Zeroth

Zeroth (ZEER-aath) was the Ancient god of entropy and death, while acknowledged and revered, was not frequently praised.

Table of Contents Description Personality Powers Aspects Realm Activities Relationships Worshipers Clergy Orders Temples Dogma Rites Scripture Holy Days Relics History Myths and Legends

Description

Zeroth is depicted as an androgynous humanoid with an above average height wielding a scythe and/or a dagger. He is gaunt and has eyes that are fully black with a pin prick of silver-like starlight held in a hard, yet detached gaze. Sometimes he is featured with a flowing black cape that hangs so lightly in the air, it appears to be made of black smoke and a belt buckle in the shape of a grotesque three skull design.
As death, Zeroth is said to appear to those dying in one of two ways:

• The Emissary is said to be what those who lived a life of piety see when they pass on. It is also how Zeroth appears in art, ceremonies, rituals, visions, portents, and omens. As The Emissary, Zeroth is a humanoid with light-gray skin and wispy black locks reaching down to his shoulders. He wears a light, ancient form of leather armor dyed black with matching gauntlets and boots. Beneath, dark purple, nearly black, apparel can be seen matching the Chaos Star inlaid upon his chest piece.
• The Harbinger appears to those who lived a life of corruption and evil.
He is depicted as a dread-knight with full-plate armor and a horned helm. The armor is bedecked with elaborate designs of bones, fangs, and spinal columns featuring small femurs inlaid in the pattern of the Chaos Star on his chest.

Both The Emissary and The Harbinger have been depicted riding atop a six legged horse.
During Starfall, Zeroth fell to a mortal form yet to be recorded.

Personality

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Powers

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Aspects

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Realm

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Activities

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Relationships

In the few records that exist of Zeroth as a personification of chaos, Zeroth appears to be estranged from the other gods of the Human pantheon.

Worshipers

Prior to Starfall, Zeroth’s existence within the pantheon, as a personification of death, rarely led to praise or exultation, rather a generalized recognition and respect was offered to him. The highest concentration of Zeroth’s followers reside in the kingdom of Zhjesk within the Ishtar Consortium.
Those that do worship Zeroth as a force of chaos and as Sovereign of the End do so in secret. These followers are often so secretive that members of various sects of The Dark Star not only fail to recognize one another but have, historically, “inadvertently” plotted against and led to the downfall of other sects when their territories have overlapped.

Clergy

Zeroth’s clergy most popularly takes the form of The Mourning Glories, clerics who have dedicated themselves to the passage into death, funerary rites, and the maintenance of crypts, cemeteries, graveyards, and tombs. The Mourning Glories are often recognized by vestments of deep, dark blues, purples, grays and blacks as well as carrying and wielding the favored weapons of their god: the scythe and dagger. Most orders of Mourning Glories within a community feature a head priest and priestess and a handful of acolytes in training.
Members of The Dark Star focus on the primordial chaos and entropy of the universe that Zeroth represents. They keep their movements secret, sewing chaos and destruction with a gentle, unseen hand.

Orders

The Black Star Knights - operating out of Zhjesk in Amerish, this order is dedicated to stamping out undeath and occultism within Zhjesk’s cursed lands as well as the rest of The Ishtar Consortium.

Temples

Temples of Death are usually small, few roomed, slate gray buildings reminiscent of mausoleums. Side rooms are often unadorned with stone tables for the preparation or display of the dead prior to burial or cremation. These structures appear in most large towns and cities
Temples dedicated to Zeroth as a god of chaos and entropy are often hidden and very far apart residing in back rooms or antechambers of larger structures, away from prying eyes

Dogma

The Tenets of Death map out how The Mourning Glories may contend with the magics of the world:

• Seek out and destroy those who prolong their life with unnatural magics
• Resurrection and Reincarnation spells are an entreaty with Zeroth to stay his hand and re-grant life to one whose destiny has yet to be fulfilled.
• Those that die naturally or in line with “Death’s Design,” though unable to be resurrected, are not to be pitied, for all must eventually pass.

The Dark Star members focus on embodying chaos:

• Ruin order wherever possible
• Sow discord
• Act with certainty for, in time, Zeroth will inevitably triumph over all.

These followers tend to focus their attention on utilizing Zeroth’s greatest strength: Time. Plots that lead to the downfall of people, businesses, cities, or kingdoms can take place after sprawling lengths of time to the point that historians have difficulty pinpointing what initiated downfalls decades to centuries later. Most followers are only privy to the smallest of windows into “Zeroth’s Grand Design”

Rites

Most rituals and rites of The Mourning Glories are closely guarded secrets. Among these rituals include preparing a body for burial or cremation, preventing undead, and providing peace of mind for individuals and their families by performing last rites.
However, once a season, The Mourning Glories have an open ceremony where they evangelize and make a sacrifice, known as the “Death Sentence.”

Scripture

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Holy Days

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Relics

Holy symbols to Zeroth are aptly called “The Chaos Star” and exist in a variety of materials, with crude versions, hundreds of generations old, being found throughout Vielamor.

History

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Myths and Legends

The Actor’s Gambit or The Two Faces of Death: A common myth of Agere, it is said that he, a human man at the time, challenged “Death” to a popular game that utilized years of life as betting chips. (The exact game changes depending on the culture, but often utilizes cards or dice.) Agere, using his skill in acting and zeal, nearly beat The Shrouded One. Instead of besting the god, Agere offered a trade through a contract crafted and notarized by Affirhet: Agere would, through Zeroth’s power, ascend to godhood and, in exchange, Agere would provide death with two guises to approach people in depending on how they lived their life.

Zeroth

Chaos Star by Unknown

The Chaos Star

Aliases:The Dark Star, Sovereign of the End, Death, The Inevitable
As Death: The Emissary, The Infinite, The Shrouded One; The Harbinger, The Black Knight, Dream Ender (Human)

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Divine Rank: Ancient
Portfolio/Domains: Chaos; Conflict; Darkness; Death; Deceit; Destruction; Discord; Entropy; Murder; Repose; Secrets; Tricks; Void
Worshipers: Warlocks and Death Mages
(As Death: Necromancers, rogues, assassins, and those who fear death.)
Favored Weapon: Dagger and Scythe

Portrayal of Death to the Good:

Tsukuyomi by GENZOMAN

Portrayal of Death to the Evil:

Loki by GENZOMAN