Appearance

Ryiak, when in humanoid form, appears as a male Savar’Aving, although his subspecies changes. In all forms he is strikingly handsome, with piercing yellow cat eyes and a smooth, relaxing voice. In addition to the various types of Savar’Aving, Ryiak has been known to take on the form of an alley cat, which leads his faithful to take care of strays, both feline and mortal. His clothing and style change seasonally and, oddly, he always wears what is in the height of fashion, though not necessarily for the region he is visiting. While style and grace are his markers, Ryiak also carries with him the wounds of a grim past. Upon his wrists are the burning reminders of his last encounter with Malagant, the God of Undeath. These wounds, caused by the unholy manacles once clasped around his hands, burn and sizzle his flesh unendingly. Ryiak is capable of healing them for a time but, try as he might, the wounds always return eventually.

In combat Ryiak wields a single mirrored-edged rapier which, when used to parry an incoming spell, will reflect it back at its caster. In addition to his magical blade, Ryiak can summon fearsome claws that will rend any mortal armour. His grace and dexterity are unparalleled in battle and he is often seen jumping, leaping, and tumbling out of danger, well before the danger strikes.

His final known possession of power is a key, fashioned from his index claw, said to open any door, magical or otherwise. He has been known to pass this key to his most favoured of favoured on occasion, though the magical effects rarely last longer than a year.

The Cantor and Glory-Binds

Unlike most gods, Ryiak has not set out a series of tenets or commands for his faithful to follow. Instead, his followers devised a code of conduct which seem to please Ryiak when it is followed. This code is called the Cantor and has been passed down through the multitude of Ryiak’s churches for the faithful to follow.

In addition to this Cantor, Ryiak expects his faithful to take on personal quests or exploits that he calls “Glory-Binds.” Glory-Binds are tests or challenges that a faithful will charge themselves with in order to hone their skills and give prayer to the Cat Lord. These may be as simple as placing a humorous sign on the back of the local magistrate or as complex as stealing a coin from a dragon’s treasure hoard. Glory-Binds are important acts of devotion to Ryiak and should be performed numerous times a year, when possible. In order to have a Glory-Bind sanctioned in the eyes of the Cat Lord, it must first be blessed by one of Ryiak’s Chosen in what is know as the Rite of Glory. If no Favoured reside in the area, then the oldest or most experienced faithful can give the necessary sanctification, by simple approval. Upon completion of the rite, a golden ribbon is blessed and given to the faithful. It is expected that this ribbon be tied to the faithful’s wrist or weapon hilt and worn with pride for the entirety of the Glory-Bind. The one exception to this rule is if this identifying symbol would, in some manner, make the Glory-Bind impossible. One cannot infiltrate the Church of Malagant to steal their favourite skull if one is wearing the symbol of the Cat Lord on their wrist. The ribbon acts as both an identifier to other faithful, so that they may provide assistance if required, and to potential marks or targets, so that they are made aware that mischief may occur, forcing the faithful to overcome additional difficulties. If a Glory-Bind is easy, it is not worthy of the Cat Lord.

The Cantor

1. If you steal, steal from the rich. If you prank, prank the boastful. What you take from one, give to another more in need.
2. Every act and deed should increase your reputation and renown.
3. Take on Glory-Binds to hone your skills and practice your trade.
4. Accept reasonable challenges from friends and allies. The more risky the challenge, the better. Make sure to challenge back.
5. Glory-Binds must not cause significant hardship or suffering to the poor and innocent.
6. Make good on promises to the Cat Lord’s faithful.
7. Do not testify against your friends, other faithful or those who have aided you.
8. When possible, help other Glory-Bound in need, through emotional and material support.
9. Never, under any circumstances, have a ‘legitimate’ job unless it is a cover for your Glory-Bind.
10. Never become a common thug or petty criminal.
11. Give the poor and innocent a percentage of the riches you take from the wealthy. See that they are cared for and protected.
12. Do not tie yourself to marriage or children, especially your own.
13. If you are Glory-Bound with another and they are caught, take the blame. If you cannot, ensure their escape and freedom. The more daring and grandiose the escape, the better.
14. Teach the code to destitute youth. Put them on the path to Ryiak’s glory, for they will have none without your aid.
15. Never lose your wit when using drugs or liquor.
16. Never be cheap with coin or praise.
17. Do not steal from other Ryiak followers unless you are Glory-Bound to do so. Even then, give it back when your Glory-Bind is complete.
18. If you enter an area controlled by another of Ryiak’s faithful, make every effort to seek them out and make your presence known.
19. Punish those who break the code.

Celestial Heaven: The Twilight Boroughs

An endless, gentle state of dusk blankets the skies of Ryiak’s Celestial Heaven, for the light of Kael’s sun does not reach the vast and claustrophobic metropolis of the Twilight Boroughs. This endless city of skullduggery and adventure is what awaits those who live up to the tenets of the Cat God.

While it certainly looks similar to many of Arthos’ more compact settlements, the Twilight Boroughs are no true city. There are no regular hard-working citizens here and no real economy to speak of. While the Twilight Boroughs may have the appearance of a city, it is truly more of a playground designed to appeal to Ryiak’s most devoted worshipers. Literally everything in Ryiak’s Realm, from the construction of the buildings to the shady one-eyed crime bosses that populate them, are attuned to the wants and needs of the kind of honourable criminal that falls in with the Cat God.

