“After creation, while the Creator rested, his children wandered among the brilliant new reality. One of the Creator's first creations, however, was too curious, and traveled where his Creator forbade him to. There, he was touched by the primal evil that the Creator separated out from reality, and for the first time, the being felt a pang of jealousy. Why should his Creator be the sole decider of the way the universe was run...he wanted his own say in his destiny! His thoughts growing darker by the moment, he went off to find his siblings, and whispered to them his revelation. Many were horrified, but four others were intrigued, and the primal evil entered their spirits as well. So, as their Creator rested, the Five struck out against him, attacking him again and again with weapons forged by their eldest brother. The Creator cried out once, in sorrow and despair, before falling silent. For a brief moment, the enormity of their act, the first murder, struck them...but it lasted only a second, as the evil in their hearts fully claimed them. They cast down their Creator, forced him to live as a tiny spider on a tiny island, and they cursed his spirit, so that it would reincarnate a thousand times slower than any other soul. They then turned among their fellows, and in a great war, they conquered heaven, and declared themselves gods. The spirits still loyal to the Creator were banished, to wander Creation, while the Five did as they pleased in heaven...”
-Caelean Children's Fable
Opposed to the shining beacon of the God Emperor stands the Pentacle, five primal spirits, greater than even the archangels and demon lords, who rebelled against Cael during the first days of creation and seized it from him: the dark lords of madness, destruction, gluttony, tyranny and unnaturalness. These five united form the opposition to the Immortal Emperor, and their armies of fallen angels clash endlessly with the Angels of High Heaven. Worshiped by criminals, outcasts, and the scum of society, they represent everything the Caelean church despises: chaos, corruption, and a blatant disregard for the laws of the Emperor. The Pentacle are the enemies of the Creator, and plot endless to take their thrones back from the God-Emperor, and escape the Hells he has bound them and their most powerful servants in.
The members of the Pentacle are all corrupt, evil, and hostile...to Cael, to His faithful, to their own followers, and even to each other. They fight among themselves endlessly, seeking to gain the power needed to confront Cael directly. This internal bickering is often portrayed in Caelen fables, where faithful protagonists trick the evil Pentacle into squabbling amongst each other, and thus divided is the protagonist able to drive them off. Of course, the faithful of the Forsaken Five tell different stories... ones not suited for the ears of little children.
Just like the Caelean Church assumes local gods and heroes into it's mythology as Saints, so to do they associate the darker deities or demons with the Pentacle. Local faiths may very well find themselves as battlegrounds between the faithful of the God Emperor and the those of the Dark Lords of the Damned.
The Lords of the Penticle
Aeran
Lady of Madness, the Lady of the Mists, the Blood Moon
Symbol: A blood-red moon, a bloodied claw
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Madness, lust, insanity, lycanthropy, spring
Worshipers: Lycanthropes, savage humanoids, evil rangers and druids, hedonists, madmen, addicts
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Evil, Strength, Trickery (Liberation, Madness)
Favored Weapon: A bestial claw (a dagger)
The Lady of Madness, Aeran is the member of the Pentacle responsible for the primal emotions: anger, lust and fear. It was said that she created the first of the lycanthropes, and she is worshiped by many of them as their queen and mother. Aeran is also revered by those who let madness or passion conume them, and her cults are common among the hedonistic upper classes of many nations. Among Cael's faithful, any incident of extreme violence or depravity is said to be a sign of her influence.
Aeran is usually appears as a stunningly beautiful female with burning eyes, caught fluctuating between species, unable to settle on one before a fancy hits her and she shifts to assume another.
Dogma: Fear, madness, and anger offer release from the unnaturalness of humanoid society. Do what you want when you feel like it, do not let others tell you what you feel or what you want. Be an individual, and indulge your personal desires. Tear down society and free yourself from it's restrictions and bindings. Kill, love, hate, fear with all your heart. Do everything in full, or it is not worth doing at all. Revel in every action, enjoy every moment to it's fullest. Protect the wilderness, and the ideals it represents. Fight the followers of the Usurper at every turn, and the repression they bring.
Cleric Training: Clerics of Aeran are normally self-trained, realizing her desires solely through self-experimentation and indulgence. Her followers believe that she will grant them power so long as they continue to spread liberation and revelry. They are mostly wanderers, traveling where their whims take them, and spreading chaos in their wake.
