> [!infobox] > ![[Zephyrus.jpg|300]] > ###### Information > | | | > | ---- | ---- | > | **Titles** | The Whispering Tyrant, Keeper of the Forbidden, The Shrouded One | > | **Domain** | Knowledge, Trickery, Secrets | > | **Gender** | Masculine | > | **Alignment** | Neutral Evil | > | **Artifact(s)** | Dagger | > # Symbol > ![[Zephyrus.png]] ### **Description** **Zephyrus, the God of Secrets and Forbidden Knowledge**, was one of the most insidious of the **Malevolent Old Tyrant Gods**. Unlike his brethren who thrived on brute force and dominance, Zephyrus wove his power through lies, manipulation, and concealed truths. He sought dominion over minds, feeding on paranoia and obsession. Zephyrus was obsessed with hoarding knowledge — not for the sake of wisdom, but to control those who desired it. His most devout followers were scholars driven to madness, arcanists corrupted by their own ambition, and spies who believed knowledge was the greatest weapon. Zephyrus's influence infected the minds of those seeking answers, driving them to dangerous discoveries and forbidden practices. When the **Benevolent Old Gods** sealed the Tyrant Gods away, it is said Zephyrus did not resist like the others. Instead, he retreated into the depths of his own twisted vault of secrets, ensuring that those desperate for power would inevitably break his prison in pursuit of what he guards. ### **Appearance** Zephyrus manifests as a cloaked figure draped in shadow, his face obscured save for a single luminous eye that shifts colors — crimson when watching, violet when weaving lies, and azure when seeding obsession. His robes are woven from threads of ink-like darkness that twist and coil like living tendrils. In moments of anger, Zephyrus’s form distorts, multiplying into a shifting array of illusory silhouettes — some whispering half-truths, others murmuring words no mortal should understand. ### **Tenets of Zephyrus** 1. **Knowledge is Power:** Truth is but a tool to be twisted and concealed. The greatest power lies in knowing what others cannot. 2. **Secrets are Sacred:** To reveal knowledge without purpose is to weaken yourself. Guard what you know — and deceive those who would steal it. 3. **Curiosity Breeds Corruption:** Lead others to obsession, and their desires will forge their own downfall. ### **Holy Weapon** **The Whispering Blade** — A jagged dagger forged from shadowed steel, its surface etched with shifting runes. The blade is said to murmur forgotten incantations to those who wield it, offering dark insights at the cost of their sanity. The Whispering Blade’s location is unknown, though rumors suggest it moves from bearer to bearer, corrupting each in turn. ### **Worship and Rituals** Zephyrus’s followers rarely act in the open, instead operating as shadowy cabals and secret orders. His cultists hoard knowledge and manipulate powerful figures through whispered counsel and deception. **The Rite of the Unveiled Eye** is the most infamous ritual devoted to Zephyrus. In this twisted ceremony, a seeker willingly blinds themselves in exchange for visions of forbidden knowledge — often glimpses of the sealed Tyrant Gods, terrible prophecies, or otherworldly insights. Those who survive this ritual are often haunted by incomprehensible truths, their minds twisted by paranoia and doubt. Hidden shrines to Zephyrus are often disguised as libraries, archives, or vaults, containing tomes written in languages lost to time. These cryptic texts are believed to whisper to readers, tempting them to unlock dangerous knowledge. ### **Legacy** Though Zephyrus’s prison remains intact, it is said that he still reaches through cracks in the veil, whispering to those who seek forbidden truths. Many cursed artifacts and grimoires are believed to be relics of his influence. Scholars obsessed with unlocking the unknown — especially those drawn to dark magic — risk falling under his insidious grasp. Legends claim that breaking Zephyrus’s bonds would unravel ancient secrets best left forgotten, unleashing knowledge so devastating that even the gods would tremble before it.