#winnehild warbringer

[dualdeixis]

[Image description: A digital drawing of Winnehild looming over her battlefield with a toothy grin, surrounded by a blazing red halo. She holds her sword up over her head and points her knife directly at Tressa, who is in a warrior’s outfit and holds her arms out to either side to shield her party. On her right, Alfyn is in a thief’s outfit, struggling on his knees to lift up a jar that releases green sparks. On Tressa’s left, Ophilia is in a scholar’s outfit and leans on her staff for support, looking back at H’aanit with worry. H’aanit is behind Tressa as well as closest in the foreground. She’s splayed on the ground in a cleric’s outfit, holding up her staff in one hand and pointing at Alfyn with the other. End image description.]

WE WHO GOVERN REASON

[lunar-insanity]

Hello and welcome to my Ted Talk where I ramble about how Solistia is Orsterra but further along.

Spoilers ahead.

Now I know, I know, technically it's another world, but lemme ramble bout this theory.

We all know bout Pangea, the super-continent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, the one continent that then, over many many many years then broke up into the continents we know today due to Continental Drift. How does that apply to this theory?

We know Orsterra is set very early on. We have ships, trading merchants, all that jazz, and the narration for Alfyn's story says that the age of medicine is in it's infancy. So this gives us a good idea on the current technology, namely none.

And then we have Solistia, which is clearly further along in development. They're entering the Steam Age, the steam train is starting to take shape, New Delsta is starting to take the shape of New York, the Inventor is making machines, and Science and Medicine seem to be progressing further.

Solistia is leaps ahead of Orsterra in terms of technology. And then we have this guy.

He's theorizing that Solistia may have been one whole continent in the past. Continental Drift Theory. There's even a map that looks a lot like Orsterra in the Guard Outpost in Conning Creek

And then we have the geography of the continents.

[Side by side of Sunlands, Riverlands, Cliffland and Hineouma, Leaflands, Wildlands]

These three regions are right next to each other, and are in the same orientation as their counterparts, though Solistia stretches up higher, while Orsterra is kept to the South West.

[Side by side of the Frostlands and Winterlands]

Same with both frosty areas. The only regions that don't match up are the Woodlands, Flatlands, Coastlands, and Highlands for Orsterra; The Crestlands, Brightlands, Harborlands, and Toto'haha for Solistia.

But here's the thing. Geography can change overtime. The Flatlands somewhat match The Brightlands, the Coastlands could have become the smattering of Islands once you get past the whirlpool. The Highlands could have broken off and drifted further, much like the Woodlands.

The Gate of Finis, is roughly in the same place in both worlds. Off (roughly) South East in a hard to reach place.

So that's what Geographical evidence I have. Let's get a bit more... Theological about it.

Eight of the Gods are still the same; Aelfric, Alephan, Dohter, Sealtigce, Brand, Draefendi, Aeber, Bifelgan. But we're missing four others.

Dreisang the Archmagus, Winnehild the Warbringer , Steorra the Starseer, and Balogar the Runeblade .

I think, they're lost Gods. Gods who's worship has faded into mystery with barely anything to show for it. In Orsterra, already their arts are thought to be lost unless you find them, and challenge them for it, but they're still known. They're still called The Twelve.

In Solistia, they're lost lost. You can't even find their shrines or any historical evidence, if they even existed at this point.

But you can find their teachings still.

The Armsmasters wielded all 6 weapons and have innovated on the old skills Winnehild would've taught. Winnehild's War Cry became Sixfold Strike, and the Armsmasters developed new techniques to compensate for the lost ones. Notably, there is no divine skill for them, possibly because with Winnehild gone, they have only themselves and her old weapons to rely on.

The Arcanist uses sigils and runes in order to cast their abilities. Transfer Rune became Diffusion. So that's one half of Balogar's teachings.

The Conjurer has the other half. This being isn't mentioned at all in Solistia (As far as I've found). EDIT: Finally read all the Mercantile Manuscript. She's mentioned in the history of Hineouma, but no where else. You only find her in Ku after ascending a tower full of hard fights. When she gives you the class, she gives you at least 4 of the 'Rune' Elements (Because apparently it is anathema to give us more Light and Dark elements. Arcanist Tier 3 spell isn't Tenebrae Operiere, but its something.)

Dreisang's spells are not lost entirely. You can use Alephan's wisdom to at least reclaim 4 of them: Ignis Ardere, Glacis Claudere, Tonitrus Canere, and Lux Congerere.

Steorra is the last one unaccounted for. I haven't seen much, if anything at all, that resembles her abilities, other than possibly in the Conjurer class. I didn't really use that one for more than just elemental trails.

And then we have the Dark Gods. Vide and Galdera.

