Zaqātu

Appearance

Zaqātu takes the form of a colossal scion, embodying the awe-inspiring characteristics of his species. His muscular frame is encased in a dark, glistening obsidian chitin, with veins of iridescent light pulsing through it. His fearsome upper arms, ending in massive pincers, exude an air of divine power capable of crushing anything that dares cross his path. Zaqātu's visage is adorned with shining compound eyes, revealing a glimpse into the ethereal realm beyond, while his chitinous exoskeleton resounds with a menacing hum, sending shivers down the spine of the bravest of warriors. His long, imposing tail, with a graceful arc and the stinger at its end, is enveloped in the golden flame of the Radiant Cocoon, gleaming like a miniature sun.

Symbols

Zaqātu's divine symbol is twin scorpion tails entwined to form the balanced scales of justice, their stingers poised as the weighing pans. On one side sits a radiant ankh, symbolizing eternal life; on the other, a delicate hourglass marks the fleeting nature of existence. It represents a fair judgment, measuring the worth of a soul against the deeds of its temporal life on Varzzen.
The scales often crown the image of the revered Gate of Death. Within this hallowed gateway shines a stylized sun, blazing with a brilliant luminescence that illuminates the path of the departed.

Commandments

• Let us weigh the deeds of life with fairness. Seek truth and justice in all pursuits, as they are the foundation of the natural order.
• Show kindness to those in their final moments and solace to those who grieve, for you act as Zaqatu's mortal heralds, easing the transition of souls as they pass into the realms beyond.
• Seek not to stall the relentless sands within the hourglass, for in their steady flow lies the truth of existence, the beauty of life, and the certainty of death.

Worship

During the Age of Order, Zaqātu and the Order Pantheon alongside him were the dominant religion on Varzzen. His main followership was the scion people of Taḫūmu, who guarded the Gate of Death for the deity.
The death of Zaqātu diminished his influence on Varzzen drastically. Today, only a few people still pray to the Guardian of the Threshold during burial rites. His once-hallowed temples stand forlorn as if his demise has cast a veil of forgetfulness over his divine legacy.
Even the scion nomads of the Great Sea of Sand don't worship Zaqātu directly anymore. However, his essence lingers in the rituals of elders who seek counsel from the spirits of ancient generations.

Myth

When Zaqātu was created by the Radiant One, he was given the most important task within the Order Pantheon: to lead the gods and guide the souls of the departed to a safe haven.
As his first act, Zaqātu carved the Gate of Death from the heart of Varzzen, a passageway for lost souls to enter their respective afterlives. The scions, created in his image, were his chosen people, meant to stand as guardians at the threshold between worlds. Under Zaqātu's divine guidance, the scion people flourished into one of the most powerful nations in the Age of Order, founding the kingdom of Taḫūmu.
When Arachnida ascended and corrupted the kingdom, Zaqātu defended his people to the last breath. He battled the spider goddess but weakened from his battle against the Wurm’s avatar; he fell to her might, his immortal essence scattered across the Great Sea of Sand.
Now, Zaqātu's presence is felt in the whispering sands, his consciousness imbued within each grain, guiding the lost spirits in their unending journey.

Deity Information

Alternate names/Titles
Guardian of the Threshold, Sovereign of the Final Sunset, the Impartial Claw, the Fallen
Divine Classification
Order Deity
Province
Death, Justice, Sun, Time, Fate
Divine Realm
Nib'qabal
Religion
Order Pantheon
Gender
Male
Depiction
A towering scion, clad in gleaming obsidian chitin with light-traced veins, wielding powerful pincers and a flaming stinger.
Religious Iconography
Intertwined scorpion tails forming balanced scales, holding an ankh and hourglass, crested atop the Gate of Death, with a radiant sun shining within.

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Worship

Divine Domains
Death, Grave, Life, Light, Order
Holy Days

Artifacts
Gate of Death