Damian, the Mechanus Outlaw (3.5e Deity)
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| Lesser Deity | |
|---|---|
| Symbol: | A Broken Hourglass |
| Home Plane: | Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus |
| Alignment: | Chaotic Neutral |
| Portfolio: | Forbidden Knowledge, Rebels and Revolutionaires, Eretics, Time Travel, Time Bending, Law Breaking, Death Cheating, |
| Clergy Alignments: | Any Non-Lawful |
| Domains: | Entropy, Liberation, Knowledge, Time[1], Time Warp, Trickery |
| Favored Weapon: | None |
- ↑ Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition
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Before ascending as a deity, Damian was a Valakhut, an Inevitable forged along with thousands of his peers in the eternal furnaces of Nashislan, one of the mystical "factories" of automatons on Mechanus. Like any other Valakhut, he was in the service of the Hub of Elders in charge of the factory and for centuries, following their will, his mission was to hunt down and punish those whose ambition was to ascend to the status of deity, breaking the balance. During an assignment, he was given for destroyed along with a group of other Valakhut sent on the material plane to prevent a powerful wizard to complete the ritual that would make him immortal.
Even the watchful eye of the Hub of Elders could not overcome the mighty magical defenses built by the sorcerer, who had not destroyed the Valakhut, but rather had captured it and bent to his will to carry on his experiments.
The long stay in the service of the human brought the automaton to develop a personality and a growing interest in forbidden studies of its new owner, whose ultimate aim was not only immortality, but the total domination of time. It was genuinely amazed by the incredible persistence of that simple man, that through his commitment and his magic ability escaped the judgment of the Hub for decades to advance his revolutionary studies.
The Valakhut began to understand the potential benefits of research of forbidden knowledge and the concept of individualism, the charm of evolution and revolution as opposed to the cold and sterile rigidity of the immutable laws, which until then had motivated its actions. During the final ritual that would allow its human master to create an artifact with the incredible power to alter the flow of time at will, a surprise attack by a group of Valakhut and other Inevitables managed to destroy the sorcerer magical defenses, sparking a furious fight that saw the destruction of the Inevitables, but also killed the human.
No longer under the control of the arcanist, the Valakhut prisoner knew it would have to return on Mechanus, where the elders would reset its personality to put it back in service with the others automata, but the new spark of curiosity and rebellion took over the construct mechanical mind. He honored the efforts of its master and unwilling mentor, completing the ritual and blending the powerful artifact directly to his metal body. He also engraved with fire his metallic chest with the name of the wizard, baptizing himself Damian.
The flame of a lifetime devoted to the knowledge and the quest for a power that can counter the laws of the universe began to burn inside him with renewed power.
The automaton voluntarily returned to Mechanus and convinced his masters to postpone the reset of his memory and personality behind the pretext of wanting to present a detailed report on the information acquired during his years of captivity. Unaware even of the possibility that an automaton could develop that level of self-awareness and mischievous cunning, masters gave him audience and a precious chance. Favored by the element of surprise and his new powers, Damian was able to defeat and oust the Hub of Elders of Nashislan.
Since that time, the factory was converted to build new automatons governed by the will of Damian, used to defend the newborn "Chaos Outpost" from the relentless attacks of the other Lawful Mechanus factories, as well as protect and assist the braves who defy and deceive preconstituted laws in the name of progress, discovery and renewal.
Dogma[edit]
The Mechanus Outlaw promotes the infringement of the rules imposed by any kind of authority, provided this is done in the name of knowledge and progress, whether it be personal or general. He encourages inventors, scholars and non-conservative philosophers, but also heretics, rebels and secessionists who aim to disrupt the preconceived power following ideals of innovation and improvement.
Appreciates individualists who are not afraid to face the judgment of others pursuing their unconventional ideas of progress in culture, research and arcane arts. He despises persecutors and generally all the people without imagination and without ambition, which obeys imposed rules and traditions uncritically and without innovative spirit.
Clergy and Temples[edit]
The Mechanus Outlaw does not promote the formation of temples or organized clergy, as against the creation of stereotyped forms of hierarchical control typical of others cults. Those dedicated to Damian cult, often worship him in private or small-scale, at metal and sometimes mechanical altars of various and innovative forms, result of creative inspiration of the individual creator and not a fixed tradition. The only recurring element is the image of a broken hourglass, generally recognized as a symbol of the divinity and his eternal struggle against the order and the inflexible laws that govern the universe and the flowing of time.
Damian Clerics are scholars and arcanists wandering alone or in small groups to follow their own path to self-improvement and look for new ideas to expand their eclectic knowledge and spread the spark of progress and change, which is why they are often frowned upon by conservative and rural communities, because labeled as tattered, charlatans or simple troublemakers. Sometimes they associated with revolutionary factions or academies pursuing non-conventional studies, supporting them with their polyhedral skills and guiding them towards the fulfillment of their destiny.
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