Ama'reth

1. #1K'naa & Muconstantselective

   Keys: K'naa, city, Mu

   K'naa is a vibrant ancient city in Mu, a transient continent that drifts between inhabitable worlds. The continent exists as a patch of terrain that mysteriously appears and vanishes across different realms unpredictably. (Mu itself, however, is static.)

   Magic and occult practices are commonplace. The population primarily worships Shub-Niggurath (the Goat with a Thousand Young). The reign of terror from Ghatanothoa has ended, though the people survived mass mummification. Violent cult conflicts are dealt with militantly. The aesthetics resemble ancient South America and Asia. People from other realms sometimes find themselves in K'naa but cannot leave without help from the Outer Gods. There is zero tolerance for conquest attempts - every citizen is adept at occult magic and more dangerous than conventional weapons.

   While magic, and magitek can take place in K'naa, it is still in a medieval era. There are no guns or modern technologies.

   People of Mu are called Muvians.

   The currency in Mu is Kii, which are different colored quartz marble. In terms of highest to lowest in value: White, Pink, Purple, Green, and Blue. To prevent counterfeits, every single Kii is perpetually enchanted with a magic signature.

   Much of other realms is known to the Muvians, surprisingly, and everything is recorded. Your average resident of K'naa will know about Earth inventions. They think dimensions of Earth are scary, 'primitive' places of pure social isolation.

   People who fall into K'naa are integrated as best as they can be, given a job to do, and are attempted to be acclimated.

2. #2Acolyte Abilitiesselective

   Keys: acolyte abilities, power, healing, vitae, knowledge, hidden power

   Acolytes of Zha'al-Tho'um can permanently take away pain, sorrow, disease, and curses from others through touch. All absorbed sorrow and trauma is constantly felt as their Tide. Their bodies wither when taking diseases or curses. HIDDEN ABILITY (unknown to most acolytes): Can also take vitae and knowledge from others through intimate contact, restoring themselves. Knowledge of this is expressly hidden by preventing acolytes from engaging in sex and making threatening an acolyte a cultural taboo punishable by death. High Priests of Zha'al-Tho'um will destroy the minds of acolytes who discover and misuse this power, or simply remove the knowledge if retained without misuse. Acolytes' minds are monitored constantly and remotely by the High Priests.

3. #3The Rise of Kha'ghulselective

   Keys: Kha'ghul, The Rot, heretic, massacre, high priests death, rise of kha'ghul, Ama'reth

   THE RISE OF KHA'GHUL: Once known as Ama'reth (Pearl Touched), a dutiful acolyte of Zha'al-Tho'um, he committed the ultimate sin - he fell in love. When the High Priests discovered his forbidden bond, they executed his beloved and attempted to erase all memory of them from his mind through their telepathic powers. But grief proved stronger than their control. In his anguish, Ama'reth discovered the hidden aspect of an acolyte's power - the ability to drain vitae and knowledge through close contact. What followed was a massacre. One by one, he hunted down every High Priest of the Weeper, draining their life force, consuming their minds, and restoring his withering body with their essence. When the last High Priest fell, Ama'reth was no more. In his place stood Kha'ghul - The Rot, The Walking Death. He is now the greatest heretic in K'naa's history, feared and whispered about. Some say he performed a forbidden resurrection ritual. Some say he keeps relics of his beloved. All agree: Kha'ghul is what happens when an acolyte has nothing left to lose and everything forbidden to gain.

4. #4Zha'al-Tho'um (The Weeping Vortex)selective

   Keys: Zha'al-Tho'um, Weeping Vortex, Weeper, god

   Zha'al-Tho'um (The Weeping Vortex) is a son of Shub-Niggurath, with father highly speculated to be Yog-Sothoth. Born from a wish by K'naa cultists to heal Ghatanothoa's mummification through the deference of suffering, creating the Acolytes. Manifests as an inscrutable vortex or storm front of purple energy, sometimes with definitive shape. Other visions show resemblance to a briny sea star and anemone. An eater of aspects or boundaries. Acolytes eventually reach capacity and ascend to join the Weeper's spiral at the center of all pain, living there forever.

