Theadeacus, Lesser God of Death
Unifier of Eros
The Horror of Noor
Tireless Demise

Realm: Eros

Souls: 6500
Essence: 1

Major Boon: Death Cultivation. The Aso gain the knack for manipulating their own internal life-force and mental state, allowing them to enter a flow state, ignore debilitating pain, and dedicate themselves to constant training, depending on their extent of cultivation.

Minor Bane: Raumlaathlah's Affection: Attracted the favor of the Triumph Unheard.

Provinces Explored: 3/4
North: The Deeplands - Explored Populated- Formerly the Storm Sea, now a much reduced ocean, expansive tide pools, and deep caverns.
Level 0
-Poisoned Cavern
-The Edge of Eros - A stone outcropping at the waterfalls, looking from there reveals somewhere else.
South: Deaos, the Radiant City - Explored Populated - Once called the City of Heathens, Deaos is full of ruins and warring barbarians
Level 0
-Fortress of the True God
-The Museum of Former Glories
-Arcaeon, the Temple of Thedeacus
-The tribes of the Illuminated Imgalti & Ur'theral
East: Dagger Peaks - 25% Explored- Difficult to cross mountains filled with ettins and frigid cold
-Fount of Brutality - Pool that turns mortals into ettins
West: The Old Road - Fully Explored - A raised ancient road that spans realms and currently lead to the Between
-The Old Road - A mystical highway that spans worlds, tended to by Wayward
-The Salt Depths - Huge caverns beneath the province full of glowing green salt dunes and strange plants.
-Leviathan Dying Ground - Countless skeletons of great proportions lie buried under the shadow of the Old Road.
-Entropic Fields - A unremarkable bit of wasteland, here decay and entropy have concentrated.

Center Province: The Spire
United
Level 1


-----------------------

People of the Realms

Cliff King Titalus - Historical Figure. Said to have once ruled the Spire, he grew fearful and paranoid in his old age, he built secret paths from the Spire.

St. Vastos, Death of Order - A wise man of the Kevarik tribe elevated to sainthood by Arthos, he wore polished stones on his wrist that jangled as he walked and a leather tunic that bore scars from what appeared to be the claws of beasts and he speaks on behalf of his shunned people. He was badly burned during the Battle of the True God and bears extensive scarring from fire. He has sired four offspring.
-Theamen - First son of Vastos, residing in the Court of the Deathbringers.
-Vastin - Second son of Vastos, under tutelage by Werin in the Recausi lands currently.
-Kevalek - Third son of Vastos, residing in Deaos.
-Baeril - Fourth son of Vastos, residing in the Deeplands.


Werin - Leader of the Recausi, he's young for such a role, but pragmatic and level headed.

Rugarin - War leader of the Ontasil.

Malicatese - Ancient beast locked away in a petrified tomb. Theadeacus entered its lair and slew the invader in one on one combat.

Jalak - Blade-binder of the Kevarik tribe, creates stone and bone weapons. Taught to work metal by Theadeacus, and later elevated to be a hero, the divine power infused in the man helped inspire him and he eventually fathered the Age of Steam.

Master Ophos - Elder of the Kevarik village who oversees tutelage of the Academy.

Lethar - One of the aso rescued from the Tomb of Malicatese.

St. Castos, Death of Entropy - One of the aso rescued from the Tomb of Malicatese. The premier necromancer, second only to Theadeacus.

Kalahae - Captain of the Ontasil forces. Second in command during the War of the Heathens.

Andaleece - One of the aso rescued from the Tomb of Malicatese. She suffered grievous injuries during the ordeal, but survived to become a hermit on the edges of the Kevarik village.

Holy St. Quilos, Death of Rituals - Leader of the Illuminated Imgalti elevated to sainthood by Eros, he wears a broad wooden mask carved with a monstrous face and carries a staff hung with delicate bells.

Ekeres - Teacher at the Academy of Kevarik, he led the uprising during the Tumult of Teachings. A prominent Tier 2 necromancer.

St. Garamea, Death of Grief - Former Lieutenant of the Blade of Death, commonly referred to as the Deathbringers, one of the leaders of the holy order. Elevated to sainthood by Eros and served as a Tyrant during the Dagger Peaks Campaign.

Laydalin - Most promising apprentice of Jalak the First Smith, Jalak has tapped her to be the successor to his forge and she was approved of by Theadeacus who also blessed her.

