Fafnir

Fafnir is the god of justice and equality. Born fair and happy, he took after the Father and was the first of the gods to explore the world to ensure its creatures could live in harmony. He serves as the main arbiter of the Nine Gods, notably brokering the peace between Jorunn and Meniaxter when the latter brought death to the little people that Jorunn had created.

His primary affinity is the restoration of balance and parity. When Malfin hid the sun following a dispute, Fafnir used his power to cast it into a great arc, creating the cycle of day and night and the transition of the seasons. His judgment is absolute and direct; he is the patron of the sentient sword Jafnadr, which was forged for him from star steel by Frijdodr. The blade is designed to never injure an innocent, but it slices through the armour of any evil-doer as if it were not there. A death brought about by his influence or his sword is considered a divine judgment for which no blood price can be claimed.

The primary followers of Fafnir are those who perform legal and administrative work within the kingdom. He is favoured by the Council of Electors and the Board of Trade for his association with fairness and the maintenance of peace. Ordinary folk invoke his name when they have been wronged, seeking a fair hearing or the correction of an injustice. Those with his divine blood often exhibit violet or purple eyes when channelling his power to discern the motivations and intentions of others.

Fafnir is honoured during any formal act of judgment or the signing of trade agreements overseen by the Board of Trade. While he does not preside over a specific moon of the Skyssian Calendar, he is invoked daily at dawn, as the rising sun is a physical reminder of his work to bring order to the heavens. Small rituals involve touching an attuned amulet while swearing an oath, an act intended to invoke the god's protection against false witnesses and deceit.

The primary mystery cult of Fafnir is composed of the King's Justices. Membership in this elite group requires an intense level of personal devotion and, frequently, a lineage of Heroic blood.

• Initiation: Seekers must prove their impartiality and undergo training to use Words of Power to discern the truth and compel confessions from the accused.
• Rituals: High-level initiates use rituals to perceive the presence of a magical geas or to read the memories absorbed by sentient items or ancient structures.
• Observances: Justices often sit in judgment with a relic, such as the sword Jafnadr, placed on the table to face the accused as a conduit for the god's sight.

• Alfarinn: His daughter (or descendant), an ancient hero who combines his sense of justice with the mischief of Jorunn.
• Oddmundr: A former King's Justice and champion who was the last to wield Jafnadr before the current era.
• Yngvild the Fierce: A descendant and the current bearer of Jafnadr.

• House of Justice: The primate location in the capital where Fafnir's laws are administered.

• Jafnadr: The sentient sword of justice that serves as his primary instrument in the mortal world.
• Geas: A magical compulsion that Fafnir's followers are trained to identify and resolve.
• Words of Power: The specialised magic used by his initiates to find the truth.