Embrys

God of Upheaval and Freedom

Domains: Special (Arcana, Trickery, War) - see below
Weapons: Unarmed Strike, Meteor; Physical, Fire
Symbol: A fist-like meteor wreathed in flames that look like a diving bird of prey; the constellation Chimera
Dominion: Copper Moon, Destruction, Slaughter, Freedom, Emancipation, Change, Recusancy, Self-Reliance, Ambition, Perseverance, Consequentialism, Exiles, Over-Achievers
Embrys is the god of change, destruction, murder, freedom, endurance, and the self. His is the voice of the crowd demanding change, and of the leader inciting that crowd; his whispers can be heard in the crackle of flames and the howl of wind as they tear a citadel or city from its foundations and reduce it to so much rubble. He is the chainbreaker who frees you from slavery so you can pursue your own life and potential, and the killer who takes your family from you because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time between him and something he wanted. The chestnut light of his copper moon inspires wanderlust and the desire for something more, but when it sits full it also causes all spellcasting worldwide to have a chance of going wild.
As one of the Three Faces of War, Embrys represents the chaos, destruction, and upheaval inherent to war. His is the war of rebels seeking independence, the struggle for succession among competing peers, the border skirmish that explodes into something neither side wanted, the battle that gets out of hand when soldiers press their advantage too far or who fail to flee when the fight is lost. He is just as happy to see a positive outcome that helps people, as to see a baleful outcome that makes life worse for the war's participants, so long as the result is a change in the status quo and the punishment of those whose karma has been burnt. This philosophy also extends to other forms of competition outside the theater of actual battle, such as contests between towns or rivals. He is even happy to sponsor a fledgling community as it grows, stretches its wings and prepares to soar... with the understanding that there are no take-backs, and his attention will turn from favorable to baneful when that society falls into stasis and the trap of thinking that "things are as good as they're going to get, so you can relax now and stop trying."
Embrys challenges established order and calls on mortals to do the same. Where Heliana champions continuity and royal authority, Embrys is the closest thing among the gods to a patron of democracy and the republic, the will of the masses overriding the plans of elites. At the same time, he also champions autocratic conquerors from whom singular power flows, so long as they are overthrowing a stale old order in the process. He holds that social conventions inevitably calcify into toxic forms if left in place for too long, as the weight of tradition settles down and becomes more important than the individual person or family. However, while Embrys may provide sympathy and support to considered anarchy in service of a cause or as succor to the oppressed, he has no more patience than any other god for lunatics who act randomly without a reason and who cause chaos for its own sake.

Embrys's Tenets

Above all other things, Embrys holds the self as paramount, and considers it his most important divine "responsibility." All things flow from being cognizant of yourself and your own needs first, those people directly connected to your life and work second, and everyone else last or not at all. You must take care of yourself to be able to take care of others, and you need only be concerned with taking care of others to the extent that it makes you happy or gives you some other benefit. It is okay to work for others, to sacrifice for others, if you in turn benefit more than you lose in the exchange. But in turn it is important to be aware of WHAT it is you want and what will benefit you, so you know WHY you are taking the actions that you are - whether what you want is to be wealthy and comfortable, or to punish those you hate, or to leave a legacy and have your name talked about for generations to come, or simply because making others happy makes you happy. The right ends can justify any means, however abhorrent, but this absolves you only if you know the ends that you desire, and if your actions are considered so as to lead there.

Embrys's Relationships

One of the Three Faces of War, Embrys is known to have once been a mortal monk and assassin of surpassing power and ambition named Ember. He unintentionally created the other two war and lunar deities, Nykos and Stratia, as an unforeseen and unwanted side effect of his murder of the former god of war and the moon, Polemares, then-king of the gods; this also gave Iroa three moons instead of its former one. The three war gods have an uneasy relationship with each other; each sees elements of themselves in the others and sees things to admire, but each also sees things they loathe, and so they are ultimately rivals. Embrys's exultation in personal achievement, whether in battle or in other fields of mortal life, aligns best with Nykos, but his ambition and determination that the ends justify the means both align better with Stratia.
Lyrium shares a similar penchant for upheaval to Embrys, though his actions and those he inspires in his followers are typically more subtle, and likewise believes in improving one's own position in life. Aiatriu also champions self-improvement, and as god of not just medicine but also poison, is familiar with death and does not judge those who bring it.
Heliana and Paideia are horrified by Embrys's championing of those who would overthrow authority and overturn the social order. This, however, gives him the friendship of fell Varva, goddess of nature and beasts, who would like nothing better than to see civilization's hold on mortals diminished so that people went back to simpler lives. Thala would normally be sympathetic to this view, but has a special and personal hatred of Embrys, for Polemares was once her lover.
Idaedon is god of chance and gambling, and sees eye to eye with Embrys in the belief that one should be able to flow with and adapt to whatever comes one's way, but should also strive to make one's own luck by way of ambitious acts and the seizing of opportunity. The two deities are said to spend much time together, much to the chagrin of Thala, who is also otherwise close to Idaedon.
Oneiste's relationship with Embrys is tense, for it is Oneiste's failure to keep daemons out of reality that weakened the gods, and subsequently permitted Embrys to slay the king of the gods. Embrys defied fate on the largest scale in mortal history, but did so by walking the knife's edge of the exact words of Oneiste's own words and prophecies, and so she cannot act against him. Embrys, however, is unfailingly friendly and polite to her, despite - or perhaps due to - knowing that this vexes her even further.

