This is a bunch of background and a bit of art I wrote for a solo Pathfinder 2e campaign revolving around the reunion of Shelyn and Zon-Kuthon, twin gods of beauty and pain. I never ended up finishing the campaign, but I am proud of the lore and art I did for it.
Cayden Cailean wished to prove his love and adoration to Shelyn, goddess of beauty, and challenged her brother, Zon-Kuthon, to a duel. Zon-Kuthon thought Cayden beneath his notice, but so insistent was the Drunken God that Zon-Kuthon acquiesced, intending to teach the lout the meaning of pain. Cayden fought bravely, but to no avail, and the Lord of Shadows tortured the poor fool, mocking his cries of agony.
"Stop this madness!" cried Shelyn, her eyes full of tears. "He has suffered enough!"
"There is no such thing as suffering enough," replied the dark god. But Shelyn threw herself overtop of Cayden, shielding him with her body. Zon-Kuthon kept up his attack, striking again and again, causing the goddess to cry out in pain. And with every cry, something stirred deep within Zon-Kuthon.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked. "Why suffer on his behalf?"
"You were my brother once," replied Shelyn. "I do not suffer on his behalf, but on yours."
Memories flooded the heart of Zon-Kuthon, who dropped his spiked chain and fell to his knees, crying out. He remembered a time before, when Shelyn and he laughed together, and delighted in joy and beauty. And as he wept for what he used to be Shelyn embraced him, and the two became one.
Thus the folly of Cayden created Zon-Shelyn, the twin gods of suffering and beauty.
The Embrace was marked with a globe-spanning rainbow of strange colors, and nowhere did it shine brighter than in Nidal, the Land of Shadows, sworn to the former God of Pain. For the first time, those in thrall to the dark god saw beauty, and wept. And the Black Triune took notice, as well. Freed from centuries of torturous, loveless existence, the Triune began implementing sweeping reforms and distancing Nidal from Cheliax, its diabolist, imperialist neighbor. Zon-Shelyn was declared the patron faith of the nation, and worship of Desna was allowed openly for the first time.
But not all of the faithful of Zon-Kuthon have accepted this new normal. Feeling that their power had been threatened, so-called "Traditionalist" memebers of the midnight court have pushed for the acceptance of Asmodeus, lord of hell, and have even invited the Hellknight Order of the Godclaw to keep the nation from "falling into lawlessness." The Hellknights have accepted, and have begun patrolling the land, hoping to quell unrest.
The aftereffects of the Embrace have caused other nations to take note of Nidal. In particular, Ravounel has begun forming an alliance with the Reformist members of the Midnight Court, while Cheliaz and its vassal state Isger support the Traditionalists. A tenous balance hangs over the area, and all are waiting to see what the ultimate effect of the Embrace on a formerly suffering nation will bring.
"I remember the rainbow. I know everyone says that, but you have to understand - there were no Desnans in my village, and from my earliest age all I knew was pain and suffering and darkness. My family, weresharks all, had a certain amount of privilege, but we were still in thrall to our vampire lord, who saw us as nothing more than particularly adept fisherfolk. When we stepped out of line, we were punished like anyone else. As soon as I was able to fish for myself I was put to work, and work I did. Until the rainbow."
"It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, a dance of color and light across the sky, and it fascinated me. No one had any idea what it meant, but for the first time, I knew joy. Then, when the reforms came through, and the temple was rededicated, I visited every day. I wanted to be surrounded by beauty for all my days, and spread it to the people who had never known it."
"You ask why I follow the Embrace? Its because of the rainbow. Its because I now know what hope and beauty are, and I want to spread them to all who suffer."
