In the vast desert of Tortana, seven massive skeletal tortoises make an endless pilgrimage between seven magical oases. Inside the shell of each tortoise, enterprising individuals have built bustling cities, while the desert wastes are ruled by orc tribes.
The head of the pantheon is the lawful neutral god Koyn, deity of commerce and the velocity of money. Money may be divine in the land of Tortana, but Koyn does not look favorably on the hoarding of their gifts. While there is no shortage of wealthy individuals, prosperity is served by spending generously. Their symbol is a blank coin.
Alora is the lawful good goddess of guidance. She is the patron of diviners and travelers, often working with Rein, though there is some tension between them. She hates lies and loves knowledge. Her symbol is a bootprint.
Leighis is the neutral good god of healing. He is the patron of doctors and his temples also serve as hospitals. Healing is available for donations to the temple or services that are outside their perview. He hates disease and loves the compassionate. His symbol is three drops of blood.
Nuri is the chaotic good god of food and cooking. He is the patron of cooks and alchemists, as well as gardeners. His temples are also fine dining restaurants and his shrines can be found in kitchens great and small. He loves creativity but hates waste. His symbol is a hearth.
Rein is the true neutral god of decisions. His temples are generally small shrines placed at crossroads. He is an uncaring god who only presents options, but doesn't desire that any be taken over others. His symbol is a forked path.
Luka is the chaotic neutral god of chance. He is the patron of gamblers and those who trust to fate. He loves the unpredicatable and hates routine. His temples are ornately decorated gambling houses where the faithful exchange fortunes. His symbol is a dice.
Yensid is the lawful evil god of greed. He hates and loves Koyn, who both enables him and refuses him. He doesn't have temples, but his shrines may be found in certain homes of unfair merchants and thieves. His symbol is a chest full of gold.
Ranj is the neutral evil god of suffering. He loves those who inflict pain and injury and loathes Leighis. Oddly, his shrines can most often be found tucked into a discrete corner of the temples of Leighis. His symbol is a barbed whip.
Lemat is the chaotic evil goddess of rage and Melat is the chaotic evil goddess of panic. Goddesses of an earlier age, their worship is rare in the current era, but their shrines can be found in the homes of the hateful and malicious. Their symbol is two flames twisted around each other, and they are only worshipped together as they are fiercely jealous of each other and honoring one without the other leads to great misfortune.
Ba is a prosperous city with a healthy nightlife. Every dwelling is complete with a magical food cupboard and endless water basin, courtesy of the city's government. More elaborate food and drink may be found in the city's Pleasure District.
Wheep is not properly a city. Rather, it is the prison of the land of Tortana. While many crimes are punishable by fine, more severe infractions are handled through exile. Most exiles choose to live in Wheep, where at least there is reliable food and water, rather than braving the untamed wastes. The residents generally keep themselves organized, although life here is significantly more violent than in the other tortoises.
While Gra does manage to be a fully functioning city, what sets it apart is the Academy. Home to magic education in Tortana, this city also takes responsibility for all official higher learning.
Na is perhaps the city with the highest level of commerce even in as spendthrift of a culture as Tortana. The city is built around the massive shopping district, and if something can't be found in the markets of Na then it probably doesn't exist.
Veep is the least populous of the tortoise cities, with a full quarter of the dwellings empty. The city government has stepped up to keep things presentable, but due to some financial mismanagement in recent years many people left when Koyn's blessings diminished.
If Na is the sales hub of Tortana, then Nini is the center of manufacturing. Rare and wondrous pieces of craftsmanship are regularly turned out from the workshops here, and many of Tortana's best artisans apprenticed here.
Bon is perhaps the city where money moves fastest. Centered around the Pleasure and Shopping districts, More people here supplement their income with pickpocketing and petty larceny than in the other cities.
The desert outside the tortoises is populated by orc tribes and monsters. The orc tribes do not use money, but they are willing to trade safe passage for water and good quality weapons, especially daggers, which play a core role in their courtship rituals. The tribes are matriarchal, each one being presided over by a grandmother.