Haagenti

Haagenti is a Lord of the Abyss, whose dominion over material transformations have earned him the epithets Inner Genius, and King of Alchemy. A demon of such advanced age as to have been "old at the beginning of time", he predates all the other Lords of the Abyss except Sith-Mycel, many of whom blame him for the existance of The Firchliss; a charge he would deny.

A chaotic evil diety, the symbol of which is usually a skull fashioned into an alembic. Divine spellcasters inspired by the Inner Genius gain access to the Chaos, Evil, Artifice, and Knowledge domains.

History

Haagenti's origins are shrouded in the mystery of time and the volatility of his native realm, the Abyss. In particular they are thought to have either created or at least deeply embraced the alchemical laws of change during the Vergence, or at the very least intuitively and deeply mastered them. Some attribute the greatest works of Alchemy known to mortal minds to Haagenti's inspiration.

Relationships

All of the Lords of the Abyss war with each other constantly, shifting alliances amongst each other in like manner to how mortals shift their clothes. Haagenti is known to treat with Mestama frequently as their realms of alchemy and herbalism overlap.

Appearance

Haagenti's natural form is an enormous bull, from the shoulders of which burst the eagle-like wings of a gryphon. On Ahren, he usually passes himself off as an alchemist of greatly advanced age, of whatever race is the most germane for the region he finds himself in.

Realm

Haagenti claims rulership of the Abyssal Pivot, a realm of the Abyss. This pivot is often thought to be the center of the Abyss; from here, the firchliss radiates outward. As a result, it is ever-changing, and he makes no effort to stabilize it, instead embracing the change and even influencing it toward his advantage.

Providence

Haagenti is the king of breakthroughs. Those whose worship - and sacrifices - meet his standards can be imbued with the knowledge of a lifetime's work in the field of alchemy in the space of a breath.

Servants

Many species of demon pledge their loyalty to Lords of the Abyss, among whom Abraxas is no exception. While Dretches are, as always, over-represented, he is also popular among Abyssal Oozes, like his cousin, Sith-Mycel.

Church

One can hardly call the followers of Haagenti a church. They are utterly disconnected from one another - very rarely, a corrupted senior alchemist may involve an apprentice or two directly or indirectly in his worship, but more often than not it's junior apprentices who fall to his influence, looking to gain unnaturally quick progress in their profession.

Worshippers

Haagenti can probably claim the greatest number of mortal followers on all Ahren. While his worship is universally illegal throughout the civilized areas of Wisteria, his demands are light enough to be easily handled in clandestine fashion, and his promises are delivered to a largely-trusted class of professionals - Alchemists. While still a rarity amongst even Alchemists, his followers are often in positions trusted enough to make good on their fell promises by moonlight without direct suspicion, at least at first.

Clergy

A rare few of Haagenti's followers walk down the twisted roads of his corrupted alchemical teachings far enough that they come into direct contact with the Inner Genius or (much more often) its abyssal lieutenants, and so form pacts that make them formal members of its clergy. Warlocks are dramatially over-represented in this cohort. While formal pacts are more the realm of devils than demons, Haagenti favors them over the more supplicative relationship of a cleric and diety.

Temples & Shrines

Raising permanent temples to Haagenti is a dangerous game; demon worship is illegal under punishment of imprisonment in the Hearthlands and by death in Bastonia and the Atarlie Empire. It's somewhat more common in the Lordless Lands, especially the core of them and the Great Fen. While no full temple is said to be erected to Haagenti, from time to time small shrines to him are found in glades where certain alchemical reagents are unusually common or in the basements of Alchemists who have fully embraced the King of Alchemy.

Holy Texts

The Lords of the Abyss consider nothing sacred. No word, much less a facsimile of their word, may be used to bind them. Their only teachings are that which they or their lieutenants or priest pass along to the next generation, and their only law is their current demand.