Quests: The destruction of civilized institutions is the primary goal of any of Aeran's followers, and anything that helps weaken society is a worthy quest in the eyes of their Lady. However, anything that helps preserve wilderness, and the vitality of the land are also seen as worthy causes.
Prayers: Prayers to Lady of Madness are often vividly descriptive, yet disjointed at the same time. Typical supplications sound like mad ramblings, and tend to overuse both blood and the moon as imagery. Blood sacrifices, whether one's own, or that of another, are common. Clerics of Aeran pray for spells under the light of the moon and stars.
Shrines: Few temples of Aeran exist, however they make extensive use of impromptu shrines. These are little more complex then a series of bonfire, and a sacrificial altar. In lycanthrope-infested areas, more permanent shrines may be established in the wilderness, however to untrained observes these would appear to be little more than a blood-stained rock in a natural clearing, surrounded with an abundance of bones.
Rites: There are very few rights for followers of Aeran, as most of her worship is spontaneous and impromptu. However, full moons are times of revelry, where the most blessed of her followers dance in the moonlight, free from all restraints. However, the harvest moon is a time of sorrow and fear, for then the moon has been stolen by the mistress by the Wandering One, and her power is diminished as she chases after him across the stars. Every year, she steals it back, but the crafty deity of trade always escapes unharmed.
Herald and Allies: Aeran's herald is a 20th-level human werewolf fighter. Her allies include succubi, lamias, and mariliths.
Bethan
Lord of the Storm, the Wild Fury, the Destroyer
Symbol: A black or purple bolt of lightning, a flame in the shape of a skull
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Rage, destruction, primal forces of nature, revenge, late summer
Worshipers: Savage humanoids, evil warriors and wizards, warlords, some druids, rebels
Domains: Air, Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Fire (Scalykind, Weather)
Favored Weapon: A bolt of black lighting (a spear)
While Aeran desires destruction for liberation's sake, Bethan, Lord of the Storm, sees destruction as it's own end. Consumed with hate and obsessed with revenge, Bethan desires to destroy the universe and remake it simply out of spite, and many of his followers are similarly motivated. He is depicted in stories as short tempered and arrogant, wiping out entire towns for a minor offense, and striking down even faithful followers for perceived slights. Acts of horrifying natural destruction, such as volcanoes, hurricanes, forest fires, floods, and earthquakes are seen as signs of his influence, particularly ones that occur under suspicious circumstances, or seem to target civilized areas exclusively.
Bethan typically appears as an blinded and scared, yet still handsome, human, dressed all in black. The winds of the storm constantly circle him, whipping about his long hair, robes and beard.
Dogma: Kill, burn, main. Bring destruction and sow chaos. Cast down the powerful, the vain, the proud. Strike without remorse, kill without mercy. Preach the might of the Destroyer with every breast, and put the fear of your Lord into the hearts of even the bravest of men. Let no slight go unpunished. Ensure no man who mocks you or your Lord lives to do so a second time. Let no man lord over you unless they have proven their right to do so first. Protect new life, and venerate growth, for without growth there is nothing to destroy, and without destruction there is no opportunity for growth. Undermine the efforts of the Usurper's followers at every turn, for he considers himself your Lord's equal, and seeks to end his glorious work.
Cleric Training: Prospective priests of the Lord of the Storm must seek out one of his heralds, and if they survive the initial encounter, may submit themselves to being the senior cleric's acolyte, both student and servant. Priests of Bethan are wanderers, bullying and extorting their way through life. However, his followers cannot be afraid to call down their Lord's wrath at any time, for even a moment of hesitation could put one on the wrong end of a pitchfork, or an inquisitorial sword.
Quests: Bethan very rarely sends his followers on quests. He expects them to wreak havoc wherever they travel, and spread the fear of the Destroyer to all they cross paths with. Faithful may also find themselves rebuilding dams or bridges, to help promote the cycle or destruction and renewal.
Prayers: As Bethan demands constant adoration, his faithful weave prayers to their Lord into their daily speech, praising the Destroyer for everyday occurrences. Prayers to Bethan often blend adoration with calls for mercy and for revenge on those that wronged them. Burnt offerings are common, as is imagery involving fire, floods, lightning, and other such natural disasters. Prayers for spells most commonly happen under the burning skies of sunset.
Shrines: The temples of Bethan are few and far between. Most commonly, his followers pray at shrines to their Lord located in the corners of temples dedicated to the more lawful Lords of the Pentacle, bronze or iron braziers where offerings are made to their fickle Lord, and the destructive fury of nature is contemplated. As sights of devastation are sacred to the Lord of the Storm, his faithful may make holy pilgrimages to worship at the sites of great cataclysms.
