Nar'cee

The Fervid Hunter

Slithering down from the rafters, the lone viper moves noiselessly towards the bed of the sleeping man. He's found cold and dead that morning, with barley a mark left to identify cause of death. A village choked by disease slowly disappears off the map as it's inhabitants die one by one. Women, children, men, everyone succumbs to the sickening silence of death. The body of a young soldier sits against a tree. Left for dead by his comrades but too weak to cry out, the young boy dies slowly, flies buzzing around his already rotting flesh as he can do nothing but watch as ghouls feast on the remains of other soldiers left behind. Days later he's found, unrecognizable and decayed. No more eyes to see the faces of the ones he loved, no more mouth to sing merry songs with on cold winters nights, and no more skin to feel the warm summer breezes with...   Nar'cee, The Fervent Hunter, from the Pantheon of the Low Gods is a powerful and ruthless being. She prides herself on being an excellent assassin and hunter. And it was her influence that would lead to the twisting of many beasts and folk into the serpentine monsters of Aeris. Unlike some of her other Low God counterparts, Nar'cee promises no lofty power, or riches. She simply promises death. Nar'cee was born alongside the other Low Gods from the nightmares of the High God Odeus. When the Clash of the Gods began Nar'cee instantly zeroed in on Fel-Cathar, Goddess of hunting. The two engaged in a violent epic battle, with both taking and giving blows in equal measure. The fight left both wanting a rematch, bitter rivals to this day.  

Appearance & Interpretations

Appearing in her avatar form as a giant snake with a more humanoid torso and cobra head. She's depicted as wielding a spiked chain. She is also known for appearing as all manner of snakes big and small. Even manifesting into the form of a Hydra in some cases. Some tales tell of Nar'cee appearing as a beautiful seductress or sweet old lady.

Worship

Worship of Nar'cee is not easy, or painless. Temples to Nar'cee are often hidden away from peering eyes. Deep in caves, or sewers. Within these temples many twisted rites and rituals are performed; both on followers (called "Chosen of Nar'cee") themselves and on innocents. Innocents are often sacrificed as offerings to Nar'cee, their organs sometimes removed and consumed. Upon themselves, the priests often go through the most physical and mental transformation to prove their loyalty. They slowly alter their bodies to become more serpentine, and train their minds to block out more mammalian emotions. They become cold blooded, and begin to grow scales from their skin. Soon no matter their race, they become mor and more snake-like, more like their mistress. Many advancements in alchemical solutions for better venoms and poisons have come from the minds of Nar'cee's chosen. The longer one worships Nar'cee, the more under her sway one often becomes. The slope is slippery, and it goes all the way down. Nar'cee's followers would also scar and mark their bodies during these rituals, as well as slowly intake poisons and disease in order to grow a resistance.

Symbology

Nar'cee's holy symbol is a green twisted snake on a black and brown background. Snakes of all kinds represent her, and the shorthand for her symbol is simply two fangs with drops falling from them.

Holy Texts

The Way of the Serpent is the holy book of Nar'cee and her followers. In it is tales of assassinations, slaughters of villages by manufactured and released disease, as well as her general tenets. Each follower in possession of their own holy book personalizes it with their own list of desired kills. Through faith to her, Nar'cee leads her followers further down her path using these lists as lessons, till their morality and relationships are all left ruined, and they only have her.

Holidays

In the ides of every month, The Bindings are performed. This holy day is a ritual of either sacrifice or transformation, and even both if Nar'cee's faithful are lucky.

Tenets of Faith

  • Respect death's power
  • Let pain be pleasure
  • If people think themselves untouchable, let poison and disease remind them of their mortality

Divine Domains

Disease, poison, decay
  • The Fervid Hunter
  • The Venom Queen
  • The Plague Mother
Divine Classification
God
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Children