The Ghost:Characters/The Archon of Apostasy

The Archon of Apostasy is a deathlord operating in the Summer Mountains in creation's south east and the surrounding areas. He is a rival of The Bishop of the Chalcedony Turible, The Mask of Winters, and The Eye And Seven Despairs, but is allied with The Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears and the First And Forsaken Lion. Like the bishop his plan to destroy creation is a world spanning death cult, but unlike the bishop is actively pursuing this plan, using his nemmesaries and Deathknights to expand the reach of death cults and ancestor worship through out his sphere of influence.

History

The history of the Archon of Apostasy is a long and winding one, but it breaks down fairly easily into four phases. During the first age he was a solar, then during the shogunate became a death lord and began to build his power from next to nothing, during the second age he began to formulate and set in motion his plans to destroy creation and now that the time of tumult is upon us those plans change and twist as things begin to move ever faster towards the dawning of the third age.

Servants

As with any other Deathlord the Archon has several abyssal servants and many powerful ghosts besides, the most notable and salient are listed below.

The Duke of Pindar

Pindar is a small independent duchy in the summer mountains near the ruins of Shkanzer at the headwaters of the Grey River. The Archon exalted it's lord 2 years ago when he lay at the border of life and death from a case of Yellow Fever. Since then the duke and the death lord have plotted and schemed together against the dutchie's neighbors and the archon has frequently pretended to BE the duke when it served him to do so. Surprisingly Pindar is not covered with shadow lands, at least not yet, but it's official religion has shifted to include a great deal of ancestor worship and there are many very small shadow lands scattered around the area, each one faithfully crafted by the archon's agents.

The Duke is a Daybreak caste Exalt, and true to form is learning much about the black arts. He has already mastered Shadowlands Circle Necromancy and is studding the methods of creating soulsteel artifacts. Unlike many Daybreak Caste Abyssals he favors soulsteel power armor as his attire rather than lighter protections and is an able commander of troops, both mortal and undead.

If the Duke has one flaw as a deathknight it is that he is too attached to his old life, and not without reason. The archon chose him in part for his position and power which he has retained in his new state, being beloved by his people who are not fond of the immaculate order at the best of times. He has suffered from the black miracles of the Neverborn several times and is starting to regret his decision to accept the black exaltation. The Archon has noticed this and is working to find ways to bring him fully back into the fold.

He Who Makes Words Into Swords and Books Into Shields

This man is highly dangerous. A member of the Moonshadow Caste he is an incredible orator and linguist who has the power to twist and shape the minds of others and is part of the Archon's sole complete circle. 'Books', to use his informal title, is one of the Archon's most experienced deathknights, having been only the second of those who serve the archon to be exalted. He is personaly responsible for creating hundreds of small death cults across the region and often is seen on his pale plasimic horse Nimbus riding to work on some such project at the Archon's orders.

Mr. Benjamen Karat Muldoon

New martial arts are discovered all the time, but few are as strange, powerful, and restrictive as Discordant Cacophony Style the deathknight who invented it calls himself Mr. Benjamen Karat Muldoon AKA 'Resonance Ben' AKA 'The Sifu of the Singing Soulsteel Blades'. The Neverborn are most displeased with him and his subversion of the effects of Resonance, but he simply smiles and does his katta, secure in the knowledge that the Archon values his first and strongest deathknight too highly to discard his service.

Plans and Operations

Known Alias

Like some other deathlords The Archon of Apostasy goes by a number of titles, reserving his true identity for his most trusted servants and important events. The following is only a list of the KNOWN alias which he continues to use and their associated ongoing projects, he has many many more.

The Black Diamond Jeweler: This is the identity under which the Archon makes deals with the Guild for the providing of rare and exotic supplies from the underworld in exchange for silver Dinar's with which his favored servants can increase his influence in Sijan and other such locations. Among other exotics he trades with the guild are raigeints for alchemy and poison's concocted by his ghostly worshipers which can sicken even ghosts and demons and will kill mortals instantly.

The Flame of Shadow: This identity is an open secret among his servants, the guise in which he walks abroad when traveling to meet with his fellow death lords in person. He is considering discarding this alias as it is becoming too well known. In this identity he feigns to be a simple ghostly peasant, traveling on business, from one point along his rout to another. However, if forced to fight he 'reveals' himself as the legendary hero 'The Flame of Shadow' and fights his would be attackers ruthlessly and to their destruction.