The Vesj'vakar

[Tyranny]

THE ELVEN GOD, VERAVEND

Lore
It remains unknown to most others, why Veravend was born so hateful, and so unlike the rest.

Considering she and her peers were created, and given the powers they wield, solely to guide and benefit the Elves and those that followed after them . . . it can only be judged by the common viewer as a strange anomaly that led Veravend to distance herself from her kin, and to seclude herself to the darkest and least explored figments of the planet, seeking always after mysteries that others did not even know enough of to find mysterious. The Betrayer, as she is often called, was a curious one. But she was designed this way: as her kin were given obscure aspects particular to certain elements of nature, Veravend was designed for something different entirely. Rather than a mother and guardian to the natural world, she was constructed to explore as a mortal would, only one with a great deal of mobility and power.

It is not entirely clear why the Gods designed her this way. Theories by the cynical tell of how they wished for her to fail; for the Elven Gods to diminish, to do the will of the Gods only to be destroyed from within. Others claim she may have been designed to test the limits of what Atharen's dwellers could learn -- and what threat they could pose. A sort of unmitigated surveyor, closely monitored, acting as an eternal warning of what free indulgence in one's surroundings might uncover. If this truly was her purpose, then the advent of the Sundering proves that she failed.

But Veravend learned a lot in her wanderings. She learned how to freely travel between Reverie and Atharen, and throughout all of the material plane. Beyond that, with her power, she was even able to step between Reverie and the darkness of untamed space... and within this darkness, she uncovered a great many things.

But the Betrayer was a ponderer. Perhaps not so much a part of her design; she was calculating and cautious, leery of the influence of Gods and fearful of their games. Her entry into the Outlands was brief and tenuous, only wading through to broaden her knowledge in small portions, before quickly returning to her home in Atharen's deep seas.

And there she spent a long time. A thousand years -- longer. Veravend learned how to dream. Though it was believed to be impossible for a spirit, save for an Adac, to detach their spiritual form from their body by dreaming, Veravend's journeys opened methods to her previously thought unfeasible. She had always wished to venture deeper into this unexplored dark, but she feared the power that lurked within; always a surveyor, she could feel the hungering presence within each plane and the nearer she felt it, the more likely she was to waiver. But as she had learned how to enter the chaos as nothing but a dreamer, her physical form free from harm, the Elven God steeled herself and went deep within the realm she knew the best: the Outlands.

It did not take long before she was found by the lurking hunger within, an unnamed entity, and despite her preparations her fragility was quickly laid bare; her physical body was conjoined with her projection, though she was not harmed. It was in this fateful interaction that two worlds were shared, and Veravend was fearfully enamored by the thing she had encountered, lurking in the spatial dark. A thing unbound by Order, the power her creator had used to forge the planes. A being separate from the Adac, and yet -- terrifyingly strong.

But of course, closely monitored, her foray into the place outside the planes was discovered. Venadak knew that she had broken an unspoken taboo. Knowing that Veravend had managed to venture outside of the planes, that she had learned how to dream, that she had been spared by a creature to whom she gave deep knowledge of their world... it was horrifying to the Adac. To all of them. Her kin, who had always been wary of her, rejected her in totality... though she had only done as she was designed.

Of course, Veravend's resentment did not take long to brew. It was already there. But something changed within her, upon meeting this specter of abyssal power: a sort of freedom, as if some of her boundaries had been broken. After the long series of punishments by her creator, Veravend was allowed to ponder in peace. And as she did, her moments of contemplation were no longer directed only towards knowledge or a desire for exploration. Veravend began to contemplate herself; her identity, her purpose, her boundaries and confinement. It appeared to her that this being had given her an ability that the Gods never dared to: independent thought, freedom from the blueprint of empty exploration purely for the sake of it, of monitoring and observing and being ignored or reviled. And alone.

Veravend had been alone for thousands of years, in her gorge. It brought her no small amount of pain.

