Playing God Entry: Votum

__𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁__ 05/28/21

╔ - ˏˋ𖧧∘𖥸∘𖧧ˊˎ - ╗

Votum, God of Contracts

╚ - ˏˋ𖧧∘𖥸∘𖧧ˊˎ - ╝

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Votum

(inspired by Roman mythology)

Votum started out as the helper of Orcus, the lord of the underworld and punisher of broken oaths. Orcus was intrigued by Votum so when it was his time to be judged, Orcus personally went there to oversee it. No one really knows what had happened to Votum before all this, whether Orcus took pity on him or saw something in him, but he decided to make him his helper.

The deal was that Votum would be able to grant people's wishes in exchange for any sort of payment. Only he would get to decide who deserved to have their wish granted and who didn't. In exchange for being able to do that, Votum would have to help Orcus to punish those who don't keep up the end of their bargain.

Votum didn't immediately accept, but after some time spent in the underworld (unknown span of time, could have been years), he accepted the immortality and the responsiblity that came with it. He started out in small villages before news of him began to spread all across Rome. Hence was the birth of the god Votum.

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☞ Votum was an adult when he died and accepted Orcus' offer to become a god, but chose to have the appearance as his childhood self.

☞ Even back when he was alive, Votum was already granting the wishes of the people in his village (to the best of his ability).

☞ Votum was a kind and selfless person when he was alive, so now he acts playfully to experience the childhood he never got.

☞ During the time he spent in the underworld before he accepted Orcus' offer, they lived together and legend has it that they got married in secret.

☞ Votum's favourite food are apples (the only thing he liked to eat when he was alive), so that's what people would normally use as an offering when wishing to him.

☞ Votum likes the smell of pine trees so he would always fall asleep under one, especially after a hard day of work.

☞ The name Votum was not his birth name, he gave himself that name when he accepted Orcus' offer.

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This is what I imagine Votum would look like, though the art is not mine (found on Pinterest).

Votum has no physical form and can appear as whatever he wants, but the human form he usually takes on looks something like that. His mid-length blond hair and red eyes are his defining features. Votum takes the form of a young boy, symbolizing his innocence and childlike outlook of life (refering to his ignorance of the consequences of his actions). The hood that he so often wears was one he stole from the god Jupiter as a prank, but no one seemed to believe him and Jupiter himself never realised he had it in the first place.

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1. Are you alone or part of a pantheon?

Votum does not belong to a pantheon. The 𝘋𝘪 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘴, the 12 principle deities at the heart of the Roman Pantheon, declared him unworthy of being part of their Pantheon because they thought that his behaviour was "not Roman-like", that he was careless and inconsiderate.

2. What are you god of?

Votum is the God of Contracts. He hears every wish, every desire that anyone asks of him, no matter how small or big. It is his job to grant them to those who give payment or an offering. However, he only grants the wishes of those he feels deserve or earn it. Even if the wish is ill-intentioned, it is still his duty to grant it if the conditions are met, the consequences that happen are none of his conern. Not many people believe in his existence, even back then, so only those who still believed in the legend of his existence summoned his "services".

Votum also oversees any and all contracts. While he may be a minor deity, he makes sure that the or each and every contracts, deals, vows or promises are kept. Break a contract, and there will be consequences.

The word Votum is a Latin word with many meanings. In ancient Roman religion, a votum is a promise or vow made to a deity. A votum is a big aspect of the contractual nature of ancient Roman religion. Votum also means hope, desire, wish, aspiration, promise or prayer.

3. Your symbols?

Votum's symbols are pine trees and butterflies. Legend has it that when you see a butterfly, its proof that Votum has heard you.

4. How would people worship you?

People would worship Votum by burning a piece of paper with something on it, a picture, a piece of art, their wishes, their dreams, their secrets, anything that means something to them, and scatter its ashes to the wind under a pine tree. As an offering, people would place an apple or a small piece of bread under the tree.

5. Are you a major or minor deity?

Votum is a minor deity, he never caught the attention of most of the major gods, in a good way at least. Most of the major gods that knew him considered him ignorant and reckless so they decided to keep him as a minor deity to avoid trouble on their hands.