Dismal

Dismal is a strange god, one born out of a variety of emotions, and also one born out of a sorry refusal. A refusal to let go, a future to see beyond, a future to follow the path. Instead, Dismal submits itself to suffering eternally. To never let go. Til death does one part, if only. Dismal is a bittersweet god. They conjure memories of profound beauty in our lives. And yet, there is always a little bit of sadness that those moments have passed us by. Dismal is the feeling of wishing to hold onto those memories a little bit longer. And that feeling is corruptible. For those who stray from the path of death into rebirth become lost. They are outside of the hands of Viatica and Talrina, and find themselves trapped within the spirals of Dismal's anxiety, their abnegation of giving up what is truly gone. And those that are lost have much more limited options: eternal suffering, a death of emotion, or a fate even worse than death itself - an existence, eternal, with only but a sliver of a soul remaining. Dismal is worshiped for the beauty of good memories, and thus is quite popular among various practitioners. But they are also something of a parable of life and death; a reminder to live life in the moment while one is alive, but to not dwell on things that are outside of your control. Those who are grieving, or seek some form of control, may also pray to Dismal, making them popular amongst people who have lost loved ones, or wish to return to older portions of their life. Dismal is most popular among Elves, who believe that Dismal has some control over their Reverie, and are part of the one guiding these memories to them.

Divine Domains

Nostalgia, Melancholy, and Undeath.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

"What... where am I? Who... what are you?" "My name is beyond eternity. I am but a guide." "A guide to what?" "It matters not. Take your time. We have a journey ahead of us." "Why am I here? Where is here? Why... why does it hurt. My skin, my hair... why is it so... hot. It hurt so much. I saw it... it was skin... my skin. The fire... it was so hot. A fire... did... did I die in a fire? Why aren't you talking? Tell me, am I dead?" "When you are prepared, we may leave." "This can't be. How can this be? I can't... my children... my kids, are they safe? Please tell me. Tell me that they're safe, you fucking bitch! My wife! My kids! SPEAK! FUCKING TELL ME YOU BITCH! Fucking tell me... please... please tell me they got out... I went back in to make sure they got out... The beam fell... I couldn't move... oh no... did they see me? At the end? Did they see me? It must have been horrible. I don't want them to see me like that. I remember I said something... what did I say? I can't remember... "So you just... stand there? Until I want to leave?" "Yes. I am here as your guide. Are you ready?" "Sure... "..." "So I'm dead... this is heaven? The afterlife?" "Not quite." "There where are we?" "We drift between the past and future. We drift between mortality and eternity. We drift between what we were and what we are." "So this is what happens to everyone when they die?" "Not everyone." "Then who?" "Right now, you. Take your time, but we should away. We are getting close." "I can't stop thinking about things. My skin still feels hot and blistered. I really hope they were okay. We don't even know what happened. There was this terrible shaking of the earth, and it sounded like an explosion. And then... It was like everything was upside down. There was so much fire through the village, and the houses were collapsing like match sticks. That's when it all happened. I got out with my wife and my eldest daughter, but our younger son, he didn't come when we called. We realized he was still inside. But before we could even collect ourselves, my daughter ran in. She tied back her hair and ran straight through the flames in the doorway. And I just remember calling out to her..." MARIA... "Like that... what... was that?" "Please follow the path. We are nearing our destination." "That... that was my voice though. Just like I remember it..." I'M COMING MARIA. IS HE THERE? HE'S HERE! BUT... AH... PAPA! MARIA! "Did you hear that?" "You've stopped walking." "She's in trouble! Maria, where are you?" IT'S SRPEADING. MARIA, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RUN THROUGH. I CAN'T. IT'S TOO HOT. DADDY! HELP US! I'M GOING TO HELP YOU TOMAS! I'M GOING TO HELP YOU. PAPA, NO! "Maria, you have to go!" IT'S HURTING YOU! "I'm not asking you. I'M TELLING YOU, GO!" PAPA!!! "Sir, we must go. You must stay with me." "The door. They're right there! See them, see! That's what I could see. They're right there. They're going to burn alive!" "That is not them. Please stay on the path with me." "Maria! I'm coming!" PAPA! NO NO NO, PAPA. "Maria. It's okay..." MY HANDS! PAPA, IT'S TOO HOT... I CAN'T... I CAN'T LIFT IT... "Maria, go on. Get Tomas to safety. Ah..." I CAN'T I... "GO. NOW... please... Go... I love you..." "You chose your path, sir." "What? I... can't see. The flames... they stopped... We're safe. Maria, the flames, it's like magic! They all went out." PAPA! "Yes, where are you? I can't... I can't see you. Maria, Tomas, I can't see anything. Where are you? Call out to me, please!" PAPA... HE SAVED US. I'M SORRY MAMA. WHY IS DADDY IN THERE? IT'S SCARY IN THERE. OH DEAR... OH TOMAS... IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY... "What... I'm alive! Hey! Lara, Maria, Tomas, I'm alive! I'm right here. PAPA. "There you are, I... You're not Maria." PAPA, IT'S HURTING YOU. "Who are you? What have you done? Where am I? PAPA, YOU'RE HOME. "Give me my family back!" AS YOU WISH. YOU WILL NEVER BE APART FROM THEM. "I have to get out of here. Where am I? Hey, guide! Viatica, I remember your name! Where did you go?!" PAPA, PLEASE DO NOT FRET. "DO NOT DARE USE HER VOICE, YOU MONSTER!" PAPA... WE HEARD YOUR SCREAMS. "No... Shut up, no! SILENCE, STOP!" YOU WERE CHAR BLACK. LIKE A BURNT LOG. "My skin... my hair, it burns!!! Not again... not again please, anything but this again!" PAPA, LET GO. "No... AHHH! AHHHH THE PAIN!" PAPA. LET GO. "SOMEBODY SAVE ME. BY THE GODS! BY VIATICA, BY TALRINA, IMPERATRIX ABOVE, PLEASE GODS SAVE ME." PAPA... I CAN HELP YOU. JUST LET GO. "But I can't... I... I'm dead." PAPA... LET GO. "I'm dead." REST NOW, PAPA. "I'm dead." NOT YET, PAPA.