General Usalin - Field commander of the army that intends to march upon the Dagger Peaks.

Sites of Interest

The Tomb of Malicatese - Said to have once been an immortal, now it stands as petrified stone. Some traces of its power still linger within the rocks and earth, perhaps along with some danger.

The Demense & Mausoleum of Kevarik - A spiral descends down into the earth. Into the cool earth, the stairs emptied into a large 20x35 foot room of bare stone. While there were few adornments to the room, it was full of eager potential, like the air before a storm. Energy seeps into the newly fashioned chamber, like water filling the bottom of a well.
Resting atop the demense, this new structure served as a gateway to the well of magic below. It was the Mausoleum. Those who were hostile to the god of death and his works would find entry difficult, but not impossible.
Trait: A well of magic.
Trait: Hostile forces struggle to enter the Mausoleum.

The Demense of the Blood Spattered Fields - Unlike the Demense in Kevarik, this on lies above ground, but is otherwise the same. It is a windowless chamber in which magic accumulates like water in a well and sits atop a foundation of rust stone.
Trait: A well of magic.

The Radiant Demense - A new Demense, one inspired by the style of Deaos' old way of building and the newer style of the Kevarik Academy. The result was a place of ribbed stone that looked like smoky marble. It was built near the Illuminated Imgalti village on the edge of dried up canal.
Trait: A well of magic.

Jagged Demense - On the border between the Spire and Dagger Peaks, the fourth Demense exists. Just on the inside of the Spire side, here magic pools like at the other demense.
Trait: A well of magic.

The Gatekeeper Citadel - Sitting atop the wound in Eros, a great eye sits at the top of the Citadel and notes all comings and goings of the Wound and records their passage.
Trait: Records traffic of the Wound.

The Children's Den - The lodge where children are raised communally in the Kevarik tribe. This place has been divinely blessed so that those who dwell inside are untouched by disease or illness.
Trait: Those who dwell here are protected from disease and illness.

The Kevarik Forge - Blessed by Theadeacus, the fires here heat a bit quicker and the materials burn a little longer making it greater than other mere forges.
Trait: Productivity in blacksmithing is increased here.

The Spire - Three great pillars at the center of Eros have long been inhabited by aso. This ancient city serves as the capital of the central province. It was once held by the Cult of the Living Flame.

The Barracks and Academy - Within the Kevarik village the warriors dwell within the barracks. Those studying magic reside in the Academy, overseen by village elders. Both structures were built by the god-touched builders prior to the Battle of the True God.
The Grand Archive: A library in the base of the Academy, texts stored here are more resilient to damage.
Trait: Texts are better preserved.

Poisoned Cavern - A subterranean chamber of the Deeplands where Theadeacus defeated a stranded sea monster and where its body still resides in poisoned pool left over from the battle.

Jalak's Forge - In the heart of the Spire market place, the forge operated by the smith Jalak burns hotter than any other.
Trait: Slightly increases smithing projects worked here.

Fortress of the True God - On the edge of the City of Heathens, this fortress was formed from the debris of the city itself. Made up of high walls and thick doors, it is a gods resolve made manifest.
Trait: Assaulting the Fortress is even harder than normal.

Arcaeon, the Temple of Thedeacus - Once known as Imgalteldrel, the last creation of the City of Heathens. The tower is topped by a great brass dome that slowly rotates. Inside was found a pool of powerful creation that mortals had managed to harness. Theadeacus used his power to reshape it and rechristen it, turning it into a temple in his own honor.
Trait: Contains a rough history of Theadeacus, which continues to update.

Towers of Mourning - Outside the walls of Deaos stands a memorial to the fallen aso of the Battle of Noor, laid to rest there by Theadeacus. Two great towers, one on either side. The towers spiraled to a blunted point and within were rows and rows of empty stone tombs.
Trait: Damaging the towers brands the desecrator in Theadeacus' eyes.

Penumbrin - A metal lantern with glass panels, it has been crafted specifically to contain the myth Umbrin and prevent it from roaming and setting its appetites on things it shouldn't.
Trait: Can contain Umbrin.

Ekeres Tome - The results of the Academy's long decades of study and collected knowledge. The book is bound between two solid covers of wood that bear a scorched appearance. Etched into that wood by the finger of Theadeacus himself was the compendium's title, the Ekeres Tome. It as a compilation of all knowledge relating to Necromancy at the start of the Era of Steam.

