The Veiled Tyrant
Group (Pantheon): The Void Covenant
Domains: Tyranny, Darkness
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Khalzathar's holy symbol is a serpent coiled around a broken crown, its fangs piercing the crown's base. The serpent represents manipulation and dominance, while the shattered crown symbolizes defeated rulers and broken legacies. The entire emblem is often depicted in dark iron with crimson inlays symbolizing blood spilled in pursuit of power.
The faith of Khalzathar operates like a web of conspiracies rather than an open religion. His temples are hidden within fortified citadels, grand palaces, and secretive shadow enclaves. His followers infiltrate governments, guilds, and militaries, using manipulation, treachery, and dark rituals to gain influence.
The Mask of Shadows
The supreme priest of Khalzathar, whose identity is kept hidden. They are a master manipulator, believed to shape entire nations through shadowy agents.
Iron Sovereigns
High-ranking warlords, despots, and rulers who claim divine favor through conquest and domination. Many wear ceremonial masks of iron to symbolize their sworn allegiance.
Shadowbinders
Political advisors, court magicians, and manipulative spies who manipulate courts, councils, and armies from behind the scenes. They specialize in lies, diplomacy, and sorcery.
Whispers of the Veil
Elite agents, assassins, and enforcers loyal to the Mask of Shadows. They eliminate political threats and enforce the secret will of the faith.
Chainsworn Thralls
Broken prisoners, enslaved soldiers, and fanatical cultists bound by iron-clad oaths of servitude. Many are magically cursed or mind-broken to serve the faith without question.
Maldrak Veylthorne (past)
Role: Iron Sovereign and Tyrant-King
Legacy: Known as the Black Emperor, Maldrak forged a brutal empire through treachery and conquest during the Sixth Age. His Blade of Dominion was said to bend even the wills of kings.
Tharos the Crimson Warden (past)
Role: Mask of Shadows
Legacy: A brutal high priest responsible for establishing the Council of Broken Kings, a cabal of rulers bound by oaths of conquest. His will shaped the political fate of countless kingdoms before his mysterious disappearance.
Velara Duskthorn (past)
Role: Whisper of the Veil and Assassin-Queen
Legacy: Velara used lies, seduction, and assassination to secure control over three rival kingdoms. Her Daggers of Silent Dominion were enchanted to strike through even the strongest magical wards.
Ilvara Nightspire (present)
Role: Shadowbinder and Court Manipulator
Legacy: Ilvara is a manipulative diplomat believed to be responsible for the Fall of the Silver League, orchestrating political betrayals and deadly treaties in Khalzathar's name. No ruler trusts her, but none dare cross her.
Lord Eryndal Veythar (present)
Role: Iron Sovereign of the Duskblade Empire
Legacy: An openly feared tyrant, Lord Veythar rules with cruelty and cunning, wielding Khalzathar's blessings to expand his dark empire. His Iron Crown of Binding is said to dominate even the strongest-willed generals in his service.
The faith of Khalzathar thrives in corrupted empires, secretive noble courts, and war-torn kingdoms. His hidden temples, often called Halls of Silent Thrones, are fortified sanctuaries built in secret beneath castles or buried within shadowed mountain fortresses.
Khalzathar's faith is directly opposed to Talandra (order and peace), Theris (justice), and Maelis (compassion), whose values of fairness, justice, and mercy clash with his belief in domination and manipulation. However, his cults frequently align with the followers of Naeris (shadows and secrets) and Malachor (destruction) when political control and conquest are mutually beneficial.
Despite the gods' withdrawal, Khalzathar's cult continues to influence global politics and conquer from the shadows:
Khalzathar, the Veiled Tyrant, is the God of Power, Ambition, and Tyranny, embodying dominion through manipulation, coercion, and raw authority. Unlike deities of open conquest, Khalzathar thrives in the shadows of courts, empires, and secret councils, weaving influence with cold calculation. He represents the relentless pursuit of control, where power is an end unto itself, and all means are justified. His dominion stretches from despotic rulers to ambitious politicians, warlords, and even secretive cults aiming to control the world from the shadows.
Khalzathar is often depicted as a regal, armored figure cloaked in dark, flowing robes etched with ancient symbols of dominion and conquest. His face is obscured behind a Mask of Dominion, crafted from shadow-forged iron and set with burning crimson eyes that pierce through deceit. He wields Imperium, a wickedly curved scepter shaped like a serpent devouring its tail, symbolizing unending power and inevitable conquest.
Khalzathar remains a dark and ever-present force, whispering promises of power into the ears of rulers and dreamers alike. His influence is subtle, insidious, and relentless -- impossible to contain, for even the brightest thrones cast shadows.
"Rule from the light, reign from the shadows."
Source: Homebrew, 2024.
Trindle Spring Lutheran Church RPG Club | Mechanicsburg, PA