Excerpt from The Andeamer by Robert Maddibell and Evizahn Tiragaan: The three-headed beast is the unholy coalition of Hismäl Hamarëel, Suluth Styrr, and Surgaht Zagam. These greater voids represent corruption of the self in three dimensions. Surgat Zagam is corruption of the flesh; he is disease, sickness, taint, and defilement of the dead. Hismael Hamariel is corruption of the heart; this one concerns a complex play on relationships people have with each other whether it is romantic, platonic, or between family, this void seeks to destroy it. Suluth Styrr is corruption of the mind; this void is responsible for deterioration on the mind whether it is dementia or incurable mental illness, it is the irreversible downward spiral of the ego. To the andeamer, these testing gods are a pervasive reality in everyday life, they are known as **Säthihl din’Drälothath**.

Mälgrez (meɪlgɾɛz), cosmos or space in Ënokhan and also the name of a thïsenyär. Far too busy harnessing the chaos of the universe, Mälgrez is a quiet one, quieter than the Void-God who forged him, but possibly one of the most important among his peers. At first glance, many would assume this deity analogous to Atlas. Mälgrez does not carry any interstellar objects upon his shoulders, but this divine is determined to protect the solar system Ënokh is in. Mälgrez is more of a guide to Andeamer, or any being who seeks his wisdom and knowledge. Andeamer are just as curious of the universe they inhabit as humans. To better understand the world, the universe, the inherent chaos of existence, they look to Mälgrez, the guide to the stars, the eternal scholar of the fabric of reality.

You might not find out about the masked man by asking around your town because not many people have seen him, but I can guarantee someone has. My experience was pretty much verified by stumbling across a thread on a forum I frequent. The topic was about your favorite creepy urban legends. I was just lurking since I didn’t have anything interesting to contribute. Most posts were about the better known creatures like the infamous bunny man bridge in Virginia, the funhouse mummy, mothman… But one grabbed my interest. This one was from a small town in northern Oregon talking about two local legends; one of the crow-man and a lesser known masked man. The poster described both of them in detail, but the masked man was way too familiar for my liking. A porcelain mask, grinning inhumanly wide. The eyes blacked out and the wraith-like figure in all black. I responded with my experience, noting that I lived in the south, Louisiana to be exact. I had seen the masked man before, jumping from power pole to power pole. I watched it in curiosity even though I felt the urgency to get the hell out of there. I finally booked it when the thing paused and looked down at me with that grinning mask. I thought I might have seen the figure another time, this time in downtown New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but of course he blended in with the other masked people. Maybe it was whatever drugs I was on, thinking back on it. Soon after I posted with my own experience, more people chimed in claiming to see the figure from all around the world. People even submitted a few drawings, albeit not very good. There was even one picture, it was grainy distorted and the figure was so ghost-like, its feet and legs were almost transparent. Personally I was skeptical just because of how bad the quality of the picture was. Others claimed to see it wielding a scythe or seemingly pulling one out of nowhere. One had a more morbid experience, stating he saw the masked man actually kill someone then disappear with that person. It was very strange to see people from all the way in Australia, Europe, even South Africa claiming to see the masked man and other figures, all in black and wearing masks bearing exaggerated expressions. Several claimed to see one with the exact opposite of the masked man, having a sad face, like you’d see with drama and comedy masks. Another had a very angered expression, one was solemn, additionally one was disgust. The list could go on.

