Astus

Appearance: Created by the mother of protection to contrast his brother, Astus takes the form of a shaded blood-orange silhouette with brilliant teal eyes. Above his misty form sits a simple, but elegant gilded crown.

Personality: Astus is a generally duty-bound but curious individual, always looking for new and interesting ways to combine the essentials of life in new ways. Many posit the discovery of entirely new species as his doing. Astus takes great care and pride in his work, but oftentimes ignores others to do so. The greater good of creation always shines through. To some, he may seem cold and distant, especially to his less fortunate brother. Either way, when he is observed alongside others, he appears jovial, wholehearted, and kind.
History: Astus was borne alongside his brothers, the devourer and the end. While the others had more freeform positions within the cycle, Haurun imposed upon Astus the clear goal of creating humanity, using the essences provided to him by his brothers. He happily obliged, getting to work with his newly-found reagents. Not much beyond this is known of his past, as it seems to have been lost to time. A great event has been said to have happened to the gods of revolution, but all the scholars of Ecil know are its consequences.
Astus grew more distant to his family and became absorbed with his work. He rarely visits his brothers, and only to continue the cycle when he does.

Relationships: Astus' relationships with his fellow deities is more of a business transaction than all else. Wherever and whomever he may find to assist him, he will. He regularly visits the decrepit den of his former brother Ammeh alongside his twin Bakal to collect the essences he requires to continue the creation of the souls of man. When he isn't working, he spends much of his time with Ukhan, god of freedom, with whom he confides much about the souls of men. He believes firmly that the soul is greater harnessed in a freer life, leading to their inevitable friendship. Another consequence of this line of thinking is his rivalry with the goddess of fate, Cula, who is always entrenched in bitter war with the free-spirit. He thinks loftily of his mother, but does not visit her nearly as often as his brother.

Religious Code:

• Live and be unchained in your glory.
• Spread life wherever you tread.
• Kill only when it is just, and only then when it saves the greater many.
• Succumb to no paths except that of the cycle and of natural law.
• Self-sacrifice is the only just form of sacrifice.

Worshippers: The followers of The Shaper tend to be free-spirited individuals who wish for a guide less bleak then their endgoal, Bakal . Those who turn towards the lord of alchemy think of him as the beginning of the cycle. Their existence is justified by him; and his by theirs. Most worshippers realize this bind, and willingly put upon themselves the yoke of an eventful life. Others still serve a more sinister goal...
The Order of the Fallen Sun: Some believe that somewhere within the grand continent lies the secret to the soul shaper's power. As such, some especially zealous nomads take upon themselves the eternal task of finding the bare essences of souls. Known only as The Fallen Sun, these extremists are willing to go to no end to alter the very fabric of life itself. The Order, then, exists to purge these heretics of the faith. With Astus' blessing, they fight a ceaseless crusade to keep the divine secrets of humanity as they are: secret.

Boon

Lvl.1 Alliance of Creation (lesser)

The desert god of creation looks towards his newest soul with passive encouragement.

Passive

Cycle of Transmutation: Select one (or both) of the following abilities to gain as a passive effect:

• If you are a prepared caster, the god of souls teaches you to convert energy, maximizing spell effects while maintaining efficiency. Whenever you would cast a spell, roll 1d100. On a 90+, you do not use up the spell slot when casting.
• Whenever you would use a single-use consumable item with a gold value, such as a purchased bomb, potion, scroll, or sword oil, roll 1d100. On a 90+, immediately add 50% (rounded down) of the item's listed gold value to your inventory. Attempting to use this ability on stolen goods is an offense to Astus and will lose devotion.

Active

Confer Spirit (Su, Once Per Day): As a standard action, you may select any willing ally up to 100ft away, with whom you share line of sight. Immediately swap health percentages with the target, rounding down to the nearest whole point. If you use this ability to heal another player, gain a bonus to all saving throws equal to 1/20th the percentage difference, rounded down, for 1d4+1 rounds.
(EX: You are at full HP. Target is at 20% HP. You lose 80% HP to give your target 80%HP, then gain a +4 to FORT, REF, and WILL saving throws.)

Lvl.2 Alliance of Creation (greater)

The lord of alchemy presents to his follower a pact, forged in creation and sealed with gold.

Passive

If you use Confer Spirit to heal an ally, both you and the ally gain a boon bonus to all saving throws for the duration of the effect. This effect is not considered an active effect and is not removed upon losing consciousness.
Cycle of Transmutation II: Activates its effect at an 85+.

Active

Transmute Gold (Su, Refill 20): With a ritual lasting 10 minutes, you offer to the god of alchemy any number of items with a gold value. By sacrificing these items, immediately gain gold equal to its value, plus additional gold based upon your current Devotion value (up to your current level's Advancement gp x your number of party members).

Lvl.3 Savior of Souls

After many years of devout worship, the god of the flock offers to you the greatest of his powers: those that serve life itself.

Passive

You may now use Confer Spirit as an immediate action. If you use this ability in reaction to an ally being dropped to or below zero hit points, the target's hit points change to your percentage (rounded down) and you are instead dropped to one hit point. Damage is not calculated for the ally or for you.
Cycle of Transmutation III: Now activates at 75+. Additionally, based upon the selected ability, add the following:

• When you would cast a spell, you may choose to recharge a spell slot of any level up to +1 higher than the cast spell, up to the highest level spell you are able to cast. (EX. You cast a level 3 spell. You may recharge a level 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 spell slot)
• You may choose to either gain 100% of its gold value OR add a copy of the consumed item to your inventory.

Active

Convert Life (Su, Refill 10): Target any number of allied creatures within 60ft. For each, sacrifice 10% of your maximum hit points. You may sacrifice beyond your total hit points, but if you give more than 10+CON beyond 0, you die as normal. If you do, perform the following:

• If the target is conscious, they regain 20% of their maximum hit points. For any that exceeds their total hit points, instead gain temporary hit points that last 24 hours.
• If the target is unconscious, they return to consciousness, then gain 50% of their maximum hit points.
• If the target has died in the last minute (and is willing to return), the target returns to life with 10% of its maximum hit points.

Astus

Titles: The Soul Shaper, The Great Key (mainly by members of the The Fallen Sun),
Alignment: Neutral Good (LG, NG, CG, N)
Areas of Concern: Transmutation, Souls, Life, Alchemy
Domains: Artifice, Good, Healing, Magic, Repose
Subdomains: Alchemy, Friendship, Resurrection, Rites, Souls,
Favored Weapon: Alchemical Bombs, Gain the Bomb (Su) class ability at 1d6. This ability increases by 1d6 at 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter. If you already have the Bomb class feature, instead gain 1d6 to bomb damage.
Symbol: an orange or golden meteor
Sacred Animal: Coyote
Colors: Gold and Orange