MMM3 - Asian Pantheons FASERIP Marvel

ROLE-PLAYING NOTES Ay Ata prefers to incarnate in more subtle roles than her lover. Often she is a traveler or wanderer, moving into lives and out of them easily. She is always mystical, and that bent is found in their Scions, as is her wanderlust. Both Ay and her Scions can be mercurial and hard to pin down, but their presence always improves things, as they apply their myriad experiences, and their absences are often felt keenly. HISTORY Ay is the female manifestation of Ay Dede, Grandfather Moon, and is much beloved by her people. She is the sister (or in some interpretations, lover) of Koyash, but where the sun is warmth, Ay is cold. Despite this, she is the hero of many popular children’s tales, and the mother of the legendary Scion Oghuz Khan, who invented the clan system of the Oghuz Turks. Ay Ata is often portrayed as male, but is at ease in any gender, due to constantly being reborn and dying. Ay Ata is very much tied to women, though she is equally at home as male, and women are believed to have secret powers of the moon, known as Aisar, because pregnancy lasts around nine lunar months. Turkic women often deliver during the full moon, thanks to Ay’s nature. Every month, Ay is reborn as a child, grows to adulthood and then dies, forever, as the moon waxes and wanes. The light of the moon protects against evil spirits, and it is only while Ay is dead, during the new moon, that they feel truly safe to perform their mischief. While not dead, Ay is one of the greatest foes of evil in the pantheon, dedicating much time to fighting the influence of Erlik Khan and other evil forces. This has gotten her into quite a bit of trouble over the years, as she has a tendency to send her Scions to meddle in the problems of other pantheons. 198

GESAR F IN (40) A IN (40) S IN (40) E AM (50) R GD (10) I IN (40) P RM (30) Health: 170 Karma: 80 Resources: AM Popularity: 10 BACKGROUND Real Name: Don-Grub Occupation: Culture Hero Legal Status: Citizen of Ergenekon, Ruler of Ling Identity: No Dual Identity Other Known Aliases: Don-Dub, Kesar, Ling Kesar, Gesser, Choru Place of Birth: Tibet Marital Status: Single Known Relatives: Possibly Tengri (father); unnamed undersea goddess (mother); Sro-Thung (half-brother); Khrothung, Todong (uncles); ‘Brugmo (first wife); Alma Mergen (second wife) Base of Operations: Ergenekon, formerly Ling Past Group Affiliations: Nation of Ling Present Group Affiliations: Tenger KNOWN POWERS Longevity: CL1000; Tenger stop aging after a certain point in their life, although at what age they cease to get older varies. Regeneration: RM ability Body Resistance: EX versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Invulnerability: RM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. Resist Disease at CL1000 Resurrection: A number of gods may work together to resurrect another deity if his or her life essence is beyond resurrection. Requires a minimum of three deities and 199

expenditure of all Karma; may be performed once per day. Allspeak: As with all gods, Allspeak allows one to understand, speak, and write in all languages. If addressing speakers of more than one language, each will understand the deity’s language in his or her native language. This ability extends to extraterrestrial and otherdimensional languages as well as Earth tongues. EQUIPMENT Body Armor: Good physical protection and material strength Sword: 15 Edged damage, Remarkable material strength Warhorse: Kyang Go Karkar is a tulku, a reincarnated Buddhist master charged with educating and aiding a mortal. Go Karkar can communicate with other animals, is incredibly fast, and in some versions of his tales is able to fly. He is also capable of shapeshifting to disguise himself as an ordinary horse, usually in the guise of a broken down old nag. F A S E R I P Gd Ex Rm Rm Ty Gd Ex Health: 90 Karma: 36 Hooves do Blunt damage. Able to run 6 areas/turn with a rider. Flight at Typical airspeed. Communicate with animals at Remarkable rank. Shapeshifting (self) at Remarkable rank, limited to animal forms. Talents: Horsemanship, Leadership, Equestrian Combat, Demonology, Outdoor Survival, History of Ergenekon and the Tenger, Military, Bladed Weapons, Bows, Martial Arts A, B, and D Contacts: Tenger, Kingdom of Ling ADDITIONAL NOTES Gesar is a demigod who was worshipped by many different Mongol and Turkic tribes; as a result, there are many different and sometimes conflicting accounts of his life. Effort here has been made to describe details of his life from various versions of his epic. ROLE-PLAYING NOTES King Kesar is part hero, part medicine man, and part trickster. Gesar fights against the enemies of dharma, an old warrior ethos where physical power, courage, a combative spirit, and attributes like cunning and deceit prevail. HISTORY Possibly based on a historical figure, Gesar is a culture hero known for his military campaigns against forces both mortal and supernatural, along the same lines as Hercules and Cú Chulainn -- he began his life as both feral and a tamer of nature, thus sharing some similarities with the Babylonian hero Enkidu. Millenia ago, the Elder Gods ruled the earth and the world collapsed into anarchy. As a result, hordes of cannibalistic demons and goblins led by malignant and greedy rulers of many kingdoms, wreaked havoc. Gesar was born in the Hyborian Age to help rid the world of the menace of these Elder Gods and their minions. Gesar was born as Don-Grub (or DonDub) from the union of Tengri, and of a goddess of the watery underworld. He has a half-brother, the "old hawk" Sro-Thung, a wise elder who advises him. He also has two uncles, his paternal uncle Todong, and the cowardly and greedy Khrothung. Alternatively, other versions state that he was born fatherless, springing from his mother’s head after she was assisted by the gods. While still in his infancy, he defeated three giant rats, human-sized mosquitoes and steel ravens. Until his adolescence he was ugly, nasty, snotty and troublesome, nicknamed Nyurgai (Stinker). Todong banished both son and mother to the rMa plateau, where he grew up living a feral life, with the child clothed in animal skins and wearing a hat with antelope horns. Wandering earth, Gessar came first in a horse race when he was twelve. The race’s trophy consisted of the hand of ‘Brugmo, the beautiful daughter of the kingdom of Ling, in China, marking Gesar’s coming of age. As the 200

winner, he ascended to the throne of Ling and assumed the name Gesar. Mounted on his miraculous steed Kyang Go Karkar, he subsequently waged military campaigns, together with 30 companions, against the evil frontier countries. His first campaign as king was against Klu btsan, the man-eating demon of the north. While away, his wife was kidnapped by Gurdkar, the King of Hor. On his return, Gesar undertook a second campaign, and used magic to infiltrate Gurdkar’s palace, killing him and retrieving his wife. Gesar waged war against two more barbarian kings: Sadam of 'Jang (in Yunnan), and Shingkhri of Mon (located in the southern Himalayas); the military campaign involved the siege of eighteen fortresses. Later, Gesar took a second wife, the princess Alma Mergen, daughter of a water deity. Sometime after, he encountered Atai Ulan, the leader of a faction of 44 Tenger from the eastern skies. After slaying Atai Ulan, he then hunted demonic beasts born from Atai Ulan's drops of blood. The beasts included the giant black striped tiger Orgoli, the great Lord of the Taiga; Arkhan the Sun-Eater; Shiram Minata, a demon from the 'Country betwixt Life and Death'; Lobsogoi, a trickster demon who had assumed the guise of a lama; and Gal Dulme, the personification of volcanic activity, who was born from Atai Ulan's corpse. Gessar was unable to defeat Gal Dulme by himself, and the deed was performed with assistance from his elder half-brother. In his eighties, the elderly Geser briefly descends to Hell to rescue his mother, as a last episode before he leaving the land of men to ascent to his celestial paradise in Ergenekon. 201

KUARA F IN (40) A IN (40) S MN (75) E UN (100) R GD (10) I EX (20) P RM (30) Health: 255 Karma: 60 Resources: RM Popularity: 2 BACKGROUND Real Name: Kuara Occupation: God of thunder Legal Status: Citizen of Ergenekon Identity: No Dual Identity Other Known Aliases: Kvara Place of Birth: Possibly Ergenekon Marital Status: Single Known Relatives: Tengri (father); Gaea (mother); Erlik, Koyash, Ulgen (brothers); Ay (sister) Base of Operations: Ergenekon Past Group Affiliations: None Present Group Affiliations: Tenger KNOWN POWERS Longevity: CL1000; Tenger stop aging after a certain point in their life, although at what age they cease to get older varies. Regeneration: RM ability Body Resistance: EX versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Invulnerability: RM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. Resist Disease at CL1000 Resurrection: A number of gods may work together to resurrect another deity if his or her life essence is beyond resurrection. Requires a minimum of three deities and expenditure of all Karma; may be performed once per day. Allspeak: As with all gods, Allspeak allows one to understand, speak, and write in all languages. If addressing speakers of more than one language, 202

each will understand the deity’s language in his or her native language. This ability extends to extraterrestrial and otherdimensional languages as well as Earth tongues. Magical Powers: Kuara is adept in tapping and manipulating mystical energies, but to an unknown extent. Treat as Incredible ability magical powers, the effects left to the GM’s discretion but will incorporate lightning and/or thunder. The full range of Kuara’s mystical power is unrevealed. Electricity Control: Shift X rank ability. Lightning: Kuara can create lightning at Monstrous rank. Kuara’s lightning bolts manifest in a rainbow of colors. Enchantment: As per the description in Realms of Magic, at Amazing ability. In Turkic mythology, Kuara could make someone a shaman by infusing them with his lightning. Shapeshifting: Amazing ability. Kuara often prefers not to assume human form, instead appearing as a storm cloud or other weather phenomenon. EQUIPMENT Body Armor: RM protection vs. physical damage, UN material strength Talents: History of Ergenekon and the Tenger, Meteorology, Martial Arts B, Bladed Weapons, Horsemanship Contacts: Tenger ROLE-PLAYING NOTES Kuara is a thunder god of the Tengri pantheon, but is better known as an abstraction of the concepts of thunder and storms. No information is known about Kuara’s personality. HISTORY In Turkic shamanism, Kuara is known as the god of thunder, also called Kvara. He was held in particular reverence by the early Bulgars. Very little is known about his background. 203

TULPAR (Typical example) F EX (20) A RM (30) S IN (40) E IN (40) R TY (6) I GD (10) P EX (20) Health: 130 Karma: 36 Resources: FB Popularity: 2 BACKGROUND Other Known Aliases: None Base of Operations: Ergenekon Aliases: Tolpar (to the Ossetians), Turpal (to the Chechens) Known Representatives: Tenger KNOWN POWERS Regeneration: RM ability Body Resistance: EX versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Invulnerability: RM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. Resist Disease at CL1000 Flight: Amazing airspeed Speed: Tulpars can move at 6 areas per round on land ADDITIONAL NOTES May attack with hooves for Blunt damage. ROLE-PLAYING NOTES The relationship between a tulpar and its “owner” is more akin to a partnership, and tulpars will form a lifelong emotional bond with its human/godly companion. HISTORY The tulpar is a species of great winged horse in Turkic mythology, similar to Pegasus. It is usually depicted as a white or black (single color) horse; reddish or chestnut color examples also exist but are rare. The tulpars were created by Tengri to aid the valiant. It is similar to the wind horse, a symbol of the human soul in the shamanistic tradition of East Asia and Central Asia. One legend of tulpars talks about “Oskusool,” a Tuvan folk hero, and how he used the remains of his beloved Tulpar to create the very first fiddle. Tulpars appear in the state emblems of modern-day Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Bashkortostan. The tulpar is the embodiment of hunting to the people of Central Asia: the people hunted with horses, with the company of a bird of prey. These two animals formed into one, creating the winged horse known as tulpar. The wings exist both for flight and to emphasize their speed. Tulpars are intelligent, and are often used as steeds by the Tenger. They are particularly used by the Tenger when hunting, often in conjunction with the “Sighthound” or “Gazehound.” These creatures resemble horse-sized greyhounds or whippets, with deep chests; they specialize in pursuing prey. The Başkurt people believe that no one can see their wings. Some legends state that the tulpar opens its wings only in the dark, crossing major obstacles and distances. If anyone can see the wings of a tulpar, it is believed that tulpar will disappear. 204