A mysterious figure mentioned in [The Urban Legend of the Masked Man](https://inkblot.art/blog/qzYrPpKLQSvQG7ESt4n7)

A thorn in the supreme goddess’ side. A stalwart wall that never gave way to her sieges. A mystery to the mortals and the divines. Her skin like the never ending storm of the Void. Her eyes the deep abyss only the great Leviathans wander. Dawned in the Twilight armor, the harbinger of doom who killed the gods. The Black Prophet. Not gone and not forgotten. She has lived a thousand lives across the centuries; biding time, planning her vengeance. Every birth and death brings her closer to completion. To her full strength. And when she is ready, she will bring a reckoning to shake heaven, earth, and void. Fassedus Sarefassus reappears continuously as different characters through a fiction work in progress, The Three-Headed Beast. Ënokhan writing on the left reads: Vähnsäd Khïthyalventh (veɪn-seɪd χaɪ-θ-jal-vɛnθ) "Dark/Black Divine-Mouth of the unknown" Saarefän (sa-ɾɛ-faɪn)

Known to mortals by two names and one title, this deity is a complex being with a complex role in Andeamer society. As the Greater Void of secrecy, he is Mariax Stygal. As the god of redemption, he is Marëkhs. Together these two sides become Sädsuleth, the Void-God. He is duality, hidden motives both good and bad, the complex nature of the mind; a challenge or struggle to overcome to become stronger, smarter, and better than prior self-iterations. His machinations have destroyed civilizations and rebuilt them. In his realm of the Fringe Athenaeum, he offers any who wander what they desire most. No strings attached. However, these explorers seldom return from their travels. "Every thïsenyär has their own hall; those are the gods if you aren't familiar with Ënokhan. Each their own place we go to seek their guidance and honor them—and yes the "rumors" are true. No, it's is not a parlor trick. If they will it, they can inhabit their effigies. Any likeness of theirs, no matter how small or big. That's how we talk to them. The Void-God is no different, but he is the quietest. His lessons are best learned through experience. Inaction is his gift. Intervention is his punishment. He rather you draw your own conclusions just as I do, so keep to your path. When you have your answer, you will know." Ënokhan names in upper left corner: Sädsuleth: seɪd-su-lɛθ | Marëakhs Stihgal: ma-ri-aχs ʂtɪ-gal | Marëkhs: ma-ri-χs

The old stories tell it was the Void-God we have to thank for our liberation from the Abyssal King. He told Mazarath what he witnessed and she began her inquisition against the Void and its King. Now we call her the Mother because she rescued us from tyranny and protects us as mothers do. She may not be our creator—that's Ënokh—but she is the reason the andeamer are as we are.

