[hider=Tulkas, God of the Deep][b]Name/Titles:[/b] Tulkas Salkur, Father of Abominations, The Drowning Man [b]Sex/Gender:[/b] Male [b]Pantheon/Affiliation:[/b] Deity [b]Patronage:[/b] Deeper parts of the Ocean, Drowning, Monstrosities, Predatory sea creatures, Sailing. [b]Appearance:[/b][img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KzbYCcTBuQU/Tf0JC6B5EgI/AAAAAAAAAbI/r9Xxsd6icp8/s1600/fisherman.jpg[/img] [img]https://takethehand.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/1281049110032.jpg[/img] [i]The Drowning Man:[/i] Though quiet rare for Tulkas to take the time to communicate with Mortals directly, it has happened. During these unlikely events, he is known to usually take a rather deceiving form. The Drowning Man is an elderly fisherman with sparse wispy white hairs that remind the perceptive of seafoam. He has a heavily wrinkled face, with a thin and seemingly frail body. His skin seems to sag from his ancient bones, and he has few teeth. He usually wears the simple linens of the common folk, allowing him to be relatively invisible in a crowd if he wishes. The Drowning Man is subtle and clever, but is also friendly enough to those who show respect to his domain. He is known for having a grand sense of humor, as there are stories he saved the lives of shipwrecked sailors who could make him laugh. [i]Father of Abominations:[/i] When Tulkas is found skulking about ship wrecks at the body of the ocean floor, he is closest to his natural form. He appears to have little solid form, coming closest to simply a writhing mass of mottled grey flesh. It is apparent he has tentacles beyond number, each with their own barbed and poisoned suction cups. He does not possess a centralized face, though there is a ‘primary mouth’ which is eerily similar to the black beak of a squid. He possesses constantly forming and unforming eyes and smaller mouths all over his massive swirling body. One of his most well-known features is the ‘Lighthouse of Lost Souls’. The Lighthouse is actually a gigantic bioluminescent extremity that Tulkas can raise out of the water, usually during the heart of a storm. The light of his membrane can easily be confused for a lighthouse, and many ships have approached it seeking shelter only to be drawn straight into the maw. [b]Parentage:[/b] Tulkas was a Child of Ventu that was much more reclusive and introverted than his siblings. He near immediately found himself at home deep under the waves of the great oceans, and left his domain only for the most serious of events. [b]Centres of Worship/Places of Power:[/b] [i]Illium[/i] – A bustling city-state that has founded itself upon Sunset Bay, the entire economy of the city is based around their uncanny success with fishing in the bay. The city hosts the Temple to Tulkas, the only one of its kind. It is here that the High Anchor trains future generations of worshipers and teaches sermons from the Book of the Deep. [i]Lyos[/i] – A small fishing community nestled by the ocean out in the wild untamed lands, The Drowning Man is said to take special notice of the small community, calling it his ‘special fishing spot’. Though small and poor, they are zealous in their commitment to him. [i]Icuson Bay[/i] – A beautiful and idyllic crescent bay that the residents of Lyos have settled themselves at. It is said to be the original spot that Tulkas fell from the Heavens at, and is considered a Holy location to the locals. It is well known that at least one of Tulkas’s children is near the place at all times. [i]The Grey Ghost[/i] – A group of mere husks of men who served the God of the Deep faithfully in life. Though their soul is gone, their bodies still yet serve to seek out Lech and end him once and for all. This is useful in that Lech grows stronger absorbing souls. [b]Servants, Prominent Followers and Worship Base:[/b] [hider=High Anchor Ishmael] – The ruling figurehead of the Drowned Man’s religion at the Temple to Tulkas at Illium, he himself is nearly a hundred years old. Because of this, he has on occasion earned himself the nickname of Drowned Man. It is said that he is one of only two living persons to have communed with the Drowned Man directly, and even then it was only to write down the words that Tulkas told him, in order to create the Book of the Deep. [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c6/f8/00/c6f800c085cd61c55b1d2caed0b4bc9c.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Captain Ulysses] – A fat and pompous man from further inland who came to Illium only a decade ago. He was a famous merchant, and quickly monopolized the ideal conditions of Sunset Bay to accumulate vast wealth. Eventually, he ended up becoming Captain of Illium, a term in equivalence to King. Now Ulysses must try and appease the religious masses as well as the High Anchor and still turn a profit. [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a2/90/b3/a290b3268a365e169eb01bc956e0df01.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Anchor Abbot] – The head of the Lyosian fishery temple, he has been a devout follower since he was a boy. He was born and raised in Lyos, and is middle aged now. He discovered Aeto on the beach as a babe, and raised him as his own. Because of this, Abbot is a kind of surrogate father to Aeto, who Tulkas has little to do with. Abbot is said to have rosy red cheeks and a large pot belly, with hair the color of fire.[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d4/eb/bf/d4ebbfccb7f87d0b714d4f6f2fefa46e.