The Fiends Prison, the Clockwork Prison - A squat, single story with walls made up of pitted and rusted iron, what windows it had were narrow barred slits. A jagged door offered the single point of entry and it looked likely to slice a careless entrant to ribbons. Stepping through that door was a main room only large enough for a half dozen aso to stand comfortably. It was only a fraction of the space that made up the place. On the far wall was a gate of toothy iron bars, a turnstile clearly designed to allow one to enter deeper into the facility, but the way it was fashioned it would not allow one to leave again.
The outer façade was transformed by Theadeacus:  Gothic styled blackened stone structure and aesthetic sheets of balefire that hovered mere millimeters away from the stone that formed the long walls.
-Warding Wall: A thirty foot wall studded with balefire lanterns surrounding the Fiends Prison.
Trait: Repels those who approach unless they have a purpose for visiting the Prison.

Leviathan Necrofortresses (4) - Living fortresses created on the bones of ancient leviathans found in the salt flats of the Old Road. Their mighty lungs hold them aloft. The fleet of Necrofortresses have been anointed the following names:
The Harbinger - Flagship of the fortress-fleet and blessed with divine power that it allows it to traverse the boundaries of Realms.
The Damnation
The Absolution
The Revelation

Tribes

Kevarik Tribe - We Who Dwell in the Shadows of the Beast - This small tribe lives only a scant few miles from the Tomb of Malicatese. Some decades later, their village is now protected by a blazing wall of necromantic fire.

Igelesi - Worshippers of the 'living flame' they are devout believers and capable of wielding fire that call up with their bare hands.

Recausi - Tribe who has a village beneath the surface of Eros in one of the subterranean pockets.

Ontasil - They live at the base of the Dagger Peaks, a violent clan that respects might.

Illuminated Imgalti - Named after the monster-gods of the City of Heathens, they were converted by Theadeacus when he slew their previous god, Caleastrolyn.

Ur'theral - A subservient, uncultured, people, they worship the imgalti of the City of Heathens, they eagerly accepted worship of Theadeacus, seeing him as a 'greater' imgalti.

Deathbringers - "The Blade of Death," A religious organization based in the east, in Ontasil lands. They are a missionary faith dedicated to spreading the word of Theadeacus via sword and flame.

True Path - A religious organization in violence opposition to the Deathdealers, located in the south, in the recently reclaimed Deaos. They take a blend of knowledge and have developed a brand of worship to Theadeacus that is centered on magic, transformation and ascendance.

Dangers of the Realm

Gerg'ibvin (Slain) - An ettin of the Dagger Peaks. He stole the Axe of Lavistus from the village of Ontasil a century ago.

Malicatese (Slain) - Ancient immortal that had been imprisoned outside the Kevarik village.

Igelesi (Slain) - A towering figure of living fire. It once inhabited the Spire and commanded the Cult of Igelesi, aso who wielded its fire and devoted themselves to Igelesi, calling it a god.

Caleastrolyn (Slain) - A metal cat beast of the City of Heathens, it was some sort of relic from the glory days of the city.

Unique Creatures & Objects

The Staff of Theadeacus - The staff is cracked and blackened under such immense power, the grain of the wood loops and gnarls, they almost appear as sigils. Darklight blossoms from the artifact, blazing and dripping like molten magic.
Magical Attunement: Necromancy
Effect: While wielded the user has greatly enhanced magical potency, though it strains the one who wields it.
Jewel of Shadows: A gemstone of endless darkness. He then set the artifact within one of the gnarls of wood within his staff.
Trait: Allows creation of solidifier armor/weapons of Shadow.

Axe of Lavistus - Carved from a single bone, one end notched and transformed into a wicked chopping tool, the hilt polished smoothed and wrapped in leather for grip. It was not a pretty weapon, but it held an innate majesty
Artifact
Effect: Unknown.

God-Touched Builders (2) - Blessed by Theadeacus, these Aso builders hold an innate power to manipulate Eros. Not to the degree of their god, but enough so that their project progress more quickly and more easily than they would otherwise.

God-Touched Smith (4) - Blessed by Theadeacus, these aso possess rudimentary skills of blacksmithing innately. These four work at Jalak's Forge in the Spire.

Whispering Kites (4) - With soft wings like bats and long tails, these pseudo-living creatures are created for ferrying messages. Currently there are two, one inky black, the other ashen white.

