Sarkhang - The Master of Unclean Spirits; The Arkhekarcirst

The patron of Black Sorcery; Mental Control and Domination; Karcists; The Binding of Demons and Unclean Spirits; and those that practice acts of inmaterial projection in the Abyssal Realms, Sarkhang is invariably depicted as man-like figure, robed and hooded in rich, dark fabrics, wearing a skull-like metal mask and with one arm bare aside for wrappings, all the way from the shoulder down to the tips of the fingers, of metal foil bandages and bearing a wavy, double-edged, slender long knife or short sword. Conflicting legends abound about The Master of Unclean Spirits; some speak of him as having originally been one of the Lords of Light in aeons long past who was corrupted by the Lords of Change and performed a foul betrayal; others claim that Sarkhang was born of the Abyss and infiltrated the Lords of Light disguised as a foreign savant-deity before performing misdeeds. In both varieties, Sarkhang is captured by the Lawful Deities he betrays, who "shattered" him before scattering his "pieces" across the physical layers of the universe. Some tales claim that Sarkhang was horribly disfigured as a punishment for his crimes against the Lords of Light and thereby wears his mask to conceal his mutilation; others claim that the mask is a means of occulting the mind-blasting horror of Sakhang's true visage.

The Deep Demon Worlds Pt. II

PART I HERE.

VI. SULKHOTOATH
ABODE OF THE LEPROUS MOUNTAIN
An endless mire of waist deep grey mucous and massive intertwined colonies of translucent thin worms, the atmosphere suffused with hot, moist, sulfurous yellow vapours emitted from organ-like vents.

VII. IZILDZAEL
ABODE OF THE HOWLING DESSICATION
This Demon World consists of an endless flat waste of cracked, fossilized mud, interspersed wuth bottomless reeking black rifts. A harsh brassy sun perpetually hangs at the top of the metallic pinkish sky.

VIII. UGGUDGA
ABODE OF THE PHANTOM LEGION
UGGUDGA consists of vast, miles wide organ-cavities in a world-sized mass of gelatinous, fleshy living matter. These cysts are connected by all sorts of tubes and organs, and regions of acidic fluids are common.

IX. ZHOLTOT
ABODE OF THE TWITTERING MOTHER
Miles high heaps of pale bones, carapaces and fossils upon the flanks of obscenely tall, narrow, fang-like spires of black stone. Month long nights with starless skies interspersed by a few hours of flickering, hazy silver sun in a white sky.

X. IZKHAHADON
ABODE OF THE SLUMBERING TITAN
Dozens of continents sized "islands" of rocky-metallic matter floating in the uppermost reaches of the atmosphere of a luminous gas giant banded in lurid yellows, oranges and reds. The black skies bear a few handfuls of dim, malignant red stars.

XI. GHORHORIATH
ABODE OF THE PALE MASS
Beneath an unending dismal gray twilight, lies the Demon World GHORORIATH, an infinite labyrinth-palace of decaying, sodden, baroque splendour. The skies above are constantly raining, this frigid rain ranges from a light mist to common torrential downpours. The infinite nature of this palace extends downward as well.

XII. KHIZAIDON
ABODE OF THE PALACE OF MYSTERIES
This Demon World is composed of violently storming flaming violet gasses above a sea of boiling tarry matter. Occasional lifeless dome-cities of semi-translucent silvery metal float randomly across the black sea.

XIII. ABDOATHAON
ABODE OF THE CTHONIC TENDRILS
A Demon World of endless, mountainous plateaus and canyons of crumbling, cancerous, ocher stone; encrusted with tomb complexes and ziggurats of lead and gray granite. The canyon depths are choked with darkness and emit faint mocking echoes. The sky is sunless but several throbbing blue and yellow stars provide dim illuminination. The LIBRARY OF ELKHAODATH is located atop the highest mountain of ABDOATHAON, and in a plaza of vitrified matter towers the PYLON OF GHADASH, a beacon for navigating into the madness that is the Outermost Demon Worlds.

The Deep Demon Worlds Pt. I

After the Sorcerer has disembarked from ERUHKHT further into the depths of the Abyss the Sorcerer has left the Rim Demon Worlds and has entered the Abyssal layer known as the Deep Demon Worlds. Here both the matter and the physical laws of the universe have been irrevocably warped and curdled by the emanations of the Great Old Ones.