Unlike her 'siblings', she had not been created by Y'shendra, but by Venadak. Unlike them, she was not given some comforting connection to nature, nor a loyal following. She was given a job, one that she was expected to fulfill in silence whilst no others looked upon her.

The Elven God realized that what the abyss had given her was a small aspect of freedom: the beginnings of a mortal soul. By indulging it, she realized that she could shed the confinements she had been born into, becoming truly free. But she did not know how, perhaps because she was still confined. And so, she returned to the darkness beyond, and she spoke with that entity once again. From there, the famous lie emerges: that it commanded that Veravend kill her own kin, and sacrifice her charge, in order to become a God. In truth, Veravend was given the opposite: mortality, with her lifespan only being retained as a result of her being a Patron. She was weakened at first, before being made a being entirely unknown to the planes, given divine capabilities by this Outsider who made her its champion. She was commanded to use her powers to invite her brothers and sisters to its side, and thus free them all from their chains.

And so she followed that command. Even though they had rejected her, Veravend viewed their spite as the consequence of their design. They had been made to mindlessly follow the will of the Gods, and the Gods had always been suspicious and fearful of her, even though they intended for her to act as she did. Her resentment became a seething hatred, and that hatred evolved into a desire to tear down the things they had built. Veravend told the Outsider everything it could've possibly wished to know; of all the things that conspired beyond the Planar Veil. And then she set off to fight a war, one she could never have won, to free her kin from their creator's rigid grasp. She failed, but she made her rage known. And then, within the frigid corners of the Outlands, she wept in her defeat... and she stayed. Though she was alone.

It was only then that Veravend truly used the power of the Patron, though it was now altered by the Outsider's influence. She began to create Archetypes, crafting her own family. Though many of them were empty and had no personality of their own, they provided her with quiet acceptance. Seemingly, as she has never been seen on Atharen again, that was enough.


Religious Worship
Veravend, dwelling within a realm known by others as the Stygian Grave, is not actively worshiped due to her distance from Atharen and her betrayal of the Elven Gods. However, the Korkann Druskai do appear to treat her with some level of deference, often praying to her in their most vulnerable moments, and dedicating battles and victories to her at the end of battle cries. Though the Korkann worship a being called 'the Outsider', this faith derives from her, and to many she acts as the distant intermediary between their origins and their current faith.

There are, also of course, many cults across Atharen that still worship Veravend. Interestingly, a lot of anti-Elven cults founded by humans (particularly in the Second Age) worshiped the stray God, considering her betrayal of her people and desire to overthrow the Ald'norai regime. Regardless of any given purpose in worshiping the forlorn Goddess, Veravend does not ever interact with her followers. In truth, only an Intermediary can even so much as hear her voice.


Behaviors
Veravend's behaviors are a mystery. Unlike other Elven Gods, she does not hold any dominion within Atharen, and never interacts with her followers. Few have communicated with her across thousands of years.


Abilities
Veravend's abilities are unique among the Elven Gods, largely because she is no longer tied to the Adac. In fact, the Betrayer's powers are unprecedented, being given the divine might of a powerful being from the Outlands, perhaps similar in how Draedan are given the strength of the Gods. The true depth of her strength is unknown, but it is believed by scholars and Intermediaries alike that she is of vast might, even among her closely related peers.


Index
Nahl

• Hira'lotha
• Sah'viidost
• Nil'qolaas
  
  Vrannik
• Margozhad
• Nir'zjedin
• Qumado'harroc
• Wuld'vith
  
  Tyrid
• N/A

[Tyranny]

HIRA'LOTHA

Description
The Hira'lotha are Endir that lurk near the bottom of the ocean floor; they appear as compelling lights, wispy and floating in the distance, traveling in large schools that make them reminiscent to deep-water fireflies. They are much larger than the average jellyfish, with their bell holding a diameter of around 1 meter and their tentacles ranging from ten to twenty feet in length. When they are summoned on land, these cords will wrap around one another like crossed wires, allowing them to hover above ground without dragging their paralytic appendages against the ground. Hira'lotha do very little when not called upon by Summoners, only behaving with false animal-like tendencies as they trap and prey on large deep sea fish.


