The Powers that Be

The Lords and Ladies Above & Below:

• Lord Truth — Sovereign Light, Lord Knowledge, Revealer, Architect.

• Lady Justice — Queen Virtue, Lady Order, Maid Honor, Mother City, Lady Sea, Chivalrous Sister.

• Lady Life — Mother Field, Daughter Harvest, Sister Mercy, Lady Plenty, Dame Health, Marriage Blessing.

• Lord Might — Sir Courage, Lord Fire, Defiler, Lord Vengeance, Sovereign War, Mighty Authority, King Merit.

• Lady Fortune — Lady Wealth, Queen Pleasure, Dame Trade, Bargain Maker, Opulent Harlot, Sister Joy.

• Lord Death — Master Void, Father Want, Lord Undeath, Leveler, Father Fear, Mad Lord.

• Lord Fecund — Lord Gift, Brood Serpent, World Worm, Accursed.

• Lord Battle — King Storm, Lord Struggle, Guardian Custom, Strong Wind.

• Lord Dreams — Grandfather Mystery, Lord Beauty, Lord Wisdom, Starry Host, Master Craft.

• Lord Shadow — Lord Illusion, Deceiver, Lord Murder, Brother Sorrow, Lord Thief, Outlaw.

• Lady Night — Mother Hearth, Daughter Home, Deep Earth, Store Keeper, Dame Covenant.

• Lady Time — Grandmother Change, Consolation, Sorrow’s Balm.

These are the powers acknowledged or recognized in one way or another throughout the known world. To some each power on the list is a high god or goddess equal to the other eleven. To others these are the lesser powers under the true divinity. Many would contend the list contains major and minor powers.
Most would point out the list contains both good powers (those the one pointing it out follow) and evil powers. There would be many to contest which was which.

The names of these powers are not uniform. Some religious communities will use several of the alternate names for the power they worship, others will insist on only one true name. The list has avoided using the more particular proper names that attach to these powers; they vary widely between languages, locations, and time. Most people avoid using the proper names in common speech anyway. The collective name, the Lords and Ladies, is widely standard and is understood even by those whose religion does not make direct use of the name. The ordering of the name of the Lords and Ladies varies, this is the ordering typically put forth by the Church of Law.

Forthcoming posts will list religious organizations that serve various powers. The principle powers will be indicated at the start of the post. The post will also indicate general alignment tendencies, though these tend to be over generalizations for all but the two great churches of Law and Chaos. Those churches will begin the series.

Only the Churches have clerics and paladins (or anti-paladins). They are relatively new to the world, but have made great inroads into the religious practices of the human population (and some others).