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Mythos
(updated 2004/03/24)
Every culture on Ambar has a mythos, or set of stories, that describes the world and helps them to make sense of it. In most cultures, this takes the form of religion. The people of Ambar believe in a variety of different religions, which range from philosophies to pantheons of gods. Often a god is worshiped by more than one religion, perhaps under a different name or guise, with different prayer rites and customs.
In addition, the Avatara, Dragons, Deep Ones, and the Kha'din are ancient beings of god-like power who existed before the creation of Ambar. Various cultures consider them to be vassals of the gods, powerful immortals, or gods in their own right.
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The people of Ambar believe in a variety of different religions, which range from philosophies to pantheons of gods. Often a god is worshipped by more than one religion, perhaps under a different name or guise, with different prayer rites and customs.
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The wizened old man danced around the campfire and shook a small stone carving in the air. It was a tiny malachite bear with green jade eyes and a white marble nose. As he danced he began to chant "Great Bear! hear the words of a humble Shaman...grant me your strength that I may defend our people from the dark ones!". After a time his face shone with gratitude as he thanked the spirits for their mystical gift--the Gift of the Bear's Strength.
This is actually many small gods, one for each animal known in the land. The worshipers that belong to the beast's cult believe in all of them. Each worshiper takes one animal as his patron deity. This cult in itself engenders hundreds of small gods. The major trait of the animal is highly exaggerated for each god. For example, the god of bears is exceptionally large and strong. This faith is particularly strong among primitive tribes of Kith and Rochir.
The animal gods are repelled by civilization and reason, seeking wild and natural areas to make their home. City-dwelling people are the least sensitive to animal spirits, while those who live with the land have the closest relationship with them. Shamans commune with the great animal spirits to enlist their aid in the form of mystical gifts.
The shaman uses a fetish to commune with the great animal spirit of the animal it represents. The fetish is usually a figure modeled or carved from clay, stone, wood, or other material in imitation of a deified animal or other object. It consists of fur, feathers, hair, or a bone or tooth of a tutelary animal--the materials are never gained by slaying the animal, rather they are collected peacefully from those that are naturally cast-off from the animal. Fetishes are reusable indefinitely for communing ceremonies for that particular animal, but you need one animal fetish for each great animal spirit you want to commune with.
Worshipers:
This faith is particularly strong among primitive tribes of Kith and Rochir, although it is surprisingly popular among the civilized Aquilans.
Gods Worshiped:
Many gods, such as the Rat God, the Shark God, the Spider God, etc.
Gods Opposed:
Typically each beast god will have a few personal enemies, corresponding to its personality as an animal.
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In ages past primitive humans worshiped the many spirits of nature. People, trees, animals, the seasons, and the land itself all flow with vibrant spiritual energy of life. The cycles of life held great power in the hearts and minds of our ancestors, the greatest of which was motherhood.
All of the spirits, whether weak or terrible, were born from the earth mother Danu. The priesthood was primarily female, led by the Hichana wise women. Each tribe had a circle of Hichana who met and considered spiritual affairs, conducted blessings, named children, and cared for the spiritual well-being of the tribe. This council was at least equal to the tribal chieftain, except in matters of war.
Separately, a council of Istari carried the law across the land and between the tribes. They adjudicated matters of tradition, honor, and justice. When an Istari was initiated into the sacred priesthood, he ceased to be a member of his tribe, for now he represented the law before all the people, and was inviolate. This allowed the Istari to carry news between the tribes, even across fiercely contested territories or in times of war. This also allowed the Istari to broker treaties and work towards peace--or rally the fiercely independent tribes against a common foe. The most famous circle is the Istari of Belerion, who spread the law of the Ithil'Rhi amongst the Kith people, from which they forged the Alornean people.
The traditions of the old faith were passed down by stories, songs, and sacred days. None of the barbarian tribes were literate, save for the secret Ogham script of the Istari. Many of the stories employ symbolism, for example the seasons have special meanings for those who follow the old ways. Spring is the green time of new life and healing. Summer represents warmth and fire. Fall represents wealth and the harvest. Winter represents endurance, sleep and frost.
Nowadays the "Old Faith" of Danu-worship is often viewed as quaint or barbaric. True nature worship is uncommon except in the wildernesses at the ends of the world where primitive cultures still thrive, such as Kith and Rochir. However, most of the new faiths have elements of the old traditions--if nothing else at least the concept of a "soul" can be traced back to the "Old Faith".
Worshipers: Alorns (especially those of Belerion), Drunes, Kith, Rochir
Gods Worshiped: Danu is the earth mother, the mother of all living things as well as the land itself. The Allfather is worshiped as Wotan in the form of the World Tree. Hyakki, Lunara, and Xohm are worshiped as various representations of Danu, the earth mother. The "Horned God" Cornun is revered as an embodiments of nature and beasts, particularly by Kith berserks.
God Opposed: The Duirgurth and Wendigo, who are worshiped by the Drunes.
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Philosophically, this cult believes that patterns of the moons and stars in the sky have divine significance. In practice, its members are top-notch thieves who dabble in magic, stealing arcane artifacts which have magical or religious significance.
Worshipers:
Alorns, Southmarens.
Gods Worshiped:
Lunara, Hruul
Gods Opposed:
Duirgurth
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Karrocks traditionally follow the "Exemplar Way", a path to self-perfection through exacting obeisance to the "Exemplar Virtues" and emulation of the "Exemplar Saints". The saints were holy ancestors who demonstrated the virtues in their lives. Each of the saints is typically remembered for "inventing" a single virtue, such as "Arith the Patient". Karrocks do not actually worship Saints but rather admire and try to emulate their deeds.
Karrock monasteries and shrines are typically named for one of the Saints. Traditionally, each step is carved with one of the Exemplar Virtues or Exemplar Saints of the Karrock Exemplar Way.
Exemplar priests name children after one of the saints on their first birthday, called their "name day". Instead of celebrating their birthday, Exemplars celebrate their name day every year--the birthday of their namesake Saint. For example, an Exemplar named "Arith" would celebrate the Name Day of Arith every year instead of his birthday. Name Days are elaborate festivals surrounding the virtue of the Saint.
Sample names are:
Arith the Patient,
Merilith the Prudent,
Tyr the Just,
Oghma the Wise,
Hrith the Strong,
Torm the True,
Torith the Vigilant.
Worshipers: Karrocks, Alglonds
Gods Worshiped: The Exemplar saints.
Gods Opposed: None
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"The five who are one" are the Baal dragon gods Hruul, Mrmym, Pyrose, Xohm, and Suul. They are collectively known as the Urumaiar or Pendragon, symbolized by a pentacle or as an omnipotent five-headed winged dragon with scintillating, multicolored scales.
The sacred pentacle of the Urumaiar is always found in temples to the five dragon gods as a pattern between their five shrines. While all five are worshiped together, each temple typically has one of the gods ascendant--with its shrine opposite the doors. When drawn as a symbol, the ascendant dragon god would be the highest point of the pentacle.
Baal legends say that the dragons resulted from the sacred union of the dragon gods. The first incarnations of this joining was Tiamat, who was made in their image with five heads, and is often referred to as the Pendragon. Other multi-headed dragons were created to act as her consorts, for Tiamat was to be the mother of all dragons.
In the beginning, the gods joined and begat Tiamat, who was made in their image from the holy fyres of the Absu. Tiamat swam from the seas and gave birth to the first dragons. They claimed the lands as the Dragon Isles. On the Last Day, Tiamat and Pyrose will open the gates to the Absu, and all will be made clean as it was in the beginning.
A few heretics say that it was Tiamat who created the dragon gods rather than the other way around, claiming that the priests of the five dragon gods wrested power from the Pendragon priests long ago and changed the oldest myths to support their own positions. Others say that She is a goddess in her own right, equal to the five dragon gods. The Baal'Shem move quickly to silence such heresies.
The Baal'Shem sorcerer-priests worship and serve the Pendragon and her children, but hunt the evil dragons who broke the faith and were corrupted by the god Tark. During the reign of the "Draconian Empire", worship of the Pendragon spread to the lands and peoples all around the "Dragon Sea". After the "Great Dragon" began to sleep, the empire fell and worship once again became common only among Baal. Basalt shrines to the dragons can be found all over this region, only a few of which are maintained.
Worshipers:
This is the principal faith of the Baal.
Gods Worshiped:
Hruul, Mrmym, Pyrose, Xohm, Suul
Gods Opposed:
Hypsiglena, Tark
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The Pendragon had several consorts given Her by various joinings of the dragon gods. These consorts were divine in nature and had two heads, one to match each of their dragon god parents.
The majority of Her children resembled Her favored consort Sirrush [1], with black scales, green eyes, and breathing a cone of flaming, oily acid called Vitriol, or "Baalfire". Born of the earth and holy fyres, they are immune to the fire and acid they breathe, and enjoy bathing in lava flows and volcano calderas. Dahak [2] and Zu [3] were also favored.
Unlike their divine mother and Her consorts, the dragons can be slain, although the few warriors who succeed in such as task do not live to tell the tale, burned and trampled in the bloody death throes of the dragon. Dragons were blessed by their mother and can also bear their own young, laying eggs in regions rich with volcanic basalt Dragonstone. Some say that all the child dragons are female, and that the Pendragon's consorts fertilize the eggs.
