Duality /
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The Elemental
Traits
Species: Ze'zhunath
It calls itself Azebet although it has been known by other names in other lifetimes. It is Ze'zhunath, the soul of an ancient elemental born at the moment of Creation. Strongly preferring female identities, she currently manifests in the body of one who used to be known as Wilde FyreKitten where she has resided since the day the host was born. Although she is learning to accept Wilde's existence and contributions to her personality, the 'demon' is undeniably the one now in control.
Elemental Affinity: Fire
Azebet grants her host complete immunity to, as well as a propensity towards, any form of extreme heat and fire. Physical contact reveals an obviously higher than normal body temperature of around 106F/41C. This elemental affinity also makes her host highly effective against infection since she is essentially running a constant high fever, and if she does become injured she heals fast. Although she may initially bleed more than normal, coagulation is not affected once the blood is in contact with air.
Diet: Carnivorous
The Goddess is demanding about her high protein dietary preferences and has personal butchers on staff to prepare her meals to her exacting standards. Most of her diet is fresh or aged raw meats and organs, sometimes lightly seared and dipped in salt and vinegar, sometimes nigh on still pulsing with life and dripping blood. She has an absolute fondness for goat's milk and will drink it whenever it's on offer. Cheese is also happily consumed. It's not that the host cannot eat other things, these are the strong preferences of Azebet herself.
Aversions: Ice, Toxins, Diseases, Injury
Azebet instinctively has strong aversions to ice, toxins, diseases, and physical injury, for although these are all things which can be tolerated and dealt with, they irritate her and take a toll. This is the biggest reason her vices are mainly sadistic and sexual rather than chemical-based. She will still tolerate cigarette or cigar smoking, and even occasionally partake in alcohol and drugs as well as using these vices in others to her own advantage, but they are not preferences. She also avoids fights unless she's confident of winning.
Alignment: Neutral Evil
As an entity she is a hedonist and only cares about convention so far as she can use it to influence others for her own amusement. She sees mortals as nothing more than inferior creatures she can observe, manipulate, play with, feed to each other, or consume for herself. If she finds a mortal uninteresting there is about an equal chance of her ignoring them or destroying them. Xor'Athalos has been teaching her how to play the game of ruling mortals within socially accepted boundaries in her present world.
Children: None
Azebet loves being female but has no predisposition towards motherhood. Children are weaklings and therefore reprehensible to her. The only notable exceptions would be her Falworth 'brothers' and 'sisters' who have enough of their father in them that she finds them rather adorable. She also has a particular weakness towards young ferals.
Abilities
Pyrokinesis
Azebet can directly control heat and flame when it already exists, shaping it and sending it in any direction she wills. She is very skilled at this and the action requires little concentration on her part, but sometimes a distraction will cause her to accidentally banish or absorb the flame into herself instead.
Flame Conjuration: A Burdensome Limitation
Azebet can produce flame by manipulation of thermal energy, and she has a ready source of this constantly gathering within her own body and threatening to spill out. Her control of this inner reserve is limited to keeping it in check at all times as it's largely an all-or-nothing power and she hasn't yet learned to contain the moment of unleashing. Hidden in her history are multiple villages and forests reduced to ashes and long-forgotten, proof of her true nature as a spirit of conflagration.
Pyromancy
Pyromancy is the art of using fire for divination. The Ze'zhunath is able to use flames to see over great distances, and to a lesser degree, to look into the possible future. This divination isn't something she does very often. Or does she? She can be quite often caught staring into the fires...
Chronomancy
Chronomancy is another divining art, and allows Azebet to discern the best time for action. This could be as complicated as knowing when to tell someone a piece of important information that will change the course of history, or as simple as knowing it's going to be a lucky day. Since it is divination and not a sixth sense, she does need to be looking for an answer to receive the knowledge. -
The Tigress
Traits
Natural Physique
When devoid of shapeshifting or the Ze'zhunath's influences, Wilde's preferred and most comfortable form is that of an anthro tigress with a build that is naturally lithe and flexible with the strong and wiry musculature of an active, feline hunter. She has delicate proportioning and her big cat genetics contribute to a natural height of 6'4" and weight of 160 lbs.
Elemental Inclination: Water
This tigress loves to swim and bathe. Hot water baths are always relished but she is also a strong swimmer who would not hesitate to plunge into a cold river or even the ocean with good reason. She dries quickly once she's out of the water too.
Fondness: Canines and Dragons:
Wilde has a particular affection for canines and dragons as these are the creature types that she grew up with and finds most familiar.