Temperament
The Hira'lotha do not speak, even to their Summoners. They communicate by altering their shade, as they are capable of changing the color of their bell at will. A brightly glowing white is an affirmative, a dull grey is a negative response, yellow is confusion or uncertainty, blue is fear and red is anger or aggression. There are other colors and other complexities, but these are the most common. Their emotions are extremely primitive and they tend to obey the Summoner's will without question. They are not particularly aggressive or non-aggressive, and appear to operate purely on instinct, though some in the past have appeared to treat their Summoner with a modicum of affection.


Contract
The Hira'lotha are Nahl-class Archetypes, and thus are both cheap in terms of ether expenditure, and weak. They tend to contract with a Summoner for three days, after which point they will return to the depths in a spray of mist. This also occurs if they withstand a lethal blow.


Abilities
Hira'lotha, while summoned, appear to have difficulty moving and can only move by orbiting around the summoner. They will typically float anywhere from two to six feet away from the Summoner, and cannot go beyond this. They can orbit fairly quickly though, and move their tentacles with decent alacrity within the radius of the orbit. Once their tentacles touch a foe, they will send a powerful paralytic shock into them that is spiritual in nature, thus transcendent of many organic means of protection (such as leather). The more tentacles in contact with the foe during this time, the greater the shock will be; it will always be at least somewhat debilitating, slowing the foe or damaging their muscles.

Aside from this, they are weak and can be killed with only a few traumatic injuries. As they can only orbit around the Summoner, they move in a predictable space, only really able to act as a deterrent from engaging the Summoner directly.

These are for public use. Created by Taelian.

[Tyranny]

MARGHOZAD

Description
The Marghozad, or Margos, are the dogs of Veravend. When one thinks of the Vesj'vakar their thoughts often go to the Margos, who act as the staple Archetype of their family, hunting for both Veravend and her affiliates and bloodily enforcing their will. They are long, agile eldritch abominations with bodies of corded black limbs and rake-like ebony blades drawing from a stem on their back, resembling wings. The black tendrils rising from the center of their back are used to latch onto objects to improve mobility, or to restrain or crush enemies. With sharp claws and long, piercing tails, their bodies are purposed well for eliminating foes. Typically they have very little involvement in the world outside of being called as Archetypes, but in the wild they are vicious predators who can swim faster than they can run. They appear to hunt for sport and challenge foes greater than them, often dying and being replaced by the flux of Veravend's abyssal powers.


Temperament
Margos are foul entities. They enjoy invoking suffering in others and like to eat their foes alive, focusing on gnawing and chewing on the least lethal of areas so as to prolong their torture. They are arrogant and often disregard the Summoner's will, appearing to tend primarily to a sort of sadistic predilection above anything else. They often must be commanded by Unification for this reason, and often this appears to lend into their usefulness, as they coordinate very well in packs when commanded by the Summoner.


Contract
Margos are Vrannik-class, tending towards the middle of the pack in expenditure. They will remain by a Summoner's side for one twenty four hour cycle.


Abilities
Margos are potent fighters, highly agile and carrying multiple lethal methods of dispatching foes. The strongest part of their body is the stem of their mock wings, which they will use to handily deflect and parry enemy blows as they ravage them from a close distance. They are not incredibly durable otherwise, their chief weakness, but they can temporarily mitigate this for up to a minute every hour by cloaking themselves in a shadowy, abyssal veil, reminiscent of Thultu’s intervention. This makes them much more durable, and during this time they are generally at their most aggressive. The Margozhad are fairly physically strong, capable of tending through flesh with ease, and puncturing armor with their claws and tail.

