Fiction:The Firmament/Keer'graz

"Death is inevitable. But why stop there? Why must we be punished by the concept of mortality when an eternal existence is offered? The walking dead endure; they do not have to worry about paltry things like hunger or sleep. They are free to enjoy the Firmament for all eternity."

- Disciple of the Dead Father

Keer'graz is the god of undeath, souls, chaos and shadow, who serves as the patron deity of the undead and is widely believed to be responsible for their existence.

Appearance
Keer'graz is a monstrous, wizard-like humanoid shrouded by a tattered robe which partially obscures his body, which is rotten and putrid. A layer of flayed skin barely manages to hide his flesh and bone, and his eyes are a pair of tiny, green-coloured luminous orbs. A pair of curved horns grow from the sides of his skull; the left one was broken following a battle with Aldirei, leaving it cracked. A brilliant gemstone is held within his ribcage, said to be his phylactery.

History
Necromantic scholars believe in two main theories regarding Keer'graz's origin; the first is that he was a soul reaped by Dominus Mortis who wandered the Underworld until he happened to find knowledge he was not meant to - a way for a dead soul to return to life -, which transformed him into the first undead. The other theory says Keer'graz was a Primordial wizard who, consumed by a fear of death, invented necromancy and became Telamon's first lich, ascending to godhood in the process. Keer'graz humours himself by telling his followers both theories are true.

There is evidence found in Primordial ruins that Keer'graz was involved in the Great Gap as one of the gods who fought Varagarash Narahil, leading to his eventually imprisonment at the Abyssal End. Unlike most deities involved, however, these tales claim Keer'graz, identified as a great robed corpse, indiscriminately slaughtered both sides, taking glee in the destruction that ensued until he was warded away by the gods of good.

Realm
Keer'graz's personal abode is the Necrodark, located in the Underworld. An immense city shrouded by darkness, it is inhabited by all sorts of undead, who praise the Lich King in their eternal unlife while battling constant invasions from psychopomps seeking to destroy it. While once beyond their presence, the spread of undeath across the Firmament caused the Necrodark to grow into a fortified realm powerful enough that not even Dominus Mortis has the power to remove anymore.

Personality
Keer'graz delights in chaos and destruction. He believes mortality is a misguided and flawed concept, and that undeath is the only true existence, for it is eternal; any disadvantage it may bring is a design flaw on the part of Aether herself. He enjoys interacting with mortals often, offering them undeath in exchange for power and immortality, and he is always looking for means to spread undeath across the cosmos and defeat the gods of good who would see it all purged.

Relationships

 * Allies
 * Analuhati - The Dead Father collaborates well with the Father of Vampires, for they are both patrons of the undead.


 * Ambivalent
 * Aether - Keer'graz believes Aether is a force to be studied, even though he believes she did wrong by creating life.


 * Enemies
 * Aldirei - Aldirei is the goddess of righteous order, and directly opposes Keer'graz and the undead at every chance.
 * Dominus Mortis - The Dead Father is the arch-enemy of the Grim Reaper, and the two fight over control of the souls of the deceased.
 * Psychopomp gravekeepers - The gravekeepers are the Dead Father's most constant foes in the Underworld, seeking to eradicate his undead from the realm.
 * Varagarash Narahil - Keer'graz is directly opposed by the Wormd Worm, who has no qualms with enslaving the undead anymore than he does with the living.

Cult of Keer'graz
Keer'graz is the patron of the undead, with many of their more intelligent kind dedicating their existence to him. He is also seen as the patron of the arts of necromancy, for it is believed he invented the craft and all spells associated with it. Necromantic cults often devote themselves to the Dead Father, with them being most common in the undead-ridden land of Duskwood, where the local vampires revel in raising the dead and encourage the presence of necromancers. Keer'graz's followers are seen as criminals and terrorists by virtually all other faiths and are generally attacked as soon as they are identified.