Limitless Worlds

Limitless Worlds

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Setting Saturday - Arbum, God of Death

I've decided to help further my custom fantasy setting along, Astoria, I will post something about my setting at least once a week, specifically on Saturday. That doesn't mean I can't post setting stuff on other days, just that I need to post something on Saturdays.

In my setting, there are fourteen major gods, with countless minor ones floating about. Here is the description for Arbum, who is the god of death, law and darkness

Not Arbum, but close
Arbum, the Judge of Corpses
Domains: Law, Death, Darkness

As long as there has been life, there has been death; and as long as there has been death, there has been lost souls. Thus, Arbum, the god of law, order, death, darkness and the afterlife, is one of the oldest gods known. When someone dies in Astoria, their spirit lingers, usually near their bodies. The spirit, unless it is powerful enough to become an undead, is soon visited by Arbum.

Arbum appears much like a wraith, albeit with a few differences. His skin is completely pitch black and hairless, and the only facial features that are recognizable are his piercing, white eyes. His upper body is fully formed, but everything below his waist trails off into smoke, which makes him float above the ground. He wears a pure-white breastplate, and carries a bastard sword in one hand.

When Arbum judges a soul, he removes and examines one of the soul's eyes. Astorians believe all of your sin is etched into your eyes when you commit it, thus prompting the term "cutting my eyes", which is said when someone does something that goes against their usual beliefs. If the eye has little to no writing on it, the soul is sent to paradise. If the eye is etched with sin, as it were, the soul is sent to eternal punishment.

Arbum says very little, but he is extremely wise. He holds much sway over the other gods, and his decisions are always final. He is not a cruel or kind god, just merely fair.

Arbum stresses equality, judgement and wisdom in his followers, though he wishes to leave the judgment of the dead up to himself.

Arbum's symbol is a set of scales balanced on top of a skull. He is often correlated with other symbols of death, such as animals that scavenge off of carrion (wolves, buzzards, ravens), and the autumn season. He is also associated with dark colors, such as blacks, dark purples and grays  Undead usually view Arbum as their patron god, though they are technically always in active defiance of his wishes.

No comments:

Post a Comment