Leviathan, God of Death

“All that which ends, has a beginning. And all that begins must have an end. There can be no life, without death.”

Leviathan was arguably the most feared of the Old Gods. None were sure of his true form as he was the first to master shapeshifting. When he walked among the mortals, he would wear a plague mask to hid his face. When dealing with his devotees, he would take the form of an elder giant with a wispy long beard. And when conversing with the other gods, he took the form of a child. His young form often comforted Arcyna during times of sadness. There were many other forms but only two commonalities between them; his face was always hidden and he always carried a shepherd’s crook.

Patience was his forte as he seemingly had no task. He simply observed the others at work, waiting for inspiration. Not wanting his sister to suffer anymore, he decided to act on the only thing he truly knew. Through watching the failures of the other gods, he believed he found the problem with the current creation. The mortal bodies died but their souls would live on, awaiting rebirth. The lack of finality ultimately resulted in a lack of urgency. If there was no end, how could they appreciate a beginning? Ornyc offered paradise without first introducing struggle. Maldoria offered the sense of reward without the understanding of risk. And dear Arcyna offered unending life, a garden without a gardener to maintain the growth.

Learning from the mistakes of the others, Leviathan used his powers to introduce true death. He imprinted the Mark of Finality, an hourglass in the shape of the infinity symbol, on each soul as it awaited renewal. Once marked, the souls will live again but for one last time. The other gods grew furious with him but he paid them no mind. He simply told them to have patience and observe as he did.

The mortals panicked but to the gods’ surprise, accepted this new fate rather quickly. Ornyc’s lesson taught them to appreciate what they had. Maldoria’s lesson taught them to weather the storm and climb for greater heights. Arcyna’s lesson taught them to respect the boundaries of life. And Leviathan’s lesson taught them that all things must end.

After the mortals settled in to his new reality, balance was forming. The gods performed their duty and slowly stopped interfering, choosing the route of patience and observation. Leviathan then showed only Arcyna the new world he made in secret. A world to mirror this one and to serve as an afterlife, a reward for those who lived well. But along with everything else in reality, this world and its purpose would also end.