Before Mantor came to such overwhelming prominence, the chief deities worshipped in the central and southern An-Kiu Valley were a group of eleven gods and goddesses collectively called the Drahnore Pantheon. (Some scholars hold that the Drahnore originally numbered twelve, with Mantor being one of them. Others suggest that the original number was even higher but that as the power of the Drahnore waned, the lesser ones vanished entirely.) The worship of the gods of Drahnore was extremely ancient, and by the time it was eclipsed by the worship of Mantor it had become highly ritualized, formal, stiff, and unspontaneous. While ritual can be very satisfying at times, people had begun to feel that the gods, or at least the priests, were too rigid to respond to their needs in ways appropriate to the changing times; thus they were ready to transfer their allegiance to a god and priesthood that seemed more responsive.

Such worship of these gods of Drahnore as is still practiced is mostly centered around Miroi Chang, Aryai Ling, Zur Danath, and Tilal Ming, and, although not forbidden, is usually carried on discretely if not secretly. The priests and priestesses of the gods of Drahnore wear masks, concealing their mundane identities from the worshippers and each other. The Drahnore Pantheon as a whole was primarily concerned with the Southern Adantri rather than the northern branch of that race.

The eleven gods of Drahnore now worshipped are believed to fall within three different ranks of power. The most powerful are Skoldra and Jolgera. Below these Two are Three: Kudath, Vahar, and Relson. One step below them are the remaining six: Irila, Mintir, Torhol, Neskira, Chalhar, and Dalgur. Lower than these there were at one time many other minor gods and demigods, but they are no longer listed in the ranks of Drahnore or heard in the councils of the priests, though some receive homage even today in the countryside. A brief description of the still-active gods and goddesses of the Drahnore Pantheon follows.

Skoldra is the Creator-King of the pantheon, the supreme power, patron of kings, and final arbiter in all matters. Some have held that upon the death of a king or emperor, his soul joins that of Skoldra, that such wisdom as men have to rule others comes from Skoldra, and that He may perhaps have fathered the original line of the Emperors. (Even if this were so, the Empire has seen so many different dynasties in its long history that it would be difficult to know whether any of Skoldra's "blood" still remains in the ruling family of this time.) Skoldra is generally pictured as slow to anger but implacable and unwilling to tolerate opposition or competition of any sort. The High Priest of Skoldra is called the Scepter of Skoldra; and he feels it his duty and right to advise rulers in all matters. Although Skoldra is believed to have a temple in Daiyla Kiv, it is apparently not a public one.

Jolgera, the "Mother-of-All," is possibly simply another name for Gheal, or a name for some aspect of that great goddess. She is not regarded as the wife or consort of Skoldra but a wholly independent deity of equal power. She is considered the patron of mothers and the guardian of the land itself, generally unwilling to interfere (although her priestesses will give advice) but powerful beyond all expectations when finally moved to wrath. She remains the most popular of all the Drahnore gods. The High Priestess is called the Harvest of Jolgera. There is a temple to Jolgera under the name of Jolghearala in Dal Shang.

Jolghearala: another name for Jolgera.

Kudath is the god of death and the dead, a grim and shadowy figure said to have little interest in the living. He is believed never to feel anger, or any other emotion--emotions are for the living. He is held by some to judge the souls of the dead and direct them to their proper spheres in the afterworld; the maintenance of order in the afterworld is said to be his sole passion: such being the case, he opposes the practice of necromancy as interfering with his realm. He is also held to be the guardian and protector of tombs and graveyards. The High Priest is called the Silence of Kudath. It has been speculated that he may have some connection with the Durstalen cult, though this seems unlikely on the face of it.

Vahar is the god/goddess of sorcery and all things arcane. This deity may appear as either male or female or of ambiguous sex, without preference. The nature of Vahar is secretive and some say vindictive as well. The High Priest/ess, whose sex is concealed as carefully as that of the deity, is called the Servant of Vahar. It is assumed by most people that Vahar is the patron deity of the Nai Shang Academy.

