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18 February 2000


“I am…”


He looked about himself, but could see nothing in the darkness that was before all things, so he threw back his head and cried out for light.


“I am…Tumbalovernam!” At the sound of his name, a blinding flash of lightning threw back the blackness of the void and his voice rolled over chaos like a peal of thunder. He looked about himself and saw the spirits gathered together, waiting.


“I take unto myself the power of the lightning’s fire and the hammer of rolling thunder. Do any oppose me in this?”


“I am…” said another voice, and the spirits looked over to it.


“I am…Bellinas…he of conflict. You take too much for yourself, Tumbalovernam. I oppose you.”


The gathered spirits drew back as the two gods met with a mighty crash. Lightning flashed and fire leapt as they strove for mastery, and a sound as rolling thunder filled the void as they laughed with the joy of battle. In the end, Bellinas knelt before he of the Lightning’s Hand.


“Your power is greater than mine, Lightning’s Hand. I cannot prevail.”


Tumballovernam looked down at the god before him, and in his eyes shone love. “You are strong, Bellinas, and I perceive that in your heart is the desire to do the will of the Maker. Unto you I shall give the hammer of the rolling thunder, and name you my son. Yours shall be the domain of conflict, and with your power you shall test each of the gods and all their works and uphold the Maker’s plan.”


And so were born Tumballovernam the Lightning’s Hand, who became the god of the skies and lord of the high places, and Bellinas the Thunderer, god of war and conflict, storm lord and bearer of the Hammer of the Maker’s Will.


Author’s note: A slight variation on the original story I posted. I’ve concentrated here on my two favorites, both of which I will play unless someone volunteers to be the thunderer (in which case feel free to remake him in your own image, these stories are easily revised.)


Tumballovernam (toom-ball-loh-VAIR-nahm), the sky god, rules the air and high places, and is very aloof, concerning himself mostly with creating the world and ensuring that it continues to run according to (his interpretation of) the Maker’s will. Because of his involvement in creation, he is also considered the god of the mysteries of creation, and is the father of a school of sky magic that involves rigid rules and rituals. He is inflexible and very territorial, and does not easily brook incursions into his territory. He demands complete devotion from his earthly followers, and several orders of monks eventually are founded to worship him. His allies among the gods are those who are dedicated to justice and the continued success of creation. He has no use for flighty, capricious or inconsistent gods, and views the oceans and rivers with distaste because of their chaotic nature. The birds of the air are his creatures (although he doesn’t necessarily have to create them.) In his fatherly sky god aspect, the Eagle is his favored animal and his colors are the blue of the sky and the white of clouds. In his arcane, mysterious aspect, his animal is the Owl, and his colors are the midnight blue of the night sky and the silver of the shining stars. His weapon is the spear of lightning. Because of his contradicting aspects, and his belief that he must ensure the Maker’s will in creation through his deeper knowledge of creation, he often makes leaps in logic and take actions that seem totally incongruous and illogical (which, in fact, they sometimes are.)


Bellinas (BELL-li-nahs) the Thunderer, son of the Lightning’s Hand, is the god of war and conflict, clouds and storms. His purpose is to uphold (Tumballovernams’s interpretation of) the Maker’s will in creation. He is much more reasonable than his father, as he understands that conflict must have resolution, or there is no point to it, and resolution often requires compromise. For that reason, he often falls out of favor with his father for a time, but they always reconcile. Bellinas knows that wars and conflict are often needed, and has little respect for those who try to avoid what he considers inevitable, although sometimes he will rush into a fight before other peaceful options are considered. His power is in the thunder of the Hammer of the Maker’s Will and the great storms that he gives rise to when he is displeased. He is very emotional at all ends of the spectrum, a fast friend and deadly foe, loyal to a fault, but relentless in pursuing his enemies to their destruction. He loves meat and strong drink, and the thrill of the hunt, and has fathered many children in his lusty human form. In the places where he is worshipped, it is thought that dark storms and thunder are an indication of his displeasure, and folk are careful not to do or say anything that might offend him. It is also thought that the sound of distant rolling thunder on clear or cloudy but calm days is the sound of his laughter as he battles, and folk are relieved that his attention is directed elsewhere. His colors are the red of blood and the gray of storm clouds. His animal is the hound, and his hammer is his weapon. His followers are mostly common men, especially those scratch out a hard living from the land hunting and fighting in the wild, and those oppressed by tyrants. Warriors are often among his followers, and are not afraid of his coming. Most settled folk and those in cities and on farmlands fear him and do not desire his attention.