The Hebdomad is the term used for the seven demon lords born of Graskoroth’s malevolent rage, each spawned as lord of a different aspect of Graskoroth’s darkness.
Asthéneia Lord of Disease
First born of the Hebdomad Asthéneia appears to be a humanoid creature covered in boils, rashes and rotting flesh. They smell of pus and gangrenous skin, portions of their body continually slough off leaving a putrid trail of stench and decay wherever they go. The majority of disease and illness still present on Attovia is a remnant of something spread first by Asthéneia, and that they host countless other disease yet unknown to society.
Heralds
Asthéneia has no long standing heralds, they simply claim one when there is a need, and the chosen wretch soon develops many incurable maladies and passes on. The few beings who have been unfortunate enough to have made a deal or tether with Asthéneia have almost all befallen a similar fate. Only Zorith the King of Rot still haunts the material world.
Common Depictions
Asthéneia is most often depicted with one arm, the other having fallen off recently and often somewhere in the piece. They will have similar features to most undead except for their head. It hosts a pair of asymmetrical twisting horns, and is in pristine health compared to the rest of the form, except the eyes which are most commonly depicted as rotten to the point of non-existence or bleeding and covered in protruding sores.
Skoteinóti̱ta Lord of Darkness
Skoteinóti̱ta born second along with his twin brother Fónos has no real shape. His form is only dense shadow, only visible when obscuring light. Terror of the night is not genetic, it is not normal, it is a cultural remnant of the time long ago when the Lord of Darkness stalked the land, his hordes of shades and wraith’s following in his wake of fear and torment. Unlike the rest of the Hebdomad, Skoteinóti̱ta rarely attempted to claim territory or power over land or peoples. He would journey swiftly over Attovia from place to place spreading his shades to all corners of the continent.
Heralds
Skoteinóti̱ta often denied those who chose to worship him, instead making a statement by changing those who would stand against his darkness by turning them into wraith’s bound to serve him eternally binding their consciousness to a subservient, evil form.
Common Depictions
Paintings and artistry of Skoteinóti̱ta are rare, it is considered taboo in most places to depict a humanoid form of darkness for fear he might come out of the picture when the artist is sleeping. When depicted in occult manuscripts it is often a scratchy dark blob most often placed as the largest empowered shape in the piece.
Fónos Lord of Murder
Twin brother of Skoteinóti̱ta, Fónos is perhaps the smallest of the Hebdomad, no larger than an average human. His form is also nondescript, generic, and difficult to pin down, any mortal who sees his face is immediately consumed by paranoia. Any and all definable features defy perception, a face so generic, that one who sees it cannot help finding it and its malice behind every other person’s face. Those who lay eyes on Fónos are left as broken shivering messes the majority of which stay in that spot until death by dehydration and exhaustion. The few who do pick themselves up afterward either become a devout follower, or return to their home, committing mass genocide until stopped.
Heralds
The majority of those who survived the mental strain seeing Fónos’ face caused, would wind up as Heralds. Their own features falling into a strange generitype similar to their masters, infinitely recognizable, yet unable to be placed. Most of Fónos’ Heralds did not live very long, their urge to kill inviting unwanted attention which usually brought a noose with it. Currently there are three of his heralds who remain alive, two Spider Folk matriarchs and a Goweh Gnome. Their already cutthroat society, and habitat of choice have kept them from drawing mass cultural wrath.
Common Depictions
Fónos in his depictions wears a white, featureless mask. He holds a black obsidian dagger (or in some niche cases a wire garrote), and is cloaked in a dust colored cloak that covers everything but his hands and bare feet which are both stained with blood.
Atonía Lord of Weakness
Atonía, third and largest born, he takes the form of a massive stag elk with large sixty point antlers. He appears emaciated, ribs and bones showing through ragged taught hide. Before he was chained Atonía was fond of discovering settlements or hamlets and turning them into a kind of personal fiefdom, claiming their strongest warriors as heralds draining them of physical strength and slowly corrupting the countryside.
