Apsu

Apsu, the Waybringer, is one of the oldest and mightiest creatures in existence. According to Apsu’s faithful, he and his mate, Tiamat, spawned the dragon-gods who created the whole world. He remains a father figure to almost all dragons, whom he loves as his children, and to those who count dragons among their progenitors, literally or figuratively. The exception is the faithful of his murderous and destructive son, Dahak, with whom Apsu anticipates a final and terrible reckoning. For this reason, the good-aligned dragons and all those who fight for the interests of his loyal draconic progeny continually pray to the great Apsu, trusting in his inevitable righteous victory.

THE WAYBRINGER

Apsu
(Déité)
Titres	Waybringer The Exiled Wyrm Maker of All
Home	Immortal Ambulatory (travelling demiplane)
Alignement	Lawful good
Portfolio	Good Dragons Glory Leadership Peace
Adorateurs	Dragons
Cleric Alignments	Modèle:Alignment grid
Domaines	Artifice, Good, Law, Scalykind, Travel
Sous domaines	Archon, Construct, Dragon, Exploration, Judgment, Toil, Trade
Arme de prédiléction	Bite or quarterstaff

God of good dragons, leadership, and peace

Alignment LG

Domains Artifice, Good, Law, Scalykind, Travel

Subdomains Archon, Construct, Dragon, Exploration, Toil, Trade

Favored Weapon bite or quarterstaff

Centers of Worship Absalom, Taldor, Triaxus  

Nationality dragon

Obedience Pick a direction, and walk that way for the next 30 minutes.

During this time, catalog all of the areas you pass and consider any tactical advantages that can be found in the terrain. After this, retrace your steps, but instead of plotting tactics, appreciate the beauty and scenery that you find along your way, and speak quiet prayers to or praises of the Waybringer, keeping in mind that none of what you’ve seen would exist were it not for Apsu. You then gain a +2 sacred bonus on Perception checks while you are traveling in this area, and a +4 sacred bonus on checks to notice enemies for the purpose of acting in a surprise round while you are traveling or camping there.

EVANGELIST BOONS

1: Maker’s Ways (Sp) floating disk 3/day, align weapon (law only) 2/day, or tiny hut 1/day

2: Touch of the Artificer (Su) You have discovered divinely inspired lines of primordial energy—gifts from Apsu, you believe—that can imbue weapons with bursts of magic. Up to three times per day, as a standard action, you can touch a single weapon and grant it the dancing property for the next 3 rounds. A single weapon cannot be targeted by this effect more than once per day.

3: Crafter’s Pride (Sp) You have learned the intrinsic nature of what gives life to objects, and can pour your soul into the construction of a given creation to infuse it with a semblance of blessed life. Once per week, you can cast animate objects on a single object that you’ve created. The effect does not have a duration; the animated object remains indefinitely as a companion, following your commands as best it can. You cannot animate a new companion while one is already serving you, though as a full-round action you can dismiss a companion, reducing it to lifelessness. If your companion is destroyed, you cannot use this ability again for another week. You cannot affect an object animated in this way with a permanency spell.

EXALTED BOONS =

1: Waybringer’s Ingenuity (Sp) blurred movementACG 3/day, levitate 2/day, or haste 1/day

2: Eyes of the Pursued (Su) You adhere to Apsu’s dictate of living to fight another day, and you’ve mastered the art of monitoring places you’ve left. Anytime you use a teleportation effect to move, you can place an invisible magic sensor in the area from which you just departed.

As long as you are on the same plane as the sensor, you can see and hear everything occurring within 30 feet of the sensor as a swift action. The sensor lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Hit Dice. You can have a maximum number of active sensors equal to your number of Hit Dice.

3: Homeward Bound (Su) As a follower of Apsu, you deeply understand the importance of having a safe place to which you can retreat; you’ve come to count on several safe homes, creating ties to them when necessary. Once per month, you can designate a location to be your refuge. Once per week as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you can teleport yourself and any willing creatures within 30 feet of you to the safe home of your choice, regardless of distance, as long as it is on the same plane. You can have a maximum number of refuges equal to half your Hit Dice.

As long as none of your allies are in a refuge, you can remove its designation as a safe home as a swift action, but if you do so, you can never again designate it as a safe home.

