Helios
Unlucky0013
Lord Zee
DracoLunaris
Frettzo
Vec
Eviledd1984
Kalmar
ButtsnBallsApostate
Son of Hevel
Aspect of Defiance
Apostate’s aspect is defiance. Defiance can be described as rebelling against a norm, rising up from a low position or expectation, resisting being ordered or converted, and refusing to conform. The poor defying the rich, the cripple defying their injury, the wealthy defying their ideologies, the pastor defying their church, the oppressed defying their oppressor, the voice refusing to be silenced.
So what can Apostate exactly do with Defiance and how does Defiance look as a creation or flex of godly power? A few examples are below.
This part of the Defiance Aspect can be described as Apostate finding an emotional source inside of someone (such as them being upset with a superior, or feeling unheard or overpowered) — or planting a curse/blessing on a person to make them prone to defiant natures/thoughts — and then whipping it into action, driving the owner of the emotion (even if it was miniscule) into a passionate rage. Some examples of this include:
+ Encouraging a subservient individual to openly disobey their leader.
+ Encouraging mutiny, desertion, rebellion, revolution, and revolt on a larger scale.
+ Encouraging an individual to do something out of spite to defy an expectation of them be it personal or societal.
+ Encouraging someone to disobey a suggestion or command.
+ Encouraging someone to stay instead of retreat, or to pick conflict over capitulation
+ Instill confidence into an individual that was lacking confidence
+ Encouraging a subservient individual to openly disobey their leader.
+ Encouraging mutiny, desertion, rebellion, revolution, and revolt on a larger scale.
+ Encouraging an individual to do something out of spite to defy an expectation of them be it personal or societal.
+ Encouraging someone to disobey a suggestion or command.
+ Encouraging someone to stay instead of retreat, or to pick conflict over capitulation
+ Instill confidence into an individual that was lacking confidence
Defiance extends past social and societal structures and to the very nature of the world that surrounds the target. Here Apostate creates, blesses, or curses things to resist an external pressure… or rather to defy the external pressure’s influence. Some examples of this include:
+ Creating a structure that resists erosion or stress — such as a magical straw cottage that cannot be blown down, or a statue that refuses to rust, or a flower that cannot be picked.
+Creating an object that refuses to move — such a heavy shield that can only be hoisted by whoever has signed the back of it, a wheel that won’t roll, a sword that won’t leave its scabbard, or a door that won’t open.
+ Creating a structure that resists erosion or stress — such as a magical straw cottage that cannot be blown down, or a statue that refuses to rust, or a flower that cannot be picked.
+Creating an object that refuses to move — such a heavy shield that can only be hoisted by whoever has signed the back of it, a wheel that won’t roll, a sword that won’t leave its scabbard, or a door that won’t open.
Beyond emotional and structural defiance, Apostate has limited control over the physical defiance of living beings — but at a price. Let’s see some examples of this and the downfall of each:
+ Making a weak individual suddenly strong or overpowering. This weak individual is expected to be weak (perhaps crippled, young, or old) and suddenly is empowered with great might — however such a blessing only lasts so long as the being is defying the fact that they are expected to not be strong, resorting to their usual weakness the moment that expectation changes. This results in usually either very limited scenarios of sudden uplifting, or tragic stories where a blessed person perishes the moment they are suddenly weak again (having signed up for too much).
+ Defying the odds. If someone is expected to die due to a sickness or wound, Apostate can prolong their defiance to their illness long enough to break that expectation, but can’t cure the problem — sometimes leading to the person dying anyways the moment everyone else thinks they are healthy again or when their struggle is over.
In short, for this section, Apostate doesn’t make people permanently stronger, healthier, or better, he just pushes them beyond their limit to gain victory over a struggle, then drops them back where they started when the struggle ends.
+ Making a weak individual suddenly strong or overpowering. This weak individual is expected to be weak (perhaps crippled, young, or old) and suddenly is empowered with great might — however such a blessing only lasts so long as the being is defying the fact that they are expected to not be strong, resorting to their usual weakness the moment that expectation changes. This results in usually either very limited scenarios of sudden uplifting, or tragic stories where a blessed person perishes the moment they are suddenly weak again (having signed up for too much).
