The Mortals
-
The Deities
-
thewizardguy Dumbgeon Master
Member
Seen
2 yrs ago
Name: usually goes by Ashra, or 'the Damned'
Age: 4 or 57, depending on how you count
Appearance:
Race: undead abomination
Gender: technically, all of them
Sign/Mark: a 'brand' upon the soul
Skills/Blessing:
[A Hundred Souls, A Hundred Minds]
Due to her rather extraordinary origin, Ashra's 'body' contains over a hundred mortal souls. These souls grant her great power and are the source of her supernatural abilities, but also come with great costs. All these souls come with fragmented minds and memories, all of which churn within her form, fighting for dominance. She's constantly attempting to maintain what sanity she retains, and personality traits can change in an instant as a new soul takes control. While it becomes nearly impossible to read or control Ashra's mind, mental attacks or interference will often throw Ashra's mind into turmoil, requiring some time for her to regain control of her body. Even a well-placed jab or jest can throw her off balance. The souls inside of Ashra possess vast combined knowledge and skills, although Ashra is not capable of accessing much of this due to her insanity, and the information she does access is often muddled or twisted. Should Ashra sustain enough damage she will begin 'leaking' souls, who will escape to the realm of Morsay.
[Form of Darkness]
Incapable of containing so many souls, Ashra's original form has long since shattered. But her magic and sheer willpower was able to hold her together as a being of shadow and magic, an undead abomination. Physical attacks mostly pass through Ashra, but the touch of Iron burns her. The purer the iron the more dangerous, and pure 'cold' iron burns her the worst. The touch of sunlight hurts her as well, although this is a dull ache that she can endure. Bright lights can damage her directly, as well as magic of both the divine and necromantic nature. Her body is capable of altering itself, slipping through small cracks in the floor or spontaneously sprouting claws. Despite being made of shadow, after all, it remains Solid unless seriously damaged. Ashra is virtually immune to poisons and diseases, as well as requiring no oxygen or sleep, but cannot stay in sunlight indefinitely without taking damage.
[Blades of Shadow]
In addition to being able to manipulate her physical form, Ashra is capable of forming solid shadow constructs. Lances of solid darkness can arc across the room to impale enemies, and even constructs entirely separate from her body can be created. Her ability to project and manipulate solid shadows is severely limited in direct sunlight, and can be weakened by light, clerical/necromantic magic, and exposure to iron. Seperated constructs can act independently of Ashra, imbued with several of her souls, but share her weaknesses. In addition these separate constructs are not directly controlled by Ashra and may act in odd ways. Often separated constructs will attempt to 'possess' a nearby corpse, puppeteering it from the inside. This protects them from sunlight to some extent, and makes them feel 'comfortable'. It's the closest these disembodied souls can come to being alive again. The disembodied souls cannot travel further than 100m from Ashra, or they will be pulled back into her body.
Weapons: none, besides her natural abilities.
History:
Once, Ashra was a powerful necromancer who claimed to serve Morsay. Despite seeming to act as a servant of Morsay on this world, however, she sought to take that which was only Morsay's to give, the gift of eternal life. And when Morsay did not return her prayers or answer her rituals, she strove to take it herself. To become an eternal being, to transcend death by becoming one with it. And to this goal she continued to study death, and the mortal soul. As her flesh began to give way to the relentless passage of time she gathered the knowledge she needed to master death itself. Although her knowledge and skill were certainly up to the task it seemed like her strength simply was not enough - although her spells could extend her lifespan, no mortal magic could hold back Morsay's reckoning forever. Unrelenting in her pursuit, Ashra concluded that she would simply have to gain power beyond that of a mortal soul.
A skirmish between the neighbouring nations of Tourmaline and Domer provided her with the chance she was waiting for. Although Tourmaline was far smaller than the militaristic Domer Empire, internal strife had begun to shatter the latter. In an effort to unite their people, the dual emperors of Domer sent forth an army to conquer Tourmaline and reassert their strength. Unable to bring it's full forces to bear and faced with the united strength of the fierce Tourmaline nomad tribes the legions of Domer suffered heavy losses. The fields were strewn with corpses and the rivers ran red with blood.
But Morsay would not reap the souls in this great harvest. Instead Ashra bound those unfortunate fools to this world, gathering the fallen to her own form. Death would fuel her, and through death she would achieve eternal life. Over a hundred mortal souls were bound to her failing mortal body, granting her access to untold arcane power. Enough power to shatter the bonds of life and death, and to become a true immortal. To take by force the gift that her deity denied her. But she had not counted on all those thoughts and memories flooding over her own mind. Her self became lost in a torrent of fear and anguish, the words of power twisting and slurring in her mouth as the pain of a hundred deaths ravaged her thoughts. The ritual that would have made her an immortal saint failed, and her body was ripped apart by the very forces she had summoned. Despite this, her sheer will to live, as well as the power of these souls combined, allowed her to forge a new body from solidified shadow. The twisted remains of her mind refused to admit defeat, and clung onto life with whatever power they possessed, straining to the limit under the strain. In the end the creature that was created was indeed immortal, a being that would never age and die only if killed. But in truth it was no longer Ashra, the necromancer who had sought eternal life. Whatever remained of Ashra had been torn apart and roughly pieced together, combined and mixed with hundreds of other souls.
Perhaps it was pragmatism, perhaps it was a cruel sense of humour. But when Morsay manifested to the heretical creature, he did not simply smite her, nor did he retrieve the souls that were rightfully his. Instead he marked the creature with his brand, declaring that it would need to serve him in order to pay for the years it had stolen. Unable to resist the lord of death's command, and too broken to understand truly how to try, this new creature became one of Morsay's dread champions. Ashra would indeed live forever, trapped within a prison of her own mind, drowning in a sea of twisted sorrow.
Age: 4 or 57, depending on how you count
Appearance:
Race: undead abomination
Gender: technically, all of them
Sign/Mark: a 'brand' upon the soul
Skills/Blessing:
[A Hundred Souls, A Hundred Minds]
Due to her rather extraordinary origin, Ashra's 'body' contains over a hundred mortal souls. These souls grant her great power and are the source of her supernatural abilities, but also come with great costs. All these souls come with fragmented minds and memories, all of which churn within her form, fighting for dominance. She's constantly attempting to maintain what sanity she retains, and personality traits can change in an instant as a new soul takes control. While it becomes nearly impossible to read or control Ashra's mind, mental attacks or interference will often throw Ashra's mind into turmoil, requiring some time for her to regain control of her body. Even a well-placed jab or jest can throw her off balance. The souls inside of Ashra possess vast combined knowledge and skills, although Ashra is not capable of accessing much of this due to her insanity, and the information she does access is often muddled or twisted. Should Ashra sustain enough damage she will begin 'leaking' souls, who will escape to the realm of Morsay.