SENTINEL BOONS

1: Exiled’s Wrath (Sp) color spray 3/day, scorching ray 2/day, or draconic reservoirAPG 1/day

2: Apsu’s Shroud (Su) Apsu smiles upon your martial prowess and protects you with a halo of divine energy from his distant realm. You gain a +1 sacred bonus to your Armor Class, which increases to +2 against attacks from evil-aligned creatures. This bonus increases to +3 if the attacker is an evil-aligned true dragon. If an evilaligned true dragon confirms a critical hit against you, the creature must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your Hit Dice + your Charisma modifier) or be blinded for 1 round.

3: Chromatic Scourge (Su) You channel the righteous and immortal fury of Apsu into your weapon, making it ready for the endless fight against Dahak and his wicked allies. Once per day as a swift action, you can imbue your weapon with the hidden wrath of Apsu.

If your target is evil, you gain a +20 profane bonus on your next single attack. If your opponent is an evilaligned creature of the dragon type, treat your next single attack roll as both an automatic hit and a critical threat. You gain a +4 profane bonus to confirm the critical hit.

UNDERSTANDING APSU

According to draconic lore, in the beginning of time there flowed two waters, fresh and salt, which became Apsu and his mate, Tiamat. The couple spawned the dragon-gods who created all the mortal world, but their first child, the destructive Dahak, traveled to Hell to revel and rampage, turning it into a place of darkness and ever-burning fire.

Dahak then struck out at his siblings, destroying each in turn; the shattered remains of these draconic gods formed the first metallic dragons, who were cast onto the Material Plane as mortals. This enraged the fresh water, who realized that he must take a name so he could descend upon the Material Plane to confront his son. The fresh water then declared the immortal words: “I shall then be Apsu, for I am the first.” Aiding Apsu in his quest against Dahak were the god’s metallic dragon children. The ensuing battle eventually saw Dahak laid low, but at a terrible price, for many of the dragons had sustained dire injuries. Just as Apsu prepared to strike the killing blow against his son, Dahak called out to his mother, the great salt se.a Unwilling to see her first son perish, the still-nameless sea offered to heal the battle’s brutalized survivors in exchange for their efforts to save Dahak’s life. Weakened and suffering, some accepted, exchanging goodness for evil, and battle raged between the metallic and chromatic dragons.

Dahak escaped his father’s claws, and though the metallic dragons were poised to pursue, Apsu bade them to save their rage for another day. He then asked his mate why she aided their treacherous son, but she merely named herself Tiamat, mother of all—a name that still brings pain to all dragons—and held Apsu responsible for the deaths of her children. Tiamat then expelled him from their primordial realm, and Apsu vowed that, one day, he would make his stand against Dahak.

Apsu and Dahak’s bitter enmity has since been the source of discord among the dragons of the cosmos.

Apsu has accepted the inevitability of a final conflict with his son, choosing, for unknown reasons, the world of Golarion on which to make his last stand. Apsu’s avatar is a dragon dwarfing the largest of the great wyrms, a regal and magnificent sight to behold. His silver scales sparkle with a pearlescent glow. When in this form, Apsu guides dragons and mortals alike, preparing all for the day his final battle with Dahak will commence.

THE CHURCH

Apsu’s connection with Golarion is mostly focused on the knowledge that this world will host the final battle against his son. Dahak, either out of fear or a rare moment of foresight, has chosen not to force the conflict. Instead, agents of both deities act in small ways on Golarion, attempting to prepare for the inevitable conflict to come.

Apsu’s draconic-focused background results in a lack of any centralized church for his worshipers on Golarion— the closest such organization is a group called the Platinum Band.

The Platinum Band is a tight-knit group of Apsu devotees with two official offices: one in the Taldan city of Oppara, and the other a consulate in the Puddles district of Absalom. Members are recruited into the organization from among those who know and respect the history of Apsu and Dahak. The group is primarily made up of humans, with a handful of other humanoid races, as members of those races who learn of the impending battle between the dragon gods most likely favor Apsu’s side and the defense of all life in the cosmos. The Platinum Band offers structure to the actions of Apsu’s mortal worshipers, even if it’s not a formal church, with senior members maintaining the organization’s meager holdings.

