The Setting
From Lavosbyssals
LAVOSBYSSALS
“Because darkness isn’t evil, just badass.”
HISTORY
Once upon a time, the things that made the world were defeated by the things they made. Some were locked within themselves, and some died a death that wasn’t death, because death, and it’s dissolution was too small for their immense reality.
It is the latter that is the topic of this piece, known as the Neverborn, and the results of the notdeath they died. This death caused them to pass into an existence beyond death, a fitful slumber wracked with incomprehensible, mad nightmares.
The demise of such spiritually massive beings changed Creation in ways unforeseen, breaking the cycle of life and death, birth and rebirth. The release of necrotic essence formed a place of memories and false death, known as the Underworld, to which some souls were lured, and existed in an undying state. The fevered dreams of the Neverborn took root in the heart of the Underworld, as a shifting nightmarish place known as the Labyrinth.
And when the Neverborn died, something was either created, or revealed itself. Or rather nothing. The void, as it became known, or Oblivion, was a thing from which no return was possible, believed to be an ultimate ending which would be most desirous to the Neverborn in their agonized condition.
While, the Solars reigned, at first relatively few souls filtered into the Underworld, instead being drawn to Lethe, where a soul was cleansed of memory, and sent to another life. This began to change somewhat as many Solars went mad under the influence of the Neverborn’s curse, and people grew discontent, but hardly in great number compared to the Second Age.
It was during the High First Age that the Unconquered Sun appointed his shadow, Five Days Darkness to watch over that which was hidden from his sight, particularly the Underworld. In his effort to humiliate the calendar gods who spurned him, while fulfilling his duty, he helped devise the Calender of Setesh, which governs fate in that benighted realm.
Things began to change more as the Dragonblooded enacted their bloody coup. The rightness of this can be debated through the years, but regardless, many died, both combatants, and those unfortunate to be caught in the crossfire of a struggle between the Exalted. The Underworld was given souls in great number, and this was only the start of a trend that would grow ever more severe.
In the midst of this chaos, the Nephwracks, the Oblivion imbued priests of the Neverborn and the Void, raised armies of hungry ghosts and spectres to make war on the Underworld, seeking to drag it into the Void as their cthonic gods desired. They were driven back in time, but not without great losses.
The Shogunate was filled with internecine struggle, as Dragonblooded clans vied against each other in bloody conflict for territory, over personal offense, or simply to demonstrate strength. Such conflict sent many souls to an early grave, often those discontent with their lot, or unaccepting of their demise, and thus likely to form ghosts. Furthermore the lot of the common mortal was worse, nearly enslaved as they were to by Dragonbloodeds military and political whims, resulting in yet more ghosts formed from dead.
It was during this time that the spirits of the most depraved, the most curse wracked Solars of the High First Age received dreams promising a taste a former power, of former dominion.For the Neverborn sought to have agents that would widen the void that would consume everything, and bring them reprieve.
One by one, the ghosts of Solars came, 13 in all, and where invested with Oblivion’s power, and bound to the service of the Neverborn They hardly possessed all their former power, but certainly far more than even the majority of the Nephwracks. They began to amass power in the Underworld, building kingdoms and cults. One among them discovered in their domain the strains of a sorcerous disease known as the Great Contagion, and a plan was formed.
The trickle of Souls truly became a flood with the advent of the Contagion, killing as it did nine in ten mortals in Creation. After the Contagion had passed, the Deathlords arranged the Fair Folk to invade the weakened Creation. Some foul magic must have been used, for as parts of Creation melted into the Wyld, so too did the edges of the Underworld fade to empty blackness.
While the intervention of a particular Dragonblooded officer and the now forgotten sacrifices of Lunar heroes staved off the annihilation of Creation, much of Creation was lost, and hundreds of millions of lives were ended in the wake of these twin catastrophes. The Underworld’s population was swollen with new dead, and the political climate was tense, as new nations established themselves, and a flood of people and cultures were brought to the land of the dead.
The hidden influence of Five Days Darkness calmed the political tension, and as the Empress reigned the kingdoms and empires of the dead thrived. Things went on as peacefully as could be reasonably expected. Certainly hungry ghosts devoured the unwary, wars broke out, worship was extorted, Deathlords schemed, and the Nephwracks converted fellow dead to the cult of the void, but such was to be expected.