[Form of Darkness]
Incapable of containing so many souls, Ashra's original form has long since shattered. But her magic and sheer willpower was able to hold her together as a being of shadow and magic, an undead abomination. Physical attacks mostly pass through Ashra, but the touch of Iron burns her. The purer the iron the more dangerous, and pure 'cold' iron burns her the worst. The touch of sunlight hurts her as well, although this is a dull ache that she can endure. Bright lights can damage her directly, as well as magic of both the divine and necromantic nature. Her body is capable of altering itself, slipping through small cracks in the floor or spontaneously sprouting claws. Despite being made of shadow, after all, it remains Solid unless seriously damaged. Ashra is virtually immune to poisons and diseases, as well as requiring no oxygen or sleep, but cannot stay in sunlight indefinitely without taking damage.
[Blades of Shadow]
In addition to being able to manipulate her physical form, Ashra is capable of forming solid shadow constructs. Lances of solid darkness can arc across the room to impale enemies, and even constructs entirely separate from her body can be created. Her ability to project and manipulate solid shadows is severely limited in direct sunlight, and can be weakened by light, clerical/necromantic magic, and exposure to iron. Seperated constructs can act independently of Ashra, imbued with several of her souls, but share her weaknesses. In addition these separate constructs are not directly controlled by Ashra and may act in odd ways. Often separated constructs will attempt to 'possess' a nearby corpse, puppeteering it from the inside. This protects them from sunlight to some extent, and makes them feel 'comfortable'. It's the closest these disembodied souls can come to being alive again. The disembodied souls cannot travel further than 100m from Ashra, or they will be pulled back into her body.
Weapons: none, besides her natural abilities.
History:
Once, Ashra was a powerful necromancer who claimed to serve Morsay. Despite seeming to act as a servant of Morsay on this world, however, she sought to take that which was only Morsay's to give, the gift of eternal life. And when Morsay did not return her prayers or answer her rituals, she strove to take it herself. To become an eternal being, to transcend death by becoming one with it. And to this goal she continued to study death, and the mortal soul. As her flesh began to give way to the relentless passage of time she gathered the knowledge she needed to master death itself. Although her knowledge and skill were certainly up to the task it seemed like her strength simply was not enough - although her spells could extend her lifespan, no mortal magic could hold back Morsay's reckoning forever. Unrelenting in her pursuit, Ashra concluded that she would simply have to gain power beyond that of a mortal soul.
A skirmish between the neighbouring nations of Tourmaline and Domer provided her with the chance she was waiting for. Although Tourmaline was far smaller than the militaristic Domer Empire, internal strife had begun to shatter the latter. In an effort to unite their people, the dual emperors of Domer sent forth an army to conquer Tourmaline and reassert their strength. Unable to bring it's full forces to bear and faced with the united strength of the fierce Tourmaline nomad tribes the legions of Domer suffered heavy losses. The fields were strewn with corpses and the rivers ran red with blood.
But Morsay would not reap the souls in this great harvest. Instead Ashra bound those unfortunate fools to this world, gathering the fallen to her own form. Death would fuel her, and through death she would achieve eternal life. Over a hundred mortal souls were bound to her failing mortal body, granting her access to untold arcane power. Enough power to shatter the bonds of life and death, and to become a true immortal. To take by force the gift that her deity denied her. But she had not counted on all those thoughts and memories flooding over her own mind. Her self became lost in a torrent of fear and anguish, the words of power twisting and slurring in her mouth as the pain of a hundred deaths ravaged her thoughts. The ritual that would have made her an immortal saint failed, and her body was ripped apart by the very forces she had summoned. Despite this, her sheer will to live, as well as the power of these souls combined, allowed her to forge a new body from solidified shadow. The twisted remains of her mind refused to admit defeat, and clung onto life with whatever power they possessed, straining to the limit under the strain. In the end the creature that was created was indeed immortal, a being that would never age and die only if killed. But in truth it was no longer Ashra, the necromancer who had sought eternal life. Whatever remained of Ashra had been torn apart and roughly pieced together, combined and mixed with hundreds of other souls.
Perhaps it was pragmatism, perhaps it was a cruel sense of humour. But when Morsay manifested to the heretical creature, he did not simply smite her, nor did he retrieve the souls that were rightfully his. Instead he marked the creature with his brand, declaring that it would need to serve him in order to pay for the years it had stolen. Unable to resist the lord of death's command, and too broken to understand truly how to try, this new creature became one of Morsay's dread champions. Ashra would indeed live forever, trapped within a prison of her own mind, drowning in a sea of twisted sorrow.
coGM
Dion THE ONE WHO IS CHEAP HACK ® / THE SHIT, A FART.
Member
Seen
9 days ago
Audere est Facere
Ianos the Mad
God of Insanity, Madness, Suicide, Depression, Irony, Chaos and Sacrifice
Heavily intertwined with Gods and Godesses of Death, Order, Justice and Luck
Minor powers in luck, death and the mental psyche
Worshipped by Madmen, Lunatics, the Insane, Inventors and Scientists.
Ianos the Mad, Ianos the Insane, Ianos the Crafty.
These are the titles ascribed to him by his followers, the madmen, the insane, the people who dare to think of the impossible and think it into a reality - perhaps not for everyone, but themselves, yes.
Ianos typically appears as a human, with one eye missing - for good reason - though it is known that his shape twists and morphs at any given time, creating visages that only the most insane can fathom and understand. To all others it would merely appear as some cruel nightmare of a man whose face changes and bulges. His appearance can suddenly shift, but for some reason when he enters the shape of a mortal to allow the mortals to relate to him, he always picks a human with one eye. "They are my favored species, after all," Ianos said about this to the other gods. "They are so delightfully self-destructive and full of potential for pure unadulterated chaos."
Ianos primary domain is in insanity and madness, though as with most other gods, this spills over into the domain of other gods' quite easily. He causes insanity, chaos and bad luck where ever he goes, being one of the few Gods that still maintain a semblance of presence permanently on the world of the mortals. Whenever Ianos arrives, people die, chaos ensues, and it all seems to be merely a practical joke to him. The death of a mortal is weightless to him, except for the comedic value it gives him.
So, he will use his minor powers in death, control over the psyche of man and other races, and his ability to cause bad luck to spread these things. Whenever you hear about a death that seems so strange and outlandish that it cannot be true - you can bet it was Ianos' doing.
So why do inventors and scientists worship him as well? Well... every invention needs a penchant of insanity and madness to function... doesn't it? Mad inventors work the fastest, after all.
As a result of this, Ianos' skills are essentially to be a jack of all trades, master of none. He lacks the control over death to purge large amounts of people, he lacks the control over luck to inflict painful amounts of bad luck onto entire villages. But to torment one or two people? That is something well within the scope of his power.
He is a good that is unpredictable - one of the reasons why the other gods' shirk him until they have need of him. You can never expect him to do one thing or the other, for he is aware of his own nature, and explicitly does the opposite of what he intends to do at times, in order to further spread chaos. After all, you cannot be a god of Chaos if you are predictable.