The Baal sorcerer-priests worship and serve the Pendragon and Her children, but hunt Wyrms--evil dragons who broke the faith and were corrupted by the god Tark. During the reign of the Draconian Empire, worship of the Pendragon spread to the lands and peoples all around the Dragon Sea. After a time the Pendragon and most of the dragons vanished, the empire fell and worship once again became common only among Baal. Basalt shrines to the dragons can be found all over this region, only a few of which are maintained. Some say the dragons were slain in battling the Wyrms, while others say they were victorious and sleep deep beneath the earth until needed again.
[1] Sirrush is also known as Mushrushu, Mushhushshu, or the Prince of Dragons. He is sometimes worshiped as a god in his own right.
[2] Dahak was said to sing with three voices.
[3] Zu is typically depicted as avian or blue-scaled, and breathed a bolt of lightning, perhaps as a symbol of Mrmyrm.
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Once glorious dragons, these vile creatures were tricked by the god Tark into betraying their sacred trust, releasing the Kaeden from their dark prison. They were since cursed by the god Hruul to crawl in the dust on their bellies. Their legs shriveled up to the point where they had to slither and crawl like worms. It is very common for cultures that hate dragons to smash the legs of stone dragon statues to make them appear to be wyrms.
The fallen dragons have been hunted extensively by the Baal, and most have fled to the far or dark places of Ambar such as the cold north, desert, mountains, or tunnels beneath the surface. Many wyrms wriggled off to dark places and deep caves, often chasing Dwur out of their golden halls. In the north, these ignoble beasts terrorize the land for many miles until they are hunted down by the fierce Kith.
Many wyrms have been further corrupted by the Kaeden or the Lord of Lies, and openly worship Tark.
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Vôzen worship the gods of the volcanoes that dot their steaming southern jungles. Sacrifices are made to appease the gods, lest they show their anger by visiting fire upon the people. Criminals are also taken to the holy places and sacrificed to the volcano gods. Vôzen also revere the spirits of the large flying insects and birds that roam the jungles, mumbling prayers or making sacrifices for favor and guidance in this life.
Worshipers: Vôzen
Gods Worshiped: Vok (Pyrose), T'ca (Mrmym), Knnn (god of insects), Suul
God Opposed: Tark
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The Menelion are the celestial gods of the Avatara, worshiped in their loresongs for thousands of year. The Menelion are depicted by the Avatara as heavenly, angelic beings who radiate light, music and peace, but are fully capable of dealing swift death to evil with Ithilnaur silver swords and arrows. These are the same gods as the Baal Pendragon pantheon, but seen as celestial angels rather than dragons and given Avatara rather than Baal names.
Worshipers:
Avatara, Dorthons, and Alorns
Gods Worshiped:
Angol (Hruul), Ithilnaneth (Lunara), Hirmenel (Mrmym), Anoril (Pyrose), Amarnaneth (Xohm)
Gods Opposed:
Hyakki, Kaeden, Kraken, Tyaa
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The Knights of Eternal Light exist to defend the people and vanquish black magic wherever it is found. In short, they are religious zealots who hunt witches...broadly defined as anyone who draws power from forces other than a narrow set of gods: Lunara, Pyrose, Sharheen, and Xohm. Whatever may be said about their extremism, they are well-revered in the Shieldlands for their great success in rooting out undead, Kaeden-worshiping Zuhls and mysterious wizards that common folk fear so well. They are also well known for militant crusades to dark lands. Due to their heavy-handed inquisitions, even the righteous tend to leave the neighborhood when an army of men dressed in white robes enters town with a mission. This religion is centered in the Basilica of Aegis, a towering stronghold of gleaming white marble, the bastion of all that is true, just and good. This faith is on good terms with those who follow the Exemplar Way.
Quotes:
Cast light in the shadows of man's heart
The light, the shining sun and moon against the oppressive darkness that seeks to cover the world.
The eternal flame, the guiding light, is based within the Basilica of Aegis, the Shield of the North.
Truth, virtue, and justice are our weapons, faith and life our armor, and vigilance our driving spirit.
Together these will lead us to victory over darkness.
With outposts spread throughout the entire world, we are able to bring the Light to all who may be hiding from it.
Neither Zuhls nor the witches may hide from us. Their death is the only way to true purity.
Worshipers:
Zealous Alorns, especially those in the war-stricken Shieldlands of Alglondor.
Gods Worshiped:
Lunara, Pyrose, Sharheen, Xohm
Gods Opposed:
Most gods are opposed, particularly those of chaos, evil, magic, undead, or forces that threaten proper Alorn society. Of particular note are the Duirgurth gods of Kurg, Reshuk, and Tark.
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The Gate Keepers, the Deaths, the Judges
The Alu, Avathars, and Baal believe that each person lead a series of lives, each of which consists of challenges put before them by the fates. At the end of each life man is judged by the Duirgurth on his ability to rise above the hardships he faced. If he is deemed worthy he is rewarded and his next life begins anew. If he is judged unworthy he must undergo purgatory in Ir-Kalla, a subterranean realm ruled by Hypsiglena, the dark earth mother who with her furies torments the weak and the foolish. After a purging of foolishness and ineptitude the man's life begins anew, but often without any remembrance of past lives and even greater challenges to overcome.
Death is significant and given great respect because it is the transition from one life to the next. However, death is often feared, for it is the time of judgment by the Duirgurth--the gatekeepers of death. Men who have steadily overcome their life's challenges have little to fear in death, although not all relish times of great change.
The Duirgurth are the many gods of death, each presiding over one of the many paths to death, violent or natural. Each possible fate is a locked gateway leading to a new life; each Duirgurth holds the keys to a single door, and is the judge and arbiter over who may pass through it. If one meets his end in battle then it is Kurg who judges him and allows him to pass. However, a cowardly man who died in battle would be left standing at the gates, until the furies come to carry him away to Hel. The Duirgurth are believed to be fair-minded, and may offer a reprieve or final challenge to one who met his end without sufficient opportunity to prove himself.
Given that the Duirgurth can quite literally consign one to Hel, they are beings deserving of the utmost reverence and respect. Only a true fool would deliberately spurn or anger one of the Duirgurth. Rather, the Duirgurth are deities to be appeased, particularly by the man who leads a dangerous life. Avathar soldiers pay copious tithes and sacrifices to Kurg, knowing that they will one day stand before Kurg's death gate in judgment. Avathar noblemen often pay princely sums to have a Necroalchemist divine the nature of their death. Many Avathar carry with them a gift (or gifts) to present to the Duirgurth upon their demise.
The Alu believe that each life is a prelude to the next, and that the hardships faced in one life exist to prepare them for even greater challenges in the next life. A man whose life is deeply troubled is given great respect--not pity--for he must have overcome many challenges in the past, and is being prepared for an even greater challenge. It is an Alu's purpose to rise above whatever the fates put in front of him. Life is the crucible of the soul. (Suffering builds character.) Some Alu believe that one chooses the manner of his own death by following a particular god.
Some Avathars follow Duirgurth Cults that seek to appease the Duirgurth by trading souls for their own. This practice is thought of as extreme even in Avathar culture, yet many outsiders to the Duirgurth faith believe this to be representative of all Avathars, and has tainted the view of an entire faith.
The Baal originally believe in eight Duirgurth, but now all worship and sacrifice to the Duirgurth gods is taboo. This stems from a religious schism where the Baal'Mot--priests of the Duirgurth--were purged from Baal lands. Now the Baal only worship the five Urumaiar gods rather than the original thirteen that Avathars continue to worship.
Outside of Alu, Baal, Avathar cultures, these grim gods are generally attributed for any disasters that arise, even to the greatest in history, such as the summoning of the Kaeden, fall of the Dragons into Wyrms, and the creation of the Dearg-dul undead during the "Battle of the Thousandfold Curses". Most Avathars are believed to practice the darker side of Duirgurth, transforming themselves into demi-vampires and Necromancers. The opposition is particularly strong in Alornean and Baal cultures where Duirgurth worshipers are generally considered unfit to live.
Worshipers:
The Duirgurth are typically appeased rather than worshiped, for few could devote themselves to such grim powers. Anyone actually worshiping the Duirgurth would most likely be doing so in exchange for power.
Gods Appeased:
Hyakki, Hypsiglena, Kurg, Reshuk, Tark, Tyaa, Vitra, and the five Uruimaiar
Gods Opposed:
Most others, especially the gods of the Eldar and Baal.
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Some black-hearted Avathars have sought to appease the Duirgurth by trading souls for their own. This practice is thought of as extreme even in Avathar culture, yet many outsiders to the Duirgurth faith believe this to be representative of all Avathars.
- Kurgans
- The Kurgans are fierce Avathars warriors who have taken pacts to offer up blood through Kurg's Gate--battle and murder. Avathar Necroalchemists often bargain with Reshuk, offering up souls through Reshuk's Gate--death by old age, disease or magic--in exchange for their own safe passage.
- Necromancer Priests
- Many so-called "Necromancer Priests" of Reshuk are actually Necroalchemists and Black Wizards who are buying insurance for the most likely means of their own death--not insane worshipers of death cults as many Alorns naively believe. Their arrangements with Reshuk are entirely rational rather than rising from an ideological basis...which is arguably even more disturbing.
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Harnendrim
(updated 2004/01/14)
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The ancient Southmarens of Harnendor worshiped a circle of avian and sea gods. The seacoasts of Harnendor are lined with sculptures of enormous size, depicting sea birds and ancient avian gods of the Harnendorians to bring luck and swiftness to travelers. The most famous temples to these "Lords of Air" are those in the aeries of the "Riphaean Mountains", which have been overrun by Goblyns during the Second Goblyn War and are feared defiled and lost for all time.