ASENA F IN (40) A IN (40) S IN (40) E AM (50) R GD (10) I IN (40) P RM (30) Health: 170 Karma: 80 Resources: RM Popularity: 2 BACKGROUND Real Name: Asena Occupation: She-wolf Legal Status: Citizen of Ergenekon Identity: No Dual Identity Other Known Aliases: Ashena, Ashina Place of Birth: Turkey Marital Status: Single Known Relatives: Unknown Base of Operations: Ergenekon Past Group Affiliations: None Present Group Affiliations: Tenger KNOWN POWERS Longevity: CL1000; Tenger stop aging after a certain point in their life, although at what age they cease to get older varies. Regeneration: RM ability Body Resistance: EX versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Tracking: She can track at Amazing ability Invulnerability: RM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. Resist Disease at CL1000 Allspeak: As with all gods, Allspeak allows one to understand, speak, and write in all languages. If addressing speakers of more than one language, each will understand the deity’s language in his or her native language. This ability extends to extraterrestrial and otherdimensional languages as well as Earth tongues. Claws/Fangs: Asena’s claws and fangs may attack as Remarkable edged damage. Speed: Asena can move on land at 4 areas/round Talents: History of Ergenekon and the Tenger, Outdoor Survival Contacts: Tenger; the Turkic peoples ROLE-PLAYING NOTES Asena is protective and motherly to all those she regards as kin. HISTORY The great She-Wolf, Asena is a member of the Tenger the pantheon of the Mongolian and Turkic peoples, and a symbol of the founding of the Göktürk Khanate. The legend of Asena tells of a young boy who survived a battle; a female wolf finds the injured child and nurses him back to health. The she-wolf, impregnated by the boy, escapes her enemies by crossing the Western Sea to a cave near the Qocho Mountains and a city of the Tocharians, giving birth to ten half-wolf, half-human boys. Of these, Asena becomes their leader and establishes the Asena clan, which ruled over the Göktürk and other Turkic nomadic empires. These first Turks migrated to the Altai region, where they were known as expert blacksmiths, akin to the Scythians. 205

GARAZ (Mongolian giant, minor demi-god of death) F RM (30) A GD (10) S UN (100) E UN (100) R TY (6) I TY (6) P TY (6) Health: 240 Karma: 18 Resources: FE Popularity: 0 POWERS: Immortality: CL 1000 resistance to aging, disease and toxins. He cannot die even if reduced to 0 Health and Endurance. Invulnerability: Amazing resistance to physical and energy attacks. Allspeak: Garaz has Amazing ability to understand and speak any language he meets. Growth: Garaz has Unearthly rank growth is 100’ tall and is +3CS to hit. WEAKNESSES Magical Weakness: Garaz seems to be vulnerable to magic and suffers -3CS defense against spells. He may also be vulnerable to magical weapons and would negate his Invulnerability, but this is unknown. ADDITIONAL NOTES It is unknown what killed his fellow demigods, whether they were killed by other divine beings for interfering with mortals, or were they killed by mystical means from vengeful human sorcerers or simply lost much of their own power due to lack of worship. Talents: He is skilled with a spear, wrestling HISTORY Garaz is the sole survivor of a race of immortal Asian giants from Mongolia that dwelled deep under the Earth and were once worshipped as minor death gods. He was sent to the surface by his ruler Bazor, king of the Underworld during the 7th century to test the humans’ ability to defend themselves, in prelude to conquering the Earthly realm. Tricked into a magical slumber by a Chinese Sorcerer, Chong-Soh, Garaz was imprisoned beneath the earth and the Great Wall of China was constructed overtop of the entrance. He lay in his magical slumber until he was freed by an American pilot in 206

WWII, who was shot down by the Japanese near the Great Wall and crawled into a small opening to avoid capture that lead to his entombment. Opening the sealed door, the magic that kept Garaz confined faded. Free once again, Garaz tested his might against nearby villages, destroyed a mountain peak creating a massive avalanche and destroyed a squadron of Japanese planes. Garaz next sought out the rest of his fellow demigods and much to his surprise discovered that they all lay dead with their spirits moved on to the afterlife. Possibly killed by other mystical forces or his ancient nemesis Chong-Soh, he cried vengeance and began to plan on destroying the humans on the surface that he deemed were too weak to stop him. The American pilot who he deemed a friend for freeing him tricked the immortal giant in revealing the magical spell that once entrapped him and used it, sending Garaz back into a mystical slumber. 207

NOKKI (Tibetan demigod, Mountain Spirit) F EX (20) A RM (30) S RM (30) E AM (50) R GD (10) I RM (30) P AM (50) Health: 130 Karma: 90 Resources: MN Popularity: 20 POWERS: Immortality: CL 1000 resistance to aging, disease and toxins. He cannot die even if reduced to 0 Health and Endurance. Invulnerability: Incredible resistance to physical and energy attacks. Allspeak: Nokki has Amazing ability to understand and speak any language he meets. Weather Control: Nokki has Monstrous rank ability to summon freezing winds and snow and alter the weather for a variety of other effects. Change Appearance: Nokki has Amazing rank ability to alter his appearance or become invisible. Any other powers he may possess are unknown. Talents: Nokki is a skilled mountain climber and crafter of gold trinkets. He has Amazing rank knowledge of the Tibetan mountains and local mystical lore. HISTORY Nokki known by the Tibetans as the “sound of the wind”, “a face out of nowhere” and “a storm”, is a Tibetan mountain spirit and a demigod who inhabits a mountain peak high in the Himalayas known to be rich in gold ore and shunned by the local Sherpas that fear trespassing would earn his wrath. Grover Clayton and explorer came across the legend after discovering a golden artifact crafted from the gold from Nokki’s mountain and set about trying to hire a guide to take him there. A Sherpa (secretly Nokki) agreed to take him and they set out to climb to the top where Grover Clayton upon reaching the summit, discovered a whole mountainside was made of pure gold. Double crossing the Sherpa and shooting him with a pistol, Grover Clayton learned to his horror, his guide was none other than Nokki who was impervious to his bullets. Nokki summoned a sudden frigid storm which buried and froze the greedy explorer to death. 208

OTHER DEITIES The Akoğlanlar: In traditional Mongol-Turkic mythology, Ülgen has seven sons, named Akoğlanlar (White Boys) or Kıyatlar. He also has nine daughters, collectively called the Akkızlar, or Kıyanlar. Their individual names are unknown; these daughters are source of inspiration for shamans, a role similar to the Muses of Olympus. Ulgen’s sons are: ● Bakhty Han or Baktı Kan: The god of blessing. ● Burcha Han or Burça Kan: The god of prosperity. ● Kanym Han or Er Kanım: The god of confidence. ● Karakush Han or Karakuş: The god of birds. ● Karshyt Han or Karşıt: The god of purity. ● Pura Han or Bura: The god of horses. ● Yashyl Han or Yaşıl Kan: The god of nature. Turkic Gods: These are other members of the Tenger; they have yet to appear in Marvel canon. ● Aisyt - Goddess of beauty. She is also the mother goddess of the Yakut people from Siberia. ● Ak Ana - Goddess of creation. Ak Ana, is the primordial creatorgoddess of Turkic people. She is also known as the goddess of the water. ● Alaz - God of fire in Turkic mythology. Also known as AlasBatyr or sometimes Alaz Khan. ● Baianai - Hunting Goddess. She is also the Yakut goddess of forests and joy. ● Boz Tengri - God mostly seen as the god of the ground and steppes ● Burkut - Eagle God. The eagle god Burkut symbolizes the sun and power. ● Etugen - Earth Goddess. Her name originates from Ötüken, the holy mountain of the earth and fertility goddess of the ancient Turks. ● Gun Ana - Sun Goddess. She is the common Turkic solar deity, treated as a goddess in the Kazakh and Kyrgyz mythologies. ● Hurmuz or Kurmez - God of souls. Also he is a god in Mongolian mythology and shamanism, described as the chief of the 55 gods. ● Jaiyk - God of rivers. He is a god in Turkic pantheon, previously known as Dayık in Altai mythology. He lives at the junction of 17 rivers. ● Kubai - Goddess of born / birth and children. She protects women who give birth. She gives the children souls. ● Kyzaghan - War god of the European Huns. The first Turks did not have a war god. Kyzaghan is the son of Kayra and the brother of Ulgan. ● Mergen - God of wisdom. Son of Kaira. He is a Turkic deity of abundance and knowledge. ● Od Ana - Goddess of fire. Also referred to as goddess of marriage. In Mongolian folklore she is referred to as the "queen of fire". ● Od Ata - God of fire. In Mongolian folklore he is referred to as the Od Khan "king of fire". He is a fire spirit in the shamanistic traditions of Mongolia. ● Öd-Ögöd - God of time. İs seen as the impersonation of time in Turkic mythology. Generally seen with the horse of time and Ödlek ● Su Ana - Goddess of water. Su Ana is said to appear as a naked young woman with a fairy-like face. ● Su Ata - God of water. He appears as an old man with a frog-like face, greenish beard, with his body covered in algae and muck. ● Umay or Umai - Goddess of fertility. She is the goddess of virginity and as such related to women, mothers and children ● Yel Ana - Goddess of winds. In Hungarian folklore she is referred to as the "queen of wind" too. ● Yel Ata - God of winds. In Hungarian folklore he is also referred to as the "king of wind". ● Yer Tanry - Earth Goddess / God. As a fertility goddess, she was recognized as the giver of crops and abundance. 209

Other gods: Primarily minor deities and shamanic nature spirits. ● Adaghan - Mountain God. He protects the mountains and the creatures that live there. His name means sacrifice acceptor. ● Akbugha - God of medicine. He is the god of health and healing in ancient Turkic tradition. He has a white serpent. ● Chokqu - Goddess of good wishes. She fulfills wishes. ● Inehsit - Goddess of childbirth and labour pains. She was the divine helper of women in labour has an obvious origin in the human midwife. ● Izıh - God of wild animals. He is especially the god of freed animals. ● Qovaq - God of the sky. He brings up a new sun every day; for that reason, he is hunted by Yelbehen to stop her and cause total darkness. ● Shalyk - Hunting God. He was the Turkic goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness and protector of forests. ● Talai or Dalai - God of Oceans. He was the personification of the World Ocean, an enormous river encircling the world. ● Ukulan - Water God. He is the chief of the rivers, springs, streams and fountains. ● Uren - Goddess of the harvest. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth. ● Zada - Wind God. He is the ruler of the winds, and owner of Yada Tashy (Wind Stone). ● Zarlık - Goddess of Judgement. She was the goddess of justice, fair judgements and the rights. Spirit creatures: Various named spirits, and supernatural beings that populate Ergenekon. ● Äbädä - Spirit of forest. It is an innocent spirit in Tatar mythology, which looks like an old woman. Äbädä also is represented in mythologies of Siberian peoples. He protects the birds, trees, and animals of the forest. ● Al Basty - Female daemon spirit. She is an ancient female spirit, the personification of guilt, found in folklore throughout the Caucasus Mountains, with origins going as far back as Sumerian mythology. ● Archura - Forest monster. Archura usually appears as a man, but he is able to change his size from that of a blade of grass to a very tall tree. He protects the animals and birds in the forest. ● Ardow - Spirit of water. Ardows are spirits of human souls that died drowning, residing in the element of their own demise. They are responsible for sucking people into swamps and lakes as well as killing the animals standing near the still waters. ● Azmych - Road spirit. He is an evil-spirit that causes disorientation and leads a person aimlessly around and round. The term also refers to lose one's way. ● Basty - Spirit of nightmares. Basty is best known for its shapeshifting abilities and it is an evil spirit or goblin in Turkic folklore which rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on bad dreams (or "nightmares"). ● Bichura - A household spirit in Tatar / Turkic folklore. Traditionally, every house is said to have a Bichura. It has also been said that Bichura can take on the appearance of cats or dogs. It wears red dresses. ● Cadı - A witch or a woman who practices witchcraft. The stereotypical Cadı is commonly portrayed as wicked old woman who has wrinkled skin, pimples, and pointy hats. They also have warts on their noses and sometimes long claw-like fingernails. ● Chak - A folk devil. He was specifically busy corrupting peasants. While sometimes shown in any rustic setting, he was usually pictured standing on or near a willow tree at the edge of a swamp. ● Chesma iyesi - cat-shaped spirit that lives in wells or fountains and tempts youths to drowning. ● Çor - A Jinn-like creature, responsible for mental disorders. ● Erbörü - A creature like Werewolf. It is a mythological or 210

folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse or affliction (e.g. via a bite or scratch from another werewolf). ● Erbüke - A creature like Shahmaran. An Erbüke is often depicted as a wise and benign man with the features of a man above the waist and those of a serpent below the waist. He is held to be king of the snakes. ● Hortdan or Hortlak - A monster, who goes out from graves. The Hortdans are creatures of Azerbaijanese mythology, as a representation of evil spirits, the spirits of the dead. ● Irshi - A fairy-like spirit. She is generally described as a beautiful girl) appearance and having magical powers. Although they are often depicted as young, sometimes winged, tall, radiant, angelic spirits. ● Itbarak - Itbaraks (English: Shaggy Dog) or just Baraks are described as dog-headed humans ("dog headed, dark coloured manly creatures"). According to the Oghuz Khagan Narratives, their country was in the "unknown northwest". ● Iye - A spirit assigned to a specific element, animal, lineage or place. ● Karakoncolos - A malevolent creature. Bogeyman. According to Ottoman Turkish myths, they appear on the first ten days of 'the dreadful cold', when they stand on murky corners, and ask seemingly ordinary questions to the passers-by. ● Khyrtyq - A female swamp demon. In Turkic mythology she is known for being malicious and dangerous. She was said to live in thickets near rivers, streams and lakes. ● Mhachkay - A kin of vampire. It is a creature a bit similar to vampire in Turkic (and especially Tatar) folklore. People who were born with two hearts and two souls were believed to be Mhachkay. ● Neme - A spiritual being. They are mythical creatures originated in Turkic folklore. Nemes are elves very similar to other ones but they keep watch over forests, mountains, caves and underground. ● Orek - Animated corpse like zombi. In Turkic folklore it is an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. It is an animated corpse raised by magical means, such as witchcraft. It is an animated corpse which, by witchcraft, was raised by magical means. ● Peri - An intangible entity. Fairy. Sometimes they are described as agents of evil; later, they are benevolent. They are exquisite, winged, fairy-like creatures ranking between angels and evil spirits. They sometimes visit the realm of mortals. ● Shurala - Forest daemon. According to legends, Şüräle lives in forests. He has long fingers, a horn on its forehead, and a woolly body. He lures victims to a thicket and tickles them to death. ● Susulu - Mermaid in Turkic mythologies. She is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. She is the daughter of the Sea King. ● Ubir - A monster like vampire. It is a mythological or folkloric being in Turkic mythology who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether it is undead person or being. ● Uylak - A witch or spirit that infested people with disease. A Uylak can turn into any animal or any object. He is capable of shapeshifting into a horse, a moth, or a wolf. He is also resistant to Archura's enchantments. ● Yarbogha - A creature like bull. Yarboghas are half-man, half bull; having the torso of a man extending where the neck of a bull should be. They were said to be wild, savage, and lustful. ● Yaryond - A creature like Centaurs. The centaurs are halfman, half horse; having the torso of a man extending where the neck of a horse should be. They were said to be wild, savage, and lustful. 211

● Yuxa - Queen of serpents. According to popular beliefs, every 100-year-old snake is transformed into Yuxa. In fairy tales, Yuxa is described as a beautiful damsel who would marry men in order to beget offspring. ● Zilant - Serpent-like dragon. Since 1730, it has been the official symbol of Kazan. This winged snake is mentioned in legends about the foundation of Kazan. Zilant should be distinguished from Aq Yılan (White Snake), which is the king of snakes. 212

OTHER BEINGS 213

GENGHIS KHAN F EX (20) A GD (10) S GD (10) E EX (20) R GD (10) I EX (20) P GD (10) Health: 60 Karma: 40 Resources: AM (50) Popularity: 30 BACKGROUND Real Name: Temüjin Occupation: Khagan of the Mongol Empire Legal Status: Ruler of the Mongol Empire Identity: No dual identity Other Known Aliases: Great Khan, Genghiz Khan Place of Birth: Near Khentii Province Marital Status: Married Known Relatives: Mongol monarchy (including unnamed sons, Kublai Khan, grandson, deceased); Yellow Claw, Fu Manchu, Woo Yen Jet, Mandarin (alleged descendants); Shang-Chi, Fah Lo Suee, Kwai Far (children of Fu Manchu); Temujin, Sasha Hammer (children of Mandarin) Base of Operations: Mongol Empire, Asia; currently unknown Past Group Affiliations: Mongol Empire Present Group Affiliations: None KNOWN POWERS None EQUIPMENT Sword: 15 Edged damage, Excellent material. Genghis Khan may alternately be equipped with a variety of other typical Mongol weapons such as a lance, axe, mace, or polearm. Bow: 15 shooting damage, Excellent range, Good material 214

Armor: Good physical protection and material strength. Horse: As per typical warhorse (see Advanced Judge’s Book, p.59); will typically have body armor of Good physical protection and material. Spirit Banner: Also known as the Spirit Banner of Temujin, the Spirit Banner of Genghis Khan marks a rightful descendant of Genghis Khan as the Khan of the Eternal Empire and C.E.O. of the Atlas Foundation. It sat atop a flaming pyre from which only the lineage of Temujin could remove it. The fire surrounding the banner would burn all who touched it (including the Khan’s descendants) but only a Khan descendant could remove it. Crown of Confucius: This item was once sought by Temujin; it allegedly legitimizes the wearer as the ruler of China. Although Genghis Khan was unsuccessful in this endeavor, his successors did eventually conquer China through the incremental expansion of the Mongol Empire. The crown’s origin is unknown, and it is unknown if the crown had any powers beyond its symbolism. Talents: Wrestling, Fencing, Leadership, Martial Arts A, B, Horsemanship, Equestrian Combat, Bows, Languages: Mongolian and several Chinese dialects Contacts: Mongol Empire, Tenger ADDITIONAL NOTES The location of the spirit of Genghis Khan is unverified. Alex Wilder encountered Temujin in “Hell”, but it is unknown why the Great Khan’s spirit was not resting in Ergenekon or Tamag. Maybe Temujin was just visiting. ROLE-PLAYING NOTES Temujin was a despotic conqueror who ordered the systematic slaughter of civilians in conquered regions, cruelties and destruction by Mongol armies. On a positive note, he was also a visionary who instituted certain levels of meritocracy in his rule, was tolerant of religions and explained his policies clearly to all his soldiers. He was a highly charismatic leader who inspired worship in his followers and fear in his enemies. HISTORY Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan, was a real-world historical figure who united the Mongol tribes in the late 12th century A.D., resulting in the largest empire the world has ever known. In Mongolia, he has been worshipped as a semideity for his accomplishments and as an embodiment of the ideals and power of the Tenger; some sects believe him to have had divine ancestry. In the universe of Earth616, he has also interacted with the modern world’s heroes and villains by means of time travel and similar phenomena. Temüjin was born on 1167 in a small Mongol tribe. When he was 13 years old, he succeeded his father as the tribe leader. He led his tribe against two neighbour tribes and obtained the title of The Great Khan, later changing his name to Genghis Khan. In ten years, he unified all the Mongol tribes under his command, and in 1223 he commanded an Empire from Iran to Korea. During his attempts to conquer China, he sought to obtain the Crown of Confucius that would make him absolute ruler of China. This attempt was thwarted by 1940s time traveler Tommy Tyme who tossed the crown 215

down a supposedly bottomless pit before returning to his own time. Genghis Khan and at least one hundred of his soldiers were catapulted to Dodge City in 1871 due to a temporal anomaly. He quickly organized a camp with twenty tents, and began campaigning to obtain valuable resources such as land or food. He would find to other timetraveling generals, Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte, and begin a war with both of them. Due to the conflict, he would lose one of his commanders. He ordered to construct an arena in his camp so that his men and allies could fight for the honor. Some time-traveling heroes went to visit the Khan. They wanted to warn him of an alien threat, the Krozzar, which could only be fought with an alliance between the three Human generals. Genghis Khan was interested in this, and offered the newcomers a chance to prove their worth in the arena combat and, later, in a ceremonial hunt. During the hunt, Genghis Khan was attacked by seven of Napoleon's horsemen, but the attack was repealed by the heroes. This impressed The Khan enough to allow a meeting with Alexander and Napoleon. The three armies together and ready, led by the best military minds in history, were more than a match for Alzzan's alien forces: The Krozzar never managed to capture the needed route, not even after fifteen hours of non-stop battle. However, during this time, the super-heroes sneaked into the Krozzar base and defused their only bomb. Eventually, the heroes managed to solve the time-crisis. Genghis Khan and all of his men returned home. Around 1227 A.D., Genghis Khan and his army attacked a small village within range of K'un-Lun. Bei-Ming Tian, bearer of the mystical mantle of Iron Fist confronted the invaders, and slew Genghis Khan in battle. Khan's soul ended up in “Hell.” Alex Wilder, hoping to escape the same infernal realm, met with Khan, Al Capone and Sun Tzu in hopes of finding a way to escape. 216

Yeti (typical specimen) F GD (10) A EX (20) S RM (30) E RM (30) R FB (2) I PR (4) P PR (4) Health: 90 Karma: 10 Resources: 0 Popularity: -10 KNOWN POWERS Resist Cold: Remarkable rank Claws/Fangs: Excellent edged damage ROLE-PLAYING NOTES Yeti are reclusive and semi-intelligent. They are generally belligerent when encountered although have been known to be benevolent on occasion. They have a limited ability to speak in their own language, which includes hisses and grunts, and are able to use simple tools such as rocks and clubs. HISTORY The Yeti, or as they have become to be known, the Abominable Snowmen, are a fur-covered humanoid ape-like creature that inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, India and Tibet. It is unknown how much the Yeti relate to the Bigfoot or Sasquatch of North America. The name Yeti, also known as Migou, is commonly used by the people indigenous to the region. The scientific community and the world once regarded the Yeti as a legend, but due to interaction with various heroes their identity is publicly known. Paul Harper, a man who traveled back in time and encountered Neanderthals, also theorized that the Abominable Snowman was a Neanderthal that was preserved in time by an avalanche and thawed out millions of years later. It's possible this could have happened, but they would be lone individuals separate from the other varieties of encountered yeti. Carl Hanson was obsessed with finding the Abominable Snowman, causing him to make a terrible miscalculation and use a cursed picture of the beast (which he stole) to search for him. The result was that Carl himself slowly became the Abominable Snowman as he searched for the real thing. 217

During a quest in Tibet, Shang-Chi was defeated by the Lama of Rach Churan, who mind-controlled him to ascend the Minya Konka Mountain and throw himself off but was saved by one of the Yeti. As the Silver Surfer traveled the Earth, he was attacked by Yetis. The Silver Surfer escaped, not wanting to harm the creatures, for they did it only because they distrusted man, not understanding them. The Silver Surfer saw that the humans, too, were like the Yeti, distrusting that they did not understand. When Black Panther and Mister Little were travelling over the Himalayas, their plane was hit by a beam. Surviving, they were attacked by a Yeti, and Black Panther managed to knock it out using a rudimentary lever system that launched a heavy rock that smashed the creature in the face. At another point, Elaine Simpson and Man-Thing were buried in an avalanche and were rescued by a group of Yetis who took them to the Norwegian explorer Hiram Swenson. He had discovered the tribe and decided to protect their culture from the outside world, by insuring its secrecy. Deciding that the Man-Thing and Elaine were a threat to the civilization, he had them taken prisoner. One of the elders of the tribe believed that the Man-Thing was their mammoth god and worshipped it. This belief did not remove them from their intended fate: to be burned at the stake. The Man-Thing managed to get free, and Roger Grafton arrived with an expedition team, shooting at the tribespeople and killing Swenson. 218

CHAPTER 5: HINDU MYTHOLOGY Indian religion is extremely old, the subcontinent being one of the first sites in which mankind has independently developed civilization. In the Marvel Universe, the Daevas are the primary inhabitants of the realm of Nirvana and the main representatives of the myths of Indian culture. However, the Daevas are a broad category that includes personae from both Hindu and Vedic mythology, as well as influences from Buddhism, Persian myths, and elsewhere. The number of Indian mystic realms is also difficult to define, as “Nirvana” in several realworld religions is more akin to a concept -- a higher state of enlightenment, achievable only through freeing one’s self of personal ego and material concerns -- than a place. Indian mythology describes many heavenly realms, and the relationship among them is not always clear. The deities of Indian mythology are far more powerful than other pantheons in the Marvel Universe due to a number of reasons. For one thing, Hinduism is a real-world religion with over a billion followers, and Marvel canon establishes that a being’s power is proportional to its number of followers. The number of Indian deities is difficult to determine: various sources relate their number being anywhere from 33 to 33 million. For purposes of Marvel cosmology, it can be assumed that the 33 refers to the principal Daevas, and 33 million may refer to the total number of inhabitants of their divine realms. Lastly, the feats described in Hindu mythology are far beyond those described in the myths of many other cultures, which is reflected here in their descriptions and backed up by canon references to their interaction with cosmic entities. The cosmic balance appears to be preserved only by the fact that the Daevas exercise restraint, and take a more “handsoff” approach to their dealings with mortals. 219