Periodically, bronze dragons who have spoken directly with Apsu visit the band’s representatives in human form to pass along important messages from the god, who rarely, if ever, speaks to non-dragons. Some say this is because humanoids could not handle the power of Apsu’s unadulterated voice without descending into madness. Others say the god simply believes that humanoids, particularly humans, are too fickle or insufficiently invested in Apsu’s faith to warrant his direct communication with them.

Among the dragons of the Inner Sea region, many pay homage to Apsu. However, typically only bronze and gold dragons maintain any direct connection with their deity, with bronze dragons serving as emissaries on behalf of Apsu while gold dragons act as the paragons of Apsu’s beliefs. The latter also hold the power to call convocations of dragons, which all but the most sullen black dragons attend. Sometimes gregarious brass dragons serve as Apsu’s servants and diplomats, though they don’t tend to be particularly religious. Apsu’s faith isn’t limited to the metallic dragons, though—even some of the most vile chromatic dragons venerate and pledge support to Apsu, who can appear to his followers as any type of dragon and with any features he wishes.

Several organizations dedicated to Apsu’s cause lie beyond Golarion, the nearest being on Triaxus. On that world, members of the Dragon Legion are trained to work with dragonkin (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 98) in defense of their territories. Those inducted into the ranks of the Dragon Legion are often trained in the teachings of Apsu, though their leaders prohibit priests from revealing their patron’s connection to Golarion, fearing that such knowledge may tempt younger soldiers to prematurely attempt the journey to that world to assist their deity’s efforts. Instead, the Dragon Legion on Triaxus hopes to one day raise a grand army to offer to Apsu on the eve of the dragon’s final conflict with the merciless Dahak.

TEMPLES AND SHRINES

The architecture of sites devoted to Apsu is largely dependent on location. Such sites are rare on Golarion, where formal religion is relegated to lone dragons or small bands of humanoids. Most temples or shrines to Apsu are stone affairs with gold and platinum holy implements and sturdy stone daises and altars. A vast polished mirror embedded in the ground rests at the center of each shrine, overseen by a large silver statue representing Apsu.

Otherwise, the Waybringer has little in the way of codified standards for his sites of worship. Worshipers reflect on their achievements while looking into the mirror, ensuring that the battle against evil has not driven them from the path of good.

Apsu’s primary and best-known temples are floating silver, gold, and platinum monoliths contained within his personal demiplane realm. The only features on these solid, imposing structures are a few peninsular landing pads, each sized to allow a Colossal dragon to land on or take off from it. The interiors of these free-floating sanctuaries are lit with a vibrant, silvery light.

A PRIEST’S ROLE

Apsu_pretre

Priests of Apsu follow myriad paths, but his few humanoid followers most often take levels in cleric, paladin, or warpriest. Apsu has no oracles, for he believes inflicting a curse on a living creature is a terrible crime against that being, even in exchange for divine power. Dragon servants of Apsu have little need for class levels, as most of their kind simply progress through their natural age categories. Draconic followers of Apsu tend to believe that a dragon’s natural progression is far superior to superficial training, anyway.

Priests of Apsu don’t have a standard daily routine, instead traveling the world in search of threats against dragonkind, or directly resulting from the actions of Dahak’s worshipers, against whom they wage a constant struggle in preparation for Apsu’s coming battle. Apsu’s priests can be found almost anywhere, following up on leads relating to Dahak’s actions and those of his minions. Luckily, the rarity of Dahak’s agents on Golarion gives priests plenty of leeway in pursuing their deity’s greater agenda.

Apsu’s relative obscurity means his priests oftentimes must explain their religion to others who they encounter on their missions, as most places on Golarion aren’t familiar with the Waybringer.

In doing so, they may forge connections with the settlements they visit, which they reinforce by offering Apsu’s divine gifts to those in need, or even settling in a goodly community for a time to help protect its residents.

ADVENTURERS

The majority of Apsu’s Golarionbased, non-draconic priesthood are adventurers. Some discovered a tome or scene of draconic carnage that revealed the dire nature of the struggle between Apsu and Dahak. Others were inspired by the dying words of a devotee of Apsu to take up the mantle of battle against the forces of Dahak. Followers of Apsu typically specialize in confronting evil dragons, but they fight evil wherever it can be found. They follow no specific creed, other than believing in the punishment of the unjust and continuing the constant battle between good and evil.

