The Star Spawn / The Star Children
The Star Spawn are groups of creatures that act as emissaries and troops for the Star Gods. They can range from small strangely shaped ugly humanoids, to massive writhing creatures all of which can drive most beings of the Material Plane insane. Each has a place in the hierarchy of the god they serve, and none are exactly identical. Many can be grouped into general species, such as the Grue, and the Hulks, though even these can vary wildly. All have general traits, though the god they belong to will leave their mark on them depending on their whims, or just by being associated to a certain god.
Sometimes these beings are called Star Children. Many are direct products of their gods, budding of, being born, or forming in some way by the 'parent' god. In some cases, they are the mutated cultists of the god, and are warped by the god's presence or power over time, loosing their humanity (or equivalent), at the same time.
The only time they are encountered is when they appear on another plane whilst carrying out their god's plans. This can be anything from a tear in reality allowing them through, being summoned, sent to torment someone, or tasked with taking them back to their god.
Most people who are tormented by them are generally not believed, while anyone who vanishes has the problem of a natural explanation being given. If a tear happens, the community or world is marked to be destroyed in an apocalyptic fashion, with the souls of the people sucked into another dimension of absolute madness.
From what many theorists can gather the spawn are as old as their masters, and have been round for as long as the multiverse has been around. It is estimated that they are billions of years old and are the oldest forms of life in any plane. Since the multiverse was in it's infancy these beings did not have the chance to evolve naturally, and likely the subconscious & conscious aspects of the multiverse at that time. When other life evolved over time these were forgotten and discarded, but always there in a primal state ready to take over what they believe is theirs, the multiverse as a whole.
The True Dark Ages
Discussion Boards
Truly Madly Deeply Cults
Sat, Mar 26th 2022 01:19
As most who look into my world will notice, a number of cults exist in it. Quite a few will have specific creatures and/or individuals attached loosely. Anyone who is curious about these can always ask on this board. This could be, 'Why a cult like this?' or 'What is the inspiration behind that?' Always worth asking, Any suggestions you might have let me know too.
Summary
The Star Spawn are thought to originally come from the Far Realms, and when the Material Planes burst forth, they somehow became tainted by it, along with their gods. It seemed that many were sucked into the Material Planes, and acted as anchors for others of their kind. Ever since they have served their masters both in the Far Realms and the Material Planes.
Each is virtually immortal unless killed, suffer an accident, or destroyed by their god. Some have had whole mythologies based on them, and they revel in this.
Spread
The Star Spawn are scattered across a great number of worlds in the Material Plane, in one form or another. Their gods too. Even if a world appears dead there may still be some of these hidden away on it, dead but dreaming.
On every world that they touch, stories build up over time. They touch the mind of lesser creatures on a world slowly gnawing away at their minds, filling them with dread, insanity, and brimming with forbidden knowledge. A few try to write down the Sar Spawn history, along with ritual spells, codices detailing the different kinds encountered (at least those encountered by the writer on a specific planet).
Each details a number of points. These can include any of the following:
- Regular masses of lesser creatures are found to serve the Star Gods. They act as a basic 'serf' & 'solder' type.
- More powerful Star Spawn is rare to be encountered, a fill a number of specialised roles depending on their make up, and the Star God they are bonded to.
- Most are related directly to one of the Sar Gods, and a few are mutated creatures drawn from the Material Planes.
- Cults can be either set up directly by members of the Star Spawn, or summoned when there is either sufficient cultists, or start cults themselves.
- Most have odd tinged flesh & tissue, sometimes to the extreme. Some have strange almost rubbery bodies or traits that defy logic.
- Many speak bizarre languages that are hard to fathom & learn. These have a tendency to drive mortals insane over time, while any music produced have the same effect.
- As a whole they seem to be able to reproduce with mortals, though only the most devoted worshipper would want to.
Cultural Reception
Most times the Star Spawn are feared or fill the role of the classic 'bogeyman', sent by an uncaring universe or as a vision of madness.
The majority of cultures supress information concerning the Star Spawn, and only when they become aware of them. Each major culture that is aware on any level, puts safe guards in place, usually demonising them, and having a strong religious aversion to them. A few in the distant past had connections to them and worshipped them openly. After a number of years to centuries, these cultures eventually drifted away from their worship, or tore themselves apart. Stories are mean to exist of the remnants of these cultures are scattered throughout the world, hidden away in desolate or overgrown regions that are nigh impossible to find.
In Literature
There area few books such as the infamous Necronomicon, and the Book of Eibon, are rumoured to exist, though little to no-one has ever seen such books, or at least survived long enough to admit even reading parts of them.
In Art
Old statues & carvings are rumoured to exist in out of the way places, some still used, others hidden or destroyed with time. Little in the way is seen in modern times, though there are, rumoured as usual, that certain artists & musicians have composed pieces of strange compositions relating to the Star Spawn.
"What can I say about the Star Spawn? Absolutely the strangest creatures I have ever encountered. And some of the most disturbing. Each will follow a general plan, and some still have the initial shape of what they were to begin with. Other than that, they have been stripped of anything that made them who they were, except for those supposed 'purebloods'. Even then, there is little if any way for anyone outside the spawn or their masters to tell them apart. To catalogue them truly only the most insane would try.
Many, like the Grue or the Hulks, have some type of general features. Many more are even more unique, with specific traits showing up in the spawn of specific Elder Evils / Star Gods. I would go so far that even this is impossible at times, as the mutations & strange designs of their flesh & form, can easily be seen in a half-dozen different spawn forms across the Star God 'children'. The only thing is to avoid, or contain & destroy them, before they attract more of their kind, or the god itself. Its the only safe option.
The latter seems the best option, though the sheer scale when a rift or portal opens and they come pouring out makes for a horrifying sight. And a dangerous situation. In sufficient numbers they can attract more powerful of their kind, and warp the fabric of a region before anything can be done. Other times, it is a powerful spawn that arrives alone, and it proceeds to mark a place for it's lesser kin to appear. Either way, it is no easy feat, and many will perish before it can be stopped. That and insanity & terror left behind in the minds of the survivors."
Lai'tuke the Ancient, the Star Wanderer, and the last entry in her journal found half rotting in the jungles of central Africa. Translation made in 152 BC Library of Alexandria. Translator unknown, though thought of to be a child who vanished shortly after.
"My music, my music. My calling card. Brought forward by the fever dreams of natives that I encountered near ancient Kadath in the Dreamlands, and in fetid jungles south of Egypt. How I could go back and save my time & money, and my sanity at that. Now I write to their whim, the watchers in the walls that scratch & tap out a strange rhythmic pattern. If only I didn't pick up that flute to play along with them. That was my mistake. I didn't know that's what they wanted, and that they would join in, more intensely than I could imagine.
When I wrote it down, they let me hear more, helped me understand it better. And then I wrote more, and played more opening the gates of my mind. More ideas, more notes, more chanting and more sections of that strange strange music.
Now after all that my mind snapped, and the others found me. The Inquisitors found me before more damage could be done. Too late though, I can hear the same tapping & strange shrieking behind the walls again. In this cell there is no escape, trapped until I die will I be hearing those chants. And those rhythms, and more movement beckoning me to start the musical journey once more."
C.D. Ward (polymath) in the Ulmist Inquisition cell in the Vatican City.
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