Hellbend Star Signs
At Avakaron’s Water Temple on the city’s northern cliffside, the priestfolk of Wysore work together with the clergy of Sulest and Angtas to predict and foretell future events based on study of the stars and other celestial bodies. These predictions include casting of horoscopes — as Siliren completes its revolution around the Sun, different constellations become visible in the night sky, and the appearance of these constellations happens to coincide with the planet’s seasons.
Signs by the Seasons
People born in certain seasons are thought to share certain qualities with the ideas surrounding the constellation that comes into view in that season, although of course the perceived meanings don’t apply to everyone, and someone born under one sign may exhibit none of the traits listed in their general horoscope for that sign. One may visit the temple for a more in-depth astrological reading of one’s life and future, but the general consensus by temple astrologers as to what a constellation means for those born under it is as follows.
Spring
The Longhouse: A constellation that resembles a traditional Hellbend home. People born under this sign are considered to be very strong and stable individuals capable of withstanding adversity. They tend to be leaders, the rock to stand on, the shoulder to cry on. However, they can be stubborn or come across as cold to those around them, and they may have trouble relying on and confiding in others regarding their own struggles.
This sign is thought to be ruled by the Gods worshipped at the Physical Temple. Eight stars in total comprise this constellation.
Summer
The Family: A constellation that resembles a group of three or four Hellbends standing together, one among them performing the traditional Hellbend salute/greeting of a single beat of the right fist, with the knuckles of the thumb and forefinger parallel, to the sternum. Additionally, each star in this constellation is regarded as belonging to one of the twenty-seven Gods who rule over Siliren, including Cimese and Imser who fell in the Domain War, and Citah who feels distant from Siliren to this very day. One need only look up at the summertime sky to see the stars of the Gods’ family shining lovingly back down on them. People born under this sign are considered to be caring individuals who value their loved ones immensely, even over themselves in some cases. They tend to be caregivers, be protective, and work well in groups. However, their caring natures can result in them being taken advantage of or walked all over, and their value of their loved ones can lead to them being closed-minded to those not part of their “in-crowd.”
This sign is thought to be ruled by the Gods worshipped at the Sentiment Temple and the Tower of Avakaron. Twenty-seven stars comprise this constellation.
Fall
The Caster: A constellation that resembles a Hellbend with raised arms and a thread of Rigen extending from hand to hand over their head. People born under this sign are considered to be very gifted individuals when it comes to matters of the mind, Rigen or mundane. They tend to be mentors and seers and love gaining and applying their knowledge. However, their big brains may cause them to have big egos and look down on those they deem to be of lesser mental power, and they may assume everyone knows what they’re talking about when describing a particular topic.
This sign is thought to be ruled by the Gods worshipped at the Energy Temple. Thirteen stars comprise this constellation, including the Three Great Rigen Stars.
The Three Great Rigen Stars: A group of three stars which are part of the Caster constellation. These large, bright stars, while regarded as the thread of Rigen extending from the hands of the Caster, are also regarded as representing the three Rigen spell groups: Personal Rigen by the constellation’s right hand, Harnessed Rigen by the constellation’s left hand, and Creative Rigen in the center.
Winter
The Stream: A constellation that resembles a winding river. People born under this sign are considered to be emotional individuals who go with the flow. They tend to be free spirits and do whatever their heart fancies, flitting from place to place as circumstances change. However, they may act impulsively based on how they’re feeling without regard for consequences or how others feel or think, and their ability to work under pressure tends to either be impeccably good or impeccably poor depending on the individual.
This sign is thought to be ruled by the Gods worshipped at the Water Temple. Nine stars in total comprise this constellation.
Murals
These seasonal constellations are depicted in beautiful murals on each of the four walls of Wysore’s sanctum at the Water Temple — if one were to begin by standing in the center of the room and looking at the constellation depicted on the wall that faces the entrance to the sanctum and turn oneself clockwise, the procession of viewed constellations will simulate their procession westward across Winhem’s skies throughout the year, starting with the spring constellation of the Longhouse at the beginning of the year and concluding with the winter constellation of the Stream at year’s end.
In describing someone as being born under a certain sign, one would say that someone is a “Child of” that sign. For example, someone born in Fall would be described as a Child of the Caster, or Caster-child for brevity’s sake.
Horoscopes & Influences
It is thought that a person’s horoscope is influenced by many factors. One of these is Preceding/Proceeding Signs.
