Cthos
Lord of the Underworld, it is silent Cthos that sits in judgment over the dead from the Palace of Nugarath, sending the souls of the faithful to serve their deities and the hypocritical or faithless to their final doom. Though Cthos' clergy isn't particularly massive, it is fairly pervasive, as Cthos' executioners serve significant roles in the judicial processes of most urban areas. Though worshipers of Cthos tend to be fairly dark and morose, at best, worship is accepted in most regions as a necessity, particularly since most of his priests and worshipers consider themselves professionals, above such petty concerns as vengeance and hatred.
Cthos tends to be extremely neutral, both in mortal and entital politics, but his greatest enemy is Tethys, goddess of undeath. It is only when opposing the clergy of Tethys (and her undead minions) that Cthos' own followers fight with an often devastating, blind religious zeal.
| Cthos |
| God of the Underworld |
| Descriptive Info |
| Gender: Male |
| Avatar: Carnifus of the Blooded Axe, Aochobar the Damned, Hela, Cthoroc |
| Consort(s): None |
| Allies: Lord Ptharos, God of Air and Good (grandfather); Baelthor, God of the Earth; Aridnus, God of Judgment (father); Britomaris, Goddess of Thieves; Kratos, God of War; Ladon, God of Work; Majestas, Goddess of Law (aunt); Meliboea, Goddess of Justice; Paelemona, Goddess of Fate; Podarge, God of Destruction; Tisiphone, Goddess of Vengeance; Zelos, God of the State. |
| Foes: Tethys, Goddess of the Undead (mother); Abaris, Goddess of Magic (half-sister); Clementia, Goddess of Mercy; Orchus, God of Luck |
| Spiritual Info |
| Rank: Major |
| Nature: Intermediate |
| Ethos: Agathocacological |
| Major Influence: Death and the Underworld |
| Minor Influence(s): Executioners, assassins, mystical secrets |
| Spheres: Law, Death, Judgment, Planar |
Depictions
Cthos is typically depicted as a man wearing voluptuous gray robes which conceal his features. Only cold, blue eyes are visible beneath his cloak. In his temples, he is usually shown in his two aspects, as shepherd and as reaver of the damned, the former wearing white robes and carrying a shepherd's crook, the latter in black robes carrying a scythe. As Carnifus of the Blooded Axe, he is depicted as a heavily muscled man carrying an executioner's axe and a wearing black leather armor. In this aspect his face is covered by an executioner's hood. As Aochobar the Damned, he is depicted as wearing gray armor decorated with sharp horns, but no weapon. As Hela, he is depicted as a female in robes whose face is white on the left and black on the right. As Cthoroc, he is only depicted as a dark mass with nine olive tentacles reaching from the darkness.
Cthos is typically depicted carrying a scythe or a shepherd's crook, depending on whether he has come to take a person to the Celestial or the Nether planes. As Carnifus of the Blooded Axe, he carries a large axe, known as the Deathreaver. Cthos is never depicted as wearing armor, though as Carnifus of the Blooded Axe he wears black leather armor and as Aochobar the Damned he wears gray plate armor.
Symbols
The main symbol of the Church of Cthos is of a white skull superimposed over a crossed red axe and a shepherd's crook. Nightshade and other poisonous plants are significant to the Church, as is the Yew tree (most altars to Cthos are constructed of this tree). Mullein is a significant symbol of the pastors of the Church, while Foxglove is significant to the Moritae. Myrrh is significant to the Makatielites as a protective herb against undead. Bloodstone is the most significant stone to the followers of Cthos, and most magical items created by the Church have at least one such stone imbedded in it.
Dwelling Place
The Palace of Nugarath on the Ethereal Plane.
Servants
Makatiel, the Guardian of the Underworld, is his most powerful lieutenant, though he is also served by Saint Teravar the Good, Saint Antheus the Gray, and Ditis Carnifex the Damned.