Rites: Just like followers of Aeran base their revelries around the moon, so to do followers of Bethan base theirs around the sun. The solstices and equinoxes are the high holy day's for Bethan's faithful, where they celebrate the cycle of destruction and renewal. On these days, his followers spend the day in fervent prayer, and fanatical displays of their Lord's powers
Herald and Allies: Bethan's herald is a 20th-level half-red dragon tifling socerer. His allies include medium fire elementals, hezrou, and juvenile red dragons.
Matrius
Lord of the Undead, the Dead King, the Frozen One
Symbol: A skeletal hand, a crystallized drop of blood
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Knowledge, death, the undead, murder, winter
Worshipers: Evil wizards and rogues, people desiring immortality or forbidden knowledge, assassins
Domains: Death, Evil, Knowledge, Law, Magic, Water (Darkness, Rune)
Favored Weapon: A blade of black ice (bastard sword)
Cold and calculating, Matrius, Lord of the Living Dead, is the most 'civilized' of the Lords of the Pentacle. He seeks not to destroy, corrupt, or rule over society. Instead, he seeks to works within the established system, and draw his power legitimately, though he not above more questionable actions when the current situation calls for it. Matrius' worship flourishes in societies where disillusionment with the divine exists, and it spreads, promoting the values of eternal life in death, forbidden knowledge, and personal enhancement. Matrius' worshipers often form cults around intelligent undead, and mysterious deaths are seen to be works of the Frozen One or his followers.
Matrius typically appears as an ancient lich, his skeletal body wrapped in deep red robes, and cloaked in a field of deadly cold. His footsteps freeze the earth beneath his feet, and his rattling breaths wreath his head in freezing mists.
Dogma: Seek information wherever it may lie...let nothing stop you on your path to knowledge. Knowledge is the most powerful weapon in existence, it can fell armies and level cities. Knowledge is a commodity to be bought and traded...keep secrets only if it would prove more advantageous in the end. Manipulation is better than force, subtly better than bravado. Respect death, use it as a weapon and a tool but do not abuse it's power. Obey and respect your superiors, but slay the weak, the merciful, and the arrogant. Life need not end at death, as life eternal await those ready to embrace undeath. Suffer not the foolish followers of the Usurper, for they deny themselves life eternal in their denial of your Lord's wisdom.
Cleric Training: Matrius' clergy is fairly hierarchical, elder priests teaching the younger, and information shared freely among members of the same cell. Intelligent undead, necromancers, assassins and the occasional upper class noble direct their prayers towards the Lord of the Undead, though many do so quietly as to not arouse suspicion. Most of Matrius' clergy are sedentary, and spend their days searching through aged scrolls, or preforming unholy rituals in great covens located under the sewers of the great cities.
Quests: Matrius expects his followers to constantly search for new knowledge, wherever it may lie. He may also send his faithful out to create new cults, aid one of his undead minions, or to slay an enemy of the church.
Prayers: Matrius' followers are not a pious lot, placing more emphasis on arcane knowledge and secrets rather than the divine prowess of their patron. Still, many of them still find time to whisper a small prayer to their Lord when they feel the need, and Matrius seems content with just that, preferring his cultists worship him in action rather than thought. Prayers to Matrius tend to be short, but potent, making extensive reference to death, new life, and the cold winds of the north. Matrius' clerics pray for spells at dusk, when the night has claimed the sun, but it's light still persists.
Shrines: Shrines to Matrius are surprising varied, ranging from vast underground cathedrals under many of the larger cities, to small pedestals crafted to resemble a crouching skeleton in basements of the faithful, to bowls of frozen blood hidden in graveyards and libraries. Whatever form they take, shrines dedicated to the frozen one have a tendency to radiate an unnatural cold, and the uncomfortable sense that one is being watched.
Rites: The only major right practiced by Matrius' faithful is the Ascension of one from life to unlife. Raising undead, discovering new knowledge, or finishing a particularly dangerous mission are all times for celebration, as are eclipses. Particularly holy are those days when an eclipse falls in the cold of winter, as undead raised on those days are said to be especially blessed by their Lord.
Herald and Allies: Bethan's herald is a 20th-level human lich necromancer/archmage. His allies include specters, bone devils, and ice devils.
