Drevan

The ever so illustrious lord of debauchery, deals, and hedonism, Drevan is among the weaker Ventara but takes great pleasure in their interactions with mortals. Their primary goals are quite simple, to break every rule, to partake in every societal taboo, and trick as many mortals as divinely possible.   Drevan values spontaneity, excess, and trickery. They actively seek to be the life of the party, the center of everyone's desire, and to broker deals that only Drevan truly benefits from.   Drevan is one of the few Ventara that presents themself as either male or female. Despite this there are few characteristics that persist across cultures and appearances, their charm, charisma, and infatuating aura. It is said they can entice anyone in but a moment and strike a deal they will, ultimately, regret. An interesting aspect of Drevan is they do not enjoy inflicting pain on those that participate in their more carnal activities but do not mind punishing those that agree to arranged agreements.   Religion and Culture   Given Drevan's proclivity for shifting their appearance cultures across Iskara have slight differences in their perceptions of them.   To the Sareni Drevan retains their name and presents themself as male. He represents taboos, hedonism, and broken deals. Many tales speak of how nobles brokered deals with Drevan to advance their position but come to quickly regret making such an agreement, ending up as either a lowly peasant or their soul condemn for an eternity. While of course outlawed, there are rumors of the wealthier and more influential members of Sareni society indulging in orgies, feasts, and secret gladiatorial rings.   Among the Arikiri clans Drevan is known as The Reveler and presents as either male or female. To the Camurai Drevan is seen more in a neutral light, they seek to find balance between celebration and excess. The Camurai endure many hardships and it is because of these hard times that they must enjoy the finer things when the opportunity is viable but to not hinder the strength of their clan. The Kyr'tol however, believe Drevan to be a lowly and petty god. The Kyr'tol have grown to value order, structure, and discipline and believe Drevan to disrupt these core values. Drevan has a particular interest in tempting the Kyr'tol, especially high ranking officials, into acts shunned by the vast majority of the clan.   In Avar culture Drevan retains their name and presents as either male or female. While most cultures generally view Drevan negatively, the Avar on occasion worship or in the very least participate in practices that Drevan finds enticing. It isn't uncommon for Avar clans that are allied to meet to celebrate, feast, compete, and "diversify the blood". Outside of such events Drevan is paid little mind by most Avar.   Known as Druptga, the Wronged-Tongued One, among the Ankari cultures, Drevan presents themself as male. To the Isagani Drevan is a minor evil deity that represents hedonism, broken oaths, and taboos. The Isagani are not a people of excess and prefer a more mundane lifestyle, as such Drevan is an antithesis to the values of the Isagani and they prefer to simply ignore them, which is a great insult to Drevan. To the Orans Drevan is seen as challenge to outwit, especially among the merchant princes. The Orans value amassing great fortunes and what better to do so than by dealing with the devil. Drevan's deals are often believed to be a temporary win and an eternal loss but the Orans know better. If one is wise and clever enough they can strike a deal in which they suffer no loss, in such cases Drevan holds no ill will towards them because they managed to outmaneuver a god. To do so is a great honor among the nobility and if a commoner achieves such a feat they quickly ascend the hierarchy. To the Dakarans Drevan is little more than a trickster god who tempts the weak minded with their silver tongue. Some Dakarans even believe the ancient Swordsingers were granted their powers centuries ago by Drevan in a bid to gain more influence.   Devadar, the Colored Deal, is the Osteron interpretation of Drevan and they typically depict themselves as female. In Osteron culture creativity and ingenuity are core pillars in their society. It is believed that those who succumb to the pressures to match the demand their society places seek Drevan. In their desperation they strike a deal to gain a new font of ideas for any number of reasons, from influence to status. They soon quickly realize the price they must pay far outweighs whatever boon they may have received. When it comes to their aspects of hedonism and debauchery the Osteron are a bit more accepting. Given their rather imaginative and expressive natures, it isn't uncommon for individuals to partake in activities that other cultures may view as hedonistic.   To the Sarkosh he is Dozanek, the Trickster Scaled Drake. In their culture Drevan is believed to be a mischievous deity who seeks to tempt the Draca'regem, the Dragon Lords, into his self-indulgent behaviors. As most of the Sarkosh are aromantic the idea of partaking in the activities Drevan indulges in is at worst taboo and at best stigmatized.   