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[Tyranny]

NIR'ZJEDIN

Description
Of all of Veravend’s progeny the Nir’zjedin are one of the most impactful in daily life. They wear the facade of a mortal race, even going so far as to form hierarchical social dynamics and engage in cultural rituals. Some say they have been left by Veravend to serve as her direct arm on the land, having lost much of the faith of the Druskai who once served her prior. The Nir’zjedin carry the visage of many aquatic species, and always with a humanoid form. They are sharks, octopi and squid, eels, dolphins and whales, and a variety of different fish. They carry dramatically in presentation but tend to fall into the same order of loyalists, calling on powers from beyond the veil.


Temperament
The Nir’zjedin vary too much for a particular temperament. They tend to be loyal, organized and well-disciplined, coordinating with the Summoner to an almost fanatical degree, especially an Apostle.


Contract
The common Nir’zjedin are Vrannik-class Archetypes, and will contract with the Summoner for thirty six hours.


Abilities
While it can be said that Nir’zjedin are both strong and durable, that is not the reason one would want to call on them, as they do not meet the Margozhad in sheer physical merit. Though they often wield dangerously lethal spiked clubs and staves, the primary purpose of these is not to bludgeon, but to use as an instrument in their strange spiritual rituals to call on the power of the Unknown. Nir’zjedin act akin to shamans, channeling the ominous powers of their God, who they refer to as the World Queen.

These powers pull from the Mists. Portals of sheer black will rip open and from them, massive tentacles will erupt and attempt to bludgeon or pierce through foes. They can only do this with at least a small gap in-between and it is always obvious, but slow enemies and large groups are susceptible to these powers. Additionally, they can conjure small apparitions from the Mists that will wander the field and attempt to latch onto foes to slow them down. They are limited to six of these, and they carry little threat outside of this tactic.

These are for public use. Created by Taelian.

[Tyranny]

Sah'viidost

Description
Found within the deepsea reaches of the waters of ransera are the endir known as Sah'viidost. Seen as a small, jellyfish-like creature, It has a light blue, clear body ranging one foot in diameter with a large, transparent skull in the center of its body. Their entire form including their tentacles radiate with an almost spectral like mist about them, giving them a ghostly visage.

Despite how it appears on the outside, its entire body is made of 99% water and the remaining 1% contains an organ that generates Sah'viirdost's debilitating mist. It feeds by trapping prey, usually small fish, in its mist to slow them down, using its tentacles to drain prey of their blood. Its tentacles are laced with vampiric tubes to suck the blood from prey as a leech would. The tentacles break off occasionally but can regenerate. Using the currents in the oceans, these endir travel too and from across Ransera.


Temperament
These summons communicate by the color glowing within skull. Each color discerns a different emotion or response of the Sah'viirdost.

• Green = Yes
• Blood Red = No
• Blue = Fright
• Purple = Confusion
• Dark Orange = Anger

Contract
Sah'viirdost are among the Nahl-class making relatively cheap in ether cost, but ultimately weak as well. They tend to contract with a Summoner for 2 1/2 days, after which point they will return to the depths in a burst of water. This also occurs if they withstand a lethal blow.


Abilities

• Debilitating Miasma:
  Their main ability is releasing a miasma of slate-blue fog. The fog has the tendency to latch onto victims[excluding the summoner] within a 20ft radius of their summoner, as they will float above the summoner's head like a halo. Any caught in this miasma will find that their movements will slow if only slightly, and will feel the sensation of being lethargic. It is also able to manipulate this miasma within its range.

These are for public use. Created by Kotoru.

[Tyranny]

Nil'qolaas

Description
These spirits appear like cephalopodic creatures of the deep varying in form between what mortals know as octopi, squids, and cuttlefish. These summons range from rich blues, to purples and even browns. They sport 8-10 tentacles and range in length from 2-4ft, but as far as their body size is concerned they are as big as an average mortal abdomen. They are unique in that they have glowing crystals protruding from their heads and are used to attract prey into their grasp.


