Victuldek-Tuloomsh

(vik-TOOL-dek-tool-OOMSH) [Familiar - Victul] In Kheizget's pantheon, god (greater) of death, winter, caves, mysteries, irony, self-sacrifice. Victul is also one of the patrons of the magics.

Appearance

Victul appears as a huge, bald, gaunt and humorless man. He is often accompanied or preceded by coyotes or ravens/crows.

Demeanor, Influence

Victul embodies a great tragedy. Betrothed to his sister, the moon, and blessed by his brother, the sun, they beget the mountains and the earth. Soon, however, Bikeshk, jealous of Victul's carefree bliss, plotted to banish Victul beneath the earth in a cavern of ice. He tempted the innocent god into the caves of the mountains with promises of mysteries below. Victul discended and was trapped in a crushing embrace of the glacier. Bikeshk rejoiced and planned to take Victul's place, but Shuushush spurned him, heavy with Victul's child, while the ground rumbled in protest beneath them. Bikeshk departed to seek other mischief, disappointed at the outcome of his plans.

None were more surprised, however, when 13 months later Victul emerged - transformed. His skin was leached of all color, his eyes black as coal, his mouth a hard line with no more mirth or smiles. The moon turned away, her year of mourning done and her passion now only for the small beings of clay newly fashioned by Enkad. Victul raged at his losses, and he forced himself to Ediitulas, goddess of beauty, child of Enkad, and raped her.

The blood of the foul embrace fell to the ground, and from the discharge emerged the twins Khuldekguh, the god of war, and Kekeluhud, goddess of chaos. The foul twins writhed in the hot mud of blood and dirt that had spawned them, and as Ediitulas screamed her horror, the twins embraced and coitally produced their mad son, Dekl'udgek, god of passion, envy and revengeful rage.

Victul was filled with horror and, disgusted by his actions, he brought the cold within his heart to bear on the entire world. The plants died, the trees withered, and even Enkad's rain froze in the sky. The beats howled in terror and all of Victuls and the Moon's creatures shivered, suffered and starved. Enkad tried to persuade Victul to scease, but in vain, for his greif was too great. The death of all things lasted one week for each month of Victul's imprisonment - 13 weeks in all. As all life began to slip away, Victul contemplated his madness with new eyes, and in an act of selflessness, decreed that he would relinquish is revenge and allow life to bloom again.

Enkad was glaad and proud of Victul's self-sacrifice, and gave him dominion over the end of life, and the renewal. Victul receded into darkness, possessor of great secrets and mysteries, bearor of ironies and paradoxes. The moon has since reconciled with winter, but Victul's madness is never far.

In the eyes of humans, Victul is a cold, methodical and occasionally unpredictably mad. One of the few gods looked upon with fear, awe, trepidation and respect all at once, his name is rarely spoken. He is devoted a tremendous festival where gifts are given, for though mad, he does year after year relinquish his death hold of indisputed power and gives spring. He is therefore often mentioned in devotees pertaining to ultimate sacrifice and selflessness.

Symbols

Animal coyote, crow, beetle
Plant moss, lichens
Man-made scarab, scythe, bundles of sticks
Other ice, caves