Beast of Temekus
The Beast of Temekus is a mythological monster existing originally in Teme-Rasadan religious lore. Doctrine states that the beast, who has no true name, was created by the god Temekus to bring about a (temporary) end to all of reality.
Summary
According to the Teme-Rasadan religion, there is a finite amount of divine energy in all of existence. As universes expand, humanity evolves, and technology progresses, this energy gradually dwindles. As a result, each subsequent generation of living being is weaker (meaning, in this instance, further from the divine) than the last, and the gods become more distant. Eventually, a time will come when there is no divine energy left to expend. When that fateful day arrives, the beast will be released to destroy all of creation. With an insatiable hunger, it will consume until only the creature itself remains. Filled to the brim with all the matter of reality itself, it will burst, killing it, recycling the divine energy, and triggering the reformation of the gods as reality begins again anew.
This event is known as the The Great Devouring.
Variations & Mutation
Followers of the Cult of Ascension hold several alternative views on the beast of Temekus. Believing that the beast's return is not only inevitable, but imminent, Ascendants generally believe that a third party interefered in the beast's creation, usually the Caelsimilian god Iolond or the underdark god Pandemonius. An alternative sect instead believe that Pandemonius likely played no role in the beast's creation, but is instead destined to defeat it and take its place.
Regardless of the exact details of its origin, all Ascendants believe that the beast will instead harvest the power of reality for itself and create a new world in which Pandemonius, sometimes referred to by Ascendants as Ursurper, will reign supreme. They strive to hasten the arrival of the beast through summoning rituals and acts of chaos.
In Literature
The beast of Temekus has been famously described in at least one untitled poem allegedly found near the deceased body of an unidentified halfling man (believed to be a resident of Teme-Rasadar) in the Lendover Mountains. In the poem, the author describes the beast's arrival as both a terror and an inevitability, likening the ordeal to a doomsday. They emphasize the beast's destructive capabilities and the futility of escaping its wrath, concluding that fate of the world is well-deserved.
The popularity of this piece of literature gave rise to the eventual idea of the beast as a scapegoat and a bogeyman figure. It is not uncommon for parents to recite the poem in order to urge children to behave. In time, another stanza was added to the original poem expressely for this purpose.
Related Organizations
Comments