Relson is the god of knowledge and scholarship and patron of oracles. There are libraries in his temples, and his priests are held to be knowledgeable beyond the ordinary, subtle and astute, but his oracles speak in riddles and are frequently obscure. Although the equal of Kudath and Vahar in power, Relson is said to be basically passive in his nature--which is held to be a failing; his power may be as great as the others, but his prestige is much less. The High Priest is called the Eyes of Relson.

Irila is the goddess of love and the pleasures of the senses. She is always pictured as beautiful after the fashion of the current time and as having the character flaws of a beautiful and spoiled woman--selfishness, jealousy, spite, and cruelty when crossed... But those who win her favor, fickle though it may be, have found her sufficiently generous. The High Priestess of Irila is called the Smile of Irila, or, less politely, the Whore of Irila (use of this disrespectful title is likely to invite a very unpleasant death). Irila has a few small shrines in the Willow Grove district of Dal Shang, and a temple in Daiyla Kiv and is generally honored by members of the pink flower trade.

Mintir is the god of smiths and patron of craftsmen generally. He is said to be as slow and hesitant in thought as he is quick and sure with his hands, patient, tolerant, good-natured, and generous. Mintir is traditionally described as the "brother of Irila." While Irila, Mintir, and the others of their rank are less powerful than the High Gods, their popularity with the common people is greater; perhaps they seem more approachable. The High Priest of Mintir is called the Hand of Mintir. Mintir is one of the Drahnoran gods which has remained popular even as the others have faded out of the public eye; there is a small temple to Mintir on Sword Street just outside Old Daiyla Kiv.

Torhol is a god of indefinite domain; he is said to aid politicians and to encourage self-serving activities of all sorts. It is claimed by some scholars that he started out as either a trickster god or a god of destruction and has since become `civilized' without changing his essential character. He is secretive but suave, witty and amusing and cruel, touchy of his own dignity and power, and an unreliable patron. His High Priest is called the Agent of Torhol. The proscribed warrior clan Clawmoon is said to worship this god. Torhol is presently considered to be a politician's god, hence his considerable following in Daiyla Kiv (the followers are generally sneaky about it as it is not thought to be a good thing for a bureaucrat or politician to be a follower of this devious deity).

Neskira is the goddess of the moon and of water, especially of the An-Kiu River, and more active in promoting the fertility of the farmland than Jolgera. Her nature is changeable after the fashion of moon-goddesses: from a gentle maiden to a devouring crone, she can be bountiful and nurturing, cold and treacherous, or violently destructive in turns. Her High Priestess is called the Light of Neskira. It has been suggested that Enestria, a minor moon goddess of the Blue Hills, may be a representation or aspect of Neskira. The dragonboat races of Daiyla Kiv are held in Neskira's honor.

Chalhar is the god of wilderness and wild things, antagonistic or at least indifferent to most of the other deities. He is pictured with the antlers of a stag, and though he is said to be suspicious of all things civilized, he is true-hearted. It is whispered that when the evils men do become too great for bearing, Chalhar leads a Great Hunt to cleanse the land. He is also said to represent the masculine aspect of night and the moon as the twin of Neskira. His High Priest is called the Horns of Chalhar. There is an unconfirmed belief on the part of some Dalshani farmers that the Ridge Walkers worship Chalhar. It is a persistent rumor in Imperial Heart Province that there is a shrine or maybe even an important temple to Chalhar in the semi-wilderness south and east of Daiyla Kiv.

Dalgur is the wargod of Drahnore, whose code is victory by any means; he is said to hate Mantor above all others. His temper is hot and vengeful, and his oaths are kept only so long as it serves him to do so--for an oath, to Dalgur (and his followers), is merely a weapon to be used as he sees fit. He is also the male counterpart of Irila. The High Priest of Dalgur is called the Sword of Dalgur. A temple to Dalgur has recently been established near the Daiyla Kiv arena.

Dalagor: a war- or battle-god worshipped in Chorsan in southern Dal Shang; Sword Day is dedicated to him. Probably a variant name of Dalgur.