Demons and the Profane/Contents
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SPOILER ALERT! |
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Demons and the Profane
Power. Strength. Glory. And, most of all, immortality. This is what the path of the necromancer is really about.
The subcreature calling himself Zamidren Book has deluded his students into believing that there is some sort of noble, higher calling to the path of necromancy. There is not. Improvement of the self is the ultimate goal. All paths lead to one of two places: immortality through undeath, or eventual oblivion at the hands of a zealous cleric or paladin. Suffer no delusions. Nearly all of Book's teachings are not only wrong, but dangerously so, sprinkled with just enough truth to make them a plausible fit with commonly observed reality.
When we speak of the profane, most imagine a pack of necromancers sacrificing small children or running through town creating undead, causing mass panic, and making a nuisance of themselves until driven away by the Temple. While rampages like this can be enjoyable, unless there is an underlying goal, they are ultimately a waste of time. Such actions for their own sake are little more than random flailing with the facade of evil, and, ultimately, nothing more than pretending at power.
What can be found within the profane is so much more than that. Demons exist, and they are legion. While the Immortals inhabit the divine, demons tend to instead inhabit the spaces between, where we have the sole privilege of being able to interact with them. A ritual does exactly that. We ask for favor from them, and they grant it at their whim. Types of necromancy do not matter one bit. All necromancy, all sorcery, and all rituals touch upon the demonic, and trying to deny that they do not is little more than willful ignorance.
Though it is foolish to blindly stumble into the domain of demons like a fanatical and suicidal cultist, there is also power to be gained by careful parlay with these creatures -- and in their correct worship. The most immediately visible benefit that a demonic entity can provide is to stand in for an Immortal if a necromancer dies. Other power can also be gained from them, depending on who or what is called upon. Even so, caution must be used, as these entities ultimately act toward their own benefit and not that of any other. As they should, and as should you.
Vulgar Demons - Those Who Reveal Themselves
For a demon to be considered vulgar, it must have made at least one known physical manifestation to an assemblage of necromancers or subcreatures outside of worshipers within a dedicated cult. Four vulgar demons are well-known to have a particular interest in the Plane of Abiding at this time.
Maelshyve, the Evil of Zaulfung
Maelshyve is the only demonic entity who has a full manifestation in the Plane of Abiding of which those outside of her worship have become aware, and, though she does not directly manifest her presence often, there is a permanent area of land that is defiled by her indirect presence and her minions. The Zaulfung swamp is her abode. Despite what most who worship the Immortals think, she is not trapped there by the Standing Stones, though they were built to contain her. Instead, she simply prefers to remain there, content with her small but potent kingdom, for reasons all her own. Often, she clashes with a creature named Karszen, the champion of Hodierna, who is her eternal enemy.
Maelshyve physically manifests as a green-eyed, scaled woman with a thick tail, taloned black reptilian wings, willowy black hair, and large claws on her hands and feet. Her symbol is a triple-tined claw.
It is advised not to try to deal with Maelshyve unless you want something specific from her and are willing to sacrifice for it. She is very old, very set in her domain, and very unwilling to entertain frivolous visitors. She has no interest in expanding her worship, and any efforts to this purpose largely only serve to annoy her. Likewise, if she manifests physically, it is advised not to attempt to either fight or ally with her, as she has little regard for necromancers and will treat them exactly the same as any other creature that gets in her way.
The Hunger, Entropy's Glory
Most know the Hunger through his latest direct manifestation in the Plane of Abiding -- Lyras. The story is rarely told correctly, however. When the Lich Lyras finally crossed the Great Barrier, she cried out for vengeance as her spirit was shattered into a thousand pieces by the wall. Her cry was heard by the Hunger, who merely fulfilled her wishes as she asked him to. Such is the potential power of a single determined necromancer, backed by a demon. Despite its role in Lyras' campaign, the Hunger has little real desire to destroy the Plane of Abiding in this manner, having merely granted the wishes of one that called to him. This is what the Hunger does -- he provides the heart's desire without trickery, but at a price and often a grave one.
