Latest revision as of 21:17, 22 November 2014

The term "lucavi" is taken from Square-Enix's Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as some of their names and concepts. Yothoth, specifically, is based on the Chtulu mythos of Lovecraft. The term 'char' is taken from Stephen King's Gunslinger series, and is used in relatively the same sense as those novels.

Overview

Not all mortals freely give their faith; some require a trade, knowing full well what their faith does for those that ask for it. Thus, when the True Gods shaped the Scions, they made the Lucavi, a small caste of demons gifted with Divine power to grant gifts to mortals in exchange for their faith. If someone does not believe of their own free will, the True Gods reasoned, then perhaps something in return will secure their faith.

Unlike the Saints, whose origins are in the mortal races, the Lucavi were crafted by the True Gods, then instructed to acquire followers. True faith is integral to their material cohesion; while the base faith necessary to maintain their existence was originally provided by the True Gods (an awkward inversion of the standard understanding of faith), the Lucavi have since lost this safety net. As such, they are constantly seeking out new followers amongst the mortal races: behind every Faustian deal is the desperation of a being seeking to maintain its own existence.

In the beginning, the Lucavi were not all necessarily evil creatures, but the death of the True Gods combined with their nature of accruing power, they rapidly became "evil" in the classic sense. The discovery that mortals who commanded the worship of those around them could rise to Scionhood showed the Lucavi that they could rival the Saints in terms of raw Divine power at their disposal, and thus they have continued to thrive and prosper, even though no new "true" Lucavi can be made.

Whereas the Saints are many in number and come and go with the ages, the Lucavi are significantly more constant: by their very nature, Lucavi rely significantly more upon the worship of angels and demons than the various Saints. Given the limited number of shards available, the Lucavi intentionally keep their numbers small, often destroying any potential usurpers long before they become a threat, though it is known that particularly promising and successful demons can - and have been, in the past - be promoted to among the ranks of the Lucavi.

Worship of the Lucavi is usually not strictly outlawed, but is usually frowned upon in civilized society. Worship of some of the Lucavi, such as Sko'veyux, is actually outlawed due to their religious practices being generally illegal, but this is usually an extension of existing laws rather than prejudice against a particular belief system. However, it is known that - from time to time - cults of various Lucavi will gather in remote locations and undertake their more extreme rites, and seek to extend the power and influence of their particular patron.

The Lucavi

What follows are general overviews of each of the Lucavi.

Ajora

Ajora (Female form)

The Symbol of Ajora

He Who Betrays, Scion of the Lucavi, Fist of the Rebellion, The Godslayer, He Who Rules

Greater Lucavi

Title: The Blood Angel

Symbol: Black cross on white

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Ethos: White/Black/Blue

Portfolio: Divinity, control

Priest Alignments: LE, NE

Priest Ethoi: Black @ d10, White anti-red virtues @ d8, Blue anti-red virtues @ d6, Blue anti-green virtues @ d6

Domains: Ajora

Favored Weapon: Bastard Sword

Organizations: The Godslayers

Prestige Classes: Godslayer

Description

Ajora appears as an angel, garbed in full plate made of adamantine, wielding a bloodied greatsword, with white wings splattered with blood. While originally male, upon being adopted as an angel of Kolaita, he gained the ability to appear in a form more similar to his patron deity, appearing as a female version of himself; as such, he can opt to appear as either form. While some groups that follow him specifically revere one form or another, more learned churches of Ajora recognize that he is male, but can appear as female, and as such are surprisingly equal in terms of gender representation.

Of all the Lucavi, Ajora is the most ruthless. While not an original Lucavi, he quickly rose in rank, displacing the original head of the sect by virtue of his sheer determination in attaining the position. He has no qualms with doing what must be done to achieve his ends - he is comfortable with both holding by the letter of the rules and breaking them completely in the course of a plan: his word is only his bond until he sees fit to break it. He is opportunistic, ruthless, and vengeful; as a Shard of an older deity, he is the very embodiment of these qualities.

Among the divine communities, Ajora is one of the most feared beings remaining in creation, being the only being to have slain a deity without resorting to use of the Wandering to do so. His presence is a constant reminder that Shards, no matter how seemingly loyal they are, retain the potential for self-expression and can break from their patrons, with potentially disastrous results.

Dogma

There is an order to existence, but it can always be subverted. Become the master of your own destiny, and take fate into your own hands - do what you feel you must to achieve what you feel you are meant to achieve. Keep your word when appropriate and break it when the time comes: do whatever it takes to keep your enemies off-guard. Find your purpose and do all you must to fulfill it.