Doctrine
No information available on the doctrine of Cthos
Mission
No information available on the mission of Cthos
Geography
No geographic information available on Cthos
History of the Church
No historic information available on Cthos
Organization
No information available on the Organization of the Church of Cthos
Priesthood
The priests of Cthos are of two divisions: the Moritae, who are the Vowed priests of the Church, and the Pastors, who are the monks of the Church. The Church of Cthos is a secretive sect composed of ascending Orders, each Order having a greater responsibility and level of secrecy than the last. After three years of service in each Order, the Priest (or potential Priest) must undergo a test to determine if he has learned what is needed to ascend. Those who succeed ascend to the next Order; those who fail may never again take the test, and often elect to become monks or depart the Church altogether. The First Order, that of the Quill, concentrates on the retention of knowledge about the Church. The Second, that of the Shepherd, concerns itself with animal husbandry, including the slaughter of animals. The Third, the Serpent, teaches medicine. The Fourth, that of the Nightshade, is the first in which an individual may take a Vow of Priestcraft and teaches the student about the death of mortals, including knowledge of poison, fighting and disease. The Fifth is the Order of the Sword, where Priests learn the proper ways to execute criminals. The Sixth Order, that of the Axe, teaches the mysteries of the afterlife. The teachings of the Seventh (the Plume) and Eighth (the Dragon) Orders are so secret and difficult to obtain that only a handful of Priests can ever expect to achieve this level of knowledge about the Church. The Pontifex of the Church is always of the Eighth Order. A Ninth Order exists, but no known mortal has ever attained this level of power. It is rumored that a Priest of the Ninth Order does, indeed, exist, and he secretly issues forth commands to those of the Eighth Order according to the mysterious will of the deity.
There is also a sect within the Church, the Makatielites, who exist apart from this central structure. They are composed of warriors, wizards and even monks who have chosen to act as defenders of the Church who serve as guards in Temples. The most powerful members of this sect also roam the countryside in search of those who have somehow cheated death, either by becoming undead or by using magic to unnaturally extend their lifespan. They are hated and feared in most lands, as they tend to be very dangerous and unbalanced individuals who have dedicated their lives to death.
Garments
During religious ceremonies, priests of Cthos wear elaborate black, white and gray robes that cover every inch of their bodies (including a mask over their faces). Those who are currently operating in their capacity as executioner (in those regions where such is legal), wear black leather armor and a black executioner's mask. Monks tend to wear long, gray robes and gray mask. Whatever the occasion, each priest and monk must prominently wear the symbol of his Order, carved out of Yew.
Religious Practices
The laity of Cthos are typically composed of executioners, assassins, butchers and guardians. They have no official duties within the Church, as the inner secrets are considered forbidden to all but members of one of the Orders.
Calendar
Disjunction
Disjunction is one of the two high holy days of Cthos and occurs on the 7th day of Giblean. It is during this day that Cthos relinquishes his hold on the spirits of the damned and permits them to walk the mortal world. Most spirits who elect to visit the mortal world do so to remind the sinful of the horrid afterlife that awaits them or relate some important piece of information they took to their grave, but some come to do harm. Mortals celebrate this holy day by attending Church and repenting of their sins during the day and decorating their houses with Yew branches at night, to ward off the angry dead.
Remembrance
The second high holy day of Cthos, Remembrance, occurs on the 2nd day of Winter (the 7th of Nollaig or Ditilis). This is a day to remember and honor the dead. On this day, services are held to remember the dead and flowers are placed on gravesites to show one's respect for those who have passed. In some regions, a small gift (like a coin) must also be left behind at the grave-site as a sacrifice for the well-being of the deceased's spirit.
Customs
The followers of Cthos obey the Tome of Saint Antheus, which dictates the proper means to send mortals and animals to their deaths and the exacting means by which they must do so. Furthermore, each Order of the Church has a specific Rule that must be obeyed while the adherent is a member of that Order. These Rules not only detail what the adherent is to do in his day-to-day life, but also provides the necessary test for ascension from the previous Order.
Taboos
Followers of Cthos are forbidden from attempting to curb the natural aging process. Though their practices are usually considered dark, they are also forbidden from being cruel to those who must be killed, even if they are merely butchers killing lambs for meat. This rule is so extreme that an executioner who fails to quickly kill the criminal to which he was assigned must refrain from his duties for a period of nine days while he fasts and repents of his sin. Thus, followers of Cthos never execute someone by hanging, stoning or pressing, or any method other than a sharp axe.
Priests and monks of Cthos are forbidden from discussing the practices and Rule of their Order. Doing so is considered a capital offense by the Church (though in those regions which do not recognize this power of the Church, offenders must be ritually "executed" by means of excommunication).
