The Host

Description

The Host, Panther, Pleasured or Loon is the god of the festivity, wine, madness and resurrection throughout Apias.
He has several responsibilities revolving around the Life and Arcana domains.
The Panther, his symbol, represents his wild nature, and how frequently it can take over one's own consciousness whether willing or unwilling. His worship frequently encourages extreme hedonism and wild frenzy as a result. It is believed that a life enjoyed to the fullest is one worth living. In this vein it is not uncommon for those most devout worshippers to live unnaturally long lives, surviving even when all logic suggests they should not. Frequently, worshippers of the Host defy the odds and the way they are outwardly perceived.
The theory goes that the Host is one of the Wild Gods, a group also including the Untamed, the Huntress and the Shaman. Lesser gods in the pantheon, representing brutal uncivilized, raw nature. The fact is, however, that those who espouse this are unable to clearly explain their absence from Apias. Sometimes citing the fact that the continent has become more civilized and therefore their power has been forced to withdraw to the wilder places of the world. In truth, nobody is truly certain.

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Dual Aspects

His dual portrayals are some of the more different of all the Gods in Apias. One is often a slim, muscular youth, perfectly coiffed hair, objectively beautiful, eating or drinking, clearly enjoying his time. The other is much larger, immense belly jutting out and grin filling his chubby face, scraggly hair and beard sprouting in all directions, eyes almost mad with passion as he carries a full wine jug or similar.
Along with them is their panther, the portrayal of this is what contributes to the most significant variance, sometimes it is between them, calm and sedate, sometimes behind them, stalking its prey. Sometimes, and this is one of the preferred presentations, one of the two is riding upon it, while the other lies overcome on the floor. Typically, however, it does not look like the Panther is truly under the control of either god.

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Significant Worshippers

The priests of the Host, Exeltores, typically wear a panther's head, fierce and wild. Beneath this their dress varies, some wear light robes, lean and elegant. The others wear very little save a loin cloth and their birthday suit. The former when they preach to the masses and the latter when they truly Host.
While they do preach, and spread their word, these priests are best known for their Hosted events, their debauched festivals. These can range from a wild night of drinking and singing to frenetic orgies filled with bodies of all shapes, sizes, colours and creeds. There are more than a few children who have been conceived under the watchful eye of the Host, and these children are well cared for by the preachers of the church, being moulded into disciples in their own right. Very often, Exeltores have been conceived in this way, and are proud of that fact.
The Host is worshipped across the continent, though in some places more than others, followers are especially prevalent around Kardus and Midamis, however, you can find worshippers anywhere. He is, alongside The Companion, the patron of brothels across the continent, and, as such, is one of the more popular gods with the lay people.

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Divine Representatives

There have not been any major heroes representing the Host in recent memory.
He is seen by some as more of a ubiquitous need and desire, difficult to be represented by just one soul.
There are of course clerics and powerful individuals who worship him, but none that are truly exceptional, at least to common knowledge.
Some say, however, that were there to be true heroes of the Host they would not be out cavorting in public, they would instead have found their own place, a wild place, where they can experience complete pleasure without any unwanted molestation.

Titles

• Host
• Panther
• Pleasured
• Loon

Alignment

• Chaotic Neutral

Symbol

• Black, wild panther

Domains

• Life
• Arcana

Divine Classification

Dual God (Wild)

Religions

• The Dual Pantheon