Gods of The Steppe

The Azim Steppe is home to somewhere around fifty Xaela tribes of myriad characteristics. One thing they often hold in common is their devout worship of two deities, Azim and Nhaama, who they believe were responsible for creation of the world and the Au Ra.

The Eternal War of Dusk and Dawn

As legends describe it, the deities Azim and Nhaama were lovers who had been long at war, thus creating the world to serve as their battlefield, and it's people (the Au Ra) to fight in their name. Azim earned the name "Dawn Father" for his creation of the Sun, and the light-scaled Raen are said to have been born from him. Likewise, Nhaama became the "Dusk Mother" for her creation of the Moon, and is responsible for the creation of the dark-scaled Xaela. Their creation of the Sun and Moon is also believed to hold the fabric of the world together, and should Azim and Nhaama ever reunite, whether for love or war, it would cause the end of the world. This necessitated the deities' creation of warriors to fight in their stead. Following the wills of their creators, the Xaela and Raen waged many wars against each other, but eventually laid down their arms and came to love one another. And so the two deities bequeathed this world to their children, and ascended to the heavens whence they came.

Azim, the Dawn Father

Namesake of the Steppe, Azim is the sun deity and it is believed that it is his light and blessing that allows the grass to grow that feeds their herds. The monument known as The Dawn Throne bears a face that is said to be his likeness; it also marks the sacred site where Azim is said to have created a corporeal form of himself and become the Dawn Father.

The Oronir tribe holds Azim in very high esteem, much more so than other tribes do. This stems from their belief that they, in spite of being Xaela, are actually descendants of Azim. Their legends say that, when the two deities saw how the Xaela and the Raen rose above their hatreds and joined hands in harmony, their hearts stirred, and the love their children shared became theirs as well. Alas, Azim was of the sun and Nhaama of the moon. Apart the deities needed to remain, or day and night would cease to be, which would also cause the end of all creation. With sadness in their hearts they returned to the heavens─he to the day, she to the night, destined to walk before and after, never to meet.

This impossible divide led Azim to seek a different solution, so he took a fragment of his being and with it fashioned an avatar. Clad in scale of midnight, he descended, and sought out the Xaela. This avatar would walk among Nhaama's children to watch over and protect them. When Nhaama looked down and saw the avatar of Azim, she immediately recognized that it was him, and cried tears of love and longing. When these tears struck the earth, they rose anew, as a counterpart to the Oronir. Their fates entwined. This led to the Oroni belief that for every "son of Azim" is a "daughter of Nhaama" for whom he must search.

Known Traditions specific to Azim

• Chaochu flowers, precious to the Oronir, are used by them as an offering to Father Azim during certain ceremonies. Though, should they be missing even a single petal, it would ruin the gesture entirely.
• There is an Oroni ritual performed in celebration of a warrior's triumph over Bardam's Mettle. There are five curved stone columns surrounding the Dawn Throne; the warrior returning triumphant must take some kunis, a ceremonial liquid, and sprinkle some of it on each of the five stones. Most importantly, as they do this they must be thinking of a goal they wish to achieve, and make a vow to achieve it (and they are meant to think of one goal per drop of liquid that hits the stone).

Nhaama, the Dusk Mother

The Dusk Mother embodies love, but so too does she embody war. Feel the Noise: At nightfall, a hush falls over the Azim Steppe, welcoming the Dusk Mother back to her throne that she may reign in blissful silence. The Dusk Throne is A grand monument marking the sacred site where Nhaama, goddess of the moon, it said to have created a corporeal form of herself and become the Dusk Mother. The sands of time, however, have ever disdained the works of men, and for all its prodigious size, the desert is threatening to swallow it up.

The House of the Crooked Coin is believed to house a fragment of the Dusk Mother's divinity. In a celestial struggle 'twixt Azim and Nhaama, a sliver of her essence was sent tumbling to the earth below. This divine fragment hidden within a mountain cave is said to retain her power, which was harnessed once in the past to avert a terrible calamity. Though unclear, it is assumed by many that Moonrise, the ascending path to this site, takes its name from one of the stories relating to this relic. A weapon wielded by Khatun Sadu of the Dotharl tribe is also believed to have been fashioned by part of the fragment housed within.

Known Traditions specific to Nhaama

• The Dotharl tribe sometimes holds an archery contest, meant to demonstrate to Nhaama that they are capable of surviving in the harsh world, and thus worthy of her legacy.

The Elder Gods

Instead of Azim and Nhaama, the Xaela of the Mol tribe hearken to the whispers of the Elder Gods, who they believe guides them in all aspects of their daily lives. These gods may also issue commands, which must be considered absolute; the Mol must follow them even if it means endangering their lives. Ugdan, or shamans, of the tribe are responsible for acting as both mediums between the people and the gods, and spiritual advisors to aid with interpretations of their cryptic messages. Some ugdun exhibit supernatural powers that they attribute to their elder gods, such as the ability to see into the future. Sometimes the tribe Khatun simultaneously serves as an ugdan, such as in the case of its current Khatun, Temulun. Non-ugdan members also do not seem to be restricted from attempting to listen to the gods. When a Mol does not turn to an ugdan for guidance, they have been observed to use other methods to divine the elder gods' messages, such as by rolling dice made from sheep bones.