Heralds
Heralds of Atonía rarely live very long, suffering from extreme loss of muscle mass over a short period of time, and gaining a kind of Forced Contract of Sacrifice which trades away their physical strengths for corrupt magics. Unfortunately the magical power gained was rarely enough to offset the life crippling frailty that came with Atonía’s “gifts.” Most heralds also suffered some level of major organ failure in addition to the loss of muscle mass. No current heralds of Atonía are still alive.
Common Depictions
Most depictions of Atonía include a village or group of mortals conducting everyday actions such as farming. Atonía is generally a looming colossal elk silhouetted against a low sun, his ribs and boney limbs prominent against a light gray sky.
Akinisía Lord of Stagnation
Akinisía is the fourth sibling. Their body appears as a mass of indescribable rolls of fat and flesh. Small patches of hair appear to delineate a head of some kind towards the “top” of the mass. Even with this knowledge, few who have gazed upon Akinisía can name any notable features, instead referencing a feeling of loss and being rooted to the spot until Akinisía either granted them leave or moved on. Unfortunately for most souls unfortunate to encounter the Lord of Stagnation, the latter was exceedingly rare. Akinisía often stayed long periods of time in a single location, unmoving for decades at a time. Akinisía did not seek out heralds, though many who stood enraptured by their presence would wind up doing their bidding if they survived.
Heralds
The Heralds of Akinisía gain a strange vitality when chosen, but in return lose all motivation, unable to push their bodies to conduct most physical actions. This includes many necessary bodily functions, and leads to disgusting cesspools of human flesh resting in bodily fluids. On the exceedingly rare occasion that a Herald of Akinisía is commanded directly, they will do what they can to complete it, though it may be impossible depending on their current state of mobility.
Common Depictions
Akinisía is commonly represented as male although the Demon Lord has no such obvious gender. A large human male with fat rolls which overflow their clothing into the rest of the painting. Their face is relatively non-descript besides typical male features, and depending on the artist may not have visible eyes or a mouth the fat of the cheeks and forehead having engulfed them. Generally the Lord of Stagnation is surrounded by crumbling buildings, and farms overgrown with weeds and packed dirt.
Kraipáli Lord of Debauchery
Sometimes referred to as the Lady of Debauchery Kraipáli is the first sister of the hebdomad. She appears as a femanine humanoid with squid like features. Eight arms with hooks descend from her torso, and two tentacles in the place of normal humanoid arms. Her skin is rubbery and sleek, containing chromatophores which she uses to change color at will. When in her presence most creatures both sentient and not become highly attracted to Kraipáli those she chooses may become Heralds, or they become sustenance.
Heralds
Being a Herald of Kraipáli brings with it a euphoric bliss despite the risk in being chosen. Heralds of Kraipáli lose themselves entirely, becoming completely obsessed with their master doing her bidden unquestioningly and with great fervor. Some Heralds live for centuries others are consumed on a whim because they are “interesting”.
Common Depictions
Kraipáli is most commonly depicted as a beautiful Elven woman, fair of face and body. A tight white dress hugs a curvaceous figure and a set of suckered tentacle arms peak out of the bottom.
Peína Lord of Hunger
The second of the two sisters Peína is also often referred to as the Lady of Hunger. Peína exhibits a twisted hunched bipedal form, sometimes crawling on all fours. Her jaw is elongated and is often unhinged as she shovels vast quantities of matter into it. Her hands are broken masses of flesh and claw that serve no purpose but to provide a mechanism of transference of whatever is in front of her to her disfigured mouth. Peína chose few Heralds. This would have required her to stop the ceaseless consumption she obsessed over. That being said there were those who sought out her favor by bringing her bodies and food. If the offerings were pleasing the proposer was often granted the title and power of Herald before the gift was quickly devoured.
Heralds
It was common for those who were famished to attempt to gift Peína with large quantities of material posessions for consumption in the hopes that she might move on, or grant them power with which they might find the means to acquire food. Unfortunately, the position of Herald of Peína came with an aching hunger that could not be sated. Though unable to die from malnourishment many Heralds killed themselves after being driven mad by their unfulfillable cravings.
Common Depictions
Peína’s most common imagery is that of a massive snake devouring whole mountains or forests. In some cases she is instead a humanoid figure dressed in rags with the head of a snake.