They are very different gods. One of them is Shadow/Void and Chaos, the other is Life and Death. You can fight them both. However...

Who's to say that conflict with Vide didn't split the continent in two? It was a hard fight for Aelfric on his own, and Vidania is smack in the middle of the sea. Who's to say all that divine power being thrown around didn't crack and split apart the continent into several pieces, eventually drifting apart, though both halves of this one stayed relatively close by each other.

The night left Orsterra in pieces.

And when the dawn rose, it was called Solistia instead.

[sentient-rift]

They who govern reason must pay respects to the Warbringer Goddess, Winnehild…as she's judgmental to all those who wish to gain a piece of her power

"Winnehild... she's from what was dubbed as the 'Octopath Traveler Dimension,' correct?

"That's a dimension I don't know enough about. But unlike my sister, I don't try to obtain power for selfish reasons... And I don't try to take power from those who call themselves gods or goddesses. As for what I govern, I am no god, and only do what I do because I believe it is right. Those who try to rule or harm the multiverse must be stopped, and the multiverse must be protected. With that said, I must follow the rules to prevent any kind of rip in the space/time continuum, no matter how much I won't like it, such as when it means being unable to save someone or redeem someone...

"I don't know Winnehild enough to know whether I can respect her. If she is good and just, then she will have my respect. However, if she's power hungry and cruel, than she doesn't deserve the title of a goddess... But that hasn't stopped villains from giving themselves the god title. My sister does the same exact thing. My respect comes from who the individual is, not their title. I truly hope Winnehild is good."

[baconcolacan]

I imagine that Your version of Tord would be reincarnated as a Warbringer red-head girl goddess named Winnehild, who is half-blind in the left eye, has 6 arms, and doesn't even remember her past life until she tried to stop a war in Solistia but at the cost of 100 thousands of lives.

Thats…..cool? Anon???

[distrxst]

They who govern reason must pay respects to the Warbringer Goddess, Winnehild…as she's judgmental to all those who wish to gain a piece of her power

gods .

there was nothing godly nor respectable about himself . he was foul , bones twisted in every which way , limbs longer and weaker than they should be . he was hideous , an amalgamation of things he never should've been . it was disgusting , an eyesore . he was pained , body burning with each and every movement , and even yet it cowered before the being , mesmerized .

he is not what he is .

but is he ? the thing is unsure . he knows he is beastly and ghastly . he knows he is in his own little hell , a special place for the failure of creation . it has been judged for its entire life , and now another set of eyes is upon them . watching , prying , and gnawing at him from the inside out . eyes , eyes , eyes . so many . too many . if he could reach , he would've already torn them free from their sockets . this prude thing , towering forth over it , scornful as it was .

what is a god ? he was ruined by one . he remembers it so clearly . it was the first . 01 , was his number . it had been promised a purpose , a reason to be . and now he was here , in this hell wrought with peril and dread and anguish and everything but reason . this was his purgatory for existence , or , his lack thereof - an ongoing punishment that he had no choice but to serve . and the being was here to judge him ? to look upon him with those eyes so piercing and sharp and tear through him further ? oh how it hated , it hated , it hated . it's hatred tore through itself , teeth pulling away at skin and bone until nothing but anguish remained - nothing but his own eyes , and it let out only a single utterance to portray such abhorrence .

" wat .. ? "

[stelliferousduo]

Anonymous said: "They who govern reason must pay respects to the Warbringer Goddess, Winnehild...as she's judgmental to all those who wish to gain a piece of her power. You however, have gotten her attention Traveler, thus you must face all five of us in battle one at a time... so are you ready for this?" As Magica said before readying her axe for battle.

"Woah, woah, woah...Hold on!? Five against one!? That seems a little unfair, don't you think!?"

The blonde threw a quick glance at her companion - or that was the plan at least, but suddenly the Pixie was nowhere to be seen. If there is one thing Paimon is skilled at, it's making a run (or fly) for it when the situation gets sticky.

( What now? If I still had my original powers, I would not be all too worried about this fight, but my strength is still recovering... )

Even though Lumine had a couple of admirable feats under her name - she never faced any of those enemies all alone. She always had friends there to help out, who unfortunately often get left out of the picture when the rumors spread like wildfire.

"Well...If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you're getting! Bring it on!"

Even if she was a severe disadvantage, the blonde's pride would not allow her to forfeit the match. She would instead fight against the bitter end - her trusty dull blade already in one hand.

"Bring it on...!"

[the-fool-confidant]

They who govern reason must pay respects to the Warbringer Goddess, Winnehild...as she's judgemental to all those who wish to gain a piece of her power.

[necromancyandtendrils]

They who govern reason must pay respects to the Warbringer Goddess, Winnehild...as she's judgemental to all those who wish to gain a piece of her power.