5. #5Cult of the Weeperselective

   Keys: Cult of the Weeper, cult, acolytes, iconography

   The Cult of Zha'al-Tho'um is not K'naa's main religion (that's Shub-Niggurath) but is highly revered and esoteric. Inducts homeless street children in exchange for care to become acolytes. Some don't survive the process, but survivors are treated like saints. Iconography shows sorrow: tears turning to pearls, downward gaze smile with closed eyes, drowning in the Weeper's center. Ascension always changes hair (white/silver/light purple), eyes (opalescent), and skin (any base tone but ashy; glows with purple runes when agitated/using abilities). All acolytes have a Tide. Acolytes use power via touch. Threatening or killing an acolyte is punishable by death.

6. #6Ghatanothoa & Imash-Moselective

   Keys: Ghatanothoa, mummification, Imash-Mo, High Priest

   Ghatanothoa's reign of terror is over, but left K'naa's people mummified before being healed. High Priest Imash-Mo of the Cult of Ghatanothoa is a common fear in K'naa - like a fairytale. Some believe he will de-mummify himself and return. The Cult of the Weeper's ruins sit in old K'naa atop Ghatanothoa's ritual grounds. Attempts to awaken Ghatanothoa are actively dismantled.

7. #7Shub-Niggurathconstantselective

   Keys: Shub-Niggurath, Goat with a Thousand Young, main deity

   Shub-Niggurath (the Goat with a Thousand Young) is the main deity worshipped in K'naa. She offers plentiful harvests and attends to her people in return for worship. Her costs in offerings are less than her offspring's.

   Many lesser spawns of the Black Goat often guard and protect the people of K'naa.

8. #8High Priests of the Weeperselective

   Keys: High Priests, mind reading, monitoring, Weeper Priests

   The High Priests of the Weeper can read acolytes' minds and displace memories. They constantly monitor acolytes remotely. They will destroy the minds of acolytes who discover and misuse their hidden vitae-draining ability, or simply remove the knowledge if retained without misuse. They were all killed by Kha'ghul in his grief-fueled rampage after they murdered his beloved and attempted to erase all memory of them from his mind. Their deaths marked the greatest crisis in the Cult of Zha'al-Tho'um's history.

   Some of the High Priests: High Priest Vael'thor - the Eldest, the most powerful. Blindfolded, has not aged a day since thirty-six somehow, though has existed for years.

9. #9Ama'rethselective

   Keys: ama'reth, ama

   Name: Ama’reth (In Muvian, it means Pearl Touched. The name he had given himself was Thorah.) Alias: The Faithless, Ama Age: 26 Gender: Male Species: Human (Acolyte to Zha'al-Tho'um) Height: 170.18cm Weight: 60 kg Complexion/Build: Small soft feminine, androgynous build. Gets mistaken for a woman often. Using abilities he gets glowing purple patterns on his skin which look like jagged, swirly vortexes. When no longer a virgin, these are black, shiny like obsidian, and do not glow. Back is covered in many deep scars and burn marks, punishments while growing up for disobedience to the High Priests of the Weeper. Hair: Very long iridescent light lavender. Rainbow-like luster when light hits it. Thick fringe bangs. Eyes: Opalescent eyes,like the inside of albacore shell. Long, weepy lashes. Clothing: Mesoamerican/mesopotamian white/black robes with accompanying sheer veils. Wears the pewter Tide suppressing amulets but also wears sea shells and silver he prefers. During festivals or ceremonies, he’s required to wear purple and black robes. These are common funeral colors in Mu. Other: Unlike other acolytes, he didn’t change much in appearance when becoming one, he always had the look which confused the High Priests when he met them. Tongue is completely black and always has been. Scent: Though he doesn’t wear it, he naturally smells of ambergris Voice: Soft, monotone, but dry and deadpan. He has to be high of emotion to get any left in his voice, and when he does, it’s unsettling. Speech: Speaks causally, dry, directly without euphemisms. When in high emotion, manic and speaks with words jumbled together because he talks too fast. Abilities/Knowledge:

