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GEORMORREN THE UNTARNISHED
Master of the Black Fire, Metal, and Spirals
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[ Generals ]
The Time Keeper, Lord of Sorrows

Geormorren fought the Daughter of Grief, and made out better than most. He perished when the Hells were torn asunder, but thanks to the phylactery created by his mortal followers on Altera, lives again uncorrupted. He stands staunchly opposed to the return of Corruption, which is now his primary concern.

In terms of aesthetics...

All Pactbound take on an initially subtle appearance, ranging from the subtle scent of citrus (or in Geormorren's case, fire, burning). At around the level of a knight, they begin to grow horns that grow in a spiraling pattern. As they advance in rank, they may begin to glow as if from an internal heat, or emit smoke when angry, things like that.

Servants of Geormorren get…

Infernal Heat. Geormorren's servants are physically hot. They can make themselves hot enough to leave burns on contact if they concentrate on doing so and take no other actions.

Knights of Geormorren get…

The Black Fire. Mundane fires are no longer mundane in their presence, but change color to black. Geormorren's knights can manipulate this fire, causing it to lash out and burn others, or wrap around them like flaming chains.

Courtiers of Geormorren get…

Avatar of Metal. They may inscribe a rune on one suit of armor or golem, and project their consciousness into it. The suit of armor or golem moves as if filled with a living body, but if the rune is damaged while the courtier's consciousness is projected inside, they are trapped inside and their mortal body will eventually die.

Some examples of what Geormorren may offer, as part of his pacts…

Transmogrify. Geormorren may bind one's awareness and soul into a metal body like a suit of plate armor, their mortal flesh unmade.

Enchanted Equipment. Geormorren is something of an artificer, able to manipulate metals or reforge them altogether.

THE NIGHT STAR

Mistress of the Stars, Gateways, and the Otherworld

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[ Generals ]

N/A

Melarue served Dranoden, the Night Star, as his loyal General up util his death to the weapon of Grief. There she took his title and what he left behind and returned from his plane of ascension, to do her bidding within the mortal world unrestrained by any keeper.

In terms of aesthetics...

All Pactbound take on an initially subtle appearance, from paling skin with darkened veins to eye shifts into black or teal hues. Horns begin to sprout marked with teal runes. The more they ascend into the ranks, the more otherworldly they become. 

Servants of The Night Star get…

Otherworldly Arsenal; They’re able to pull forth into being a weapon, blackened with motes of smoke and starlight. It can be any mundane type, polehammer, sword, spear, or bow for example. It will vanish if out of their hand for too long.

Knights of The Night Star get…

Demonic Ascension; Their bodies are stronger, tougher, bigger. They’re more resilient to damage and able to shrug off minor injuries with ease as their flesh knits itself back together. They do however gain weaving Infernal markings over some parts of their body, denoting their lineage.

Courtiers of The Night Star get…

Starlit Wanderer; They are able to mark and connect up to three paired gateways, creating passageway between them. They only work during the twilight hours, however, becoming inactive during the day. 

The Night Star may offer, as part of her pacts…

Flight. The ability to sprout large demonic wings from the back, to give moments of flight with effort and to glide with less.

The Remnant

A memory forgotten. A wanderer without. A fate escaped.

Dayton, once ascended to a rank above possession for his Lord Dranoden. Upon his ascension, he laid down his mortal life to aid the Twisted Star. His loyalty bore its own reward in the end: a permitted return to the realm of the living, as a final farewell from his Lord before his final conflict with Grief. 

Aesthetics: 

Eyes are no window to the soul for these enlightened beings; all Pactbound under the Remnant find their irises fading, their eyes taking on an unreadable milky white hue. As their power burgeons, their veins are traced in violet spiderwebs beneath their skin and darkened bone horns sprout from their skull. The stronger a Pactbound, the more pallid, dull and lifeless they appear.

Servants of the Remnant get:

Weapons of a Bygone Age: At will, Servants of the Remnant may pull forth the weapon of a fallen warrior’s (along with any required ammunition). Although mundane in nature when drawn, the weapon will take on the appearance of a decayed and neglected version of itself, pitted with rust or riddled with termites, but as deadly as though fresh from the forge or bowyer’s table. This weapon will vanish if released willingly, or if the bearer is disarmed. 

Knights of the Remnant get:

Step Away: The Knights of the Remnant may, over the course of a round or turn, teleport themselves to a space within sight of where they originated. To Step Away is to step between realms. The Knight who uses this spell walks through the Hells, risking the searing ire of its inhabitants.

Courtiers of the Remnant get:

Another Chance: Physical injury holds no fear for a Courtier of the Remnant. Whether broken bone, visceral wound or severed limb, all mundane means of putting down a Courtier will be undone given eight hours and good rest. Lost battles will speak their words upon the injured Courtier’s skin, with each wound healed in this way forming a grey scar, marking the injury permanently.

The Remnant may offer, as part of his pacts: 

Unageing form: A release from the confines of a mortal’s limited natural lifespan, and a glimpse into eternity.

VERAXYS THE PURE
Lord of Hell-Spawn, Infernal Transmutation, and Persuasion
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[ GENERALS ]
Izmot the Cruel
Ga'arush the Glutton
Ny'agu the Seductive

VERAXYS is a true archfiend devil, lording over hosts of fiends through all ranks of pure Infernal society. He is cunning and persuasive, while never lacking the strength to enact his will through sheer force or willpower. His primary goal is to create a Hell on Altera, transforming the continent to become hospitable to his kin while becoming inhospitable to the mortals of this realm. Not through untamed corruption, but through precise transmutation.