+ Defying the odds. If someone is expected to die due to a sickness or wound, Apostate can prolong their defiance to their illness long enough to break that expectation, but can’t cure the problem — sometimes leading to the person dying anyways the moment everyone else thinks they are healthy again or when their struggle is over.
In short, for this section, Apostate doesn’t make people permanently stronger, healthier, or better, he just pushes them beyond their limit to gain victory over a struggle, then drops them back where they started when the struggle ends.
Personality
Apostate is an intense deity that wields tunnel vision and pride with expert precision. He hates giving in to expectations and is incredibly spiteful at seemingly random moments. Not a lot bothers him, while at the same time what does bother him — disturbs him greatly. That said, he respects willpower, perseverance, and defiant attitudes but hates people who lie and manipulate or are weak-willed and self deprecating.
Inwardly, Apostate feels the stress of the oppressed inside of himself. The stress materializes as pain. While he has grown used to the constant buzz of pain, he doesn’t like it and is often grumpy and more confrontational when closer to areas of repression than when in a peaceful area. When the pain flares beyond the usual levels, he can grow restless — to the point of driving him to ignite open confrontation in the name of defiance against the oppressing nature present.
On the grand scale, Apostate doesn’t have any true divine goals for how the world should look, but rather how it should be run. He doesn’t want to give too many handouts to mortalkind, nor does he want other deities to save mortality from their mistakes or even tell them what to do — rather Apostate yearns for a mortal realm were conflict, stress, and ‘evil’ helps shape and teach its denizens how to become the best versions of themselves that they can be (as much as the good can). Despite this almost hands-off sounding plan, his very nature drives him to disrupt forming patterns by causing defiance and spitefulness to arise in any forming social system — but that’s alright in his eyes, because the chaos of conflict is what keeps everything going.
To summarize: Apostate is a proud, short sighted individual who wants the mortal world to feel the full weight of its mistakes and conflicts but refuses to leave it completely alone, eager to stir the pot to save that same mortal world from capitulation/stagnation.
”Apostate is as mixed a bag as his aspect. He’s prone to passion, tunnel vision, and pride. Despite his intense personality, he does enjoy smaller acts of passion — poetry for example. He respects thoughtfulness and art as well as physical and mental willpower. If someone is true to themselves or showcases self-confidence, they likely have his respect. That said, he despises liars — even if it’s a lie to only yourself.
On a personal level, Apostate isn’t one for a lot of words and he isn’t one for trying to find the best way to say something. If he has something to say, he will say it exactly as it comes to his mind. He is the type to refuse to lie, for anyone’s sake, and is extremely quick to rise to confrontation. He does not make a good mediator.
Apostate feels the stress of the oppressed inside of himself, the stress materializing as pain. While he has grown used to the constant buzz of pain, he doesn’t like it and is often grumpy and more confrontational when closer to areas of repression than when in a peaceful area. When the pain flares beyond the usual levels, he can grow restless — to the point of driving him to ignite open confrontation in the name of defiance against the oppressing nature present.”
K’nell put down the stark white paper he held in his hands. On the opposite side of his desk sat Apostate, the deity unmoving save for a few errant swirls of smoke billowing about him. With K’nell done reading, the silence of the sparsely furnished office turned to the monotonous ticking of the wall clock and faint sound of birds chittering outside the large pane windows. The ambient noise of waiting and patience wouldn’t have been as tedious if not for the fact that there was hardly any visual relief as well — the entire office as white as the first coat of primer slapped on the plain walls.
“Well?” Apostate’s hollow voice boomed a few decibels too loud for such an enclosed area, betraying whatever rash of impatience was dwelling inside. K’nell wrinkled his nose at the outburst and flatted both hands over the discarded report from earlier. As if tormenting the eager god, K’nell first practiced a few calm breaths before speaking — his grainy voice swirling between them.
“I sure hope this isn’t some sort of joke, Mr. Apostate.”
“Joke?” Apostate bellowed, forcing K’nell to raise a palm, as if shushing the god once more.
“This reads more like a poor dating profile than the description of a deity.” K’nell shook his head. “I’m afraid that with such a half-worked report on your persona, there is no way that you could be accepted for deployment as a god for the next iteration.”