The Thousand
Lord of Pestilence, the Rotting Ones, the Worms
Symbol: A sickly green cloud in the shape of a skull, a rotting pig's head
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Rot, corruption, gluttony, greed, decay, poison, fall
Worshipers: Evil merchants and rogues, individuals desiring great power or wealth, corrupt officials
Domains: Death, Earth, Evil, Plant, Water (Charm, Darkness)
Favored Weapon: A rusted, mold-covered chain (spiked chain)
Legend states that it was the being once known as Thaeden was the one who convinced the other members of the Pentacle to rebel against their creator, who as a punishment was consumed by a horde or worms. Each worm inherited a portion of Thaeden's intelligence and power, forming the abomination now known as the Thousand. As power-mad and grasping as before its transformation, if not more so, the Thousand desires complete control over everything, and supports its followers desires to gain power and influence. Cael's followers see the Thousand's mechanizations behind every incidence of corruption or scandal, and most of the time they are quite right.
The Thousand appears as a tall, robed and cowled humanoid composed entirely of writhing, squirming worms. It's face is little more than an orb of nightcrawlers, and it speaks with a hundred discordant voices.
Dogma: Gain power through any means necessary. Never let your successes make you confident, assume the worst. Do not put your trust in anyone or anything save yourself and your your Lord. Hesitation leads to failure, act when the opportunity presents itself. Never refuse a bribe. Strive to better your self and your lot in life with every waking breath. The bold find success, the cautious keep it, the weak have it stolen from them. Hope is no match for sound planing and action. Disease is holy, learn to use it as a weapon. Rot destroys without alerting, so should you. Seek always to undermine the church of the Usurper, for without it the false god shall tumble, allowing your Lord to reclaim its rightful place.
Cleric Training: The Thousand's priests are usually drawn into the worship of the Rotting Ones by a fellow priest, though extortion or gradual corruption, it doesn't matter to the faithful. Once one accepts a position as a priest of the Thousand, turning one's back is no longer an option. The Thousand's faithful prefer to remain in one place for an extended period of time, building extensive connections in the underworld as well as the upper class, to better carry out their schemes and plans.
Quests: The Thousand's followers are often engaged in spreading rot and corruption throughout society, speeding it's decay while lining their own pockets. On occasion, a cleric of the Thousand may be sent off to research a new poison or disease, and determine how useful it may be to their Lord's grand scheme, but generally priests are left alone to conduct business as they will.
Prayers: The Thousand's followers often pray for guidance and advice, seeking their Lord's wisdom on how to proceed. These prayers tend to rather verbose, detailing complex plans in explicit detail, so that the priest may work on the problem with their Lord as they pray. It normally makes extensive references to the glories of rot, pestilence, disease and corruption. Prayers to the Thousand happen in shadows during the dark of the night, where the beings of light fear to tread.
Shrines: Shrines to the Thousand are small, inconspicuous affairs. Most of the time, they just seem like roadkill left near the side of the road or in a gutter, however the faithful carefully cultivate the rot in ways that are both sacred and useful to their plans. In homes, rot is often replaced with rust, and a rusty chain or rusted nails on a pedestal serve as a sufficient shrine to the Worms.
Rites: The Thousand's rights are all invocations of luck and wisdom, prayers for the intervention of the Lord of Pestilence. Typically small celebrations are held during the outset of a complex plan, seeking to draw the blessings of the Thousand upon the priest's endeavors. The high holy day of for followers of the Thousand is the Day of Rot, in late fall, were the faithful gather in sewers and swamps, plan for the next year, inundate new followers, and worship the glories of their Lord.
Herald and Allies: The Thousands herald is a 20th-level human sorcerer worm that walks. Its allies include babaus, night hags, and nalfeshnee.
Zertal
Lord of Tyranny, the Iron Lord, the Black Heart
Symbol: An iron gauntlet, an iron chain
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Tyranny, oppression, war, strife, early summer
Worshipers: Evil warriors and rulers, warlords, tyrants and monarchs, conquerers, corrupt officials
Domains: Destruction, Evil, Fire, Law, Strength, War (Artifice, Nobility)
Favored Weapon: A dark iron sword (longsword)
Though the Thousand was the one who initiated the rebellion against their creator, it was Zertal who carried it out. Like The Thousand, he too was punished, though in Zertal's case his spirit was sealed into a suit of living iron armor. Zertal wishes to control all of civilization under his iron fist, and seeks to wrest control through intimidation and military might. Throughly evil, and without any hint of mercy, the Lord of Tyranny will stop at nothing to achieve his goals of domination and exaltation. He is the one Caeleans blame for hostile military actions against their nations, as well as for the murderous despots who come to power about once a century.
