Named Trios – An Ancient Decay Lord Tradition
In the Periuniversal Void, most beings belong to one of several categories: Life Goddesses, Voidborns and Time Drakes make up most of the living space, but many beings are just creatures without universes to live in. Many of these unhomed beings are called Decayons, and the Decay Lord society, run by a being called Deathven, is the only place they can turn to. One tradition among Decay Lords is the Named Trio, a common theme within my writing in the Phoviverse. Today, let’s have a bit of a lore dump on what Named Trios are, and let’s have a look at a few of them.
Named Trios are teams of three Decay Lords bound by blood and honour, who are distinctively recognized and given a title by the Overlord and Higher Decay Lords of Deathven. Most are known for achieving specific feats. Many Named Trios run Decay Lord Sects or otherwise lead or guide other Decay Lords. The majority of Named Trios have been together since they became Decay Lords, and often studied together as Decaylings as well. While one could apply to become a recognized, Named Trio by submitting a claim to the Higher Decay Lord council, the Overlord has ceased the creation of new Named Trios and is instead developing a new system in which larger or smaller groups of Decay Lords can be named and recognized.
The choice to recognize Trios over other groups and numbers is mostly done in memory of the original three beings that founded Decay Lord society and built the original Deathven Decay Lord sanctuary. While the Overthree fell apart after the death of Panthon and Lifean’s decision to instead focus on a society for Divine Guardians in the service of Life Goddesses, Overlord Deathven created the Named Trio tradition in honour of his fallen friend.
Note: This is not a complete list, and only features a handful of known Named Trios.
Famed Trios
Famed Trios are well-known, famous, publicly available Trios who are respected and occasionally worshipped by lower Decay Lords, and are known to strike fear into their enemies by sheer presence alone.
The Overthree
Everlord (Panthon Eternatos – Deceased) / Lifelord (Lifean Zontastara) / Deathlord (Deathven Talir)
Status: Split
The Overthree were the three original entities, the first Decay Lord Trio, that founded Decay Lord society and built the first sanctuary for former deities and non Zontanian, Time Drake or Voidborn entities, later termed Decayons. This new society provided safety for many a being that otherwise had no home, and the first sanctuary, dubbed Everon, quickly grew, housing thousands of entities. Unfortunately, this gathering of potentially powerful beings drew the attention of both the Life Goddess Circles of Panzontai and Epanazonta, as well as the Voidborn cults Chrysem Eternatum, the Silver Ancients and Skotum Asimenum, all of whom wanted this new sanctuary destroyed. Despite the efforts of the Overthree, Everon fell, and many Decayons were scattered. However, the Overthree rebuilt, setting up a system for Decayons to be trained into Decay Lords, allowing them to properly embrace the Periuniversal Void and survive in it the same way other Periuniversal Entities do. The second Everon also fell, and Everlord died with it. Lifelord and Deathlord ended up splitting apart, with Lifelord focusing on appeasing the Life Goddesses, and Deathlord, renaming himself Overlord, founded the first Deathven sector, signing treaties with Chrysem Eternatum and the Panzontai in order to protect the Decay Lords under his command. Overlord continues to build Deathven sectors to protect Decaylings, Decayons and Decay Lords to this day, while Lifelord works with Life Goddesses to train Divine Guardians.
Life’s Guardians
Soulbearer (Psysopharos Elysio-Pneumameh) / Lifecarer (Lady Epananastasi) / Essencebrace (Sonara)
Status: Retired
Life’s Guardians are three Decay Lords that worked together to protect Lifelord as they went into hibernation after the Overthree split up. They continued to work for Lifelord as Lifelord set their sights on building a separate society for former deities, forming the Association of Divine Guardians. However, as Lifelord’s actions moved too close to the desires of the Panzontai Circle, a massive community and network of Life Goddesses, Life’s Guardians attempted to protest. They failed to convince Lifelord to move back towards Decay Lord traditions and ended up leaving Lifelord’s side. For their actions and kindness, the Overlord made them into the first official Named Trio after the Overthree.
The Bane of Darkness
Lightbringer (Photios) / Solarstorm (Helios, the Eternal Burning Star) / Starsheen (Asterisionisos)
Status: Retired
The Bane of Darkness are a Trio that declared war against those who attacked the first Deathven base run by the Overlord. They tracked down the Voidborn cult behind the attack, a group known as the Platinum Plunderers, and proceeded to single-handedly destroy the entire cult, before moving on to killing any Voidborns that had been related to them. The Bane of Darkness inspired many other Decayons to stand up for themselves, and there was a huge increase in Decayons that studied to become Decay Lords, in order to exact their own vengeance. This Named Trio retired after they cleared an entire pentacluster of Voidborns and Corruption, and settled down to work on more peaceful projects.
Voidborn’s End
Voiddoom (Selisir) / Voidterror (Velistas Kasikornos) / Voidkiller (Gathis, Son of Hunger)
Status: Active
The three members of Voidborn’s End are a Named Trio inspired by the actions of the Bane of Darkness, who formed a trio after the destruction of the second Deathven base. However, unlike the Bane of Darkness, Voidborn’s End continue their crusade to this day, hunting down both Corruption and dangerous Voidborn cults, as well as helping in the creation of new Decay Lord groups in order to further their cause. Currently, three separate complete Decay Lord sects have been set up to continue Voidborn’s End’s endless crusade where the trio themselves cannot reach.