The streets of the city are often all but empty because most Spirits have long since realized that to truly get anywhere in Ryiak’s Realm, you have to learn how to travel the Rooftop Roads. What at first appears to be a chaotic mess of buildings thrown together by a drunken giant is actually a carefully assembled selection of winding paths. By simply leaping from one rooftop to another along these paths, any Spirit can cover an incredible amount of distance in a short time. Enterprising Spirits have even strung up ziplines from the city’s many vantage points, providing a route for a quick and suitably dramatic escape from any pursuers.

Adventure is quite literally the name of the game in the Twilight Boroughs. There is always something new to steal, some self-important braggart to humble, or some shady criminal enterprise to overthrow. The many taverns of Ryiak’s Realm are always packed, mostly with strangers wrapped in gray cloaks who are looking to hire a few good adventurers for the heist of a lifetime.

Realms within the Twilight Boroughs

• The Enchanted Forest

Not all adventure that takes place in Ryiak’s Realm involves the kind of urban skulduggery familiar to the kind of ethically-conscious thieves that are typically drawn to the worship of Ryiak. In the vast, obviously magical forest that encircles the metropolis of the Twilight Boroughs, the supplicants of the Cat God find a different sort of adventure. The journeys that take place here are those of wonder, discovery, and exploration. Hidden caves filled with gold, evil wood-witches in need of slaying, and ensorcelled weapons planted in moon-kissed clearings are a siren song to many of the Spirits drawn to Ryiak’s domain. The Enchanted Forest is entirely uncharted, and its environs constantly shift and move to confound any being that might try to map its myriad paths and hidden points of interest.

While most of the Enchanted Forest has yet to be experienced, even after countless centuries, the Spirits that have returned from its boughs do speak of certain common elements. The first of these is that not only do the paths they travel seemingly reset every time they leave but so do the challenges they face along the way. These encounters do seem to be drawn from a common pool, no adventuring Spirit has spoken of fighting a Dragon or a facsimile thereof, but Bog-Trolls and Dryads with wicked claws do come up quite a lot in tales of successful hunts. Similarly, at least several dozen Spirits have claimed to have slain the fearsome Swamp Witch Kragatha and her misshapen boggling minions, and these same Spirits seem to have won multiple copies of treasures that should be one of a kind.

• The Lion’s Den

While the Twilight Boroughs are home to many fascinating drinking establishments, the hidden establishment known as the Lion’s Den is in a class of its own.

The Lion’s Den cannot be deliberately found, nor could one even stumble across it by accident. The incredibly powerful obfuscation magics laid upon its timbers mean that there is but one way to truly visit this entirely unique bar. You must catch Ryiak himself. Only the greatest and most skilled Spirits have even the most remote chance of catching up to the Cat God as he leaps across the rooftops and skulks through the shadows of the Twilight Boroughs, and even then, success is far from guaranteed. For those that do succeed, Ryiak extends an invitation to his personal watering hole.

The decor is an eclectic mix of mismatched furniture, art pieces, and various knickknacks, all of which are quite obviously stolen. It is said that the chair Ryiak lounges upon at his own personal table is the first Berphauntian royal throne, while the chalice he drinks from is a relic of Festus “liberated” from Malagant’s treasure vaults. Countless other treasures line the walls, with any single one of them being worth more than a literal king’s ransom. Those Spirits that have impressed him enough are often invited to drink with him at this table, and an intent listener can learn much while the Cat God is deep in his cups. Ryiak is, of course, not actually intoxicated in these moments, but these chats are another game he enjoys playing. If a Spirit can separate the truth from the nonsense that he spouts and use the hints he drops effectively, the adventures they lead to will undoubtedly win the Spirit great fortune and renown, perhaps enough to be invited to Ryiak’s own small band of adventurers.

• The Chalice District

Hidden deep within the Twilight Burrows is the secret location Ryiak calls “The Chalice District,” built in memory of his late celestial brother Festus, God of Merriment.

Located in the maze-like alleyways, the entrance to the district is disguised as a nondescript door, indistinguishable from the surrounding buildings. To find the entrance, one must look for a small carving of a chalice above the door. Upon closer inspection, the chalice can be turned, revealing a hidden keyhole. With the right key, the door opens to reveal a narrow stairwell leading down into the underground district. The district is a world unto itself, with flickering lanterns casting a warm glow over the cobblestone streets. The buildings are tall and imposing, with heavy wooden doors that lead to the various brothels, gambling establishments, and places of pleasure and sin.

Despite its clandestine location, the district is always bustling with activity, attracting Ryiak’s loyal dead who are seeking a discreet escape from the constraints of his traditional adventure heaven. So alluring are the pleasures to be found here that it’s not unheard of for other Gods to gift those in their service, a night off and passage from their own Celestial Heaven to Ryiak’s Chalice District. That is, of course, with permission from the Cat Lord. The air here is thick with the sounds of laughter, music, and revelry, and the scent of exotic spices and perfumes.

Within the walls of The Chalice District, there is a wide range of establishments to choose from, each offering a unique atmosphere and experience. The brothels and pleasure dens are staffed by Ryiak’s own angelic hosts who are trained in the art of pleasure and known for their ethereal grace and divine beauty. These angels work voluntarily and offer comfort, companionship, and consensual acts of pleasure to all who grace the district’s cobblestone paths. One such location even boasts to have the famed Finger of Malagant cut off from the hand of the Lord of Autumn by Ryiak himself. The purpose of such an invaluable relic being safe-kept in an angelic bawdy house, remains a great enigma.

Despite the blessings that The Chalice District offers, there is still a sense of danger that lurks within its walls. Dark alleys and secret doorways lead to illegal establishments and black markets that cater to the more traditionally illegal endeavours of the afterlife’s underworld. It is a place where only the brave and foolish dare to venture, but it is also a place where one can find almost anything material item they desire, for a price.