Worshipping Embrys

As god of destruction and killing, Embrys receives the prayers of leaders seeking to utterly decimate an opposing force, those who have been wronged who are more interested in seeking revenge over seeking justice, and of course assassins and other professionals who make an art or lifestyle out of killing. As god of freedom and emancipation, Embrys is prayed to by slaves who want to be free, by those trapped in marriages and other relationships from which they long for release, and by those who simply value their ability to go where they please and do as they wish. And as god of perseverance and ambition, Embrys offers succor in exchange for the reverence of those enduring great trials in their life, those who are trying to better themselves and their position, and those undertaking a long and difficult project with the promise of a desirable outcome at the end.

Apephos

In Nubir, Embrys is known as Apephos. While viewed in a morally ambiguous light in Ithean culture, he has far more negative connotations in Khefiri religion. He is the outsider, a force of chaos and annihilation that stands as a wound in fate and in defiance of the true Eternals. He is held to have ambushed and murdered the God-Pharaoh of the Yahre-Nesyt through dishonorable treachery, and to stalk the pantheon like a predator, little better than a ravening beast given the mind and form of a person. He is not regarded so much as his own individual - for how could a mere mortal overthrow Gods? - but rather as the fulfillment of the curse of Those Who Went Before, who promised retribution would come unto the Eternals for overthrowing them and remaking the world for mortals. As such, Apephos is regarded as a new or reborn Titan himself, rather than a god per se. 

Embrys's Champions

Suggested Classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Fighter, Monk, Rogue, Sorcerer
Suggested Backgrounds: Athlete, Charlatan, Criminal, Folk Hero, Hermit, Outlander
Champions of Embrys are idealized as cunning, ruthless, and unimpaired by the emotions that might hold back someone from doing the grim work the world needs doing. At the same time, they move easily with the flow of society and events, knowing that trying to hold life and reality fixed around them is futile, and are able to roll with the random hazards and occurrences of life and war and come out in a stronger position on the other side. Like followers of Stratia, they are capable of the long view, and will undertake tasks or subject themselves to situations that are bad for them in the short term if they see a much greater return in the long term. They can love deeply and genuinely, but love is to be understood as a source of strength like any other, and moreover, they will not let love stop them from doing whatever must be done. They will honor a contract made with them in good faith, because that bolsters their reputation and gets them more opportunities and more power in the future; but anyone who tries to misuse or treat wrongly by a champion of Embrys will find them vengeful in turn, and more than willing to mete out their betrayer's just desserts.
Clerics of Embrys have special rules compared to other clerics.

• Proficiencies: Your weapon and armor proficiencies are replaced with proficiency in simple weapons, unarmed strikes, monk weapons, and improvised weapons. Your unarmed damage is as per a monk of your cleric level, and you can use your unarmed damage in place of the damage for a monk weapon you wield if it is higher.
• Unarmored Defense: At 1st level, while you are not wearing armor, your armor class equals 10 + the two highest of your Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom modifiers, ignoring the lower of the three.
• Spellcasting: You learn and cast spells as a Wild Magic sorcerer, not a cleric, including having a finite number of spells known. The higher of your Constitution or Wisdom is the ability score that controls your spellcasting. The spells from your chosen domain (Arcana, Trickery or War) are bonus spells known and not random, but every other spell you know is randomly determined and can come from any spell list; you can retrain them at level up, but they will get rerolled again. Every spell and cantrip you learn in this way is a cleric spell for you.
• Wild Magic: Your magic has a chance of triggering Wild Surges like a Wild Magic sorcerer. When you cast a leveled spell, roll d20 + half the spell's level rounded up; on a result of 20 or higher, the spell triggers a Wild Surge. At 14th level, you gain the Wild Magic sorcerer's Controlled Chaos ability, rolling twice on the Wild Surge table when a surge happens and choosing either result. Remember that surges happen in addition to your spell, not in place of the spell.
• Arcana Domain: At 1st level, if you chose the Arcana domain, roll your surge chance twice when casting a spell. If one roll indicates a surge while the other indicates no surge, you choose whether a surge happens before rolling up the surge.
• Trickery Domain: At 1st level, if you chose the Trickery domain, you gain proficiency in a Dexterity or Charisma based skill of your choice. Additionally, you can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Charisma modifier for any skill or ability check, including an initiative check. You may do this a number of times per day up to your proficiency bonus, and regain all uses of this ability after a long rest.
• War Domain: At 1st level, if you chose the War domain, you still gain proficiency in martial weapons as the domain would normally dictate (and as a cleric of Embrys can also treat them as monk weapons), but you do not gain proficiency in heavy armor and instead gain proficiency in shields. You can benefit from a shield and add it to your AC with your Unarmored Defense ability.