Hidden Trios
Hidden Trios are Named Trios but are only recognized by their Name and the codenames of the members of the Trio. These Trios are generally younger or more dangerous entities, and, for the safety of all those involved, their identities are often kept secret.
The Travellers
Wanderer / Starsoarer / Spiritguide
Status: Active, location unknown
The Travellers are an ancient Named Trio that, as their name suggests, travel through the Periuniversal Void. They are the precursors to the Consortium, a Decay Lord sect that seeks to find lost Decayons and guide them to Deathven-controlled territories and keep them safe. The Travellers helped lead hundreds of early Decayons to Everon, and continue to this day to guide lost beings not just to Deathven, but also to other groups, such as the Kronothrax, the Time Drake Consortium and various Life Goddess groups.
The Xamenai
Traumascythe / Scornblade / Terrorstalker
Status: Active, at large
[Redacted]
The Taken
Toxiclash / Sunkensoul / Lifestealer
Status: Unknown
The Taken are a Trio that was captured not long after completing their Decay Lord Trial by a Voidborn cult that experimented on them, looking to create a plague that would kill as many non-Voidborns as possible. The Taken managed to break out and proceeded to purge their sector, turning the Voidborn cult’s other experiments against them and freeing a great number of captured Time Drakes, many of whom joined the Kronothrax to wage war against other dangerous Voidborn cults. However, the Taken never returned to a Deathven sector nor were they heard from by nearby sects, and are currently presumed dead.
The Athphorai
Pureblade / Hatepurger / Banisher
Status: Active, at large
Fuelled by an unending hatred of Corruption after their universes were consumed by an ancient strain, this Trio immediately did everything they could to become Decay Lords and get revenge for the death of their Life Goddesses. The Athphorai completed their Decay Lord Trial in record time then immediately returned to their home sector and killed every single Corruption they came across. Their dedication was swiftly recognized by the Overlord and they were made a Named Trio.
The Broken Hybrids
Lifedrake / Voiddreamer / Timebearer
Status: Deceased
The Broken Hybrids were a Trio of Hybrid entities that attempted to try and bring peace between various factions of the Periuniversal Void. Lifedrake and Timebearer were Decayon/Time Drake hybrids while Voiddreamer was a Decayon/Voidborn hybrid. All three were made by a crazed Life Goddess, who sent them to infiltrate a Decay Lord sect and destroy it from within. The Broken Hybrids discovered their true purpose, and eventually turned on the Life Goddess, instead focusing on removing her presence from their local pentacluster and protecting other Decayons from her influence. Unfortunately, in a bid to become more powerful, the Life Goddess became a Corruption, one that spread at an alarming rate. The Broken Hybrids ended up sacrificing themselves in order to destroy the deadly Peinazon strain, and were made a Named Trio posthumously for their feats.
The Missing
Deathbringer / Souldrainer / Flamebearer
Status: Unknown
The Missing are a Named Hidden Trio, the last Trio of Decay Lords to survive the horrifically strict Level Laws put in place after the Great Splot, an event that destroyed the third Deathven base and killed thousands of Decay Lords. Due to level fluctuations in one member and the hybrid mimic status of another, the Trio was set to be put in a Decay Lord Trial designed to kill them, but they somehow survived the trial, refusing to die. As an apology, the Overlord named them Decay Lords, although the Trio disappeared not long after completing their trial. Although the Missing are just that, missing, a large number of Voidborns and Corruptions have died or disappeared in the pentacluster where the Missing were last seen.
Sect Trios
Sect Trios are generally Named Trios that come together to form Decay Lord Sects that are aligned with Deathven. While Sect Trios often do pass ownership of a Sect down to others when they retire, they keep their Named status nonetheless.
The Consortium
Founders of the Decay Lord Consortium, a secondary, mobile council that works in conjunction with Deathven
Sinnerfall / Shadowbane / Lightaider
Status: Active
The Doom Drums
Founders of the Penthathax, a large, mobile Decay Lord military sect
Pentaflame / Permafrost / Galeforce
Status: Active
The Void Scatterers
The first Decay Lord sect founded by Voidborn’s End, run by the three underlings of Voiddoom
Voidfear / Voiddeath / Voideater
Status: Active
The Great Blades
Founders of the Phantai Decay Lord Sect
Voidblade / Soulblade / Lightblade
Status: Active
The Claws of Justice
Founders of the Justar Decay Lord Sect
Truthtalker / Lawruler / Peacebringer
Status: Active
The Metronomes
Founders of the Metrum Decay Lord Sect (Extinct)
Counterstrike / Patternkeeper / Balanceblade
Status: Retired
The Ventra Gales
Founders of the Ventra Decay Lord Sect (Extinct)
Veilbreaker / Soulstorm / Zephyr
Status: Retired
The Tattered Navigators
Founders of the Thantir Decay Lord Sect (Reformed)
Firestorm / Shatterblade / Leafblade
Status: Recently reformed