Temperament
The Nil'qolaas are social summons, always curious about the going ons of their summoner. They like to hover or cling to their summoner, observantly watching their movements and mannerisms. Communicating with them is rather simple. A positive answer comes from their right tentacle, and negatives are on their left. It's also of note that they respond to "yes or no" type of questions, but will follow commands as they hold enough intelligence to distinguish between a question or command.


Contract
The Nil'qolaas are among the Nahl-class making relatively cheap in ether cost, but ultimately weak as well. They tend to contract with a Summoner for 2 1/2 days, after which point they will return to the depths in a burst of water. This also occurs if they withstand a lethal blow.


Abilities
These summons are very squishy and susceptible to brute force, be it physical or arcane. They don't last long in close combat as they are more long-range combatants. Ability wise the Nil'qolaas are able to open small portals in front of their eyes and fire abyssal beams in short bursts. Their range reaches up to 40ft and they can fire every five minutes until they are dispatched in combat or sent away by their summoner. The abyssal beams cause a painful burning sensation and can pierce exposed flesh well.

These are for public use. Created by Kotoru.

[Tyranny]

Qumado'harroc

Description
An amalgamation of tentacles, claws and gelatinous form, the Qumado'harroc come from the nightmares one has of the unknown waters of Ransera. This archetype stands as tall as an average man{5'7"} and a width of two and a halft feet. Terrifying to behold by non-summoners, these devils of the depths are adepts swimmers as well as agile on land and can chase down the average man with ease. Their black oil like skin allows them to hide within the deep & murky waters allowing for stealth kills of unsuspecting prey.


Temperament
Volatile and extremely territorial, these spirits borderline feral but retain some sliver of intelligence. They can be an ultra-aggressive creature that is rarely survived if attacked in packs. They communicate with a style of clicking sounds, the faster the clicking the less aggravated it is, but slower clicks indicate it is moments away from snapping into a full rage.


Contract
As Vrannik-class they require an adequate amont of ether to sustain them, and contract with a summoner for roughly 18 hours


Abilities
The Qumado'harroc are agile attackers, able to move around with relative ease on both land and sea. These vicious summons have two specific abilities that make them close to mid range enemies.

• Weaponized Body: The tentacles and claw-like appendages that it can extend and protrude from any part of its body in melee combat. Given its form, it can become a whirling mass of tentacles and claws which adds to the versatility in its combat style.
• Abyssal Blast: By opening a portal in their mouth, they are able to project bolts of abyssal energy and control the intensity/power of their projectiles, the bolts aren't weak but they aren't as powerful as a full-powered attack. While not nearly as powerful as other magical energy attacks, but, thanks to its composition, its firing speed is very quick, allowing it to be fired with somewhat of a consistent frequency. In addition, it possesses a more concussive force than a typical blast does.

These are for public use. Created by Kotoru.

[Tyranny]

Wuld'vith

Description
Reminescent of the sea serpents of yore, the Wuld'vith appear as serpentine sea monsters, with angler like tendrils & tentacles sprouting from the back of their heads along with a horn on their forehead. They are as large as an average shark and sport dorsal arms with razor sharp talons. These majestic summons range between seven to nine feet in length, their bodies at maximum four feet in diameter. None to float around their summoner this archetype can move realitively quickly.


Temperament
Calm and collected, the Wuld'vith is a proud and majestic beast as they see most if not all mortals as beneath them and are cautious towards those they encounter, including their summoner. One would note that they always feel as if the Wuld'vith is judging their every action, which in most cases they are. Communicating with these spirits can be frustrating at times as they seldom speak, and when they do, its in cryptic tones and riddles.


Contract
Wuld'vith are classic Vrannik-class Archetypes costing an adequate amount of ether to contract, and will contract with the Summoner for thirty hours.