Ebon's Gate - A black ring with an embedded stone made of scintillating colors.
Artifact
Trait: Allows access to a pocket space

Essence Urn - Composed of black plaster, the urn holds the essences harvested by Theadeacus.
Current Holding: Chittaq Essence

Necropaths (6) - Aso who have been blessed so they're able to send their souls beyond their bodies and communicate directly with Theadeacus regardless of the distance, so long as is in the same Realm.

Specter of Death (1) - A phantasm summoned up by the Night of Macabre Mischief, this phantom has an affinity to death and senses when a life is nearing its final moments.

God-Touched Engineers (30) - Deathbringer engineers elevated by Theadeacus during the campaign to invade and tame the Dagger Peaks.

God-Touched Builders (30) - Deathbringer builders elevated by Theadeacus during the campaign to invade and tame the Dagger Peaks.

Djinn (4) - Spirits of frost and air created at the border of the Dagger Peaks to serve as Theadeacus' eyes in those harsh lands.

Heirs, Seconds and Heroes

Heirs: None
Vastos - Wise man of the Kevarik tribe, his body scarred from an encounter with the fire-beasts of Igelesi and one good eye remaining. Given three commandments. All Aso are to be treated as our brothers and sisters and welcome among in this land. No harm shall willfully befall our young lest they suffer my judgment. Third, grow and multiply.
Hero & Second
Power: After surviving the Battle of the True God, he seems to possess the power of foresight.

Castos - The emotionally mute survivor of the Tomb of Malicatese and a supremely gifted student of the magical arts.
A Whispering Kite follows him.
Hero
Power: Unknown.

Rugarin, Warlord of the Ontasil - The battle loving leader of the Ontasil and wielder of the Axe of Lavistus, Rugarin is a man of action, though that does not mean he disregards strategy and careful thought, though he has less patience for it when it doesn't relate to the battlefield.
A Whispering Kite, scarred and pale gray and nearly twice as large as others, follows him.
Hero
Power: Unknown

Jalak the Smith - Blessed by Theadeacus, the smith will eventually attain fame for his works.
Power: Ushered in the Age of Steam (One Time Power)

Werin - Leader of the Recausi, he's young for such a role, but pragmatic and level headed.
A Whispering Kite, pale and ephemeral that blends into the background, follows him.
Power: Unknown

Wayward - Living steward of the Old Road, an animate relief that exists upon the stones of the path.
Power: Blessed Travel - Wayward can bless or curse a traveler, easing or hampering their travels.


Local Color and Culture

Event: Battle of the True God - The name of the battle in which Theadeacus overtook the Spire, slew Igelesi and crushed the Cult of the Living flame.

rust stone - dense rocks that are impenetrable to the chittaq due to high iron quantities

chittaq - territorial burrowers with several limbs, armored hides and which are capable of digging through solid rock

Event: Days of Blood and Beast - Some period of time that occurred in the City of Heathens.

Event: Tumult of Teachings - An uprising and restructuring of the Academy took place which unseated the Elders of the Kevarik tribe as the leaders of the academy.

imgalti - What residents in the City of Heathens call the local monsters which they revere as gods.

Myths

Umbrin, the Black Light

Vitality: 0
Instincts: 1
Magic: 2
Loyalty: 2
Strength: 0
Finesse: 1
Supernatural Ability:
Magic Eater [2 pts] - Consumes magic.

Weaver of Flesh - Many limbs with a black body of fibrous plant and metal threads, the Weaver of Flesh has few true feelings, not pain or pleasure, but an overwhelming drive to sew together flesh from the sinew and cartilage that issues from its spinnerets.

Statistics (900-soul myth):
Vitality ***: By integrating fresh organs when they wear out, it can live theoretically forever; organ redundancy and sheer size make it difficult to harm.
Instincts ***: Innovative and resourceful, it is capable of devising amalgamations to suit any battlefield role. It also has a wealth of anatomical knowledge.
Magic -: Anna was unable to reproduce Theadeacus' necromancy. =(
Loyalty *: It has an irresistible compulsion to corpsecraft without cease; while it may allow its efforts to be directed, it cannot stray from its duty for long.
Strength **: Much of its strength is used merely to support its mass, but it has enough left over to crush any mortal stupid enough to agitate it.
Finesse *: While extremely skilled in corpsecraft, the Weaver lacks speed and agility in most other areas.
Corpsecraft **: The Weaver's limbs end in a mass of feathery tendrils which can each be articulated independently. It uses these to stitch together flesh and bone with great finesse and alacrity, or to tear them apart cleanly and precisely. It is also a very skilled Operation player!
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:08, Tue 22 Jan 2019.