The most well known of the Deep Demon Worlds are the Thirteen that comprise the shortest route from ERUHKHT to the Outermost Demon Worlds.

I. ZAEDAOBAOTH
ABODE OF THE MEASURELESS CURATOR
The Demon World ZAEDAOBAOTH consists of churning, cold, dense, oily gray mud and clay continents that are constantly grinding against each other, with occasional mountains of filthy, rotting, fossil infested jade floating in the morass. The skies are sunless and look like a slightly luminous endless sheet of slate, providing dim gray illumination. It is whispered that there are vaults of pure force located in the bowels of this world where artifacts and entities are imprisoned.

II. XYLZHZKH
ABODE OF THE RAZORED WINDS
XYLZHZKH is a Demon World of utter darkness, where even illumination brought from outside is dimmed and suffocated. The lands consist of blobby, melted black glass, with occasional talon like formations of monomolecular obsidian blades. The air is harshly cold and dry.

III. UTUMEGLON
ABODE OF THE CRUSHING DEVASTATION
Under low, throbbing skies of lead vapour lies UTUMEGLON, a Demon World of flattened, cold, black ashes and cinders. UTUMEGLON has crushing gravity levels and the world is suffused with lethal radiation levels. Occasional charred and slagged  ruins of fortifications  spot the wastes and lifeless, saucer like flying cities soar below the gray clouds.

IV. KAGZALAG
ABODE OF THE UTTERMOST ECSTASIS
The skies of KAGZALAG consist of churning purple frothy clouds with floating luminous clusters of oily green egg like spheres providing shifting green illumination. The lands are a gently rolling steppe of 10 foot tall razored brass grass  punctuated by seas of quicksilver and ridges of basalt spires. Tales tell of pleasure palaces and nyphmariums located on the sides of the basalt spires that provide the utmost in otherworldly sensual delights.

V. ADADAIYAG
ABODE OF THE VAPOURS OF PERDITION
A Demon World consisting of a lightless, 4-foot gap between two endless, parallel planes of dull, black, impermeable force.

The Seven Rim Demon Worlds

Although there are an uncounted legion of Demon Worlds, on Algol "The Seven Rim Demon Worlds" refers to the Demon Worlds that comprise the shortest path through the Abyss to the Deeper Demon Worlds.

I. OGGUTT
ABODE OF KEDEROTH OF THE EVER SEEPING EYE
The Demon World OGGUTT is a toroid shaped world, its atmosphere suffused with massive ragged clouds of semi-living gaseous colonies that emit blude, green and ultraviolet light. The regions of OGGUTT that lie withing the central, or "hole" portion of the world are a torrid jungles of acidic and poisonous, animate, yellow-green vegetation; while the outer regions of the world are a frozen wasteland of towering glowing spires of radioactive ice.

II. ZAIYAAT
ABODE OF HOLOK-KOZAR BEARER OF THE CROWN OF DEATH
The Demon World ZAIYAAT is an endless, bottomless sea of slimy, viscous, phosphorescent, green liquid; floating fragments of unthinkably massive, fossilized or decaying abominations serve as islands. The black, city sized Temple Barge of the Worm Sibyls haunts this world.

III. ERAK-KHALHU
ABODE OF EZETHOTIK THE PENETRATING BEAM
An endless subterranean maze of crumbling ruined catacombs and palaces, suffused with sulfurous and poisonous gases spewing from chemical geysers and punctuated by occasional pits of squirming larvae.

IV. URUKHAR
ABODE OF PHAR-HOAZ THE BURNING LORD
A desert of hot grit, embers and brass, scoured by unending wind and fire storms. Towering colossi in the form of palaces atop elongated legs stalk across the writhing dunes.

V. KRIGISHT
ABODE OF AZAKAZIEL THE SLITHERING QUEEN
A neverending labyrinth of deformed mirrors, haunted by hallucinations and the echoes of chimes, cymbals and bangles.

VI. AOZTHOT
ABODE OF THE UNKNOWN ONE
A region of swirling glowing black and red breathable gases filled with hundreds of planetoids. Many petty minor demon lords have their holdings on one of these planetoids. It is said that THE UNKNOWN ONE uses these demons lords as pawns in it's entertainments.

