| Title |
Alignment |
Weapon |
Portfolio |
| The Scalewarden |
LE |
Greatsword |
Dragons, Monsters, Nightmares |
The Church of Apothus
Hope dies and fire rises - it has been so before and it shall be so again.
The Scalewarden's name is evoked in secret, their name spoken in hushed tones among dungeons and underground sacred sites hidden from the world. Their name is often evoked as a curse and is connected solely with those who seek the return of the dragons to our world. These cults meet in dark and hidden places, as the worship of Apothus is outlawed in all of civilized society, and membership in such a cult is seen as an affront to basic decency by many religions. Apothus is depicted in various forms, but traditionally is portrayed as a tall priest of nondescript race and appearance in flowing robes with a dragonscale mask affixed to their face at all times.
Apothus' holy texts and codes are a series of recovered scrolls and books dating from the Age of the Dragon Kings. Each of these texts are often fragmented and barely usable but are treated with the utmost respect and reverence by the Scalewarden's worshippers. Their symbols are modified or direct copies of those from the old Dragon Cults, most often depictions and musings of Dragons.
The Ascension Story
During the Age of the Apotheotheticals, Apothus, whose real name is unknown, was born to a primitive world. In time, they would come to serve those masters of dragons as a loyal priest, and it was in this role they would grow to have a fascination with
The Unmaking Never, researching and studying that strange outer realms' effect on our world with a great and fervent interest. It was during this research that they discovered ways to draw magical energy directly from the sun itself. As time wore on, Apothus served in this role, becoming cruel and twisted, much like their masters, and eventually arose as one of the hallowed Dragon Saints following his vanquishing of a rebellion without name. This act granted them an immeasurable amount of power from his masters.
Shortly after the banishing of the Apotheotheticals 2 QE, Apothus would meet with their fate. Leading one final defense against the forces of the Dying Queens, their dedicated soldiers threw away their lives to guarantee the safety of their final connection to the dragon-gods they worshipped. Eventually Apothus would be captured and put to the sword by the Dying Queens. It was in this final moment they summoned one final burst of dark power, unleashing a horrific burst of energy which tore a massive wound into the land now inside the Grand Alliance of Fraisia, killing countless many. With this final sacrifice, a godspark granted them apotheosis as the sheer power of the act granting them a Spark of Divinity.
Holidays
Day of the Inferno: Celebrated on the 7th of Sena, the date of Aptothus' execution, the Day of the Inferno is a celebration marked by sacrifice and power plays by cults worshipping Apothus, conducted behind closed doors in the makeshift temples of the god-saint.
Traditional Dress
Those who worship the Scalewarden in secret wear robes of dragonhide, or a facsimile thereof if necessary, with mono-colored robes representing the different types of dragons and masks depicting draconic faces. In public they wear whatever they would based on their station in life. Some are rumored to use small items like rings or necklaces to show allegiance to their god in public.
Aphorisms
The Fire Shall Rise: A simple, powerful, dark saying which foreshadows the reemergence of dragon-kind upon the world, often spoken between cult members in public.