INDIAN MYTHOLOGY IN A MARVEL CAMPAIGN The Daevas tend to be among the most “cosmic” of the Marvel pantheons: whereas gods like the Xian have a tendency to walk the earth interacting with mortals, the Daevas tend to interact more with cosmic entities like Eternity and the Living Tribunal and face threats like the Elder Gods. As such, GMs may find them most suitable to upperlevel campaigns involving the likes of Thor and his cohorts and Doctor Strange. Being among the first pantheons outside of the Asgardians and Olympians to be used by early Marvel creators like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, their presence is well-grounded in the overall Marvel cosmology. If you do want to run adventures in a mystical Hindu setting, there’s no shortage of material to draw from. Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata are filled with content that can be easily adapted. Much of Indian mythology is loaded with the same ingredients as modern superhero comics: wars with alien races, superweapons of phenomenal power, quests to kill magical beasts, and complex characters who change their alliance at the drop of a hat, and even flying battleships -- sound familiar? For a more down-to-earth campaign, the Daevas’ influence can be seen behind the scenes in many respects, such as the various temples devoted to and inspired by them throughout the adventures of Eastern-oriented heroes like Doctor Strange and Iron Fist. The thuggee cult of Kali is one such influence, and could be used by a GM as a villainous organization either for modern superheroics, or 1930s pulp-style adventures such as those of a certain world-traveling archaeologist. The Daevas have also shown up in the mutant world. The Daevas, their allies, enemies, and descendants appear in the alternate timeline of Earth-41001 (the timeline of X-Men: The End and GeNext titles) which closely parallel the Earth-616 timeline up until some point in the future. Presumably the Daevas and other mythological counterparts shown in these series are identical to those active in the 616 universe. 220

TALENTS AND WEAPONS Indian weapons take many forms, including regional variations on knives, swords, maces, polearms, etc. of the sort found worldwide. There are also many variations of Martial Arts native to India, most of which easily fall within the established categories of Martial Arts A through E. This section describes some talents and weapons unique to the Indian subcontinent. Chakram: The chakram is a flat metal disc that may be used as a throwing weapon. As with boomerangs, a character with the Thrown Weapons or Weapons Specialist talent can throw it so that it can return to one’s hand. A chakram does 10 points of Edged Thrown damage and is usually made of Good strength material. They come in a variety of sizes. The smallest, called chakri, do not return when thrown but are small enough that they can be worn as knuckledusters for Edged damage in hand-to-hand combat, or may be carried in a stack to be thrown rapidly like a shuriken. The largest, called vada chakra, are shield-sized and will also not return when thrown, but may also be used as a handheld weapon for Edged damage, or may be used to Block an attack. Pata: This is a “gauntlet-sword”, that is, a sword that has a gauntlet built into the hilt, with a crossbar inside with which to hold it. The pata is most commonly paired with either a shield or another pata, though it can also be used with a javelin, axe, or belt. Typically, it does 10 points of Edged damage and is constructed of Excellent material. The extended grip provided by the forearm permits powerful slashes but restricts any thrusts; skilled pata fighters use spinning techniques with dual pata described as "much like a windmill.” Due to its unusual nature, the Sharp Weapons and Fencing talents do not provide a bonus, but weapons specialization may be taken for this item. Users with Pata as a specialized weapon may attack with it at +1CS to Fighting, and -1CS to an opponent’s body armor. The Mughal armies used a variation on the pata that incorporated a matchlock firearm rather than a sword. Urumi: The urumi is a sword from South Asia with several flexible whiplike blades. Originating in what are now southern India and Sri Lanka, the urumi is considered one of the most difficult weapons to master due to the risk of injuring oneself. It is treated as a steel whip and therefore requires prior knowledge of that 221

weapon as well as the sword. The urumi does 12 points of Edged damage and may also be used for a Grabbing or Grappling attack. Maduvu: The maduvu, also known as a maru or madu, is a defensive weapon resembling a shield with two blackbuck horns pointing in opposite directions. Later variations were often tipped with steel and sometimes fitted with a plate of leather or steel to act as a shield. In Punjab, the maru was typically constructed entirely of steel. Use of the maduvu favors a low stance, in which the wielder strives to stay lower than the opponent thereby reducing any openings to the body's vital points. Typically, the maru-wielder will block or parry attacks before countering with a thrust, choke, lock or disarm. Offensively the maru is treated similarly to a dagger, used for stabbing. This weapon does 10 points of Edged damage, and may be used for blocking; it also provides 10 points of Body Armor when used actively. Their construction is in a range of materials ranging from a strength of Poor to Excellent. NEW TALENTS Mallayuddha: This is a traditional form of combat wrestling that originated in India and spread to Pakistan and throughout South Asia. Mallayuddha incorporates grappling, joint-breaking, punching, biting, choking and pressure point striking. Characters with this Martial Art form gain +1CS when making Grappling attacks, and +1CS damage to Strength upon attacking with it successfully. Bal Vidya: This non-combative Martial Art is a system of 64 different types of skills combined to augment the energies of the mind, body and intellect. In addition, this knowledge helps the mind, intellect and the energy to work together. Practitioners of this art making a successful Psyche roll may temporarily raise both Endurance and Intuition by +1CS, lasting for a number of rounds equal to his or her Psyche. Mahout: A mahout is an elephant rider, trainer, or keeper; the character with this Talent may ride and attack from an elephant without penalty. In India, mahouts are a family profession, and elephants are used as war cavalry, in ceremonial processions, and as pack animals. Yoga: Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India. There are many varieties of yoga, but all have the principle goal in mind to achieve peace and health through a unity of body, mind and spirit. Characters with this skill gain +1CS to any FEAT involving physical flexibility. Yoga has become popular throughout the world, and a character needn’t have an Indian background to benefit from it. In game terms, the character is assumed to be practicing yoga as exercise, whether or not they incorporate a philosophical element. 222

NEW POWER Astradhari: This is the ability to invoke the power of a deity’s astra (supernatural weapon) into a weapon of the character’s choosing. Due to the immense power of the astras, this is a single-use power with a catch: the character must make a red Psyche FEAT roll in order to use the item without penalty. A Yellow FEAT roll indicates that the invocation has gone wrong, and the user suffers Shift Y (250 points) of magical damage but the spell is otherwise successful. A Green result indicates that the user suffers Shift Y damage without the benefit of the enchanted weapon, and a White result means that the user suffers Shift Z (500 points) of damage without the benefit of the weapon. Virtually any sort of item may be infused with the invocation, even mundane items such as a blade of grass. The object so infused gains the material strength, abilities and properties of the astra being invoked (see Objects of Power). A character may use multiple power slots to take this power more than once (one invocation per slot). Certain astras have to be handed down from the deity involved directly, knowledge of the incantation being insufficient. At the GM’s discretion, he or she may declare the item to be the personal possession of the deity invoked and the invocation will not be available to the character, at no penalty (this is to prevent the abuse of power in the case of the most powerful items). 223

INDIAN COSMOLOGY The Daevas dwell in Nirvana, the highest state of existence known to man, a cosmology of worlds consisting of but not limited to Vaikuntha, the home of Vishnu; Kailasa, the home of Shiva; Amaravati, the home of Indra; Ceylon, the home of the monkey gods; and other assorted worlds. An interdimensional nexus between Nirvana and Earth exists somewhere on Mount Himavat (modern Mount Everest) in modern Tibet. In ancient times, the Himalayas were known as the Lokapalas, the mountains holding up the heavens. Worship of the Hindu gods has extended through modern Pakistan and Iran and down into Burma, Indonesia and Indonesia. There are said to be many levels of the cosmos, all of which generally fall into one of three categories: Desire realms, the Form realm (rūpadhātu, i.e. Earth) and the Formless realm (ārūpadhātu). All beings are said to pass through these three domains during their karmic cycle towards enlightenment. One common interpretation is that there are three domains of upper realms and three of lower ones. Domains of the upper realms include: ● God realm (Daevas): the gods lead long and enjoyable lives full of pleasure and abundance, but they spend their lives pursuing meaningless distractions and never think to practice the dharma. When death comes to them, they are completely unprepared; without realizing it, they have completely exhausted their good karma (which was the cause for being reborn in the god realm) and they suffer through being reborn in the lower realms. ● Demi-god realm (Asuras): the asuras have pleasure and abundance almost as much as the gods, but they spend their time fighting among themselves or making war on the gods. When they make war on the gods, they always lose, since the gods are much more powerful. The asuras suffer from constant fighting and jealousy, and from being killed and wounded in their wars with each other and with the gods. ● Human realm (Manuṣya): humans suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, cold, separation from friends, being attacked by enemies, not getting what they want, and getting what they don't want. They also suffer from the general sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. Yet the human realm is considered to be the most suitable realm for practicing the dharma, because humans are not completely distracted by pleasure (like the Daevas or asuras) or by pain and suffering (like the beings in the lower realms). Domains of the lower realms are: ● Animal realm (Tiryagyoni): This domain is where the souls reside of the nonhuman animals of Earth. It is a lower realm because animals are believed to be driven by impulse and instinct, they prey on each other and suffer. Although human and animal souls live in separate domains of existence, they can still see each other because their domains are so close to each other in the vertical cosmology, just like how the Daevas and Asuras can see each other despite being in separate domains. ● Hungry ghost realm (Preta): This is the realm of hungry ghosts suffer from extreme hunger and thirst. They wander constantly in search of food and drink, only to be miserably frustrated any time they come close to actually getting what they want. For example, they see a stream of pure, clear water in the distance, but by the time they get there the stream has dried up. Hungry ghosts have huge bellies and long, thin necks. On the rare occasions that they do manage to find something to eat or drink, the food or water burns their neck as it goes down to their belly, causing them intense agony. ● Hell realm (Patala): Hell beings endure unimaginable suffering 224

for eons of time. There are actually eighteen different types of hells, each inflicting a different kind of torment. In the hot hells, beings suffer from unbearable heat and continual torments of various kinds. In the cold hells, beings suffer from unbearable cold and other torments. FORMLESS REALMS The Ārūpyadhātu or "Formless realm" would have no place in a purely physical cosmology, as none of the beings inhabiting it has either shape or location; and correspondingly, the realm has no location either. This realm belongs to those Daevas who attained and remained in the Four Formless Absorptions (catuḥsamāpatti) of the arūpadhyānas in a previous life, and now enjoy the fruits of the good karma of that accomplishment. There are four types of Ārūpyadhātu, which are progressively as spheres around one another: ● Naivasa: "Sphere of neither perception nor non-perception". In this sphere the formless beings have gone beyond a mere negation of perception and have attained a liminal state where they do not engage in "perception" but are not wholly unconscious. ● Ākiṃcanyāyatana or Ākiñcaññāyatana: "Sphere of Nothingness." In this sphere, formless beings dwell contemplating upon the thought that "there is no thing". This is considered a form of perception, though a very subtle one. ● Vijñānānantyāyatana or Viññāṇānañcāyatana: "Sphere of Infinite Consciousness." In this sphere, formless beings dwell meditating on their consciousness as infinitely pervasive. ● Ākāśānantyāyatana or Ākāsānañcāyatana: "Sphere of Infinite Space." In this sphere, formless beings dwell meditating upon space or extension as infinitely pervasive. FORM REALM The Rūpadhātu or "Form realm" is, as the name implies, the first of the physical realms; its inhabitants all have a location and bodies of a sort, though those bodies are composed of a subtle substance which is of itself invisible to the inhabitants of the Desire Realms. The beings of the Form realm are not subject to the extremes of pleasure and pain, or governed by sensual desires, as the beings of the Desire Realms are. The bodies of Form realm beings do not have sexual distinctions. Physically, the Rūpadhātu consists of a series of planes stacked on top of each other, each one in a series of steps half the size of the previous one as one descends. In part, this reflects the fact that the devas are also thought of as physically larger on the higher planes. The highest planes are also broader in extent than the ones lower down. Bṛhatphala worlds: These are Buddhist sub-dimensions similar to the Pure Abodes. The mental state of the Daevas of the Bṛhatphala worlds is characterized by equanimity. They include: ● Asaññasatta: "Unconscious beings", Daevas who have attained a high dhyāna (similar to that of the Formless Realm), and, wishing to avoid the perils of perception, have achieved a state of non-perception in which they endure for a time. After a while, however, perception arises again and they fall into a lower state. ● Bṛhatphala or Vehapphala: Daevas with a large amount of positive karma live here. Some Anāgāmins are reborn here. ● Puṇyaprasava: The world of the Daevas who are the "offspring of merit." ● Anabhraka: The world of the "cloudless" Daevas. Śubhakṛtsna worlds: The mental state of the Daevas of the Śubhakṛtsna worlds is characterized by a quiet joy. These devas have bodies that radiate a steady light. The Śubhakṛtsna worlds include Śubhakṛtsna or Subhakiṇṇa, the world of "total beauty”; Apramāṇaśubha or Appamāṇasubha, the world of "limitless (infinite) beauty"; and Parīttaśubha or Parittasubha, a world of "limited (finite) beauty." Ābhāsvara worlds: The mental state of the Daevas of the Ābhāsvara 225