Worshipers:
This faith is the most ancient and runs the deepest with the Southmarens. The elite Imperial Harriers known as the Falconguard take oaths to serve not only the Emperor but also the Harnendrim.
Gods Worshiped:
Dagon, Abzu, Hruul, Mrmym, Suul, Tyaa
Gods Opposed:
These old gods see themselves as above all other gods, and do not lower themselves to consider any worthy of attention or displeasure.
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The "Great Deep Ones" are vastly powerful and ancient creatures who are worshiped as gods by the "Deep Ones" and insane human cultists. Some believe that they are "Deep Ones" who have attained godlike power and transcended normal physical existence.
While these beings posses tremendous power, they can only extend their influence when there is a rare confluence of stars, or when summoned through various rituals. Certain forbidden tomes of power list the "True Names" and necessary rituals for invoking the full power of these beings. Such knowledge is perilous in the extreme, and the "Deep Ones" have rendered many of the more dangerous names unto the keeping of the Kraken. It is believed that the Kaeden are "Great Deep Ones" whose names were deliberately forbidden ("Not-to-Be-Named-Ones") and then forgotten ("Unnamed Old Ones") to limit their summoning.
The most infamous of the "Great Deep Ones" are:
- Azathoth, Him in the Gulf
- Kaeden, the Nameless Ones, Shadow daemons
- Shub-Niggurath, the Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young
- Yog-Sothoth, the All-in-One, the Beyond One, Opener of the Way
- Kraken, Tentacled Whisperer of Impossible Secrets
There are countless other "Great Deep Ones":
- Abhoth, The Unclean One, Source of Uncleanness
- Aphoom-Zhah, the Cold Flame, Lord of the Pole
- Atlach-Nacha, the Spider God
- Basatan, Master of the Crabs
- Baoht Z'uqqa-Mogg, the Bringer of Pestilence
- Bokrug, the Great Water Lizard, the Doom of Sarnath
- Bugg-Shash, The Drowner
- Byatis, The Berkeley Toad, the Serpent-Bearded
- Chaugnar Faugn, Horror from the Hills, The Feeder
- Chourst, Lord of Randomness
- Cthugha, the Living Flame, the Burning One
- Cthulhu, the Sleeping God, Master of R'lyeh, Kthulhut
- Cthylla, Secret Seed of Cthulhu
- Cyaegha
- Cynothoglys, The Mortician God
- Dagon
- Daoloth, the Render of the Veils
- Dweller in the Gulf, Eidolon of the Blind
- Eihort, the Pale Beast, God of the Labyrinth
- Fthaggua, Lord of K'tynga
- Ghatanothoa, The Usurper, God of the Volcano
- Ghizguth
- Ghroth, Whom Passeth in Darkness
- Glaaki, the Inhabitant of the Lake, Lord of Dead Dreams
- Gloon, the Corrupter of Flesh, Master of the Temple
- Gol-Goroth, God of the Black Stone
- Hastur, the Unspeakable, He Who is Not to be Named
- Hagarg Ryonis, the Lier-in-Wait
- Hydra, Mother, the Thousand-Faced Moon, Mormo
- Hzioulquoigmnzhah
- Idh-Yaa
- Iod, The Shining Hunter
- Ithaqua, the Wind Walker, the Wendigo, God of the Cold White Silence
- Karakal
- Knygathin Zhaum
- K'thun (female) & Noth-Yidik (male)
- Kthanid
- Juk-Shabb, God of Yekub
- Lloigor, The Star-Treader
- Lobon
- L'rog'g
- M'Nagalah, The Great God Cancer
- Mnomquah
- Mordiggian, The Charnel God
- Mlandoth
- N'tse-Kaambl, Whose Splendor Hath Shattered Worlds
- Nath-Horthath
- Nodens, the Hunter, Lord of the Great Abyss
- Nug and Yeb, The Twin Blasphemies
- Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos
- Nyogtha, The Thing which Should Not Be, Haunter of the Red Abyss
- Oorn
- Othuum
- Othuyeg, the Doom-Walker
- Pharol the Black
- Quachil Uttaus, Treader of the Dust
- Renbuu, Lord of Colors
- Rhan-Tegoth, He of the Ivory Throne
- Rlim-Shaikorth, The White Worm
- Saa'itii, The Hogge
- Saboth the Elder, the Grinning Ghoul
- Sfaticlip
- Shathak
- Shaurash-Ho
- Shud'de M'ell
- Ssendam, the Lady of Insanity
- Tamash
- The Nameless Mist / Magnum Innominandum
- Tsathoggua, the Sleeper of N'kai, the Toad-God, Zhothaqqua, Sadagowah
- Tulzscha, the Green Flame
- The Worm that Gnaws the Night, Doom of Shaggai
- Ubbo-Sathla, the Unbegotten Source, the Demiurge
- Ulthar
- Vorvadoss, Troubler of the Sands, Whom Waiteth in the Outer Dark
- Vulthoom, Gsarthotegga, the Sleeper of Ravermos
- Xiurhn, Guardian of the Dark Jewel
- Yhoundeh, the Elk Goddess
- Yad-Thaddag
- Y'Golonac, The Defiler
- Ygorl, Lord of Entropy
- Yibb-Tstll, The Patient One, Watcher in the Glade
- Yig, Father of Serpents
- Ythogtha, the Thing in the Pit
- Zhar
- Zo-Kalar
- Zoth-Ommog
- Zushakon, Old Night
- Zvilpoggua, Ossadagowah, the Sky-Devil
- Zystulzhemgni, Matriarch of Swarms
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The following reference is useful for further reading.
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The gods of the Alornean people are worshiped as a pantheon for their attributes of peace, learning, sport, building, courage and war. These gods are commonly portrayed as Alorns of noble bearing, wearing clothing and armor of ancient design. Many similarities can be drawn with the Menelion and Pendragon faiths, as these older religions had great influence over the Alorns. Indeed, some of the Alornean gods bear a striking resemblance to the Avatara of old.
Worshipers:
Alorns, Southmarens
Gods Worshiped:
Pyrose, Sharheen, Lunara, Mrmym, Xohm
Secondary Gods and Saints
Hruul, Thyr, Muir
Gods Opposed:
Duirgurth
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All of the gods of Ambar can be identified to one of five divine archetypes: Earth Mother, Sun King, Winged Messenger, Veiled Maiden, and Unknowable Void. The gods within an archetype are all similar in some ways, but are still distinct and unique. For example, Mrmym and Reshuk are both aspects of the the "Winged Messenger" archetype, and are both gods of the air represented as archer messengers. However there are many differences as well: Mrmym is surrounded by birds and Tark by flies; Mrmym carries the messages of the gods and Tark carries false messages.
It is thought that these five archetypes were derived from the ancient gods of the Eldar and creators of Ambar: Amarnaneth, Anoril, Hirmenel, Ithilriel, and Gollor. Along with the Eldar, these ancient gods have been all but forgotten, yet, they have had a profound influence on their successors.
Each of the five archetypes fills a role in ancient society, and in their own roles none is more important than the others. The "Sun King" is the warrior God of battles and power, but the "Earth Mother" is in charge of the more mundane aspects of everyday life, such as rain, crops, and life. Similarly, only the "Winged Messenger" can deliver the rain and storms created by the "Earth Mother", and only the "Veiled Maiden" can grant mortals the mysteries of music and joy. Lastly, the "Unknowable Void" is responsible for keeping knowledge that would be dangerous were it to become widely known.
Some cultures believe that the five archetypes are simply aspects of a single god, such as the Allfather of the Dwur, who Named every thing in creation with Runes. Depending on the culture, this single god is often identified more strongly with one of the archetypes than the others, typically either the "Sun King" or the "Earth Mother".
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The Earth Mother is one of the most powerful and widely worshiped primal divinities. Among the Eldar she was worshiped as Amarnaneth, and greatly loved. She presides over the natural process of life and death, giving birth to all creatures from the earth, nurturing them as only a mother can throughout life on the earth, and protecting them in their earthly tombs when they pass on. She rules not only the lands but also the seas, which both together make up the earth. She is also the goddess of the necessities of daily life, such as agriculture, fertility, harvests, hearth, dreams, builders, and crafts. She is patient as the earth itself and slow to anger, but when roused she can cause severe disasters such as earthquakes and storms.
While the "Earth Mother" is responsible for rain and storms, She relies upon the Winged Messenger to deliver those "messages" to the world. When crops were abundant, the "Earth Mother" and "Winged Messenger" are often praised and thanked for their abundant rain. Not only is lack of rain a threat to survival, it was also a sign that the "Earth Mother" or perhaps the "Winged Messenger" are unhappy.
The "Earth Mother" also rules the underworld, which is viewed in various ways by different cultures: some see the underworld as a return to her womb from which to be reborn, some see it as a gentle protective embrace, and some see it as a chthonic hell.
In matriarchal societies such as that of the Rochir, the "Earth Mother" is the ruler of the gods, and is often referred to as the Goddess. In patriarchal societies, She is the queen of the gods and wife of the Sun King.
Druids revere her as the mother of the earth; the Baal dragon priests worship her as the goddess of stone and strength; Alorns worship her as the patron of builders; even the zealous and narrowly focused Knights of the Eternal Flame pay her homage as a goddess of law and fortresses.
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Great Lady of the Waters, Lady of the Chambers, Mistress of the Gates
The consort of Dagon is often invoked by fisher-folk to bring the abundant plenty of the sea, filling their nets with fish. She is less well-known as the keeper of the Gates of Abzu, abstruse rituals for summoning long-forgotten creatures of the deeps.
