Ariachne, Weaver of Fate, & Araneus, the Web Star (& The Emissaries)

[Tee]

The Web Star

Araneus has been known to the local populations since even before astronomy began in the peninsula - early pagan populations and Astyan colonists somehow knowing about the Web Star despite its low brightness and their inability to actually see it. It's positioned somewhat above and quite far behind the Lion, essentially overlooking the noble stars from a far distant vantage point -- and somehow, imperceptibly affecting them.

Though Araneus and the Web Star itself are well known (especially in astronomy- it has an unusually striated brightness pattern), what is far less known is that it is not, in fact, a true star at all, but the stellar home of Ariachne, the Abyssal Lord of Fate.

Ariachne, Weaver of Fates, Spinner of Destinies

The Weaver is a massive Abyssal Lord who resides in the very center of the Web Star, using it as a distant lair. Though early on mainly Kraus was the guiding force of the fates of lands and mortals, an Abyssal One from the early days of Eternia's creation had nested itself in the distant Web Star, slowly spinning the invisible webs of fate that would one day affect all things. The Weaver is primarily concerned with ensuring every timeline goes as it's supposed to-- there's just that tricky, unfortunate issue of free will...

Once, long ago, Ariachne was worshipped as a Divine bringer of luck and fortune-- either the bringer of success or ruin. A simple peasant boy could become a great and relevant hero, through the single plucking of a web-string. The very future itself could be read on the edge of a spiderweb by the acolyes of the Weaver.

Such worshippers are, however, long gone -- all of them exterminated during the Witch Trials, and driven out over many centuries. Hated and feared, the memories of their terrible misuses of magic have remained long after their temples have turned to dust. 

Regardless of Ariachne's apparent disregard for the specific workings of mortals, in Esshar it is an act punishable by death to knowingly worship the Weaver (and most citizens would not know about it anyway). Any knowledge related to Ariachne is strictly controlled by the Academy and the Church, and purely for research or historical purposes. 

Knowledge of the Web Star itself is common, though nobody worships it or claims any kind of power from it (at least not openly).

[Arrow]

This reminds me of the Weaver spirit from World of Darkness, which isn't a bad thing by the way, I really like this, good job Tee.

[Tee]

The Emissaries of Fate

Ariachne is not capable of directly influencing Eternia in the way that Divine beings are. Instead, the Abyssal Lord must use worldly tools. The Emissaries are the Spinner's mortal instruments, sent primarily to correct deviations in the timelines of various people or objects. Unfortunately for these people or objects the loops and eddies in the web of fate are far beyond the comprehension of anyone but Ariachne itself, and so the behavior of Emissaries can often seem, to mortals, to be incomprehensively cruel or just outright baffling. However, there is a reason for everything, even if mortals can't yet see the end result..

Certain wild rumours speak of forbidden rituals that, in the old days, could summon an Emissary from the Web Star to request of Ariachne a boon; generally a tweak of destiny to ensure glory or fortune, typically at an outrageous price. It's never been quite ascertained whether or not an Emissary was its own distinct creature, a single creature capable of being in multiple places, or even just a mortal temporarily 'enhanced' through Ariachne's gifts.

Either way, the sighting of an Emissary on Eternia is rarely ever a good thing.