Init

"Aye, his was a soul that sought not just to conquer death but to enslave it. In his quest for immortality, he became a prisoner of his own making." – Esotericist Sage In times past, the Mordeus was ruled by powerful Pharaohs, Kings of the vast expanse who sought to amass power and transcend their mortal bounds in search of everlasting life. Of these ancient rulers, perhaps few were as driven as Init, The Embalmer. Having amassed an empire of wealth, yet still unable to withstand time's cruel embrace, Init was confounded by the mysteries of death and the great beyond. In his quest for immortality, he would spare no effort to appease his gods, sacrificing fields of livestock and constructing ornate shrines on the backs of the peasantry. But as time marched on, Init's deepest fears began to claw away at him. Desperate for answers, Init became reckless, and one night imbibed an entire vial of seer's tincture in hopes of seeking truth. Init soon found himself deep inside a vision, traversing through a swarthy and nebulous realm, his entire being pulsating with energy. As he drifted effortlessly through the fabric of time, he found that with a flick of his wrist, he could create matter, or destroy it all the same. It was here in this shadowy nether where Init had his first revelation. He emerged emboldened, and immediately ordered a blood offering to be prepared. The next day, with his followers present at the sacrificial altar, Init's face flashed with a wicked grin. As the incantations were being recited, he approached the poor soul at the altar, drew his blade, and in a shocking display, tossed the man aside and proceeded to impale himself, cackling vociferously as his blood slowly emptied into the altar's bowl. Legend claims that his lust for power had consumed him, driving him into the depths of insanity. But legend, of course, is a tale written by the living… It wasn't until centuries later that the Esoteria Order began making their inroads into the Mordeus, exploring the region in pursuit of knowledge. When they stumbled upon Init's tomb, however, encrusted with its strange hieroglyphs and ancient treasures, a powerful presence could immediately be felt. They channeled their magic in an attempt to contact this spirit, and for a brief moment, Init was glimpsed. Troubled with what they saw, the ominous chamber was reported to the Supreme Arbiters, who came to investigate. In the tomb, filled with the dank, rotten smell of death, the Arbiters sensed danger. They requested contact with the spirit, and the Esotericists began their ritual. What presented itself next, however, was no longer a human, but a blackened beast with a jackal's head, surrounded by mysterious cores that appeared to manifest at will. Init's ascendance to immortality had been completed. Convinced the tomb would be discovered by rival factions, the Arbiters boldly decided to re-summon this nether being into the world using the Esotericists magic, shackling him in with divine power. Alas, such was the ironic fate of Init, The Embalmer, a God-King who at once had gained, and lost, everything. A heart of darkness shackled in by divine will, he serves as a testament to the intense power struggle forming in the Tyan realm, his fate now inextricably bound to forces beyond himself.