Zemer Epsh
The Foul Temptress, Life's Shadow, The Lustful God, The Wonderous Egress, The Passion of Fire, The Structure of Spines, The Everlasting Orgasm, Nura Quath, the Flaming Famine, The Burning One, The Mire Spirit (a.k.a. Zementia Eposhkin)
Zemer Epsh, also known as 'The Foul Temptress' and 'Life's Shadow', is the Travesty representing sex, passion, fire and vengenace. She is one of the least encountered Travesties, although this may be due to the fact that mortals who look upon the unfiltered visage of Zemer Epsh are immediately entranced by the goddess, and seek to lie with her. Due to Zemer Epsh's most noticable trait, the constant fire that engulfs her at all times, this carnal connection frequently ends with the mortal's death. This constant flame also leads scholars to believe that she is the manifestation of the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Zemer Epsh embodies the concept of vengenace, and is often invoked by creatures seeking retribution against those who had wronged them, hoping to seek out her aid in destroying all traitors. However, she rarely directly responds to those who envoke her in this way, as it is widely noted that she cares only for her own crusade against The Vida Quda. Zemer Epsh is in fact a remnant of the Vida Quda, discarded when she began her great quest to prevent the coming of The Great Stagnancy, an act that Zemer Epsh seeks retribution for to this day.
She is often associated with Dragons, having scarred the walls of Apa Axas to allow the Dragons to traverse to the realm. As such, she is often worshipped by Dragon Domain Clerics, Dragonborn andKobolds. Meanwhile, her sultry alluring nature makes her popular with the more degenerate side of Apa Axas, such as Lust Domain Clerics.
Divine Domains
While Zemer Epsh's main domains are sex, passion, fire and vengeance, she is also considered to oversee Dragons, Outcasts, Evil, Patience, Beauty and Reptiles.
Artifacts
Zemer Epsh has several artifacts that she has unleashed onto the world of Apa Axas. Many of them relate to her experiments, either to reduce the impact of the Eternal Immolation or to create the Giants. Examples of these experimental apparatus include:
- Belts of Giant Strength: These belts allowed Zemer Epsh to contain the first Giant's raw power as she constructed them. They were cast away once she had finished with them, but this had an unintended side effect of allowing some Giants to break free of Zemer Epsh's will, an effect that would one day lead to the Goliath race.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Like many of the Beacons and Travesties, Zemer Epsh can appear in a variety of forms, depending with whom she is interacting with.
To The High Elven Pantheon, she is known as Zementia Eposhkin, and appears as a gaunt Elven Woman who is surrounded by dark-fire, and can slip into the shadows unnoticed.
In The Modern Wood Elven Pantheon, Zemer Epsh appears as a flaming skeleton wearing a cloak made of sheeted skin. She also appears as a spirit Flame, and is made up of four aspects; The Passion of Fire, the Structure of Spines, the Everlasting Orgasm and the Burning One. She is prayed when by the campfire for protective warmth and dismissal of predatory beasts.
Some believe 'The Mire Spirit' in Black Dragonborn culture may be an aspect of Zemer Epsh, although this is debated. In this form, Zemer Epsh is often visualized as a black-scaled, blind dragon coiled in a circle, devouring itself.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Unlike many Travesties, whose origins are often vague at best, and highly contested, Zemer Epsh has a concrete origin that has been passed down through generations, although most famously chronicled in the highly popular book series, The Trials of Burning Treachery by Lessidan Hallmaker. Although considered a work of fiction, much of the basis is historical.
The origins of Zemer Epsh are intrinistically tied to the Vida Quda. When the God Severment was activated, The New Gods were banished from Apa Axas, and, in their place, their impacts on the world manifested in many powerful beings; the first and foremost of these being the Vida Quda, highest of the Beacons. This sudden birth left these new deities confused and fearful, and many fled through time to escape the pain of abrupt existence. The Vida Quda fled to parts unknown in the Divine Era (estimated to be around 402DE), where she bore witness to The Great Stagnancy, the ending of all life and the beginning of the eternity of nothingness. The Vida Quda was terrified of this potential future, and started a Grand Endevaour to prevent this future from occuring by creating a new race of mortals adaptable enough to inherit the world in case of this Stagnancy.
To enact this plan, the Vida Quda needed the utmost purpose and focus, and needed to be a creature of sheer purity to have the mental fortitude such a quest required. As such, the Vida Quda produced her first, and most profane, artifact The Godrender, a dagger of such power that it could sunder aspects of a Deity's very being and form a new entity. The Vida Quda removed her lust, spite and rage, and cast them into a realm made up of an infinite labyrinth, known as The Uliberance, before abandoning the remnants to their fate. These remnants soon coalesed into a new form, the Travesty known as Zemer Epsh, who bore an exact likeness of the Lady of Life. Realising that she had been abandoned by her alternate self, Zemer Epsh declared war on the Vida Quda.
Zemer Epsh was left to dwell on her fury until enough time passed that the God Severment occured once again, only this time, Zemer Epsh seized the oppurtunity to escape Uliberance into The Marshes Betwixt. Upon witnessing the new life the Vida Quda has spread across the reality, Zemer Epsh vowed to outdo the Crownless Queen by creating her own mortal races, only these ones would be physically superior to the stripling humanoids, such as the Elves, Dwarves and Humans the Vida Quda had created.