worlds is characterized by delight and joy; the Ābhāsvara Daevas are said to shout aloud in their joy, crying aho sukham! ("Oh joy!"). These devas have bodies that emit flashing rays of light like lightning. They are said to have similar bodies (to each other) but diverse perceptions. The worlds include Ābhāsvara or Ābhassara, a world of Daevas "possessing splendor"; Apramāṇābha or Appamāṇābha, a world of Daevas of "limitless light", a concept on which they meditate; and Parīttābha or Parittābha, a world of Daevas of "limited light." Brahmā worlds: The mental state of the Daevas of the Brahmā worlds is characterized by observation , reflection, delight, and joy. These worlds include: ● Mahābrahmā, the world of "Great Brahmā", believed by many to be the creator of the world. ● Brahmapurohita, home to the "Ministers of Brahmā," beings, also originally from the Ābhāsvara worlds, that are born as companions to Mahābrahmā after he has spent some time alone. Since they arise subsequent to his thought of a desire for companions, he believes himself to be their creator, and they likewise believe him to be their creator and lord. ● Brahmapāriṣadya or Brahmapārisajja, home to the "Councilors of Brahmā" or the Daevas "belonging to the assembly of Brahmā". They are also called Brahmakāyika, but this name can be used for any of the inhabitants of the Brahmaworlds. DESIRE REALMS These are pocket dimensions known as Kāmadhātu (“Pure Land,”), through which one may pass to free oneself of earthly desires in order to pass to the next level and reach ultimate enlightenment. There are many differing accounts of how many levels there are, but the “levels of materiality” are often said to number either eighteen or sixteen. The major Daevas live in the last five heavens, collectively designated as the Five Pure Abodes; only souls who are already on their way to enlightenment may enter these realms. Nexus points to these realms can be found in the earthly plane, spread widely throughout the universe. These levels are, progressively: ● Akaniṣṭha or Akaniṭṭha; – World of Daevas "equal in rank." The highest of all the Rūpadhātu (Purel Land) worlds, it is often used to refer to the highest extreme of the universe. The duration of life in Akaniṣṭha is said to be about 69 trillion years. Shiva is said to dwell here. ● Sudarśana – The "clear-seeing" Daevas live in a world similar to and friendly with the Akaniṣṭha world. ● Sudṛśa or Sudassa – The world of the "beautiful" Daevas are said to be the place of rebirth for five kinds of anāgāmins (enlightened souls). ● Atapa, or Atappa – The world of the "untroubled" Daevas, whose company those of lower realms wish for. ● Avṛha or Aviha – The world of the "not falling" Daevas, perhaps the most common destination for reborn Anāgāmins. Many achieve enlightenment directly in this world, but some pass away and are reborn in sequentially higher worlds of the Pure Abodes until they are at last reborn in the Akaniṣṭha world. HEAVENS The following four worlds are bounded planes, each 80,000 yojanas square, which float in the air above the top of Mount Sumeru. Although all of the worlds inhabited by Daevas or Asuras (or both) and are sometimes called "heavens," in the western sense of the word the term best applies to the four worlds listed below: ● Parinirmita-vaśavartin or Paranimmita-vasavatti: The heaven of Daevas "with power over (others') creations". These Daevas do not create pleasing forms that they desire for themselves, but their desires are fulfilled by the acts of other Daevas who wish for their favor. The ruler of this world is called 226

Vaśavartin, who has longer life, greater beauty, more power and happiness and more delightful sense-objects than the others of his world. ● Nirmāṇarati or Nimmānaratī is a world of Daevas "delighting in their creations". The Daevas of this world are capable of making any appearance to please themselves. The lord of this world is called Sunirmita; his wife is the rebirth of Visākhā, formerly the chief of the upāsikās (female lay devotees) of the Buddha. ● Tuṣita or Tusita: The world of the "joyful" Daevas. This world is best known for being the world in which a Bodhisattva lives before being reborn in the world of humans. ● Yāma: Not to be confused with the god Yama or his realm of Yamalya.This realm is sometimes called the "heaven without fighting", because it is the lowest of the heavens to be physically separated from the tumults of the earthly world. These devas live in the air, free of all difficulties. Its ruler is the Daeva Suyāma; according to some, his wife is the rebirth of Sirimā, a courtesan of Rājagṛha in the Buddha's time who was generous to the monks. WORLDS OF SUMERU The world-mountain of Sumeru is an immense, strangely shaped peak which arises in the center of its world, and around which the Sun and Moon revolve. Its base rests in a vast ocean, and it is surrounded by several rings of lesser mountain ranges and oceans. The three worlds listed below are all located on, or around, Sumeru. The Trāyastriṃśa Daevas live on its peak, the Cāturmahārājikakāyika Daevas live on its slopes, and Asuras live in the ocean at its base. Sumeru and its surrounding oceans and mountains are the home not just of these deities, but also vast assemblies of beings of popular mythology who only rarely intrude on the human world. ● Trāyastriṃśa or Tāvatiṃsa: The world "of the Thirty-Three (Daevas)" is a wide flat space on the top of Mount Sumeru, filled with the gardens and palaces of the Daevas. Its ruler is Śakra. Besides the eponymous ThirtyThree Daevas, many other Daevas and supernatural beings dwell here, including the attendants of the Daevas and many heavenly courtesan sapsaras (nymphs). The beings of this world are 1,500 feet tall. ● Cāturmahārājikakāyika or Cātummahārājika: The world "of the Four Great Kings" is found on the lower slopes of Mount Sumeru, though some of its inhabitants live in the air around the mountain. Its rulers are the four Great Kings, Virūḍhaka, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūpākṣa, and their leader Vaiśravaṇa. The Daevas who guide the Sun and Moon are also considered part of this world, as are the retinues of the four kings, composed of Kumbhāṇḍas (dwarfs), Gandharva (fairies), Nāgas (dragons) and Yakṣas (goblins). The beings of this world are 750 feet talls. ● Asura: The world of the Asuras is the space at the foot of Mount Sumeru, much of which is a deep ocean. It is not the Asuras' original home, but the place they found themselves after they were hurled, drunken, from Trāyastriṃśa where they had formerly lived. The Asuras are always fighting to regain their lost kingdom on the top of Mount Sumeru, but are unable to break the guard of the Four Great Kings. The Asuras are divided into many groups, and have no single ruler, but among their leaders are Vemacitrin and Rāhu. MANUṢYALOKA This is the world of humans and human-like beings who live on the surface of the earth. Hindu texts describe a different geography than the one that is known to be true of Earth-616; most likely, these texts describe the world before the Great Cataclysm. 227

Lokas: Nirvana is a part of one of the Hindu lokas -- the sub-dimensions that make up the Hindu dimensional system. The cosmic void surrounding the lokas is called the Aloka. According to Hindu cosmology, the universe contains 7 upper and 7 lower planetary systems. Hindu sacred texts identify 14 worlds, seven higher ones (Vyahrtis) and seven lower ones (Pātālas). Some of the other lokas include: ● Bhūloka - The sphere of the earth or Bhū-loka, comprehending its oceans, mountains, and rivers, extends as far as it is illuminated by the rays of the sun and moon; and to the same extent, both in diameter and circumference, the sphere of the sky (Bhuva-loka) spreads above it (as far upwards as to the planetary sphere, or Swar-loka). Wherever earthy substance exists that may be traversed by foot, it constitutes the sphere of the earth (Bhu Loka). ● Bhuva Loka - The region that extends from the earth to the sun, in which celestial beings move, is the atmospheric sphere (Bhuva Loka). Bhuva-loka is identified with Earth’s atmosphere and sometimes with the space in the immediate neighborhood of Earth. ● Suva Loka - The interval between the sun and Dhruva (a demigod devotee of Vishnu), extending fourteen hundred thousand leagues. Suva-loka (alternatively Swar-loka) is beyond Bhuvaloka. Some references equate Suvaloka to the Solar System. ● Mahaloka - Above Dhruva, at the distance of ten million leagues, lays the sphere of saints, or Maha-loka, the inhabitants of which dwell in it throughout a Kalpa, or day of Brahmá, about 4.32 million years. ● Janaloka - At twice that distance is situated Janaloka, where Sanandana and other pureminded sons of Brahmá, reside. ● Tapoloka - At four times the distance, between the two last, lies the Tapo-loka (the sphere of penance), inhabited by the deities called Vaibhrájas, who are unconsumable by fire. ● Satyaloka - At six times the 228

distance, a hundred and twenty millions of leagues, is situated Satya-loka, the sphere of truth, the inhabitants of which never again know death. Tripura: In the Hyborian era (or possibly earlier) three cities, the Tripura, were constructed by the great Asura architect Mayasura. They were great cities of prosperity, power and dominance over the world, but due to their impious nature, the cities were destroyed by god Tripurantaka, an aspect of Shiva. The three cities were made of iron, silver and gold and were located on earth, in the sky and in heaven, respectively. They were destroyed in a war between Daevas and Asuras. Nirvana In addition to being a classic 1990s grunge band, Nirvana is a "pocket" dimension adjacent to Earth that can be reached by freeing one's mind of craving, anger, and suffering. It is one of the higher lokas. It is also home to the Asura, a race of demons. Also known as "Nibbana," the celestial Nirvana appears to be built on a small planetary object centered on Mount Meru, Mount Kailāsā, and the realm of Vaikuntha. Like most other pantheon realms, despite its unusual cosmological configuration, Nirvana somehow manages to sustain an earth-like environment with a breathable atmosphere, similar level of gravity, etc. The main land mass in Nirvana resembles Ancient India at its height without mortal or European influence. Nirvana’s gardens and forests are home to plants and wildlife resembling that of the Indian subcontinent of Earth, plus a number of magical beasts, and many native plants with mystical properties. Among the significant trees of Nirvana are Akshayavat, the Tree of Life; Kalpavriksha, the wish-fulfilling tree; and the Ashvattha, the tree under which Gautama Buddha meditated and gained enlightenment. The Ashvattha (also known as the Bodhi tree) is a manifestation of the Axis Mundi, or World Tree, that extends through the Earth and all of the godly realms; the momentous 229

occasion of the Buddha’s ascension was marked by the appearance of the Greek Titan, Atlas, who is mystically bound to the Axis. Thor and Amadeus Cho followed Vali Halfling to Krauncha (see below) where he used his newfound power to control the Asura to grab on to the King of Snakes and turned the Mount Mandara so it churns the Milky Ocean until the sacred Moon-Cup was revealed. Cho knocked out Thor using a combination of magic and earthly technology and battled Vali. Vali summoned his children the Pantheon to help in the fight, which also brought Delphyne who was battling one at the time. During the battle Cho drank the Ink from the Book of Thoth in the Moon-Cup becoming one with the Universe. Svarga: Svarga Loka, also known as Swarga or Svarga, is a set of heavenly worlds located on and above Mt. Meru where the righteous live in paradise before their next incarnation. Svarga is seen as a transitory place for righteous souls who have performed good deeds in their lives but are not yet ready to attain moksha, or elevation to Vaikunta, the abode of Lord Vishnu. The capital of Svarga is Amaravati and its entrance was once guarded by Airavata. Svarga is presided over by Indra. It is a region for the virtuous alone with celestial gardens called Nandana planted with sacred trees and sweet-scented flowers. The fragrant groves are occupied by female cloud-spirits called Apsaras. Low sweet music plays. Indra's abode is eight hundred miles in circumference and forty miles in height. The pillars of Amaravati are composed of diamonds and its furniture is made of pure gold. Amaravati's palaces are also made of gold. Pleasant breezes carry the perfume of rose-colored flowers. Amaravati was built by Lord Vishwakarma, the architect of the gods, a son of Lord Brahma. The inhabitants of Amaravati are entertained by music, dancing and every sort of festivity. Divinity fills up the entire region. The audience chamber of Amaravati accommodates the three hundred and thirty million divine beings, together with the forty-eight thousand Rishis and the multitude of attendants. Himavanta: This is a legendary forest which surrounds the base of Mount Meru in Hindu mythology. It is said to 230