VII. ERUHKHT
ABODE OF XILTAZIAK THE FLUTTERING MALICE
The Demon World of URUHKHT is comprised of a planet-sized cubical cavity in a mass of slightly radioactive, luminous silvery-blue metal. All six faces are covered with sprawling cities, pavings and ruins of lead and basalt while a painfully bright white luminous sphere lies in the center of the cavity. Many of the more mercantile varieties of demon coagulate here.

Matuniat "The Shaggy Mountain," "The Impregnator of Mutations"

An ancient, especially inhuman member of the Lords of Change, the deity Matuniat is depicted as a towering conical thing, covered with a hanging, shaggy coat of tumorous growths, and anywhere from two to eight stumpy, trunk like leg-organs. Matuniat is said to be several miles tall, and in legends it is usually mistaken for a vegetation-covered mountain from a distance. Myths tell of Matuniat wandering the blasted and cursed regions of Algol, leaving a trail of his fecund semen. In these myths the sperm of Matuniat impregnate any fertile organisms they come in contact with, engendering mutated progeny.

"On the Cursed Nature of the Universe And Why We Must Destroy It"

by The Herald of Apocalypse, Supreme Prophet-Priest of The Lords of Change of the Archetemple of Chaos of Ozlaziatl in The Demon Wastes

"Those sniveling cowards who kowtow to the Lords of Light spout a veritable wind of drivel about "The Planes" or "The Scientific Nature of Reality." Know this...all that is beastshit and gaseous digestive excretions, lies and delusions vomited out of fear by those unwilling to remove the scales from their true eyes and perceive reality for what it truly is.

Yet again I reiterate the central mystery of our cult, the truth-legend that defines our entire way of life and existence.

A long time ago we were all made of cosmic fire, of azoth, of alkahest. We were titans, we were demons, we were dragons, we were gods, but all of that and infinitely more. We lived of pure existence of unshackled will and unbridled desire.

While were sported, wild and free, one of our brothers suggested a game. The we build a world as a toy and stage a game within it. We made up a universe and as we invented its contents the inventor would pretend to be what they created. Some of us pretended to be the stars and planets, some of us the beasts and people, some of us the gravity and winds.

But our brother who suggested this game was decietful and betrayed us, for as we invented the components of the universe and assumed their guises, he worked a curse into the play and we forgot our true nature and were glamoured into believed that we were what we portrayed. And our betraying-brother kept this false-universe and us who are imprisoned within it as a trophy to gloat over.

The curse of this false-universe has chained us to time, and has been ongoing for countless billions of years as we play out this shadow-existence. But some of us remember, and some of use can awaken to some small degree, and gain much puissance and enlightenment from this process.

And so we howl for our brethren who were not part of the curse-game and remain outside of this false-universe. And we work to defy our brother who imprisoned us and to break down the illusion-reality of this false-universe and bring it to an end, no matter what it requires, so that we will be free again."

The Nature of "The Planes"

by The Esteemed Matter-Dissecting Eye - Jorsh Gil-Hotay, Bureauphant-Technocrat of Scholar-House Mhothay, Vassal House to the Controller of Agog City

"Although it is impolitic to contradict the more literal minded of our theognomic colleagues in the hierlogic bodies, the widely held view of the "planes," especially as presented in legends and folktales is indeed a quaint distortion of the true scientific reality of planar phenomenon.

As those with the benefit of a education in scientific matters are aware, space and time are merely two dimensions of the body of the universe. Indeed our perception of time as forward flowing is merely an artifact of our perception of the velocity of our elemental matter as it flows through the currents of space-time.

As an adjacent to that fact, what is commonly called the "Planes" in the aforementioned folktales and legends are merely regions located further behind or ahead of our location on the Time-Axis of the Universe, and what we call "Planar Travel" is merely simple time travel.

At one unimaginably distant point is what is colloquially called "The Fountains of Creation," the Energy-Pole of the Universe, often inaccurately refereed to as "The Beginning of Time" or "The Birth of The Universe." A region of endless cascading rays of pure, primal light-energy.

Further along the Time-Axis this primal energy begins to crystallize and coalesce as it's vibrations change, and much of it transforms into Inchoate Matter, the raw material of the body of the universe, infused with the primal energy of creation, propelled along by the force of the beam-streams of primal energy emitted by the Energy-Pole. This region is called "The Inchoate Phase."

