Pharados

Description

Pharados, now known only as the Silver Prince, is the ruling deity of the Silver Dominion. He is most often depicted as a tall, radiant man draped in white robes or clad in gleaming silver armor. His form is crowned by two, sometimes four luminous wings, and his eyes blaze with pure radiance. Among mortals, he is described as both awe-inspiring and distant, a god whose very presence bridges the line between salvation and judgment.

In the earliest days of his worship, Pharados was remembered by name, but over time, the Dominion Church erased it from scripture, declaring it forbidden to speak aloud. Today, only the title of the Silver Prince remains, a mantle both revered and feared.

History

Birth and Exile

Pharados was born alongside his divine brothers, Malagore and Horus, from the fire titan Azera. The three overthrew their tyrannical mother in a struggle that reshaped the world of Tamahirii, but their victory was short-lived. Malagore turned on his siblings, forcing Pharados and Horus to abandon Tamahirii. Pharados’ fall to Midora was witnessed as a shimmering meteor that struck near the Silver Peak Mountains of Agera.

There, a mortal woman discovered him, wounded and vast in stature. Despite his wings and divine form, she did not fear him. Pharados healed within her homestead, where he learned of Midora’s lands, peoples, and customs. These early interactions shaped his compassion for mortals and grounded his divinity in empathy.

Rise to Power

In his early journeys, Pharados performed miraculous feats: healing the sick, bringing rain to drought-ridden lands, and even raising the dead. His kindness won him the trust of villages and tribes alike, and soon shrines and temples arose in his honor. Pharados left behind offspring—later revered as Archangels or Saints—whose deeds cemented his legend.

Recognizing his growing influence, Pharados established the mountain city of Enghilm, which became the Silver Dominion’s capital. There he united nobility and priesthoods under his banner, forming a theocracy rooted in his worship. His rule was initially benevolent, associated with hope, unity, and prosperity.

Withdrawal and Betrayal

Over time, Pharados grew distant. Some claim he became enthralled with his own power, while others say he was betrayed by those closest to him. The Dominion Church declared his true name forbidden, erasing references to his angelic children, and reorganizing itself into a rigid hierarchy with Pharados as a symbolic head.

At the dawn of the Fourth Age, high-ranking priests uncovered Pharados’ origin: part fiend, born of Tamahirii. Viewing him as impure, they betrayed him. Through powerful rituals, they chained and bound him within Enghilm, siphoning his divine power to fuel the Dominion Church and its militant arm, the Dominus Chain.

Though sealed, Pharados’ presence lingers. Clerics and paladins still channel his divine might, unknowingly draining their god’s essence. Rumors persist that Pharados whispers guidance to his angelic offspring and faithful mortals, urging them to confront corruption within the Dominion. Some within the church secretly conspire to free him, but such heresy is punishable by death. Official doctrine teaches that Pharados has merely ascended to his throne, entrusting the church to act in his stead.

Personality

Pharados can appear cold and distant, especially in public proclamations and sermons channeled through the Church. Yet beneath this detachment lies genuine compassion. He struggles to grasp the brevity of mortal lives and the depth of their emotions, but he cares deeply for them and strives to understand. His earliest days on Midora—spent among villagers—revealed a god striving to walk alongside mortals rather than rule above them, and that core of empathy has never fully faded.

Worshipers

The commonfolk regard the Silver Prince as both protector and benefactor, though his long silence and distance from mortal affairs have left many questioning his favor. Still, stories of the kind god who once walked among them endure, passed down in whispers and songs, giving hope that he has not truly abandoned his people. For the everyday farmer, craftsman, or merchant, devotion often takes the form of small prayers, offerings of light, or simple acts of kindness performed in his name.

At the heart of his faith stands the Dominion Church, the most powerful religious institution in Agera, which proclaims the Silver Prince as supreme and infallible. From towering cathedrals and gilded halls, the Church wields immense influence over nobles and peasants alike. Its militant arm, the Dominus Chain, enforces doctrine with zeal, a host of knights, paladins, and war-priests who guard the faithful, punish heresy, and spread fear wherever their banners fly. For the Church, worship is not only devotion but also obedience, ensuring that the Prince’s light remains unquestioned and unchallenged.

