER LORD
Title(s)
The Storm Brothers, The Tempest Twins, Blue and Red, The Quarrelers,
Pantheon(s)
New Gods
Power Level
Intermediate Deity
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Symbol
Red and blue lightning bolts
Portfolio
Storms, war, combat, contest, music
Domains
Tempest
Worshipers
Warriors, bards, sailors, twins and athletes
Favored Weapon
Nimb: The Spear and Bow
Strata: The Warhammer and Bow
BRIGID
Title(s)
The Smith, The Poet, The Healer, The Wielder of the Sacred Flame, The Beloved Muse
Pantheon(s)
New Gods
Power Level
Intermediate Deity
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Symbol
A flaming anvil
Portfolio
Poetry, music, medicine, crafting, magic items
Domains
Forge, Light
Worshipers
Smiths, poets, engineers, inventors, artists, doctors, nurses,
Favored Weapon
The hammer
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