Avatar of Darkness

Darkness is the Avatar of all that is evil. He exists in the Plane of Darkness in the Abyss. He seeks to quench Light. Anything that is good, honest, praiseworthy, chaste or holy he wishes to destroy or even better corrupt. As all Avatars he was born from the Platinum Crystal, on the side directly opposed to his enemy the Avatar of Light.

Darkness wants to win an eternal war with Light for the balance of souls on Karandia. He has employed every tactic, including outright open warfare, to accomplish this goal. As the years have passed, however, he has left the more obvious approaches to Death and has taken a more subtle, lulling approach, working through betrayal, fear and deception. Darkness hoped that the corruption of the mortal races would eventually leave him unopposed on the face of Tal. yet he like the other Avatars did not reckon on the nations of Tal forgetting the Avatars and thus crucially weakening them.

He is the creator of the Dark Elves as a race and he insisted that men be susceptible to base passions (Greed, lust, envy) and addictions.

He wields the Armlet of Darkness personally and is responsible and linked with the fate of the Armlet of Stealth. This is the greatest object of his power manifest on Tal in the time of mortals. He seeks to use it as a prize to force his greatest servants to rise through competition to new heights of ability and lows of infamy.

## Appearance

Like all Avatars Chaos can take any form he chooses. He prefers male forms and openly favours males in his service. He invariably chooses and tailors his form to his audience, and has an excellent understanding of the mortal psyche. He is vain and cannot resist making himself as physically attractive as mortals can perceive him to be. He is invariably dressed in darker colours and enjoys playing with subtle colour blends to bend the light and create optical illusions. He also likes to include extravagances such as capes and even crowns.

He often appears armed, but when appearing to his own servants prefers to appear as if unarmed, then display a concealed weapon at a later point during the discussion. He tends to prefer light-bladed weapons.

His symbol is a mystery to all but his highest followers and it is never displayed on any of his or his worshipers' clothes, buildings or equipment.

## Disposition

Darkness delights in subtly and so deliberately plays this into his character. He is constantly hinting at what he will not say out right. He loves deceptions, especially ones that are unsuspected and involve deep plans layered over years and finally resulting in total unexpected betrayal from an impossible quarter.

He also loves the corruption of his enemies. He believes that Light is the enemy of mortals, constantly preaching restriction whereas he tells his followers all they want to hear. You can have it all and it's almost free. Indulge in all the things you like and be saved as well. The only thing that bars him from constant smugness is the alarming amount of fools who refuse his excellent offer. When turned down or out-rightly exposed, defeated or humiliated, Darkness can descend into a sullen and fatal rage. He is not one to explode into a battle frenzy but instead he will strike mercilessly as a coiled and deadly serpent. He will destroy his enemy in every way, spiritually, morally, emotionally, mentally and physically. Often he will play with his victims, enjoying their discomfort and misery.

Yet he can be an excellent host and patron for those who please him and share his aims. He thinks nothing of favouritism, nor of removing his favour the moment that particular mortal fumbles.

Darkness values stealth, trickery, ruthlessness, skill, dexterity/agility, cunning and sleight of mind/hand.

His law is one of self-indulgence. If you want it and you can have it, you should have it. Smooth the way of those too strong who take advantage of those weaker.

Darkness sees history as the history of riches and power. Darkness also focuses on individuals more than any other as he is so egocentric himself.

## Followers

Darkness has many followers. Criminals, thieves, assassins, ninja, rogues, politicians; indeed anyone who wishes to move unseen. Anyone who wants to live within society and yet get more than their fair share from it. Anyone who has quieted conscience in order to improve their own position is suited to the oaths of Darkness for he offers, fame, secrecy, glory, money, food, beautiful companions and willing and unwilling servants and slaves. He is the merchant of souls, prepared to offer great things to buy the allegiance of his followers. Soon enough mortals find themselves addicted to the pleasures they have so thoughtlessly gained. Only then does Darkness name his prices.

Some rise to Praetor of Darkness, joining the Tara-Vor.

Due to this his followers are varied and legion. Some of the most important are:

* Mask,
* Ca’venkol
* Darren Kingston
* Ghost
* Sevester
* Castelyn Transthellian

Many of Darkness' followers on Tal fall outside of the Temple and its influence.

Several cults/sects exist that worship Darkness, but not directly or through his clerics. The Cult of Ecstasy would be a prime example.

There is also those called 'The Fallen' by the historian David Foster. The relationship, if any exists, between the following individuals and groups is tenuous at best. It would be a lie to consider the Fallen an organisation. Foster’s suggestion was that 'The Fallen' were, or could have been used as examples of, the righteous that were corrupted or lured to evil through concerted effort by Darkness. Foster's thesis went on to hypothesise that those who are good, but fall to the lure of Darkness, are given increased powers and potency as a result.

### The Fallen

* The Banished Brotherhood
* The Blind
* Blue Crow
* Caster of Shadows
* The Circle of Friends aka ‘the Fellowship’ or the ‘Fellowship of Equals’
* Eventide
* Fallen Angels
* Paradise Unending
* Shadowsedge
* The Unseen Hand
* Vixens
* The Warlords of Nightfall

## Hierarchy

He does have some organised clerics, but they are much more loosely organised than the churches of Knowledge, Justice or Light for example. Usually acolyte, priest or master priest suffices.

The Shadowfane – The currently recognised leader of all Ca'venkol clerics of Darkness.

The Twelve Twilight Elders – a quorum of twelve high priests of Darkness who are recognised as having superior authority over all his other clerics. They do not work with the Shadowfane and rarely even with each other. Only those initiated in the Unseen Church would even be able to recognise one for what they were.

Dark Brothers – Mobile priests of the shadow, roaming far and wide spreading his word.

## Planar Followers

Within the Abyss is the Plane of Darkness, as he rules the Plane of Darkness its denizens follow him:

### Demons

* Ashen Knights and Mid-Knights
* Daeloth and Daeloths
* Gluttons
* Hidden Horrors
* Pitlords or Pitfiends
* Princes of the Night
* Succubi

### Shadows

* Banes aka Passions
* Deluvers
* Shades
* Shadowstuff and Shadowmelds also called the Formless
* Shadowblades and Mistblades
* Shadowflare
* Sorrows and Sorrow Lords
* Specters

### Others

* Glimmer Bearers
* Hell Hounds
* Nightmares
* Shadow Panthers

It should also be noted that archons, demons, angels and perennials that are corrupted or become aligned to Darkness are often described as 'cloaked'. What this implies is that they are part demon of the shadow and partially what they were.

## Mechanics

All non-mortal followers of Darkness carry the shadow-traits: – Evil subtype, invisibility (varies depending on strength), ghost touch, incorporeal or blink (Shadowstep), +4 to hide, move silently in darkness and -4 in bright light. +2 profane bonus to attack rolls, AC, saves, skills, Spell resistance, ability save DCs and damage in pitch black and -2 profane penalty to the same in bright-direct light. They see perfectly in darkness - not relying on heat signatures or in the black and white of darkvision but perfectly. In very bright direct light their vision is halved, and in direct, extreme light such as sunlight or holy light they are at risk of temporary or permanent blindness.

Negative energy attacks heal instead of harm.
Immune to poison and cold
Resistant to acid and sonic
Fire -normal
Light – vulnerable

Languages – abyssal, draconic, and the 'Unspoken Tongue'. Several also speak celestial, the language of their enemies. Telepathy is a common trait.