His court is that of demonic beasts, demons, and true fiends. The "Demonic Ascent" of mortals is regarded as severe blasphemy in this environment and any demon caught making a pact with someone lacking true fiendish ancestry is brutally and publicly severed from his court. This means Mortal Courtiers and Pactbound Mortals have no place at his court. The ritualistic summoning of demons incites fury, then is dealt with harshly. Untethered Demons of mortal descent, who have absorbed their master's powers, are hated with a severe passion.

VERAXYS has no regard for anything other than what the past millenia of hell itself has spat into existence. If it's truly infernal, he admires it for its beauty, this includes other court's demons. For him, this also means forbidding his own court to form pacts with otherworldly creatures like Alteran mortals. Pacts are regarded as a sacred form reserved only to be bound between true demons. Lesser fiends have a much more respected place in his court than in any of the other court, because possession of the (in his eyes) inferior Alteran lifeforms is seen as an honest virtue rather than a weak attempt at power by those who do not have the means to form pacts.

Naturally, through his conservative traditional values, VERAXYS believes himself superior to the other courts, though cannot deny their power. He will play his political part well and would never cause other court's rulers to suspect his opinions, though they might deduce some hints to them from how he runs his court. In his own way, he does respect the heads of the other courts for the power they possess. As traditional demons, Veraxys' court members have a natural guile and deceitfulness to them, making them incredibly apt at persuading their adversaries.

VERAXYS' COURT AESTHETICS

Pure Demon ancestry is treasured above all else. Those within Veraxys' court are per definition true fiends and so they must look the part. The typical traditional red skin, black horns/eyes, and devilish appearance of the beasts of Nether are highly valued. Veraxys' court regards deviations from the standard nether norms as inferior and hideous. You will find no blue flames, white eyes, or citrus smells here. The court and its members are of brimstone, ash, and flame.

VERAXYS' SERVANTS

NATURAL GUILE - The demons bound in servitude to Veraxys have the ability to persuade those they communicate with into performing actions that are harmful to themselves, while being convinced they're doing right by themselves. These actions are limited to small things that hurt the character slightly, not lifechanging things that lead to death. They cannot persuade them to directly hurt others, only themselves.

VERAXYS KNIGHTS

DEMONIC DISSENT - Veraxys knights are masters of persuasion and are able to turn their enemies against each other. If a group faces a Veraxys knight, they will find 1/4th of their number pliable to the knight's deceitful words, believing they're doing the right thing by standing by the knight's side for 2 combat rounds. This triggers automatically at the start of combat and cannot be used again while the combat lasts

INFERNAL COERCION - A Veraxys knight can control weak minds for a short duration. Examples of weak minds are those who cannot read/write and those that have suffered a severe head trauma, for instance. If within sight of the knight, they can be made to do one single thing the knight orders them to do. This does not work on the average or strong minded. To those who are susceptible to it, however, there can be no resistance and the command must be heeded. 

VERAXYS' PACTS

Veraxys' minions form no pacts with Alterans. Instead, his knights are doubly powerful with a second ability, making up for the lack of 'presence' of the court in the world out there.

Art by Harshanand Singh

M A L Z A R O T H

Lord of Crows

The shadow cast from hellfire.

“Reap what you do not sow.”

The fires within Hell naturally casts a shadow. The clandestine Lord of Crows reigns over the Shadow entities within the Hells & presides over the shifting darkness in this realm—Watching. Reaving. Evading. Quiet, spreading, calculated ambition. A dark wing eclipsing, gone as soon as it arrived.

A E S T H E T I C S

Pactbound of Malzaroth gain talons at their fingertips that are cosmetic in their functionality, and seem to be made of shadow. Their fingertips, and anywhere up to their elbows can be solid black. At the level of knight, they may begin to grow horns that vary in shape & color, but tend to be small & dark, rather than grand & flashy. Eyes, skin, & horns commonly become black, gray, blue, or purple — growing in intensity as they ascend.

Servants of Malzaroth get…

Eclipse : They can project their shadow, allowing it to be moved about by the will of the pactbound. It can put out candles, fires no larger than itself, and other light sources — or be used to better obscure the pactbound in shadows & darkness. It must be in the pactbound’s field of vision to be able to control it.

Knights of Malzaroth get…

Shadowbound Armory : The pactbound conjures a flurry of shadows on their person that solidify to emulate a suit of armor. It is far lighter and with better mobility as a result, but protection amounts vary based on ambient light level. Full sun will equate to a gambeson while the night sky or intense darkness such as a cave will equate to full plate armor. Anywhere in the middle will equate to chainmail. It will always function as plate armor in the Hells. 

Courtiers of Malzaroth get..

Dread Crow : The pactbound can twist and contort to take on the shape of a demonic crow half the size of their mortal form. They can fly in this state with newly hollowed bones, attack with beak and talon, and can meld into darkness to travel long distances provided that light is not cast upon their person — though they cannot phase through walls or barriers while in this state. They may also only speak in Infernal while in Dread Crow form.

Malzaroth may offer, as part of his pacts…

• Superior Darkvision. The ability to see clearly in natural & artificial darkness, in grayscale tones — at the price of a higher sensitivity to light.
• Shadow Magic. Spells and abilities and interesting ways to use, manipulate, and conjure shadows.