Zalera

The Symbol of Zalera

Title: The Char

Appearance: A pale angel with black wings and jet-black hair, wielding a katana.

Worship: Unknown.

Titles: Angelslayer, He Who Hunts, Angel of Death

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: Mortalhunter

A rogue char, Zalera hunted the avoral Akexea for many years. Impressed with his tireless hunt, Ajora offered him a place among the Lucavi, as his right hand. Zalera reluctantly accepted, though he quickly showed that he was not willing to be beneath Ajora in the pecking order of the Lucavi - after a drawn-out duel, Zalera was accepted as one of the proper Lucavi.

Proud and determined, Zalera is not one to be trifled with. Though he is a full member of the Lucavi, he still accepts targets from Ajora, and in that sense is somewhat subservient. However, this goes for all the Lucavi - if they wish someone to be slain, they speak with Zalera.

Of all the Lucavi, Zalera has the fewest outsider followers - all chars pay homage to him, as do some of the more malicious demons and devils. However, Zalera's primary worshippers are mortals, rangers and assassins who see him as the ultimate dealer of death.

Adrammalech

The Symbol of Adrammalech

Title: The Wrathful

Appearance: A balor, wreathed in flame, with glowing red eyes, wielding a massive zweihandir.

Worship: Unknown.

Titles: He Who Rages, The Angry, Hatred Incarnate

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

A powerful demon in his own right, Adrammalech commanded the obedience of those around him - when the gods fell, he ascended shortly, his underlings kneeling and scraping in fright of the new order. Adrammalech smiled, and met with Ajora on whatever plane the Lucavi convene.

Always hateful, always angry, Adrammalech's rage is fuelled by the rage and anger of the mortal races: with every hateful word, every angry glance, Adrammalech grows more powerful. He feeds on this rage, though it threatens to consume him from within. Adrammalech rarely manages to keep his anger in check, though he and Ajora have reached an understanding on this, and Ajora often speaks for the balor when the Sect convenes - a fact which angers Adrammalech all the more, as Ajora is more than likely manipulating Adrammalech, but he is powerless to stop the fallen angel... for now.

Velius

The Symbol of Velius

Title: The Warlock

Appearance: An aged, decrepit human, wreathed in crackling black energy and flame.

Worship: Main temple in Wayverith, in a necromancy school.

Titles: He Who Commands, Commander of Demons, Lord of the Pit

Domains: Evil, Pact, Portal (PGF), Summoner, Tyrant

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: Demonologist

Not all of the Lucavi were fallen or traiterous angels - some of their ranks were chosen from the mortals of the world, and Velius was one such mortal. A leading member of the Wayveri family, Velius Wayveri was a very well-respected warlock, trained in the arts of necromancy and illusion. When the gods fell, Elidibs went to Velius, whispering to him that the warlock could attain deific power, if only he demanded it from the demons and devils. Elidibs had done so to stir up the denizens of the underworld so that he could take them as his minions, but Velius foiled his plans.

Summoning a balor, Velius commanded it to take him to the hiding place of the mysterious voice that had come to him. The balor, knowing of the rise of the Lucavi, took him to Ajora. Seeing the mortal's power, Ajora convinced Velius to command worship of the various demons and devils he had summoned, bolstering the strength of the warlock and the Lucavi. Velius agreed, and summoned various demons and devils for three days, from dusk until dawn, binding each one to his will and forcing them to submit to him in worhsip. At dawn of the third day, Velius ascended, and joined the ranks of the Lucavi.

Teniel

Teniel

The Great Beast, The Forgotten Primal, The Screaming Monstrosity, The Ruiner

Intermediate Lucavi

Title: The Beast

Symbol: None

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Ethos: Black/Red

Portfolio: Nature, monsters

Priest Alignments: CE

Priest Ethoi: Black @ d6, Red anti-blue virtues @ d10

Domains: Teniel

Favored Weapon: Unarmed

Description

Teniel appears as a great beast, often boar-like in appearance, though his precise characteristics are known to vary from appearance to appearance. Regardless of his particular form, however, he is always large in size, often dwarfing all but the tallest of buildings, and assorted weapons and ammunition are imbedded into his hide.

Unlike most other Lucavi, Teniel cannot be reasoned with - he is literally mad with rage, and if he appears, he does so only to sow destruction. He does not have any patterns or preferences that have been noted: he is just as eager to destroy a pristine forest as he is a densely-populated city. Teniel acquires the faith necessary to sustain his divinity from monsters with glimmers of sentience, and former druids and shamans who have gone mad, believing that Teniel represents a return to the natural roots of the world (he, in fact, does not: Teniel has no known dogma of any kind).