Turmoil seemed imminent once more as the Empress disappeared. The Deathlords were able to pursue machinations within the realm of the living, myriad supernatural forces stirred, and political conflict among the Dragonblooded threatened the stability of Creation and the Underworld alike. It was in this moment that the Unconquered Sun, chief among all divinities, resolved to perform an act that could save Creation- or doom it. He sought to release the Solar Exalted.
For the first time in millenia, the Unconquered Sun, strode forth from the Jade Pleasure Dome, and sounded a single note on his orichalcum horn that rang through all of Yu-Shan. He returned wordlessly to the games, but it was not a day after that the effects were felt. The Jade Prison was cracked open, and mortals began to Exalt as Solars once more.
But such was not enough. The Unconquered Sun knew of the threat posed by the Neverborn and their servants, and also that the cycle of life and death may be disturbed in these troubled times. Certainly a repeat of the Contagion would be calamitous. He called upon the spirits of light and darkness to gather one hundred of his exaltations and bring them to Lytek. After they did so he bade the spirits of shadow speak to his own shadow, Five Days Darkness, for he had another duty for him.
At the order of the Unconquered Sun, Lytek attuned the one hundred Solar Exaltations to the essense of memory, death, and shadow, with the intent of creating Exalted to aid Five Day’s Darkness in watching over the Underworld, and protecting the cycle of life and death. These new Exalted were to be called Abyssals, so named after the peaceful abyss of Lethe that washes away memory, and grants repose to the dead.
EXALTATION
The Abyssal Exaltation comes to those wounded or dying, often those who have known death in life, and it’s realities. Those who have had contact with ghosts and the Underworld are common choices, as are those who have lost things, great things. People, status, and innocence being examples. When an Abyssal is Exalted, a surge of essence flares in the Calender of Setesh, detectable to Abyssals who divine it. It is common for an experienced circle to find the new Abyssal, or for Five Days Darkness to send spirits of shadow to escort it into the Underworld.
TRAINING
The Abyssal is brought into the Underworld one way or another, and that is where his initiation as a Guardian of the Cycle begins. From fellow Abyssals and allied ghosts, he learns of the ways of the Underworld, his duty and it’s necessity. Frequently Five Days Darkness himself will briefly train the new Abyssal. It is common for him to visit the new Exalt even if he does not instruct him, to truly induct him into the number of the Deathknights. Many receive education in Necromancy, either privately, or from the academies across Creation and the Underworld. Many Abyssals are brought before the Calendar of Setesh, it’s ever moving spires, globes, and orreries encompassing the entire destiny of the Underworld.
DUTIES
The Abyssal Exalted are the guardians of the cycle of life and death, and the bringers of peaceful repose to those that seek it, or need it. Being naturally associated with the cycle of Lethe, it would seem odd they would spend so much time in the Underworld and the restless dead therein. But such is also part of their duties. They are tasked with opposing the influence of the Neverborn and their void-tainted servitors directly.
They are also charged with shepherding the dead to Lethe, though it is considered unwise to empty the Underworld of it’s denizens on a massive scale. Many Abyssals spread a doctrine of acceptance and moving on when the time is right, which is steadily gaining more adherents in the benighted land of the dead.
Abyssals must necessarily navigate the Underworld’s twisting ritual politics, to gain allies and support, and mitigate those who seek to cause harm to them and their cause. In the halls of Stygia, and in the courts of undead kings they curry favor and battle the influence of Oblivion with silver tongues and sharp wit. Likewise, they often serve as emissaries of the dead in Creation, bringing messages from ancestors, and negotiating prayer to placate them.
Sometimes the balance of life and death is disturbed in some way or another. Death in great number can cause many disturbances. Souls are sent to the Underworld in great number, often disturbing the politics of that realm. Shadowlands may form, which may provide a window of access between worlds, but Shadowlands born of slaughter often attract creatures of the void, or have openings to the Labyrinth. Furthermore, when Lethe is clogged with an abundance of souls, mistakes are sometimes made in the process of reincarnation. Therefore, it behooves the Abyssals to make certain that death within Creation is kept at tolerable levels.
