Uman Zathroth is one of the two elder Tibian Gods and exists of two parts. Both entities are separate gods but are still fully dependent of each other. The first half is Uman, who is the good and wise part. The other half is Zathroth, who is the evil and jealous part. This article talks about them both.
Personality and Godhood[]
Uman[]
Uman, the enigmatic counterpart to Fardos, stands as the other elder god responsible for the creation of existence itself. He is described as sagacious and having awesome magical powers. Uman, like Fardos, is a benevolent god. In stark contrast to Fardos' openly logical nature, Uman is often characterised by an aura of mystery and wisdom. While Fardos is driven by the will to create and give life, Uman is hailed as the god of profound wisdom, being mostly interested in knowledge. Unlike the overt willpower exhibited by Fardos, Uman's influence is subtle and thoughtful. For this reason, Uman is also called Uman the Wise.
Zathroth[]
Zathroth is essentially the god of evil. He is described as vain, cunning, hateful, jealous and corruptive. Zathroth seeks to destroy, murder and corrupt any type of the other gods' creations. For this reason, he is often called Zathroth the Destroyer, in contrast to Fardos the Creator.
History[]
See also: Tibian History
Birth[]
Before Fardos and Uman Zathroth existed, there was only the void, which was everywhere and nowhere at once. Here entered Fardos, and his fellow elder god Uman Zathroth. Nobody knows where they came from. It is possible that they always have always existed and just awaked from the deep slumber of the infinity.[1]
The Creation[]
When they awoke or were created, Fardos immediately decided to create a universe because he desired to create and give life. First, Uman Zathroth watched thoughtfully. When Fardos failed, he asked Zathroth to help him, who declined. Then he asked Uman, who agreed. None of their first attempts were successful, because the void swallowed all his creations before they were completed, and none of their creations survived. However, they managed to attract the attention of another god, who they named Tibiasula. When Tibiasula appeared, Uman was joyful, while Zathroth was fuming with hate. However, he hid his anger from the other gods well. Tibiasula was invited by Uman to help them with the project of creation, and she accepted.
Uman realised that creation needed a firm fundament to build on. Together with the other gods, even Zathroth, they invented time. Zathroth helped, for he understood that time held a seed of destruction. When they succeeded, the gods rejoiced, and Zathroth knew that all creation would now be flawed in a way that could never be undone.
After having helped the other gods create time, Zathroth decided to murder Tibiasula. He forged a dagger of amazing power, and stabbed Tibiasula straight in the heart. While Zathroth laughed in triumph, Uman and Fardos, after having tried to save her, wove a spell to bind her body to the column of time. Zathroth however failed to listen carefully to the words Uman and Fardos uttered, and so he missed the one chance he had to learn the secret of creation, a secret that would be hidden from him forever. Uman and Fardos made the first creation: the elemants Tibia (earth), Sula (water), air and fire. Uman united with the elements of earth and Sula, and with them fathered Crunor and Bastesh, respectively.
Zathroth noticed Fafnar and her abilities, and decided to seduce her. They then brought Brog into existence. Brog went on to create terrible creatures such as Dragons, Trolls, Goblins, Cyclopses and Orcs. Desperate, Uman went to Fardos for advice, and together they decided to try and separate Uman Zathroth. However, they failed, and Uman had to accept their fates would for always be intertwined. During this process, Kirok was born.
While the lesser gods' races fought each other without mercy, bodies stacked on the face of Tibia. Uman proposed that a new god should be created, to take care of the dead. Zathroth posed as his good half Uman to fool earth, and with this element he fathered Urgith, the evil lord of the undead. Uman then united with the earth to father Toth, the benevolent warden of souls.
While Zathroth used his gods and their creations to fight those of the other lesser gods, Fardos and Uman created race after race to fight back, but by far most of them perished in this event called the Corpse War. These creations are now referred to as the ancients. Some of these ancients are said to be have formed into the first Demons by Zathroth.
Finally, Fardos and Utman created Banor, the first human and champion of his race. Uman taught them the art of magic, and many of the humans followed him into becoming a Sorcerer. Uman then created the Portals of Souls, which connected to a plane of existence where even the elder gods had no power. Through this portal, new souls appeared that were then shaped in human form. While even this race has not yet managed to destroy Zathroth's forces forgood, with their creation the gods managed to create a balance between good and evil, finally allowing their creations room to flourish.
Worship[]
Uman and Zathroth are both worshipped by humans and other races. Though by far most humans regard Zathroth as an evil god and Uman as a good god, some humans choose to worship Zathroth and the forces of evil instead. The Inquisition fights these Zathroth worshippers actively. In Edron, Monks and Priestesses worship Zathroth.[2][3]
It is said that both Uman and Zathroth alike once favoured the Astral Shapers during the God Wars.[4] Both gods are also worshipped by the Energuardians of Tales, though most of them now worship Zathroth.[5] Other creatures that worship Zathroth are most Demons and similar beings. Zathroth also created the Djinns, though he abandoned them and they don't worship him anymore.
Churches[]
There are documents and books that talk about the Church (or Temple) of Uman and the secret Church of Zathroth and their struggle against each other. The Church of Zathroth was for the most part eradicated in Thais and other cities by the Inquisition long ago, though priests of Zathroth are still present.[6] These books include:
- Chronicles of the Realm XXI
- Court Visit
- Zathroth's Library
- The History of King Zelos I
- Behind the Veil of Ignorance I
Trivia[]
- In English, Uman is pronounced (roughly) the same as Human.
- The Sign of Uman and Zathroth represents the god's dual nature with the symbols of a scroll and a thunderbolt.
- It is said that Zathroth created an extremely powerful called "the Godbreaker", which is detailed in The Godbreaker and other sources.
- There also exists an unobtainable weapon called Zathroth' Redeemer.
- It is said that Uman himself heals the paladins who speak the Divine Healing spell.[7]
- It is said that when the gods gave the humans new, powerful allies to help them in their battles, Uman gave sorcerers the ability to summon Sorcerer Familiars.[8]
References[]
- ^ So the book The Awakening of the Gods I says.
- ^ "Monks" on Tibia.com
- ^ "Priestresses" on Tibia.com
- ^ According to the book The Fall of the Astral Shapers I.
- ^ "Energuardians of Tales" on Tibia.com
- ^ For example, Lugri and A Dark Priestess
- ^ "Divine Healing" on Tibia.com
- ^ "Summon Sorcerer Familiar" on Tibia.com