When Comes the Dawn | Locations

The Athaneum of Roses |

There was no establishment in the west that existed quite like the Atheneum. The closest equivalent, perhaps, were the rows of bordellos that existed in every red-light district, but even those were poor comparisons. Here beautiful men and women satiate the minds of the intellectually inclined with lively debates, fine arts, scientific and arcane discourse, and aesthetics. Where courtesans are taught anywhere from dancing to music to philosophy. Where an intellectual connection could lead to, and most often did, a connection of the more carnal kind. 

And Lady Yorah stood atop them all, as both the most sought after companion, and the successful entrepreneur who started the business in the first place. 

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“Be not afraid when you see him, clothed in the shadows of the stars he may be. Instead, embrace him, smile upon him, and take his proffered hand. Aphel will be your guide, and his lantern the shining beacon to light your way until you return, finally, to the place where all things began. “ — The Aelied

The Raian Pantheon: Aphel |

The God of Death and Rebirth, he completes the cycle as the youngest of the Trinity as well as the end and renewal of all life. He is said to have been formed from the death of a dying star, signifying life after death.

    Aphel is often depicted as a hooded figure draped in a dark gray cloak, the color gray having been associated with death since it is the same color of human ashes after a body is cremated. He has also been shown to carry with him a staff with a lantern dangling at its end,  said to have been lit with the fire of a small star, so as to better guide the souls to the Cradle. There is no set depiction for Aphel’s face, though many scholars and theologians agree that the reason for that is because Raians considered it bad luck to envision the true face of death before one’s time.

    Aphel is the only one of the Trinity that has no ‘children,’ though he is also the only one of his siblings to have a widely recognized companion at his side. Eidonus, his loyal watch hound, forever stands by Aphel’s side and is responsible for guiding souls on the verge of reincarnation from Aphel to Meidther to start their new life. 

    “May Aphel look upon thee kindly, for he is the final judge at the end of a cycle. By his scrutiny is through which a soul’s virtue is decided, and it is his advice that his sister, Meidther, takes into consideration when fashioning a soul reincarnation. So live a righteous life, and pray that Aphel may look kindly upon thee.: — The Aelied

    Aphel has no temple of their own for that would imply worshipping separately to his siblings, however, he is largely prayed to during funerals, war, and especially during the annual Festival of Lanterns. This festival honors and celebrates the dead by releasing floating lanterns with a deceased person’s name engraved into the candles to symbolize Aphel’s lantern lighting the way.

    Priest(ess): “To Aphel may thy souls keep, and may the skies welcome thee on thy journey. From the ashes of stars thou were borne, and unto ashes, shalt thou return.”

    Mourners: “Ashes to Ashes dust to dust.”

    (The pyre is lit)

    Mourners: “Rise Again with the fire of the stars.”

    — Excerpt of Raian Funeral Rites

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When Comes the Dawn | Locations

Vindercrest |

The capital city of the kingdom of Aetier. It's a bustling melting pot of people, commerce, and intrigue hidden beneath its shining marble exterior. The city straddles the Decrurian Strait, a body of water that connects the great Iphigenian Sea and the Hirithian Sea, dividing the city into two halves

East Vindercrest |

The center of the majority of the city's trade and commerce, the East enjoys a variety of merchants and foreign goods with its close proximity to the Valurian Path. Most of the population is made up of upper middle to lower class citizens, however its infrastructure is only just barely keeping up with its rapidly growing population leading to the creation of the slums.

"East Vindercrest, where the Atheneum lay, was a sprawling mess of marketplaces and apartments. Merchants called out their wares as citizens strolled on by. Colorful fabrics waved in the breeze, a vibrant array that matched the stalls of exotic fruits and native treats. The cacophony of voices--in Eila, in Ulin, in Haveleese, in a thousand different languages and dialects--blended seamlessly together to form the ever-bustling symphony of trade and commerce."

West Vindercrest |

The heart of both the city and the nation. Western Vindercrest is home to not only a variety of government buildings, but the royal palace and the Rei-Deorim, the temple of the gods. Here one could also find theatres, sprawling gardens, and skilled artisans and craftsmen. Residents here are mostly the aristocracy, government officials, or those of the upper middle class.

"While Eastern Vindercrest was a melting pot of people from all walks of life, the hustle and bustle of life were more subdued in the West. Western Vidercrest was more residential areas and government buildings than wet markets and slums. High-end stores and established tradesmen and artisans made their homes in the West to better cater to wealthy patrons. Roads were more likely to be line with carefully manicured flora and polished statues of ancient heroes." 

Inspirations | Constantinople, Istanbul, Rome

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“And so they stand at a fork in the dirt-trodden road; man and god, mortal and divine. The God of A Thousand Faces spoke: ‘Chooseth, then, the path of your Destiny. Or shall you stay, rooted to spot, and let time runneth its course?” --The Aelied

The Raian Pantheon: Vithail |

The god of Destiny, Crossroads, and Change, Vithail is the second of the Trinity. They were said to have been born from the transfiguration from star to stardust, signifying the transition from one state to another. 

Unlike Meidther and Aphel, Vithail is portrayed as having no assigned gender. This is largely due to the diety’s moniker as the God of a Thousand Faces. This has the effect of producing wild varieties of artistic interpretations of the god, with the most popular either giving Vithail a blank mask, or artists testing their skills in creating androgynous features.

 Myths often portray Vithail as a god who dons different faces and personas to interact with heroes and move stories along in a certain direction (as their due as the god of fates), and literary works often allude to Vithail during times of important decisions, either referring to them by name or simply by epithets such as Fate or Destiny.

“Here, at the crossroads of my destiny, Fate gives me a choice”  - Stalwart as the Stars by Allemandian Author Lilith Kreitzel.

Vithail has no temple of their own, for that would imply worshipping them separately to their siblings. However, Vithail is largely prayed to or called on during moments of great change. Birthdays, Weddings, and Ascensions (1) being the most prolific; kings and soldiers also pray to Vithail before great battles in hopes of Destiny being on their side. 

“All knowing-weaver, master of fate,

Let the destinies of these two souls be ever intertwined

And let their paths forever converge to one.

Let the red chord that binds two hearts

Stay strong and true forever and evermore”

— An excerpt from an old Raian marriage vow

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(1) Ascensions | Among the aristocracy, this is a crucial point in time where a child reaches his/her majority (18) and is now able to participate in politics, marriage, managing household duties, etc. Essentially, they are considered an adult in the eyes of the law.