Once upon a time, before the Boatman, before the Cattleskull - There was a Wild God of death, who sailed the winds on his airship, taking with him the lost souls of the fallen to the depths of what we now call the Frontier, their resting place.
| The Heresiarch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| "'We called upon the Heresiarch, who sailed the stars / who protected the dead / who cared for Man'" | |
| Origin | From-Stone |
| Titles | The Veiled Captain, The Drowned God, Oblivion |
| Names | None. No more, at least. |
| Aspects |
  |
| Date of arrival | Death is the void before life. |
| Owner(s) | A fallen god |
He reigned over mortals for many aeons, laughing at the folly of their actions, the pointlessness of their exploits. He was the gatekeeper of their ending, their coda, and what we now call the Afterlife.
That is, until the Boatman dethroned him.
Now he roams the City, reduced to little more than an undying worm, crying tears which wound the earth and scorch the sky, dragging his scorpion-tail through the same world that mortals roam, meddling in their affairs to pass the time - Unable to meet his end, anymore.
Contents
Description
History
The Heresiarch was the first god of Death, the first Ferryman, the first hoarder of souls. He was a proud captain of his airship, the Lunarian. He guided the lost souls of mortals to their place in the Frontier, after their bodies fell apart, and kept a few to himself as well.
During the Breach, he was usurped by The Boatman, who took his Rune, Raidho, and drowned him in the River. He later emerged lost in his mind, his uniform reduced to tatters, and with little divinity to his name. He now wanders the city as an "Almost-Hour", hiding his sorrows under many layers of devoured souls, Ravelling Tree-sap and memory-dust.
Appearance
The Heresiarch appears as a somewhat physically effeminate young man, with braided, spiky black hair and pale, scarred skin. His eyes match the current colour of the moon. His legs are insect-like, and his most prominent features are his double-tails, resembling that of a fattail scorpion, which constantly drip venom, and his spitting cobra-like fangs. He also has a halo resembling the rings of Saturn, made out of thousands of miniscule semi-transparent ice shards.
Before he became the Drowned God, he used to wear the proud blue uniform of a captain, jewelled with many medals, a crescent-moon pin and collar, with Japanese-inspired kimono-like sleeves and gold accents.
Now, he wears the rags of his ruined old uniform, under a butterfly-patterned, blue-gold hooded cloak, which appears to never dry out, and he generally tries to hide from view, nowhere as joyful as he once was.
Principles
Death and the afterlife.
Worship
Cult
The Heresiarch is no longer worshipped. His crew remains loyal to him after all this time, but the mortals have forgotten about him. However, there are rumours of esoteric Wild God-adoring sects of cultists who seek to restore his name.
Mark
- Temptation: Melancholy: I have heard word of the dead Hour who still roams the City, by the name of the Heresiarch.
- Dedication: Melancholy: I have decided to avenge the Drowned God.
- Ascension: Sorrow: I hear the sea in the sky whenever I close my eyes. My skin is pale as snow. This is the Third Mark.
- Ascension: Sorrow:
- Ascension: Phrase: Gah my legs.
- Ascension: Phrase: But it's gonna be worth it.
- Ending: I have proved myself, and now I teach new hours how to bake cookies.
Servants
Names
Locations
The Mansus
Fellsung Canyon
Deep within the frontier, there's a series of plain and dusty canyons, littered with hidden tunnels leading to the Heresiarch's former hangout, as well as the hangar where the skeleton of the Lunarian still remains, broken and abandoned.
The Histories
The Heresiarch was worshipped by humans as various varieties of reapers and death-gods, before the Breach.
Items
Tools
- Lunar Medal
- It has seen many long journeys, it remembers them all - And so, it still remains cold to the touch.
- Aspects: 6
Ingredients
- Heresiarch's Venom
- The distilled essence of mortal sorrow, extracted from unfortunate souls.
- Aspects: 12
Influences
- A Grim Reminder
- Among the stars, I can distinguish the fragmented shadow of someone long forgotten.
- Aspect: 4
4
Books
- The Flooding of the Skies
- Description: In which Nadya Unsong describes, in chilling detail, the drowning of a fallen God.
- Start Text: "Two ships crossed, one through the pale winds and one through the crimson rivers. Neither knew mercy."
- End Text: "The Scorpion-God was dragged into the flesh-waters by a thousand hands, where there is no wind to sail, no hope to feel, no love for him. The vast heavens we once knew will never be as they were."
- Gives: Dread, Winter 12 lore
Rites
- Making of the Hours
- Description: Ancient ritual conceived by the spooky boys of Uh-Shekel.
- Requires: Rites are the more unique bits of Cultist Simulator. They may require tools, objects, lores, living beings, and so on. Some of the items used for the rite may be destroyed, and proper aspects are needed. Do specify all the details!
- Gives: Glorious boons. From summoning to spawning items to other beneficial effects.
Secrets
- The Heresiarch lurks the City, hidden among mortals and Long.
- And he retains just enough divinity to be dangerous.