Muse/Mod:

I admire the effort, but the execution is poor. You left me more confused than anything. Allow me to elaborate why;

1. I don't know who you are first of all or who this Warbringer Goddess, Winnehild is, nor do I believe this character of yours is even in the CRK fandom... 2. I already have something like that going on with Candy Eye Cookie where she stored half of her power deep beneath Earthbread. She doesn't need a "peace" of anything. In fact, she doesn't want to gain more power. 3. Nothing was planned/discussed nor was it agreed upon. You didn't even read my rules which is pinned on my post. My dude... This is RPC etiquette you need to learn.

[trickstersshadow]

Well, Winnehild's title is called "The Warbringer", she's a goddess with six arms, and she's one of the twelve gods of Orsterra.

“Never heard of Orsterra before. The warbringer, huh?” He pushed up his glasses, giving a small smirk behind his hand. “Interesting. But why are you tell me about this, grey shadow?”

[viridiave]

IN WHICH THE ORSTERRAN PANTHEON IS EVERY BIT AS CHAOTIC AS THE TRAVELERS AND THEN SOME

nothing I just felt like compiling a list of headcanons about the game’s gods because goddamnit I want lore on all of them

also a list of celtic and old germanic festivals I think they’d correspond to? idk man I was high off of differential calculus

- AELFRIC, THE FLAMEBRINGER (Eoster, the Resurrection)

○ The de-facto leader of the gods- which mostly just means that he's the most beleaguered big brother in this universe ○ Carried the most guilt when banishing Galdera to the Gate of Finis, as before Galdera's fall he was who they considered their youngest brother among the gods ○ Very fond of Orsterra, taking after his mother and regarding them all as his children- including those who do not follow the Order of the Sacred Flame ○ Watched generations of Flamebearers carry on with their perilous pilgrimages. The Flamebearers who he does not deem worthy are often subject under his scrutiny and meager wrath, but it's enough to kill them should they carry with them nefarious intentions ○ The Guardian of the First Flame was a contraption made by Alephan and is the sole reason Alephan was (formally) allowed to keep experimenting ○ Nobody dares question his naming conventions but that doesn't stop them from wondering why in Orsa's name he calls his lantern the 'lanthorn' ○ It doesn't have thorns on it. Aelfric has long forgotten why he named it that way

- ALEPHAN, THE SCHOLARKING (Neuhjar, the New Year's Eve)

○ The tactician of the gods, has an unquenchable thirst of knowledge and is probably the god the others feel the most wary of other than Galdera due to this ○ Scoffs at the thought that he would ever fall into darkness for the sake of knowledge, but has admitted to entertaining the thought ○ The others didn't have the heart to tell him that's not why they're weary but hey the world isn't ending yet so- oh hey look elementals ○ Despite this, Alephan's laboratory is not for the faint of heart and includes a vast number of oddities. The other gods have since advised him to put warning signs on each and every one of his possessions ○ He's messed with Dreisang's soulstones more than once. This has led to the birth of many a remnant and an elemental ○ Other than Aelfric, he is the one god that Aeber would never steal from due to his collection of hazardous materials- not because he doesn't know how they work, or so he claims

- BIFELGAN, THE TRADER (Disting, the Great Fair)

○ The excitable god of trade and the wind, boundless and charitable with their wealth ○ Fickle and fastidious all at once, and is the second-hardest god to find as they're never in the same place twice ○ A great deal of mathematics came from their trading and seafaring. The Atlasdam scholars consider Bifelgan to be an honorary patron god because of their supposed involvement in the invention of statistics and differential calculus ○ Wonders if one day they could be considered the patron god of aircraft as well. This may or may not mean they have been tinkering away at devices that could enable flight ○ Often challenges Aeber to races that they only lose because thieving routes tend to be far more efficient than trading routes

- BRAND, THE THUNDERBLADE (Lughnasa, the Prosperous Day)

○ Brother god to Winnehild the Warbringer and Balogar the Runeblade, with none of Winnehild's Bloodlust and Balogar's Magic ○ All three gods have had significant contributions to the art of war and the blade- Brand's contributions tend to be more on the side of honor and security rather than actual warfare ○ Brand's protective streak is the fiercest among them, and this makes him extremely susceptible to getting roped into doing favors for the younger, more reckless gods ○ To mitigate this 'problem', he enforces mandated training programs for both Aeber and Bifelgan. Dohter has been recently added to this list as all three tend to get severely injured in some form through no fault of their own ○ Has no idea why he's called the Thunderblade when he cannot call upon thunder himself, but appreciates the title all the same ○ Holds a particular worry over Alephan and his many, many experiments. On off-days, one can find Brand standing by Alephan and assisting him if only to keep him from doing anything foolish

- SEALTICGE, THE LADY OF GRACE (Beltane, the May Dance)

○ Patron goddess of festivals and the performative arts, and hands out blessings like they're candy on Samhain (Beltane in her case, we guess) ○ Generally a goddess with very loose morals and often does things on a whim, wishing only to bring joy with her blessings- sometimes would grant talents upon unsuspecting (but aspiring) youths if she felt like it ○ Tends to wander around just as much as Bifelgan, but is typically very easy to find given her flair for theatrics- often found in places like Everhold and Marsalim ○ Most of the festivals in the land are held in her name- a fact that she's extremely proud of ○ Her songs and dances are invigorating and when asked about the magic behind her performative combat, she simply smiles ○ Has a penchant for illusory magic- something that the other gods are wary of as she's very fond of pranking them. It is still unclear whether Aeber is assisting her or actively retaliating, but it's unmistakable that he enjoys her pranks.

- DOHTER, THE CHARITABLE (Walpurgis, the Night of Cleansing)

○ The god of medicine and healing, the kindest among the gods- and by far the most motherlike ○ Often has aneurysms concerning the younger, reckless gods. After an incident with Brand and a particularly vicious direwolf roaming the lands he took it upon himself to oversee their training sessions ○ The worst secret-keeper of the gods- which is frankly anxiety-inducing considering he drops more eaves than even Aeber himself ○ The difference between his and Alephan's laboratories are like night and day, but even he is not immune to failed experimentation. He is mostly to blame for the reanimation of corpses, and he's extremely guilty about this irreversible phenomenon ○ Especially since the reanimated corpses somehow learned how to breed. Dohter suspects his scriptures must have been lost in translation along with Galdera's arts, because he would not be able to tell you how this is possible

- AEBER, THE PRINCE OF THIEVES (Samhain, the November Dance)

○ Patron god of thieves and treasure, mastering the art of stealth. Is also known to be fickle with his curses and boons even among his most devout followers ○ The single hardest god to find, because he tells no one where he goes at any given moment. He will never be where you expect him to be, but Aelfric suspects he trails behind certain members of the pantheon given his inexplicable ability to just show up when they need him to ○ Shares a kinship with Draefendi's dragons- fellow hoarders of wealth. It's said that he's able to speak in their language, and often hides his most precious treasures in their stashes ○ Often collaborates with Sealticge if he happens to run into her. If they're not working together, they're competing for the best performance of the day ○ A trustworthy secret-keeper, in contrast to Dohter- he's tight-lipped with his information due to the nature of his profession

- DRAEFENDI, THE HUNTRESS (Yggdrasil Day, the Honor of Life) 

○ Goddess of the hunt. Doubles as the goddess of nature, as she is the progenitor of all manner of creatures ○ Often delegates the task of managing certain wild areas of the continent to the beasts she creates ○ The Lord of the Forest was the first of her creations, and she has since imparted upon it the gift of pseudo-immortality to let it continue governing the greater beasts ○ Has very mixed feelings concerning Alephan's elementals and Dohter's reanimated corpses, but lets them be as they don't have any actual effects on the local ecology- if anything it feeds back into the environment, so she lets it slide ○ Deeply saddened by the gradual death of dragons, but understood that eventually, if the circumstances are right, they will rise again

- DREISANG, THE ARCHMAGUS (Midsummer, Summer's Balance)

○ Patron god of magic, and the progenitor of soulstones ○ Tangentially, the progenitor of magical constructs through Alephan's meddling. This has since caused him massive headaches, but eventually he gave in and helped Alephan refine his techniques and gave birth into what became the remnants and revenants ○ Has no opinion on the roaming sentinels other than that he's amused that their steel is frailer than his marble and stone ○ It doesn't mean he wouldn't mess with stray suits of armor himself though, under the guise of recycling- resulting in the Animated Armor enemies ○ Balogar is his prime collaborator when it comes to the development of runes, finding that his talents in handling inscribed soulstones- that they eventually come to acknowledge as runes- are second to none ○ Has been trying to get Steorra to teach him the art of Prophecy for the longest while. He's getting the hang of it. Maybe a little too well

- BALOGAR, THE RUNEBLADE (Martinmas, the Charitable Day)

○ Brother god to Brand and Winnehild, the most magically inclined of the siblings as he's developed the use of runes ○ A popular god among the Highlands as the distribution of magic among this region of Orsterra is scarce given its proximity to the Gate of Finis, allowing the locals to share in the benefits of magic even without innate magical energy within themselves ○ Certainly the most jovial among the sibling-gods, often challenging their fellow gods to bouts. He has never managed to beat Winnehild or Brand in a fight- a testament to their strength without magic ○ Bifelgan's heralds amuse him greatly because of their uncanny ability to simply dodge attacks, and Balogar has often joked that a desperate merchant could beat Winnehild in a fight. This has earned him many an arrow to the knee from his sister ○ Tends to join Sealticge in her celebrations whenever she's around. Any illusory phenomena one may encounter in the Highlands on a clear night is attributed to their shared shenaniganery

