K'zzyryk, the Demigod of Fear
The mystery of K'zzyryk's origin is one that seems to have only two answers:
Some believe it is a manifestation of the thoughts and emotions of those who have gone insane. Some believe K'zzyryk is what remains of Vash'aguul's consciousness given form.
Both options are terrifying.
K'zzyryk is not a Major God, but this does not stop it from being one of the most feared deities in the Emergent Plane. Its form shifts constantly between all manner of horrors the mind can conjure. It is said that simply hearing its voice is enough to drive one to madness. A touch can leave a mortal wanting nothing more than to hide in a corner until the day they die, babbling incoherently as their they lose grip of their mind.
To some, K'zzyryk is not only the Demigod of Fear, but of Madness.
By its very nature, K'zzyryk is incomprehensible, and it is for this reason that they are considered by some to be an envoy or manifestation of Vash'aguul itself. However, there is a distinct difference between the two "Gods of Madness", in that while Vash'aguul is without a desire or will, K'zzyryk very much has a will of its own, endlessly seeking to drive mortals into the very depths of horror.
There is a third theory as to the nature of K'zzyryk: That they are an outcast from the Faewylde, the realm of the Lord of Games. The Faewylde is the land of dreams, where mortals are spirited away by the Lord of Games while they slumber, so that they might serve as his entertainment. This is why dreams are often intangible, incoherent, and strange.
But then... What of nightmares? It is no secret to those that have visited the Faewylde and returned that if one ventures too far in the wrong direction, they may end up in the dark, terrifying nightmarescape that exists within the Faewylde. Such areas seem to be viewed as places of "corruption" by the denizens of the Faewylde, however, and many Fae view them as something to be "contained". This would imply that they are not necessarily a natural part of the realm, and if that is true then there must have been an origin. It is for this reason that some scholars of Fae blame K'zzyryk, and believe it to be responsible for nightmares.
Fear is arguably the most primal of emotions among mortal races, which should come as no surprise considering the first beings mortals would've encountered after each other would've been the awesomely powerful dragons. Therefore, many of those who study the gods believe that K'zzyryk was likely the first deity beyond the Major Gods, and is possibly the most powerful among the demigods.
Where there are shadows that you fear to traverse, K'zzyryk is there. When you encounter a terrifying beast or the blade of an enemy bearing down upon you, K'zzyryk is watching. When you watch a loved one slowly succumb to illness, K'zzyryk feeds off your worry.
And if you succumb to fear, K'zzyryk will be there, laughing gleefully.
Some believe it is a manifestation of the thoughts and emotions of those who have gone insane. Some believe K'zzyryk is what remains of Vash'aguul's consciousness given form.
Both options are terrifying.
K'zzyryk is not a Major God, but this does not stop it from being one of the most feared deities in the Emergent Plane. Its form shifts constantly between all manner of horrors the mind can conjure. It is said that simply hearing its voice is enough to drive one to madness. A touch can leave a mortal wanting nothing more than to hide in a corner until the day they die, babbling incoherently as their they lose grip of their mind.
To some, K'zzyryk is not only the Demigod of Fear, but of Madness.
By its very nature, K'zzyryk is incomprehensible, and it is for this reason that they are considered by some to be an envoy or manifestation of Vash'aguul itself. However, there is a distinct difference between the two "Gods of Madness", in that while Vash'aguul is without a desire or will, K'zzyryk very much has a will of its own, endlessly seeking to drive mortals into the very depths of horror.
There is a third theory as to the nature of K'zzyryk: That they are an outcast from the Faewylde, the realm of the Lord of Games. The Faewylde is the land of dreams, where mortals are spirited away by the Lord of Games while they slumber, so that they might serve as his entertainment. This is why dreams are often intangible, incoherent, and strange.
But then... What of nightmares? It is no secret to those that have visited the Faewylde and returned that if one ventures too far in the wrong direction, they may end up in the dark, terrifying nightmarescape that exists within the Faewylde. Such areas seem to be viewed as places of "corruption" by the denizens of the Faewylde, however, and many Fae view them as something to be "contained". This would imply that they are not necessarily a natural part of the realm, and if that is true then there must have been an origin. It is for this reason that some scholars of Fae blame K'zzyryk, and believe it to be responsible for nightmares.
Fear is arguably the most primal of emotions among mortal races, which should come as no surprise considering the first beings mortals would've encountered after each other would've been the awesomely powerful dragons. Therefore, many of those who study the gods believe that K'zzyryk was likely the first deity beyond the Major Gods, and is possibly the most powerful among the demigods.
Where there are shadows that you fear to traverse, K'zzyryk is there. When you encounter a terrifying beast or the blade of an enemy bearing down upon you, K'zzyryk is watching. When you watch a loved one slowly succumb to illness, K'zzyryk feeds off your worry.
And if you succumb to fear, K'zzyryk will be there, laughing gleefully.
Children