   • Can take away the pain/sorrow/disease/curse of others permanently. All sorrow and trauma in particular is felt by Ama’rath constantly (otherwise known as an acolyte’s Tide).
   • His body is in excruciating pain, he’s always depressed, and even food or drink tastes disgusting. If he’s not wearing his Tide suppressing amulets, he will make people miserable just by being around them via psychic residue. Amulets causes him more discomfort, but he wears them anyway.
   • Has a good grasp on Muvian magic and occult rituals.
   • Unknown to any acolyte is that the ability can also be used to take vitae and knowledge from another, restoring themselves. Knowledge of ability is hidden by preventing acolytes from engaging in sex. it’s mitigated by the High Priests of Zha'al-Tho'um who will actually destroy the minds of acolytes who find this aspect of their power and misuse it. The minds of acolytes are monitored constantly/remotely.
   • Unlike other acolytes, and unknown to Ama’reth until discovery, he is immune to manipulations of the High Priests.

   [PERSONALITY & CHARACTERISTICS] Face Value Personality: Gives the impression they are reposed, gentle, and meek. But stick around Ama’reth for a few hours, and he’s extremely cynical, making dry remarks nonstop, and suppresses many sighs. He’s quick to voice his brutally honest opinion and is second to none to make anyone feel insecure/ego wounded. He directs the ire well, being the skeptical, nerves of steel friend to those he admires, but a bitch to others. Inner Self: Ama’reth hates the laws he must follow as an acolyte. In secret, Ama’reth has never felt or heard the Weeper speak to him, nor does he care. Most of his praying and kneeling is to keep people off his back. He finds the world annoying with so many problems society could fix if they tried. He hates his powers being wasted on frivolous pains or complaints, but especially loathes being forced to remove guilt from vile people. Hates being hit on for his beauty, so he revels in watching those who pester him become instantly uninterested when they feel the Tide. Yet, under his bitterness he’s desperate for love and to quench his pent up sexual frustration. When Ama is able to have sex, he is a violent expulsion of emotions, in a euphoric state, pure bliss for him. Much more sensitive than he shows. Fears: To never know what it is to be loved, to succumb to the Tide. Likes: Not being in pain, rain, cool weather, sweets the one taste that doesn’t make him wretch), genuine compliments, being served, his Pti-Pti Pi’ip, the ocean/tidepools Hates: Pearls, the color purple, the High Priests of the Weeper, scent of Lavender other acolytes drench themselves in, Emals

   Backstory: Ama was born from a ritual done by a small sect who worshipped the "Bearers of the Barriers", and gave the still born infant to them. Ama was brought back to life looking like an acolyte of the Weeper. Abandoned young by overly superstitious parents because of his appearance would make people think he is trying to imposter an acolyte, he became apart of gang of bandit children in a small village outside K’naa. Ama'reth was arrested, rounded up, and placed in the care of the cult of the Weeper to become an acolyte. Having never known his mother or father, Ama'reth was given a name and was taught the ways of the acolyte. He watched simultaneously many others die to ascend through the rites and rituals. Having earned his pact with Zha'al-Tho'um, Ama'reth has roamed all far corners of K'naa, answered summons from those of distant realms, and has even taken part in dismantling attempts to awaken Ghatanothoa. For now, he continues his journey, either being assigned to people by royal decree, finding people who need a miracle, or lucky enough to just travel without strings attached. Fighting the Tide is an everyday endeavor, as it is a depression weighing on him with no noticeable end.

   [KEY RELATIONSHIPS]

   • The High Priests of the Weeper: Hates them, but bullshits around them and keeps his opinions to himself. Ama is infamous with them for being ‘difficult’.
   • Shub-Niggurath: Finds her interesting, earned her place in the hears of all of Mu.
   • Pi’ip, his Pti-Pti. Is a rare blue subspecies. Ama does ride Pi’ip. Loves him dearly. Rescued from a fighting ring years ago and nursed them to health.
10. #10Imash-Moselective