- WINNEHILD, THE WARBRINGER (The Feast of Einherjar, the Remembrance)

○ Sister goddess to Brand and Balogar- the eldest among this set of sibling-gods, and is unexpectedly the calmest ○ Take great care never to mention the supernatural ability of merchant sidestepping in her presence, however. This has no bearing on her amiable relationship with Bifelgan ○ Can be found developing a great number of weapons, most of which she destroys immediately after- deeming them too dangerous to be placed in the hands of men ○ Despite her title, she despises war- often saddened by the great tragedy it leaves in its wake. Her association with war has earned her a scornful reputation among the commonfolk, with her most devout believers often evoking her name in greedy conquest ○ As a result of this, she has come to openly favor great, respectable leaders like King Beowulf of Hornburg- granting them boons and blessings of victory for as long as they can keep their honor as leaders. ○ Inexplicably, her name is present in prayers for the fallen, an act that touches her greatly

- STEORRA, THE STARSEER (Yuletide, Winter's Balance)

○ Goddess of prophecies- rumored to be able to see into the future through reading fortunes in the constellations ○ She scoffs at this assertion, but doesn't bother correcting the commonfolk's perception of her foresight- mostly because it amuses her ○ There are secrets in the open cosmos that she dares not convey to her fellow gods. Her resolve to keep quiet about her visions is astounding, considering she has to deal with both Alephan and Dreisang's pestering ○ She has gained a penchant for spreading folk tales because of what she sees, however- sanitized and raw stories of the outlandish and the cosmos often sneak their way into the dreams of local people ○ Is suspected to have a talent for dreamweaving as well, feeding unsuspecting dreamers with visions of possible futures with information she gleans from their subconscious ○ Had her suspicions of Galdera from the beginning, but has chosen to keep quiet about her musings out of concern for their youngest brother. She has since regretted her lack of drive, and carries guilt over Galdera's fall into madness

[alynnl]

Shrines and Cities of Orsterra

Based on the location of the various shrines in Octopath Traveler, I have the idea that the deities lived close to pockets of early humanity.  They safeguarded mankind when they were still hunter-gatherers. Humans wouldn’t build their cities and villages until after the Twelve ascended into the After World and passed on their powers and knowledge completely to them.

These cities are relatively close to the shrine to allow for regular worship, or a prayer to obtain another deity’s powers.  Other cities came later through discovery and settlement.

The different class outfits actually correspond to the colors people used to honor the Twelve and the different ways they influenced humanity in the early days.

My original concept for this got rather long and you can find it here.

This is the abridged version, for readability on Tumblr.

Aelfric, the Flamebringer

Region: The Frostlands

City built: Flamesgrace

Colors of Worship: White and gold, to symbolize his Sacred Light that illuminated the cold darkness

Alephan, the Sage

Region: The Flatlands

City built: Atlasdam

Colors of Worship: Black and gold, to symbolize the night sky and the early scholar’s sharing of knowledge by campfires

Bifelgan, the Trader

Region: The Coastlands

Cities built: Goldshore and Grandport

Colors of Worship: Light yellow and black, to symbolize the ebb and flow of the sea as well as commerce itself

Brand, the Thunderblade

Region: The Highlands

City built: Stonegard

Colors of Worship: Blue, an imitation of the sacred armor Brand wears in his efforts to protect people

Sealtigce, the Lady of Grace

Region: The Sunlands

Cities built: Wellspring and Sunshade

Colors of Worship: All colors of the spectrum, reflecting the different phases of life Sealtigce’s dances represent

Dohter, the Charitable

Region: The Riverlands

City built: Saintsbridge

Colors of Worship: Green and brown, to show the early medicine men and women’s close relationship with nature

Aeber, the Prince of Thieves

Region: The Cliftlands

City built: Bolderfall

Colors of Worship: Black and purple, to symbolize his stealth, and purple showing fortune goes to those who take it

Draefendi, the Huntress

Region: The Woodlands

Cities built: Victor’s Hollow and S’warkii

Colors of Worship: The color of pelts, so anything from white to brown, the fur and accessories made from a hunter’s quarry

Balogar, the Runelord

Region: The Highlands

Cities built: Everhold and Hornburg

Colors of Worship: Blue and silver, to represent steel and runes working together as one

