 About Tharros, God of DecayTharros Alignment Lawful Neutral Symbol Human-like face with two spikes driven into hollow eyes, its expression twisted with agony Titles The Hollow, The Inevitable, The Uncaring, Life's Bane Portfolio Decay, Disease, Death, Fate Domains Death, Destruction, Law, Repose Favored Weapon Quarterstaff History Tharros was a being brought into existence out of necessity, a cosmic force of balance that was needed in the wake of creation. The earliest gods, full of child-like enthusiasm, were already busy creating one utopia after another and breathing life into every perfect creation their endless imaginations could muster. Tharros' existence marked the end of this period -- or at least its decline -- with every grand paradise suddenly finding itself unsustainable as stars began to die, rocks began to crumble, and plants began to wither. The first children of the gods found themselves suffering a similar fate: their skin wrinkled, their bones grew frail, and alien ailments wracked their bodies. Existence now faced decay and its people; death and disease. Since coming into existence, Tharros has done little with godhood, having created very little beyond a realm to call his own and servants that could carry out necessary tasks thought beneath him. Beyond the Curse of Tharros -- the mortality and suffering his existence has brought to mortal worlds -- Tharros has had little interaction with the Material. Instead, Tharros chooses to sit upon his throne of vermin, biding his time and patiently waiting for the end that his very existence will one day bring. Dogma Tharros holds very few beliefs and imparts even fewer on mortal followers. Tharros is quite content to let things play out on their own more often than not, allowing his creations of death and disease to run their course. It is a system that has worked to keep mortals in check for countless ages and only divine interference could threaten what Tharros views as a necessary measure. Undeath is one such creation, a vile form of existence that has broken the barriers Tharros put into place. The destruction of such creatures is one of the few things Tharros actively encourages among mortals and is one of the few ways to earn his blessing. Realm The Realm of Ruin is not a place for the faint of heart and the realm itself seems actively hostile to living creatures; only those with the protection of the gods themselves could hope to last more than a few moments amongst the desolate and shattered landscape Tharros calls home. The Realm of Ruin is a dark place devoid of any kind of life, with only a few chunks of pale grey rocks floating amid a sea of endless nothing. The rocks themselves house only dilapidated architecture, crumbled marble and rotten wood that dot the ground rather than contribute to any sort of structures. Within this collection of rubble is Tharros' court -- if one could actually call it that. It is here that Tharros sits upon his throne of vermin -- a disgusting amalgamation of writhing insects, skittering rodents, and rotten flesh -- and waits to play the role he was meant to play in the grand design. Appearance Tharros is not a pleasant sight to behold in the form he typically assumes while waiting in his Realm of Ruin. The flesh that hangs tenuously from the skeletal features not covered by the gray and featureless robe he dons is in a constant state of decay; with rotten bits and pieces constantly peeling and falling away just as quickly as they can be regrown. The face of Tharros, one of the few things not completely covered, features hollow eyes with a constant torrent of blood pouring down his cheeks from wounds that never heal. It is believed that upon coming into being and witnessing what his fellow gods had created, Tharros permanently gouged out his own eyes, leaving grievous wounds that not even the powers of divinity could undo. Beneath his rudimentary garment, the body of Tharros is nothing but boil-covered flesh infested with squirming insects and other putrescence. Left in his wake is filth and barren earth rather than footprints and an odor that only a divine constitution can bear. The touch of Tharros is a death sentence to any mortal unfortunate enough to find themselves in his presence; the slightest touch can reduce a human to naught but a pile of dust and bones. On the extremely rare occasion that Tharros needs to assume a mortal guise, he will assume whatever form meets his needs the best. While Tharros is often attributed male pronouns and features, Tharros is in truth completely genderless and finds no attachment to either mortal form. The mortal forms of Tharros all share the same characteristic, however: the eyes are always covered, whether it be with bandages, blindfolds, glasses, or just a cowl that conceals much of the face. Personality Tharros is a somber and patient being with little desire to use his godly abilities for anything other than the continual existence of the forces he put into motion long ago. While he may be responsible for a large part of mortal suffering, Tharros takes no pleasure in it, viewing it as a duty that must be fulfilled no matter how desperately a mortal begs for an end to their afflictions. Tharros believes himself to be an agent of unknowable forces -- as are all gods -- and has dedicated himself to maintaining what he believes to be the desired plan for all of existence. Tharros is unflinching in this dedication, forsaking all else as long as what he perceives to be "balance" is maintained and the inevitable natural death of all things is guaranteed. It is only through direct opposition to this vision of order that Tharros can be spurred into action, whether it is through another god trying to outdo or skirt around the natural decay of the universe or some force that threatens the slow, inevitable end of existence with one Tharros deems "unnatural." Relationships For the most part, Tharros is not interested in his fellow gods. The politics and maneuvering are beneath him. It is a rare occurrence for Tharros to be dragged into an open feud with another deity, even though several likely harbor ill will towards the hand behind the forces that threaten to take away their toys. Only those that work against his creations of death and disease can expect any sort of open hostility; gods of healing, necromancy, and other similar forces. Gods that value law are the ones Tharros looks to when seeking an alliance for whatever reason; those that understand the need for order and balance and can look beyond Tharros' horrific appearance and domain. Such gods can rest easy knowing that Tharros does not deceive and his motives are simple: keep things the way they should be and ensure his own existence is protected until his duty is complete and his existence is no longer required. Worshipers Tharros does not impart teachings or wisdom upon mortals and, in fact, has nothing to do with and expects absolutely nothing from anyone calling themselves his priest. Still, prayers are sometimes made to him, and in some places, Tharros is even revered as a martyr and pariah for accepting the burden of one day ending creation and existence itself, even though doing so will mean his own demise. It is in these places that the Curse of Tharros is given meaning and purpose, his gift to mankind seen as a necessary evil in the larger scheme of things. These sorts of priests do little to stop the suffering or death of others brought on by sickness and old age. Instead, disease is viewed as a tool to cull the weak and unworthy and the inevitability of death is only a motivation. In such cultures, Tharros is elevated above all others as the one true god; the god that keeps the creations of the other lesser gods in balance and brings order to an otherwise chaotic and uncontrolled system. The church of Tharros occasionally attracts those wishing to hunt down and destroy undead into its ranks as such creatures are viewed as abominations in the eyes of Tharros and his followers. Death was meant to be the end and undeath threatens to unravel everything Tharros has done. Servants The Eyes of Tharros
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