Being a god that is a jack of all trades, you can expect him to do all things other gods can do on a smaller scale, bar the more specific ones. Only when he wishes to spread true chaos will he be able to channel larger amounts of powers to truly spread madness and insanity.
That it may rain frogs and that the raindrops may quack as they hop around the pond.
The Calling Down of Arabos, the Moon
Most gods are entirely unaware of when Ianos came into existence, his entire being shrouded in an enigma that even he himself does not truly understand. Perhaps he was a mortal one day, uplifted by another god into godhood, representing that element of chaos and insanity within the societies on the mortal plane. He does not know - but insanity is in his nature.
During his initial days on the earth that mortals roam, he spent his time wandering the lands, spreading death, chaos, insanity... all things that he considered to be highly entertaining. It started lightly, making a peasant step into cow dung, or making a woman who was washing her clothes in the stream tumble into it. But as with all things, he quickly grew bored of it and sought a new past time. The ways he entertained himself in grew more vicious and severe, and he quickly began creating explicit schemes and long-term plots in which people would die, to bring him entertainment.
He also created happiness, granting people a boon - a sudden gift of a thousand gold coins - only for it to be taken away again in a twist of fate, Ianos' doing as he simply played the harp of life. But even that grew boring. There are only so many ways you can let people die, or torture them, before you grow bored of that too.
In a plan of great insanity, he decided to bring down one of the moons that orbited the planet. Using his godly powers he called down the moon, as it entered the atmosphere and came crashing down to the planet. This moon, Arabos, had for centuries been a centerpiece in the worship of Iustitia.
As the moon came closer to the earth, assuring the planet of it's utter destruction, it was then that Iustitia herself appeared and, with her spear, shattered the moon into a thousand pieces. Although the resulting blast and the hail of moon rock caused some deaths all the same, the planet and its' inhabitants had been saved by Iustitia, who crushed Ianos' plan. Or did she? In the end, Ianos' goal had been achieved - chaos had been created, through an insane act that shook the gods up.
The Day of Burning
Eons later, when the great war finally broke out, Ianos was not involved directly, only pulling insane pranks in the middle of the war. He didn't target either side of the war exclusively, instead focusing his powers on creating as much chaos as he could. It was at this time that Ianos was naturally at his strongest, the chaos of the war being enough to fuel him and disrupt the natural order of the world.
It was at that time that the gods Fortuna and Iustitia fought, and Fortuna had given up her control over the weather for this fight. She temporarily granted this power over to Ianos, for safekeeping, but underestimated the mad gods ability to cause chaos. As she was defeated, her power waned, and she was unable to take back the power over the weather from the mad god at that time.
Following that the skies were lit aflame, as the mad god caused it to rain fire, lighting forest and homestead aflame. It rained fire for one day and one night, and the aftermath of that event could be felt all over the world. When Ianos finally lost control over the weather when Fortuna seized back control, the damage had been done, and when the fire stopped the ashes fell from the sky, before making way for rain in an attempt to wash away the ashes and the fire.
Ianos' Eye
Before the gods individually returned to the plane of gods, where they ruled, and retreated from the earth, Ianos' craftfully took out one of his eyes and implanted it into a crow, putting it under his control as a servant of Insanity. This crow, called Corvus, is one of the few remaining 'presences' of the gods that is permanent in the world.
With a godly eye in it's body, the crow seems to possess some powers of the god, and is overall seen as a bad omen as he can spread bad luck, cause death and make people go insane. With Ianos retreating to his domain, one eye lighter, he uses the crow to spy for him, to see what is going on and cause more chaos still.
Ab Ordine Libertas
Morsay of Death and Undeath.
God of Death, Undeath, Plague, Disease
Heavily intertwined with Gods and Goddesses of Justice, Life, Health
Terribly Torn, the Face of Death and Un-death
It is told that Morsay is not human, nor elf, nor goblin, nor beast or creature, yet he is all at the same time. It appears that those who have seen Morsay, the rare few who have seen Morsay, claim that he was a god of their race. It is indeed true - a fact of simplicity for Morsay. He makes the conscious effort to appear to mortals as their own race, and as such a goblin who sees Morsay would see him as a goblin, and similarly, a human would see him as a human.
Morsay commands control over the fate of the dead and un-dead. It is he, Morsay, who controls the tidings of the infinite souls that roam his territory - and it is he who decides whom may live again under his control as a peon. Thorough he is, when he spits the ashes of his dusty dominion for the bones of the fallen, but mistake him not - when he brings un-death to the bones of the ill-fortuned and deceased, it is not the creation of life - that honour goes to which ever god has the power of life - it is merely the animation of a faltering, sickly body with the willing or unwilling soul.
Though, few his skills and powers may be, he is a God of grave importance. Without Morsay of Death and Undeath, there would be none to stem the flow of the deceased, and the mortal plane would fill itself with the wandering bodies of those who died and had no place to go to - a fate far worse than living under Morsay's control. With none to retrieve the souls, to harbour them in his infinite domain of ash and dust, where would they go, after all? Indeed, even a God with a skillset as small as Morsay can prove to be among the most important. Without him, the Mortal plane would be flooded with pestilence, death, and the undead would rule the world, spreading their filth.
Nary does the traveler know that Morsay also controls plague and disease - when a man falls dead of illness, it is Morsay's doing, as he had determined this man had needed to die. When plague swoops the land, it is Morsay's hand pushing the cloud of illness forwards, uprooting the weak and infirm from their homes to take their place in his domain. Fear not the plague, fear not the illness - fear Morsay, claiming his due souls for his realm.
The Master of Death and Un-death does not answer to mere mortals, try as they may.
Silent are the bones to which they pray, though it stops them not.
Morsay was among the first Gods, as when life was created, so was death - the two must exist in unison, so Morsay existed in unison with the God who created life. Morsay was not one to combine forces with the other Gods, and for the longest time he excluded himself from the others, living in his infinite domain, burrowing the ashes for the remains and souls of those who had perished. Although the people live in harmony, there were still those who died, and found themselves trapped in the ashes, their souls wandering his lands, as they stretched far and wide.
Although the other gods still wandered the Earth at this time, Morsay was not among them, choosing not to spend his time on Earth but in his own domain. As time inched onwards, his reasons became clear - and the more time passed, the more dead would arrive at his domain. It was at that time that he made the first Undead - a saint of sorts among followers of Morsay, named 'Mortam Cristophar,' who returned to the earth in his undead form to become a champion of Morsay. Mortam Cristophar was under Morsay's control and did his bidding in exchange for power and guidance, and so, when the war between the Forsaken and the other Gods began, it was not Morsay that fought, it was Mortam Cristophar who joined the legions of combatants.