In Maduran culture balance is paramount and maintaining it is everyday effort. Their interpretation of Drevan is Dakune and typically manifests as male. Given their pursuit of balance many Madurans refrain from such depraved and self-indulgent activities, making them prime targets for Drevan's temptations. To Madurans participating in the aspects of Drevan is to shift the balance of one's soul, corrupting it to a point of no return.   Worship   As one might expect the followers of Drevan seek to indulge in every carnal desire the mortal body and soul is capable of. They consume an exorbitant amount of alcohol, hallucinogens, drugs, and they partake in mass orgies. It is said that Drevan themself will join in on the festivities, elevating any gathering to a divine level of decadence.   Unlike most of the Ventara cults, those serving Drevan lack real structural organization. Typically such cults travel Iskara tempting anyone of interest, inviting them to lose themselves in the primal desires. The one recognized role within these organizations are the Revelers, those "blessed" by Drevan to spread their influence and entice those who would otherwise not act on such impulses.   Artifacts   The Trickster's Charm   The Trickster's Charm is the most notable of Drevan's artifacts and is an intricately detailed staff. The staff is enchanted to pull the focus of other's towards the wielder and forcing them to act on their suppressed impulses. Of course Drevan favors those who would use such a tool to twist those that are devout to the Isran of old or more socially conservative or chaste. It is believed that those with extraordinary willpower are able to resist such compulsions but very little evidence supports such claims.   The Deceiver's Blade   A rather obscure and rare artifact, the Deceiver's Blade makes use of strong illusion magics to trick the wielder's opponents into perceiving the weapon as any number of weapons. In this way the opponent may adopt a fighting style to combat a weapon that doesn't exist, they may adjust for a massive strike from a hammer when in fact a swift cunning strike from a blade is what will ultimately end them. The weapon is also able to change its structure into a weapon best suited to its wielder, demonstrating a strange awareness of not only its user but its surroundings.   Realm   The Sybar Palaces   Of all the realms in the Void none are as paradisiacal as that of the Sybar Palaces. The realm is divided into three distinct rings, the Rapacious Jungles, the Alluring Bliss, and finally, the Sybar Palaces themselves.   The Jungles are home to the most aggressive Isventyr in the realm and serves to ward off those unworthy of the Palaces. Within the Jungles lies the Blink Beasts, feline-like creatures capable of short-range teleportation. This combined with their demonically sharp claws allows the Blink Beasts to swiftly shred an opponent unfortunate enough to come across one. Typically these creatures stalk the thick jungles alone but when an opponent of considerable strength is sensed the predators are willing to share the spoils of a quick kill. Despite their ruthless efficiency these creatures are often described as beguiling, their fur painted like the midnight sky. Past the Jungles lies the Alluring Bliss, a meadow of stunning fauna that blankets the horizon. It is said that a calming aura permeates the meadow and the scent of honey and vanilla dances with the breeze. While one may expect this to be a verdant paradise, many have fallen victim to the Bliss, trapped in an unending state of elated intoxication. For those that survive the beasts of the Jungles and resist the temptations of the Bliss, the grand Palaces await. The Sybar Palaces are elaborate and awe inspiring structures, built with one goal in mind, pleasure. Every one of the near infinite rooms present are dedicated to the desires of the mind, body, and some even say the soul. It is believed that one could remain in the Palaces for centuries and never experience all it has to offer but none have ever done so. An unknown fact is Drevan drains the very essence of those who enter the Palaces, empowering themself.   Servants   Aside from the fiercely loyal Blink Beasts, only one other Isventyr race serves Drevan's whims, the Enticers. The Enticers are an interesting species given their ability to shapeshift. They are extremely entuned with not only their emotions but those of others as well. They can perceive the deepest desires one may hold and transform their bodies to match it, fulfilling any desire no matter how depraved. When not in a transformed state the Enticers are described as tall and pale humanoids, that lack any hair or mouths. Their most striking feature is their light purple eyes that enthrall those that stare to deeply into the amethyst void. Their movements are described as melancholy but deliberate and eerily graceful, as if striding across water.