Story
In the eternal darkness of the abyss and the icy void of deep space, ancient, unfathomable powers stir. These colossal, alien entities exist beyond our reality, their incomprehensible forms and designs too vast for mortal minds to grasp. These are the eldritch horrors, beings that cannot easily step into our world but whose influence seeps through in insidious ways. One such manifestation is the Eldritch Scion.
Eldritch Scions are mortals who have forged a pact with these cosmic entities, trading their service and devotion for a taste of their patron's otherworldly power. The nature of these pacts is as varied and inscrutable as the horrors themselves. Some Scions are chosen due to unique bloodlines, inheriting ancient covenants struck by distant ancestors. Others stumble upon forgotten tomes or decipher cryptic runes, opening a channel to the abyss and attracting the attention of a nightmare made flesh. Some are even said to be the offspring of these abominations.
Regardless of how the pact is made, an Eldritch Scion's life is irrevocably changed. They are granted a fraction of their patron's power, enabling them to wield eldritch energies and summon horrors from beyond the stars. But this power comes at a terrible price. Eldritch Scions are bound to their patrons' whims, compelled to undertake strange and often sinister tasks serving agendas beyond human comprehension.
One Scion might be tasked with gathering a thousand skulls from a specific bloodline, while another may be commanded to sow madness in a particular town or hunt down a rival horror's cultists. These quests are not always destructive; a Scion may be ordered to protect a seemingly insignificant item or individual for reasons that remain mysterious. However, every task, whether cruel or benign, ultimately serves the inscrutable goals of the eldritch horror.
The life of an Eldritch Scion is one of constant psychological strain as they struggle to maintain their sanity and humanity amidst the horrors they serve and the atrocities they must sometimes commit. Many Scions become isolated, unable to relate to ordinary humans, and constantly fearful of succumbing to the madness lurking at the edges of their minds.
Those who encounter Eldritch Scions often view them with a mix of fear, revulsion, and morbid fascination. What kind of person willingly binds themselves to a nightmare? What dark desires or desperate needs drive someone to such a pact? And what terrible fate awaits a Scion who fails to satisfy their eldritch master?
Yet, for all the dread and suspicion they inspire, Eldritch Scions can be powerful allies in the fight against the horrors threatening our world. Their eldritch powers and abyssal knowledge make them uniquely suited to confronting supernatural threats that others can scarcely comprehend. For many Scions, turning their curse into a weapon against the darkness is the only redemption they can hope for.
Ultimately, each Eldritch Scion must navigate the twisted path of their pact according to their conscience and resolve. Some embrace the darkness fully, becoming willing agents of their eldritch patrons. Others resist, using their powers to defy the horrors and protect the innocent. But all must live with the knowledge that they are forever bound to a force beyond human understanding and that the price of their power may be their very souls.
I once knew an Eldritch Scion who referred to their patron as "Jerry." Can you imagine? A vast, incomprehensible cosmic horror, older than time itself, and this Scion just casually chats, "Oh, Jerry's been on my case about collecting more eyeballs lately. You know how he gets."
Personally, I think it's their way of coping with the sheer mind-bending terror of their situation. It's a lot less intimidating to think you're running errands for "Jerry" than for "Yx'thrazul the Unblinking, Devourer of a Thousand Realities," you know?
So, if you ever hear an Eldritch Scion referring to their patron by some oddly mundane name, just roll with it. It's probably the only thing keeping them from gibbering in a padded room somewhere.