Mortam Cristophar, the Saint of Morsay, champion of the Undead and combatant in the Legions fighting against the Forsaken
But, Morsay is no fool. He knew that the conflict would cause more and more deaths to occur, which would increase his power, filling his domain with more bones, skulls, and above all, more souls. Pondering for years on end, while the conflict raged on, he finally concluded and created a grand structure of bone and hide, and combined the souls of a hundred foul beasts - orc, ogre, troll, beast alike - and forced them into this grotesque being, the likes of which had not been seen before.
He said to this creation, "go, go to the mortal plane, and fight for the Forsaken - listen to his command, but remain my beast, so I say it, so it will be," and so the beast did, and returned to the mortal plane with help of Morsay, and he fought for the Forsaken and killed many enemies, so that the number of souls in Morsay's realm grew larger and larger.
When the Gods asked him why he had supported the Forsaken, Morsay had not answered them, merely secluding himself in his realm. Though it angered the Gods greatly, they also acknowledged the presence of his champion and Mortam, Cristophar, and they could say little of Morsay's actions, only chastise him for his support of both sides.
When the creations Morsay had created finally met, the hideous creature and Mortam Cristophar, they exchanged blows, but neither of the two perished, and they were equally matche - a testament to the skill Cristophar had possessed on his own, for his maker had created both him and his enemy, and not even the souls of ten impure creatures could kill him. It was during that time that the great breakthrough in the war occurred, and so the creature returned to the Forsaken to aid him, but it was then that Morsay finally appeared before the creature, finally showing himself to the other gods, as well as the Forsaken, and the hordes of people that fought on either side.
In the confusion of battle, it would be hard to make out, but Morsay did grab the beast by the head, and swung it left to right to bring it back under his control. When the beast had remembered his origins, it was then that it realized who Morsay was, and so he followed his command. "I, Morsay, command you, turn against the legions of the Forsaken and aid your master, which is now Mortam Cristophar," an so the beast did. Alongside Mortam Cristophar, the hideous beast and it's new master joined the battle once again, and found themselves fighting the followers of the Forsaken, providing a boon in this battle.
They had both served their purpose, and Morsay relinquished them from their duties, granting them eternal life and power in his domain.
In the following eons, Morsay would be seen little, and heard from even less. His devout followers continue to worship him, his presence indubitably there. But his champions became less frequent as well, and there were only ever one or two people marked by him at any given time - more commonly, beings that were still alive would be marked with undeath by him, causing them to rot and lose parts of their skin, showing their bones and marking them as his champion and servant.
The amount of choice he has in his own realm for champions has spoiled him, however, and he would not be satisfied with just any champion, only the best, since there are countless legendary warriors to choose from among his souls in his realm.
Name: Komarod Enuzir (People in the Enuzir tribe do not have last names, so Komarod just took the tribe name as a family name)
Age: 35
Appearance:
Not Pictured: Countless scars across his body, his left leg is horribly disfigured (But it is hard to tell through the armor).
Race: Orc
Gender: Male
Sign/Mark: A sword, located on the left shoulder.
Blessing:
Incredible Strength: Even by Orc standards, Komarod's strength is simply supernatural. He can easily best an ogre in a wrestling competition, and swinging a sword twice his size is an actual viable strategy. Unfortunately, this incredible strength does not equal incredible endurance, and considering his hotheadedness, Komarod can quickly tire out by overexerting himself in combat.
Skills:
Advanced Swordplay: Komarod has trained with a sword since he was born, and has been on numerous successful raids on neighboring villages. While he possesses no formal training, decades of swinging a blade will give at least some skill.
(Relatively) High Intellect: Komarod is extremely intelligent for an Orc, putting him on equal terms with the average human. If he stayed in his village, he would have made a fine strategist.
Iron Will: Komarod has experienced many of his tribe members falling in combat, and his god's influence has only strengthened the resolve in his heart. Should he set himself to something, it would require extremely convincing words to turn Komarod away from the task.
Drawbacks:
Old Wounds: Komarod has countless scars from battle, but the most detrimental of these is his left leg. Crushed under an ogres club, Komarod has healed remarkably well considering his circumstances. However, this wound still leaves him much slower than he would be, and is a very large weak point that is easily exploitable by enemies that know about it.
Old Flame: Komarod is just not as enthusiastic ever since his injury. He once relished the opportunity to kill whenever it arose, but he has grown far too complacent in his years. It would take a very impressive enemy, or an incredible motivation in order to convince Komarod to take up arms against anyone, and that's even including his god's influence.
Constant Improvement: Ehbus is a god of combat, and advocates improvement above all else. Any moment not spent training or improving something in one's life is a moment wasted. While a day off is OK here and there, Komarod must train at least 5 times a week, or else he will have his blessing taken away until he makes some breakthrough in his abilities, such as a new sword technique or a higher level of endurance. This constant improvement has resulted in him being alienated from his less driven companions.
Inventory: A well-worn Steel Broadsword, Plate Armor, Necklace made of Ogre Teeth, 100 Brightly colored pebbles (Enuzir Currency)
History: Born to a well off couple in the Enuzir tribe, Komarod was destined to be a great warrior from birth. He was the largest in his litter of 3, he possessed the mark of the god Ehbus on his shoulder, and he was already capable of walking by 9 months. His first kill was only 2 months later, when he stabbed an older Orc who was breaking into his home. This boosted him to even higher reputation, and at the young age of 9, he was already in the village raiding party. By then, his kill count had already increased to 12, as the village elder found that designating a village executioner was effective at keeping crime rates low. Because his impressive skill, however, many younger members of the tribe hated Komarod, his siblings being the only children even willing to speak with him. Thanks to this social shunning, Komarod never developed articulate social skills, and was forced to rely on his fists in order to make progress. He slowly grew more and more blood-thirsty, seeking to kill foe after foe, and bolstering his standing in the tribe to new found heights while he was in puberty.
He already had several wives by the age of 20, and enough war trophies to fill a small barn. His blade, which he had stolen from a human that was allied with a neighboring village, was as deadly as it was ornate, and it lent itself very well whenever he was sent out on a hunt. The tribe had grown greatly since Komarod was born, and required large amounts of food to sustain itself. As such, large hunts were organized in order to take down massive prey. The most scaring hunt, however, was on the local Ogre den. Ogre's were much more physically powerful than Orcs, and it took his tribe's entire military in order to take out the den. Just before the Ogre chieftain was slaughtered, however, he smashed his "club" (which was more like a tree than a mere club) onto Komarods leg, easily shattering it. Komarod nearly died from blood loss, and was barely able to survive thanks to the work of the Enuzir healers. Ever since that moment, Komarod realized how much he truly relied on his god-given gift, and how weak and fragile he truly was. Ever since then, Komarod never participated in large hunts, only ever appearing in small raids where his risk of injury was extremely minor.
