#mhar

[sonyaheaneyauthor]

1st November 2009: Memorial for Stalin's Holodomor genocide. Photographed in Mhar, Ukraine.

[thecreaturecodex]

The Great Game: Outer Gods and Great Old Ones

As the deities that are most physically tied to the Material Plane, it is perhaps unsurprising that the various entities collected together as “Outer Gods” and “Great Old Ones” have been paying attention to the Great Game. The allegiances of some of the prominent members of these pantheons are as follows:

Abhoth The Unclean God is patron of disease and fecundity, and knows how these two things are tied together. More are born than can survive, and many of those that die fall to disease before anything else. As such, Abhoth is well versed in ecology, and knows that Lamashtu is overpopulating Golarion with her monsters. Abhoth’s followers seek to spread plagues among monstrous species in order to keep their numbers down, and as such, Mormo counts Abhoth as an ally.

Azathoth The Primal Chaos does not seem to have noticed the Great Game, or much of anything that has happened on Golarion in centuries. This is probably for the best. If any of his attention were to be turned onto the conflict, it could easily become a disaster for both parties…something that Nyarlathotep is hoping for, and working to make happen.

Bokrug The Water Lizard fondly remembers Mormo from before the evolution of true mammals, and they have hunted and sparred together and even mated in the past. Bokrug may be difficult to rouse from his slumber, but his ire is terrible when provoked, and is likely to be directed at the followers of Lamashtu.

Cthulhu The Dreamer in the Deep has dreamt of Golarion, and one or two of his star-spawn have come there. But he cares not for the Great Game; he has his own stars that need to be right once again. A star-spawn of Cthulhu is a dangerous agent of its own right, and one more likely to support Lamashtu than Mormo.

Hastur The King in Yellow respects Lamashtu and her ravenous appetites. Although he has his own plans to absorb chunks of Golarion, or the whole world if he can, into the Nightmare Kingdom of Carcosa, he is at least nominally on the Mother of Monster’s side. As long as their cultists can keep sharing the same sybaritic festivities.

Ithaqua Ithaqua is more concerned with consuming anyone on either side that he can sink his talons into. The Wind Walker is slightly more favorably minded towards Lamashtu than Mormo, but any relationship between their cults is likely to be a tenuous one that could break down into ravenous hunger at any point.

Mhar Mhar wants off of Golarion. He sees a change in the status quo as the best way of achieving that goal, and is resentful of lamia clerics of Lamashtu for helping Karzoug the Runelord to build a palace on his surface and deface him. Mhar’s release would likely be devastating for Mormo’s goals of making Golarion a richer and more diverse ecosystem. But on the other hand, volcanic ash and lava rock makes for excellent fertilizer, and his eruption might not be as destructive as he hopes it will be.

Nhimbaloth As a devourer of souls and a corrupter of wild things, Nhimbaloth is an ally of Lamashtu. Of course, she does respect Mormo’s goals of eating Lamashtu as a fellow apex predator. But Nhimbaloth thinks that the Goddess of Predators is too arrogant and needs to be taken down a peg. Nhimbaloth would happily eat Mormo herself if given half a chance, and for that reason, Mormo keeps a wide berth of Nhimbaloth’s home world, Voidbracken.

Nyarlathotep The Crawling Chaos is delighted by this galaxy spanning conflict, and on the surface is playing both sides. Lamashtu is his real dog in the fight, as he views Lamashtu as being more likely to lead Golarion to ruin, cracking open and releasing Rovagug. That would be a fun show to watch, seeing how the Rough Beast would react after eons of imprisonment. The Mask of Nyarlathotep that is most actively involved is the Black Pharaoh, whose cults are pushing technological advances into the hands of demon cultists and dangerous maneaters.

Orgesh The Faceless God is technically on Lamashtu’s side, although not by any direct aiding or abetting. Orgesh wants to fight Mormo himself. And is sending his chardra to pick fights with her worshipers, and is gunning for her most powerful servitors himself, in the hopes of getting Mormo’s attention. Worst case scenario, Orgesh will be killed and be able to respawn on another planet. Unless Mormo gets sick of his interference, and starts doing research on a way to kill him for real before setting her sights higher.

