Maryn Tribalism

This article is about an aspect of the Maryn Consociation.

The following list includes most of the better known local racial deities and guardian spirits worshipped in the Maryn Consociation. Note that the higher-caste and more successful races are disproportionally represented, both in terms of worshippers, and the appearance of the deities; this may be due to sampling bias, or an explanation as to why some races have proven to be more successful than others. Most deities may appear in male or female form, in each of several shapes; the male versions of the most common shape is listed below:

• Chandra: The Celestial Raja appears in the form of a tiger, but with the tail of a serpent. He bears in his front claws a pair of great hissing serpents and rides a mightily-thewed onager, typically killing it on arrival and then rendingreading its entrails. He is worshiped by all those guided by the heavens, including Dimasa, horoscopists, meteorologists, navigators and lovers.
• Saras: The Gharial Raja appears as a gharial with three heads (a man, a dog, and an eagle). He speaks with a high-pitched and attractive voice. His scales are jade and his talons are silver. A favourite of the Mog.
• Aniruddha: The Infernal Maharaja appears as a man with three heads (a man, a bull, and a ram). His feet are webbed like those of a goose, he has a serpent's tail and he can breathes a cone of fire many yards long. He rides upon a great infernal dragon and carries a heavy spear with a banner. Deeply respected by, if not popular with, Brahma, Dimasa, and Bharia.
• Vidya: The Learned Nawab appears as a bull with a man's face and is exceedingly ugly. He is a patron of pragmatic wisdom (the ugly truth), and worshipped by Brahma.
• Bala: The Magnificant Maharaja appears as a muscular and well proportioned Dawon, and carries a viper in his hand. He is preceded by trumpets and often appears riding upon a bear. He may also appear in insubstantial form as a pixie. He is a patron of the proud and manly, particularly amongst the Dawon.
• Reva: The Maharaja of Cats always appears as a Dawon, sometimes riding a great black auroch and bearing a viper in his hand. He is the patron of those who fight the Rabari, Dhole, or Gnoll.
• Ravisha: The Maharaja of the East appears as either a man, a toad, or a cat, or in his favourite form, that of a man with the tail and claws of a cat and the head of a toad. In any form, he has a hoarse sinister voice. Popular with politicians and senior bureaucrats of all races, particularly in the eastern side of Dakhini.
• Sunita: Nawab and Sahib of Murderers always appears in the form of an eagled-winged mastiff who moves at great speed. His mouth is covered in froth from his slavering and gnashing of teeth. Beloved by Dhole, and those with distemper or scores to settle.
• Harisha: The Nizam of Mirth appears as a winged Dawon with goose feet and the tail of a hare. He has a sweet voice. Popular with Vanara, Sora, and anyone currently oppressed by the Dawon or other brutal forces of imperial oppression and tyranny.
• Shri: The Nizam of Shazam appears as a large, muscular man with the head of a leopard and eagle wings. He may also appear as a man or woman who is unbearably beautiful and well-formed. He is patron of the vain, or comely, of all races, and of the legendary leopard-men.
• Agni: The Raja of Fire appears as a man with three heads (a man, a serpent, and a calf). The forehead of his human head is tattooed with two luminous stars. In one hand he bears an eternally blazing flame, and is surrounded by billowing clouds of red-tinged smoke. He rides a great lizard with scales of midnight blue. Popular with the more chaotic of the Saurime, Dimasa, and Brahma, as well as fire lovers.
• Mina: The Raja of the Waters appears as a merman with green, scaly skin and eagle wings. His hair is like seaweed and he smells of death and the sea. His voice is a compelling whisper. A common patron of fishermen and river or coastal traders, including many Mog and Vanara.
• Sati: The Raja of Thieves appears as a mountain tiger with the head of an ass. He has a sharp, braying voice and an unpleasant manner. He is popular with the less honest folk on the towns and cities, and possibly Karbi, but not commonly worshiped in public.
• Pa: The Raja of Tigers appears as a tawny tiger with eagle wings and pale red stripes. He has great green eyes which seem full of wisdom and his voice is a quiet rumbling. He is a patron of the hearth, and popular with goodwives and wise-women.
• Bhaskara: The Nawab of Stars appears always as a centaur, armed with a great bow. His skin is silver and shimmers like starlight. His hair is all white and his eyes are red. He is a patron of insight, and inspiration across all races.
• Ganesha: The Terrible Maharaja appears as a man with three heads (a man, a bull, and a ram), the tail of a serpent, and bright flaming red eyes that can be seen at a great distance. He usually comes riding upon a great bear, and carries a hawk on one fist. He speaks with a hoarse voice. The cuddly version of Aniruddha, he is popular with Brahma, Dimasa, and Bharia alike.
• Shantanu: The Corrupt Thakur appears as a great Dawon warrior riding a pale onager. A patron of mighty heroes, who welcome the sound of their dying enemies and the smell of festering wounds; more popular that one might think.
• Radha: The Thakur of Fire appears as a wolf with a serpent's tail, and may spit fire balls a great distance. He may also appear as a raven-headed man (often with large canines). A patron of Rabari warriors, and the more war-like Dimasa; also popular with fans of fire.
• Gotama: The Thakur of the Seventh Throne appears as a great ox with eagle wings, the tail of a serpent and a fiery breath, although sometimes he will take the shape of a man. He is worshipped by Parandrus, and some Dimasa.
• Aditi: The Warrior Raja appears as a Dawon with eyes made of hot coals. He wears burnished armour and travels on a great war chariot. His flesh is like red gold. His voice is harsh and booming. Those who look directly into his eyes see their own death and are blinded for at least a week. A patron of Dawon and Karkadann warriors.
• Gopala: The Winged Maharaja appears as a great bull with eagle wings, or may choose to adopt human form. He is the patron of the Brahma race.
• Rukmini: The Winged Nawab appears as a red bull with eagle wings and horns tipped in gold, or a red man with black hair. As a patron of rote-learning, and knowledge gained by hard work, he is not popular outside the administrative and scholarly traditions, but venerated by many Brahma.