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Danu is the Goddess and Earthmother of the Kith. To accept all of her aspects is to accept all of nature, youth and age, growth and decay, life and death. She is the generative power of nature and the female principle: the supreme deity. She is served by her consort, the "Horned God Kernunnos". She is very similar to Xohm, and the Kith have often allied with the like-minded Dwur.
Kith view history not as a battle between good and evil, but a battle between those who accept the supremacy of nature and those who fear nature in all its forms and wish to control and ultimately defeat it--between those who worship the Goddess and those who worship the unnatural creations of order. Civilization is an unnatural force with weak, soft inhabitants who are terrified of both the feminine principal (the Goddess) and of wild nature (the Horned God).
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Hypsiglena is the Avathar dark Earth Mother and She is also the mistress of snakes, depicted as a snake-haired woman (gorgon) or two-headed venomous serpent. She is a cold, cruel goddess who found the first Avathar child born inside the egg of one of Her serpents and only nurtured it to life so that She could savor its screams and devour it later. Some say that this child was an Eldar babe who fell into her clutches, from which She birthed the Avathar race. The Linnorms of the Great Salt Marsh also claim Hypsiglena as their mother-creator.
The Avathars are terrified of Hypsiglena. Those who do not pass muster at the death gates of the Duirgurth are devoured by Her or swallowed whole, spending an eternity being slowly consumed in her round belly. Fear of being taken by Hypsiglena is perhaps one of the driving factors behind the Avathar obsession with longevity and Necroalchemy.
The Baal and Dwur believe in both Xohm and Hypsiglena as a multi-aspected Earthmother, bright and dark. To them She is the "Mother of Wyrms", having given birth to countless evil Wyrms and venomous serpents, until they have become common on Ambar. The Dwur were nearly driven extinct by Wyrms tunneling into their mountain homes, and joined with the Baal to hunt these evil dragons for many hundreds of years.
In the Dwur mythos, Hypsiglena is an evil goddess who dwells in the deep earth, devouring those who tunnel too deeply or greedily. Consequently, most Dwur mine relatively close to the mountain peaks, unlike the dwarves of traditional Tolkien-based milieus. The corrupt Zuhls are Dwur who delved too deeply and fell into the clutches of Hypsiglena.
The Baal say that Hypsiglena was merely one of the guardian dragons who was tricked into becoming the consort of Tark at the time of the Breaking.
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In the Baal faith, the Earth Mother takes the guise of Xohm, mother of all dragons. She is said to appear as an enormous, gem-encrusted dragon.
The Dwur have always worshiped Xohm as the mother of the gods and the patron of stonemasons. Evidence of this predates their relationship with the Baal, prior to which She was only known as the Earthmother rather by a proper name. Nor was She depicted in Her dragon form in the earliest Dwur works.
The Dwur also revere Xohm as the "Earth Mother", the stone beneath the (small and hairy) Dwur feet. Stonemasons revere Xohm, for they are creating works from Her natural gifts. Creating unique, beautiful things and ritualistically giving them back to Xohm to beautify Her further is one of the most noble and sacred acts in Dwur society. Countless vaults of impenetrable Dwurstone vaults have been hidden deep within the mountains and filled with precious gifts to Xohm. Since the Dwur created these things for Her alone, these vaults are not intended to ever be opened again, and are often surrounded by impossibly deadly traps to deter looters. In many cases, the mechanisms simply trap the looters within the vault...forever unless they can somehow appease Xohm.
The Baal and Dwur also believe in Hypsiglena as a dark earth mother.
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Sun King
(updated 2004/03/15)
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The "Sun King" embodies the spirit of the noble warrior. He is usually depicted as wounded in some way, which is always bleeding. The Eldar worshiped him as Anoril, the Fyrelord. He is the king of the gods, consort to the Earth Mother, and lord of sun and fire.
The "Sun King" is a powerful war god, unparalleled in his skill with arms, courageous, and terrible if roused to anger. In the wars of the gods he acts as the general, champion, and artificer of the weapons of the gods. He is attended by the Winged Messenger and Veiled Maiden, who act as his scout and shield maiden, respectively. The "Sun King" is also the god of courage, nobility and self-sacrifice; He is the first to enter and last to leave any battle, holding the place of honor in the vanguard and rear-guard.
He is often at odds with the Unknowable Void, whose words are persuasive but often filled with madness.
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The Allfather is the Namer and Creator of the Dwur mythos. As the Sun King, He is the lord of the gods, and often attributed with the powers of the Winged Messenger as well.
The Dwur believe that in the beginning there was only the Allfather and the Earth Mother Xohm. The Allfather sought to make Xohm His wife and in made for Her all varieties of precious gifts. This first act of the Allfather, the giving of a unique gift crafted by one's own hands, is the most simple and sacred in Dwur culture.
The gifts of the Allfather to Xohm were not mere trinkets of gold and jewels, but rather the Runes of power. Each Rune held the "True Name" of a newly formed thought, such as "tree", "mountain", or "flower". In the beginning, these things did not exist, and their creation was an act of pure creativity and power of creation through craftsmanship, which the Dwur call Naming. Xohm accepted the gifts and wore them like jewels, unlocking more of Her natural beauty with each idea that the Allfather had Named. Thus, the concept of True Names is sacred in Dwur society, and anything that a Dwur must sign his personal name onto--such as a finely crafted weapon or legal document--becomes blessed by the Allfather.
Likewise, the creation of a unique thing of beauty is also sacred in Dwur society. Naturally, the Dwur worship the Allfather as the spiritual father of craftsman and artisans, overseeing the finest works such as jewelry and metal-smithing. Those who forge weapons and armor call upon the Allfather to guide their hammers, not only in his capacity as the preeminent artisan but also as the god of war.
The Dwur also revere Xohm as the "Earth Mother". Creating unique, beautiful things and ritualistically giving them back to Xohm to beautify Her further is one of the most noble and sacred acts in Dwur society.
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Lord of Water, Lord of the Waves
Dagon is the lord of water in Southmaren mythos, a fish-like being who taught mankind wisdom and the arts of civilization. One of the chief gods of the Southmarens, Dagon is as apt to be worshiped by salty sailors, as noble ship captains, and scholars poring over mouldy tomes.
The lord of the deeps having the body of a fish but underneath another head and figure of a man. He is described as dwelling in the deeps of the Sea of Fallen Stars, within the mysterious place known as the Abzu. He rises out of the waters in the daytime and furnishes mankind instruction in writing, the arts and the various sciences. He also brought fish to the Sea of Fallen Stars.
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In Kith mythology, Kornun is the Horned God of the hunt and of the forest. He is the embodiment of wild nature and the male principle, the Sun King guardian and consort of the Earth Mother Danu. Kornun is the patron of all warriors, especially the special breed of Kith known as berserkers or Kornunnos, the chosen of Kornun. Berserk battle madness is a blessing from Kornun to the bravest of Kith warriors. Kornun sometimes grants a holy wolf spirit known as the Ulfhedinn to especially heroic berserkers. Kornun is also worshiped by the Alhanians.
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Kurg is the Avathar dark Sun King, a sun god for a culture who hates the sun. Thus, rather than a god of justice, Kurg is the god of bloody battles, war, and conquest against those who dwell in the sun. Known as the god of dooms, Kurg is portrayed as a vampiric warrior bathed in blood and dressed in the furs and hides of mythical monsters. He wields many weapons, such as an enormous greatsword, a flail made of the heads of fallen foes, and a cruelly barbed spear. His armor is covered with with spikes, upon which he impales his foes, and he rides a hellish black horse. Kurg is a savage god who frowns upon cowardice in battle.
Kurg is served by the bloodthirsty Kurgans, whom he has "blessed" with a form of Vampiricy and "Blood Magic". It is not always considered lucky to have Kurg on your side.
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Lord of Cleansing Fyre, the Fyrelord (Alglonds), the Lion of Flames (Alhanians), Lord of Glory
Pyrose is lord of righteous fury and cleansing fire that burns away corruption. He is forever honorable, defending the weak and refusing no warriors challenge. The name of Pyrose is invoked in all ceremonies where truth must be spoken, for he will seek justice for those who lie while swearing by his name. Those who bring down his righteous wrath are doomed to die by war or fire. Pyrose is known for his fury, and wherever he travels wars break out. His symbol is a flaming golden rose.
Pyrose appears as an enormous golden-red dragon, roaring lion, or golden noble warrior.
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The "Unknowable Void" is the master of time, knowledge, and secrets. The Eldar knew it as Gollor, which literally means magic. It controls that which is not meant to be known, that which people want to keep secret, and abstruse knowledge such as the magic arts. In some aspects either one particular secret or the accumulation of limitless knowledge has driven It completely insane. It is Itself an unseen, unknowable secret, and has a voice but no visible form.
While It excels at keeping secrets, It is still bound to reveal them if asked in the proper way. These secrets either bring extraordinary knowledge or insanity.
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Apsû, The Kraken, "Lord of Krakens", the "Tentacled Whisperer of Impossible Secrets", "Chambers of the Deeps", the "Mad God", the "Hollow God", the "Insane Sage", the "Babbling God", the "Sleeping God"
Below the thunders of the upper deep,
Far far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep.
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee.
About his shadowy sides: above him swell.
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell.
Unnumbered and enormous polypi.
Winnow with giant fins the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages and will lie.
Battering upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by men and Old Ones to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.
