Higher Beings¶
Powerful beings that govern the realm are responsible for many natural phenomena. Despite their inherent power, all higher beings appear to be mortal.
Family tree of the Aspects and Deities of Drehmal. Each block represents an Aspect, besides the three at the very top, which represent the three deities (Maelihs, Drehmal, Virtuo, left to right) Note: Maen and Tethlaen are disputed, potentially swapping places depending on how one interprets their color schemes, as well as Koh and Nahyn.
Aspects¶
Most higher beings in the realm of Drehmal fall under the category of Aspects. Aspects are draconic/reptilian deities who represent a primordial element of the natural world, and some create children who inherit subcategories of their parent or parents' jurisdiction. Aspects can be divided into two groups: Major and Minor Aspects.
Major Aspects¶
Major Aspects are considered to be the most important Aspects and those with the broadest domains, and they were directly created by the Primal Tree. A subcategory of the Major Aspects are the Elder Aspects (also referred to as the "Great Aspects")—Khive, Dahr, Rihelma, and Taihgel—who are deemed to be the most powerful. All eight Major Aspects have devotion sites in-game, in addition to the three Deities.
Minor Aspects¶
Minor Aspects are younger and less powerful Aspects, and are the children of Major Aspects. The exceptions to this are Verrhys and Lahrs, who seemingly comprise their own separate lineage from the rest of the Aspects.
Aspect List¶
| Aspect | Classification | Title/Domain | Gender (Pronouns)1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khive | Major (Elder) | Aspect of Magic | M (he/him or they/them) |
| Dahr | Major (Elder) | Aspect of Sea | M (he/him) |
| Rihelma | Major (Elder) | Aspect of Sky | F (she/her) |
| Taihgel | Major (Elder) | Aspect of Land | N (it/its or they/them) |
| Vayniklah | Major | Aspect of Life | F (she/her or it/its) |
| Voynahla | Major | Aspect of Death | M (he/him or it/its) |
| Lai | Major | Aspect of Warmth | M (he/him) |
| Loe | Major | Aspect of Cold | F (she/her or they/them) |
| Verrhys | Minor (Disputed) | Aspect of Silence | N (it/they) |
| Lahrs | Minor (Disputed) | Aspect of Resonance | M/F (he/him or she/her) |
| Moen | Minor | Aspect of Pleasure | F (she/her or they/them) |
| Maen | Minor | Aspect of Pain | M (he/him or it/its) |
| Tethlaen | Minor | Aspect of Fear | M (he/him or they/them) |
| Dahroehl | Minor | Aspect of Freshwater | M/F (he/him or she/her)2 |
| Palaesida | Minor | Aspect of Storms | M (he/him) |
| Rihalae | Minor | Aspect of Wind | F (she/her or it/its) |
| Nahyn | Minor | Aspect of Mountains | M (he/him) |
| Koh | Minor | Aspect of Stone | N (it/its or they/them) |
| Noha | Minor | Aspect of Harvest | F (she/her or they/them) |
| Mari | Minor | Aspect of Drehmari (People) | M (he/him) |
| Muhs | Minor | Aspect of Beasts | M (he/him or they/them) |
| Lailoehn | Minor | Aspect of Fire | M (he/him) |
| Loeleyhn | Minor | Aspect of Snow | F (she/her) |
The Three Deities¶
Upon the felling of the Primal Tree, marking the beginning of the Second Avihm, three deities were born from it; Maelihs, Virtuo and Drehmal. These deities are notably more powerful than most, if not all, of the Aspects, and play a much more significant role in the history of Drehmal and the affairs of the Drehmari. Maelihs and Virtuo both take the form of very large people, and historically they and their devotees have clashed with each other. Drehmal is a colossal serpent and the most powerful of the three deities, and is responsible for reshaping the land (which is now named after them) after the destruction of the old one from the First Avihm. At the time that the map's story begins, Maelihs's empire on Drehmal still thrives in the West, whereas Virtuo has left the continent but retains a significant following in the East. Drehmal has been slumbering deep underground beneath the Primal Caverns since the early Second Avihm, when they finished their task of reforming the world.
The Primal Tree¶
The origins of the Primal Tree are unclear, but it was most likely the first living thing to exist in the realm of Drehmal, and it created the first Aspects and Drehmari. The Primal Tree was a tree of gargantuan proportions, much taller than mountains, and it sat at the center of what is now the continent of Drehmal in the First Avihm. In the Battle of Karesh at the base of the Tree, fought between the Viruhn and Maelruhn, the Tree was burnt and uprooted, severely damaging the land and rendering it uninhabitable. The Primal Tree granted the last of its power to three figures, who became Maelihs, Virtuo and Drehmal. This event marked the beginning of the Second Avihm. The only remnant left of the Primal Tree today is the Primal Sapling, which is a smaller (but still giant) and malicious version of the Tree that stands in southeast Merijool.
Other Higher Beings¶
There are presumed to be other higher beings above the realm of Drehmal's plane of existence, but very little is known about them.