By 31 years old, Komarod had sired countless children, and he had mellowed down into an actually decent person. His blood thirst was far weaker than it once was, and he actually mourned the massive number of people he killed. He destroyed almost all of his trophies, many of which were bones from slain enemies, until the only thing that remained was the sword from so many years ago. The blade itself is dull, but Kamorod's raw strength still made it's cut true. By this point, the old chieftain had elevated Komarod to the second highest possible status, and he became the youngest Elder in his Enuzir history. From then on, Komarod lived a very comfortable life style, until the age of 35. Then, a small human messenger came to the village, presenting an ultimatum: either send the strongest warrior in the Enuzir tribe to the capital, or be exterminated by the Forsaken army. The other Elder's, knowing of the Forsaken's power, begged Komarod to go with the messenger. Secretly, Komarod was extremly afraid, as he had not been in a large battle since the incident that injured him. However, he knew that his brother was the second best warrior in the village, and Komarod refused to risk his brother's life. As such, Komarod left the tribe he lived in his entire life, leaving for a world far different and dangerous then he knew possible, to face an enemy he knew was, in all likelihood, going to kill him.
(Holy crap, rereading this, he sounds super edgy. I promise, I plan to roleplay him as a sort of grizzled veteran that is "too old for this shit".)
Age: 35
Appearance:
Not Pictured: Countless scars across his body, his left leg is horribly disfigured (But it is hard to tell through the armor).
Race: Orc
Gender: Male
Sign/Mark: A sword, located on the left shoulder.
Blessing:
Incredible Strength: Even by Orc standards, Komarod's strength is simply supernatural. He can easily best an ogre in a wrestling competition, and swinging a sword twice his size is an actual viable strategy. Unfortunately, this incredible strength does not equal incredible endurance, and considering his hotheadedness, Komarod can quickly tire out by overexerting himself in combat.
Skills:
Advanced Swordplay: Komarod has trained with a sword since he was born, and has been on numerous successful raids on neighboring villages. While he possesses no formal training, decades of swinging a blade will give at least some skill.
(Relatively) High Intellect: Komarod is extremely intelligent for an Orc, putting him on equal terms with the average human. If he stayed in his village, he would have made a fine strategist.
Iron Will: Komarod has experienced many of his tribe members falling in combat, and his god's influence has only strengthened the resolve in his heart. Should he set himself to something, it would require extremely convincing words to turn Komarod away from the task.
Drawbacks:
Old Wounds: Komarod has countless scars from battle, but the most detrimental of these is his left leg. Crushed under an ogres club, Komarod has healed remarkably well considering his circumstances. However, this wound still leaves him much slower than he would be, and is a very large weak point that is easily exploitable by enemies that know about it.
Old Flame: Komarod is just not as enthusiastic ever since his injury. He once relished the opportunity to kill whenever it arose, but he has grown far too complacent in his years. It would take a very impressive enemy, or an incredible motivation in order to convince Komarod to take up arms against anyone, and that's even including his god's influence.
Constant Improvement: Ehbus is a god of combat, and advocates improvement above all else. Any moment not spent training or improving something in one's life is a moment wasted. While a day off is OK here and there, Komarod must train at least 5 times a week, or else he will have his blessing taken away until he makes some breakthrough in his abilities, such as a new sword technique or a higher level of endurance. This constant improvement has resulted in him being alienated from his less driven companions.
Inventory: A well-worn Steel Broadsword, Plate Armor, Necklace made of Ogre Teeth, 100 Brightly colored pebbles (Enuzir Currency)
History: Born to a well off couple in the Enuzir tribe, Komarod was destined to be a great warrior from birth. He was the largest in his litter of 3, he possessed the mark of the god Ehbus on his shoulder, and he was already capable of walking by 9 months. His first kill was only 2 months later, when he stabbed an older Orc who was breaking into his home. This boosted him to even higher reputation, and at the young age of 9, he was already in the village raiding party. By then, his kill count had already increased to 12, as the village elder found that designating a village executioner was effective at keeping crime rates low. Because his impressive skill, however, many younger members of the tribe hated Komarod, his siblings being the only children even willing to speak with him. Thanks to this social shunning, Komarod never developed articulate social skills, and was forced to rely on his fists in order to make progress. He slowly grew more and more blood-thirsty, seeking to kill foe after foe, and bolstering his standing in the tribe to new found heights while he was in puberty.
He already had several wives by the age of 20, and enough war trophies to fill a small barn. His blade, which he had stolen from a human that was allied with a neighboring village, was as deadly as it was ornate, and it lent itself very well whenever he was sent out on a hunt. The tribe had grown greatly since Komarod was born, and required large amounts of food to sustain itself. As such, large hunts were organized in order to take down massive prey. The most scaring hunt, however, was on the local Ogre den. Ogre's were much more physically powerful than Orcs, and it took his tribe's entire military in order to take out the den. Just before the Ogre chieftain was slaughtered, however, he smashed his "club" (which was more like a tree than a mere club) onto Komarods leg, easily shattering it. Komarod nearly died from blood loss, and was barely able to survive thanks to the work of the Enuzir healers. Ever since that moment, Komarod realized how much he truly relied on his god-given gift, and how weak and fragile he truly was. Ever since then, Komarod never participated in large hunts, only ever appearing in small raids where his risk of injury was extremely minor.
By 31 years old, Komarod had sired countless children, and he had mellowed down into an actually decent person. His blood thirst was far weaker than it once was, and he actually mourned the massive number of people he killed. He destroyed almost all of his trophies, many of which were bones from slain enemies, until the only thing that remained was the sword from so many years ago. The blade itself is dull, but Kamorod's raw strength still made it's cut true. By this point, the old chieftain had elevated Komarod to the second highest possible status, and he became the youngest Elder in his Enuzir history. From then on, Komarod lived a very comfortable life style, until the age of 35. Then, a small human messenger came to the village, presenting an ultimatum: either send the strongest warrior in the Enuzir tribe to the capital, or be exterminated by the Forsaken army. The other Elder's, knowing of the Forsaken's power, begged Komarod to go with the messenger. Secretly, Komarod was extremly afraid, as he had not been in a large battle since the incident that injured him. However, he knew that his brother was the second best warrior in the village, and Komarod refused to risk his brother's life. As such, Komarod left the tribe he lived in his entire life, leaving for a world far different and dangerous then he knew possible, to face an enemy he knew was, in all likelihood, going to kill him.
(Holy crap, rereading this, he sounds super edgy. I promise, I plan to roleplay him as a sort of grizzled veteran that is "too old for this shit".)
Name: Ehbus, God of Conflict
Appearance:
Domains: Improvement, Conflict, Strength, and Nature
Skills:
Massive Strength: Legends say that Ehbus bears the sky on his shoulders, and the stars are his sweat pouring off him.
Conflict Chaser: Those blessed by Ehbus are cursed to seek out conflict in order to improve themselves, and Ehbus is able to inflict this curse on anyone.
Rules of Nature: Ehbus commands all beasts on the planet, from the mighty Bear, to the minuscule Beetle. However, these commands are nowhere near as strong as deities of nature, as Ehbus is merely a god of conflict.