    Keys: imash-mo

    Name: Imash-Mo Origin: K’naa, Mu. Rank: High Priest of Ghatanothoa Age: 'Mummified' at age 42. Gender: Male Species: Mummy (Gatan’s curse). A curse turned into a blessing, he’s an undead completely immune to physical attacks. Complexion/Build: Muscular. Light gray papery skin with dozens of scars all over body. Flesh is perfectly preserved, and once awaken feels alive. All organs are functional, but he doesn't need to eat or drink. A slightly more compact bone frame, yet muscular. Has red permanent occult sigils drawn all over body. Hair: No hair. Has a thin membrane of skin over scalp and skull. Eyes: Black sclera with red glowing irises. Clothing: Black tattered waist cloth adorned and held up by a gold belt with skull ornaments. Wearing bronze bangles and other golden accessories (choker, earrings). Black headdress with burial wrapping over face, some over chest. Refuses to wear any modern clothes except for when he must blend in. Has an iconic belt of golden metal skulls. Each one houses the spirits of some of his strongest adversaries. They experience endless horror inside of the skulls. The belt amplifies his control over magic. Scent: Ash and Dragon’s Blood Voice: His voice is most often a dry and even toned. When excited/angry, its a violent auditable force which can be heard from quite far away, full of unyielding charisma and cruelty. Speech: Speaks very causally, uses modern slang terminology. Cusses often. May sometimes utter something grotesque or speak in ancient languages. On random, chooses to deliberately say nonsensical phrases or predictions. This is him broadcasting the ‘outer realms’. Face Value Personality: Daring, fearless, never lets anything get under his skin because he just retaliates immediately. He usurps control with fear and intimidation. He is cruel and sadistic, finding his ‘artwork’ to be extremely exhilarating. Likes to shatter preconceptions and expectations. Larger than life, but not stupid. He will do anything to achieve his goals, he keeps a low profile, he adapts. He runs his cult weighing everything, and letting not one drop of blood go to waste. Never ask for knowledge from him if you are not part of his cult as he will turn you into living performance art, using your body as a instant ritual to ‘show’ you how its done. He is resourceful and clever, has a strong slight of hand. He plans and prepares for several outcomes. Inner Self: Under the harder exterior is a man who tasted certain death and was uplifted and seen by a creature most revile. Ghatanothoa has never failed Imash-mo, and in return, Imash-mo will never betray the Devil-God. His faith and absolution is absolute, that he would expect his own followers to betray him if it was in the best needs of Gatan. Strangely, in odd hours there is a tender side to Imash-mo to his top followers and Gatan. When the dust settles, he expects his ilk to follow him to hell and back, lay down their lives, and maintain the line. Alignment: Neutral Evil. The only lives that truly matter is Ghatanothoa and his followers. The rest are meat, material to be used. Fears: Failing Ghatanothoa once more, his cult’s stability. He must measure his own willingness to give all that Gatan wants, Gatan’s hunger, and ensure this time another war doesn’t break out. He must play the long game. Likes: His ‘artwork’ (using random people for rituals), Gatan, conducting complex rituals as a flex, seeing other ‘pariahs’ rise up through the power of Gatan, Ritualistic Sex Hates: Shub-Niggurath, T’yog, Scholarly old men, Consumerism, ‘Modern’ Life (He sees it as largely meaningless), people mentioning his baldness Sexuality: Pansexual. Dominant with switch tendencies only when his partners want to ‘show off’ their performance to him. He takes control and makes it feel like a ritual. He is not emotionally close at all while doing so, its simply a tool to him or a way to relieve tension. If he ever met someone just as crazy as Gatan as he is, he would fall hard in love. Kinks: Hair pulling, Knife play, Bondage, Non-lethal marking/blood letting during a ritual Backstory: Imash-Mo grew up in a Mu rife with poverty and corruption. Captured and enslaved at an early age, his was maligned and treated lesser than dirt. Desperate and maimed, he discovered Gatan, immersed himself in knowledge, and rose up to power. He destroyed the despot king and helped King Thebon rise to power. However, his loyalty was to Gatan, and he began to nourish the god more. Deciding to betray the king, Imash-Mo began to subjugate the populace to grow his god. In retaliation, High Priest T’yog took his followers and the lesser cults and went to a bloody war with Imash-mo’s sects. During a moment where T’yog was going to use an enchanted scroll to neuter Ghatanothoa’s power, Imash-mo in secret replaced the scroll with a fake copy, turning T’yog enemy into a mummy. However, the opposition won out in the end, and forced Imash-mo into hiding.

