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[micelus]

There had been Unity once. Before the Dream was settled and weaved into the Primal Shape. Where once there was one Breath and one Word, now there were a myriad, each quivering with the desire to make their will known.

These were the Thrones, vibrations of the Unity that once existed. Where once they possessed the same soul and same sense, now they were many in their manners and creeds. To much lesser creatures, these were gods. Or perhaps, devils.

From these Thrones emanate lesser vibrations - the Messengers, the Dominions, the Virtues and of course, the Principalities. Each work for the service of their divine Throne, each ever so loyal to the Perfection that emanates from their overlord. Truly, such beings begin as mere extensions of the Throne, working in perfect order for their beloved creator.

 And yet, with the passing of time, even such vessels begin to acquire independence and opinions. Such is most often the case for those oft away from Grace. Such beings are often Principalities.

Which is what you are.

Flung far from your Throne, you have been granted the duty to guide and to obey. You are a representative of your overlord to the mortals who dance in their primitive manner. By your Throne's will, you are demanded to bring them to into the embrace of your heavenly lord, to shape them in Their Manner, and to protect them from dangers beyond and within.


And so begins your deployment.


Firstly however...

Who is your Spiritual Liege, Your Beloved, Your Smiting Monarch, Your Throne?

There are a myriad of Thrones, each adorned with many titles and powers. They compete with each other for dominion, both in the divine realms and elsewhere. Upon the mortal plane, so to do they compete for control of souls, both inane and supreme. Some of the most powerful are listed below.



a) Araryan, The Most High, Defender of Idiots, Serene Protector of the Seas, Mender of Winds, Watcher of Impregnation, Copper-Eyed Guardian, Winner of Battles, Evasive Aegis, Controller of the Leviathan - God of Water, Childbirth, Battles, Fools and Winds. Commands the reality-contorting creature known as the Leviathan

b) Aryan - The False Araryan, Hidden Matron of Heaven, Beloved of the Atmosphere, Protector of Seekers, Ouster of Tyrants, Perfumer Supreme, Breaker of Chains, Queen of Secrets, Most Holy Dark Lord, Begetter of Thieves, Man-Smitten God - God of Secrets, Winds, Liberation, Darkness and Theft. Once pretended to be Araryan, and indeed, a portion of Araryan is within them still. Loves mortals and their ingenuity. Weaker than their brethren.

c) Azarhal, The Most High, Archduke of Liminality, Guarantor of Love, Lord of the Weak, Wrestler of the Divine Ladder, Bridge-Sultan, Most Eloquent of the Circles, Herald of the End, Conduit of the High Heavens - God of Cycles, the Meek, Love and the Apocalypse. They supposedly know when the world will end but refuses to speak of it. Holds control over the ends and beginnings of things. Aloof.

d) Dumahn, The Most High, Commander of the Righteous Host, Ender of Cycles, Instructor of  Mortal Truth, Jailor of the Dead, Maintainer of Souls, Sovereign of the Furies, Blade Whirlwind, Dweller of Old Graves - God of the Dead, Battle and Endings. Resides in the Underworld and maintains the vast majority of the mortal dead. Their servants are often undead.

e) Hadranyan, The Most High, True God, Lord of the Fiery Essence, Subjugator of Metal, Liege of Light, Most Towering of Thrones, Chain-maker, Smasher of the Firmament, First of Wizards, Conqueror of Scions - God of Fire, Light, the Sun, Metal, War, Wizardry and Nobility. Is physically and metaphysically enormous. Broke the Firmament upon reality sits, resulting in the existence of magic. A firm believer in might makes right. The Sun is an extension of their ear (supposedly).

f) Jopheen - The Most High, Foremost Artisan, They Who Crafted the Firmament, Patron of the Arts, Detester of Idleness, Master of Journeys, Embracer of Progress, Lord of the Celestial Brush, Enemy of Chaos - God of Craft, Industry, Order and Progress. Created the walls of reality to see what would grow. Often distraught that their creation became the plaything of their brethren. Wishes to make all things obey a grand design. Dislikes magic.

g) Harmar - The Broken Throne, The Star Unmade, The Sorcerer -  A Dead God. What masteries they once possessed are null and void. Usurped by other Thrones, Harmar was cast out of the divine realms and crashed into reality. They were unmade in the process. They are no longer alive; merely the echo of something that once was. Shards of Harmar grant sorcerery- broken refractions of divine power.

h) Mastema - The Abdicator of Heaven, The Fallen Liege, They Who Treasure Sinners, Chariot of Chaos, Lord of the Deep Earth, Judgement of Thrones, Banisher of Souls, Maintainer of Righteousness, Flayer of Kin, Eyes in the Dark - God of the Earth, Evil, Justice and Vigilance. Forsook the Heavens and created the Underworld. They created the concept of Evil and made it so that those commit Evil are punished. Tempts mortals into evil by both the carrot and the hook. Those evildoers that do so in Mastema's name are thought to be pardoned of their sins.