Shub-Nugganoth* The Goat of the Woods views Lamashtu as a kindred spirit, and the two of them have indeed collaborated on the spawning of horrors in the past. They are doing so again, notably through the personage of one of the Goat’s most powerful mortal worshipers in Avistan, a fleshwarping-obsessed alchemist named Doctor Agatha Shiny. Doctor Shiny and her creations are actively hunting down Mormo’s allies in order to transform them into blasphemous horrors, or just murder them.

Tsathoggua Saint Toad knows what it’s like to be forgotten and abandoned. He is a supporter of Mormo, if only because she’s the underdog in this fight, and Tsathoggua has a soft spot for underdogs, as much as he would deny that. Mormo knows that the Father of Night is a fickle and somewhat dangerous ally, so doesn’t rely on his help, but does appreciate his guidance and wisdom.

Yig The Father of Serpents calls Mormo “sister”, and the Goddess of Predators calls Yig “brother” in return. This may be an actual genealogical relationship, it may not be. But Yig is among Mormo’s closest allies, and the two are active collaborators. Those colonies of serpentfolk who worship Yig are hotspots for burgeoning cults of Mormo, as they see the two ophidian Old Ones as a way to reclaim some of the lost glory of the Age of Serpents without relying on the increasingly unstable Ydersius.

Yog-Sothoth The Key and the Gate views things on a vast, cosmic scale, even more than the other Outer Gods. As such, the safety and long term stability of the galaxy is his highest priority (after all, it has to collide with another galaxy in approximately 1.2 billion years, and then enough of it has to be around to decay into degenerate matter as the universe shifts past its stelliferous era. So anything that dramatically accelerates that process, or might get large portions of the galaxy pulled out of the Material Plane altogether, are not ideal outcomes for Yog-Sothoth. As such, he supports Mormo, but is doing so in a subtle way—opening portals in the right places, weakening planar boundaries—rather than sending his children to fight en masse.

*This is the name I am going to be using for that particular Outer God in the future. Clearly the same entity that has been developed into a character by Mythos authors over the last 100 years, but doesn't have a racist slur built into the name.

[ohmpunn]

currently: annoying @tired-lamb over mouthwashing because it's become a new interest.

[jaeyleo]

can i get an icon of mhar ? :3

Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.

did i get carried away with this? yes. did i spend way too long making this i because my inspiration would come and go as it pleased? yes. i hope i’ve done mhar justice, it made his gold eyes look white and i’m Not Feeling That. anyway. Mhar!

[astudyingreer]

blease,,,, tell me some day to day things mhar did. what was his morning routine, his favorite activities, the ways he’d joke around with nenet to make her flustered. how late did he sleep in, did he like animals? give me,,,,,,, soft mhar details

-Mhar loves the garden. It’s in the center of his temple and is perpetually full of lush grass, dozens of flowers, and birds. It constantly smells like nectar and there’s a spring in the middle where the servants draw water. He’ll take walks there and the servants love to spend their time there, singing or doing busywork in the sun. He’ll often go there and even sit with the servants on occasion, listening to them chatter happily amongst themselves.

-If he notices something is bothering one of the servants, he will often send them on errands out of the temple into the villages (he knows they all love that) or maybe just ask them to take a walk with him so he can prod them gently about what’s on their mind.

-Fun fact, because Mhar is a god incarnate, he is technically a pharaoh and validly holds that title. 

-He LOVES animals. One of his favorite things to do is watch the birds in the garden. Catch him out there like Disney princess holding them in his very gentle hands.

-Mhar also loves to tease Nenet. It’s one of his favorite things, because she’s so jumpy and clumsy and nervous all the time. Most of the servants keep to themselves, but she’s so fascinated with him he’ll often catch her following him or purposefully putting herself in his way. He’ll often “give her a hard time” good-naturedly over a broken pot or forgotten unfinished task, just to watch her stutter for an excuse. Maybe it’s because he also wants a reason to spend more time with HER…

-Despite teasing Nenet, they also have a lot of times where they’ll joke together or have very light, fun conversations. Obviously later when they grow closer this happens more often.

-Mhar wanted to make Nenet his queen right before she died, and was seriously considering giving her immortality despite the obvious reasons not to.