Among the divine communities, it is known that angels or demons that - for whatever reason - begin following Teniel do not stop following Teniel, his influence gradually driving them insane and unable to comprehend coherent thought. Those shards made from deities whose portfolios concerned those domains that now fall under Teniel's control rapidly fell into this condition, and are essentially no more than wild beasts with an incredibly strong divine connection to Teniel. Priests and antipaladins who follow Teniel often seek to abuse the raw power he grants and are usually presumptuous enough to assume that they will not fall prey to the madness of their patron. The fact that Teniel has no high priests - or any intelligent followers who have lived past middle age, for that matter - does not seem to phase these individuals in the slightest.

Dogma

Teniel has no known dogma. For that matter, Teniel has no known holy symbol; followers of Teniel usually use some sort of gruesome talisman, often made of etched bone or other unsavory parts, as a focus for their prayers. Teniel has no holy days and no texts of any kind; those who follow him tend to construct a loose set of beliefs, often substituting instinct for reason and savagery for culture.

Legends

Some scholars believe that Teniel was once, in fact, a Primal, that somehow fell from that position; how this process would take place - or if it is even possible - is a point open for debate. Teniel's strong connection with nature, however, seems to indicate that this is not entirely out of the question, and Primals and Lucavi are known to be roughly "on par" in terms of relative power. Teniel does not have a strong connection to any of the elements in particular, however, which would seem to indicate that this was not the case, though it may be possible that he was once a Primal representing a lack of affinity for the elements.

Hashmalum

Hashmalum

Bringer of Order, The Iron Fist

Intermediate Lucavi

Title: The Regulator

Symbol: Icon of Regulation (see below)

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Portfolio: Order, loyalty, tactics, law

Worshippers: Tacticians, lawbringers

Priest Alignments: LN, LE, NE

Domains: Hashmalum

Favored Weapon: Gunblade

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Hashmalum is a powerfully built minotaur, horns gleaming of orichalcum, wielding an overly large mutli-barreled gunblade with an axehead in place of a standard blade. The fur covering his face is white and well-trimmed, while the rest of his fur is generally dark brown in color. He wears only pieces of armor, but the armor he does wear is black plate.

Hashmalum is most well-known for having originally been a servant of a powerful demon; after the fall of the old deities, however, his renown for lawfulness and loyalty was noticed by Ajora, and he was given a seat amongst the Lucavi, as much to inforce order on Ajora's behalf as anything else.

Hashmalum is the patron lucavi of tacticians and lawbringers. His name is invoked by those who seek to bring order, no matter the cost, and those who hope to see their tactical decisions succeed.

Dogma

Law and order must be maintained, at any cost. Loyalty is the most important trait one can have - be loyal to those in power, to the death and beyond. There is no room for mercy. Slay those who upset the balance of law: shoot first, ask questions later. Order is a tool for those in power; serve the most powerful, and you will find power for yourself. Remember your debts, and always repay them in full.

Clergy and Churches

The Symbol of Hashmalum: Icon of Regulation

Hashmalum's followers often garb themselves in black, wearing a simple silver chain with the icon of regulation embossed upon it. The more martially-minded amongst them also wield specially-crafted gunblades, made to resemble Hashmalum's. Iconic priest gear for Hashmalum includes a horned helmet, meant to resemble Hashmalum's horns: while not often worn in places where the lucavi are frowned upon, they are the best indication that a given person is a priest of Hashmalum.

Hashmalum's temples are small and orderly; they oftentimes serve as a court of law, in lands where open worship of the lucavi is accepted. Hashmalum's temples often also double as a training ground of sorts for new devils, as the standing of such beings is often heavily reinforced in these temples. Particularly loyal chars who are not personal servants of Zalera may also be found amongst the regular residents of any given Hashmalite temple, the belief that loyalty will be rewarded often prevalent amongst them.

Hashmalite temples are often found underground, in cities with particularly lawful bents. Despite any local laws that may forbid the worship of lucavi, Hashmalites often excuse themselves as working under the law of the lucavi, not of any mortal; this response is used to reason away their blatant lawbreaking. Hashmalites are only concerned with the laws of the lucavi.

Rites and Rituals

Executions are particularly important Hashmalite rites, being seen as the ultimate punishment for unlawful infractions. Less severe punishments, such as whippings, are seen as less powerful rites, but still used: regardless, the penalty for breaking most lucavian laws is death by execution, if a Hashmalite has anything to say about it.

Recitation of the entire codex of lucavian laws is amongst the rituals in which Hashmalite priests partake, and it is often during this recitation that Hashmalite priests pray; this ritual is often undertaken at dawn, when executions normally take place.

