Name: Malus
Age: 28
Gender: Male
God: Cryptis
Height: 6'5
Appearance: (Picture up top)
Abilities: I have made a sample list of spells, although he has more general abilities these are the most common.
Unholy Vigor: He does not tire nor feel pain, the power of death keeps him fighting constantly. His blows are made super-humanly stronger and his bones harder then steel.
Dark Aura: A black aura permantly surrounds him, he can choose to reside this aura so that it will not effect others or expand it. His aura creates terrifying fear in those around him, gnawing at the sanity of others with every step they take towards him.
Soulreaving: When Malus strikes with his sword, he strikes at the very souls of others.
Raising undead: Because of his nature, he can reanimate corpses and command lost souls to obey him.
Soulweapon: This is perhaps his greatest power but also his greatest weakness. His soul resides in his weapon, making it extremely powerful and able to channel powerful magic. If the sword is broken he can repair it with just a thought, if his sword is taken from him he is weakened and driven into insanity trying to find it. However even the most powerful will be cursed by the weapon, eventually those that hold it will die or their sanity will become eroded.
Kill: His most powerful spell, able to take the life of others, he can only use this spell on a new moon as that is when Cryptis's power is most heightened. The spell will not work against other Eye's or Gods.
Death Knight Code:
1. The First Allegiance is to Death, not Life. The first allegiance demands that the Deathknight show no mercy in combat. He strikes to kill, always. The first allegiance also demands that the Deathknight take no special care to stave off the death of others. A fallen comrade is considered weak, thus useless to the group and party. Incidentally, these, together, make it very hard to take prisoners. Deathknights often will make a point of murdering those who they've "only" incapacitated, though this is not always a rule.
2. The Second Allegiance is to Undeath, and its Glory. The second allegiance demands that a deathknight further the cause of undeath. If the undead are rampaging, he takes command. Deathknights do not oppose the undead without due reason (i.e. the undead being itself is opposing death and undeath, or harming the cause of death and undeath).
3. The Third Allegiance is to Honor, as it lasts for all of Eternity. The third allegiance demands that a deathknight be honorable. In this, his word is his bond, once sworn he shall uphold it so long as his trust is not broken, even against his convenience. After all, the undead live forever. An additional ramification is that many deathknights contract themselves to limited durations, aware of the possibility of rising as undead themselves and being still sworn to their bond. Deathknights also are very keen to exact vengeance for slights against them, or return favors for previous kindnesses. Honor demands it.
Mount: He rides a nightmare, a demonic horse wrapped in flame that can teleport and fly, the beast is very evil and will seek to kill those it wants. Malus must always control it, it is fearless and will ride into the most dire battles.
His nature as the Eye of Cryptis: After his skeletal form was made, his physical traits changed. When he performs spells a red evil glow emits from his eye sockets. When he speaks to sounds like an echo from a dark void that seems to pierce the souls of others and create fright.
Background: Malus was raised in a cult, known as the Death Knights. They are fanatical worshipers of Cryptis, serving death and seeking to gain favor from their God. They were all highly trained warriors, being taught dark magic to become even greater warriors. However not one ever obtained true undeath through Cryptis. Malus's father started the cult, when he was born his mother was sacrificed in hopes that her essence from death would make Malus stronger. Malus rose to the top ranks of the Death Knights, giving complete devotion to Death. The cult was well known for leaving the safety of the floating islands to go down into the perilous word below on quest of rampage and carnage to send more souls to Cryptis. How they retained every time was a deep secret never told to anyone. When Malus's father was injured in battle and unable to fight on, Malus took his life. When the Gods started picking favorites, Malus was Cryptis's choice. Becoming the Eye of Cryptis, all signs of his mortality was destroyed. It happened in the heat of battle whenever the Death Knights were about to fall, black flames ripped through the very core of Malus. Burning all his skin and flesh into ash, leaving behind only his skeleton. His soul fled into his favored blade, thus becoming the new home for his being. His armor and life became permanently bonded to him, becoming the only skin he would ever have. Battle became one sided against the Death Knight's enemies, with Malus leading them as Death itself, they killed each and every man who dared to stand before them. Malus used dark magic to make deceiving illusions to make him appear as he did in mortal life. Though those who are the Eye's of the Gods will always see his true form.