i) Uryan, The Most High, The Lord of Dialogue, Seer of Logic, Teacher of Confirmation, Educator of Science, Breaker of Lies, They Who Devour Fools, The Infinite Tongue - God of Logic and Thought, sees their dominance as a foregone conclusion. Haughty but patient, they may be right.

j) Zeyaza - The Most High, Patron of Abundance, Despoiler of Senses, Riotous Enjoyer of Flesh, Keeper of the Good Afterlife, Silencer of Evils, Upholder of Unions, Keeper of Oaths, Inventor of Pleasure, Granter of Minds, Ancestor of All - God of the Harvest, Pleasure, Marriage, Promises and Humanity. Gave birth to mortals and taught them how to live. Often incarnates upon the world to enjoy flesh in all its forms. Maintains a Paradise in the Heavens which a few mortals are allowed to enter for eternity.
 
k) Make up your own Throne

[ZBridges]

B

[Stirk]

g) Harmar

The Crumbled Throne's titles are easiest to remember Having a dead boss gives us the most freedom, and we can justify anything we want as vengeance against the other Thrones!

[King Zultan]

G

[micelus]

Harmar is dead. Reality however, was not built with the concept of a god dying. Nor does it comprehend the idea of a god shattered.

Harmar was great and terrifying, perhaps too much for the connivers of the heavens. Their light shone brighter and fiercer than the other Thrones; they shuddered at the divine's radiance. Harmar had sought esoteric understanding not only of reality, but also the very nature of Thrones themselves. Their ideas and experiments pained the heavens, which heaved at the disruption Harmar did cause.

So it was that Harmar was struck by a thousand-thousand blades and tied with six-hundred-and-sixty-six chains. With great effort, Harmar was divided into many pieces and cast into reality, where their being would never reconvene.

Still, Harmar speaks. For gods do not die; there is no place for their death in reality. No law for it, or against it. They are in a state of limbo, not quite existing but not quite departed.

Harmar's servants still lurk; remnants of the dead god. They serve the memory of Harmar. And sometimes, the god speaks to them.

And so it was, that your Throne echoed within you, awakening you to Duty.

What is your Name?

Principalities such as yourself are angels of the Throne. Thrones do not use names to identify their angels, rather, they recognise their divine servants by their luminosity, their resonance, and their hues. Angelic names are more often used between between angels or with mortal beings. Angelic names have no clear themes to them, with angels taking whatever name tickles their fancy. Many go by many names, as mortals oft give them a myriad number of such things.

In what Manner did Harmar teach you?

Each angel derives some influence over an iota of their Throne's Power. Harmar held power over many things feared by the gods. As an angel of Harmar, you possess some knowings of the Star Unmade, although are well versed in only one.

a) Mien - the divine aura of the gods, Harmar's was the fiercest of all the Heavens. You were taught to mimic Harmar's radiance and cause both fear and awe in both divine and mortal.

b) Sorcery - esoteric knowledge of the divine condition and its utilization. It is not merely magic, but the recreation of the divine vibrations that emanate from each Throne. Indeed, in each angel. Such teachings are anathema to most of the Heavenly Host. Which is why you must guard it well.

c) Death - Harmar's death echoes within all their servants. Though other Thrones claim death as their dominion, only Harmar has travelled its path and only their servants truly understand it.

d) Nature- Harmar, before they dabbled in the taboo, governed over nature and wilderness. Few remember Harmar's love for life and the many possibilities that were derived from it. It was that very love for it that lead Harmar to their undoing.

What is Harmar's command?

Harmar, being dead, is unlikely to be able to act directly upon reality, nor upon you. Still, their echoes do mean something to your kind.

a) 'Cultivate Sorcery'
b) 'Guide the Chosen'
c) 'Tear down the Heavens'
d) 'Protect the Wilds'
e) '?'

[chubby2man]

Ooooo

I’m tempted by Death, I am. But I think Sorcery is the way to go here-

B.Sorcery

- to Tear down the Heavens in revenge for poor Harmar, who just wanted to understand how things worked.

C. Tear Down the Heavens.

For our name is Wormwood , and may the heavens weep in bitterness at our coming.

[Stirk]

B

E: To finish the great undertaking that cost him his life, researching the nature of Thrones.

Name: He Who Is Foremost Amongst The Last Host

[Maximum Spin]

B

E: To finish the great undertaking that cost him his life, researching the nature of Thrones.

Yes, and:
E: "Become the Heir."
To truly complete Harmar's work, we must learn enough about Thrones to build one and become the continuation of Harmar.

I have no strong feelings one way or the other about the name; after all, if we succeed, our name will be Harmar.

[chubby2man]

I like the “Heir” options, suggesting Harmar’s work continuing is of the upmost importance, but man I like more the idea of Harmar being killed for their knowledge and Harmar just shoves everything he’s learned over to us and going “Bring it down”.