Abzu is the terrible lord of the secrets lost to the dark ocean abysses. It controls that which is not meant to be known and that which people want to keep secret. Abzu is the master of all knowledge, said to know everything, but limitless knowledge has driven it completely insane. Its greatest act of madness was summoning the Kaeden from their "Astral Plane" into our world. Abzu is indeed the most legendary of all the gods of Ambar.
The "hollow god" Abzu is a sessile, many-chambered husk of a long-dead sea monster of titanic size. Known as the "chamber of the deeps", its body is as vast and empty as a dark, watery city, its sleeping mind living on only through the most abstruse of sorceries. This is as a mythical place where the mind influencing powers reside and where their results, as well as the means to influence their effects, originate. For its vastness, the husk of the Abzu is described as incomprehensible, unfathomable, secret.
This empty shell formed by the body of the Abzu is the domain of the god Dagon, the Lord of the Deeps. Dagon rules the seas from this most unusual of dwellings, along with his consort Damgalnuna and a number of his peculiar creatures. Dagon is believed to have ruled the Abzu prior to mankind's creation, but perhaps Damgalnuna understands its secrets better than he. Dagon's offspring are often designated "sons of the Abzu".
Temples of Dagon are referred to as E-Abzu, "the house, or temple, of the Abzu". The term Apsû is also occasionally also used to refer to a tank for holy water in a temple courtyard.
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Dragon of the Void, the Enigma, the Faceless One, Finder of Secrets, Traveler of Mazes, Lizardfather, Serpent Breaker, Daemon Binder
Hruul is the serpentine god of riddles, enigma, magic, time, and the stars. While His knowledge is great, Hruul is the master of finding knowledge and unraveling puzzles, not a keeper of secrets like his rival, Kraken. This faceless being never comes completely into view, but can hypnotize viewers with its persuasive voice and and mesmerizing gaze. Hruul is more than fond of riddles. Some say Hruul dwells in the shifting swamps and rules all who dwell within, while others say His true abode is the Astral Plane. The Southmarens say he shares knowledge in the patterns of the stars and flocks of birds, which may have led to the message codes of the Imperial Harriers. Hruul appears as a faceless being that never comes completely into view, but can hypnotize viewers with its persuasive voice and and mesmerizing gaze.
Hruul was known to the Eldar as the "Daemon Binder", for it was He who placed the seals on the Kaeden prisons. Hruul has been commonly known as the "Serpent Breaker" since the Breaking, when Hruul cursed those guardian dragons who betrayed their sacred trust, casting them down to become legless Wyrms and snakes instead of true dragons. Hruul's children, the lizard folk, are resistant to serpent venom, and frequently hunt and eat serpents of all varieties.
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The dread god of darkness, rot, plague, and pestilence is symbolized as a diseased corpse beset with locusts, flies, maggots and other unwholesome parasites. The Lord of Flies has few worshipers, though Avathars, necromancers, and undead have served his cause in order to gain forbidden knowledge into the dark arts and blackest forms of Necromancy. Reshuk and his necromancer servants endeavor to maintain a balance in the lands of the living and the dead, weeding out the weak with plagues and armies of undead.
The Alu know of Reshuk as Pazuzu, god of vultures, a cleansing god who rids the world of dead flesh.
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The "Veiled Maiden" is the keeper and protector of sacred mysteries. The mysteries of the "Veiled Maiden" are those which mortals should seek and cherish, but not defile. She is often portrayed as zealously guarding the mysteries of night, water, fate, and the sacred feminine. It should be noted that while the Unknowable Void is also a keeper of mysteries, His secrets are often unknowable, should not be known, or cause madness.
She was the most loved of the Eldar gods, known as Ithilriel, and is most similar to Lunara. Worship ceremonies are always conducted at night, typically under the light of the moons. She represents the moving water of rivers and streams, whose touch can both sooth and heal. She is associated with other mysteries such as youth, health, beauty, music, dance, seduction, joy. In contrast, the Earth Mother represents the sea and lakes, and presides over motherhood.
She also represents the mystery of the forests, and only her gentle touch can tame the rarest and most magical of beasts. However, She also represents the huntress, protecting those who would defile Her skill with the sword is matched only by the Sun King. Even in war, She represents beauty, and She is said to have taught the secret arts of Bladesong to the Eldar.
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Hyakki is the Avathar goddess of nature's wrath, blighted forests, and the hunt. She is symbolized by an implacable antler-horned huntress with her pack of howling wolves. Hyakki hates her sister aspect of Lunara, and the sacred white owls and white unicorns of the moon goddess are always the favorite prey of Hyakki's hunters. Hyakki has been known to birth owl beasts and rare black unicorns in mockery of Lunara.
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From fissures in the dark trees, monstrous shapes sprang up! Owl-headed beasts, ten feet high, prowled in hungry anticipation towards them, their feathered manes rustling as they approached. Powerful muscles flexed beneath a feathery coat, claws worked in and out of paws, scraping great gashes in the soil.
Hyakki, goddess of the hunt and dark forests, has created these foul abominations in mockery of Lunara's sacred white owls. Covered with dark feathers, these beasts appear much like a cross between an owl, bear, and lion.
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Lunara is the goddess of song, peace, the moons, fertility, healing, protector of sea travelers, and holy waters.
While there are nine moons in the night sky today, before the Breaking there was only one moon called Lunara. During the Breaking, Lunara the mother moon died as she gave birth to her children, but was reborn through them. The mother is often symbolized by a silver or white owl.
The priests of Lunara wear white robes and preach a litany of both peace and strength in the face of true evil. They have established many temples in the west, and conduct their ceremonies on clear nights under the moons and glittering firmament. Monasteries are common as well, where Lunara's monks practice mediation and martial arts to achieve enlightenment. The faith of the moons is popular among common folk as well, who find the calm strength of the religion reassuring in troubled times.
Lunara has many sacred animals who call her mother, such as the white owl and white unicorn, though the singing whales are also special to her. These sacred animals are the favored prey of Hyakki's hunters, and Lunara is always fending off assaults from the hated goddess of the hunt.
Lunara appears as a white owl, a white unicorn, or a gentle lady clad in flowing white robes. In paintings of the sea she is often depicted accompanied by dolphins or fish.
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Paladins are holy warriors charged with uprooting evil, stamping out injustice, and upholding the chivalric ideal. They act with honor at all times, even when it is insensible or imprudent to do so.
Although both are obligated to "help those who need help", the Paladins of Lunara have a different calling than other Paladins. They are holy defenders rather than holy warriors, charged by the Lady of Peace with defending the innocent and healing the sick. Sometimes this puts them in harm's way, but they do not seek it out.
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In the Alorn faith Sharheen is the patron of duelists, swordsmen, generals, and other warriors who prefer to fight using skill and strategy over brute force. Sharheen appears as a beautiful six-armed woman with skin of steel wielding a half dozen swords with deadly skill. Her symbol is an stylized emblem of radiating blades, often a bladed cruciform.
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The Justicars are Alorn noblemen dedicated to upholding the double-edged justice of Sharheen. Their religious training and rites of worship emphasize knowledge of the law, passing of fair judgment, and supreme skill in swordsmanship. Justicars are respected for all of these skills, and often called upon to settle disputes between Alorneans of any rank, authorized to carry out arbitration, judgment, and sentencing. Justicars take none of these duties lightly, fully understanding the weight of their words and deeds, and rely heavily on their faith in Sharheen. As an example, Justicars are cautious of passing a death sentence, for those found guilty of death are not merely executed, but given a trial by sword so that Sharheen may pass final judgment herself.
Akin to the Paladins of Pyrose, the Justicars of Sharheen are pious knights who serve their deities with the same unwavering moral compass and zeal. Most Paladins and Justicars recognize that they have stronger similarities than differences, and frequently ally against the same foes. Many consider themselves to be part of a larger brotherhood of holy knights and set aside differences in doctrine to ally against the injustice.
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In the Baal faith, Suul appears in the form of a feminine dragon shaped by fog and mists, alluring yet mysterious.
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"Winged Maiden", "Lady of Birds", "Maiden of Omens", "Lady of Luck", "Lady of Ill Omen"
Tyaa is the goddess of night birds, fate and omens in the Avathar and Southmaren faiths. She is said to provide the faithful with a glimpse of their future with sightings of birds that bring luck, but the stories of ill omens brought by ravens and vultures are more common. She competes with Mog for control over the fates, and Her birds are ancient enemies of Mog's spiders.
Some of her birds take up residence in her temples to provide guidance to her priests, and are called the "Birds of Tyaa". She is one of the most ancient of the Southmaren gods, one of the Lords of Air, and the seacoasts of Harnendor are lined with statues and shrines to her honor alongside the other avian gods.
Tyaa is portrayed as a woman with a raven's head and wings, wearing a feathered black cloak. The goddess can manifest her aspect in the high priestess, transform herself into a giant raven, and command all birds to do her bidding. She is sometimes attributed with commanding evil birds to take vengeance or inflict harm on those who displease her, and many see her as cruel. Her name is not one to be taken lightly, and most Southmarens consider it to be a potent blessing or curse when said forcefully with anger ("May Tyaa take thee!")
Only women are allowed into the priesthood of Tyaa. Any male members of the congregation are subservient to any females. Tyaa requires frequent gifts from her worshipers. Gifts to the goddess are usually gems, jewelry, and other bright baubles. Her worship is a vicious one, demanding that beautiful women be maimed by the "Birds of Tyaa".