-Mhar is very good with children !! So good !! The children wouldn’t dare pet him in his cat state (cats were holy in ancient Egypt) but he still will spend time with them when he’s in villages visiting, if he can.

-He’s also always wanted a human child of his own.

-He only shows his face to the servants and occupants of the temple. Otherwise he wears his mask. Even then, the servants will try not to make eye contact, but mostly because his eyes are so intense: not in an angry way, but just in a powerful way. In truth he has very kind, gentle features, and his smile is like a warm hug.

-Mhar’s morning routine consists of “waking up” very early (he doesn’t really sleep, meditation is a better word for it) and taking a walk outside of the temple to take time by himself (maybe he’ll go for a swim, or visit a secluded part of the area) until food has been prepared for him. He’s actually kind of a loner, and you’ll find him keeping to himself or going off to be alone a lot.

-Mhar doesn’t give hugs often, but he actually really loves hugging. And a hug from Mhar is…. literally the best feeling in the world.

-When Mhar laughs his eyes crinkle up and he’ll laugh through his nose a little first but then he’ll tilt his head back and laugh louder and it’s incredibly contagious.

-Mhar wears that ceremonial makeup and jewelry when he goes into public or has people come to the temple to bring offerings, but he doesn’t get ready himself. Now I want you to imagine Nenet–or someone else–putting kohl on his eyes and stuff. (kohl being the word for that black eyeliner stuff)

[welcome-tobrightvale]

i commissioned one of my fav former neotag artists @sa-2b to draw my girl mhar and im gonna cry she's so cute

[astudyingreer]

4, 5, and 13 with Mhar, please?

4. Best places to kiss on their body - Mhar loves any kind of physical affection, but his favorite is when someone peppers him with soft but fervent kisses that trail his body, like up his arm or down his chest. 

5. Guilty pleasures - Mhar has a really bad habit of teasing people simply because he can. He really enjoys making people feel flustered or speechless. Aside from that, he really likes when the servants get him all pretty to receive sacrifices. He likes feeling pretty. :3

13. What gets them flustered - People who are bold around him without being disrespectful. If he makes a joke and they respond instantly without skipping a beat it can throw him off, but he kind of likes it. That is especially true for flirting, but it mostly intrigues him more than anything else. 

[astudyingreer]

Here’s that one shot I mentioned before. This is the moment where Nenet kinda gets through to Mhar in a way he’s never experienced before, where he kind of changes his perspective on humanity. Enjoy !

--

Mhar paused down the dim, moonlit hallway, turning his head slightly toward one of the shadowed overhangs. His aura glinted gold against the stone, but he did not need it to know that Nenet was cowering in the shadows behind one of the temple pillars. 

“If you think I cannot see you,” he said, “than your knowledge of me is tragically misguided.”

He waited, a few more moments, but she didn’t stir. He could hear her quick, fearful breaths only growing more staggered as he stood there.

Annoyance flashed in his eyes and he turned fully toward her with a heavy exhale. “You try my patience, Nenet.”

Finally she stepped reluctantly out of the shadows, her face still hidden by the wrap she wore against the cold night air. She pulled back the covering on her face, trying to meet his eyes but failing almost immediately.

She opened her mouth to speak but Mhar cut her off, his tone sharp but even. “Do not speak. You will only shame yourself further.”

Nenet nodded wordlessly, swallowing hard and hugging her arms tightly around herself.

Controlled, repressed anger shone in Mhar’s narrowed eyes. “I gave you leniency,” he said. “I saw that you were of more weaker spirit than the other girls, and I gave you mercy. I asked little of you.”

Nenet nodded again, eyes fixed on the floor. “My--”

“I said, do not speak.” He took a step toward her and she moved back instinctively, but the wall was behind her. His eyes were brighter now, glowing gold in the darkness. “You were taught my law since you were a child. You knew it when you devoted yourself to the temple, and to me.” His nose wrinkled as a faint snarl tainted his expression and his voice sharpened. “And yet, for months, you have broken it without shame. And with your disregard you have shown that you neither respect or fear me as you should. Do you want me to take your respect by force, Nenet? Do you desire my wrath?”

She drew a hiccuping breath, her tears threatening to overflow, and she shook her head. “No, I--”

Mhar’s eyes flashed a bright light and he moved forward, causing her to jump back and hit the wall. 