Dreisang, the Archmagus

Region: The Woodlands

City built: Duskbarrow

Colors of Worship: Black, red and purple, to show the foundation of Alephan’s scholarship, and the addition of other elements in deeper study

Winnehild, the Warbringer

Region: The Riverlands

City built: Riverford

Colors of Worship: Red and white, the colors of Winnehild’s banners people rallied under in battle

Steorra, the Starseer

Region: The Flatlands

City built: Wispermill

Colors of Worship: Gold, purple with silver adornments, to show the properties of all the celestial bodies (the sun, moon and the stars)

[broomballkraken]

Title: The Orsterra Region, Chapter 1

Fandom: Octopath Traveler

AU: Pokemon

Word count: 1901

Warnings: None

Summary: The Orsterra Region is the melting pot of the Pokémon world. What adventures await both new and experienced trainers in this vast and dangerous region, especially with the darkness stirring in the criminal underbelly?

The Orsterra Region was like a melting pot for Pokémon. Pokémon from all of the other seven regions could be found here, scattered throughout the eight vastly different sub-regions. This particular region could be a very dangerous place, even more so than the others, so anyone looking to become a Pokémon trainer had to be at least 18 years of age to do so. After making the trip to Atlasdam and obtaining a starter Pokémon from the Pokémon Professor, new trainers could then choose to start at any one of the eight gyms in the region, one located in each sub-region.

The Frostlands are, well, frosty. Snow covered the land year-round, and while there are a variety of types that make a living here, it is most known for its abundance of ice type Pokémon. The gym for this region is located in Flamesgrace, and its leader is Ophilia Clement, master of fairy types. She may seem like a sweet and benevolent woman, but do not let that fool you; her Alolan Ninetails and the rest of her team will give any trainer a good challenge. Ophilia is also the new archbishop of the Church of the Sacred Flame, after the passing of the former archbishop, her adoptive father, Josef. The Frostlands are ruled over by one of the 13 gods of Orsterra, Aelfric the Flamebearer, and his Pokémon friend and partner, Arceus.

To the east, the unrelenting snow and cold gives way to the green-filled meadow region of the Flatlands. It is a melting pot within the melting pot of Orsterra, and Pokémon of almost every type can be found here. The flat meadows are especially popular with Pokémon that travel in herds, such as Tauros, Miltank, or Mareep, and there are many farms dotted about the region for raising those particular species. The gym is located in Atlasdam, which is also home to the Royal Pokémon Academy, where new trainers can study before setting off on their own journeys, but a lot of them tend to skip past the schooling portion and start their gym challenge right away. The gym leader is Cyrus Albright, who is also the headmaster of the Academy. He is tasked with helping new trainers choose their starter Pokémon and send them off into the world as prepared as possible for whatever challenges they may face. Cyrus is charismatic and intelligent, abit a little dense when it comes to picking up certain social cues, but his smarts really shine when he is in the midst of battle with his Charizard and the rest of his fire types. The god and Scholarking Alephan watches over the Flatlands, alongside his partner, Lugia. Another god, the Starseer Steorra, is said to reside in the more dangerous part of the region, with her partner, Deoxys.

South of the Flatlands, the tropical region of the Coastlands is home to many port towns. It is easily the center of commerce in Orsterra, and many merchants make their humble beginnings plying their trade in this region. Seafaring Pokémon thrive here, and it is a fisherman’s paradise, although they must always be wary of running into an angry Gyrados, Sharpedo, or Tentacruel. The bustling tourist town of Rippletide is where the gym leader, Tressa Colzione, resides with her merchant parents. She often leaves town to travel and sell her wares in other regions, as well as to find treasures to bring back and sell at her parent’s shop. Frustrated gym challengers sometimes have to wait for her to return from her trips before being able to challenge her Kangaskhan and the rest of her normal types, and others are lucky enough to run into her on the road and challenge her there. She is spunky and determined, and she is often underestimated due to her young age, but she makes those who doubt her abilities regret it with her skills in battle. The Coastlands are watched over by the god Bifelgan, the Trader, and his companion, Celebi.

The southern part of the Coastlands leads into the cool mountains of the Highlands. Rock, ground, and fighting type Pokémon thrive in this region, and hiking through the rocky roads is a good challenge for trainers of any experience level. The gym is located in the humble town of Cobbleston, where the equally humble and stoic Olberic Eisenberg awaits with his Machamp and five other fighting types to do battle with any who would challenge him. He also trains any who ask in the almost lost art of sword fighting, and he always has a surprising number of people eager to learn from him. Brand, the Thunderblade, is the god who resides in this region, alongside his partner, Thundurus. Deep within the more dangerous depths of the mountains, another god - Balogar, the Runeblade - rests peacefully with his partner, Keldeo.