Apostate rocketed out of his chair. “But the farmer boy with the funny accent and a kazoo was fine!?”
“Please, Mr. Apostate,” K’nell soothed the air, “this has nothing to do with that… mess. This is rather… Well, let’s call it a compliment! You see, it is the company’s judgement that you — as all you can be — should be better represented before deployment as to avoid the fate of a few choice others.”
The King of Dreams paused and the two looked over at the wall. On the otherwise barren tundra that was the surface of said wall, was a line of pictures. The furthest left was K’nell in all his cheshire grin with his daughter Hermes and her wife, then came a strange blob of a creature, a crooked grinned farmer, and finally a bichromic noblewoman.
“It is my belief — as well as the hopes of the company — that you will find yourself upon that wall, Mr. Apostate. But as your mentor I can only insist — and I mean insist — that you go in as ready as possible so that you may perhaps hold a candle to those before you.” K’nell’s grin stretched. “Please excuse my pride — cigarillo?”
The gentleman was pulling one of the desk drawers open but Apostate held up a metal hand. “I don’t smoke.”
K’nell blinked at the avatar of metal and ash in front of him. His cheshire grin shrunk ever so slightly. “Was that a joke?”
“Just tell me what you need from me.”
“Straight to the point, I see,” K’nell slammed his desk drawer shut and sat up in his seat. “First, a personality test.”
“Give it to me.” Apostate demanded.
“Very well,” K’nell obliged. “What… is your favorite color?”
“That is a pathetic question.”
Once again the gentleman blinked, but this time a pad of paper appeared in his hands as he jotted something down. K’nell paused and stared blankly at the paper before bouncing his eyes back at Apostate and then the paper once more.
The smoky god leaned forward, fingers clenching into a fist but K’nell remained silent. After a long pause, K’nell wrote something else down before speaking again. “Thomas has an apple and is full, while Elizabeth doesn’t have anything to eat and is starving, what do you do?”
Apostate leaned back in his chair, hands casually gripping the arms of it. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Elizabeth decides,” K’nell continued, “to take Thomas’ apple from him.”
“Okay,” Apostate replied.
“Realizing how easy it was, Elizabeth begins to always take Thomas’ food until Thomas is the one consistently starving.”
Apostate’s chair groaned as his grip tightened, “Tell me strange man, what does Thomas do about this slight?”
“Nothing.”
With a violent bang, Apostate’s chair went flying out from under him as he stood up. With a deep bellow he cried, “The fool! He should strike her down and reclaim his right.”
K’nell’s smile stretched across his face. “Allow me to change a detail, then tell me what you think once more.”
Apostate let out a deep sigh. “Very well.”
“Let’s say, out of compassion, Thomas offered these apples — though it does harm him, he cares for Elizabeth’s well being.”
“Resentment will fester underneath his supposed altruism, he is hungry — he will reclaim what is his.” Apostate hissed.
“I do say that is a concerning viewpoint to say the least,” K’nell added, “But I do suppose it is your own, no?”
Only a low growl answered the gentleman, to which K’nell let out a small grainy laugh before jotting something down. “Next scenario.”
“Go on.”
“A servant serves a master of many-”
“Kill the master, scatter the estate,” Apostate answered quickly.
K’nell cocked his head. “Why?”
“Capitulation to another’s demands… is bad.”
“It’s bad?” K’nell raised his pen. “Just bad? I must admit, Mr Apostate, that your answer was quick even for yourself and your defense was a frivolous one.”
Apostate stood in silence for a while. “Capitulating to a master’s chosen path is disgusting. Giving in to another is disturbing.”
“What if the followers agree with the path, or if it is good for them?”
Apostate shook his head. “No.”
“No?”
“To lead for a short while is necessary, to answer another’s call is necessary... but to make a habit of it.. To define who is above who or what is what… to capitulate to demands or expectations,” Apostate paused. “It’s pathetic.”
“Mr Apostate, I will add that I think this is the most I’ve ever seen you speak on a subject before. Care to answer a few more questions?”
“No.”
“No?”
Apostate stood up straight. “I’ve played your game long enough, strange one.”