be the home of an assortment of mythical creatures, such as Nāga, Kinnara, Apsonsi, Zawgyi and Garuda. The mythical Nariphon tree of Buddhist mythology, often mentioned in Thai folklore, is said to grow there; the tree bears fruit in the shape of young maidens. Dvipas and Sagaras: The planetoid that the Daevas call home is divided into seven continents, called dvipas. Of the seven, Krauncha is the one that most Daevas call home. The dvipas take their names from the predominant vegetation or geographical features on each. They are: Jambu ("Indian Blackberry tree"); Plaksha ("Ficus religiosa (Peepal) tree"); Shalmali ("Bombax tree"); Kusha ("grass"; Krauncha ("Mountain"); Shaka (" Pine tree"); and Pushkara (" Maple tree"). The continent of Krauncha is surrounded by Kshir Sagar, the Ocean of Milk, which is the fifth of seven oceans known as sagaras. According to Hindu mythology, the Daevas and Asuras worked together for a millennium to churn the ocean and release amrita, the nectar of immortal life; the churning process also released amrita’s opposite substance, halahala, a black poison lethal to Daevas and Asuras alike. The churning of the ocean also produced fourteen gems of cosmic magical power (called Ratnas), which were divided evenly between the Daevas and Asuras. Other milky sagaras are the Yoghurt Ocean, and the Ghee Ocean [yes, really]. Some of the significant geographical regions of Krauncha include: ● Vulture Peak: On this level, Gautama Buddha met with the bodhisattvas there (a bodhisattva is a soul that has reached enlightenment but has stayed among mortals to assist them on their spiritual journey). ● Inner Court of Tushita: This is a place of learning; the Inner Court of Tushita was historically a popular place for Buddhists to wish to be reborn in. ● Abhirati: This is a “diamond land” in the west, suggested by some scholars to be the earliest pure land mentioned in Mahayana sutras. ● Vaidūryanirbhāsa: This land in the east is compared by some pure land Buddhists to Abhirati’s pure land in the west. ● Zangdok Palri, the Coppercoloured Mountain. ● Changle, a Taoist pure land. ● Manidvipa is an island situated in the middle of an ocean called the Sudhā Samudra (The Ocean of Nectar). The continent of Shakdvipa, also called Shwetadvipa or Shaka, is a mystical island surrounded by a sea of whey and measures about 250 miles across. Shakdvipa lies to the south of the 'Sea of Salt'. The island has a huge tree of Shaka, hence its name. The tree is said to have a sweet fragrance, the whole island emits a pleasant scent. The mythical ruler of this island, Medhatithi, was a son of the mythical king Priyvrata. Medhatihi, the king of Shakdvipa, had seven sons- Purojav, Manojav, Pawamana, Dhumranik, Chitraref, Bahurup and Vishwdhar. They were made the rulers of the seven divisions of the island. The people of the island are followers of Vishnu. The planetoid of Nirvana is encircled by Lokaloka, an enormous mountain belt believed to be over 76,000 miles in breadth, and as many in height. Its name means "a world and no world” because it is the dividing line between the known world and the cosmic void. Vaikuntha: Another significant level of the Indian dimensions is Vaikuntha, whereupon is located the celestial abode of Vishnu. According to some Hindu beliefs, Vaikuntha is the highest of the heavenly abodes (which are themselves higher than the material realms), and a place of pure bliss. Within Vaikuntha are said to be 10,008 palaces in which Vishnu resides simultaneously, as Vishnu is able to create any number of avatars while on his home plane. All the Vaikunta lokas are said to be like petals of a lotus flower, and the centre is called Krishna Loka or Goloka Vrindavan (or more commonly, just Galoka). It is the 231

topmost of all the lokas, and rare is the soul who is allowed to go there. Goloka is the eternal supreme abode of Lord Krishna and the goddess Radha. Goloka literally means “World of cows” [again -- yes, really!], reflecting the sacred role of cattle in Hindu beliefs and the peaceful, pastoral nature of the realm. Goloka Vrindavan is positioned about above Vaikuntha and occupies a radius of 240 million miles. Brahmaloka: Brahmaloka is the abode of Lord Brahma. Accessible from Mount Meru, It is also referred to as Brahmapura or Satyaloka or Satya bagecha. Brahmaloka is a garden of all kinds of flowers. It is stated that Brahmaloka is the highest of the joyful worlds a person might attain. However, Buddha adds that the Brahmaloka is impermanent. Brahmaloka is a big and beautiful garden made up of flower. Brahmapura is the topmost loka within this material universe. Brahmaloka itself is said to consist of twenty heavens, most likely, pocket dimensions. PATALA Patala denotes the subterranean realms of the Hindu universe. Patala is often translated as underworld or netherworld. Patala is composed of seven regions or lokas, the seventh and lowest of them which is also called Patala or Naga-loka, the region of the Nagas. The Danavas (demon sons of Danu), Daityas (demon sons of Diti), Yakshas and the snake-people Nagas live in the realms of Patala. Vitala is ruled by the god Hara-Bhava – a form of Shiva, who dwells with attendant ganas including ghosts and goblins as the master of gold mines. Here he enjoys sexual union with his consort Bhavani and their sexual fluids flow as river Hataki here. When fire – fanned by wind – drinks from this river, it spits the water out as a type of gold called Hataka. The residents of this realm are adorned with gold from this region. Sutala constructed by Viswakarman, is the kingdom of the pious demon king Bali. The dwarf Avatar of Vishnu, Vamana tricked Bali – who had conquered the three worlds – by begging for three paces of land and acquired the three worlds in his three paces. Vamana pushed Bali to Sutala, but when Bali surrendered to Vishnu and gave away all his belongings to him, Vishnu in return made Bali, richer than Indra, the god-king of heaven. Bali still prays to Vishnu in this realm. Highly impressed by the devotion of Bali, Vishnu gave him a boon that He Himself would perpetually stand as the watchman to Bali's palace. Talātala is the realm of the demonarchitect Maya (not to be confused with the goddess of the same name), who is well-versed in sorcery. Shiva, as Tripurantaka, destroyed the three cities of Maya, but was later pleased with Maya and gave him this realm and promised to protect him. Mahātala is the abode of manyhooded Nagas – the sons of Kadru, headed by the Krodhavasha (Irascible) band of Kuhaka, Taksshaka, Kaliya and Sushena. They live here with their families in peace but always fear garuda. Rasātala at the sole of the feet of the universe form of Vishnu is the home of the demons – Danavas and Daityas, who are mighty but cruel. They are the eternal foes of Daevas. They live in holes like serpents. Patala or Nagaloka is the lowest realm and the region of the Nagas, ruled by Vasuki. Here live several Nagas with many hoods. Each of their hoods is decorated by a jewel, the light of which illuminates this realm. Yamalya: Yama rules this realm, which is a division of Patala/Nagaloka set aside for the souls of his Vedic worshippers. Yama presides within a palace named Sanjeevani, built by Tvashtri, the architect god. The structure has three doors so that the shades of mortals passing through cannot see the place of judgment to which they are assigned. The Vaitamee river which circles the edifice was enchanted by Agni, the fire-god, to give harmless passage to the pious who swim through it while beings of evil intent suffer torments and pangs while crossing its boiling water. All spirits who enter Patala are required to swim this river to reach their place of judgment. Souls who 232

are good in life are restored to new life on earth according to the lives they lead in life; sinners are cast into the pit of Patala ruled by Ravanna and the Rakshasas, demonic enemies of the gods. Vaitarna River: The Vaitarna or Vaitarani (Vaitaraṇî) River lies between the earth and the infernal Naraka, the realms of Yama, Hindu god of death and is believed to purify one's sins. It plays a similar role in Hindu mythology to that of the River Styx in Greek myth. While the righteous see the river filled with nectar-like water, the sinful see it filled with blood. Sinful souls are supposed to cross this river after death. This river falls on the path leading to the Southern Gate of the city of Yamalya. It is also mentioned that only the sinful souls come via the southern gate. When viewed by the sinful, the river is very frightening and inspires misery; even hearing an account of this river arouses fear. It is 400-500 miles in width and it does not contain water. It is a river full of blood and pus with heaps of bones on its banks and mud of blood and flesh. It is impossible for a sinful soul to cross this river, as he will be obstructed by hairy moss and the river is filled with huge crocodiles and crowded with hundreds of flesh-eating birds. When a sinner comes near the river in an attempt to cross, it seethes and becomes overspread with smoke and flames like butter in a frying pan. It is also covered with dreadful throngs of insects with piercing stings and vultures and crows with metallic beaks. In addition to crocodiles, it also contains leeches, fishes, turtles and other flesh-eating water animals. It is said that the hungry and thirsty sinful souls drink the blood flowing in the river. The sinners who fall into it wail with pain and fright. It is extremely difficult to cross to the other bank and cannot be seen. There are a few ways to cross this river. It is important to note that as mentioned in the description of the river, only those souls who have sinned have to cross this river. The souls with good deeds or good karma do not travel on the path through which the Vaitarna River flows. A sinner who has done certain meritorious deeds can get a boat to cross the river after travelling on the terrible way of Yama for some time. These deeds include donating a cow, food, wealth or any sacrifice etc. It is also said that even though a person is a sinner, if he or she is following a real spiritual guru, the sinner can cross the river holding his Guru's hand. If the sinner cannot cross using one of those two methods, he has to wait many years till it is decided that he will cross or the servants of Yama drag him through the river. After successfully crossing this river, the sinners reach the terrifying Southern Gate of the City of Yama. In this City the sinners along with the souls with good deeds are judged by Yama. The sinners are taken to hell and the better souls are taken to heaven. If a soul cannot cross the Vaitarna River, then he cannot be taken to hell and is stuck at its shore. Thus this prevents him from getting reborn on earth as human or animal. These souls are considered as the ghosts who have not passed on and are stuck. NARAYAS/NARAKAS These are realms of greatest suffering, usually translated into English as "hell" or "purgatory". As with the other realms, a being is born into one of these worlds as a result of his karma, and resides there for a finite length of time until his karma has achieved its full result, after which he will be reborn in one of the higher worlds as the result of an earlier karma that had not yet ripened. The mentality of a being in the hells corresponds to states of extreme fear and helpless anguish in humans. There are several schemes for counting these hells and enumerating their torments. The length of torment within each hell is extremely long, upwards of billions of years and each lifetime twenty times the length of the one before it. 233

Cold Narakas ● Arbuda – the "blister" Naraka ● Nirarbuda – the "burst blister" Naraka ● Ataṭa – the Naraka of shivering ● Hahava – the Naraka of lamentation ● Huhuva – the Naraka of chattering teeth ● Utpala – the Naraka of skin becoming blue as a blue lotus ● Padma – the Naraka of cracking skin ● Mahāpadma – the Naraka of total frozen bodies falling apart Hot Narakas ● Sañjīva – the "reviving" Naraka. ● Kālasūtra – the "black thread" Naraka. ● Saṃghāta – the "crushing" Naraka. ● Raurava/Rīrava – the "screaming" Naraka. ● Mahāraurava/Mahārīrava– the "great screaming" Naraka. ● Tāpana/Tapana – the "heating" Naraka. ● Mahātāpana – the "great heating" Naraka. ● Avīci – the "uninterrupted" Naraka. 234