Abilities

• Abyssal Vortex: The Wuld'vith can generate vortices composed of abyssal energy that causes moderate to severe damage depending on the duration one is caught within the vortex. The vortex can be projected as a long-ranged attack or as a tornado for both offensive and/or defensive purposes. Though these vortexes are versatile in implication they can only be created sparsely throughout a fight, which the Wuld'vith will relay on bludgeoning foes to death with its tail.
• Bludgeoning Tail: The Wuld'vith uses its powerful tail as a bludgeoning weapon against enemies. Its tail is incredibly strong, also being shown to be prehensile, curling around limbs of opposing beasts.
• Soft Underbelly: The one crippling weakness of the Wuld'vith is the fact that they have soft underbellies and a well-placed slash will most certainly put them down. The scales on the topside of their bodies are strong enough to handle most bladed weaponry, though it will give way under enough strikes from blunt and bludgeon weapons as well.

These are for public use. Created by Kotoru.

[Mystic]

DRE'VHORA

Description
The Dre'vhora are Aldir who have inhabited the forms of drowned women and men. Not just any, either, but the splendorous forms of deceased magi; those to whom Runes are carved into the flesh. While the soul of the dead passes on, and with it their aether, the Dre'vhora learn to repurpose the intrinsic power of the mage's flesh and bones to enhance their own capabilities, altering the form of the deceased to suit their will. They erase any independent depth in the appearance of their taken form, their bodies shifting to look more like watery wraiths, often with a veil of indigo-black overlays, painting their form. Outside of their Archetypal functions, the Dre'vhora are involved in the world; they are rare but when encountered, they tend to be malignant entities who uniformly attempt to kill those around them if found. Dre'vhora are most often found around water; generally swamps, wetlands, rivers or lakes. They will - horrifyingly - sometimes travel together, searching an area for something Veravend finds to be of interest.

In terms of size, they tend to be around eight or nine feet in height, with an oval-shaped watery barrier that appears to stretch around them, almost transparently veiling their body. It is more visible overhead, and appears to be around twelve feet in length.


Temperament
Entities of almost no tangible emotion, the Dre'vhora do not appear to hold complex hierarchies or do much of their own free will, seemingly given an almost coded guidance in how they act throughout the world. When they do speak, it is with an almost laughably quiet tone, their words sounding as if they were emerging from a strained and brittle throat. They hold a calm demeanor in the presence of a Vesj'vakar Summoner and generally follow the one who called upon them without question.


Contract
The rare and haughty Dre'vhora are Tyrid-class Archetypes, who will remain at the Summoner's side for a period of twenty four hours. As Tyrid, they cost a considerable amount of ether even for an Expert or Master to call.


Abilities
Dre'vhora are graceful fighters, swift and deliberate. Rather than channeling powers from Veravend's domain in the Mists, they appear to be inlaid with inherent strength. They levitate, always, and appear to be almost entirely invulnerable to being stalled or stopped even by severe blunt trauma. They are difficult to kill. For one, their watery barrier acts as a nullifier to most incoming attacks, blocking them though at the cost of the barrier becoming damaged. Those who puncture the barrier will still need to contend with their naturally durable, spectral forms. Their barrier regenerates rapidly upon being broken, meaning another consequential attack is needed in order to damage the Dre'vhora before its shield repairs. The Dre'vhora tend to wield weapons with a similarly watery appearance to themselves, spawned seemingly from the moisture in the air. These weapons are various and are typically long blades, scythes, large maces and mauls, and even longbows.

Their attacks are highly lethal. Dre'vhora are known for being able to cleave cleanly through armor and flesh, rending through heavily armored Knights in single swings; their movements are unnaturally swift and often unexpected, particularly given how slowly they appear to move. Unfortunately, the Dre'vhora's barrier appears to be more resistant to magic than it is to physical damage, and so despite their melee proficiency many find that they must contend with them up-close.

These are for public use. Created by Taelian.