Angels of the Silver Prince

The Archangels of the Dominion are regarded as the divine offspring of Pharados, the Silver Prince, each embodying facets of his celestial light. Once exalted as protectors and exemplars of the Dominion’s faith, they have since been branded as heretics by the Dominion Church. Branded dangerous and hunted relentlessly, these beings wander in exile, working from the shadows to safeguard mortals and preserve their father’s fading legacy. Despite persecution, many still revere them as champions of truth and guardians of the oppressed.

• Tytan, the Master of Drekk. Archangel of Survival, Arcana, and Martial Mastery. A warrior-scholar and master pathfinder, Tytan remains loyal to Pharados despite his heretical branding. He fled to Drekk, one of Midora’s moons, where he became a defender of its fey folk. His command of both strategy and nature’s elements makes him a formidable foe to the Dominion, and a secret patron to mortals who stray into Drekk’s wild lands.
• Arira, the Mistress of Kvilla. Archangel of Death, Shadows, and Nightmares. Enigmatic and haunting, she guides souls to the afterlife with both compassion and severity. Dwelling within Kvilla’s shadow realm after her exile, Arira is whispered of as a spectral assassin who moves unseen. Her loyalty to Pharados burns unbroken, and she waits in silence for the return of his light.
  
• Leilafel, the Mistress of Seas. Archangel of Oceans, Storms, and Tempests. Born of mortal blood and celestial light, she is feared as much as she is loved. Commanding storms and sea beasts, Leilafel is protector of the oceans and scourge of those who exploit them. Fiercely independent, she roams Midora’s waters, defying the Dominion and allying with leviathans and spirits of the deep.
• Chorian, the Watcher of Forests. Archangel of Plants, Hunting, and Archery. A warden of Agera’s forests, Chorian roams the woodlands as both guardian and hunter. He speaks with the trees and commands nature to entangle his enemies, his arrows healing allies or felling foes alike. Revered by rangers and druids, Chorian remains closest to mortals, aiding those who show reverence to the wilds.
• Kessena, the Watch Master. Archangel of Secrets, Lightning, and Speed. Once a champion of the Dominion Church, her disillusionment drove her to rebellion. Now a swift avenger, she strikes like lightning against the Church’s corruption, forever pursued as a rogue and heretic. Mortals whisper her name in secret, praying she will one day return Pharados’ light to the world.
• Amit, the Master of Mountains. Archangel of Discipline, Forges, and Endurance. A towering wanderer of Midora’s peaks, Amit embodies resilience and strength. He aids those who brave the harsh wilderness and tempers weapons for the worthy. Though solitary, his justice is unyielding, and his presence inspires awe and fear in equal measure.

Despite the Dominion Church’s edicts, many still secretly honor the Archangels, believing they will one day rise together to free Pharados from his imprisonment. Their worship persists in hushed prayers, hidden shrines, and whispered tales of deliverance.

Abilities

• Divine Radiance: Emits a blinding aura of silver-white light, said to repel fiends and undead.
• Healing Miracles: Once capable of curing disease, ending droughts, and even raising the dead.
• Whispers Through Chains: Even in imprisonment, Pharados is rumored to subtly communicate with chosen faithful and descendants.

Possessions / Relics

• The Chained Divinity: A painting that threatens to unravel the carefully constructed tapestry of faith woven by the Church.
• Tears of Enghilm: A one-of-a-kind divine artifact. Some tales speak of it being formed from the tears of the Silver Prince mourning the loss of a great hero, while others claim it was a gift from the Silver Prince himself to his most devout followers.

Legacy

The Silver Prince’s legacy is one of paradox. To many, he remains a god of hope, unity, and compassion, the divine ruler whose miracles shaped the Silver Dominion. To others, he is a tragic figure: betrayed, imprisoned, and drained of power by the very institution built in his name.

The Church portrays him as a distant, watchful god, yet heretical whispers insist Pharados still struggles to reach his people. Whether he is remembered as savior, tyrant, or martyr, the Silver Prince’s influence endures, his radiance lingering even in chains.