Set-Utekh the Destroyer
In ancient times, before men crawled forth upon the face of the world, Set-Utekh and his brothers came to this plane. They sought to tame the great reptiles of the nascent world, and to order all things as they desired. They taught men the arts of writing hieroglyphics, of building monuments to their glory, of navigating rivers and shallow seas, and of war. They took wives from the children of men, and their children were worshiped as gods.
Alone among these alien brothers, Set-Utekh sought not to build, but to destroy. So terrible was the destruction He wrought that the green land of the Sons of Osiris were blasted into a desert. The very existence of living beings upon this world was threatened. Even the plane itself came close to becoming nothing more than whirling dust and motes of ash. The Sons of Osiris therefore rose up, and with the aid of their semi-divine parents bound the Destroyer in a single moment of time, hidden deep beneath a pyramid in the once-green land. Lest Set-Utekh become free, the key to His binding was hidden away on another planet or plane beyond the ken of human beings.
Although bound, the dark god Set-Utekh still seeks to free Himself and bring destruction upon the cosmos. Should Set-Utekh ever be freed He will eat the life of stars and planets. Until that time, though, He offers much power to those who would do His dark bidding, and would gamble against the chance that some minor task their patron sets will release the Destroyer. For the Destroyer works ever toward the day that His servants can reach the key to His prison, and release Him from the Moment in which He is trapped.
When that day comes, Woe to the Sons of Osiris! Woe to the world of Men! Woe to all that lives or crawls within the unbounded Cosmos!
Many of the Sons of Osiris, and all of their Fathers before them, had the heads of animals. Set-Utekh is said to be like unto a mortal man with a serpent’s skin in form, with scales the colour of burnt wood and the head of a jackal. His eyes glow with a lambent orange light. Even now, trapped as He is, He is fully able to think, plan, communicate with those who bond with Him, and send them aid when it suits His purpose. His ceremony must be performed in the blasted desert lands near the place where He is imprisoned.
Lavarial, Angel of the Temple
Beautiful and fierce, the Angel of the Temple seeks to protect travellers in night-haunted lands, and to overthrow the crawling legions of Chaos. In many lands, her symbol is the red Temple Cross on a white field, symbolizing the meeting of paths, purity of purpose, and blood – both spilled in the service of Law, and saved by miraculous healing.
The judge may determine that any Lawful temple near a Chaotic wasteland has an order dedicated to Lavarial. It is in these places alone that the ceremony to bond with the Angel may take place.
Those who bond with Lavarial are filled with a holy flame that is visible as a halo to powerful creatures of Law and Chaos. Such creatures may aid the bonded individual or target him, depending upon their alignment and relative strength. A creature bonded with Lavarial gains a damage bonus equal to his character level against all demons and un-dead, as well as any other creatures the judge deems strongly bonded to Chaos. In exchange, Lavarial demands that those who would follow her always come to the aid of innocents against such beings, protect travellers, and be willing to exchange their lives, if need be, to fulfil these demands. Failure to act leads to a loss of Lavarial’s favour, ending her patronage. It may also lead to more stringent chastisements, for the Angel of the Temple believes in the punishment of fallen vassals.
Will you support her? Her demands are not easy, but her aid is not to be scoffed at either. Clerics of the Temple lead pilgrimages seeking what support they can muster.
_________________ SoBH pbp:
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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