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The "Winged Messenger" is the primal aspect representing a messenger who swiftly carries the word of the gods, avoiding any obstacle with luck, skill, and cunning. He also represents elemental air, sky, wind, clouds, archery, cunning, and travel. He was greatly admired by the Eldar, for He embodies many Eldar ideals, and they knew him as Hirmenel, the "Rider of Clouds". Most cultures depict him as a wing-heeled messenger or archer bearing a trumpet. Sometimes he travels in state with loud proclamations, other times in secret to deliver messages discreetly in signs or whispers that only the intended recipient can understand. The "Winged Messenger" is also responsible for delivering rains and storms sent by the Earth Mother, and for delivering knowledge from the "Keeper of the Void".
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This god is a man-sized, four-legged spider with a man's head. The gossamer web of Mog is said to contain the fates of every living creature, and he delivers these fates as the Southmaren Winged Messenger. Some would say that each man only lives as long as he can scurry about on the web while evading Mog's grasp.
Mog's has many worshipers who seek to cheat their fate through a combination of luck and obeisance. In addition, His spider servants watch everything that mortals do from the rafters or eaves of buildings. They also deliver the fates that Mog has seen in His web, spinning down on unseen webs like foul birds. The touch of a spider in Southmaren culture is considered to be a very ill omen indeed, as is seeing a bird trapped in a spider's web.
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Mrmym appears as a fleet-winged silver-scaled dragon unmatched for speed who carries the messages of the gods. He is the patron of all birds, messengers, travelers, and honorable contests of archery and agility. Mrmym is often symbolized as a bolt of lightning, for such is his speed, and he often delivers storms and rain for Xohm. The sky dragon can breathe a hail of birds that dart like arrows.
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Tark is the Avathar Winged Messenger in its dark aspect as a bearer of false messages. While he is called the "Lord of Flies", that likely refers to his ability to trap men in webs of intrigue and deceit. It is said that Tark was the god who tricked the guardian Dragons into releasing the Kaeden from their imprisonment.
Tark rarely assumes his favorite forms, a Draconic or man-like spider (Dragonspider or Drider), usually appearing in disguise. However, he is also able to appear as a tall, slim, joyous man, as he is adept at using deception, manipulation and even propaganda to achieve his goals. He is also revered by assassins, and when possible He wields a deadly black bow that shoots poisoned arrows.
It is possible that Tark is one of the dread gods of the Deep Old Ones, known by the name Nyarlathotep.
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This religious order of assassins worship a fictitious god called Seth in order to misdirect witch hunters, but actually worship Tark. Their agents fight via insurrection and assassination, spreading tendrils into governments and guilds in which they form complex webs of intrigue to snare their opponents. Little is known about their internal organization, as no member has ever left the Brotherhood of Seth and survived. Most members are believed to be assassins trained to brew poisons and wield the dark arts.
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Ithaqua, Vitra (Alu), the Wind Walker, the Wendigo, God of the Cold White Silence
In Kith mythology, the Wendigo is a malevolent god who brings hunger, madness, and death in icy storms. It is usually described as a decrepit Horned God with a heart of ice, but sometimes the creature is thought to be entirely made of ice. The Wendigo is also said to manifest as a whirlwind of angry air that bites and howls but remains formless.
The Wendigo is noted for its fearsome cruelty and diet of human flesh. Also, any human who partakes of human flesh (as a means of combating starvation) is believed to become such a creature himself. While filled with tremendous strength, he will forever be tortured by an unyielding hunger for more human flesh. This myth is used as a deterrent and cautionary tale among Northman Kithocs whose winters are long and bitter and whose hunting parties are often trapped in storms with no recourse but to consume members of their own party.
Some believe that the Wendigo is the Ulfhedinn wolf spirit that Kornun sometimes grants to especially heroic berserkers. The Drunes are one tribe of Kith who worship the Wendigo, and are known to ritualistically devour the hearts of foes slain in battle in efforts to invoke the Ulfhedinn.
The Alu know this god as Vitra, the personification of winter and freezing cold death.
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The Avatara were the first of the immortal races. Loresongs of the Eldar are all that remains of the ancient history of Ambar, saying the Avatara were created by the Menelion to share in their Dreamsong. The songs describe a paradise known as the Undying Land, guarded by the Fortress of Forandol and its holy waters and mystic Weirs.
The Avatara fought in many wars against the Deep Ones and Kha'din. They became masters of sorcery, swordsmanship, and the dragons. The wars culminated with the Battle of the Thousandfold Curses. After this point the left the Undying Lands and spread to the corners of Ambar, ceasing to be a single people. Their most direct descendants are the Eldar, Baal, and Alu.
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The noble dragons of Ambar have fire-hardened black scales and green eyes that glow with hellish light. They breathe a cone of flaming, oily acid called Baal Fire. Naturally, these dragons are immune to fire and acid. Even their spittle and blood are highly acidic and the few heroes who slay a dragon do not live to tell the tale, burned and trampled in the bloody death throes of the dragon. Dragons should not be confused with the vile, legless Wyrms that are hunted by the Baal and Kith.
Dragons are immortal, living forever unless slain, but their bloodline has diminished over time. The earliest dragons were created as perfect watchers and guardians, with great black wings and multiple heads. The Pendragon, "mother of dragons" is said to have five heads, and some of her princely consorts such as Sirrush had as many as three. Dragons born in these late years usually only have a single head.
Dragons were common guardians of Baal temples. The custom was to take a new egg to the place that it would eventually
guard. The dragon would build ties with the place during the years inside the egg before hatching, which wizards describe as a form of "arcane connection" with the place. While at one time most temples had dragon guardians, now only a few has such protection. There are many speculations as to the cause of this decline: some say that they are merely sleeping, or gone to an unknown birthing ground beyond unexplored mountains, but many fear that most were slain by Wyrms or even Wyrm hunters who mistook them for evil. Whatever the cause, many of the Baal temples are now vulnerable or in ruin, as is the majority of the once great Draconian Empire.
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The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be...
The Old Ones are immortal races who have dwelled in the Astral Seas since time immemorial. Few of the Old Ones have ever visited Ambar, and most such perished during the cataclysm known as the Breaking or the Battlesong Wars.
Most of the Old Ones seem completely alien to humans, for their ancient cultures and long lives set them apart in ways we cannot fathom. Humans often feel a sense of profound fear or wariness around these ancient beings, as if their presence awakened racial memories deeply ingrained in their history. The Fomorians in particular are well known for their propensity to subjugate the lesser races in bloody conquest and slavery.
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The Gobbah are the mythological aquatic daemons that dwell in the inscrutable dark waters beneath the mountains, ocean deeps, and Astral Seas. For eons, they have warred against each other for control of the Astral Seas before they came to Ambar and began their wars against the Eldar and all surface dwellers. The Eldar slew most, but not all of what they called the Deep Ones.
Ancient and terrible, these beings are loathed and feared as no other except perhaps the Kha'din, for they are the source of wizardry, masters of the Goblyns, and terror that stalks from inscrutable ocean deeps. Human history is rife with stories of Deep Ones creeping out of the waters and stealing away people quietly in the night. The rabid hordes of Goblyns who worship the Gobbah are believed to be bred from human captives long ago.
A Gobbah is said to look like a commingling of Goblyn and fish, presenting a cold and horrid appearance. A typical specimen looks much as if a paunchy body had been covered with scales and topped with a fish's head. The huge fish eyes of the head tend to swivel in different directions when observing an area or creature. At the sides of their thick necks are palpitating gills, and their long paws are webbed. They are mostly shiny and slippery, but the ridges of their backs are scaly, concealing the stamina and strength inherent in their piscine ancestry. Coloration varies between grayish-black, gray, and red, though they have white bellies. Their croaking, baying voices, clearly used for articulate speech, hold all the dark shades of expression which their staring faces lack. Gobbah tend to hop irregularly, sometimes on two legs and sometimes on four.
Regions
Deep Ones dwell in the deeps, though they sometimes walk the shores in search of human prey. There are a vast number of subraces, yet, very little is known of most of them. Broad stone steps lead from the deeps up to shoreline shrines and subterranean temples where the Goblyns worship their masters. The Deep Ones have vast undersea palaces and labyrinths throughout Ambar, many of which were once below the seas but were thrown ashore by the movements of continents or the Breaking.
The Great Goblyn Empire to the south is ruled by hordes of Goblyns. While the Goblyns worship the Gobbah, they leave governance to the Great Goblyns, or Hobgoblyns, who are the Goblyns champions.
Personality
Fearsome creatures and the darkest of Warlocks, Deep Ones are as ancient as they are evil. Various noble houses of Deep Ones have bred their dark armies of Goblyns for thousands of years to war on humans or elves, but usually fight among themselves for control of the empire. The Deep Ones style themselves as nobles but they are often as base and cruel as the Goblyns they created.
It is thought that the Deep Ones feed on raw magical energies found in the Astral Sea, powerful magic, and young life. Some restrict their feeding to non-sentient life and have even been friendly to humans, but most see no reason to discriminate on what they consider to be lesser beings.
Physical Appearance
Similar to the faeries of Earth legend, countless varieties and seemingly-conflicting descriptions are found in the legends of Ambar. The only consistencies are descriptions of horrid watery daemon creatures, evil and cruel, and far too alien to fully comprehend. Although bipedal and vaguely humanoid, there is little other constancy--they might have scales, rubbery skin, tentacles, horns, webbed claws, or even multiple limbs. There are also many tales of the Deep Ones (and Great Deep Ones) appearing in disguise, though humans are usually said to have retained an instinctual fear of them. The consequences of ignoring such intuition is a frequent cautionary tale in seaside cultures.