Embrys's Favor

What brought Embrys's path together with yours? You may roll or choose on the table below for ideas, or develop an idea of your own with the GM.
d6 / Circumstance

1. A flare of wild magic upon your birth burned your home down, but you were found alive and unhurt amid the ashes.
2. You and yours have been wronged by the other Gods, and you turned to Embrys for the power to address these wrongs.
3. You were born impoverished but not content to remain in your place, advancing in station through ambition and personal might.
4. You proved yourself dramatically, and violently, superior to a rival champion in a contest of strength, skill and cunning.
5. You believe that you claim some of the soul and power of those you kill, just as Embrys absorbed part of the old God of War.
6. If those you have defeated in the name of your polis or patron didn't want to be conquered, they should have been stronger.

Earning and Losing Piety

You increase your piety score with Embrys when you expand or shore up their influence in a concrete way, including but not limited to:

• Succeeding at something thought impossible due to your willingness to use any means necessary 
• Revealing the corruption of priests and officials and making them suffer for it
• Defeating a champion of the gods, especially one serving Stratia or Nykos
• Crushing your enemies, seeing them driven before you, and hearing the lamentation of their kin

Your piety score to Embrys decreases if you diminish his influence in the world, contradict his ideals, or make him look ridiculous or ineffectual through acts such as these:

• Showing vulnerability and indecision in public
• Upholding social caste, unjust laws, or other inequities of society
• Working on behalf of another deity without subverting them in some way
• Letting pity or sentimentality stay your hand from what must be done

As a champion of unusual standing in the world, you receive benefits as your piety score rises. If you are a cleric or paladin of Embrys, you start with a piety to Embrys of 3.

Initiate (Piety 3+)

You gain Inspiration when your consequentialism achieves a desired result or you perform a meaningful act of destruction with significant consequences, or you perform an act that gains you piety. You also have advantage on rolls to know about Embrys, his servants, and his works, and you know (the DM warns you) before you commit to an act that would displease Embrys.

Devotee (Piety 10+)

As a devotee of Embrys's mysteries, you understand that the order of the world is temporary and imposed. You learn either the vicious mockery cantrip or the produce flame cantrip (choose one), and learn either the chaos bolt spell or the zephyr strike spell (choose one). Choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma to be your casting modifier for these spells. You can use the cantrip at will, and the spell a number of times per day equal to your casting modifier. If you are a spellcaster, treat the cantrip and spell as bonus spells known of your class that are always prepared.

Votary (Piety 20+)

Embrys's blessing keeps you free and in control of your circumstances. A number of times per day up to the higher of your Constitution or Dexterity modifier (minimum 1), you can safely move half your speed as a bonus action, and ignore one "level" of difficult terrain as part of this movement (so terrain that is both difficult and hindering would still slow you but not as much if you are grappled or restrained as you initiate this ability, you get an additional check or save with advantage to try to break free so you can take this movement. You may also use this ability if you are subject to an effect from any random result table that you dislike, be it a wild magic surge or the effects of confusion; expend one use of the ability to reroll the table, and you must take the new roll. You regain all uses of this ability after a long rest.

Disciple (Piety 40+)

Embrys bestows upon you the secret of Embrys's Celerity. A number of times per day up to the higher of your Constitution or Dexterity modifier (minimum 1), but only up to once per round, you may gain an extra bonus action on your turn or may gain an extra reaction after having already used your reaction. You regain all uses of this ability after a long rest.

Champion (Piety 60+)

Embrys's surpassing favor speeds you away from catastrophe. Your speed increases by 10 feet. When an attack hits or misses you or when a Strength, Constitution or Dexterity save you make succeeds or fails, you may expend a use of your Votary ability as a reaction to safely move half your speed, and ignore one "level" of difficult terrain as part of this movement. The reaction takes place after the attack or effect resolves, and can happen even if you are incapacitated, in which case circumstances cause you to be "flung" the desired direction and distance. If you are grappled or restrained, you get a free check or save to escape it as part of this reaction, as per the Votary ability. 
Additionally, increase your Constitution or Dexterity score by 2, and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.