“That you have,” K’nell’s grainy voice swirled between them. “That… you… have…”
On a personal level, Apostate isn’t one for a lot of words and he isn’t one for trying to find the best way to say something. If he has something to say, he will say it exactly as it comes to his mind. He is the type to refuse to lie, for anyone’s sake, and is extremely quick to rise to confrontation. He does not make a good mediator.
Apostate feels the stress of the oppressed inside of himself, the stress materializing as pain. While he has grown used to the constant buzz of pain, he doesn’t like it and is often grumpy and more confrontational when closer to areas of repression than when in a peaceful area. When the pain flares beyond the usual levels, he can grow restless — to the point of driving him to ignite open confrontation in the name of defiance against the oppressing nature present.”
K’nell put down the stark white paper he held in his hands. On the opposite side of his desk sat Apostate, the deity unmoving save for a few errant swirls of smoke billowing about him. With K’nell done reading, the silence of the sparsely furnished office turned to the monotonous ticking of the wall clock and faint sound of birds chittering outside the large pane windows. The ambient noise of waiting and patience wouldn’t have been as tedious if not for the fact that there was hardly any visual relief as well — the entire office as white as the first coat of primer slapped on the plain walls.
“Well?” Apostate’s hollow voice boomed a few decibels too loud for such an enclosed area, betraying whatever rash of impatience was dwelling inside. K’nell wrinkled his nose at the outburst and flatted both hands over the discarded report from earlier. As if tormenting the eager god, K’nell first practiced a few calm breaths before speaking — his grainy voice swirling between them.
“I sure hope this isn’t some sort of joke, Mr. Apostate.”
“Joke?” Apostate bellowed, forcing K’nell to raise a palm, as if shushing the god once more.
“This reads more like a poor dating profile than the description of a deity.” K’nell shook his head. “I’m afraid that with such a half-worked report on your persona, there is no way that you could be accepted for deployment as a god for the next iteration.”
Apostate rocketed out of his chair. “But the farmer boy with the funny accent and a kazoo was fine!?”
“Please, Mr. Apostate,” K’nell soothed the air, “this has nothing to do with that… mess. This is rather… Well, let’s call it a compliment! You see, it is the company’s judgement that you — as all you can be — should be better represented before deployment as to avoid the fate of a few choice others.”
The King of Dreams paused and the two looked over at the wall. On the otherwise barren tundra that was the surface of said wall, was a line of pictures. The furthest left was K’nell in all his cheshire grin with his daughter Hermes and her wife, then came a strange blob of a creature, a crooked grinned farmer, and finally a bichromic noblewoman.
“It is my belief — as well as the hopes of the company — that you will find yourself upon that wall, Mr. Apostate. But as your mentor I can only insist — and I mean insist — that you go in as ready as possible so that you may perhaps hold a candle to those before you.” K’nell’s grin stretched. “Please excuse my pride — cigarillo?”
The gentleman was pulling one of the desk drawers open but Apostate held up a metal hand. “I don’t smoke.”
K’nell blinked at the avatar of metal and ash in front of him. His cheshire grin shrunk ever so slightly. “Was that a joke?”
“Just tell me what you need from me.”
“Straight to the point, I see,” K’nell slammed his desk drawer shut and sat up in his seat. “First, a personality test.”
“Give it to me.” Apostate demanded.
“Very well,” K’nell obliged. “What… is your favorite color?”
“That is a pathetic question.”
Once again the gentleman blinked, but this time a pad of paper appeared in his hands as he jotted something down. K’nell paused and stared blankly at the paper before bouncing his eyes back at Apostate and then the paper once more.
The smoky god leaned forward, fingers clenching into a fist but K’nell remained silent. After a long pause, K’nell wrote something else down before speaking again. “Thomas has an apple and is full, while Elizabeth doesn’t have anything to eat and is starving, what do you do?”
Apostate leaned back in his chair, hands casually gripping the arms of it. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Elizabeth decides,” K’nell continued, “to take Thomas’ apple from him.”
“Okay,” Apostate replied.
“Realizing how easy it was, Elizabeth begins to always take Thomas’ food until Thomas is the one consistently starving.”