This Inchoate Matter further interweaves and harmonizes with different variations of itself further down the Time-Axis, transforming into the conventional material universe as us Men perceive it, with, as previously mentioned, our perception of time being a result of our velocity away from the Energy-Pole.

Further along the time-axis, much of the primal energy and velocity has been expelled, and the matter of the universe becomes corrupt and decayed by entropy as a result. The harmonies of reality and the physical laws become twisted and curdled in this region, known as "The Entropic Phase," partially as a result of the emanations from the Entropy-Pole that lies at the region of space-time opposite to the Energy-Pole, which functions as "The Mother of All Black Holes," sucking up all the matter and energy that passes through the universe.

What are commonly referred to as "Extradimensional Beings," "Entities," "Demons," and the like, are in actuality natural creatures that evolved according to the alien-to-our nature of the physical laws and energies of their distant region along the Time-Axis, many of which temporarily exist in both their native and our regions simultaneously."

Abstract Art From Planet Algol?

...actually a simple diagram of Algolian planar relationships as generally accepted by the sages of Algol.


Proceeding from the top to bottom stratas we have:

THE RADIANT HIGHER ORDER DIMENSIONS
Infinite ascending spheres of pure logic, order and light. The realms of the Lords of Light. The most powerful preternatural forces draw their energies from either these dimensions or The Outer Dark. Radiant beams from The Higher Order Dimensions penetrate through The Ectoplasmic Membrane and into The Physical Universe.


THE ECTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE
A layer of luminous spiritual matter that contains the preternatural ecosystem that interacts with the biomass of The Physical Universe. It's tendrils suffuse The Physical Universe and extend into The Abyss. Mundane supernatural forces derive their energy from either The Ectoplasmic Membrane or The Abyss. The hippocampus of preternaturally gifted material beings extend into The Ectoplasmic Membrane.


THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE
Algol is represented by the ochre sphere, it's metaphysical orbit brings it close to the outer rim of The Abyss.


THE ABYSS
A vast gulf, haunted by unclean spirits, that seperates the rest of the Universe from The Outer Dark and The Great Old Ones. It is almost empty aside from the spheres known as The Hells or The Demon Worlds, which are comprised of both worlds that drifted into The Abyss from The Physical Universe and cysts ejected from The Outer Dark. They are divided into The Rim Hells (those closest to The Physical Universe), The Deeper Hells (those in the midst of The Abyss), and The Outermost Hells (those closest to The Outer Dark). The petty and mundane applications of so-called "Black Magic" usually derives their energies from The Abyss.


THE OUTER DARK
The infinite region of elder chaos and darkness; the prison that The Great Old Ones were cast into by The Lords of Light at the dawn of the universe. Some say that The Outer Dark is composed of the infinite matter of The Great Old Ones themselves. The most puissant "Blackest Magics" almost always involve invoking powers located within The Outer Dark.


The above images created via Sketchbook on my iPhone.

An Algol Legend of the Inchoate Aeons

After the Great Old Ones had been driven out of the universe the Lords of Light began making order out of the inchoate matter and energy that swirled in the aftermath of that great battle.

Eventually Metazon devised the varied elements of the universe and set the Lords of Light to crafts his great work. First the stars and suns; than the worlds; than oceans and skies; than slimes, molds, algae and protozoa; than plants; than beasts; and finally Man.

When devising Man Metazon had planned out his body and soul, but desired a means to instruct and command Man and thus invented Language. The Lords of Light were tired from building the stars, worlds, oceans, slimes, plants, beasts, and the body and soul of Man, and thus Metazon was merciful and instructed some of the beasts to assemble Language.

He commanded the Monkeybats to craft words, for they were clever and had mouth-parts like that of Man.


He commanded the Flying Lizards to gather the wind to power the words for they were the most masterful of the winds among beasts.

Finally he commanded the Chitinous Fliers to assemble the components and program Language, for they were industrious and precise in their works.

However, one of the Chitinous Fliers, some say a fly; some say a winged myriapod; some say a disguised Mi-Go; and some say a demon named Baelzebub, worked a curse into Language while assembling it. This curse subverted Language and allowed Man to Lie.

