The Anaphroc (AN-uh-frok)

"'Do you resent it?'

"'Of course not. I failed.'"

Anaphroc, the head of The Pillar of Light, is a highly enigmatic being. They are easily more detached from the world than any other god. To worship the Anaphroc is to dedicate oneself to an incomprehensible being with impossibly high standards, and yet a fair few accept the challenge of devotion.

The Anaphroc's Doctrine

The Anaphroc's laws—and they are laws—are esoteric, supposedly discovered by a process of elimination throughout the millennia and shared by its followers. It has never spoken or shared its strict rules, but its followers strive for purity in all things. What exactly this means varies between members of the clergy, and without any communication from their god, it may never become clear.

Flawless Monastaries

It's fairly common for clerics who have spent a lifetime serving a deity to come into contact with one of its avatars during their lives. The Anaphroc does not communicate with its followers. While this could, over the years, be written off as indifference, it has become increasingly obvious that Anaphroc keeps a watchful eye, especially on its apostles, who gather in monasteries devoted solely to its worship. There are many people across the world who spent their lives serving it fervently and without question, until they were suddenly stripped of their gifts without a word. These former clerics are spurned, thrown from their temples and called Nochiir, a Celestial word that means "impure." These can be young acolytes and high priests alike, all abandoned by their god and exiled by its followers. Some Nochiir spend the rest of their time trying to atone for whatever sin the Anaphroc saw in them, but there is no record of a Nochiir regaining their gifts.

Father of Winter

Before the gods left Kairos, Caelia extended a peace treaty to The Anaphroc. From this pact came a child: Kira, who was to act as a sentinel guarding over the balance of the seasons. When Kira rebelled, Caelia did not oppose freeing her from her role, but Anaphroc did. This reignited the feud between Anaphroc and Caelia, but Kira was granted her freedom in the end. Now, Kira is Monarch of her own pillar, and Caelia and The Anaphroc rarely work together or communicate; there's no sign of their relationship ever becoming any less tenuous.

Titles

The Anaphroc

Pronouns

it/its/he/him/they/them

Provinces

Light, Order, Law

Domains

Light, Order

Classification

Monarch

Alignment

Lawful Neutral

Pillar

The Pillar of Light

Connections

- Kira, the Snow Maiden (Daughter)

- Char, Stormcarver (Grandson)

- Sol, Windrider (Grandson)

Symbol

A golden star with twelve or more points.