One of the less-prominent directives of Apsu’s teachings is the establishment of fortifications against evil. Counter to the dungeon-delving many associate with adventurers, some worshipers of Apsu travel the world to build and strengthen defenses. These architects find settlements, especially those with nearby draconic threats, and help reinforce those communities against aggressors. They leave their mark across the breadth of the world, rather than a single location, often combining their calling to build impressive fortifications with Apsu’s affinity for travel.

CLOTHING

Followers of Apsu cover themselves in metallic armor or clothing with a metallic sheen. Many of Apsu’s supporters mistakenly associate their master with platinum, but silver is actually Apsu’s most favored color. Both bronze and gold are used as accents on armor; the former is used in poorer communities while gold is seen on only his wealthier followers and priests.

Humanoid priests typically wear a gold or silver brooch in the shape of a dragon’s foot; alternatively, they might carry other custom-made equipment of that shape or bearing that image.

HOLY TEXT

The Draconic Apsu is the definitive holy text of Apsu, despite having been written by the now atheist and blind gold dragon sage Gunnarrex. The dragon wrote the text of the 4,000-line epic in one continuous sitting, in part as an apology for accidentally stumbling into Apsu’s realm, the Immortal Ambulatory, at an inopportune time. Apsu strongly supports the meaning behind the text, which includes verses on the nature of good and evil and the creation of dragonkind. The Draconic Apsu foretells the coming of the final battle between Apsu and Dahak, but does not detail it.

HOLIDAYS

The following holidays are sacred to Apsu’s faithful.

Time of Reminiscence: Apsu’s followers spend the first day of winter in solitude, remembering past events, allies, and lovers. This holiday is symbolic, representing the time Apsu spends thinking of the ways the world has changed since his first offspring were born.

Wanderer’s Escape: The first day of summer is meant to be a day of travel. Servants of Apsu spend this day and the following week in the wilderness, traveling across unknown lands. By doing so, the practitioner becomes acquainted with new hiding spots and defensible positions.

APHORISMS

I shall protect, for I am Apsu. I shall fly the skies, waiting for my son. Our battle draws close; the time is nigh. I shall be victorious, for I am Apsu.

—Draconic Apsu

The following sayings are common among the Waybringer’s church and his faithful.

It Shall Be Made: Architects serving the designs of Apsu often espouse this verse. It is commonly employed when receiving a request to build an important structure, but followers also say it when making a promise to create something physical or metaphorical.

To Returning: Used frequently as a salute for those servants of Apsu venturing off into the unknown, this verse is used in everything from barrooms to temples. Uttering the phrase is often accompanied by the raising of one’s weapon or the wave of a hand, and a small smile.

words of a devotee of Apsu to take up the mantle of battle against the forces of Dahak. Followers of Apsu typically

RELATIONS WITH OTHER RELIGIONS

Apsu’s contact with other deities is sparse, the result of draconic strife being so far removed from the worries of other gods, but he maintains stronger relationships with good-aligned deities, particularly those of a lawful bent.

Iomedae and Torag are supporters of Apsu, as is Sarenrae, who remembers the contribution of dragonkind in the act of shackling of Rovagug within his prison. Other deities pledge minor support to Apsu, particularly Cayden Cailean and Gorum; the former opposes evil and thinks the coming battle between Apsu and Dahak “will be a good rumble,” while the latter eagerly views the coming draconic war as a vast conflict in which his forces can fight (on either side).

The dragon god Dahak is Apsu’s first progeny and greatest enemy. Ever since Dahak engineered the destruction of the original draconic pantheon, Apsu has fought his wayward son. Both dragon deities know their final battle approaches, and Dahak is constantly preparing for this world-shaking confrontation. Despite their impending conflict, they had civil discourse in the aftermath of Rovagug’s imprisonment, when Dahak told his father why he had decided not to betray the other deities and Apsu made his proclamation of eternal protection over Golarion.

Asmodeus is the only evil-aligned god known to approach Apsu, and has offered his services for some unknown price and reason. Apsu remains civil with the Lord of Hell, but has thus far rebuffed him each time.