Mental State: Subjugated
Wilde is still her own being but she is not free to express herself. Only Azebet can 'hear' her within the thoughts they share. The way that tail seems to do its own thing all the time, though...
Abilities
Shapeshifting
Wilde's true origins are unknown. Any with the sight would notice she is obviously magical, although this is overshadowed by the raw power of Azebet's soul. The one thing she knows she can do is shapeshift, and there seems to be no limit to this ability when it comes to shape, size, scent, and color. This is not something she is ever comfortable doing in front of others.
Passive Psychic Barrier
Anyone who tries to access her mind will find themselves encountering a void. Although it is still possible to get past what is otherwise a perfect psychic barrier, the circumstances required to do so are kept a mystery. Until such conditions are discovered, she is invulnerable to any attempt at psychic invasion including attempts to read her mind, hypnotize her, or use mind control techniques on her. The psychic barrier persists even if she is rendered unconscious.
Serendipity
Wilde seems to attract a certain low-level of good luck, at least for herself personally. This is the kind of fortune that takes care of her basic needs by guiding her to meet the right people, locate food and drink, and escape from bad situations. It's not the kind of luck that helps her win a gamble, so it gives her no advantage in making bets or playing games of chance. This passive ability is, however, tied in with her mischievous nature and comes with the caveat that she needs to be careful what she wishes for at all times due to its unpredictability!
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The Goddess
Azebet is called a Goddess because she doesn't age, not because she's over-powered. This playfully mischievous and dangerous creature fortunately keeps her more lethal activities restricted to the grounds of her own temple where such things are not forbidden.
The following information contains details that are not always relevant outside of The Scarlet Covenant setting and are copied here for reference only.
The Worship of AzebetGoddess of Anguish and Indulgence
Aspects of the God Xor’Athalos
in the Pantheon of The Scarlet Covenant
Claim to Goddesshood:
Azebet’s connection to Xor’Athalos is that of his spiritual daughter, but she was instituted as a goddess due to her own merits and not because of their relationship. She is Ze’zhunath, an immortal spiritual entity occupying a physical host body gifted with innate magical power. Even if the host body were to be killed or wear out, that which is Azebet can be moved to a new body and continue in her duties as a goddess. She is more than capable of harnessing the power generated through worship at the Temple, using it to maintain the physical form she finds most pleasing and keep herself in good health, and she is also able to channel it for the purposes of fire elemental manipulation, although more often than not she is simply basking in the power like a typical feline.
Reasons for Worship:
Azebet is the representation of the aspects of Anguish and Indulgence in the Pantheon of The Scarlet Covenant. The religion of Xor’Athalos encourages active promotion of self; Azebet is the goddess for the perpetrators and champions, while survivors and victims of their schemes and enterprises are more likely to turn to the Goddess of Protection. She advances the idea that pleasure and success are to be pursued without apology, and that it’s possible to rise up even from a position of weakness and misfortune if you have the moxie.
As the Goddess of Anguish, Azebet is the deity to turn to when someone wants justification for vengeful or cruel actions against another, or if they seek alleviation from guilt from such actions in their past. As the Goddess of Indulgence, she is often invoked during victory celebrations or while claiming a hard-won prize. Both of these make her an ideal deity for those who work hard but are required to mistreat others to reach their goals. Examples of her following are arena combatants, soldiers, slave owners and traders, debt collectors, business owners with shady dealings, assassins, thieves, and bounty hunters.
Boons and Blessings:
Favour for Perpetrators
Azebet grants favourable outcomes for ventures and actions that benefit an individual or organization, especially the kind that leaves in its wake a high victim count whether they be casualties or the oppressed. The weak are for exploiting, while the strong are to be encouraged.
Certainty of Cause
Invoking Azebet through prayer and worship can provide alleviation of useless guilt as well as justification for acts of cruelty, subjugation, and manipulation in the context of seeking pleasure or reaching a goal.
Uninhibited Celebration
Want to use slaves for sex at your victory party? Perhaps your lascivious desires are darker and deadlier. However you want to celebrate, Azebet is the goddess that provides the flesh! This goddess literally breeds prey and victims specifically for such use, and she is more than generous with these to her more devout worshipers. Gifts of fresh blood towards her breeding stock or direct donations towards her pool of victims are welcomed offerings for this reason.
Destruction of Evidence
When all is said and done, it’s nice to indulge in hard-won earnings without worrying about potential backlash. Azebet’s acolytes can be sent to clean up after events by taking and burning evidence and removing bodies. There are many large hounds and carnivores at the temple that need feeding, after all.