The Disciples of Nothingness

Usually lumped in with the followers of the Lords of Change by those that sort and catalogue cults, The Disciples of Nothingness pay homage to Iajuxxa "The Great Unmaker - The Ever Sucking Maw" as the aperture of a feeding filament of an extradimensional entity of infinite hunger that they worship as the penultimate power of, and eventual devourer of, all universes, planes and dimensions; utterly consuming all reality(ies).

As part of their complicated theology, the Disciples of Nothingness also worship disintegration; death; suicide; extreme gravitation; and the absence of and/or negation all all light, with some especially devout cultists blinding themselves. They preach the worthlessness and futility of all existance; the inexorable nature of entropy and dissolution; and the eventual fate of all to be devoured by Iajuxxa. They pay heed to the Gluttonous Prophets, eyeless obese psychics who constantly gorge themselves to maintain an ecstasis in which their pineal gland receives emanations from Iajuxxa in it's distant orbit from the three suns.

Some sects have discovered Ancient disintegration facilities where they attempt to negate as much matter as possible, offering sentients as especial offerings to The Ever-Sucking Maw. Rumors whisper of Disciples of scientific bent who seek out ancient particle accelerators in order to create micro black holes with the aim of destroying the planet while creating another mouth for The Great Unmaker.
Some legends speak of Iajuxxa's Exarch upon Algol, Hunger "The Witch With Mouths For Eyes," and her warlock-sons Starvation and Gluttony.

Musing About Religion Without Clerics

In my Planet Algol campaign there are no clerics. There are Hierophants, Priests, High Priests, Priest-Kings, Shamans, and the like. But no "Divine" casters....I haven't been down with The Cleric archetype in Swords & Sorcery for a while (Too much of a Moses crossed with a medieval Templar thing going on). And having no "Divine" magic helps keeps the nature of Algol's universe and metaphysics mysterious, ambiguous, weird.

However, while thinking about the cults and religious organizations of The Lords of Light and The Lords of Change of Algol, I started musing about the advantages of belonging to such an organization.

And a solution struck me...oldschool (1st ed?) Runequest. Initiates, Lay Members, "Rune Priests," "Rune Lords," Cult Magic, POW (experience point?) sacrifices. (Coincidentally, for a while now I've been musing about how Runequest presents an opportunity for a plug-in skill system for OD&D...)

Hm, from what I've read of the Fomalhaut campaign reports, it's possible that Gabor Lux may have incorporated similar mechanics in his campaign? I'm certainly inspired by his “Wow, these guys are a bunch of assholes.'” approach to deities.

More on this later, I've got some Runequest to read and some cult write-ups to mash out.

Metazon...Father of the Universe

I just finished the Long Sun series, and I can't stop ripping off being inspired by the mystical future depicted by Gene Wolfe.

Among the worshipers of the Lords of Light, despite the Heterodoxy of Algol Man religion, one deity is widely regarded as "The Father of the Universe, The Father of the Gods of Law, and the Maker of Man," Metazon. Metazon is usually depicted as a tall, muscular man with two heads or faces, one handsome, intelligent and arrogant looking; the other either possessing the blank gaze and facial characteristics of a imbecile or cadaverous and dead. An alternate depiction of Metazon possesses a long, knotted scaly tail; hooves; a pair of wings covered with flaming eyes; and two long-necked, hairy, horned, animalistic heads resembling that of an Earth goat. Often one of the goat heads will be rotting and even lifeless. Lawful theology claims that Metazon is the master of the creation of the universe, time, the great cycle and the destiny of Man. He is often worshiped or invoked by aristocrats (especially monarchs), mystics, sages, and sorcerers, as well as the poor and weak who grovel for his mercy. Those who revere Metazon often refer to the future as "The Great Work of Metazon," with implications that all has been predetermined by him.

Further Sightings of the Black Ziggurat!

Under the Dying Sun (and a very meta- manifestation as well!)
The Ebon Zikkuract (a very literal tesseract manifestation and now we have the word "zikkuract!")
The Black Ziggurat of Riskail (You know Riskail? That hot, new weird fantasy setting with all the talented writing and artwork...plus their Black Ziggurat has a Shoggoth!)
And what's This? Only the Black Ziggurat of GREYHAWK! (Which also contains an imprisoned Satan-figure and a lightsabre...)
EDIT: I'm hating myself for forgetting The Black Ziggurat of the Mutant Future!