Holy Days

Relofis 2: Hashmalum's Ascendance

Legends

It is uncertain how Hashmalum came to be in the service of a devil, though some legends persist that it was due to an unusual geas, cast upon Hashmalum by a well-meaning priest of an old god. It is said that, at the time, Hashmalum had been highly destructive and chaotic, and the priest sought to teach the minotaur a lesson about listening to one's elders; Hashmalum somehow managed to interpret this in such a way as to require serving a devil. Hashmalite priests often deny this legend, saying that Hashmalum had always been a particularly law-abiding minotaur, and sought to serve a devil as a means to further understand how far loyalty could go.

Elidibs

Elidibs

He Who Lies, Spinner of Tales, Diplomat of the Lucavi

Intermediate Lucavi

Title: The Manipulator

Symbol: Silver puzzle piece on grey

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Portfolio: Strategy, diplomacy, spies, wit

Worshippers: Diplomats, spies, mimics, mediators

Priest Alignments: LE, NE, CE, N

Domains: Elidibs

Favored Weapon: Darts

Organizations: The Mercurials

Prestige Classes: Mercurial Initiate

Description

If Elidibs has a natural form, none know what it is. Some say he may be a doppelganger, while others claim he sold his soul for such power. Regardless, his appearance varies wildly, the only staple of his attire being a simple grey, horned mask.

Elidibs is the patron lucavi of strategy, diplomacy, and wit. His name is invoked by those hoping for successful negotiations, as well as by those who seek to manipulate others to their own ends.

Dogma

The meaning of words is slippery; use this always to your advantage. Smile at your foes, even as you end their lives; the facade must never be broken. Keep your wits about you, and always be ready to put them to use to further your goals. Profit from the work of others, and ensure that you always have an alibi if something goes wrong.

Clergy and Churches

The Symbol of Elidibs

Elidibs' followers are incredibly difficult to recognize, as he stresses the importance of disguise. As such, Elidibian priests will often carry their holy symbols in their pocket or similar hidden space on their person, keeping it close but out of sight. Elidibian priests often enjoy debates and games of skill; they are often found harassing priests of Jareth, though with appropriate disguises.

Elidibs' temples are always well-hidden, often masked as a simple shop or storefront. His temples have many secret doors and traps, which discourage investigation and encourage heightened awareness on the part of his priests. Entry into an Elidibian temple often requires the answering of riddles, which oftentimes have no right answer.

Elidibian priests often seek to gain entry into governments or mercantile establishments, so as to better manipulate the world. Elidibians do not believe in direct action, but instead seek to profit from the work of others, using their power and influence to their own ends.

The head Elidibian temple is said to be located in Vesuva, deep within the bowels of a school for mimics, hidden behind a labyrinth of dead-ends, traps, and sliding doors.

Rites and Rituals

Elidibs requires that his followers maintain a silver tongue, and as such any engagement in riddles or debates is seen as worship of him. In particular, arguing for a position with which one disagrees is seen as particularly devout.

Elidibian priests keep a repertoire of false names and identities with which to work; his priests study these at first nightfall, and they often recite their prayers while doing so.

Holy Days

Quellosian 7: Elidibs' Ascension

Legends

Some say he is a doppelganger from long ago, who was pressed into the service of devils; others say he is a changeling who sold his soul for power. Still others say that, while a mortal, he somehow managed to trick Ajora into giving him a seat amongst the Lucavi, and Ajora was so impressed with this feat that he allowed Elidibs to stay.

Cúchulainn

Cúchulainn

Plaguebringer, The Gurgle, Smiling Death, The Impure King

Intermediate Lucavi

Title: The Defiler

Symbol: A stylized scorpion or scorpion tail

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Ethos: Black

Portfolio: Disease, poison, filth

Priest Alignments: N, NE, LE, CE

Priest Ethoi: Black anti-green virtues @ d8

Domains: Cúchulainn

Favored Weapon: Scythe

Description

Cúchulainn is a giant, usually standing around fifteen feet tall, and is extremely bulky, with an overly distended stomach. His mouth has significantly more teeth than it should, and he has no eyes: merely pitch-black sockets where his eyes should be. His flesh is a sickly pale green color, and along his backside, his skin is stitched together, much akin to a flesh golem. Within the folds of his back is concealed an enormous stinger, similar to those of scorpions or other similar poisonous insects.

His face is permanently contorted into a fanatical grin.

When he bleeds, he bleeds not blood but liquid poisons; his breath is putrid and noxious, poisoning the air itself.

Cúchulainn is the patron lucavi of alchemists, poisoners, and the diseased. His name is invoked by those who wish to see their enemies suffer cruel fates.