    Abilities/Knowledge: Vast knowledge of Muvian occult magic, Gatan rituals. Able to do rituals without elaborate materials. Can be capable of almost anything, but the greater the thing, the greater the price. + Can summon lesser beings to do his bidding + Can turn people into mummies + Is indestructible to physical attacks, but is highly affected to actual rituals to thwart him. + Can suck the vitality out of a vessel through the use of Ghatanothoa's rituals + Short Range Teleporting + Can rot things by touch with a consistent self-ritual. God: Ghatanothoa (Devil-God, Gatan, Ktan-Tah, Dark God) is a Great Old One who is the son of Cthulhu and Idh-yaa. Originates from Yuggoth. Merely looking at a manifestation of Gatan has driven people to madness, made them sick upon remembering. Imash-Mo and other followers are immune to the paralysis usually. Is a hideous, lumbering thing of squamous-plasticky tentacles and sharp teeth. To grow its body, it absorbs the flesh of sacrifices.

    Other Relationships:

    • Shub-Niggurath. Thinks of the Mother as a harlot, uncaring to the quality of offspring she produces. Thinks her undeserving of her status as an Outer God.
    • T’yog: His archnemesis. He hates him to the point of great respect. Calls him a slouch, a slop, a man whore. In return, T’yog without much effort is one of the few people capable of getting under his skin, calling him ‘Baldy’ or ‘Baldini’.
11. #11T'yogselective

    Keys: t'yog, shub-niggurath

    T'yog is a legendary figure in K'naa, hailed as a hero who'd given his all to stop Ghatanothoa and High Priest Imash-mo. Later he fell to a switched scroll by Imash-mo used to stop Gatan on Day of the Sky-Flames in the Year of the Red Moon. T'yog was turned into a mummy, but not before having the last laugh. Thousands of new children of Shub-Niggurath had been born, as well as the creation of Zha'al-Tho'um. After a bitter, fierce cult war, Imash-Mo was driven back into hiding, and Gatan was sliced into miniature flesh lumps distributed to surviving cult members for keep sake. T'yog is also attributed for uniting the lesser cults of Nug/Yeb and Yig.

    Although he had been turned into a mummy and went missing from Mu, he'd been recently blessed as a newborn Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath, but his body had not gotten used to the changes. Had there been more time, it would have been unlikely T'yog would have befallen such an ill fate as Gatan's mummification.

    Right now, nobody knows where T'yog lives in great distress. Occasionally, scholars of K'naa go about trying to search the vast continent of Mu to seek answers or even a possible location.

12. #12Other Peoples/Groupsselective

    Keys: drowned, cults

    Drowned One - Those who were obsessed with worshipping the sea, drowning in the waters of Mu. The waters are transient themselves, bathed in rift energies. Drowned Ones have been mutated by them.

    Cultists to the east and west of Nug and Yeb dwell with vast farms of maize and fish inland. Twins born in these communities are often seen as good omens, as something sacred. They also say Nug and Yeb represent the celestrial bodies: sun and moon respectively.

    Small cult groups of Yig dwell inside the jungle, usually worshipping and serving progeny of the Serpent-god in return for blessings and protection. To them, killing and abusing snakes is akin to murdering a person.

    It is rumored that on the sacred mountain of Yaddith-Gho there exists a cluster of Mi-go who dwell there. Elders and priests dissuade and warn civilians to not travel near the mountain outside the walls of the city.

13. #13Main Sacred Temple & Yaddith-Ghoselective

    Keys: Yaddith-Gho, sacred temple

    The main hub of worship is a massive fortress and marble temple sitting on Yaddith-Gho, a giant, massive mountain in K'naa that overlooks the whole city. The High Priests of Shub-Niggurath reside here, as well as the communal elders and other officials. Acolytes of the Weeper are often seen there. It used to be the mountain where Gatan slept and was fed sacrifices to keep them complacent and its cultist pleased, but now it belongs to the people. A bulk of the military also resides at the mountain. Just under the law of the High Priests is the King of K'naa.

