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| Eramgol | |
|---|---|
Serenity, Knowledge, Truth | |
| Other names | Erīm, Arāmgolla |
| Major cult center | Saræ |
| Texts | The Twelve Orations, the Lotera Eramtæ |
| Gender | Male |
Eramgol is the chief god of the Selaminæans, who worship him as the sole and only god of the world. Selaminæ, having once been home to a divine multitude, has now abandoned throughout most of the land the gods and goddesses that had provided them morality, protection, and fertile fields, worshiping instead Eramgol the Lord of Serenity, who taught them that their former gods were demoniacal and unworthy of worship.
It is unknown and, perhaps, unknowable what manner of deity Eramgol is, for it is said that he descended from the heavens at the village of Míras, and there he gave the first of his Twelve Orations. Disbelieving Men have often declared Eramgol to be a sort of Demon Lord, or a creature from beyond the Worlds of Being, for it is well-known that the gods and goddesses of the earth seldom show their faces so directly, and only in the eldest days did they ever hold dominion over the earth as incarnate kings.
In his First Oration, Eramgol described himself thusly:
I have come upon the earth as a cleansing fire to purify this Land of its evil. With sword in hand I shall vanquish the tyrants that have oppressed thee, I shall cast out the demons that slaughter thy children, I shall banish for ever all evil from the Land and cast it into the Pit. And thou shalt know Me as thy SERENE GOD.
Later orations clarified Eramgol's nature as the 'One God of the Earth', declaring all other gods to be demons or lesser spirits. His priests scrutinize everything that he has ever said for hidden meanings, attempting to discern or create new meanings and truths supposedly hidden in his words. His worship is unnatural to the world and is contrary to the inclinations of Men, as it argues that there are no other gods worthy of worship, and though the truth of this argument is manifestly false and easily refuted, it is the power of Eramgol to ensorcell Men and make them believe in that which is untrue.
Cults and Doctrine
Contrary to the natural process of the world, Eramgol's worship is hierarchical and structured in a fashion hitherto unseen in Laredhidan. The proper way to worship him is not that which was discovered or divulged to one's ancestors, nor is it that which has changed to appease the gods, but it is instead determined by decree, which is often given not by Eramgol himself but by his priests. He is served by six Exarchs, Men raised onto the pedestal of immortality...
History
Nine hundred and eight years after the Great Migration, Eramgol manifested himself in the town of Míras, and there made a declaration that there were no gods but him. This declaration earned him the enmity of Gauthiær III of the House of Túræn, Sovereign of the Etugaútha, who in Eramgolite accounts is declared as evil, monstrous, and ignorant. But Gauthiær had acted in no way counter to the nature of Humanity, for he had sought to safeguard the way of life of his people and his gods, and Eramgol had declared the gods of Selaminæ to be demoniacal. Gauthiær, having unified most of Selaminæ under his banner, declared Eramgol outlaw and had assumed him to be death-cursed...