There are apparently an unlimited number of varieties, subraces, and unique individuals that all appear strangely different. Variations are common even with those of the same ancestry. Nevertheless, there are some consistencies within particular bloodlines and subspecies. Thousands of often-interchanged names have emerged from this confusion, such as: Deep Ones, Deep Ones, Sea Devils, Deep Deep Ones, Aboleth, Fomorians, Illithid, Kessrith, Kuo-Toa, Slaadi, and Sahuagin. Little is known about these beings, and the human names do little justice to their true horror. Whether they are factions in a greater race of Deep Ones or separate subspecies is unknown. There is even speculation that the Deep Ones, Great Deep Ones, and Kha'din are somehow interrelated.
Equally numerous are the slaves of the Deep Ones. There appears to be a very complex hierarchy of Deep Ones enslaving each other and members of various species, creating or enlightening new races when necessary. Some are merely thralls, but in most cases the Deep Ones leave their slaves with a vestige of free will, but somehow limit their ability to escape or turn upon their masters. The best known example is the Gobbah and their Goblyn minions. The Goblyns can do as they please so long as they worship and obey; their fear of water is a safeguard against rebellion.
At the top of this vast master-slave hierarchy are the Great Deep Ones, beings of tremendous godlike power who are worshiped and obeyed by the Deep Ones. Just as the Deep Ones elevate slaves that please them, so oft do the Great Deep Ones.
Relations
Deep Ones are little known, for they are almost never seen on the surface of the earth. They prefer to act in secrecy. The Gobbah direct their Goblyn hordes strike against the cities of men in order to capture slaves to build their great expanses, caverns and tunnels ever larger. However, the Deep Ones know of each other, and continuously struggle for dominance. Some Kessrith work in secrecy to undermine the machinations of the Deep Ones, leading to odd alliances with Elves, who share a common foe.
In spite of being mainly marine creatures, they can survive for some time on land and will sometimes come up to the surface to make deals with humans. In exchange for human sacrifices and various gifts the humans receive gold jewelry and abundant fish in their waters, herded nearby by the Deep Ones.
Lands
Deep Ones are thought to build their kingdoms far below the ocean's surface in eerie palaces hewn from living coral. Deep Ones ruins are often found on the shores--eerie temples and shrines on the surface with steps leading down into the sea. These ruins abound are unsettling to humans, for the stones are strange in design and contain great power. The temples are typically hewed from green stone and carved with ancient glyphs that instruct the lesser races on wizardry or rites worship of the Great Deep Ones.
Religion
Just as they have thousands of subraces, so do the Deep Ones worship thousands of aquatic gods, whom they call the Great Deep Ones. Little is known of these gods, but it is suspected that they are actually Deep Ones who are more powerful and ancient (i.e. "Ancient Ones") than the others.
History
The Deep Ones are aquatic daemons born of old magic in the darkness of the Astral Sea, where they took many forms and warred against one another for eons before the coming of the Eldar.
Language
The Deep Ones tongue is known as the Black Speech by humans and Eldar. Probably better spoken underwater, this ugly language has been taught to a host of dark races by the Deep Ones, primarily the Goblyns.
Equipment
In their watery domains they wear no clothing, only a harness for their weapons and a small amount of personal gear--any other garments would hinder their swimming. With few belongings, Gobbah prefer to show their wealth openly to awe and impress others, and often decorate themselves in elaborate tattoos.
Their weapons are often crafted from substances dredged from the bottom of the sea. Strange corals, obsidian, bone and other natural but hitherto unknown materials. They often carry elaborate shields constructed of gigantic seashells, and various polearms with trident tines or barbed hooks upon which to mount a poisonous urchin or fish spine. Deep Ones warriors cannot wear armor, but usually carry elaborate shields constructed of gigantic seashells. They prefer scimitars, javelins, and bladestaffs.
Dueling and gladiatorial combat with the quarterstaff and more dangerous "bladestaff" is popular and honorable in Deep Ones society. A bladestaff is similar to a quarterstaff, but with a deadly blade mounted on each end. Some bladestaffs have tines resembling tridents, or barbed hooks upon which to mount a poisonous urchin or fish spine. Some say that staff weapons are likely popular simply because they like keep slaves at a distance.
Adventurers
Deep Ones rarely venture from their empire, and outcasts are usually slain, making adventurers rare. Since Goblyns are typically killed on sight in human or elven lands, Deep Ones adventurers must rely on illusory magics to stay alive.
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Aside from the Fomorians, the "Mind Flayers" are the most dreaded of the Deep Ones. They are thought to be the race responsible for corrupting Dwur to create the Zuhls of the Zirakzigil Dwurdelf.
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Little is known of the Kessrith, save they are one of the few races of Deep Old Ones who opposed the evil of the Fomorians and Illithid. They are largely extinct, but occasionally surface to confront a greater evil. Wizards who practice Kessrith magic often call themselves White Wizards.
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The Slaadi have a reputation amongst the Old Ones as enormous frog-like monstrosities that are willing to eat pretty much anything or anyone. Slaadi have a strict hierarchical society; each member of a caste can be distinguished by the colored tattoos on its forehead. Individual Slaad can advance up the ladder of Slaadi ranking by fighting and beating a member of a higher caste. However, the Slaad have never been able to fully understand the idea of working as a group; three red Slaadi would never dream of ganging up on a blue Slaad. Since the blue Slaad is stronger, he has the right to push around the lesser Slaadi as he wishes. The Slaadi apply the same principle to combat with other beings; against one attacker, a group of Slaadi will line up and fight one at a time. The Slaadi don't care much about anything except individual strength, and roam the deeps in packs, taking whatever they want and eating whatever looks good. The Slaadi have frog-like minions called Tsathar that play a role similar to the Goblyns of the Gobbah.
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In the end times, the silent enemy will arise again, and in its wake it shall bring oblivion.
The Kha'din are ancient spirits of unspeakable evil and eldritch power. These alien beings are said to exist outside time and space, slipping silently and unseen through the spaces parallel to our world.
The Kha'din are astral spirits that largely defy description and have no place within our reality. They have no mind or physical form as we understand such things. When a mortal perceives this nothingness his mind lends the Kha'din a shape of his own imagination, lest he go mad. In our attempt to place meaning upon the formlessness, we draw from primal and subconscious fears. Thus, some stories describe the nearly-formless shapes as gigantic squids, vine-wrapped trees, or insects of hideous size, although they are warped and distorted in nightmarish ways. Even if two men saw the same creature, each would likely describe it in his own horrifying way.
Not only are Kha'din alien to our world, but their presence is harmful, spreading spiritual corruption through what mortals perceive as faint droning whispers and dream-songs that resonate with the subconscious spirit. Those who fall victim to their corruption are said to be Tainted or "Kha'din-touched" and are doomed to wither away in mind and spirit, until they eventually vacate their corporeal form entirely, leaving an empty shell. What happens to the mortal soul at this point is subject to a great deal of speculation, but it is undisputed that the soul goes through some type of apotheosis rather than being consumed or sent to oblivion. The few witnesses to such events describe eerie singing.
While inimical to the soul, Kha'din Taint brings great power, and some power-mad individuals willingly seek out the Kha'din song. Known as Akuma, these men are essentially dark magi or priests of the Kha'din, carrying out arcane rituals that garner spiritual power and curry favor with the eldritch horrors. Like many wizards, Akuma are motivated by arcane power and place little value on mundane things and events of the mortal world.
However, the Kha'din are elusive and the Akuma are devious. Most people have never heard of the Kha'din, and the few scholars who do know of the ancient horrors believe they were wholly defeated by the Ithil'Rhi during the fabled Battle of the Thousandfold Curses. The Akuma actively look for individuals who know of the Kha'din, seeking to increase their own knowlege and stamp out any resistance to the practice of their magic.
Tentacles unfold
Now my fate is surely sealed
My watery grave
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Akuma are doomed sorcerers who seek to master the magic of the Kha'din.
The song of the Kha'din is the song of the universe, the understanding of which brings one endless life and spiritual power.
Thus say the Akuma, the abstruse spirit-sorcerers who walk a very narrow line between this world and the next, studying the astral songs of the Kha'din. While others eschew the eerie whispers and dreams of the Kha'din as "corruption" or "taint" that can destroy the soul, an Akuma sees the call of the Kha'din as a singular opportunity to transcend mortality.
Moreover, to resist the call of the Kha'din as fearful-minded men do is invite certain disaster, for only an open mind has any chance of surviving the apotheosis of the soul that begins the moment one first hears the astral melodies. A mind that comprehends the song too slowly--or worse, shuts out the song--will go mad and abandon the body, leaving only a hollow husk. It is this result that the world fears, but do not understand that this fear is largely self-fulfilling. True, a man who resists the call can avoid this fate if he has an uncommonly strong soul, but the same man could instead choose to attain godhood. The best means of surviving the Kha'din "taint" is to embrace it.
Motivated by a compound desire for survival and power, the Akuma embrace the Kha'din "taint" and seek to accelerate their understanding of the Kha'din song. Like any journey of the spirit, the path taken is different for every man. Some find their way quickly in a epiphany, while others struggle or falter along the way. Aside from introspection and meditation, many Akuma employ additional methods to speed the process. Those with an understanding of the magic arts usually find a way to leverage their craft, using Alchemy, Necromancy, Wizardy, or Mthus.