Zertal appears as a powerful human covered head to toe in a suit of elaborate black iron armor, complete with a towering shield and a wicked sword. Hateful red eyes glower out from between the slits of his visor, and a deep, hollow voice echoes out from within.
Dogma: Might makes right. Fear your Lord, and make others fear you. Strike down those who defy your rule. Serve those who have earned your respect, but seek always to usurp their position. Rule through strength and brutal cunning, sparing no man from your wrath. Spread fear and terror, for they are the best means of keeping the rabble reigned in. Respect those who rise to challenge them, for only a fool underestimates their foes. Spread order and law, for chaos breeds weakness and complacency. Do not let power slip through your grasp, for you will never get a second chance. True power can only be gained through faith in your Lord, do not let your devotion wane. Heed your advisors, but ware their ambitions. Crush the forces of the Usurper, for though they are worthy foes, they deny the might of the Iron Lord.
Cleric Training: Zertal's clergy is highly regimented, not unlike a military force. Local cults are ran by a Chaplain Tyrant, and lower ranks answer to their superiors in all things. Advancement is through merit and prowess, as bribery and scheming are seen as underhanded and distasteful. When not serving in a mercenary army, followers of Zertal spend their hours in their Chapel-Barracks, practicing their martial skills or poring over tomes of military and political strategy.
Quests: The followers of Zertal go on a wide variety of quests, whether it is a crusade against the followers of Cael, or a quest for a weapon of great power, there is always a mission available for those who desire it. Individual quests are frowned upon, though if the cleric can convince their superiors of the benefits of the mission, there is little stopping them from engaging in such activities.
Prayers: Prayers to Zertal are usually blunt and to the point, more oaths than proper prayers. Prayers are usually uttered in battle, so they don't tend to be anything fancy, a simple request for strength or protection is what usually amounts for a prayer among followers of the Iron Lord. These prayers tend to make use of military jargon, and involve common battlefield imagery. Followers of Zertal pray for their spells at dawn, so the first thing the sun sees are the faithful of the Lord of Tyranny reaffirming their devotion.
Shrines: A shrine to Zertal typically doubles as a military barracks, where the faithful spend their days in a combination or prayer and training. They make heavy use of iron in their construction, including an impressive iron altar where blood sacrifices are made. More private shrines involve smaller stands of iron, typically embellished with weapon imagery, kept as clear of rust as possible.
Rites: Any victory is time to celebrate in the eyes of the Lord of Tyrany's followers. Rituals typically involve displays of strength, stamina and prowess, somber chants, self-flagellation, and the sacrifice of captured prisoners or apostates. There are no calender-based events, and it is up to the Chaplain Tyrant to choose when these festivals will take place.
Herald and Allies: The Thousands herald is a 20th-level half-fiend human fighter. Its allies include bearded devils, barbed devils, and horned devils.
The Pentacle United
The Lords of the Damned, The Forsaken Five
Symbol: A severed hand, a ten-pointed sunburst, a circle broken into five parts
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Evil, hate, greed, sin
Worshipers: Evil warriors and rulers, warlords, tyrants and monarchs, conquerers, corrupt officials
Domains: Air, Animal, Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Evil, Fire, Knowledge, Law, Magic, Strength, Trickery, War, Water (Artifice, Charm, Darkness, Liberation, Madness, Nobility, Rune, Scalykind, Weather)
Favored Weapon: Heavy Flail
Though each member of the pentacle has divergent goals and beleifs, they are often worshiped as one, a pantheon opposed to the beliefs of Cael. Indeed, the Pentacle could be considered an extension of the Church of Cael, focusing on the ideals rejected by the greater church. The Pentacle were the first and greatest of the creator's children, and they rebelled against him, catching him in his sleep and banishing him to the Prime Material for countless millenia. They were the source of the evil that exists in creation, and, as Caeleans believe, the countless pagan faiths that still thrive outside of the light of Cael's faithful. The Lords of the Pentacle are patrons of criminals, outcasts and savages the world over, and Caeleans depict them as an insidious force of corruption, eternally plotting to reclaim their thrones from Cael, and curse his followers to eternal damnation.
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