Personality

Eszek is an Apostle of Flesh, of the way of Metamorphosis.

She sees the corruption of a mage as a worthy and important last step in their inherently cyclical nature. It is the last stage of life and is to be celebrated and nothing to be sad about. Killing the monster is a revered act and sets the self on the same path to start this circle anew, for the destruction and havoc it causes is a way of divine cleansing, the extreme change stopping the rot of stagnation.

She wishes to transcend her own form to complete her own metamorphosis eventually, but not before she has taught her followers all there is to know. Ultimately, she wants a new order to the world. Emotional, sweeping and poetic, leans deeply into both joy and sorrow, jubilant and despondent. Never forgets but nurtures no grudges.

Equally unconcerned with politics and concepts as money and fame, though witchfinders may find themselves on the other end of her maiming hands for their acts of blasphemy. Kills with an easy conscience. Observant, calm, violent at the drop of a hat if she must. Dangerous, scheming, outwardly charming and otherworldly. Zealous without concept of self or interest in autonomy of the self.

(Word Count: 207)

History

The Apostle was born a long time ago, and far away from any kingdom. Back when mages were one in more than a few generations rare and venerated appropriately. Back when monsters were worshiped as god kings, when killing them was an act as divine as the monster itself.

Eszek is born in a village of tents clustered in the shadow of canyons carved out by the great monster that they follow. Theirs is an austere traveling life - they never settle for long. When the great monster moves in its slow, blind grind, they follow. When it halts, so do they. Its incredible mass leaves valleys in the hills where the shadow gathers and the water flows, and for those seasons they plant and catch their food and tend to their flock.

She remembers her old life in fleeting shreds of time and memory. She is taught of monsters first and mages second. She is taught of the great monster they follow. Taught of a primitive and colorful and bloodied patron, filled with smiles. The day when her magic becomes apparent is a cause for celebration, a gathering of many surrounding villages for a festival that lasts days. How they discovered her magic, she does not remember. But she remembers flesh giving way under her fingers the way one would mold a man of clay. She remembers the song and the many coloured flapping ensigns on tall poles and long flowing kites in the sky. How her parents wept in pride and distanced reverence.

From that point on, the child is raised as an apostle of monsters, as befits a mage. Even as a child she preaches their word by heart. She leads her flock. She is zealous, fervent, and punishing of anything less. She believes her status, the truth of it, and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as a result. Where the monster goes, the apostle follows. And where the apostle goes, her people follow. The Apostle preaches her people’s word of metamorphosis. How becoming a monster is part of the cyclical nature of magic, a final stage, a mage’s humanoid form merely a larval form at best. Her word is written, and the writings are spread across the land, wherever they may reach.

Far from Eszek her eyes, mages are born, and monsters are nurtured.

Years pass. The child grows into a teenager, into an adult. A hard summer comes, as they always do. Then, another, and another. The sun singes the crops to paper, and the rot draws in the pests. It kills their animals, and mummifies them in its leathery heat. The rains do not come. Like all Apostles before her, Eszek stands before the great godking with her arms wide and welcoming. Her calling, to become a monster, would be denied to sustain another. Such was the fate of an Apostle, to spread the word of something unattainable for herself. She was at peace with it. It swallows her whole - accepting her sacrifice.

This is where her memories from her previous life end. She remains folded in the monster’s flesh for centuries, in her cocoon tucked away deep beyond its gullet. Eszek does not remember anything from this time. She did not know how far the monster travels, how it far outlives her family, her people, their canyon submerged by the ocean. The monster grows old but Eszek does not age, and the monster grows older yet, as it disappears into the water.

 Then, it is wounded. A great wild mage tribe in the south of lands now called Ivras eventually slay the ancient sea dwelling monster, the god, the king, and drag it to shore like an ordinary whale to be flayed. They cut into its flesh, rip apart ribbons of blubber and meat and peel it apart, until eventually and much to their shock and surprise they find and cut out the apostle from her pupa, and the mage promptly begins to breathe again.

She tells them nothing of who she is or where she is from. All things considered, and despite everything, they are kind to her, and do not ask. They clean her and wash her clothing. They clean her crude rope cage, an early approximation of a Patron she learns they now call Fortune. They feed her and offer her a bed. They teach her their ways, then their language, and tell her she’s in Ivras, unflinching at the question but appropriately concerned. They teach her about monsters and mages once again, and Eszek listens especially carefully.

Eventually, she too takes a knife to offer labor in gratitude, and begins to cut at the monster’s, her former god, her former king, many many gills. She concludes the monster brought her to where her teachings were forgotten and needed most. For in Ivras, there are many mages who have forgotten, and many more Godkings to be made.

All they need is a little guidance.

(Word Count: 822)

Design Notes

Human Form: Tall, muscular. Head is entirely covered by the rope, which hangs from the back of her head all the way down to her knees like a ropy ponytail. Right arm is solid scarred black, left arm is pallid with green tattoos. Her neck is a patchwork of pink, white and tattooed, and dark and scarred skin. They are attached seamlessly.

Bovine Form: Muscular, lean, taut. Horns are two separate colours. Legs are carved to be the same size. Tailless. The rope covers her eyes, though her nose and mouth are visible as well as ears. Left leg white, right leg dark and scarred.

When drawing her, don't worry about getting the scars / tattoos / flesh bits / etc exact. Vibe is the most important.

FLESHCRAFTING