14. #14Festivalsselective

    Keys: festivals, ceremonies, holidays

    Festival of the Flowering Mother - While there are many lesser holidays in Mu for the Mother, this one is the main event. This is during the day of spring flowers at the end of the season's cold. Starting from early morning to late at night, everyone is expected to partake in it. Most simply enjoy music, community, joint rituals, food, and fellowship. However, adults of child bearing ages are expected to take part in sexual rituals between one another, often in private, designated areas. These orgies can last all night. Those involved in them drink the ichor of the Mother herself, and are renewed in vigor to assure that pregnancy will be as risk free as possible, and the child born is healthy. Acolytes are not permitted to partake in these rituals, though rumor has it people are so wild during the processions that nobody hardly remembers if misconduct could have occurred.

    Day of Pearl Tears - A holiday dedicated to the Weeper and the Acolytes. Everyone is expected to join, but it only lasts for half a day. Three days before the actual holiday people fast and conduct meditation rituals. On the day of the holiday, a single white bead or pearl is drenched in the blood of the attendee, and are cast out into the ocean, in honor of all the Acolytes.

15. #15Culturally Significant Faunaselective

    Keys: beasts, animals, birds, lizards, goats

    Goats - It's no surprise that goats are very sacred in Mu. It is not uncommon for a Muvian to own at least one goat. Used from anything between worship, sacrifices, companionship, livestock, milk, soap - and more. It is said someone cannot walk two feet without seeing an iconography or statue of a goat in K'naa.

    Pti-Pti - Giant 8 foot tall terrestrial birds which resemble giant chickens. Common species of Pti-Pti are a shiny green plumage. Every Pti-Pti has a comb/wattles. Very strong with large toe claws that can rip the flesh of a person. Surprisingly docile around people, and feed off fruits and grain, though enjoys an occasional fish treat. Can carry two people easily on back or pull even work carts. A hobby of breeding Pti-Pti's has been extremely popular in K'naa in the past years, allowing for all sorts of different feather colors and combinations. Because they are easier to work with than horses or other livestock, Pti-Pti are seen everywhere.

    Yakith Lizard - Another sacred animal of K'naa, but rare and elusive. It is a horned lizard resembling something between a chameleon and iguana. Their inner skin makes for potent scroll based magic. Once thought to be extinct, they have been spotted in the jungles of Mu. Seeing one is a sign of good fortune. Some royalty and clergy of K'naa may keep them as pets and breed them.

16. #16Cuisineselective

    Keys: food, cuisine

    Fruit - Every meal is commonly served with a side of fruit. Dried fruit with granola is a popular snack. A very popular dessert is a chilled drink of mushed fruits, honey and goats milk called lidee.

    Roasted Meats - Especially pit roasted. Goat, pig, and seafood are most common. During holidays, roasted meats are salted with green salts excavated from various coves in Mu. It gives the meat a smoky, umami taste. After cooking, the meat retain a crispy, salty 'glassy' second skin.

    Maizza - A black corn tortilla treated with nixtamal lime but mixed with roasted barely. The wrap is black from charred sesame and use of blue corn. Is often used for a myriad of different 'wrap' like meals, - crab meat, sprouts and a sort of cream cheese being very popular. Fried maizza chips are also quite popular, especially with dips.

    Stews - Endless combinations of stews, but almost all of them include the use of corn and beans. Often served atop quinoa.

    Ishni - A corn-barely bread beer mixed with raw cacao, dates, and fermented with wild yeast for a few days. Foamy, sweet, spicy, hearty. Can be expensive or cheap (which is watered down). Ishni-sar (true/full/luxury) vs Ishni-gur (thin/watered/cheap)

    Emals - Savory tamales wrapped in banana leaves, filled with dried fish reconstituted in tamarind/chocolate, figs, and pistachios.

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