The Pandimensional Pantheon is a legendary council of 12 Hyperintelligent Pandimensional Beings. In some pandimensional lore (Notably the tales of the Sunlight/Midnight Queens), they are said to have been created by the universe to create the first dimensions and aid the first pandimensional being.
The pandimensional pantheon consists of the advisor Tempos; the pathmaker Xem; the teacher Heliomidos; the artist Aurealis; the riddler Delphidanus; the watcher Theama; the restless Poneiora; the hunter Abscissaima; the architect Phobocosm; the eraser (in some variations, the destroyer) Achrogony; the clown Quadumor, and the forgiver Sabyod.
Aside of lore, the Pandimensional Pantheon are rumoured to meet regularly to discuss and resolve issues across the universes.
Each pantheon member has their own Artifact of the Pantheon. These are the Goblet of Tempos, the Ring of Xem, the Crystals of Heliomidos, the Books of Aurealis, the Cube of Delphidanus, the Scrolls of Theama, the Mask of Poneiora, the Pelts of Abscissaima, the Belt of Phobocosm, the Cypress Tree of Achrogony, the Pillow of Quadumor and the Mirror of Sabyod.
Creational Lore[]
When the universe was still young, a Child of Light was created from the dreams of the universe. The universe, young in its creation, was no place for the Child of Light to grow and rule, and so the pandimensional pantheon was created.
The Child of Light was young, carefree, and knew not of the ways of a ruler. To direct her, the universe created Tempos, to balance her mind between work and play, his gentle words not steering her ship but watching the waters and allowing her the freedom of choice.
When boulders, mountains, wide streams and beasts blocked the path, when there was no way to go simply because there was no way, the universe created Xem. Xe used xyr boundless strength to guide her onwards, overcoming the obstacles of the universe with decision, and she walked in the paths xe created.
The Child of Light understood nothing of fear, of responsibility, of physics and hard mathematical questions, and so the universe created Heliomidos, bestowing all of its knowledge unto him. He would teach her, open the doorways that Xem could not unlock, show her and feed her knowledge until her eyes shone with familiar stars.
Colour was sparse and dull, no place for the Child of Light, no joy for the daughter of the universe, and so the universe created Aurealis, with endless colour in her palms. Flames of purple and blue streaked across the dimensions, veins of yellow and green were slashed open, branches of deuterochrome and octohue grew strong as Aurealis drew, for the Child of Light, rivers and skies, wondrous lights and flowers.
Heliomidos taught well, but did not teach difficult. There was no challenge for the Child of Light, no stone to sharpen their inner blade, and so the universe created Delphidanus, who ruled over the confusing and mystifying, posing problems that the Child of Light would overcome, surpassing the boundaries Heliomidos's teachings with his riddles and tricks.
Beasts lurked, issues dwelled, fear settling uneasy in the Child of Light's heart, and so the universe created Theama. She was the lookout, the spy, the watcher, seeing for endless miles, looking in every direction, ensuring the Child of Life's safety with both foresight and hindsight, observance and diligence.
But the fear did not ease entirely, like a sickness the restless nights remained. When the Child of Light could not sleep, the universe created Poneoira, who took the child's restlessness unto her. She guarded the thoughts of the sleepless, the dull axe of insomnia, never stopping, always thinking.
The Child of Light was intelligent, understanding, compassionate, but did not yet know how to fight the evils that even Theama could not see, overcome obstacles that Xem could not break through. Silently, in the shadows, came Abscissaima.
Nobody knew where Abscissaima came from. Not even the universe itself knew where Abscissaima came from.
But ze came nonetheless, prowling in the dark to teach the Child of Light the wickedness in the world and how to destroy it, not using the words of Heliomidos but using weaponry, spears of lightning and swords of fire, cannons of energy and arrows of doom. Ze taught her how to fight like a warrior, hunt for food on her hunt for knowledge, and she ran with zem, ran with the beasts, holding zeir lightning spear in her hand.
Roaming dimensions, sleeping where she dropped, it was tiring, it was no way for a child to live, and so much was unexplored. Even Delphidanus could not cross the abyss, even Aurealis could not paint bridges over the void, and so the universe created Phobocosm, and he arrived with stones under his mighty arms, eager to create- he built castles that touched the aether, pillars of light, portals, bridges between dimensions.
But in creation, destruction is inevitable.
Without the knowledge of the other teachers, the universe created Achrogony. They were dangerous and they were many, and they were created to sift through the rubble of Xem's wake, erase the mistakes of Aurealis's art, sweep away the remains of Abscissaima's kills. They were created to erase mistakes, clear the scene for the new creations.
When the pressures of responsibility threatened to drive the Child of Light to melancholia, the universe created Quadumor, the four-headed clown who knew all of comedy, all of tragedy. He lightened her heart, he lightened the air, and the dimensions rang with his mirthful song.
And finally, when the wrongs were many and seemed to outweigh the rights, the Child of Light's guilt was lifted by the final creation. Sabyod understood, and Sabyod forgave. Sabyod resolved and absolved. Sabyod was redemption, Sabyod was relief.
And with their teachings, every last one, the Child of Light grew up, her light receding as she matured and became the Daylight Queen. The sprawling shadows, yearning to touch her dress, became the Midnight Queen, and neither could exist without the other- the Daylight Queen, student of Heliomidos, beaming and slicing through stifling darkness, and the Midnight queen, mother of Abscissaima, bringing a comforting lull against the blinding light.
From them, from their knowledge, created life, created order. Or that is how the story goes.
Variations[]
- In some variations, Abscissaima cuts off two of Quadumor's heads. One of the remaining heads found this hilarious, while the other was mortified, and that is where the masks of Comedy and Tragedy come from. In other versions, he cut off his own heads to juggle them.
- While Achrogony is normally referred to as 'the eraser', they are sometimes referred to as 'the destroyer', and is constantly in competition with Phobocosm.
- In some variations, Heliomidos and Delphidanus are enemies, while in others, they are lovers.
- Some variations tell that Abscissaima created Pandimensional Ghosts to hunt them, but others say that Aurealis created them, or that the Queens created them.
- Rare, early variations show drawings of something that resembles the Legshark running alongside Abscissaima, or lurking in the shadow of Achrogony.
Trivia[]
- There is a roughly 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% chance that, when opening any door, you will open the door to Tempos's Hall of Rightings.
- Only the truly, truly wicked are refused absolution by Sabyod.
- Council meetings are held on specific dates that are calculated by extremely complex algorithm.
- The Scrolls of Theama depict the future, but can be unreliable, as Theama was the first to gaze into the Daylight Queen's eyes, causing her to go partially blind.
- The Pandimensional Pantheon was originally named the Pandimensional Council, but was changed with the introduction of Pandimensional royalty with the High Quing.
Abscissaima, ever-bleeding Hunter
Achrogony, Destroyer or Eraser
Heliomidos, Teacher, eternally wise
Aurealis, the Artist, ultimate beholder
Delphidanus, king of Riddlers
Phobocosm, diamond-headed Architect
Poneiora, forever Restless wanderer
Quadumor, fool of fools, king of Clowns
Sabyod, gracious Forgiver
Tempos, Advisor of chance
Theama, Watcher with a thousand eyes
Xem, unstoppable Pathmaker