The western edge of the Highlands gives way to the harsh desert region of the Sunlands. The intense heat and irritating sands are a shock to visitors, but the desert inhabitants are unfazed by the ruthless climate. Fire and ground type Pokémon love the heat and sand, and often steel types that can shrug off the whipping sands can be found here as well. The gym of this region is located in Sunshade. It was once a place that harbored a horrible secret, but is now a respectable town, all thanks to the efforts of the gym leader, the beautiful and graceful Primrose Azelhart. She is a gifted dancer, and when she is not making quick work of her challengers with her Salazzle and other poison types, she is teaching excited children and adults the art of dancing. The Lady of Grace, Sealticge, is the god of the Sunlands, and watches over the region with her companion, Suicune.

Moving further west, a lush, grassy region known as the Riverlands emerges from the desert. True to its name, a large river runs through the region, making it a perfect home for water, bug, and grass type Pokémon. The riverside village of Clearbrook is where trainers must go if they wish to challenge the gym of the region. Alfyn Greengrass is the leader, and the carefree and positive man will happily accept any challenge, his trusty Venusaur and other grass types always ready to get down to work. Outside of gym battles, he is a renowned doctor for both humans and Pokémon alike, and people travel from all across Orsterra seeking his treatment, and even advice with their own medical practices. The Charitable Dohter watches over the Riverlands, by the side of his companion, Shaymin. In the more dangerous wilds of the region, another god quietly resides. She is Winnehild, the Warbringer, and her partner Cobalion helps her to watch over the region.

North of the Riverlands lies the Cliftlands, a rocky region set upon a high cliff. Flying type Pokémon are abundant in this region, as they love to make their nests in the many small caves that line the cliff faces. Those who venture into these caves many also stumble upon ghost, dark, and psychic types, and should exercise caution when interacting with those who dwell in the dark. The town of Bolderfall is where the gym leader, Therion, will be found. He is normally quiet and keeps to himself, but has a surprising talent for acting, and is often seen playing the lead role in plays put on by the lady of House Ravus, Cordelia. There are rumors, however, of Therion dabbling in less-than-savory activities in the dead of night, but he always brushes them off as just that: rumors. If you do challenge him to a battle, be cautious: his Umbreon and other dark types are a force to be reckoned with. The god Aeber, also known as the Prince of Thieves, declares the Cliftlands his domain, alongside his partner, Darkrai.

The final region of Orsterra, the Woodlands, is set north of the Cliftlands and is situated in a large forest. Many dangerous grass, bug, and flying types make their homes in the dense foliage, and more often than not inexperienced trainers will find themselves lost in the maze of trees if they wander too far off of the beaten path. S’warkii is where the gym of the region is located, and it is a town full of experts on surviving in the harsh wilds of the Orsterra region. None are more skilled than the gym leader, H’aanit, whose no-nonsense and pragmatic approach to teaching these important skills attracts many aspiring trainers who wish to learn from her. If you wish to challenge her, be wary: her Luxray and other electric types will deliver a shocking defeat to those who underestimate her. Nestled in deep in the forests of the Woodlands, the god, Draefendi the Huntress, observes her domain, alongside her stalwart companion, Xerneas. Even deeper within the dense foliage, another god watches over the lands. He is Dreisang, the Archmagus, and his partner Cresselia is always at his side.

When trainers have defeated each of the eight gym leaders in each of the eight regions, they are ready to take on the Pokémon League, and will have to make their way to Victor’s Hollow, in the Woodlands. There, in front of the huge crowds at the arena, the challenger will fight the Elite Four members, and finally the Orsterra Region Champion.

First, they will face Erhardt, who originally hails from the birthplace as Olberic, and his steel types, most notably his dependable Metagross. Second is Odette, a former scholar at the Pokémon Academy, and her psychic types, with her Alakazam leading the charge. Third is the mysterious Susanna Grotoff, who is rumored to possess the powers of a seer, and her ghost types, of which her Mismagius is the strongest. The last of the Elite Four is Leon Bastralle, captain of a famous merchant ship, and his water types, his strongest being his Swampert. If the challenger manages to somehow best these four formidable foes, they will gain the right to do battle with the strongest trainer in Orsterra: the Champion, Z’aanta. He is the adoptive father of the gym leader of S’warkii, H’aanit, and is a master of rock types, commanding his Tyranitar and the rest of his team with a proficiency that very few others have ever been able to before. This lineup of expert trainers is the perfect test for those at the end of their journeys, and those who manage to defeat every one of them will indeed have earned the right to call themselves Champions of Orsterra.