GODS OF INDIA: DAEVAS AND OTHER BEINGS Name: Daevas Aliases: Hindu gods, Vedic Gods, Indian gods Base of Operations: Nirvana Known Representatives: Aditi, Agni, Aryaman, Brahma, Dyaus, Ganehsa, Ganga, Hanuman, Indra, Kali, Kama, Lakshmi, Mitra, Parvati, Pushan, Ratri, Ravanna, Sarasvati, Shiva, Skanda, Soma, Surya, Tvashtri, Urvashi, Ushas, Varuna, Vayu, Vishnu, Yama, Yamuna, et al. The Daevas are a race of beings who were worshiped as gods in the Hindu religion, by the people of Ancient India and much of the Middle East on Earth. They live in Nirvana, and in Krauncha which is located on the fifth of seven oceans surrounding Loka (directional space), separating Aloka (non-directional space) .The Daevas have been worshipped on the Indian subcontinent from as early as 2000 BC into modern times. While the Daevas are generally humanoid in appearance, many of them possess a number of unique or even inhuman traits. For instance, the god Ganesh has the appearance of a humanoid elephant, Vishnu has bright blue skin and four arms and Brahma has three identical faces on his head. While these gods can alter their shape, they generally appear in these most common forms. The Daevas’ rule is by an oligarchy, the Trimurti triumvirate of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Like the Asgardians, Olympians, and most other pantheons, their technological level appears on the surface to be of a preindustrial level, but this is because it is compensated by the use of magic (or technology advanced enough to appear as magic, depending on your viewpoint). The Daevas seem to all be outside of the Hindu caste system, although castes are mentioned in sacred texts. The Daevas' precise origin, like that of all Earth's pantheons, is shrouded in legend. According to some schools of thought, the gods Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu emerged from Hiranyagarbha, the golden womb of Gaea (later known among the Daevas as "Aditi"). These gods became collectively known as the Trimurti and agreed to use their respective powers to maintain balance in the universe. Brahma, the creator, seeded the primordial waters with life; Vishnu, the preserver, was charged with sustaining the life that Brahma had created by maintaining the delicate balance between creation and destruction; and Shiva's responsibility was to one day destroy life so that Brahma could create it anew. As other Daevas were created, the Trimurti reigned as their pantheon's joint rulers from their native realm of Nirvana. Brahma resided on Mount Meru, Shiva resided on Mount Kailāsa, and Vishnu resided within Vaikunta; however, all three gods convened whenever important decisions needed to be made or dangers arose that threatened their pantheon. In approximately 1000 AD, Vishnu attended a meeting of the Council of Godheads to discuss the threat posed by the Third Host of the extraterrestrial Celestials. In the 1870s, the Indian revolutionary known as the Mahdi sought to end the British Empire's control of his country and was granted divine weapons by the gods Agni, Kâli, Maya, Ratri, and Yama. However, after offending the gods, he discovered that his weapons were merely illusions and was defeated. In the 1970s, a top-secret government project called the Nest was developed by Hindu scientist Dr. Araman Nila. A radiation accident killed the nine participants in one of the Nest’s experiments; eight of them were “reborn” by the radiation, molded into the image of Daevas through the influence of Nila’s thoughts and remembrances. It is unknown if the true Daevas had a hand in the transformation; the group 235

was defeated by the X-Men and Spider-Man. More recently, when Shiva was preoccupied elsewhere, Indra was invited to temporarily replace him as a member of the Trimurti. Shortly after, when the life essences of all Asgardians except Thor were extinguished by the Celestials, Thor ventured to the realm of Earth's pantheons to seek a portion of their own life essences to revive his brethren. Posing as Shiva, Indra voted against donating anything and engaged Thor in battle, but soon relented and donated the requested energies after realizing Thor's conviction. Later, when Yama and an alliance of death gods from other pantheons accidentally unleashed Demogorge the God- Eater, Vishnu sent Indra to accompany Thor and defeat the God-Eater. After mercenary Saint Van Sant killed a murderous sect of Kâli worshippers known as the Phansigars (Thugees) in Varanasi, India, a pleased Kâli granted him superhuman powers and he became the assassin Deathtoll. After the Asgardian Sky Father Odin was killed by the demonic Surtur, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva were among the gods who determined that Thor was not yet ready to replace his father on the Council Elite. 236

When the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) threatened reality with the vastly powerful Heart of the Infinite, Vishnu was among the gods assembled to address the threat; Thanos of Titan later used the Heart to alter the past, diverging these events into an alternate reality. Most recently, Mali, a Ganesha devotee residing in Timbuktu, used a shard from the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak to transform industrialist Manfred Ellsworth Haller (formerly the Man-Elephant) into the monstrous Behemoth. Relationships to Other Pantheons: The Daevas actually combine two pantheons, the Adityas, an extradimensional race of beings who were once worshipped by the ancient Dravidian and Aryan tribes of Eastern Europe, and the Vedic gods of the Hindu religion. The Adityas were overthrown by a race of demons known as the Rakshasas who were in turn overthrown by the Daevas, descendants of the Adityas lead by the gods Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva. Vishnu and his brothers were part of the ascendant Hindu religion that replaced the worship of the old Vedic gods; any Vedic deities who lost his worship rites were called Asuras. Under the new Hindu religion, mortal souls were not taken to the underworld anymore and were reincarnated in new lives as per the kind of person they were in life. If a good person died, they returned in a higher position while those of evil intent returned as a lower life form. The truly evil were imprisoned in the underworld of Patala where Yama stood guard over the imprisoned Rakshasas. Due to their geographical proximity and close cultural contacts, the Daevas cross over frequently with the Buddhist Xian of China and Central Asia, the Amatsu-Kami of Japan, the former Sumerian gods Anunnaki with whom they once antagonized in ancient times and the Slavic gods of the north (Dievas), even influencing the rites of those rival gods. The Daevas’ influence is even seen among the Finnish gods, the Jumala, as Finno-Ugric brought customs from the Hindu Kush northward as they migrated in ancient times. Further contact with the Greeks and Romans brought the Daevas into contact with the Olympians, as Alexander the Great and his successors expanded their borders into India, resulting in cross-pollination among those cultures. Due to their age, the Daevas have also had contact with the Hyborian and Elder Gods. The Daevas have a particularly close relationship with the Yazatas, the gods of Persia: in addition to the proximity of their earthly borders, some gods have been known to have been worshipped in both regions. Agni, the Hindu fire god, in fact is a member of both the Daevas and the Yazatas, and is known under the name of Atar among the Zoroastrian gods; he will be covered in the volume featuring that pantheon. ASPECTS, AVATARS AND REINCARNATION Defining the Hindu deities is a challenge due to the multiple natures of most deities. The rulers of the Indian realms is the Trimurti, a triad of gods consisting of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, said to be distinct aspects of a Supreme Being so powerful that it had to split itself into three beings. Similarly, many deities take on multiple aspects (a personification of a particular facet of their nature) or avatars (the deities’ physical manifestation, often including more than one). Because these aspects can vary greatly even in one deity’s personality, appearance, and abilities (even contradicting one another on many occasions), they are described here for all intents and purposes as separate entities. Confusing things further is the fact that they can have multiple avatars existing at the same time, and may even fight with one another. Reincarnation is a concept central to Hinduism and Buddhism. All beings are said to have a karmic goal (not to be confused with the game concept of Karma) to reach cosmic enlightenment, at which point they will become one with the universe. Depending on one’s actions in the 237

earthly realm, a being will be reincarnated in either a higher or lower form until this is achieved. This karmic ebb and flow applies to deities as well as mortals, and a Daeva that is killed will be reincarnated in a new avatar. The only way to truly destroy a Daeva is to kill it on its home plane of existence, and even then it may be reconstructed through powerful universal forces. Unlike the heavenly realms of some religions, Hindu souls do not reside permanently on the Daevas’ mystical planes permanently when they die. Rather, they are transported there for a sort of interim period until they are reincarnated, although the Buddhist/Hindu concept of time is such that the interim may take uncountable millennia. The length of the process generally depends on where one stands with his or her karmic balance. 238

DAEVAS (TYPICAL STATISTICS) F AM (50) A AM (50) S IN (40) E AM (50) R EX (20) I EX (20) P IN (40) Health: 190 Karma: 60 Resources: RM Popularity: 10 KNOWN POWERS The Hindu gods are generally more powerful that their older relatives. Typical powers include: Body Resistance: IN versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Invulnerability: AM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. CL5000 resistance to earthly diseases. Longevity: Hindu mythology states the Daevas’ lifespans to be nearly (or more than) 4.5 million years, making them functionally immortal. They cease to age upon reaching adulthood. Regeneration: EX ability; however, this ability does not allow the regeneration of limbs or organs. Hyper-Speed: Minimum of GD Superhumanly Dense Tissue: The density of an Indian god’s bodily tissues is about three times that of a human being. As a result, they’re actually much heavier than they appear to be. Resurrection: A number of gods may work together to resurrect another deity if his or her life essence is beyond resurrection. Requires a minimum of three deities and expenditure of all Karma; may be performed once per day. Allspeak: As with all gods, Allspeak allows one to understand, speak, and write in all languages. If addressing speakers of more than one language, each will understand the deity’s language in his or her native language. This ability extends to extraterrestrial and otherdimensional languages as well as Earth tongues. Extradimensional Sense: The Daevas can sense the presence of Asuras when located in adjacent dimensions, with UN ability. Mystical Energies: Many Daevas also possess additional superhuman abilities that are magical in nature. A common example of this is to be able to open magical gateways to other realms or dimensions. A few of them, however, are more advanced. Shiva, for instance, possesses a third eye in the center of his forehead that can project energy that places others within his vicinity under his control. The scope of their powers mostly limited to one object, idea or field, usually tied into their personality. For example, as the Hindu goddess of death, Kali is well-versed in destruction and death, whereas, Indra, the Vedic god of thunder can generate lightning and command storms. Another example is Maya, a goddess that is capable of creating highly intricate and realistic illusions. In game terms, Daevas may each have 6 to 15 Personal or Universal spells (GM selection or roll 1d10+5) at Incredible rank. At least three spells will relate to the Daeva’s sphere of influence. Other common magical abilities include: ● Shapeshifting or similar appearance-altering ability ● Communicating over long distances ● Teleporting through dimensional barriers Talents: Daevas will usually have History and area knowledge of Nirvana or one of its associated realms, and will often have History and Culture of India. Due to their grounding in mysticism, many will also have the Trance talent, achievable through meditation. Other talents will vary widely depending on the individual’s disposition: battleoriented characters will have Martial Arts and Weapons talents, mystics will have Occult Lore or other magical talents, etc. 239

EQUIPMENT Most deities own at least one astra, a supernatural weapon. The more significant deities may have several more (see Objects of Power and individual entries). TRANSPORTATION/PETS Most Daevas have their own fantastic mount called a vahana, which may be either an animal or a vehicle. The major deities may have more than one, used for different purposes (e.g., war, travel, ceremonial uses, etc.) Some deities also have a guardian familiar or pet. Some Daevas also travel by means of a magical vehicle called a vimana. Vimanas are flying chariots or palaces. The size and form of a vimana can vary greatly, being anything from a flying self-propelled throne to a massive flying structure seven stories high. In game terms, they are vehicles along the lines of a flying fortress. 240

BRAHMA F UN (100) A AM (50) S AM (50) E CL1000 (1000) R IN (40) I SHX (150) P CL1000 (1000) Health: 1350 Karma: 1140 Resources: SHZ Popularity: 40 BACKGROUND Real Name: Brahma Prajapati Occupation: Trimurti ruler of the Hindu Gods, god of creation Legal Status: Resident of Nirvana Identity: The majority of residents of Earth-616 believe Brahma to be a fictional or allegorical being. Other Known Aliases: Berahma (Malay name); Phra Phrom (Thai name); Brahma, the creator Place of Birth: Unrevealed Marital Status: Married Known Relatives: Prajapati (possible father, deceased), Gaea (mother, alias Ammavaru), Shiva, Vishnu (brothers), Sata-Rupa (first wife), Manu (son), Sarasvati (second wife), Vach (daughter), Adharma (son), Lakshmi, Parvati, Ganga, Uma, Yamuna (sisters-in-law), Ganehsa, Skanda, Kama (nephews), Kali (niece/sister-in-law) Base of Operations: Krauncha Past Group Affiliations: Ayditas Present Group Affiliations: Daevas, Council of Godheads, Trimurti KNOWN POWERS Body Resistance: IN versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Invulnerability: AM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. CL5000 resistance to earthly diseases. Longevity: The Daevas are functionally immortal in the sense that they cease to age upon reaching adulthood. Regeneration: RM ability; however, this ability does not allow the regeneration of limbs or organs. Hyper-Speed: RM Superhumanly Dense Tissue: The density of a Indian god’s bodily tissues is about three times that of a human being. As a result, they’re actually much heavier than they appear to be. 241