Dahak’s spies within the Immortal Ambulatory report that Asmodeus has offered to weaken Dahak before the start of the dragons’ final battle, though other claims state that the Archfiend has also made a similar offer to the Endless Destruction.

Following her completion of the Test of the Starstone, Iomedae approached Apsu. Having researched the noble dragon deity, she sought to involve Apsu more deeply in mortal affairs and ally with him in the struggle against the evil deities of the cosmos. Apsu’s dogged determination to one day battle his son in the skies of Golarion prevented any long-term alliance, but Iomedae still left the attempt with a friend in Apsu. The two gods agreed to defend one another should they ever come under attack by other deific powers. Iomedae’s divine servant Peace through Vigilance, a unique celestial gold dragon, is considered the physical manifestation of the agreement between the two gods.

REALM

The spherical, floating demiplane known as the Immortal Ambulatory is Apsu’s realm. Vast islands glide within the sphere, each the ultimate destination for the souls of a different type of metallic dragon. A multienvironmental island floats at the edge of the realm, home to the few chromatic dragons who serve Apsu in his home domain. The Opalescent Cathedral rests on an island at the center of the Immortal Ambulatory.

Apsu resides in this massive, shining structure, piloting his realm across the Great Beyond with his draconic allies at his side. The Immortal Ambulatory freely wanders the breadth of the Great Beyond, but is most often found within the boundaries of the good-aligned planes, especially Heaven.

PLANAR ALLIES

Many of Apsu’s allies predate the existence of some of Golarion’s other gods. The following are his best-known servants, and can be summoned using planar ally.

Blameless Flame (unique couatl): One of Apsu’s oldest allies, Blameless Flame is wreathed in the righteous fire of a gold dragon’s breath weapon. He travels the Material Plane in search of texts or items that spread the creed of Dahak, immolating such items in holy fire. In doing so, he weakens Dahak’s church significantly, for with the eradication of each text, fewer are able to learn of the Endless Destruction.

Oregenus (herald of Apsu): This graceful, celestial adult silver dragon is easily recognizable because of the enormous spectacles he always wears. Oregenus is as kind as any of his species, but he is also somewhat aloof from the needs of the people he protects as Apsu’s herald. He serves Apsu by traveling to the Material Plane to construct fortresses and shelters for those living near malign dragons or powerful evil threats, delivering heartening words from the god along the way. Oregenus’s breath weapon is unique in that it leaves behind a permanent block of ice, akin to a wall of ice, which the dragon can sculpt into longstanding structures. However, the silver dragon’s ice does not radiate cold and has the same hardness as stone, making it incredibly useful as a protective shelter for those the herald wishes to house.

Syrax the Platinum (unique clockwork dragon): Neither chromatic nor truly metallic, Syrax is Apsu’s emissary, traveling the breadth of the Material Plane and Great Beyond in service to her master. The leader of the old empire of Thassilon, Emperor Xin, had an abiding interest in clockworks up until his death. This clockwork dragon (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 30) is the result of one of the emperor’s forgotten experiments, an attempt to take the mind of a brass dragon and transplant it into a mechanical body. Syrax managed to escape from Xin’s control just after the procedure and made her way to the Immortal Ambulatory, where she begged for Apsu to reverse the process. While the draconic god could not aid her, he did remark on her incredible spirit and charged her with traveling the Material Plane and the Great Beyond as his emissary.

APSU’S PALADIN CODE

Paladins of Apsu valiantly follow the dragon god’s tenets of holy vigilance against evil. Those following the rigid code of a paladin must sacrifice the sedentary lifestyle of living in a single place in exchange for continuous travel and hardship. The tenets of such paladins include the following maxims.

• I am the talon of Apsu’s wrath. I strike where I am needed, but only when evil has been unmasked and there can be no doubt of my enemy’s malice.

• When my purpose is unclear, I will walk the roads of the world to find a fresh focus. Every road leads to a new beginning.

• Nothing is worth sacrificing my life for, except protecting the lives of others. I will retreat when needed, and come back to vex my foes once again.

• Mercy is offered, but only once. Should I be betrayed in my moment of kindness, I will not stop until I have put my enemy down.

• It is not enough to slay evil and carry on. I will spend the time necessary to help those I’ve protected to fend for themselves.

References

Paizo published a major article on Apsu in Inner Sea Faiths.