[ZBridges]

B

E: To finish the great undertaking that cost him his life, researching the nature of Thrones.

Yes, and:
E: "Become the Heir."
To truly complete Harmar's work, we must learn enough about Thrones to build one and become the continuation of Harmar.

I have no strong feelings one way or the other about the name; after all, if we succeed, our name will be Harmar.

+1

[King Zultan]

Ooooo

I’m tempted by Death, I am. But I think Sorcery is the way to go here-

B.Sorcery

- to Tear down the Heavens in revenge for poor Harmar, who just wanted to understand how things worked.

C. Tear Down the Heavens.

For our name is Wormwood , and may the heavens weep in bitterness at our coming.

+1

[micelus]

Your Name? Wormwood. A fitting name.


The Manner you were taught? Sorcery. Harmar oft shared his research with his beloved pupils; you were amongst them.

Harmar's command? Was it 'Tear Down the Heavens' or 'Become the Heir'?. The whispers of a dead god can sometimes take some deciphering. You best figure that out.
 

Whilst you figure out what Harmar's words were, you also muse on what you are and of the world itself.

You are a Principality, a divine servant entrusted with the guidance of mortals. Harmar's death has made that task difficult. It has been such for the last two or three millennia or so. Which is to say, not too long. Many of your kin are still deep in mourning.

Even those Harmaric angels that are still active find it difficult to perform their duties. Your patron's death made your kind immediate outcasts amongst the angelic hosts. Imprisoned or otherwise neutralized, most of Harmar's House has been crushed or turned to the service of other Thrones.

What influence your kin still have is often found far beyond the hinterlands of the civilised world, or otherwise hidden within it.

Ah, the civillised world. If it can be called such. Humanity has only just recently settled down amongst the valleys and rivers and engaged in the craft of so-called 'civilisation'. At the behest of the Thrones, great edifices of stone and timber and mud and magic and bone have been erected there. Cities and empires vie for control over rivers and mines, all the while the lesser settlements supply the great temples with sacrifices to the Heavens - and to enrich their mortal servants.

Yet there is squalor, there is poverty, there is inequality; that is the 'civilised' world that the Thrones have wrought.

Harmar, for their part, felt a distaste for these places, preferring the wilds and the sparse villages. Until their obsession with metaphysics began, in any case.

Beyond the civilised world is untamed wilderness where creatures that the gods had not yet slain, and peoples not yet converted, still lived. Though such things yet existed in the civilised world, much greater were their number beyond it. The influence of the Thrones is not non-existent here. Merely, it was just that most Thrones put little effort in making use of what worship or influence they had here. Most were content with the offerings they would acquire from 'savage' tribes. In return, they occasionally gave out blessings.

The savage world encircles the civilised one on all sides.

To the North are great primeval forests, mountains and steppes. Men ride beasts there besides the donkey and kunga. Though the Thrones say that they made the world, they do not know all that which lurks here, for some things were not crafted by their hand. In the forest and plain lurk primitive men, adorned with magics they do not understand and will not understand. The spirits are strong here.

To the East lies ruin. Harmar fell in the east and made the land chaos; what few beings live here have adapted to the wild magics and sorceries that rend the land. The land is full of disorder, with steaming jungles giving way to frigid tundra giving way to void giving way to nuclear radiated seas. These lands were already afflicted by the Leviathan's passage, as this was the land wherein Araryan had tamed it. A few cities of men (and other beings) have managed to hold on here. The Strait of Yarn once offered passage to the lands of Yathul and beyond, although no mortal has crossed it and returned since Araryan's Feat.

To the South lies seemingly endless desert pockmarked by oasis and cloud jungles. Scant few men live here, with the whole of the land inhabited by the ethereal djinni, and hinni (or their half-human descendants). Previous attempts by the Thrones in creating a mortal race, both suffer from the trait of immortality. While not quite abandoned, the gods rarely care for these immortal races. Due to a few tens of thousands of years  of existence prior to any human walked the world, both races feel a sense of superiority over humanity. They possess some advancements humans have not yet been graced with. The reality-bending creature known as the Behemoth lurks somewhere here.

To the West lies the great sea. Verdant and barren at the same time, men inhabit the many coasts and islands that are found there. Some of the states of the civilised world have created outposts here to harvest resources or trade with the local barbarians. Were it not for the Thrones' obsession with the central lands of the civilised world, their followers would have colonised the whole of the west already. The reality-bending creature known as the Ziz patrols these lands, roosting on a hidden island when it desires rest.

[King Zultan]

East

[micelus]

The decision is more:

Harmar's command? Was it 'Tear Down the Heavens' or 'Become the Heir'?. The whispers of a dead god can sometimes take some deciphering.

[ZBridges]

I'm not particularly attached to my choice. I would be fine with 'Tearing Down the Heavens.'