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Captain Kernwallis] – An Ex-Anchor and one time pupil to Abbot, Kernwallis was disgraced and exiled from Lyos after it was discovered that his ship sank during a storm, and he did not go down with his vessel, as is custom. The Drowned Man appeared before Captain Kernwallis at Icuson Bay, and cursed him in that he may never die from downing, considered the ultimate honor to their people. The Drowned Man told him the curse would be broken, and he allowed to finally drown and find his rest once his task was complete. He was then placed in command of the Grey Ghost, a haunted ship of the damned who search for Lech. [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/76/ee/f7/76eef7617a5d39cd39d6bbb0075d3523.jpg[/img][/hider] [i]Children of Tulkas[/i] ------- [hider=First Gen: Kyril, The Raging Storm] – A behemoth of a creature with limited intelligence, Kyril has the characteristic fin of a shark, as well as their multiple rows of serrated teeth. He is known for being rash and reckless, and prefers to rush headfirst to smash into vessels at sea. He also has several of the features of a whale, such as the ability to breath air and having a blowhole. [img]https://external-preview.redd.it/SunIt2YK0lEUNvnQn3bdplbFj-mePrPf0DbaAwzB0U0.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=2e2485788c5768d556c4b42a74cb35b2ca5aa586[/img] [/hider] [hider=Second Gen: Aeto, Son of the Sea, Herald of the Deep] – Fraternal twin to Sisina, he is the only of Tulkas’s children that is not only capable of going on land, but lives there. He is a well accomplished seaman and captain, and lives in a small shack just outside of Lyos that the devout sometimes pilgrimage to. He yearns for the approval of his Father, and is very devout. [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/16/1e/55/161e55cba6c4de82b59f3a0d0cfc9927.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Second Gen: Sisina, Mother of Sirens] – Sisina is the fraternal twin to Aeto, and has the lower body of a fish. She is known for her alluring beauty, and way with words. She is known as the Mother of Sirens after her mother, and has lured many men to their death at sea for her own pleasure.[img]https://external-preview.redd.it/wxrnHPS3dxTs9qsMV2a1-uHYI2XwBcd8g6gik1KYasw.jpg?auto=webp&s=3338f5b1002228262b0c239c558a631a21ac358c[/img][/hider] [hider=Third Gen: Chrysos, Slayer of Survivors] – Chrysos is known for keeping mostly to himself at the bottom of the sea. He possesses the multiple legs of a crab, but with the torso of a lobster. He has a single claw from both animals, and is usually found at recent shipwrecks. He enjoys the role of cleaning up survivors and feasting on the corpses of the dead. He is especially apt at destroying lifeboats and dinghies. Because of this, he is usually close behind Kyril. [img]https://w0.peakpx.com/wallpaper/1015/290/HD-wallpaper-giant-crab-art-giant-luminos-crab-sea-boat-vara-water-fantasy-ship-summer-pink-creature-blue-timur-dairbayev.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Third Gen: Lech, The Great Parasite] - A grossly over sized leech that is capable of eating a man whole or sucking an elephant dry in under a minute, it is a cowardly and envious creature. It possesses little intelligence, and is usually concerned more with finding its next host. Lech is surprisingly quick in the water for its size. Despite having several scars across its bloated frame, Lech has survived for a very long time despite being universally hated by both its father and siblings. [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/11/9e/eb119edf549de5c975d41e564f1ddf61.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Fourth Gen: Nalus & Nemus, Twin Snakes of the Sea] – Twin sea serpents that are capable of extremely intense bursts of electricity through the water, they are the youngest and most naïve of the Children of Tulkas. They are usually charged with protecting those who would do damage to the sea, or those who worship it. They have a fairly close relationship with Aeto, who they occasionally let ride them.[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/52/8b/71528bf0139226245771e358e3f316dd.jpg[/img][/hider] [b]Psychology:[/b] Tulkas has always shunned the limelight, and this is part of why he became God of the Depths, as few ever disturbed him. He is sadistic and manipulative, having zero empathy for those he deems unworthy. He is a vengeful and prideful god, and it is commonly known that shipwrecks and disaster at sea happen only because those aboard had not pleased Tulkas sufficiently. Though Tulkas is a rather cold and uncaring deity, one of the few things he does actually care for is the state of his domain. Because of this, poachers and polluters of the sea find him a constant threat. He always yearned for the approval and acceptance of his father Ventu, by birthing many children. But Ventu found them horrid and disgusting. He has since felt a stinging jealousy of the love that Sileon received from Ventu, and an envy of Aroesus once he overthrew Ventu and became Chief among the Gods. Tulkas’s disdain for Aroesus grew into outright seething hatred once Aroesus killed Svanus, his only friend. Once the God of the Deep’s vengeance was complete with the assassination, he was sickened by the bickering that the power vacuum brought. [b]History:[/b] Tulkas was one of many Children of Ventu back during the time of original creation. His birth marked an explosion of stars across the nebula that sent a wave of force across the universe that still echoes in some distant part of space to this very day. He fell from the Heavens and plunged deep into the murky abyss of the primordial oceans. It was here he would make his home and grow in strength and power for millennia. It was during this time that he took the mighty beasts the shark and squid and married them