Sarthal
The Transcendent One
As god of all souls, it is the duty of the spirit dragon Sarthal to see to it that all souls of those who passed in the Material Plane reach their intended destination, whether it be the promised fields of Elysium or the deepest layer of the Abyss. While there is not a church or cult specifically devoted to him, he is regarded as one of the most powerful deities of Atalaya and enjoys the respect of most religious folk of the world.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
The shape of his two horns is most often used symbol to represent the Spirit Dragon.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
The Astral Traveler rivals the size of even the most ancient dragons, having possessed the ability of space-faring flight in his lifetime. The mighty winds, stirred by him taking off, could easily be mistaken for a hurricane or the most powerful wind magic. The cracks on his scales betray his age, and the many battles he had waged before coming to Atalaya.
Body Features
A snake-like head, resembling that of a cobra, placed on a long, flexible neck. Two mighty wings, which span almost 400 metres when fully extended. The scales covering Sarthal's body form an armor around his ribcage, protecting his vital organs. His arms end in two fearsome claws.
Facial Features
Two brightly shining eye, rival the majestic light of Sarthal's horns, which curve upwards in a crescent shape. A soft tuft of facial hair flows from his chin, a sign of his age.
Identifying Characteristics
The most peculiar feature of the Spirit Dragon are surely the plumes, found upon his wings. While most Atalayan dragons possess scaled wings, Sarthal's feathered appendages allow him for more precise control mid-flight, as well as being deadly weapons when utilized against an enemy.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Sarthal was the very first dragon to have come to Atalaya, shortly after its creation. When the world was still forming and primordial energy filled the air, Sarthal soared across the ash-filled sky as the solitary sentient being in the world. In a way, he was the world's first mortal, albeit he was not of Atalaya. Born in another world, he grew tired of the endless machinations of the deities which seemingly controlled each and every move of all who existed there, Sarthal realized the fullest potential of the dragon race and attained the power of cosmic flight, leaving his homeworld behind in search of a new, more prosperous world, unbound by the strings of the omniscient.
And eventually, he came unto Atalaya. He lived a long and prosperous life, and eventually passed of old age. But, back then, when the world was so early in its existence, the mechanisms which are in place today had not even been conceived. There was no judgement after death, no place in the afterlife that a mortal soul would naturally incline towards. And so, Sarthal drifted in the Astral Sea for a very long time, observing the world as it grew and matured.
After some time had passed, the Five Magisters created the first mortals of the world, who had begun to populate it and create civilizations, centered around these five primordial deities. As the world grew, it attracted the attention of more beings from outside of it, eventually drawing those dragons faithful to the two draconic deities of the Multiverse, the God of Dragons Bahamut and the Dragon-Queen Tiamat. While Sarthal initially felt overjoyed to see more of his kin come to Atalaya, he soon realized that they were reduced to nothing more but pawns of their gods, employed to cause destruction and pain upon one another at the will of their omnipotent leaders.
As the spring of mortal life fully blossomed, it had become clear that the souls of those who died needed a place to go, and the Five Magisters began creating the mechanism of the afterlife, known as The Great Beyond. Upon discovering Sarthal within the Astral Sea, they extended an offer for him to be the first to pass through the Beyond, and be reborn upon the Material Plane. Sarthal however, instead chose to bargain with the Magisters, offering his service as a ferryman to wayward souls, such as he once was. He made this offer not only due to his concern for these lost souls, but also because he realized that being reborn would mean that he would lose the vast knowledge he had attained during his previous existence. The Magisters were hesitant at first, but eventually, the deal was made. And so, Sarthal was not only the first mortal on Atalaya, but also the first deity of Atalaya who was not tied to the forces of creation, but rather created as a consequence of them.
Intellectual Characteristics
There is no contention to the intellect of the Astral Traveler, formed by the vast knowledge he had amassed over the thousands of years of his existence. Those unaware of the circumstances of his existence may even mistake his genius for omniscience, although he would be the first to object to such a claim. In a way, he prefers that the clarity of his mind and the awareness which stems from it was built from experience, rather than if it were granted by an otherworldly force.
Morality & Philosophy
The Transcendent One is largely regarded as a neutral force, ferrying the souls of the lost to their intended destination and protecting the Astral Sea. However, he has taken a firm stance to the conflict between the chromatic and the metallic dragons, advocating for peace and unity among the rival sides. He believes that one's nature should not be determined by their color, or their race, or any other such characteristic, but rather by the deeds of the individual. Such a philosophy has gained traction in the most advanced of mortal civilizations, however it had evolved without any influence on the Spirit Dragon's behalf. Yet it would be a mistake to claim that he is not pleased with such a mindset taking root in some of the mortals of Atalaya.
Divine Classification
Higher Deity
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Realm
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Also known as the Astral Traveler or the Spirit Dragon.
Date of Birth
???
Children
Gender
male
Eyes
turquoise, brightly shining
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
tinted green
Height
150 m
Weight
1.5 tonnes
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
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