Alache

[ah-lah-chee]

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Basic Information

• Name: Alache
• Domain: Darkness, Secrets, Serenity
• Title: The Concealer, Keeper of the Night
• Alignment: Void
• Symbol: A crescent moon partially obscured by shadows
• Primary Worship Area: Dusk Forest

Physical Description

• Appearance:

Alache in his traditional form is the embodiment of the unseen and the unknown, a deity cloaked entirely in shadows. His form is fluid and intangible, merging seamlessly with the darkness around him, making it difficult to discern where his outline begins or ends. The darkness that envelops Alache is not merely absence of light but a living, breathing presence that whispers secrets and watches the world with a quiet, all-knowing gaze. His eyes, when they choose to reveal themselves, shine like cold stars against the pitch black of his form, piercing through the shadows to observe the realm of mortals. His head is adorned with a dark elongated helmet, more a silhouette than a solid object. Encircling this helmet is a dark halo, reminiscent of an eclipse, that emits a dark light of its own.

Alache’s more humanoid depiction presents him as a strikingly handsome figure, with skin as pale and luminous as moonlight. This form is designed to interact more directly with those who worship him, providing a relatable visage that embodies his divine qualities. His hair is long, flowing like liquid night, spilling over his shoulders in waves of soft darkness that contrast with his pale skin. His eyes retain their mysterious glow, reflective and deep, suggesting an understanding of the deepest secrets of the universe. His garments in this form are elegant and flowing, made of fabrics that seem to absorb light. The dark halo remains a constant, hovering behind his head, it’s centre a true darkness, that seems to engulf all light around it.

• Height: Varies, often difficult to determine due to shadowy nature.
• Weight: Variable
• Distinguishing Features: His dark halo that seems omits an ominous dark light. Dark, flowing garments that blend into the shadows.

Personality

• Traits: Enigmatic, introspective, detached
• Strengths: Master of stealth, otherwise not much is known
• Weaknesses: Unknown
• Goals and Motivations: Alache watches over the world alongside Gahrian, against the Vices and any other would be threats to Staterum. He aims to teach that secrets and solitude bring their own form of enlightenment

Relationships

Family:

• Gahrian, Brother. Alache and Gahrian share a bond of mutual respect and collaboration. While their domains differ, they work together to uphold balance and counter threats.
• Statera, Sister. As the youngest of the trio, Statera holds a special place in the dynamic between her brothers. Her presence has been a unifying force, bridging the gap between her siblings.

Relations:

• Tenebrim Elves, Favoured people. Alache views the Tenebrim Elves as the remnants of his influence in the world, favouring them discreetly from the shadows.
• Lore Keepers, A religious but elusive group rumored to possess the entire history of the gods in their archives.

Attitude towards Mortals: Largely detached, with a subtle preference for the Tenebrim Elves.

Mythology and Worship

• Creation Myth:

Alache’s origins are woven into the very fabric of the cosmos, shrouded in the enigmatic veils of darkness and silence that encompassed the primordial void. Before time marked its passage, before the stars found their places in the night sky, there existed a vast, formless expanse—a realm of absolute void where even light dared not venture. It was within this ancient abyss, a realm where the concepts of beginning and end were meaningless, that Alache began to manifest.

This emergence was not heralded by fanfare nor witnessed by celestial beings. Instead, it unfolded quietly, as a natural and inevitable consequence of the universe’s burgeoning complexity. In the deepest shadows of the void, where secrets and potentialities lingered unformed and unseen, the essence of Alache coalesced. Gradually, his presence began to define itself, drawing upon the latent energies of the cosmos. He became the embodiment of all that lies hidden, the keeper of mysteries yet to be uncovered.

As the eons passed, Alache’s form gained substance and definition. He did not simply step into existence but rather grew organically from the darkness itself, his essence intertwined with the fundamental forces that compose reality. He became a deity not of light or flame but of the profound, all-encompassing shadow that exists between and beyond, holding dominion over the secrets that reside in the dark.

• Major Cults and Religious Practices: The Tenebrim Elves maintain hidden shrines where silent ceremonies are conducted under the cover of night. These rituals emphasise the virtues of secrecy and the wisdom found in silence.
• Festivals: The Night of Shadows, observed during the Winter Solstice, the exact occurrences of this festival are a well kept secret, with few even knowing of it existence.
• Clergy and Temples: Temples are often underground or in dark forests, designed to be sanctuaries of peace and introspection.

Significant Historical Impact

Major Plot Points in World History:

• An ancient Tenebrim tradition holds that Alache and his brother Gahrian are the only forces strong enough to hold the Vices at bay, preventing these malevolent entities from crossing into the mortal realm, since before the dawn of humanity.
• According to elven lore, there was a time in the early years of the world, in which an ancient and forgotten enemy, claiming false rule over the shadows, threatened the very fabric of Staterum. Alache, leading an army of elves, challenged this usurper in a monumental battle. His victory not only reclaimed his dominion over the shadows but also saved Staterum. This pivotal event is celebrated as the moment when elves, previously residing in the realm of Dorna, first entered Staterum, establishing a lasting bond between the mortals of Staterum and the elves.

Artifacts: Unknown.

Quotes

”Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self”

Background

Tenebrim Elves:

For the Tenebrim Elves, Alache and his brother Gahrian are not just gods but the co-creators of the cosmos. Their theology posits that Gahrian’s unchecked ego initially led to the creation of the original vices. Alache, acting as the counterbalance, helped reel in his brother’s ambitions, and together, they banished these vices to a dark realm. They continue to safeguard Staterum by maintaining the seal over these corrupt beings, taking turns to watch over the realm, Alache during the night as the moon, and Gahrian during the day as the sun.

Ascended Church:

Contrastingly, The Ascended Church holds a more skeptical view of Alache and Gahrian. To them, these figures are merely different aspects of Statera, interpreted by the elves under varying lights. They regard the elven narrative of Alache and Gahrian as co-creators and vigilant guardians as a misguided attempt to attribute some of Statera’s expansive influence to lesser deities. Members of The Ascended Church believe that if such pivotal gods truly existed, they would be more prominently recognized and revered within their teachings.

Riben:

To Riben, with its emphasis on scientific and empirical understanding, the divine attributes of Alache and Gahrian are met with skepticism. In their eyes, the sun and the moon are not governed by deities but are celestial bodies following natural, albeit not fully understood, paths. This perspective reduces Alache and Gahrian to mere symbols in ancient stories, seen as quaint explanations from a less enlightened time.

Traditional Depiction Credit Peter Moh