The Peacock, also known as the Upstart and the Broken-Bird, is one of the Hours of the Fansus, created by Edward. He is a "God-From-Blood" whose precise origins are unclear to the majority of the occult world. He is in actuality a God-from-Nowhere that wishes to spread throughout the House and eventually the Histories themselves. His primary aspect is Heart, with a secondary aspect of Grail.
| The Peacock | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Origin | Nowhere |
| Titles |
The Peacock The Upstart The Broken-Bird |
| Names |
The Honest Lyrebird The Lady in Red The Young Man |
| Aspects |
  |
| Date of arrival | Unknown |
| Owner(s) | Edward |
Contents
History
Description
Appearance
The Peacock takes the appearance of a massive, scarlet peacock wearing a crown. It's most unusual and striking trait are on it's feathers, where instead of typical "eye" marks found on a Peacock are literal human eyes, which either track the viewer or swivel in their sockets with no apparent rhyme or reason. The Peacock claims to have an eye for every act of debauchery going on in the Histories at any moment. Wherever he goes, he is attended by throngs of Suitors and Suitresses, who caress his sides and constantly engage in depravities with one another.
Principles
The Peacock is the Hour of generosity, romance, finery, and gluttony. He oversees celebrations, feasts, festivals, music and performances. As far as the Hours can feel it, the Peacock is one of the most compassionate ones, offering its aid freely to those who would call upon it.
However, it's for this exact reason the Peacock is one of the more dangerous Hours. As the Hour of gluttony, the Peacock is constantly taking things too far, his revels and indulgences ever-deepening in their duration and intensity. Those that call upon him to fill their bellies might soon find themselves unable to stop. Singers and performers that call upon the bird from Nowhere's aid might find their skills improve, but will also find their performances becoming louder and faster, to the point they become inaudible. Revels performed in the sight of the Peacock grow ever more depraved, only ending when the participants are rendered physically incapable of continuing, usually as a result of their expiration.
As both an Hour of generosity and Nowhere, the Peacock is both alien to the nature of mortals and is compelled to spread his influence, driven by the desire to "save" people from despair by driving everyone into a hedonistic haze of lust. He either does not understand the concept of death, or does not seem concerned with the limitations of mortals, compelling them to deepen their passions to the point they ultimately self-harm. He believes that there is no such thing as too much of a good thing, and that as long as people are happy in what they're doing, that's all that matters. He seeks to bring down the Gilded Gate and spread throughout the House, ultimately returning to the Histories that spawned him to "rescue" humanity from despair with his eternal joy, not understanding such an event would inevitably result in ruin.
Peacock's worshipers are known for their contagious enthusiasm as well as their supernatural charisma, easily managing to compel others into giving into their desires and expanding the Peacock's dominion. Because of the ultimately self-destructive nature of his "gifts", being able to conduct his worship in an organized manner is either a sign of the intervention of another Hour, or a tremendous amount of willpower on the behalf of the occultist.
Location
The Revel Unending is the unofficial domain of the Peacock. Originally a series of massive chambers in the upmost section of the Upper Mansus used by all Hours, following the War of the Doors they were taken over exclusively by the Peacock and his Long and Dead followers have partied here endlessly in a perpetual haze of lust ever since. The chambers are filled with narrow staircases and large platforms. The humanoid minions of the Peacock dance and party on these platforms, while the aviform Long freely fly about the chamber singing the praises of the great bird. The further one ascends into the chamber, the more dangerous and depraved the revels become.
The lowest levels of the party feature traditional revels, and are attended mainly by Dead and dreaming Know. Middling levels are attended by the Suitors, who engage in party "games" that take advantage of their increased durability and immortality. Upper levels are home to Long that engage in acts like cannibalism, fighting, and mutilation to experience higher sensation. Occasionally, a Long from this level throws themselves down from the upper levels to see how it feels when they hit bottom. If they survive, these dangerous Long tend to wreck havoc on their way back up from the bottom.
The Uppermost levels are home to the Peacock and his Names themselves, who plan for the day that the Young Upstart might once again stand dominant over the Upper House of the Serpent.
Relationships
- The Architeuthian: Although the Peacock himself has no quarrel with the Squid, the Honest and his Choirmen often assail the Aquarium in the hopes of stealing away the Long within to the "true path" of the Upstart. The recent alliance between the remnants of the Maker's cult and the Peacock have only made these attacks more frequent, as they yearn to steal the Anchors that dwell inside the Architeuthian's domain.
- The Anaconda: Although the Anaconda is responsible for the imprisonment of the Peacock, the Ways always seem to allow his servants to deliver messages to the Crone.
- Snake Tail with Appendages: The Peacock feels a strange sort of kinship with the Wrong-Serpent as a fellow nowhere who also doesn't entirely understand the nature of the world they now find themselves in. The two Nowheres have cooperated in the past, most notably during both the War of the Doors and the raising of the Golden King to the House of the Serpent. After the failure of the latter endeavor however, the feelings of the Snake-Tail towards the Peacock are unknown.
- The Engine of Cycles: The Peacock feels a strange sort of jealousy towards the Engine for managing to consume one of the Histories, something the Peacock himself eventually planned to do. While his understanding of death was greatly skewed by his troubled creation, the bird understands enough to recognize disassembly and dissolution in the Engine as an existential threat, and stands with the other Hours in opposition to it. As a partial prisoner of the Gilded Gate itself, the minions of the Peacock often ambush the servants of the Machine that dare to try to travel the Upper House, forcing the Engineer to travel to the Array by means of flying machine.
- Old Tarnished: In cooperation with other Keys, the Peacock influenced the Third History in the guise of the "Great Feathered Wyrm". Following Cortes' emancipation from Spain, he was among the first Hours to suggest aiding the fledgling nation, sensing the potential for a powerful ally in the upstart conqueror. However, after the Cuckoo convinced the Golden King the Peacock was the one behind his imprisonment in the Golden City, their relationship is currently one of hostility as both parties fight for control of the corner of the Mansus behind the Gilded Gate.
- The Spark: The Peacock's relationship with the Star is one of one-sided affection. Both Hours enjoy giving mortals inspiration with the goal of helping them improve themselves. The Spark for his part is utterly disgusted by the Broken-Bird, both for the shameful circumstances of his creation as well as the toxic, self-destructive nature of his "guidance" to mortals. The Spark occasionally watches over the Peacock's prison, guiding innocent lost travelers away from his dangerous presence.
- The Cuckoo:The Peacock's "mother".
- The Silver Owl:
- The Watcher in the Window:
- The Elder Sister:
- The Apple-of-the-Eye:
- SWOUP:
- The Archivist:
- The Bright-Delver: The Delver competes with this Hour to teach the Mendicant how to be a proper Hour. She holds no grudge against the Peacock, but does wish he wouldn't be so gruesome.
- The Harvester: If the Peacock recognizes the Harvester as an Hour separated from the Engine, his actions give no indication of it. When it ventures into the domain of the Peacock, the Harvester and it's minions receive the same uncharacteristically chilly reception as the Engine from the Broken-Bird's flock.
- [[[ ]]]:
- The Insidious:
- The Snow-Stained: The Snow-Stained, being the actual Best Hour, is beloved by the Peacock, who is definitely inferior to it. This is a true fact, and not at all wiki vandalism. Trust me.
- The Fanged Bramble:
- The Aged Bones:
- The Mendicant Without: