In a world where gods form pantheons for protection, an ancient and dreaded entity lurks beyond their divine realms: Pantheophage, The Hollow Sovereign. Known as a devourer of gods, Pantheophage is a nightmare so feared that the gods band together to shield themselves, creating a shell of collective divinity. This shell keeps Pantheophage at bay, yet it has a weakness—if anyone treats Pantheophage as a god, the shell can be breached, allowing it to devour the pantheon from within.
Enter Lirion, the Holy Eldric. Known among the lowborn and downtrodden, as well as the nobles, as a kind and heroic champion, Lirion believes himself to be a paladin devoted to Zephirion, the god of the stars. He carries Celestium, a silver sword blessed by Zephirion, or so he believes. The sword emits arcs of starlight, which he sees as divine energy. Lirion, humble and devoted, gains admiration from the people, who revere him as the chosen of the star god and believe Zephirion’s light to be a blessing that shines upon them.
However, unknown to Lirion and his followers, his beloved “star god” is, in fact, the Hollow Sovereign—Pantheophage—whose influence seeps through Celestium each night. When Lirion sleeps, Pantheophage takes control, twisting Lirion’s form into horrific shapes that mimic symbols of local gods. In this monstrous form, he hunts and "purges the rotten meat," targeting clerics and paladins of the very gods he once revered, killing them in a gruesome frenzy. After each hunt, his monstrous form sheds like a cocoon, leaving behind a twisted creature, an independent horror that Lirion later tracks down, unaware of its origin.
As Lirion’s dual life continues, the people witness their gods’ silence and feel abandoned. In desperation, they turn to Zephirion, unknowingly empowering Pantheophage. Their whispered prayers invite the Hollow Sovereign into their lives, cracking the pantheon’s shell and weakening the gods’ defenses. Lirion, believing he purges darkness in Zephirion’s name, remains oblivious to the growing threat he harbors.
As Zephirion’s cult spreads and Pantheophage’s influence deepens, a shift in celestial power begins. The gods retreat, feeling the presence of an old terror creeping into their realms. Meanwhile, Lirion’s nights grow darker and more violent, his monstrous transformations growing more grotesque and uncontrollable. The Holy Eldric’s purpose becomes clouded, his actions shaped by the false god’s hidden hunger.
One day, Lirion may uncover the truth of Zephirion, realizing that the very god he venerates is the harbinger of darkness. But until then, he remains the Holy Eldric, a hero of the people, carrying the light of Zephirion with him—a beacon of hope that unknowingly invites terror. The "star god" rises, its influence spreading through the people, leaving them as both worshippers and sacrifices to Pantheophage, The Hollow Sovereign
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