Cúchulainn's Symbol

Dogma

Soon.

Legends

Soon.

Falriox

The Symbol of Falriox

Title: The Destroyer

Appearance:

Worship:

Titles:

Organizations:

Prestige Classes:

Crusader

Crusader

The Dark Judge, The Righteous, The Crusader

Intermediate Lucavi

Title: The Judge

Symbol: White fist on red sun

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Ethos: Black/Blue/White

Portfolio: Justice, righteousness, balance, law

Worshippers: Paladins, lawbringers, judges

Priest Alignments: LN

Priest Ethoi: Anti-red virtues @ d10, Blue anti-green virtues @ d8, Black anti-green virtues @ d6

Domains: Crusader

Favored Weapon: Hammer

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Crusader appears as an older, tall human male, wearing gleaming gold plate armor and wielding a massive two-handed hammer.

Crusader was once a mortal, who was once - in ages long lost - a Saint. However, his overbearing insistence on attaining followers, combined with his zeal for pursuing justice with no sense of compassion, eventually landed him a seat amongst the Lucavi. While he is counted amongst them, Crusader holds most of his fellow lucavi in disdain, and his followers will gleefully destroy followers of other lucavi if a situation calls for it. Similarly, however, Crusader has little to no respect for the Saints.

Due to his unusual position, most of Crusader's followers find themselves standing alone. While some lucavi and saints get along well with him and his followers, most of both sets of Scions prefer to avoid him and ostracize his followers when possible. This, in turn, fuels their righteous indignation, and so the circle continues.

Crusader is the patron lucavi of indifferent law and merciless righteousness. His name is invoked by those who seek to instill order, bring justice to those who deserve it, and by those who need no higher justification for their actions than the law as written.

Dogma

The Symbol of Crusader

Law is the only means by which civilization can be maintained, and to break the law is the highest sin a man can commit. Know what must be done, and have faith that your actions are righteous. Spare not the dark nor the light, if the law of the land has been broken. Judge with a blind eye and a heavy hand, for only then can the world be kept safe.

Yothoth

The Symbol of Yothoth

Title: The Horror

Appearance: An indescribable being, green in coloration, vaguely resembling an illithid.

Worship: Unknown.

Titles: That Which Cannot Be, The Dreaming, The Nightmare

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

The slaad are an interesting breed of creatures, one that rarely interacts with the various peoples of Trinity. However, there are occasional slaad which venture forth from whatever madness they dwell in - Yothoth is one such slaad. A powerful member of his race, he stepped forward when the Lucavi were assembling themselves, and demanded that he be counted amongst them.

Backed by worship of the slaad, Yothoth is the lord of chaos and madness, insanity and things that truly should not be. In this, he shares a certain amount of kinship with Teniel - they are both random mutations, the result of either mad wizardry or forces beyond their control. However, where Teniel represents nature and primal savagery, Yothoth is the representative of a more dignified type of insanity.

Worship of Yothoth is restricted to those who can only be described as "insane," and an unusually high number of Force practitioners of the Trinity of Reality are counted among its worshippers. They speak of a being which will destroy all life when the stars are right, which slumbers deep within the oceans.

Sko'veyux

The Symbol of Sko'Veyux

Title: The Pain

Appearance: A tortured elven woman, with shattered metal wings, missing an eye, a bloody cloth wrapped around her forehead, hands, and feet.

Worship: Main temple in Murond, resembling a brothel.

Titles: The Brutalized, She Who Damns, She Who Shares

Organizations: Sisterhood of Pain

Prestige Classes: Sister of Pain

Sko'veyux is one of the more unique Lucavi, ruling over the realms of pain, sadism, slavery, and torture. She is a harsh mistress, and becoming one of her chosen requires great sacrifices on the part of the would-be devotee - Sko'veyux feels that only those who can pass her tests without losing their sanity or taking their own lives are worthy of her favor.

Sko'veyux herself was originally a char, a particular breed of dark angel whose purpose was to serve the dark gods in finding and eliminating the followers of other deities. When the gods passed from the world's attention, however, Sko'veyux saw an opportunity, and seized it, claiming the devotion of her fellow chars as her own and thereby ascending to semi-deityhood. Rejected by the Saints, she joined the other Lucavi.

Her followers are the damned and broken, those who have lost much and have nothing else to lose. Her priesthood - all female - are renowned for their unearthly beauty, though often marred by scars on the arms, hands, and feet. They are also known in darker circles for their skill with torture devices, and more vile occupants of the world seek out the Sisterhood of Pain when their own are unable to come up with appropriate torturing techniques.