Race: Colossus
A brief history: Born in the beginning of the universe as one of original gods, Ehbus spurs conflict in order to encourage growth and improvement, and many events (both good and bad) can be traced back to someone under his influence. Even when he existed in physical form, Ehbus rarely left the cave he dwelled in, preferring to allow the Orcs, his personal creation, to do his bidding. These Orcs were beings of violence and bloodshed that sought nothing more than to become stronger, and while their patron deity was alive, they were immortal as long as they sought this conflict. It is thought that evolution originates from Ehbus, as all animals grow through conflict in order to become better adapted. This belief actually did manifest some minor power for Ehbus in the domain of Nature, but he is still nowhere near an actual deity of nature in these terms. Ehbus is, however, one of the strongest gods in terms of raw physical strength, and was one the larger forces in imprisoning the Forsaken gods. The fight, however, forced him to leave the physical plane of existence, forcing Ehbus to spur on the worlds growth through his blessed. With his physical "death", the Orcs lost their immortality, and they were designated to mortal status, while still retaining their blood thirsty habits, resulting in low population numbers and infighting.
Appearance:
Domains: Improvement, Conflict, Strength, and Nature
Skills:
Massive Strength: Legends say that Ehbus bears the sky on his shoulders, and the stars are his sweat pouring off him.
Conflict Chaser: Those blessed by Ehbus are cursed to seek out conflict in order to improve themselves, and Ehbus is able to inflict this curse on anyone.
Rules of Nature: Ehbus commands all beasts on the planet, from the mighty Bear, to the minuscule Beetle. However, these commands are nowhere near as strong as deities of nature, as Ehbus is merely a god of conflict.
Race: Colossus
A brief history: Born in the beginning of the universe as one of original gods, Ehbus spurs conflict in order to encourage growth and improvement, and many events (both good and bad) can be traced back to someone under his influence. Even when he existed in physical form, Ehbus rarely left the cave he dwelled in, preferring to allow the Orcs, his personal creation, to do his bidding. These Orcs were beings of violence and bloodshed that sought nothing more than to become stronger, and while their patron deity was alive, they were immortal as long as they sought this conflict. It is thought that evolution originates from Ehbus, as all animals grow through conflict in order to become better adapted. This belief actually did manifest some minor power for Ehbus in the domain of Nature, but he is still nowhere near an actual deity of nature in these terms. Ehbus is, however, one of the strongest gods in terms of raw physical strength, and was one the larger forces in imprisoning the Forsaken gods. The fight, however, forced him to leave the physical plane of existence, forcing Ehbus to spur on the worlds growth through his blessed. With his physical "death", the Orcs lost their immortality, and they were designated to mortal status, while still retaining their blood thirsty habits, resulting in low population numbers and infighting.
Burning Kitty
Member
Seen
6 yrs ago
Removed
❖ ❖ ❖
❝Cʜᴀsᴛᴇ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴀs ᴀᴛᴛᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ɪɴᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇs ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ.❞
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ἄρτεμις • Aʀᴛᴇᴍɪs • Mᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏғ Nᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ
ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇɴᴇss ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ
ɢᴏᴅᴅᴇss ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴ, ʜᴜɴᴛ, ᴡɪʟᴅ ᴀɴɪᴍᴀʟs, ᴡɪʟᴅᴇʀɴᴇss, ᴄʜɪʟᴅʙɪʀᴛʜ, ᴠɪʀɢɪɴɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ɢɪʀʟs, ʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇʟɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ ᴅɪsᴇᴀsᴇ ɪɴ ᴡᴏᴍᴇɴ; sʜᴇ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴀ ʜᴜɴᴛʀᴇss ᴄᴀʀʀʏɪɴɢ ᴀ ʙᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀʀᴏᴡs.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In the mountains of the Western Terrains of the Earth, a pious village inhabits the surrounding areas of a rocky temple, serenely erected, boldly withstanding the ruiness visages of the seasons -- in honor of the Goddess of Chastity, Fertility & Hunt – Ἄρτεμις (Artemis). The Village is well-hidden in the area, draped in its meek and humble living, uniquely strengthened in its divinity and praise for the Goddess as a place where Elves and Humans live dutifully and in unity amongst each other as the heart of the physical realm to Artemis' prowess. The Village is a sought after legend for the believers in Artemis, and only the faithful are permitted through her graves to walk the path between the mountainous terrain and enter into the harmonious territory.
Rights of passage by living in the village are endured with gratitude. One of the most famous and dedicated rights is the Rights of the Cardinals. Every three years, it is custom for the Village to gift the Goddess one young, virgin female who has only just reached the likeness of her womanhood virgin. The young women's hand is spiritually sacrificed and solidified by oath in an elaborate and divine ceremony as she is ordained a maiden of Artemis and referred to as a Cardinal, a handmaiden who abides her entire life's work under the chastity of the Lýkos Temple and in honor, praise, and worship to and for the Goddess Artemis.
Such great honor is bestowed upon the women who are deemed virtuous and chaste enough to be granted the gift of such a beautiful privilege. It is spoken quite ruthlessly, however, that the struggle of a Cardinal is not easy. Nonetheless, the true intricacies of the job are a mystery to the outside world. For such a case, the Cardinals are treated with utmost respect and revere -- as prophetesses and oracles, and women who cower from the likeness of the Cardinals are dismissed as unworthy and dishonorable disciples of the Goddess. As it has been passed down through generations of storytelling, the Goddess has bestowed ΖΩΗ (Life) upon the Village and all of its inhabitants. Should the Village fail to sanctify its Life with purity, the ζωή (Being) shall be withheld; the waters shall cease to pour forth; the crops shall cease to produce and be plenty; the animals shall cease to be abundant and worthy for food; the women shall cease to be with child; the village shall cease to exist.
This Western Terrain, so veiled in its modesty has a hidden name. The power in its name is taught with great authority and law as the key to its virginity, and thus, even uttering the Village's name has been forbidden and only taught to the Cardinals sometime after their ordination has made them worthy participants as Key Holders of the Village. The Cardinals do more than just protect sacred traditions, but they are taught, as a known fact in the Village, to be huntresses, skilled and trained in the Arts of Hunting -- marked by Archery: Arrows and Longbows.
The honor of such a position in the Village's society is so high that families groom their daughters in prayerful hopes of becoming a handmaiden of Artemis. However, it is rightfully been declared law that Cardinals are to be Half-Elfin and Half-Human. Arrangements and Ancestry are studied prior to the like of Matrimony being considered between two members of the Village.
Malehood and his honors does not fall anything close short of that of a Cardinal -- holding other such authoritative positions as leaders and lawmakers, stoic to the cause. It is taught that although Artemis bestows such life into Nature, it is not without the Touch of the Male does her cosmic connection bend through Time. And so, the Lýkos Temple allows one Elfin Priest (Elfin due to longevity and mysticism) to abide his wisdom inside her temple. His piety is very old and carefully considered before the former's repose. Through his antiquity, his chastity is measured with extreme caution to prevent scandal or the wrath of Artemis. He is never to learn the name of the Village. As well, on the outskirts of the Village, there are various temples -- smaller in nature than Lýkos, which houses males who practice chastity and monasticism in honor of the Goddess Artemis. However, there is only one temple, which allows for females -- Lýkos Temple -- the Holiest Temple of the Goddess Artemis.