Apostate’s chair groaned as his grip tightened, “Tell me strange man, what does Thomas do about this slight?”
“Nothing.”
With a violent bang, Apostate’s chair went flying out from under him as he stood up. With a deep bellow he cried, “The fool! He should strike her down and reclaim his right.”
K’nell’s smile stretched across his face. “Allow me to change a detail, then tell me what you think once more.”
Apostate let out a deep sigh. “Very well.”
“Let’s say, out of compassion, Thomas offered these apples — though it does harm him, he cares for Elizabeth’s well being.”
“Resentment will fester underneath his supposed altruism, he is hungry — he will reclaim what is his.” Apostate hissed.
“I do say that is a concerning viewpoint to say the least,” K’nell added, “But I do suppose it is your own, no?”
Only a low growl answered the gentleman, to which K’nell let out a small grainy laugh before jotting something down. “Next scenario.”
“Go on.”
“A servant serves a master of many-”
“Kill the master, scatter the estate,” Apostate answered quickly.
K’nell cocked his head. “Why?”
“Capitulation to another’s demands… is bad.”
“It’s bad?” K’nell raised his pen. “Just bad? I must admit, Mr Apostate, that your answer was quick even for yourself and your defense was a frivolous one.”
Apostate stood in silence for a while. “Capitulating to a master’s chosen path is disgusting. Giving in to another is disturbing.”
“What if the followers agree with the path, or if it is good for them?”
Apostate shook his head. “No.”
“No?”
“To lead for a short while is necessary, to answer another’s call is necessary... but to make a habit of it.. To define who is above who or what is what… to capitulate to demands or expectations,” Apostate paused. “It’s pathetic.”
“Mr Apostate, I will add that I think this is the most I’ve ever seen you speak on a subject before. Care to answer a few more questions?”
“No.”
“No?”
Apostate stood up straight. “I’ve played your game long enough, strange one.”
“That you have,” K’nell’s grainy voice swirled between them. “That… you… have…”
True Form
Apostate’s true form is that of a towering figure of smoke. The chaotic wisps and swirls of smoke are held together by a strange black metal and anchored to the form by a single heart of twisted metal and hazy smoke hidden in his metal wrapped chest. His smoke form is featureless, as is the glossy metal that clings to his body.
Of course, the metallic armor cannot contain all the smoke, and much of it diffuses around him into a haze. All who get caught in the haze are victims to the chaos of the smoke, subjecting themselves to the same shared burden that Apostate suffers from, including the adrenaline pumping rage that only open defiance can satisfy.
Musical theme
Winter by Vivaldi
Winter by Vivaldi
Glass Orb/Orb of Hevel - A small, yet heavy, glass orb gifted from Apostate himself to Pride. He claims it is for mortal hands only and demands it never be lost from Pride. The orb itself is insignificant except for the fact that it is indestructable except by divine decree. Vigor spent: 1
Monument: The Statue of Apostate and the Garden of Hevel [1 vigor boosted with Defiance) — Dotting the northern border of the Garden of Hevel is the Statue of Apostate. The statue is the reason this garden is even enchanted, as this immobile monument holds the defiant power of Apostate that he unleashed during his resistance to the explosive blast created by Yudaiel.
Because of this, not only does the statue refuse to move or be bothered by even the most powerful mundane variables, but a good stretch of land behind it also refuses to be moved. Storms, flooding, fire, explosions, or even digging and construction doesn’t seem to move the ground and it’s plants — the garden resistant to any and all mortal/mundane changes to be made to it. This is the stubborn Garden of Hevel.
Monument: The Statue of Apostate and the Garden of Hevel [1 vigor boosted with Defiance) — Dotting the northern border of the Garden of Hevel is the Statue of Apostate. The statue is the reason this garden is even enchanted, as this immobile monument holds the defiant power of Apostate that he unleashed during his resistance to the explosive blast created by Yudaiel.
Because of this, not only does the statue refuse to move or be bothered by even the most powerful mundane variables, but a good stretch of land behind it also refuses to be moved. Storms, flooding, fire, explosions, or even digging and construction doesn’t seem to move the ground and it’s plants — the garden resistant to any and all mortal/mundane changes to be made to it. This is the stubborn Garden of Hevel.