Nearly all Akuma seek out others who bear the Kha'din "taint". People naturally feel a need to find others of a similar nature, and so Akuma begin to watch others for signs of "taint". Even simple observation of other "tainted" individuals can be very illustrative, and Akuma quickly realize that they are unlikely to accomplish their goals alone. At some point most Akuma attempt to make contact and ally with others of their kind--a perilous act to be sure, for Akuma are hunted.
Akuma are hunted as taint-bearers, spreaders of corruption, and power-mad witches in most societies. The fearful mortals are not without just cause, for the presence of Akuma can spread taint in the surrounding populace like an unseen plague. As the corruption spreads, more Akuma join the secret cult. There are frightening tales of entire towns coming under the sway of Akuma. If the stories are to be believed, strangers within an Akuma neighborhood or town often disappear, or resurface years later with new names or personalities.
There are some civilizations thought to be overrun with Akuma, such as the dark Eldar of Morbrethil, the Zuhls of the "Wintercrown Mountains", the Guldur Alu, and their Manticora Alu retainers. Whether this is true or mere rumor is unknown, but the nations of Ambar have a very deep-rooted fear of Akuma that provokes decisive action against the "Taint-Bearers".
Like many wizards, Akuma are motivated by arcane power and place little value on mundane things and events of the mortal world. No longer truly mortal or sane by human standards, the Akuma become increasingly detached from mortal life. The witch-hunt only exacerbates this isolation, making the mortals into foes.
Akuma all-too-often become sociopaths, dark magi, or priests of the Kha'din, carrying out arcane rituals that garner spiritual power and curry favor with the eldritch horrors. Some even lose their qualms over taking mortal life, slaying mortals who interfere with their apotheosis, or even performing experiments on newly tainted mortals.
As mortals see it, the Kha'din taint corrupts the body and spirit. The Akuma are cursed beings neither wholly human nor spirit, but human-seeming and possessed of vast forbidden power.
The presence of an Akuma in the surrounds can often be noted by mortals by an increase in restless dreams and nightmares. Bad omens such as the death of a misshapen calf are also attributed to the presence of Akuma, and can lead to a full-scale witch-hunt.
This is no more obvious to onlookers than smaller traces of Kha'din Taint, and the Kha'din spells which an Akuma gains through his transformation often make his condition undetectable even with magical sight. Shrouded in magick, Akuma can live out convincingly normal lives within human societies to spread the Taint undetected. In most cases the Akuma does not understand the nature of his own affliction,
If a slain Akuma is split open the internal corruption is obvious to those with supernatural sight. The body is a hollow husk filled with the indescribable writhing mass of tentacles, eyes, and mouths of pure chaos--a fledgling Kha'din.
Upon death, some Akuma have reportedly undergone a horrific transformation. There are stories of men being slain who suddenly explode into a mass of tentacles as the Kha'din within sheds its clothing of man flesh.
My time has run out. The tapping of power I have used to extend my natural life has not gone unnoticed. Even now, I have begun to see signs that the Nameless Ones have begun their search for me. I cannot evade them forever...
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Occasionally Kaeden will choose to enthrall men with strong backs and weak minds. Dock workers, miners, and other unskilled laborers all too often match this description, as do guards and soldiers in underdisciplined commands. This description matches that of a stone quarry worker, but could be easily adapted.
Some of the strong-backed, tireless miners from the local quarry have been enthralled by a Kaeden spirit and drawn close enough to become fully tainted Akuma. They usually spend their time clustered around the Kaeden's pool, chipping away at the stone to enlarge the pool and its surrounding cavern. They are essentially mindless automata, however, a fearsome guard.
Legends: Life 8; AC 2; Move 6; LP 20
- Akuma +2 (BEAST)
- Dark-eyed and filled with Kaeden bits
- May open up chest to extrude a tentacle "bite" attack (DP 6, grapple 2) and close it again later.
- May explode thrall body to become a huge mass of Kaeden bits (SIZE LARGE +2) but this is a one-way process.
- Soulless +2 (TAINTED)
- Mindless automata
- Kaeden Fear +2 (FEAR)
- Must show Akuma traits
- Tireless +2 (ENDURANCE)
- Broken spirited
- Strong-backed +2
- Quarry worker +1
Actions:
- dodge (DP 7)
- tirelessly swinging heavy miner's pick with mindless abandon (DP 6, damage 3, +2 TAINTED)
- tentacle attack (DP 6, damage 0, GRAPPLING STRIKE 2 -or- PIERCING STRIKE 2, +2 TAINTED) Thus, they can either choose to grapple (inflicting no damage) -or- inflict a minimum damage 2 + taint 2.
- cause fear (DP 6)
Also change SMALL to NAT ARMOR for a bigger Hrull. (life and ac +2 each)
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The following information contains secrets unknown to most characters.
Native to the so-called "Astral Space", the presence of a Kha'din on our world causes reality to ooze and run like melted wax. Insubstantial poltergeists, they are undetectable save for a black shimmering in the air, a warbling drone and a feeling on the skin like ground glass or nails scraped across the chalkboard. Usually Kha'din spirits are subtle and do not give away their presence, but occasionally they will create a truly vile body of illusion and shadow stuff--one which will send mortal men screaming in terror, even causing stalwart heroes to quake in terror. These physical manifestations of Kha'din appear to have been pulled from some insane nightmare--formless masses of writhing tentacles, eyes, and mouths run together like melted wax. In order to prevent damaging itself, the mortal mind places its own meaning upon the formlessness, drawing from primal and subconscious fears. Thus, some stories describe the nearly-formless shapes as gigantic squids, vine-wrapped trees, or insects of hideous size, although they are warped and corrupted in gruesome ways. Even if two men saw the same creature, each would likely describe it in his own way.
While the touch of a Kha'din's form can corrupt reality itself, the Kha'din rarely make blatant displays of power, preferring to keep their insidious nature hidden, whispering in the night and creating illusions to deceive the mind. Kha'din speak in whispering voices of crooning insanity--the sounds of nightmares and mad voices whispering just beside your ear or inside your head, or shaping your dreams. This voice can drive mortals mad or become consumed with a hateful, killing rage. They manipulate mortals by promising gifts of great knowledge, power and fulfillment of hidden desires. Those who willingly accept these offers are doomed, for the Kha'din posses their bodies and devour their dreams and thoughts until all they experience are insane nightmares. Their bodies are devoured by Taint, slowly transform into insane, hideous masses of writhing tentacles known as Akuma. When the being dies it becomes one with the Kha'din, who are said to have a single mind or shared consciousness which their entire race experiences together.
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The touch of a Kaeden's form can corrupt reality itself, which the scholars of Ambar call Taint. Aside from the Kaeden, certain regions of Ambar and the "Astral Space" contain large amounts of Taint, as do certain forms of magic. Taint is a magical corruption that affects body and soul, initially causing unusual nightmares and a dark mottling of the flesh as if one had been splashed with ink. If left unchecked, Taint can progress through the body, marring the flesh, maddening the brain, and eventually transforming the afflicted person into a shattered husk in nominal control of the Kaeden.
Taint is externally visible as a dark mottling of the flesh, as if Taint were dark swirls and splashes of ink. If left unchecked, especially if the power of the Kaeden is accepted, the stains of Taint will spread and become more severe, perhaps causing odd mutations or magical swirling glyphs to appear, eventually transforming the afflicted person into an Akuma--a shattered husk in nominal control of the Kaeden.
It is only after a few hours have passed that the first signs of taint begin to show. Taint is primarily an affliction of the soul, but also has physical signs. At early stages this manifests in some sign of chaos or corruption, such as shadowy ink stains scattered on the body or strange growths. The victim quickly realizes that the taint has spread to cover his limbs or sensory organs, and twitch or writhe unless controlled through an act of will. In mid-stages the victim may see dramatic signs of corruption, such as eyes and tentacles bubbling forth from his skin, just just as often the effects are subdued, such as eyes turning black as shadow. Near the final transformation into an Akuma, the victim's shape seems to melt, flow, writhe, and boils as in some insane nightmare, the tainted parts of the body under control of the Kaeden.
While the physical signs of Taint are sometimes visible, they are more often hidden by the deceptive magic of the Kaeden. Once the character becomes an Akuma the deceptive magic of the Kaeden nearly always hides it from anyone except Kaeden or anyone else who has Taint. To a common man, the stains seem to disappear over time, just as would be expected of a normal ink stain. However, the victim sees his body undergoing the terrible transformation, and surely thinks that he is going mad from the nightmarish whispers and the fact that no one else can see the affliction! Many people who have the Taint are simply declared insane and locked away, all the more terrified because they cannot flee the voices in their heads. The horrific dreams are worst on nights with little or no moonlight.
Some individuals have been known to embrace the Taint, accepting the gifts of the Kaeden. It is power that most often seduces, for embracing the Taint is an easy path to tremendous magical power. Young wizards frustrated at the slow pace of their studies, old scholars fearful of death, and those with goals far beyond their grasp, are all answered by the Kaeden with promises to fulfill their grandest goals and deepest desires. At the mere cost of one's soul... These individuals can be anywhere, for in using the magic of the Kaeden they can remain extremely well-hidden and gain positions of tremendous power. Many believe that the innermost secrets of the Black Wizards involve dabbling with Kaeden magic, and other dark warlocks such as Fomorians and Zorlims also draw on power from the Nameless Ones. In extreme cases Taint can cause one to become Akuma, the body turning into a hollow husk containing a Kaeden and granting even greater power. Ithilnaur weapons and armor are potent devices against Taint and those filled with its dark power, but even the Eldar who created found fighting the Kaeden daunting.
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