The Three
In the order of the cosmos, little is more central or more influential then the ancient primordial entities known as the Three Founding Gods. Forebearers of all that is, these beings are cornerstones of reality, and its creators. Thus it would seem most pertinent to at least consider them when it comes to matters regarding any aspect of our universe.
Though often I speak with authority on immortality and eternity, these impossible beings are all that we can truly know to be forever in this cosmos. First among them is the serpent goddess Zek, the flow of time, and the Matriarch of the balance that is present between all things. Tis her power that ensures the scale tips neither too far one way nor the other. The Goddess of Time, Space, Fate, and Reality, Zek takes on the form of a woman with the lower body of a shimmering cosmic serpent to represent the slithering flow of time. It is said that the serpent knows all and sees all, and that she is the strongest among her ilk, treating her constituents as younger siblings.
Myth paints her as an impartial but playful arbiter. There is only one act she has no tolerance for. The theft of time. To slow or stop time briefly is permitted, but by her decree, it is forbidden to skip or undo the flow of time, or to look through it without the aid or guidance of a deity. Those who break such binding commands find themselves at the mercy of cruel fates as destiny itself bends to strike at them. Such is the way of Zek, a cosmic being of incalculable power who oversees the foundational stability of our reality. I myself give the Chronological Serpent a wide berth. There’s no need to seek trouble that I cannot evade.
Next among the three is the Seven-armed God, the dread darkness known as Azerack. Taking many a horrific form, this conniving divine is infamous for the shape of a colossal scaled and armored beast that seems eerily thin and lanky, bearing a monstrous bipedal reptilian visage, and sporting a tail along with seven long arms with seven spindly clawed fingers.
The great beast is the bringer of corruption, conflict, terror, and darkness. But as well gifts great power, something he delivers on far more than either among his siblings. Azerack is seen as an “evil” thing, and in truth seems to acknowledge this itself. However, the dark god is also known to argue that even many righteous actions are evil from the perspective of another, when enacted against any sapient being. To destroy a thinking undead is evil or cruel from the perspective of that undead. Slaying an angry dragon tis truly despicable in the eyes of that dragon’s worshipers and family. This nuance makes Azerack a fascinating being to delve into in research.
However, despite not being as wholly dark as some would like thee to believe, the Seven-armed God is a manipulative and opportunistic thing. Any deals or concessions made with it should be well considered, lest you bite off more than you can chew.
Last among the Founders is Methaeus, the God of Light. This entity gave a portion of its power to spread magic across the cosmos as a gift to mortals. I however choose to question this act. I believe this was not of true benevolence, but to draw support to Methaeus’ self, and to give him an advantage in his struggle with his more powerful brother, Azerack. The two gods are infamously at one another’s throats, with Methaeus often acting preemptively to stomp out Azerack and his followers’ influence wherever it arises. This zealousness strikes me as short sighted considering the power that Methaeus wields, even as the weakest of the Three.
Nonetheless, their rivalry came to a head in the “Spirit War” a massive multiplanar conflict between the armies of the gods, their mortal worshipers, and the gods themselves. It came to an end some twenty four thousand years ago after Azerack sought to unseat Methaeus directly and Zek intervened. Despite a long and brutal fight in which both Gods landed solid blows, Zek proved the stronger and won out. Azerack was imprisoned and bound at an unknown location, much of his personal power limited.
This has been for eons, but my research has unveiled an interesting lead on the Seven-armed God’s locale, and I intend to pursue this lead. For in the face of darkness, I see great potential for knowledge the likes of which no mortal has ever dreamed. The Three are orders of magnitude greater than anything a mortal can comprehend. Crushing kingdoms effortlessly, shaping planets easily, and unleashing power of such immense scale that whole portions of the universe are forever changed. These incomprehensible things herald many things. But what I search for from them is understanding. To know our universe from their perspective is to see it from the only correct viewpoints. The insight they hold is unimaginable, but as far as I’ve learned, only one is willing to share it.
The Lord of Skulls, God-Emperor of the Undead
