Darux, God of Death

Darux, the inevitable all-consuming darkness, stands at the end of every path—Mortal, Immortal, or even Divine. An ever-present force, he looms over life itself, an unshakable certainty that none can escape. After agreeing to act as an enforcer of the Divine Parley, he chose the Greed level of Exile as the eternal throne he would wait upon. To all who live, Darux is the fate that awaits them, but the only solace extraplanar beings find is his apparent disinterest in expanding his dominion any further.   Just as death is vast and unknowable, so too are Darux and his followers. Unlike other Gods, he does not seek to guide, shape, or control his devotees—his victory is assured by the slow, patient march of time itself. As a result, Daruxian theology is among the most diverse and disorganized, ranging from those who seek to hasten the Auroraverse’s demise to the more common belief that their duty is merely to help the dead pass on. Despite their lack of unity, no one can deny that Darux and his followers hold as much influence as that which they represent.

Origin

Darux, one of the first Titled Gods, was born from Lumair's shadow, for whether it wishes to or not, it is light that gives birth to the idea of darkness. From the moment of his creation, Lumair rejected what he saw as his impurity, leaving him, claiming Mount Celestia as his domain and banishing Darux to the Underworld. With no greater ambition or desires, Darux existed solely to ensure that souls remained in the afterlife, a passive force.   In the beginning, Darux was weaker than Darux, but with each passing age, his strength grew exponentially as both the living and the dead came to revere him. Worship, remembrance, and the sheer passage of time elevated him beyond the level of his once superior brother. Despite this strength, it wasn’t until Shuzi whispered the first seed of greed into Darux that the God actually sought anything beyond enforcing the laws of death. The greed he began to gain culminated in the formation of the Lower Pantheon and a long and terrible war with his brother Lumair.   However, at the end of his conquest, as he stood in the shattered remains of the planet he and his brother destroyed, Darux reached a profound realization—there was no need to fight, no need to chase or strive, no need to try. Regardless of how much or little work Darux put in, the ending of the story was already decided. He then worked with his brother to form the Divine Parley, knowing it would prevent him from having to do any unnecessary work. When all was said and done, he decided to rest within the Greed level of Exile, where he’d spend the rest of his time counting coin.

Followers and Church

Typical Alignment: Extremely Varying

Followers: Unlike most Gods, who actively cultivate their worshippers to expand their influence, Darux has no such need. Worship flows to him from every being impacted by death, that is to say, them all. As such, he neither seeks to spread his name nor intervenes in mortal affairs unless it amuses him. Church: Churchs to Darux come in two forms, funeral homes where the grieving can say a last goodbye or even commune with the dead, or messed up death cults.

Champions

Just like their God, champions of Darux are strong simply by existing, and Darux will often choose his champions on a whim. This means their beliefs and actions often don’t reflect their God's actual desires but what the champion thinks Darux wants.

Tenants

Death is Inevitable: Embrace the inevitability of death, recognize it as a natural conclusion to every journey, and rather than fighting it, prepare for it.

Patience: Aspire to gain whatever it is you desire through patience, not aggressiveness. The fool rushes when they don’t need to, the wise only take action as needed.

Possessiveness: What is yours is yours; there is no greater crime than to steal and no greater offense than to allow what’s yours to be stolen.

Relationships

Darux doesn’t particularly care about any of the Gods save Beimos and Geryu, whom he considers friends. Otherwise, he’s impartial to the other Gods and as long as they don’t bother him, he won’t take any action towards them.

• Lumair: Darux has little care for his brother as long as he continues to play his part in the Divine Parley, and while Darux has no fear of Lumair, he also knows that one day his brother will attempt to steal what’s his.
• Shuzi: Darux holds a particular disdain for Shuzi, who managed to escape his domain through an irregular method, though he was also the one who taught Darux greed so he does hold a measure of influence in Darux’s decisions.
• Glamara: Glamara is Darux’s adopted mother, and as such, he shows her respect, so much that he even allows her to remain within the Underworld.
• Carcon and Berilor: In the past, the two attempted to drag their war into the afterlife Bakdeos despite the agreement that no God would squabble within them, hoping to involve the young Gods of Bakdeos to claim an advantage over the other. While Darux quickly punished the two, he still holds a grudge against them for forcing him to intervene.