Resurrection: A number of gods may work together to resurrect another deity if his or her life essence is beyond resurrection. Requires a minimum of three deities and expenditure of all Karma; may be performed once per day. Allspeak: As with all gods, Allspeak allows one to understand, speak, and write in all languages. If addressing speakers of more than one language, each will understand the deity’s language in his or her native language. This ability extends to extraterrestrial and otherdimensional languages as well as Earth tongues. Extradimensional Sense: The Daevas can sense the presence of Asuras when located in adjacent dimensions, with UN ability. Clairvoyance: He has extraordinary clairvoyance on a nearly omniscient level (Class 5000) Shapechange: At Shift X ability. He often chooses a form with four faces and four arms, gaining him one extra attack and +1CS to Intuition. Magical Ability: Brahma has incredible prowess in the mystical arts, enabling him to tap into and manipulate mystical, cosmic and elemental energies of the universe. His exact level of power is unknown, but it is known that he at least measures up to gods like Vishnu, Shiva, Odin and Zeus, the Elders of the Universe and quasi-entities as Eternity and the Living Tribunal. The full extent his of powers though are unrevealed. He may use any of the Personal or Universal spells in Realms of Magic at Shift Y (250) ability. PETS Brahma is credited with riding Hamsa, a great cosmic goose, across the sky. Hamsa: F A S E R I P Pr Gd Gd ShX Ty Pr Ty Health: 174 Karma: 16 Resources: 0 Popularity: 0 Powers: Flight - MN airspeed EQUIPMENT Brahmaastra: This is a fiery mace that is said to be able to destroy entire hosts at once and can also counter most other astras. In ancient times, several other magic users possessed the knowledge to invoke this weapon. It is the only weapon capable of piercing the Brahma Kavach, the invincible armour of Lord Brahma. The weapon does Class 1000 damage, can create a Shift X fireball with a 80- area radius, and is made of Beyond material. When used against another astra, it ignores that weapon’s effect and may destroy that item as per material strength rules. The weapon may only be invoked once in a lifetime. Brahma Kavach: The invincible armour of Lord Brahma can only be pierced by a Brahmastra. Offers Shift X protection vs. physical attacks, material strength is Beyond, as it can only be pierced by the Brahmaastra. Brahmashirsha Astra: This is a mythological weapon of immense power on a level able to threaten the world with destruction. The weapon can be invoked into any object, and may only be used once in a (human) generation. The Brahmastra was made as a weapon of last resort never to be used in combat. Effects are: Creates a shower of meteors to annihilate the enemy - meteor shower does Shift Z damage within a 400-area radius. It can create a fireball of Class 5000 damage, with a radius of 10,000 miles. The resultant heat from the fireball dries up all water within its area of effect, potentially creating droughts on a planetary scale. Damage from the weapon bypasses all Daevas’ body armor and protections. Daevas killed by the weapon while not in their home dimension are destroyed without chance for reincarnation. The weapon is made of Class 5000 strength material. It may not be invoked by mortals. Brahmadanda: This is the rod of Brahma and the countermeasure to all astras. It possesses the ability to neutralize any astra that is used against it, by summoning the astra’s 242

Nemesis power at the identical power rank. When used as a weapon, it does Unearthly blunt damage and is made of Class 1000 strength material. Gandiva: This magical bow is well adorned and imbued with great energy, said to equivalent to a hundred thousand bows. It is several thousand years old, and has had many owners, including Brahma, Prajapati, Indra, Soma, Varuna, Arjuna, Hanuman, and Agni. Only a god may string this bow. Arrows shot from this bow do Shift X damage and range. Material strength is Shift Z. Talents: History: Nirvana and associated realms, History: India, Leadership, Occult Lore, Martial Arts A - E Contacts: Daevas, Council of Godheads, Elders of the Universe, Olympian Gods, Yazatas, Xian ROLE-PLAYING NOTES Brahma is a great and wise being and the creator of the bodies of the Hindu universe. He is generally regarded as a powerful force of good, although he is not considered perfect because he still has attachment to the material world. HISTORY Brahma is a member of an extradimensional race of beings known as the Daevas, a race of beings who were worshipped as gods by the people of Ancient India. His exact origins are unknown, but according to ancient Dravidian myth, he is the son of the ancient earth-goddess, Ammavaru, who may be the primeval earth-goddess Gaea. According to myth, she laid a great egg from which sprang Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma and his brothers used the top of the egg to create the sky and the bottom half the earth itself. In the Vedic pantheon, Gaea was known as Aditi, the earth mother, and progenitor of the Adityas, the Vedic Gods. Brahma was also considered the reincarnation of their ancient ancestor, Purusha, a being synonymous with Ouranus of the Greeks and Atum-Re of the Egyptians. Brahma was known under that name as well as Prajapati, Purusha as the husband of Gaea in her role as the Brahmanic mother-goddess, Prakriti. He was also described as self-existent and the embodiment of eternity in Hinduism and father of all members of the Brahman caste. Brahma often challenged and contested his superiority over his brothers. When Brahma committed incest with Sandhya, a daughter of Shiva, she fled from him in the form of a deer. Brahma pursued her in the form of a stag and was shot by an arrow from Shiva protecting his daughter. Daksha, one of Brahma’s sons, had petitioned for the release of his father by offering his daughter, Sati, as a wife to Shiva who consented. Daksha, however, reneged on the deal and refused to encourage Sati to marry Shiva. (In some myths, Daksha is the son of Prachetas, one of the Adityas, the ancestors of the Hindu gods.) Brahma soon fell in love with the goddess Sata-Rupa and grew up to five faces to look upon her beauty, but Shiva destroyed one of these faces. As the divine god in the Brahman Religion, Brahma once dared to suggest he was more powerful than Vishnu, but Shiva appeared to them both in such force that they both had to admit to his supremacy. Brahma eventually married the rivergoddess, Sarasvati. She gave birth to Vach, goddess of speech, and Adharma, god of prayer. Traditionally, in some myths, she is his second wife, but in others, she is the reincarnation of Sata-Rupa. Brahma and the other Daevas were often at war with the Rakshasas, a race of demonic entities for control of heaven and eventually defeated them. The defeat of the Rakshasas resulted in them being exiled into the underworld of Patala as well as a general end to worship of the Vedic 243

gods and prominence of the ascendant Hindu religion developed out of the altered Vedic faith. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva could not agree who should lead the new order of gods and eventually chose to share their powers equally as co-leaders of the Hindu Pantheon. This coleadership of deities was known as the Hindi Trimurtri with Brahma arbitrating many of his brothers’ decisions as the balance between creation and destruction. Together, they arbitrated the decision to volunteer the life energies to restore the Asgardians after their defeat battling the Celestials. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva also served roles in the Council Elite, a loose gathering of the godheads of all of Earth’s pantheons of gods who often gathered to share wisdom and knowledge against threats to Earth. They had originally gathered to discuss the threat of the Fourth Host of the Celestials, but they also gathered to discuss the threat of Thanos in control of the Infinity Gauntlet and the potential threat of Circe and Akhenaton to their perspective realms. When Odin of the Asgardian gods fell in battle against Surtur, Shiva and the other Council members called Thor before them Council Elite to be tested as a worthy replacement for Odin. Brahma was present at this meeting, but Thor was judged as unworthy of taking Odin’s place in the Council. 244

VISHNU F UN (100) A AM (50) S AM (50) E CL1000 (1000) R IN (40) I UN (100) P CL1000(1000) Health: 1300 Karma: 1140 Resources: Sh-Z Popularity: 40 BACKGROUND Real Name: Vishnu Narayana Occupation: Ruler of the Hindu gods, God of heaven, and preservation Legal Status: Resident of Nirvana Identity: The majority of residents of Earth-616 believe Vishnu to be a fictional or allegorical being. Other Known Aliases: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha (mortal avatars), Wisnu (Balinese name) Place of Birth: Unrevealed Marital Status: Married Known Relatives: Prajapati (possible father, possibly deceased), Gaea (mother, alias Ammavaru), Brahma, Shiva (brothers), Lakshmi (wife), Parvati, Sarasvati, Ganga, Yamuna (sisters-in-law), Padma (daughter), Kama (son), Ratri (daughter-in-law), Jambavati (son by Ganga), Himavat (father-in-law), Mena (mother-inlaw), Ganehsa, Skanda, Dharma (nephews), Kali (niece), Base of Operations: Nirvana Past Group Affiliations: Ayditas Present Group Affiliations: Daevas, Council of Godheads, Trimurti KNOWN POWERS Body Resistance: IN versus Physical, Shooting, and Force attacks Invulnerability: AM resistance to cold, heat, radiation, etc. CL5000 resistance to earthly diseases. Longevity: The Daevas are functionally immortal in the sense that they cease to age upon reaching adulthood. Regeneration: RM ability; however, this ability does not allow the regeneration of limbs or organs. Hyper-Speed: RM Superhumanly Dense Tissue: The density of a Indian god’s bodily tissues is about three times that of a human being. As a result, they’re actually much heavier than they appear to be. 245

Resurrection: A number of gods may work together to resurrect another deity if his or her life essence is beyond resurrection. Requires a minimum of three deities and expenditure of all Karma; may be performed once per day. Allspeak: As with all gods, Allspeak allows one to understand, speak, and write in all languages. If addressing speakers of more than one language, each will understand the deity’s language in his or her native language. This ability extends to extraterrestrial and otherdimensional languages as well as Earth tongues. Magical Ability: Vishnu also has exceptional power to tap into and manipulate the cosmic and mystical energies of the universe on an infinite scale. His exact level of power is unknown, but his prowess has been challenged by both Brahma and Shiva; since neither of them can agree on who is more powerful, they share equal control over the Hindu gods, ensuring that no one is truly ascendant over the other. The full range of his mystical powers has yet to be revealed. He may use any of the Personal or Universal spells in Realms of Magic at Shift Y (250) ability, but tends to use only powers with a creative potential. Extradimensional Sense: The Daevas can sense the presence of Asuras when located in adjacent dimensions, with UN ability. Weather Control: Shift X ability. Energy Emission: Vishnu can create fields of energy, with various effects. He is able to use this ability at Shift X rank. Effects include creating bolts of energy, force fields, and creating objects of pure energy. Enchantment: Vishnu can imbue mystical attributes in physical objects and living things, at Monstrous rank. Reincarnation: He can attain a level of transcendental existence that his spirit can attain higher consciousness and live through other lifetimes, capable of returning to his own body later without any dire results. If Vishnu is reduced to zero Health on any plane but Nirvana, he will be reborn into a new avatar. Shapechange: He can change his appearance and form, becoming Matsya the fish, Kurma the turtle-god and even a goddess named Mohini. As Vamana the dwarf-god, he could grown into a gigantic stature, attaining a cosmic scale that he could virtually tread the earth without causing earthquakes or resulting in atmospheric disasters to the biosphere of the planet. Treat as Shapechange at Unearthly rank, coupled with Growth/Shrinking at the same level. PETS Vishnu tends to travel by means of two mounts, Garuda the bird god, or by Vasuki, the cobra-god, who was son of the serpent-god, Vritra. During his mortal avatar as Rama, Vasuki was reborn as Ananta from the body of Bala-Rama, brother of Krishna. He was also known as Shesha. Garuda: F A S E R I P Rm Rm Ex ShX Ex In In Health: 230 Karma: 100 Resources: Ty Popularity: 4 Powers: Flight at SH-X airspeed. Talons and beak attack as Edged. Weapons: Garuda also wields the Garudastra, a shield particularly effective against nagas. Provides IN body armor, MN against nagas. May be used to Block. Vasuki: F A S E R I P Rm In Am Un Pr Ty In Health: 220 Karma: 50 Resources: Pr Popularity: 0 Powers: Travels at IN land speed. RM Body Armor (scales). Bites as Edged attack, with AM strength venom. EQUIPMENT Vishnu carries several unique weapons: ● Sudarshana Chakra: The legendary discus of Lord Vishnu, it was given to Vishnu by Vishvakarman. Infallible, it flies at the command of Vishnu. It has tremendous occult and spiritual 246

power to destroy or protect. Effects: AM edged thrown damage, UN versus inanimate objects, CL1000 material. +2CS to hit its target. It will always return to Vishnu’s hand when thrown, and can only be stopped by Vishnu or Shiva. The chakra also has the ability to create or destroy matter at AM ability. ● Kaumodaki: This is Vishnu’s mace, said to be infallible. +3CS to hit, UN damage, CL1000 material. ● Nadaka: Magical sword that is especially effective against demons. AM edged damage, UN versus demons, Shift X material strength. ● Sarnga: Magical bow with an unlimited supply of arrows. Arrows do RM damage, material strength is SH-X. ● Govardhana: Magical bow similar to the one above. Arrows do EX damage, +1CS versus magical beings. ● Mohini Astra: This magical sword can dispel illusions and other forms of magic. AM edged damage, UN material strength, negates illusory powers and Chaos magic at Shift X rank upon hitting its target. ● Narayanastra: A bow that can create showers of arrows and discs. The astra's power increases with the resistance offered to it. This weapon can be used only once in a lifetime by any particular user. If the user were to attempt invoking it a second time, it would rebound on him, and possibly, his troops. The only defense against this weapon is to show total submission before the missiles hit, which will cause the missles to stop and spare the target. Effects: The shower of missiles can cover all enemy targets in a 20-area radius, doing IN damage and bypassing all Body Armor. For each CS of Body Armor that a target has, the arrows will do an additional CS of damage. If the target surrenders, it will not suffer any additional damage from the missiles. If a user attempts to invoke the weapon a second time, the effects are the same except that it will only affect the user and his/her allies. The bow is constructed of SH-Y material. ● Vaishnavastra: This sword is said to be able to destroy target completely, irrespective of the 247