Asceal
Sphere of God:
Asceal’s Sphere is known as the Lustrous Garden and can be seen from Galbar as a vast comet that illuminates the night sky and leaves a bright trail that lingers even in the day. The Garden is home to a labyrinthine network of pathways and staircases suspended by and navigating an immense forest of interwoven scintillating white vines. Erupting from crystalline ground and weaving themselves into great luminous trunks that stretch out in open defiance of gravity to reach into and sway in the celestial wind, the vines bathe Asceal’s realm in an omnipresent yet comfortable glow. There are no pathways that lead to the surface of the comet, and the network of walkways and platforms supported by the vines above and below is all but unnavigable. Or rather, unnavigable without the favour of Asceal.
There is little sense to it, but those in the Lustrous Garden who enjoy Asceal’s blessing or invitation are always able to find their way, no matter what turns they take. Those who can navigate the Garden will almost inevitably find themselves in one of the floating palaces of the Goddess of Light. Thousands of castles, all suspended by the vines that erupt from so far below, and made of brilliant crystal dot Asceals realm. Which one she may be found in is never certain, but for those she approves of they are refuges in her brilliant but often unaccommodating realm regardless; every castle is seemingly replete with all the comforts and luxuries one could imagine. Food, art, and even entertainment in the form of Asceals servants, the Luminous Ones, are all present in abundance.
Location of Sphere:
The Lustrous Garden is a celestial Sphere, near enough to Galbar for hints of its brilliance to be seen in the sky, but distant enough it appears simply as a great comet.
Portfolio:
Light. Asceal is Goddess of that which banishes the darkness and nourishes life. She does not always control where light emerges from, nor what feeds upon it, but the flow of light from one to the other is where Asceal may exercise her power over creation. She may weaken, strengthen, or redirect the light that flows through the world and even create new, pure light. That light which she wills into existence, illumination without source, is a powerful thing, able to bring day to night and flow around all impediments. Those rare few she blesses with the ability to summon it are known to be able to sear flesh and blind the unwary in anger or banish even living darkness in joy.
Persona:
Asceal is, in absolute terms, a good God. Her primordial spirit answered the Architect's call and came to this universe out of a genuine desire to aid in its creation, and that willingness to lend a helping hand persists. Asceal is driven by an intense compassion towards all thinking beings, great and small. It is a trait that often puts her at odds with her peers, many of whom regard mortals as little more than pawns or playthings. When it comes to it, and given the temperament of deities in general it often does, she is rarely the first to anger in an argument. However, even her forbearance is not unlimited, and the fury of the Goddess of Light can be a frightening thing.
When Asceal regards a god or mortal to have crossed the line of no return she is uncompromising. As she might say, there is always room for mercy, but sometimes the greatest mercy is to spare the universe from the existence of something or someone truly evil. Asceal is more forgiving than most, but as a steadfast believer in the absolute nature of good and evil her actions can be radical if she feels they are are justified. That is not to say that she does not believe that there can be redemption, even for the wicked, but rather she understands that it is safer to cut out a cancer than let it fester in the hope it may be healed in time.
As consequence of Asceal's intractable principles she is often the first to condemn the actions of her peers, whether they be minor transgressions or unforgivable offences. There is, however, an exception to every rule. Upon her very entrance into this universe Asceal was left awestruck upon witnessing the magnitude of the Architect's creation, and even now she regards the first god as a being of unfathomable skill and wisdom. The Architect's edicts, even ones she might be deeply uncomfortable with, she almost always obeys to the letter. After all, what could she possibly know about the plans of the very designer of reality? She trusts in the ultimate good of the Architect's plan, even when the ancient beings orders test her principles or, more often, the limits of common sense.
Ironically this has resulted in the Asceal, a god who cares deeply for the plight of gods and mortals alike, being one of the foremost supporters of a being of known indifference towards mortals and their petty existences. Asceal excuses the Architect's apathy towards lesser beings as nothing more than a greater being delegating responsibility. How could the planner of the universe itself manage everything alone? It only makes sense the Architect will manage other things and leave the welfare of mortals to the other gods. At least, it does in Asceal's mind.
All that said, as before for all Asceal is loyal and trusting even she has limits. She will obey the Architect so long as she sees the potential for some greater good in the beings plans, and she will give the originator of the universe the benefit of the doubt for longer than she’d consider for any other god or mortal, but morality is not flexible. Should the Architect ever fall to true evil, she would be among the first to rise against it.
That might well be a theme in Asceal’s actions. So long as a mortal, or a god, works towards the betterment of the universe and the lot of its denizens she will gladly aid them, but the moment she sees that has changed her retribution for what she perceives as betrayal will be swift. Asceal is always willing to trust, and will often overlook minor transgressions, but she is not a fool.
Of course, not even a god can be perennially occupied with matters of good and evil. For all Asceal is a compassionate deity and cares for the poor and unfortunate, she does not wish to imitate them. Among all the gods she is least known for her austerity or humility. When not concerning herself with the struggles of mortals or the politics of gods she can often be found crafting crystalline palaces in the Lustrous Garden. Rarely does she inhabit her creations for overlong, instead abandoning them as soon as they grow to bore her. Still, she takes care to ensure all of her constructions are stocked with the finest luxuries the universe has to offer, lest a traveller be put out upon visiting her Sphere.
When a fellow god does take the time to visit Asceal is usually an accommodating host, so long as her guests are those she cares to speak with. Generally speaking Asceal is best described as affably patient, taking the time to hear out her peers and think on their words before hazarding a reply. While she may not be a notorious conversationalist Asceal is glad to converse with her fellows, or at least the ones worth conversing with. Some gods are content with isolation, and Asceal is not one of them. If she grows tired of crafting her palaces or weary from the worries of the mortal world it is not unheard of for her to seek out the company of other gods for the simple sake of socialization.
Appearance/Form:
Asceal is the Goddess of Light, so it should be no surprise that her form is one of light. She appears as a glowing white apparition of a humanoid woman when in the presence of other gods or those she knows implicitly, and, by manipulating the intensity of the light she radiates, as a blinding beacon of pure illumination among those she means to awe or cow.
While not modulating the brightness of her form she presents as a tall woman with long hair, but the vague outline of her glowing figure makes further determinations essentially impossible.
Musical Theme:
entropic entropic