In order to ensure strength far surpassing the Vida Quda's humanoids, Zemer Epsh used her carnal skills, and lust inducing abilities to seduce and ensnare some of the most powerful deities, gaining their loyalty, hearts and access to their unbridled power. The first was Retch, the travesty representing power, in which she harnessed their destructive capabilities to weave the Storm Giants into existence. Then, came Nidryshim, and from his formlessness, she spun the Cloud Giants in existence. After this, Zemer Epsh came into contact with Surm Tutdrug, who was still reeling from his abandonment by the Vida Quda. In a moment of weakness, he took to Zemer Epsh's arms, and the Fire Giants were born. Still unsatisfied with her growing army, Zemer Epsh copulated with Kahiladman, K'Niff and finally, in act act of desperation, Gutrot to create the
Frost Giants, Stone Giants and Hill Giants respectively. These Giants, later dubbed the True Giants were released into Uliberance, to grow in stature and power.
Around this time, the multiversal dragon known as Kukundath and his Rising Pyre, having been ejected from Mirikas after a failed attempt to seize power, landed in Uliberance. After a fierce skirmish, the Great Dragon recognised Zemer Epsh's power and formed an alliance with the Lustful God. Together, alongside her Giants and the Rising Pyre, Zemer Epsh finally set out to conquer Apa Axas, in an event known as The Dragongate Incident. However, the attempted invasion is quickly subdued by the combined might of the Beacons, after Surm Tutdrug, reeling from shame in his part of the creation of the Fire Giants, informs the Vida Quda of the attack, making a retaliation possible.
This act of war was so painful to the Vida Quda, due to her part in the creation of Zemer Epsh and her own willful ignorance of her growing power, that it reignited a spark of hatred inside the Crownless Queen that she thought she had severed. The hatred caused the Vida Quda to turn to the Travesty of Pain, Thija to devise a punishment worthy of Zemer Epsh's crimes. Zemer Epsh was subsequently cursed with The Eternal Immolation, in which Zemer Epsh was suject to an eternal burning flame, constantly reducing her flesh to cinders for the rest of existence. Her entire body was doused in the flames, except for her eyes, so she could watch as her former beauty melted away.
The other Beacons left Zemer Epsh to her fate, by Feny Lekki, loving all forms of the Vida Quda, took pity on her and ushered her away to The Feywild, where his artifact, The Soothing Spring resided. This spring would allow Zemer Epsh to alleviate some of the pain inflicted on her by her endless burning. Although it did not completely remove her pain, it allowed her to regain her mind. As thanks, Zemer Epsh created the Firbolgs, a peace loving giant species that bore all the hallmarks of Feny Lekki.
However, as Zemer Epsh recovered, devious eyes had set their sights on her. As she recovered, Zemer Epsh was approached by the son of Feny Lekki, the first Archfey known as Haught Lekki. Haught Lekki, viewing the Vida Quda as the monster who abandoned their father and people, wished for vengeance upon the Crownless Queen, and Zemer Epsh was the perfect candidate to help. Zemer Epsh, known distraught after the loss of her flesh, was easily seduced and manipulated by Haught Lekki, and was coerced into making the other False Giants, such as the Ettins, Cyclops, Fomorians, Ogres and Trolls. Zemer Epsh was once again ready to take Apa Axas, but when she saw Haught Lekki conducting an affair with Listoria, Queen of The Unseelie Court.
This act of treachery ignited Zemer Epsh's new potential, the Flames of Vengeance, restoring her to her original fury and allowing her total control of all fire. With this new ability, Zemer Epsh razed the Unseelie Court to the ground, and unleashed the False Giants onto Apa Axas, as she escaped to her own realm.
Sexuality
Sexuality is a vital weapon for Zemer Epsh, and will mould her form to be more attractive to whoever she wishes to seduce. However, she has no preferences of her own, simply enjoying the carnal act of coitus regardless of the partner.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Zemer Epsh's sole motivation is to destroy the Vida Quda, and her creations. Her usual plan for this is to create rival humanoids, such as the Giants. However, she is more than willing to team up with other powerful creatures, such as Kukundath and Haught Lekki to acheieve her goals.
Relationships
History
Vox became enamoured with Zemer Epsh, creating the Ring of Baleful Flames as a symbol of their potential union to entice her, but the gift was spurned, causing an animosity between the two.
History
Together, Retch and Zemer Epsh created the Storm Giants.
History
Together, Nidryshim and Zemer Epsh created the Cloud Giants.
History
Together, Surm Tutdrug and Zemer Epsh created the Fire Giants
History
Together, Kahalidman and Zemer Epsh created the Frost Giants.
History
Together, K'Niff and Zemer Epsh created the Stone Giants
Divine Classification
Travesty
Religions
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Current Status
Seeking Vengeance Upon The Vida Quda
Current Location
Species
Conditions
Realm
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Sex
Varies, Usually Female
Eyes
Non-Existent
Hair
None
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Bone White
Height
Varies
Weight
Varies
Belief/Deity
The Murky Path
Aligned Organization
Ruled Locations
Comments