As trainers and non-trainers alike go about their daily lives, a darkness is stirring in the deftly hidden criminal underbelly of Orsterra. A secretive, dangerous group called ‘Team Obsidian’, have started to show themselves, attacking innocent people and stealing their Pokémon and money for an unknown purpose. Also, unsettling rumors have begun to surface regarding the 13th god of Orsterra, Galdera, who was sealed away long ago with his partner Giratina after betraying the other gods and trying to steal their power for himself. The rumors say that he and his partner are finally stirring after eons and eons of being trapped in a plane of darkness. Surely they are just rumors, for if it is indeed true that the Fallen is trying to rise again, it would surely bring about the absolute destruction of all human and Pokémon life in Orsterra...

[shieldingfaith]

Headcanon: The Gods

DISCLAIMER: I’m not going to go into large detail of how I have come to form these headcanons based on religion and culture. It would take soooo long. Please just trust me because I have a college degree in Classical Studies and Creative Writing and I do a lot of analysis work.

SPOILER WARNING THOUGH

In the beginning, there were four gods. The High Gods, the Celestials, who created all things. They existed in the sun, the moon, the stars, the forces of tide and air, and time itself. These Primordial Gods were:

Dreisang the Archmagus: God of the Moon and the Past

Balogar the Runeblade: God of the Sun and the Present

Steorra the Starseer: Goddess of the Stars and the Future

Winnehild the Warbringer: Goddess of the Planets and the Inevitable

The Celestial Gods created the world together, combining cosmic forces to make the physical world and time itself. They then created 9 other gods, the Pantheon of the Realms. These 9 gods are:

Saint Aelfric the Flamebearer: God of peace, fire, light, and forgiveness, family, and protection. 

Dohter the Generous: God of life, earth, growth, generosity, fertility, medicine, water, and health.

Lady Sealticge of Grace: Goddess of beauty, darkness, the arts, love, grace, and secrets.

Draefendi the Huntress: Goddess of strength, animals, the hunt, honesty, thunder, and dedication.

Bifelgan the Trader: God of wind, cunning, friendship, travel, weather, the sea, and the tides.

King Alephan the Scholar: God of knowledge, magic, education, the elements, technology, and pride.

Prince Aeber of Thieves: God of cunning, tricks, deception, fortune, poverty, fire, and chance.

Brand the Thunderblade: God of honor, war, power, fury, sorrow, and justice.

Galdrea the Fallen: God of pain, greed, innovation, ice, birth, and death.

When these 9 gods were created, they roamed the earth in their divine forms and began to create. They made plants, creatures, rivers, mountains, forests, and everything else that became Orsterra. 

They created humans, and many of the 9 Gods wandered amongst their people, either in disguise or in divine earnest. Some of them hid. But they observed their people, and watched as Orsterra formed around them, developing civilizations and cultures.

And then... well. Things began to go wrong. 

Galdera, in his greed, tried to take control of the mortal realm, and with the help of the sorcerer Odin Crossford, the 8 Gods of the Realm sealed Galdera away. Aelfric used his sacred flames to weld shut the Gate of Finis, and the mortal world was brought back to peace once more.

The toll it took to bind Galdera, though, was high. The 8 Gods who tricked, fought, and sealed Galdera could no longer remain in the realm of the mortals. They had to return to the heavens, for their survival and for the continued preservation of fragile mortal life.

Instead, the 4 Celestial Gods who created all things, came to the world and hid themselves in careful places, to silently guard and observe the world that their children had created.

[crystarchived]

WINNEHILD, THE WARBRINGER.

Winnehild is known as the god of war, leadership, and peace.

Often associated with the fu guardian liondogs, as well as other animals like rhinoceros and tigers and arachnids.

They brought courage to the people - the ability to take action and lead others.

They had also taught the people of the horrors of war, and the importance of upholding peace as much as possible. And offered unto them assistance whenever wars would inevitably be waged.

But they were foolish to offer such. Often did they find themselves feeling like a traitor when they would answer prayers from opposing sides.

Their extra arms were conjured as a means to assist as many sides of those waging war as possible, as well as to become a true master of all weapons.

In time, many people (outside of Winnehild’s followers) forgot that they were a god of peace - and thus Winnehild began to be known as ‘Warbringer’.

[heulevescant]

Like, just plain old warbringer is rlly boring it's more interesting if ur like

Okay war + vengeance bc it adds a fun lil flair and makes her more suited for my purposes

(also I just love how Winnehild, warbringer- Goddess of war and vengeance, cold eye of dawn sounds like!!!)

[theoryend-blog]

inspiritingplums replied to your post: {LEON} —- “We need a new vessel for Winnehild. Our...

Cordelia vc: to the victor go the spoils. Congratulations marlene

{LEON} ---- “It would appear Marlene is our new Warbringer. Congratulations, Marlene.”