The Shattered Divinity

Kagzun

The Shattered Mask

"This piece seeks to capture the enigmatic essence of Kagzun, The Shattered Mask. I aimed to reflect the shifting nature of their identity—the way masculinity and femininity blur together, never settling, always in motion. The confident, knowing smile hints at a secret that I could not uncover, no matter how long I studied their visage. The fragmented mirrors were my attempt to illustrate the countless versions of Kagzun that one might perceive—each unique, each true, and none entirely real. In the end, this work is less a portrait and more a reflection of the elusive nature of truth itself."

-Alarus Thane

Domain

Abjuration

The God That Was Not There

Kagzun is not a god you can understand—at least not in the way other gods are known. They exist in the spaces between certainty, where assumption and truth collide. Those who think they know Kagzun quickly find their certainty shattered, as the god refuses to be pinned down.

When the gods awoke, Kagzun’s emergence caused chaos among scholars and wizards alike. The abjuration wizards, long practiced in protective and defensive magics, suddenly found themselves questioning their very identity. Was their magic divinely granted? Had they been clerics all along—their spellbooks more like holy texts than arcane tomes?

To Kagzun, the confusion was just another mask shattered. To mortals, it was a crisis of identity. Wizards across the land held debates, conducted rituals, and pored over their notes, desperate to prove they were still wizards and not merely priests in disguise. After long and exhaustive study, they declared themselves arcane scholars, not divine conduits, and chose to treat their spellbooks as repositories of knowledge, not sacred scriptures. Yet, in isolated enclaves, some still insist that abjuration is a divine calling—never fully convinced that Kagzun is not their patron.

Kagzun did not affirm or deny. The god simply observed, unmoved by the debate.

Symbolism and Worship

Kagzun’s symbol is a fragmented mask, each piece reflecting a different face. There is no single representation of Kagzun—their form changes based on what those who gaze upon them assume. If you expect a man, you see a woman. If you expect a stern figure, they appear playful. The only way to perceive Kagzun accurately is to approach them with no expectations at all—a feat that has driven many seekers mad with frustration.

There are no dedicated temples to Kagzun—only hidden shrines tucked away in libraries or places of contemplation. These shrines are marked by mirrors, masks, or symbols of contradiction. Followers do not worship Kagzun openly, as they are not entirely sure how to approach a god that exists purely to subvert understanding.

Those who seek Kagzun’s favor often practice breaking their own assumptions—asking questions that defy logic or contemplating paradoxes until they can think without presuming.

The Nature of Kagzun

To Kagzun, certainty is a fragile mask—one that must be broken to reveal the truth beneath. They are not malicious or cruel—just infinitely curious about how mortals react when their expectations are shattered.

People who cling too tightly to rigid beliefs tend to find themselves in Kagzun’s presence, experiencing moments where reality bends and certainty crumbles. A devout warrior praying for strength might find themselves suddenly doubting their own courage. A scholar convinced of a theorem’s truth might encounter evidence that unravels their life's work.

Kagzun does not judge or teach—they simply show the world as it is when stripped of presumptions and assumptions.

Divine Conflicts

Few gods understand Kagzun, and most prefer to leave them alone rather than try to unravel the contradictions.

Atenzu, The Balancekeeper, sees Kagzun as a disturbing anomaly—a force that refuses to fit neatly into order or chaos. Atenzu resents that Kagzun can never be pinned down or reasoned with, viewing them as a destabilizing influence on the world.

Tarvash, The Unyielding, respects consistency and strength. To him, Kagzun’s constant contradiction is nothing but weakness and deception. He would rather break the mask than continue guessing what lies beneath.

Oddly enough, Steve, The Watcher in the Gaps, is fascinated by Kagzun. He sees them as the ultimate unpredictable force, a living possibility that never settles into one form. While they do not actively collaborate, Steve often finds himself drawn to the places where Kagzun’s presence disrupts certainty.

Even Gaevash, The Eternal Muse, finds Kagzun infuriating and intriguing. Though both thrive on breaking expectations, Gaevash’s passion for change collides with Kagzun’s neutral, indifferent ambiguity. Gaevash believes Kagzun’s refusal to pick a side is a betrayal of creativity, while Kagzun merely smiles and changes shape.

Myths of Kagzun

The Wizard’s Crisis: When Kagzun first appeared, the entire wizarding community panicked. Abjuration wizards feared they had been clerics all along, their spellbooks mistaken for divine texts. For months, arcane academies were locked in debate and research, trying to determine the nature of their craft. Eventually, they declared themselves wizards, affirming that their books held magical theory rather than holy scripture. However, a few remote wizard enclaves still whisper that they are Kagzun’s chosen, wielding divine abjurations without ever realizing it.

The Mirror of Self: A warrior once sought Kagzun, wishing to see his true face. Kagzun handed him a mirror, but each time he looked, he saw a different version of himself—a hero, a coward, a child, an old man. Enraged, he smashed the mirror, only to find the pieces still reflected his changing visage. Kagzun’s laughter echoed as the warrior fled, unsure of who he truly was.

The Silent Prophet: A monk sought to speak Kagzun’s truth, but upon finding the god, he realized that every word formed an assumption. Kagzun simply smiled as the monk chose silence, understanding that to speak of the divine is to distort it. The monk’s disciples, however, interpreted his silence as holy wisdom, forming a cult dedicated to embracing paradox.

Those Who Embrace the Shattered Mask

Followers of Kagzun are few and scattered. They are often philosophers, illusionists, and wanderers who reject certainty in all its forms. Some see Kagzun as a trickster, while others believe that Kagzun’s chaos is necessary to break through stagnant thought.

In Carnithal, where abjuration magic is prevalent, Kagzun is both feared and revered. Some claim that the Jester King himself must be chosen by Kagzun, as his chaotic rule and unpredictable governance seem to mirror the god’s nature. Yet, others see the very idea of Kagzun’s involvement as another layer of misdirection.

A Prayer to Kagzun

"Mask-Shatterer,

Let me see beyond the truth I cling to,

Break the image that blinds me,

And teach me to expect nothing,

So I may see all that is."

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