The Pantheon: Bellumara
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: War, conquest, conflict, strategy, victory, courage, martial prowess
Symbols: A sword, a shield, a banner, a helmet, a chariot
Holy days: Warbringer's March, Victory's Feast
Relationship to Retribia: Married to Retribia, the Goddess of Punishment and Retribution. Bellumara sees Retribia's punishments as a necessary part of the conquests she wages, as they can be used to instill fear and submission in her enemies.
Relationship with Justiriel: Bellumara often clashes with Justiriel, as the god of order and balance seeks to maintain stability and peace, which conflicts with her warlike nature.
Relationship with Freyanar: Bellumara despises Freyanar, as the god of freedom and revolution actively opposes her goals of conquest and domination.
Invoked: Warlords, conquerors, and those seeking domination through warfare invoke Bellumara for victory and ruthless ambition; offerings of captured spoils and symbols of defeated foes are given.
Depiction: Bellumara is invariably shown as a fierce and powerful goddess of war, her muscular form adorned in battle-worn armor and her eyes ablaze with the fire of conflict. Her hair is a wild, untamed mane, a testament to her ferocity and martial prowess. In one hand, she brandishes a sword, a symbol of her affinity for war and conquest, while a shield and a banner emblazoned with her emblem are held in the other, representing her commitment to strategy and victory. A helmet rests upon her head, and a chariot pulled by fierce beasts charges through the battlefield that surrounds her, signifying her unrelenting drive for conquest and triumph.
The Battle of Pleianes
In the days of old, during the Zamanic Age of the world, the Vahu Empire and the city-states of Thenos were separated by the vast expanse of the Altothean Sea. While the people of Thenos lived in peace and prosperity, their neighbors to the east, the Vahu Empire, were restless under the watchful eye of Bellumara Warbringer.
Emperor Vispames began to harbor dreams of expanding his domain, and Bellumara saw an opportunity to spread her influence. She whispered into Vispames' dreams, showing him visions of a vast and mighty empire that stretched across the Altothean Sea, encompassing the city-states of Thenos. Bellumara's influence planted a seed of ambition in the emperor's heart, driving him to begin preparations for an invasion.
Meanwhile, in the city-states of Thenos, Taros of Typhisis and Adus of Caceas were renowned as wise and just rulers. As Vispames' armies amassed on the shores of the Altothean Sea, Freyanar, the Goddess of Freedom and Revolution, sensed the impending conflict. Seeking to protect the people of Thenos, she whispered into the ears of Taros and Adus, alerting them of the looming invasion.
Taros and Adus, guided by the wisdom of Freyanar, acted swiftly, preparing their defenses and rallying their people. United by a common cause, the people of Thenos stood strong against the encroaching threat. Vispames, confident in his forces, sent his armies across the Altothean Sea, only to be met with fierce resistance in the initial battle at Pleianes.
The Thenossians fought bravely, their resolve unshaken. The Vahu forces, expecting to surprise the Thenossians, were caught off guard by the preparedness of their opponents, suffered heavy losses, and their morale crumbled. Vispames, witnessing the disastrous outcome of the battle, began to doubt the wisdom of his campaign. The whispers of Bellumara no longer held sway over his heart, and he realized that the price of conquest was too high.
Disillusioned and humbled, Vispames called off the invasion and retreated his forces back across the Altothean Sea. The city-states of Thenos, grateful to Freyanar for her intervention, continued to prosper, and the tale of their victory over the Vahu Empire became a testament to the power of unity and the indomitable spirit of freedom.
