Asuliad
(a.k.a. Mournlord, Once-Loved God, The Tragic)
The most feared of the Greater Deities save Revansa herself, Asuliad is a bat-like god who lords over the realms of the dead. His ire is focused on those who would deny his right to their souls by extending their life supernaturally, especially through undeath. Vampires and liches in particular are the subject of his hatred, and his most devote followers will hunt such entities to deliver their souls to their rightful place.
Appearance
Divine Form
In his Divine Form, Asuliad is a monstrous bat the size of an ancient dragon, with blood-matted fur and an incalculable wingspan that blots out the sky.
Avatar
Asuliad has only appeared as an avatar when entering the realms of other Greater Deities, such as to agree to the Pact of Eight. Otherwise, he lives his life in solitude in his Divine Realm, never departing. When he has appeared in the realms of other deities, he is believed to have taken on a regal human form. This is all that is really known about his avatar, though even this is a myth spoken of by bards who claim to have dined with gossiping divinity in the past, so it is likely untrue as well.Holy Places
Bleeding Mountain
In Copari, where worship of Asuliad is most common, there is a grand mountain in the Toppuran Spires mountain range. Gazing at this mountain from the nearby settlement of Ora'Luli, one will see numerous dark waterfalls, spilling from beneath the clouds that mask the peak of the mountain. Within Bleeding Mountain is a network of caverns and tunnels, connecting the many rooms of the temple devoted to Asuliad, specifically to the study of death itself. Bleeding Mountain is home to necromancers and other affiliates of death and shadow, depending on their particular focus. It is within this subterranean labyrinth that the catacombs housing those who submitted themselves to the republic for assisted suicide on Aurlath are enshrined.
Church of Eternal Night
Leitho, a grand city on the eastern cliffs of Aerdis, is home to the largest cathedral devoted to Asuliad: the Church of Eternal Night. This magnificent, towering structure borders on being a castle, complete with gargoyles and vampiric artworks. The church also shares land with the largest graveyard and mausoleum in Elzveir, where individuals from all Aen have chosen to be buried that they might be as close to Asuliad’s grandest place of worship as possible.
Leitho considers itself a theocracy, with the Night Priest being the ruling power in the city. However, Aerdan royalty does not recognize this and has a duke instated within the coastal city. This leads to constant conflicts and power struggles, particularly given that most who live in the city walls prefer to recognize the theocracy rather than the monarchy. The Church of Eternal Night also faces the challenge that Asuliad is largely an absent god, and so any guidance the Night Priest claims to have received is more than likely false.
Shadetrail
While the empire of Zukei rejects much of Elzveir’s continental culture and actively operates in its anthesis, even its denizens have respect for Asuliad as the god of death. Because of this, they have constructed one location where those who wish to pay respects to Asuliad and those who have fallen may do so: Shadetrail. Less a building and more a nature reserve, Shadetrail is a stretch of forest between the cities of Hebino and Mondtau where the dead are laid to rest in any way fitting to those who bring them there.
Due to the lack of clerical service and protection over the funeral rites that take place in Shadetrail, it has become haunted by restless spirits who have failed to pass on to Asuliad’s Divine Realm, making it an increasingly dangerous place. Even still, it is the only place devoted to Asuliad in all Zukei, so those who truly wish to pay respects to their dead in religious fashion must brave the haunted trail of death.
Divine Domains
Divine Symbols & Sigils
A droplet of blood over a furled black ribbon.
Tenets of Faith
- Seek solace in lamentation.
- Death is the ultimate homage to life.
- Potential awaits in the dark.
Holidays
Clerics in service of Asuliad established a hallowday in his honor, as Asuliad himself never did so. Without word on what sort of Hallowday would best suit Asuliad, the clergy devised one as closely aligned with Asuliad’s views as possible: Aurlath, the Welcome Death. This macabre hallowday is revered by only a few, as it is perceived as barbaric by many nations, but it is notably the hallowday recognized by the entire nation of Copari.
Aurlath
On the first day of Winter, Orlin 1st, those who believe in the honor and glory of death gather to worship Asuliad through death itself. Individuals who are ready to embrace death. Such individuals are typically old, sick, or simply believe that they have “accomplished enough”. Rather than allow themselves to perish in their beds, weak and frail, or by another means they would consider dishonorable. In Copari, it is greatly encouraged to participate, with monetary incentives offered to those that the republic believes should enter the care of the God of the Death.
Those who seek death in this way will enjoy a celebration of their life with loved ones on Aurlath. At the end of the day, a public display of their death is had, as clerics of Asuliad offer their services for free, granting a gentle and quiet passage into Asuliad’s Divine Realm.
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