Theadeacus felt himself drifting, dreaming, and then the drifting ceased.

He was stuck fast, as if deep in clay. The darkness shifted, colors of black and white, then gray, and then blooming color.

He was far, far above Eros, above the clouds. The entirety of his realm was stretched beneath him, but his own body was curiously absent. He could see like an eagle, vision unparalled - he could count the hairs on the back of one Aso, and at the same time count the pores in the stone of the canyon walls where the Aso made their homes.

And then - he felt himself, far below, sleeping securely with the highest chamber of the Arcaeon, within the Pool of Creation.

He knew instinctively that he could return to his body immediately, if he so wished.

And yet, below, a day passed with each minute, the twin suns tracing their paths through the sky. And with each passing day, a tiny mote of essence was born - the Tree, awakening, blooming again, feeding power into the living realms that remained.

Already, twenty years had passed, and Theadeacus possessed an new Essence, but it was strange - living potential, not of the kind he was used to, more ephemeral than that. It belonged to the Realm, not to him - it was a gift of the Tree.

He could direct how the Essence would be spent, or allow the Essence to dissipiate into the Realm, to produce new growth at random.

Directing it would concentrate it - it could be used exactly as any Essence could be - but allowing the Essence to return to the Realm could potentially have a greater effect, for good or ill.

There was an end point to this dreaming - after a century had passed, he would return to his body. In that time, he would see five Essence flow into Eros.

Yet, while lingering in this liminal space, he was unable to communicate in words with his people, and unable to interact directly with the world, other than in directing the essence. He could, if he wished, 'whisper' to up to five individuals - imparting a general sense of his desires, wordlessly. The individual would instinctively know that it was their God's desires.

As was the nature of things, issues would inevitably appear. Would it be better to end this early, and put a stop to dangers approaching while they were in their infancy, or to see it through and trust in his people, for the benefit of the Realm?



Already, the Age of Steam was upon Eros. Pipes were laid into stone, and steel grew from the canyons like a crystalline lattice, beautiful stained glass adorning the new buildings. Locomotives were being tested, their tracks running along the canyon walls and stretching between them - corpsecrafted workers handling the immense amount of labor necessary.

This was a time of peace and prosperity for the unified Aso - education was furthered, new schools built.

And yet - the Aso were lovers of nature. The stained glass resembled the canyon from which it was made, and the natural beauty of Eros was given high priority. Perhaps this slowed 'progress', but progress was but another name for a hurried rush towards death. The Aso continued their way of life. The Age of Steam buoyed trade as the tracks were laid to connect the provinces, and perhaps that was greatest gift. Tensions between sects softened as the Spire and its surrounds became more cosmopolitan, the many tribes mixing more than before.

There were rumours among the Aso - the edges of the Realm were shifting as the years passed, and some said there were lands beyond.

Eros was growing larger and seeming smaller at the same time. Not all were pleased . . .
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:17, Fri 11 Jan 2019.

Theadeacus was at peace as he floated above his humble world. He watched the Aso work and commune with one another. He watched as the tribes worked towards becoming one people and the declarations he had made bore fruit.

As he watched he could feel the months and years slipping away from him but he was content. He had done well in bringing up his children and they had seen to it that his will was being carried out even in his absence. Still he needed to pass on instruction to those who would hear it.

To Holy Quilos and Garamea he sent an empathetic message to inform them that he would one day return and that they were to keep the faith and protect the Aso as he had dictated to them. From there he considered how best to use what remaining people he did have to influence the world. He contacted Castos and Ekeres next sharing with them his desire to see Necromancy grow and advance in his absence.

Finally, with the energy left for a single message he reached out to Vastos. Initially he intended to deliver a message with some modicum of directing influence but instead opted to simply send a message of love and pride. Vastos, of all of his children, had proven himself loyal and competent time and time again. Theadeacus felt in his heart that even without direct guidance all would be well.

Then as he was going to drift off into slumber for some time to come he felt the pooling of Essence within Eros. It could never be his, no it was a gift from the spirt of the Tree, and was meant for his realm. He could feel its nature and its power but elected to let it run its course. The Realm itself would decide what to do with the fruits of his labors.

And so he slept and his dream was the world and the world was his dream.