Athar

The Athar

Nicknames: Defiers, God-Foes Motto: "Powers are a lie blocking the truth"

Tales of the Athar
"Uh-huh. As I told the last defier the recently reshattered temple is not open for new permits. What are you Clueless? Oh, my apologies thought you were those berks again. Defiers? Yeah I know a fair amount about them. They were the Athar but technically they go under a new name...what was it...bah I cant remember. Order of Cynical Theists or something?."

"Well the Athar they got mostly exiled from the city, and divided into three little splinter groups. Some stayed hidden and fearful in Sigil, UnderSigil at least. These became scholar philosophers more oft than not collecting reams of hidden lore. Chant is sometimes they loan it to folks fighting a cleric or mighty priest of a power. This group is one of the smaller ones but sort of acts like the brain of the Athar now - least they resemble the old Athar the most."

"The next little splinter were pretty resourceful cutters. Managed to eke out a living at the spire base. Well there divine might is nullified and so are magic spells - imagine living without any magic. Somehow they not only lived but thrived eventually, supposedly some of them tried learning some science or such, others claim that somehow they harnessed some of the anti-magic properties to make items, but their real secretive. I aint barmy enough to go there, can't imagine living without magic."

"Finally, there was always some real barmies, everyone more off their rockers than the bliddy Xaosicts. And that's a feat. Would be god-slayers they were, based out of the Astral. Never killed a power before, but kept training for the day. Most fearsome of the lot by far, even if they are addle-coved. Well they would of stayed three separate little splinter groups, cept fer Thalatos God-Slayer."

"Thalatos? Oh he died doing it, but he's the only proven mortal to ever put a power in the deadbook by himself effectively. Kinda lost, but there was this lesser diety of covetness, and corruption...Laerich or something. Changes depending on the teller, as does Thalatos's race, background etc. Some say he was an elven king on a distant prime, or a humble man. Regardless he was known as an extremely fine maker of gems and amongst the best of mortal kin in that art, producing a master piece, for either his wife or his sister the tale varies there."

"Well, Laerich stole it and slew his wife or sister, or in some tales both. Regardless, he set off for revenge with three younger brothers, five nephews, seven sons, nine daughters and eleven nieces. He vowed revenge on the most binding and terrible of oaths, the Athar say the Great Unknown heard it, or not. Regardless he found his way into Sigil, and over the course of four years trained, connected the Athar visiting with all the branches and uniting them, to assist in his revenge. Gathering a thousand champions to his host, he chased Laerich for two years and a day throughout the Great Wheel, the powers themselves stunned at his determination."

"Finally it seemed they had found a way to attack Laerich directly, when one of his younger brothers appeared to try to sway Thalatos back from his purpose, and there Thalatos swung at his sworn kin. What happened next is a major part of the tale, some say he slew his younger kin, some say he wounded him, or that the blade became dull. Regardless, some say in mourning he stayed his hand for 1 night, or preparing for the morning."

"Again the tales differ, some say Lord Ao appeared, or the High God of Krynn. Some say a manifestation of this Great Unknown, a flash of insight, the ghost of the younger brother, or even the Lady of Pain approached him, initially attempting to dissuade him, but seeing how resolute he was, the blade which was stained with kinsblood was remade that night, and its anyone's guess with what. That day there was light and he rode through the portal, just over a thousand companions riding with him."

"Dip me in Devil Offal if I know where this stronghold of Laerich was. Ask the Athar, but no one's found it. For eight years they besieged it, fighting all manner of corrupted creatures, dragons, demons of fire....depends on the telling. The initial thousand or so whittled down to a mere two hundred, one of Thalatos's sons or younger brothers dying every year the war dragged on, until his last son died in Thalatos's arms. There he let loose a great cry challenging Laerich, and some claim time stood still as they dueled. Oh the Athar can take days to recite it, the end of it is Laerich and Thalatos slew each other, Thalatos's sword piercing the corrupt one's heart and splintering into several pieces and Laerich holding Thalatos's heart somehow shattering the gem he stole from Thalatos."

"Either way, they actually slew a power, and united the Athar into what they are now. Most of those champions died fighting and sometimes slaying small time demigods or very minor powers, almost always alone without a pantheon to call on for help. Supposedly the current factol Huron Augur Norsitch is one of the champions from the story, and a two or three dozen of them remain. Huh? Yeah none of the daughters or nieces died, and the factol of the Athar is guarded by an elite group called the Twenty, but I dont think anyone's seen em. The sword? The Athar have it and are trying to figure out how to reforge it, as it is the most powerful artifact they have supposedly. Just be careful of that story around the Athar, I gave you the super short version, the Athar have been known to go on for days about it"

Power-Banes
Custom Prestige Class for the Athar, 10 level progression. Factal status with the Athar.