The Hunger's true name is not known and he has striven to actively keep it secret, which is very unusual among demons. In raw form, the Hunger manifests itself as a cloud filled with a thousand mouths nesting inside, each with teeth ready to devour. His symbol is a purple circle encased in a sideways diamond with a vertical line down the center of it, stylizing an open mouth and tongue.
Unlike Maelshyve, the Hunger is eager for worship and more than willing to accept it. Further, he cares little what form it takes. Heavy caution is advised when attempting to deal with the Hunger, as the price that you pay for doing so can often be quite high. He rarely directly manifests in the Plane of Abiding, preferring to stay in the spaces between the planes, and will not willingly manifest unless a particularly strong entity asks him to.
Antrayelsis, the Defiler
Whenever you look at the black necromantic mana streams, you see the work of Antrayelsis. He is the true provider of necromantic mana, and whenever you utilize it, you draw upon a bit of his power. Less malevolent than the Hunger but moreso than the Forge, Antrayelsis desires to shape the Plane of Abiding into his image. He lurks in the unseen places, within darkness and shadow, and several of the permanently blighted places in Elanthia are his responsibility. Unlike Maelshyve, he does not continue to reside in these places, preferring to move on after he has defiled an area. He is a stalker and a watcher, and the Telga Orek are his children.
Full manifestations of Antrayelsis on the Plane of Abiding are very rare as he was partially sealed away by champions of Truffenyi, but he does occasionally manifest as a dripping black slime made of ichor, with hundreds of glowing red eyes that are of varying sizes and types. It is advised not to look upon his form too closely if he does manifest, as it can cause permanent madness. His symbol is a crimson eye surrounded by a black sphere.
While Antrayelsis accepts and encourages worship, this is secondary to his desire to break free from the seal that Truffenyi placed upon him. We already deal with Antrayelsis on a regular basis, as every usage of necromantic mana breaks this seal just a little bit more. Direct contact with Antrayelsis is very difficult due to the seal, but is said to be possible in places that are already defiled by him. It is heavily advised not to try to contact Antrayelsis in Maelshyve's domain, as she is very jealous and will take grave offense.
Skairelden, the Forge
A very elusive entity that is the nexus and true creator of all fleshly undead. When you breathe life into that which was once dead, you are invariably calling upon Skairelden to do so. She is one of the most despised by the Immortals, dark and light alike, as her creations interfere with their rule of via the cycle of life and death. She is also among the weaker of the outer entities, and must therefore spend much of her time hiding so that she can continue her creating. Though she cannot forge something from nothing, she can reshape the broken and dead into something that resembles life again. Her skills are not limited to flesh, however, and she is responsible for the creation of several artifacts, especially those considered profane.
Because she is in hiding so often, she very rarely physically manifests, but when she does, she takes on the appearance of a tall, winged woman with pale hair, smooth but leathery skin, and glowing purple eyes. The lower half of her face is always covered with a wrapped mask wound around, and she has large, bestial arms and legs. Her symbol is an anvil within the mouth of a skull.
Skairelden accepts and encourages worship, but values her own self-preservation above all else, and is not likely to answer if prayer is done too close to a god's temple or other sanctified area. Aside from providing undead, she has also been known to create weapons for particularly powerful necromancers, although few are capable of wielding these weapons safely.
Subtle Demons - Those Who Go Unseen
Separate from the vulgar demons, though no less powerful, are those designated as subtle. This does not mean that they do not manifest on the Plane of Abiding, oh no. In fact, they are the most numerous of the demons who have a presence here. What differentiates a subtle demon from a vulgar one is but one simple thing: open physical manifestation. Where a vulgar demon will at times project a full physical presence into the Plane of Abiding such as may be seen by even the most base subcreature, a subtle demon does not. Instead, if they physically manifest at all, it is only to their worshipers during times of ritual, and never in such a way that an outsider stumbling upon the affair would maintain memory of their form.