The Ancient Story of the Goddess Artemis is preserved in the tradition of the Village as a well-known tale often depicted and re-animated through gatherings and Hellenistic pleasures such as music or other theatrics. The most famous tale of the Goddess that is cherished weaves her history as thus:
Conceived scandalously by the King of Gods and his mistress, the Goddess Artemis climbed into the temple of her father's lap during her third Lunar Year of age and asked him to grant her six wishes - to remain a virgin, to have many names to set her apart from her brother, to be the Light Bringer, to have a Bow & Arrow and a knee-length tunic so that she may hunt, to have sixty "Daughters of Okeanos" to serve as her choir, and for twenty Amnisides Nymphs as Handmaidens to watch her dogs and bow while she rested. Her father, the King of Gods, granted these wishes, and her most favored wish, the first one, to remain a virgin became her most important δόγμα (Dogma) to uphold.
παρθενιά (Virginity) as an eternal virtue was so important that even during such a time that the chaste Goddess did allow her heart to open once to another God not of her own family, and her brother -- pious in his jealousy -- tricked the Goddess into shooting one of her arrows through the God's head. It was later made true that the now reposed God had plans of murdering every wild creature on Earth. For her brother's jealousy and her lover's foolery, Artemis has dismissed the likeness of friendship between male and female as not being anything but unchaste.
Her domain, reigning over prosperity, fertility, and chastity, many Mortals called upon her name -- often, in the midst of the night when the Moon had unveiled her own face -- for help in sustaining Life, and through wisdom of her past actions, she sought to continue such good fortune and set apart a village from the rest of the World. In this village, she also hid away the seed of her own heart so that she may not fall prey to another God and lose her αθωότητα (Innocence). In show of her mercy, understanding, and repentance upon her brother, she allowed males to dwell in the village alongside the females of her choosing.
Mortal Creatures of her choosing were Elves and Humans, alike. Artemis took a fondness to the Human Form, but she knew their wisdom and powers were limited, and from such knowledge, she drew the eloquent beauty and magic from the Elves. In her most sacred place of worship, Lýkos Temple, only chaste, virgin maidens -- of half-Elfin and half-Human are allowed to dwell inside the Lýkos walls, and to consecrate her adoration towards her brother, she set aside a seat for a male Elfin High Priest. Keeping the traditions of the Moon Goddess abundantly are a dogma for the Village to keep it from disease and decay by the powers of Artemis -- and thus, the Fertility of Life would be cursed.
The Moon Goddess now clothes herself from the Mortal World and is said to only intervene physically for specific reasons. The willful veil that keeps the Goddess from entering the Mortal World is said to be a garment that keeps her modesty abundant in fruits on the Earth, and during the rare and holy occasions that Artemis does show her face, it is under the moonlit night, as to use the shadows of the night as a covering of her zeal and image.
Rights of passage by living in the village are endured with gratitude. One of the most famous and dedicated rights is the Rights of the Cardinals. Every three years, it is custom for the Village to gift the Goddess one young, virgin female who has only just reached the likeness of her womanhood virgin. The young women's hand is spiritually sacrificed and solidified by oath in an elaborate and divine ceremony as she is ordained a maiden of Artemis and referred to as a Cardinal, a handmaiden who abides her entire life's work under the chastity of the Lýkos Temple and in honor, praise, and worship to and for the Goddess Artemis.
Such great honor is bestowed upon the women who are deemed virtuous and chaste enough to be granted the gift of such a beautiful privilege. It is spoken quite ruthlessly, however, that the struggle of a Cardinal is not easy. Nonetheless, the true intricacies of the job are a mystery to the outside world. For such a case, the Cardinals are treated with utmost respect and revere -- as prophetesses and oracles, and women who cower from the likeness of the Cardinals are dismissed as unworthy and dishonorable disciples of the Goddess. As it has been passed down through generations of storytelling, the Goddess has bestowed ΖΩΗ (Life) upon the Village and all of its inhabitants. Should the Village fail to sanctify its Life with purity, the ζωή (Being) shall be withheld; the waters shall cease to pour forth; the crops shall cease to produce and be plenty; the animals shall cease to be abundant and worthy for food; the women shall cease to be with child; the village shall cease to exist.
This Western Terrain, so veiled in its modesty has a hidden name. The power in its name is taught with great authority and law as the key to its virginity, and thus, even uttering the Village's name has been forbidden and only taught to the Cardinals sometime after their ordination has made them worthy participants as Key Holders of the Village. The Cardinals do more than just protect sacred traditions, but they are taught, as a known fact in the Village, to be huntresses, skilled and trained in the Arts of Hunting -- marked by Archery: Arrows and Longbows.
The honor of such a position in the Village's society is so high that families groom their daughters in prayerful hopes of becoming a handmaiden of Artemis. However, it is rightfully been declared law that Cardinals are to be Half-Elfin and Half-Human. Arrangements and Ancestry are studied prior to the like of Matrimony being considered between two members of the Village.
Malehood and his honors does not fall anything close short of that of a Cardinal -- holding other such authoritative positions as leaders and lawmakers, stoic to the cause. It is taught that although Artemis bestows such life into Nature, it is not without the Touch of the Male does her cosmic connection bend through Time. And so, the Lýkos Temple allows one Elfin Priest (Elfin due to longevity and mysticism) to abide his wisdom inside her temple. His piety is very old and carefully considered before the former's repose. Through his antiquity, his chastity is measured with extreme caution to prevent scandal or the wrath of Artemis. He is never to learn the name of the Village. As well, on the outskirts of the Village, there are various temples -- smaller in nature than Lýkos, which houses males who practice chastity and monasticism in honor of the Goddess Artemis. However, there is only one temple, which allows for females -- Lýkos Temple -- the Holiest Temple of the Goddess Artemis.
❖ ❖ ❖
The Ancient Story of the Goddess Artemis is preserved in the tradition of the Village as a well-known tale often depicted and re-animated through gatherings and Hellenistic pleasures such as music or other theatrics. The most famous tale of the Goddess that is cherished weaves her history as thus:
Conceived scandalously by the King of Gods and his mistress, the Goddess Artemis climbed into the temple of her father's lap during her third Lunar Year of age and asked him to grant her six wishes - to remain a virgin, to have many names to set her apart from her brother, to be the Light Bringer, to have a Bow & Arrow and a knee-length tunic so that she may hunt, to have sixty "Daughters of Okeanos" to serve as her choir, and for twenty Amnisides Nymphs as Handmaidens to watch her dogs and bow while she rested. Her father, the King of Gods, granted these wishes, and her most favored wish, the first one, to remain a virgin became her most important δόγμα (Dogma) to uphold.