Preceding and Proceeding Signs
A Preceding or Proceeding Sign is the sign that either precedes one’s birth sign in the previous season or proceeds one’s birth sign in the next season. This distinction is determined by when a person was born within the season: If one was born in the first thirty days of the season, then one’s horoscope would be influenced by their Preceding Sign; likewise if one was born in the final thirty days of the season, one’s horoscope would be influenced by their Proceeding Sign. The horoscopes of those born in the middle third of the season are regarded as remaining uninfluenced by the Preceding/Proceeding Signs, and these people are sometimes called “true” [sign]-children. For example, a Longhouse-child born on the 28th of Spring would have The Stream as their Preceding Sign, while a Longhouse-child born on the 91st of Spring would have The Family as their Proceeding Sign. In describing one’s Preceding/Proceeding Sign influence, one would say that one is a “Child of [sign], [sign] Preceding/Proceeding.” In the cases of our examples, they would be spoken as: “I’m a Child of the Longhouse, Stream Preceding,” and “They’re a Longhouse-child, Family Proceeding.” The way in which a person’s horoscope is thought to be influenced by their Preceding/Proceeding Sign is that one may the exhibit traits thereof on top of the traits of their birth sign. How these traits are thought to be exhibited, however, is attributed to a different influence.
The dates for Preceding, uninfluenced, and Proceeding Sign designations for each season are as follows:
| Season | Preceding | Uninfluenced | Proceeding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1st – 30th | 31st – 62nd | 63rd – 92nd |
| Summer | 1st – 30th | 31st – 62nd | 63rd – 92nd |
| Fall | 1st – 30th | 31st – 61st | 62nd – 91st |
| Winter | 1st – 30th | 31st – 60th | 61st – 90th |
Time of Birth
The next means by which a person’s horoscope is thought to be influenced is the time of day at which they were born. The time of birth is thought to dictate how the traits of a person’s birth sign and Preceding/Proceeding sign are exhibited in a person’s personality.
- Those born from dawn to midmorning are referred to as Risers and are described as “Rising Children of the [sign]” or “Rising [sign]-children.” The traits of a Riser’s birth sign are thought to be exhibited outwardly and directly by the person, while the traits of a Riser’s Preceding or Proceeding sign are thought to be exhibited either subtly and indirectly or be muted. If a Riser has no Preceding or Proceeding sign, then their birth sign’s traits are thought to be exhibited outwardly in some ways and subtly in others. A Rising Caster-child with Family Preceding, for example, may be an excellent teacher who may keep an eye out on the down-low for a student whom they suspect is being mistreated at home.
- Those born from midmorning to midafternoon are referred to as Sunlights and are described as “Sunlight Children of the [sign]” or “Sunlight [sign]-children.” The traits of a Sunlight’s birth sign and Preceding or Proceeding sign are both thought to be exhibited outwardly and directly by the person. A Sunlight Family-child with Longhouse Preceding, for example, may be a doctor who takes great care in treating each and every one of their patients and be difficult to persuade to view someone whom they have strong opinions of in a different light.
- Those born from midafternoon to dusk are referred to as Setters and are described as “Setting Children of the [sign]” or “Setting [sign]-children.” The traits of a Setter’s birth sign are thought to be exhibited either subtly and indirectly or be muted by the person, while the traits of a Setter’s Preceding or Proceeding sign are thought to be exhibited outwardly and directly. If a Setter has no Preceding or Proceeding sign, then their birth sign’s traits are thought to be exhibited subtly in some ways and outwardly in others. A Setting Stream-child with Longhouse Proceeding, for example, may keep their true emotions bottled up, prefer to put on a tough outward persona, and have trouble confiding in others regarding how they really feel because of their inner insecurity or fear of being vulnerable.
- Those born from between dusk and dawn are referred to as Nightstars and are described as “Nightstar Children of the [sign]” or “Nightstar [sign]-children.” The traits of a Nightstar’s birth sign and Preceding or Proceeding sign are both thought to be exhibited subtly and indirectly or be muted by the person. A Nightstar Stream-child with Caster Preceding, for example, may have a gentle admiration for Rigen and aspire to join the Lysium Military’s Theurgiony branch, but only hint to their parents indirectly of their dream to be a battlemage, avoiding stating it outright.
Article Credit goes to DemonAnastasi.
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