Among the many subtle demons acting upon our plane, those which are most accepting of worship and of engaging in compacts with necromancers are:
Nricacsha, the Desiccator
A creature of ultimate removal, the Desiccator is especially interested in helping necromancers who seek to squeeze even the final motes of essence from all that stand in their way. He is found in the final moments of exsanguination, in cold crematory ash, and in death from thirst. Those that call upon Nricacsha over time will show small signs of his manifestation in both their appearance and behavior. Sunken cheeks and brittle skin, inability to sate thirst, and an overbearing drive to reduce all obstacles to mere dust are the hallmarks of his compact. His symbol is a sanguine circle slashed with three ashen lines.
Arensirk, the Slaughterer of Truth
Liar, manipulator, obfuscator, ruthless demagogue -- all find their skills increased with the hand of Arensirk upon them. Yet the Slaughterer of Truth is not merely a being of deception, but also that which is found whenever and wherever enlightenment is thwarted. From restriction of knowledge to the masses to benefit those who wish to remain in power, to blights of unnatural darkness, to the murder of scholars, each of these is a manifestation of Arensirk. His patronage brings with it a propensity toward carefully crafted illusions of honesty in one's demeanor, along with a tendency to lord over others -- as those so touched find themselves to be the ones pulling the puppet strings while all others dance at their whim. It also brings a bilious rage that breaks through if one's authority, honesty, or knowledge is questioned. His symbol is a sewn-shut mouth with a multitude of slender tongues pushing through the stitches.
Bynaikae, the Manifold
Bynaikae are a demonic collective having no separation in essence between one and the next, and their aid takes as many forms as they themselves do. The Manifold are found in all of the empty places, both physical and metaphorical, from abandoned buildings to the minds of those keening from a sense of disassociation and profound aloneness. Bynaikae do not give their aid without a full compact, and their price is the eternal submersion of a portion of your consciousness in favor of their own. Despite this, Bynaikae do not show jealousy if those in their compact choose to consort with other demons as well. In fact, they encourage it by lending even greater power to those who do. Their symbol is a knot of intricately tied flesh and sinew.
Pelsacahd, the Dream Eater
Pelsacahd is a demon beyond any concept of gender as known on this plane. A collector of ideas from this world as well as between the planes and beyond, it can aid a necromancer by granting them snippets of the vast knowledge it has. The shape-shifting and usually incorporeal creatures known as Dream Eaters are its children, though they are often mistaken by the ignorant as being connected to the Immortal Dergati, and every hope and dream that they feast upon is added to Pelsacahd's hoard. Insomnia is one of the most common manifestations of Pelsacahd, and those in compact with it will find themselves unable to dream even when sleep does find them. Its symbol is an open, bloodshot eye bearing teeth where the lashes should be.
Eacerikh, the Endless Womb
Infinitely fecund, Eacerikh gives birth to death. She is especially attracted to helping necromancers who indulge in spiritual manipulations, as she is the true creator of all incorporeal undead and that which nurtures the soulless spirits, choosing to grant them memories of their former lives or to reshape them fully as it suits her needs. The Endless Womb manifests through those with whom she consorts via a disinclination for matters of the flesh. They are often emaciated and disheveled, and rarely do they indulge in carnal exploits or other worldly pleasures. Her symbol is a pallid wisp of smoke superimposed upon a black triangle.
Gwulach, the Drinker of Minds
Where Pelscachd collects from those its children feeds upon, Gwulach consumes utterly, leaving naught but twisted echoes in her wake. Madness is the most common manifestation of the Drinker of Minds, and both those she targets for harm and those she targets for aid will bear signs of this. The difference between the two is simple: those who willingly call upon Gwulach under the proper circumstances will find that their madness grants them power such as they would never have imagined without it, while those afflicted by her find only confusion, horror, and despair. Her symbol is a stylized, eyeless face frozen in mid-scream.
A Final Note on Consorting with the Demonic
All of these entities can be implored by those appropriately prepared, though whether any demon responds to even a worshipful petitioner is always a matter of if they deem you worthy of their attention. If a necromancer has made itself sufficiently attractive to a demon, they can expect that the entity will make its offer of compact known.
While demons can be every bit as dangerous as the subcreatures claim, there is great power that can be grasped along with that danger. For the strong, the risk is well worth the reward.