παρθενιά (Virginity) as an eternal virtue was so important that even during such a time that the chaste Goddess did allow her heart to open once to another God not of her own family, and her brother -- pious in his jealousy -- tricked the Goddess into shooting one of her arrows through the God's head. It was later made true that the now reposed God had plans of murdering every wild creature on Earth. For her brother's jealousy and her lover's foolery, Artemis has dismissed the likeness of friendship between male and female as not being anything but unchaste.
Her domain, reigning over prosperity, fertility, and chastity, many Mortals called upon her name -- often, in the midst of the night when the Moon had unveiled her own face -- for help in sustaining Life, and through wisdom of her past actions, she sought to continue such good fortune and set apart a village from the rest of the World. In this village, she also hid away the seed of her own heart so that she may not fall prey to another God and lose her αθωότητα (Innocence). In show of her mercy, understanding, and repentance upon her brother, she allowed males to dwell in the village alongside the females of her choosing.
Mortal Creatures of her choosing were Elves and Humans, alike. Artemis took a fondness to the Human Form, but she knew their wisdom and powers were limited, and from such knowledge, she drew the eloquent beauty and magic from the Elves. In her most sacred place of worship, Lýkos Temple, only chaste, virgin maidens -- of half-Elfin and half-Human are allowed to dwell inside the Lýkos walls, and to consecrate her adoration towards her brother, she set aside a seat for a male Elfin High Priest. Keeping the traditions of the Moon Goddess abundantly are a dogma for the Village to keep it from disease and decay by the powers of Artemis -- and thus, the Fertility of Life would be cursed.
The Moon Goddess now clothes herself from the Mortal World and is said to only intervene physically for specific reasons. The willful veil that keeps the Goddess from entering the Mortal World is said to be a garment that keeps her modesty abundant in fruits on the Earth, and during the rare and holy occasions that Artemis does show her face, it is under the moonlit night, as to use the shadows of the night as a covering of her zeal and image.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
❖ ❖ ❖
❝Eᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ᴘᴜʀɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀsᴛɪᴛʏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴛʜᴇ Tᴇᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴏғ Aʀᴛᴇᴍɪs.❞
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
❖ ❖ ❖
❝Eᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ᴘᴜʀɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀsᴛɪᴛʏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴛʜᴇ Tᴇᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴏғ Aʀᴛᴇᴍɪs.❞
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
καρδινάλιος • Cᴀʀᴅɪɴᴀʟ • Hᴀɴᴅᴍᴀɪᴅᴇɴ ᴏғ Aʀᴛᴇᴍɪs
ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ ᴏғ sɪxᴛʏ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀs ᴏғ ᴏᴋᴇᴀɴᴏs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴍɴɪsɪᴅᴇs ɴʏᴍᴘʜs ᴀɴᴅ ᴠᴇɪʟᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ʀᴇᴅ ᴄʟᴏᴀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴍᴀsᴋ
Aʀᴄʜᴇʀʏ • Iʟʟᴜsɪᴏɴ • Tʀᴜᴛʜғᴜʟɴᴇss • Hᴜɴᴛʀᴇss • Cᴏᴍᴘᴀɴɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ Aɴɪᴍᴀʟs
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Twenty years ago, a young Half-Elfin and Half-Human maiden was born to an Elf and his Human wife. The young female has since disregarded her birth name, having been bestowed a new name upon her ordination to a Cardinal. Her story follows along the lines of a dismayed human mother who foolishly cut her own daughter's hair and was beaten by her husband, ashamed and aghast with rage that his wife would even dare think of vanity on behalf of their daughter, a potential maiden to be chosen for the honorable rights of serving inside the walls of the Lýkos Temple.
Bad fortune seemed to have put her family into despair as during her thirteenth November, she had still not bloomed. Her father was certain it was her mother's doing, and their Matrimony had been in vain, having only begotten one daughter and one son. However, by her fourteenth November, she had become a woman, and by all prayers and begs for mercy by her parents, she was chosen to be ordained a Handmaiden of Artemis.
In her third year as a Cardinal, Mariëlle, having become accustomed to her monastic name, was allowed to venture outside of the Temple and into the Village for quick errands. It was during these weekly outings that a shopkeeper's son took notice of the Cardinal. His eagerness to know her started out shy and modest, as was the tradition of the Village's persona. However, as time transcended and hearts shifted, a bond between the two souls procured. It is believed that some chaotic force may have shifted the dynamics of the platonic relationship. Regardless, something twisted the path of their relationship, and the shopkeeper's son began pursuing more than what the Village permitted. In error, he assaulted the Cardinal in a vain attempt to obtain the name of the Village one evening on her way back to the Temple.
It was at that moment, Artemis, having mercy on the young Handmaiden and seeing such parallels in her own story, she made an appearance and cursed the young man into the form of a monstrous wolf. He was commanded to protect the Cardinal as her companion until her dying day. The only way for him to break the curse was to defeat the beast within him that caused the lustful attack. However, Artemis knew that the man's will would never defeat the beast inside himself, and as punishment to the Handmaiden for having let her guard down, Mariëlle was to have the knowledge of watching and feeling remorseful as her companion would fall further and further into the likeness of a monster and less and less from the likeness of a human.
Bad fortune seemed to have put her family into despair as during her thirteenth November, she had still not bloomed. Her father was certain it was her mother's doing, and their Matrimony had been in vain, having only begotten one daughter and one son. However, by her fourteenth November, she had become a woman, and by all prayers and begs for mercy by her parents, she was chosen to be ordained a Handmaiden of Artemis.
In her third year as a Cardinal, Mariëlle, having become accustomed to her monastic name, was allowed to venture outside of the Temple and into the Village for quick errands. It was during these weekly outings that a shopkeeper's son took notice of the Cardinal. His eagerness to know her started out shy and modest, as was the tradition of the Village's persona. However, as time transcended and hearts shifted, a bond between the two souls procured. It is believed that some chaotic force may have shifted the dynamics of the platonic relationship. Regardless, something twisted the path of their relationship, and the shopkeeper's son began pursuing more than what the Village permitted. In error, he assaulted the Cardinal in a vain attempt to obtain the name of the Village one evening on her way back to the Temple.
It was at that moment, Artemis, having mercy on the young Handmaiden and seeing such parallels in her own story, she made an appearance and cursed the young man into the form of a monstrous wolf. He was commanded to protect the Cardinal as her companion until her dying day. The only way for him to break the curse was to defeat the beast within him that caused the lustful attack. However, Artemis knew that the man's will would never defeat the beast inside himself, and as punishment to the Handmaiden for having let her guard down, Mariëlle was to have the knowledge of watching and feeling remorseful as her companion would fall further and further into the likeness of a monster and less and less from the likeness of a human.
© 2007-2024