Being attuned to the essence of death and entropy, it is no surprise that Abyssals have great talent at ending things. Sometimes the best course for a thing, and those around it is to just end. And so it is that the Psychopomps often end lives, organizations, ideas, and odder things. Popular philosophy among the Abyssal Exalted dictates that such endings must not ever be absolute destructions, but that which makes way for new creation to grow.
Arguably, the master of the Abyssal Exalted is Five Days Darkness. However the fact is, even if he had all the power of his progenitor(And he certainly does not) he could not hope to truly control one hundred gods of death. Rather, he makes use of subtle encouragement, and greatly favors the carrot to the stick, though always in amounts that encourage repeated service. Five Days Darkness is an indirect overseer, and straightforward orders from him are a sign of great urgency indeed.
In addition to these varied duties, even a Psychopomp is still human, with personal hopes and goals. An Abyssal is shaped by their identity as a mortal, and has been given power of world shaking caliber. It stands to reason that an Abyssal may have personal agendas that they may seek to fulfill.
EXISTENCE AS AN ABYSSAL
While the Chosen of Death are still human, they differ from mortals and other Exalts in some important ways. The Abyssals are aligned with the magical material of soulsteel, which is formed from the memories of the dead which congeal in veins as souls return to Lethe or are lost to Oblivion. Soulsteel is mined throught the Underworld, and is often used in the creation of magical wonders, often those based around endings and remembrance.
And remembrance is indeed something of importance to Abyssals. The Psychopomps are attuned to the essence of memory, an essence which hangs about the Underworld like a fog. When Abyssals dream, said dreams tend to be memories, usually of the dead, sometimes their own. Many Abyssals hone their connection to memories and can and see memories of the dead as the wake, in a form known as Whispers.
Abyssals may serve the natural order, but they are associated with shadow and death, which has certain effects upon the Psychopomps. Abyssals recover Essence at a normal rate in both the Underworld and Shadowlands. However in Creation, they recover Essence at one fourth the rate during the day, and one half the rate at night. They are not considered creatures of darkness, but any method that can percieve essence will see a distinctive pall of death about that.
The Abyssals have inspired many and varied reactions from the world at large. When they appeared in the Underworld, many ghosts feared their power, or despised their presumption in attempting to be an authority over the dead. Some held them in high esteem for battling the forces of the Void and the repose they offered. Some coveted their power and sought to use it for their own ends.
It was hardly a season past that the Dual Monarchs announced that the Abyssals were to be considered denizens of the Underworld, just as the dead were. The dead looked upon them more favorably, but distrust still lingers to this day. Rumors even persist that Nebthys has taken an Abyssal lover.
Unsurprisingly, the Immaculate philosophy categorizes the Psychopomps as Anathema, enemies of the Realm and Creation that bring naught but death and ruin. Most mortals in regions under the sway of the Immaculate philosophy have taken this to heart and fear the Abyssal Exalted. The Wyld Hunt considers them demons to be slain on sight, with no exceptions. Still, some oppurtunistic Dynasts are willing to try use Abyssals to their advantage.
In regions where the Immaculate Philosophy holds no sway, views are more pragmatic. Certainly the Abyssals are fearsome individuals; they hold the power of death in their hands! But the Psychopomps have the power to do good as well. They can lay souls to rest, placate ancestors, and bring death to the wicked. Some have earned respect and admiration among the living.
The Silver Pact has yet ascertained little about the Abyssals, but they do know that they are bonded to them as they are to Solars, that they have powers similar in many ways to the Lawgivers, and that for the most part they are no more enemies of Creation than their counterparts. The Seneschals are quite divided on them. Some believe they are essentially Solars, and must be treated as such, while others believe them perversions that must be cleansed of their deathly taint, or merely beings to be considered different from their mates.
The Sidereals of the Bronze consider the existence of the Abyssals worrisome, but would rather not actively pursue them into the Underworld. They are to mitigated if possible in Creation, but the Sidereals already have a great many threats to deal with, many of greater proportion by far. The Gold and Silver Factions are less innately hostile, and may be willing to work with them in various capacities. As it stands Sidereal knowledge of the Abyssals is (to them) distressingly low.
The Deathlords and the forces of Oblivion consider the Abyssals foes; unless that is, they are willing to derelict their sacred duty and enter service of the Neverborn. A scant handful of Abyssals have defected to service of the Deathlords, either by promises of power or an actual desire to bring about their goal of ultimate annihilation.