together, creating his first child named Kyril. Tulkas would socialize little with his siblings, finding them uninteresting and unworthy of his time. The only exception to Tulkas’s relative isolationism was his brother Svanus. These two grew in friendship and brotherhood for some time, and when Ventu threatened to destroy the world, it was only Svanus that was able to convince Tulkas to rise from his depths to fight. When at first they were defeated by the strength of Ventu, Tulkas was among the Gods that were imprisoned within Sharzunates. It was while he was in chains with his siblings in that dark place that he would for the first time; get to know his fellow Gods. He would never forget his time spent in exile in that forsaken land, and when Sileon freed them from their chains, he secretly felt ashamed that he needed rescuing, and he hated Sileon for saving them and being all that Tulkas was not. After the fall of Ventu, Tulkas argued that Aroesus was not fit to lead them. Unfortunately due to his reclusive nature, he had few friends and allies to back up his stance. In the end, it was Svanus once more who convinced Tulkas to begrudgingly bend the knee. Relative peace would soon follow, but it would not last. During the time that Aroesus ruled as King of the Gods and the prophecy had not yet come to be told that he would be assassinated, Tulkas found a beautiful and sadistic lass named Siren in the small fishing village of Lyos. He took the lass as his wife, and the mortal woman died giving him fraternal twins. He would have a half fish daughter named Sisina, who would go on to become the Mother of Sirens, after her mother. He would also receive a complete human son named Aetos. Aroesus eventually struck down Svanus in a fit of rage over Aroesus’s domineering control over the world. Svanus had been the only friend of Tulkas, and only advocate of Aroesus to Tulkas as well. His death marked a sharp change in Tulkas, who near immediately began conspiring to overthrow the tyrant god and avenge his only fallen friend. In preparation for what he assumed would be war with Aroesus, he married the lobster and crab together as his fourth, naming it Chrysos. Yet when Tulkas went to examine his newly born fourth child, he discovered upon the baby Chrysos a unexpected result. A leech the size of a small ship was attached to Chrysos, and suckled his strength away. Tulkas quickly discovered the leech could not be removed without either killing the host, or offering a new host in return. The God of the Deep, in a strange act of benevolence, placed the Leech upon himself to free Chrysos and allow him to live. This leech would go on to become his fifth child, and be named Lech. It was a weak and cowardly creature that survived purely on jealousy and fear. Once Lech had grown large enough to support itself, at least temporarily, it fled into the vastness of the sea. Because of Tulkas’s secretive and reserved nature, Aroesus did not know enough about his brother to suspect him of his treason. This allowed Tulkas to continue to live on Lake Miphas, though primarily as a silent ghost. When the time came to strike Aroesus down, Tulkas aided without hesitation. After Svanus was avenged, Tulkas witnessed the surviving gods quickly turn on each other to vie for the empty throne. He had never cared for the other deities, and especially didn’t care to rule over them. He considered the death of Aroesus to be the end of his need to interfere with the affairs of the others, and has since returned to lording over his waters. Recently the people of Lyos spotted him apparently reaching up and pulling down twin bolts of lightning from the sky itself, before materializing them into his most recent creations. They are apparent electric sea serpents named Nalus and Nemus, are charged with protecting areas Tulkas deems worthy. [b]Relationships:[/b] [i]Kyril[/i] – As the firstborn of Tulkas and being a force of great destruction and power, Kyril is definitely one of his more favored children. While Kyril is admittedly too unintelligent to ever take Tulkas’s place as heir, he serves a strong purpose as the Wrath of the Ocean. [i]Sisina[/i] – Born from his dying wife, Sisina takes after her father in that she is incredibly manipulative and sadistic. Though he disapproves of her more human upper half, he tolerates it only because of its use in drawing foolish sailors to their death. In his eyes, those killed by her are only those deserving it. [i]Aeto[/i] – One of the few true abominations Tulkas has ever truly created, he abhors the lungs and legs of Aeto. Though he found his son to be monstrous upon birth, he found he did not have it in him to kill any of his spawn, and left it on the beach to its fate. Aeto survived, and wishes desperately for his father’s approval. [i]Chrysos[/i] – Tulkas suffers a fairly shallow relationship with Chrysos, due to both of their reclusive natures. Because of this, Chrysos is fairly neutral in his father’s eyes, as little has happened to shape his opinion further. He created Chrysos as a mop up tool, and that’s what he is. [i]Lech[/i] – The only other abomination that Tulkas believes he has ever created, he despises the parasitical animal. He suffers the same problem he did with Aeto, in that he cannot find it in him to kill the beast. Because of this, he has sent a devout by the name of Captain Kernwallis to kill it for him. Lech absorbs both body and soul of those he kills, and does so indiscriminately. [i]Nalus & Nemus[/i] – The youngest of all his creations, he believes the twins to be steadfast defenders of his domain. He loves them for their unique electric abilities, but disapproves of their friendship with Aeto. [/hider]