“I commanded you to be silent,” he told her. “Are you deaf?”

Quickly she shook her head, her breaths becoming more labored. A single tear trickled down to her chin. 

“My patience grows very thin,” he growled, eyes practically blazing through her. “I do not tolerate your deception. My mercy is sacred and will not be abused. You have been stealing from me, me, and now you expect that your excuses will suffice. You have seen the punishment of bandits and traitors, you have seen me rip the souls of men from their bodies and watched as they die before their limp corpses even fall to the ground.”

Her tears grew louder now and her shoulders shook visibly. She hands twisted the fabric of her dress as she bowed her head. His cold, emotionless gaze watched her until he finally drew away and she fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands against the sandy stone floor.

“Explain yourself now,” he commanded, stepping back and squaring his shoulders. She started to speak but it took her a moment for her to become coherent.

“M-my king, I beg your mercy,” she sobbed, desperately clutching his foot and pressing her forehead against it. “I am a thief and a liar, I can only ask for your holy f-forgiveness and kindness, please--” “I do not want you to beg my forgiveness. I want to know why you did these things,” Mhar told her. His tone was still ice-cold. “Explain yourself.”

“I did these things because I am selfish,” she explained through her shuddering breaths. “I committed these crimes only for myself. You should strike me dead for what I have done.”

“You lie, even now,” Mhar said. He could feel the terror radiating off of her, so intense it made his hair stand on end. Her heart was frantically beating, and her breaths were so staggered he thought she might pass out.

“M-my king,” she whispered, “I cannot say anything else, except that I am a sinner and a thief. I have failed you--”

“Tell me the truth.”

“P-please--”

“Tell me the truth or suffer the consequences, Nenet.” 

Suddenly Nenet’s rambling fell silent and she only bowed desperately at his feet, her back still shaking quietly with breathless tears. She refused to even beg now.

After a few moments of waiting in stony silence, Mhar crouched down and took her chin in his hand, coaxing her face upward. His eyes flickered over her red, tear-stained face and she shut her eyes tight against them. She winced audibly against his touch, as if he were about to smite her. 

Without a word he breached into her mind, and Nenet cried out in response. She fell into his hand, reaching up to hold onto his arm in a moment of vulnerable desperation. 

His eyebrows knit in compassion though his eyes still glowered. “You are being threatened,” he murmured. “And you did not tell me?”

“I could not,” she whispered hoarsely. “There was a man, in the v-village--oh, my king, I am s-so afraid--”

“Speak freely, little one,” he urged her. All the fire had gone from his voice, replaced only by a more comforting intensity. “What man?”

“He was a terrifying man, a criminal. He knew me, he k-knew my family, he told me if I did not do as he asked he would have my sister sold into slavery and my father slaughtered. He said he would expose my crimes to you, as they are now, and that you would tear me limb from limb.”

“And you thought that obeying him would be safer than disobeying me?” Mhar asked, and Nenet seemed close to crying all over again. She clutched his arm, pressing her face against his hand and clenching her eyes tight.

“I thought he would kill me,” she whispered. “He attacked me, threatened me with terrible things. I see his face in my sleep, and when I cannot sleep I close my eyes and I see my sister and father whose fates lie in my hands. But still I feared your wrath more than I feared his. If…” she hesitated, glancing up at him with those wide innocent eyes. “If you kill me, my king, I ask that you protect them. My family. I do not deserve it, but I ask it all the same.”

“Foolish girl,” Mhar murmured. His remorse was plain as he stood, and pulled her gently to her feet as well. “I will not kill you. Though it seems every new day you find another way to taunt death. Is it a game of yours to incur my wrath?”

“I swear, I try to avoid it as best I can,” Nenet replied meekly, reaching up to wipe her tears.

Mhar sighed heavily, cracking his neck a little as the fire in his eyes subsided. “You must be more careful, Nenet. Of men in the village... and of me.”

“Y-Yes, my king.”

He watched her rush hurriedly down the hallway toward the servant’s quarters, a touch of sadness passing his otherwise guarded expression. He could still feel the tingle of energy under his skin and flexed his fingers uncomfortably. He could not help but pity her, a girl frightened by kitchen mice who would keep finding herself at the other end of his wrath. She really did have to be more careful.