Intro to the Laetha

Table of Contents
→ Overview
→ The God
→ The Laethas
→ Function & Applicability
→ Order, Court, & House
→ Prayers & Offerings

Overview

  • Name: the Laetha
  • Main Epithet: Firebird/Birds of Fire
  • Domain: Destruction
  • Placement: Third
  • Color: Red
  • Symbol: Heart
  • Element: Fire
  • Sacred Weapon: Fürst and Fürstin, the Twin Pistols
  • House: Hark
  • Court: Red
  • Order: Nix

The God

the Laetha is the third god of the Other People. They comprise a multitude of deities, known collectively as the Laetha. They are the god of destruction, transformation, and technology. They share dominion over transformation with the Ophelia, though the Laetha specializes in transformation through immolation. They make up half of the fiery Gods of Love with the Dierne. They are similar to the Liathane in their destructive attributes.

They are the child of the Clarene. Their lover is the Dierne Pallis. Their violence and fire is held in check by the Ophelia.

Being many, they appear in a variety of forms. Most commonly they appear as a giant bird of fire. They can also appear as a red peacock or fox. Their gender ranges across the spectrum. Their energy is often painful and hot in feeling.

Their colors are predominantly red and gold, and many of their spirits appear in these colors. Their Order, Nix, emphasizes restraint, submission, and prayer. Their Court is Red Court. They are known as the ‘obedient Court’.

For the People, the Laetha represents power.

the Laethas

  • Laetha Arabella, the originator of all Laethas. She appears with flaming red hair and a glowing halo. She is associated strongly with the color green.
  • Laetha Asier, the masculine pair to the Laetha Arabella. He appears with similar coloration and is occasionally seen in a wheelchair. He has a metal spine and is connected to prosthetics.
  • Laetha Ava, the leader of the Laethas. She appears as a child with pale hair and eyes. She is tied to destruction, violence, and retribution.
  • Laetha Alma, the twin of the Laetha Ava. She appears as a child as well, with dark hair and skin. She is a healer and nurse and travels across the worlds to aid those in need.
  • Laetha Arrise, an elder form of the Laetha Ava. She is connected to sports, athleticism, and competition. She is tall and well-built.
  • Laetha Azure, an elder form of the Laetha Alma. She is similarly connected to sports and athletics, like the Laetha Arrise. She is similar in build as well.
  • Laetha Alaria, a martial form of the Laetha. She is also connected to dance. One of the tallest Laethas, she has blood red hair and wears heavy armor. She acts as a conscience and tempering force to the Laetha.
  • Laetha Artois, the dissenting Laetha. She is friendly only toward the Laethas Alaria and Alma. She disagrees with most of the Laethas on all topics, acting as a constant block. She has an unpleasant attitude by nature.
  • Laetha Aletheia, a series of androids imbued with divinity. They all share an identical appearance of long red hair and gold eyes. They were built by the Clarene for warfare and combat and have limited emotional capability.
  • Laethic Firebird, which appears as a giant bird of fire. They have an inquisitive and serious temperament. They act as the mediator between all the Laethas.

Function & Applicability

the Laetha is best understood as a Challenger, pushing us outside of our comfort zone and forcing growth. They are also a Tempter, encouraging us to pursue guilty indulgences. They relate to the spirits as a revolutionary and tyrant.

They have dominion over technology and progress. The People turn to them for aid in navigating our modern world and integrating daily life with our religion. They can help us learn to balance urbanity and wilderness, as they reside in both spaces.

the Laetha is our guide to submission and rebellion both. They are a confrontational god that expects pushback from their devotees. They are tied to quiet social spaces in cities, such as cafes and libraries, and forests.

Holding dominion over destruction, they are good to call on during rituals for release or letting go. Their presence during ritual or prayer is bright and sharp, often piercing through us quickly. They can bring sudden epiphanies and radical change to our lives. We can petition them for aid when in need of great change, internal or external.

Order, Court, & House

the Laetha’s Order is Nix. Joining a god’s order is done by humans as a way to devote themselves more fully to a god. Nix cultivates restraint and austerity as part of their devotion.

Courts are those spirits that serve the god directly. the Laetha’s Court is Red Court. They reside in the Red Mansion and Ash Forest. They are known for their insularity and extreme piety. Their leader is the spirit Althea Altair. They are most active during fall and winter and during twilight hours of day. As the Laetha can be petitioned for change, so can their Court.

House Hark is the Laetha’s family. Gods ‘adopt’ spirits into their House, providing protection and stability. House Hark is populated by confident, quiet spirits with a penchant for riddles. They are run by the Laetha Asier.

A spirit may be from one Court, like the Laetha’s, yet be part of another god’s House. Orders and Courts are not equal to Houses. More information on Houses, Courts, and Orders can be found here.

Prayers & Offerings

The simplest prayer you can make is, ‘Laetha, to you I pray.’ You may begin any prayer to the gods by calling their name. You may also insert the god’s name into prayer you already use. Plain speaking, as if to another person, is also an acceptable prayer. Specifying which god you wish to speak with is recommended. If you desire to speak to all of the Other People’s gods, you may begin your prayers with, ‘Four Gods, to you I pray’.

Praying to the gods – whether a short prayer or plain spoken prayers – is most effective when done consistently. Aim for once a week.

You may also give offerings to the gods. These offerings may be placed on an altar or shrine or whatever space you have available. Tea, water, and incense are good basic offerings for all the gods.

Citrus and floral teas are a good offering.

Rather than giving the entirety of a drink or meal, you can set aside a small portion of food/drink and consume the rest. Liquid offerings may be poured down the drain; solid or food offerings may be discarded in the trash.

It tends to feel most ‘natural’ to set out offerings on a plate, bowl, or cup and say a prayer to the god(s) you are giving the objects to. Once you have finished your prayer you can discard the objects or, if you have the space, leave non-food objects where they are.

Good offerings for the Laetha include lots of incense, burnt paper, obsolete technology, red poppies, and heart-shaped objects.

Offerings are not required for basic Otherfaith worship. Prayer may be said aloud or silently. Factor in your housing situation and own ability when deciding how to pray and what to offer.