Ekon

Forged from an amalgam of souls broken by hysteria, Ekon is the god of fear. A Chthonic native, he is a deceptively affable deity who schemes endlessly to recreate the conditions for his “birth.”  He rules unchallenged from his sphere The Ugly Underbelly.

## Origin

Gossamer clouds painted black engulfed a burning village,
strangling a dying world in its ashen grip. Lungs choking with soot, cried out
in a knowing futility to a darkened void above. But the empty sky offered no
salvation, only a deepening dread to a doomed metropolis. No solace would be
had, nor any explanation given for why their world crumbled around them. Zero
answers for the rise of lifeless lakes, the infernos that overtook their cities
in mere minutes, or for the upheaval of earth that marred their lands. Before this
uncaring universe dozens wept whilst others fell to madness. Where sane life
still existed, madmen crushed it beneath their bootheels. Villains, driven to
the brink of fear who, in their bid to exert some control over their own
destiny, ended the lives of other men.  Fear
had long since conquered this world, and its people could only helplessly watch
as it tore itself asunder.

A wailing spherical thing hurtled throughout a great and
endless darkness. Purposeless and inconsequential the tiny “traveler” wandered infinity
for countless lifetimes. Thoughts or motives were absent, only the need to
screech mindlessly into the cosmos.  And
if not for divine intervention, the screaming oddity would have continued its
aimless dash across space.

Appearing as but a pale speck in the night, it grew
exponentially until swallowing the nothingness in a radiant tsunami. Against the
grossly incandescent intruder the orb was rendered impotent, helpless to do
all, but follow the waves’ whims. As if compelled by some unseen force the
howling sphere dutifully trailed the luminescent ripples. Within the light it jittered
and shook, almost as if its luminescent abductor were attempting to awaken it.
Howls of misery ceased, in favor of fearful and incoherent chatter. Even between
planes the babbling spheroid could feel The Architect’s awesome might. Its
journey wasn’t measured in the decades of yesterday, but in mere minutes as the
sphere found its way to another reality alongside others like it.  just as quickly as the orb was absorbed, it
was expelled onto The Architect’s palace floor.

What was cast out from the glistening prison, was no tiny
ball, but a gelatinous mass. Misshapen faces and crooked limbs plastered its
form, an amalgam of souls pressed hideously into one. Nevertheless, it
struggled to claim a shape like its peers. A mass of eyes admired The ABORHENT
ONE and so it tempted to be like him, though it could not sprout enough tentacles
nor take the proper shape.  It then
thought to be something else entirely, only to resemble some freakish parody of
many things before finally becoming something it liked.

Dark chocolate colored an inhuman design, flanked by
wings encrusted with elaborate features. It no, HE had been reborn into
something greater. Yes. He was a man, though; he lacked a name. A small matter
he’d contend with later. Dead memories returned in hazy snapshots.
Recollections of peoples, places, and, things he’d seen or been. One of the
people he’d been was a man named Ekon.
“Ekon” Uttered the newborn god, who taken a liking to that name. It was

his name after all.

## God of Fear

Before Ekon, mortal hearts weep with dread. King and peasant alike falter, driven to their knees by an ever-escalating horror they cannot fathom. Knights clad in iron wielding weapons of steel shiver and shake, their armaments rendered useless. Childhood dreads long since conquered, return with a renewed potency. Phobias manifest, terrorizing the innocent and guilty alike for fear cares not for the morality of men, only to spread endlessly across creation. Even titanic monsters of supernatural ancestry cower before dread’s might. Terrible though this emotion may be, it can also be harnessed for a person’s betterment. In fact, if someone is willing, they can master their fear, reshaping it to temper their ego. Nevertheless, fear is inescapable, and no matter how hard mortals try they can never outrun it.

Chief amongst Ekon’s power is his ability to rip the fear from a creature’s soul, granting it a new existence. As a corporeal entity freshly realized, the horror lives to torment its former host. Controlled by the Fear God’s will alone, he derives pleasure from the agony he inflicts upon others through their “demons.” Unlike his domain where the manifestation is, but an illusion these creations are tangible, though limited in their lifespan.

## Personality

Despite his mantle of godhood, it is beneath Ekon to flaunt terror’s majesty. Instead, he prefers a subtle approach, by guiding his victims into the maws of despair. Aware that mortals are ambitious beasts, he implores them to delve further until they are ensnared. He delights in the madness that results from a people gripped by fear, and his actions demonstrate this. Through his manipulations he cultivates and terrifies, not only exploiting man’s fear of the unknown, but themselves. It is to the people that harness their dread that Ekon considers the greatest prey.

Humility, humor, and, charm are Ekon’s chosen masks, robbing most of whatever suspicions he invites. Honeyed words and a relaxed demeanor take the place of the monster expected from one such as he. A short-lived, but observant God experience has instilled within him, the virtues of deception and patience. Rarely will an ill word slip his lips, opting instead for a cooperative and friendly demeanor. Ever the schemer he knows that mortal and god alike is a more compliant beast, when greeted with a smile.  Even challenges to his existence are greeted with a bizarre enthusiasm.  Aware that conflict breeds turmoil and simply feeds into his desire to spread terror.

When he isn’t seeding the world with fear, Ekon is an extroverted soul that actively seeks out others. Largely driven by a mixture of boredom and curiosity, the unlikely fear god is drawn to the goings ons of his “family”.  Much like a child he is always curious about the various plots and activities of other gods. This is especially true for gods whose agendas are compatible with his own. If he is enthusiastic enough about a scheme he will happily throw himself into it.

Rage does not come natural to Ekon, but when it does it arises in explosions. It is at these points that Ekon’s true nature emerge, and he seems most fitting of his title. What brings about these “tantrums” are the usual clichés, conflicts settled through peace and bravery in the face of absolute terror.  Like the typical schemer he becomes undone when his plans are.