I have studied the arcane arts of the Void for many years. Through passion and borderline insanity, I found the Fringe Athenaeum. The infamous--and legendary plane the Void-God inhabits. Seldom few have written treatises of such a magnificent place, let alone listen to the abyssal voice of the Void-God himself. However, I postulate none have returned from his realm, for many reasons. It may be rumor, but rumors start somewhere, and I am not one to ignore information despite how it circulates, lest it hide the truth. My fail-safe for this is woven into my ritual. I will have an hour before I am pulled back to my physical body. After practicing my projection techniques, I am confident nothing can interfere with my fail-safe. The andeamer believe Mariax Stygal entices passionate scholars to his realm, or those seeking answers to their questions, and quickly the descent into madness begins in the feverish search of those answers. I, however, am willing to take that chance as I have reasons to believe none have my gifts. I also was not intentionally drawing the attention of the Void-God. _We have a visitor._ His voice echoed through the Void. I searched for its origins, yet it came from everywhere… In my circling search, I found the Void-God himself stood behind me. I did not recognize this being to be him at first, no I thought it simply one of his minions. It was a macabre creature. Imitating the form of a man veiled in black yet twisted by its own nature. It’s eyes… Its hollow eyes bore through me and I only admit to my fear now. I dealt with these beings before, simple ones, nothing like the behemoths that lurk the abyssal plane. I pulled the energy of the Void around me easily, no longer bound by a veil that obscured the worlds. It was invigorating, to suddenly come from walking in water to walking on land and such ease of manipulation may have inflated my confidence at this encounter. "Begone or I will destroy you.” The stoic face like a mask twitched. A smile tugged the Chelsea grin across its face. He laughed. Deep, carving, and tapping into some auxiliary fear hidden deep within me. _I know what you seek._ "I seek nothing from you.” I so wisely stated as it began to circle around me. Steps echoed through long halls. Walls that had changed since I last observed them. New walls, new shelves lined with books that organized themselves. Other void creatures wandered at a distance. The colors of the skies had changed their tones. It paused. Black eyes locked onto mine, or at least that is what I felt. _Are you sure of that?_ A vicious chill raced down my spine. It was at that moment, I recognized who was before me. “You are him...” I managed to state the obvious in the presence of the Lord of shadows. _And you are [redacted], but you call yourself ‘Nightbane’ among your… peers._ Perhaps it was my own projection, but I felt a sting of judgement. One could never use their true name in my field of study. "Surely, you know—” _Naturally._ Defense of my pseudonym had become reflexive, but I sensed the Void-God would have none of it. He turned away. Hands clasped each other behind his back as he walked to the edge of the island we stood upon. His realm was ever changing… Perhaps at his will? _You have questions_ "Many.” I attempted to gather whatever sense I could, but it was difficult in such a being’s presence. I knew my risks coming here, yet… I never believed I would be in the presence of the Void-God. _Ask and you shall receive._ "I must know more about what your kind is—Voids and their nature.” He looked over his shoulder. Another humored smile twitched. _My kind?_ He laughed. A gentle laugh, yet it unnerved me. _You dive into depths one never surfaces from when it comes to my kind and I do not speak of the inhabitants of the Void._ "You are not a being of the Void?” He turned to me. _No._ "Then what are you?” _Our topic is: ‘what are Voids’._ I simply nodded being no match for the Void-God's authority. Finally, I saw the realm around me shaped to him. From the stone we stood on, it built upon itself a throne of sorts for him and he sat. _I do love these chats with your kind_ A slow hand rose. One blackened finger pointed to me, behind me where a throne like his had come from the ground. _Do not mistake me, however, I lack tone and the nuance of speech, so know that everything I say, I say literally. I have no sleight of hand reserved and no mirror to my words_. I was somewhat relieved. If he was telling the truth anyhow… ------ **What are the Voids?** Your curiosity of the Void is shared by many, but seldom few have sought their answers at the source. These creatures are not unlike you but know that you are more [pause] special than they. They come in a variety; you have dealt with those that are but the equivalent of children; weak, blunt, small. They are not dangerous, because they are small things. It is the intelligent ones you ought to fear and avoid. The Greater Voids were not given their positions. They took them. They are the most willful and intelligent Voidlings you will find and that is what makes them dangerous. **Where did they come from?** From the Void. This is their genesis. They are not born and do not die. They can be created from other Voids. Recycled by defeat or devoured. Some are merely contained, shackled by their foes. **What are their goals?** Their goals? Every creature has its goals and those are known only to them. Many know but a fraction of the Greater Voids. Hismael Hamariel does not have compulsion to corrupt the hearts of men. Valac Vetis is not forced to create dreams in the sleeping mind. I see their symptoms, not their illness. **Why do they harm the living?** What makes you think they are not alive themselves? They are but another form of life. I do not know the minds of ants; however, I can speculate. As I stated before they come in a variety same as humans. The dichotomy of man is not unique. Voids may attack because they are an animal defending its territory the same as nations defend their borders. …Or they attack because they are like a man, fearful and frightened seeking to end whatever perceived threat is near. And then there are those who attack simply because they enjoy it. That variety, Void and man, are the closest I can confirm to be purely malevolent. They are always the intelligent kind of being. They know what they inflict on others. **Are there any who possibly help? In some way or have… traits we may consider “good”?** Yes, but you would not call them “Void” do you? The andeamer call them ätherä. But not all ätherä are benevolent Voids; they are something else. **I feel as though you’re trying to imply something—** I illustrate parallels simply because I find it the easiest means for you to comprehend. The beings of your worlds and Voids are not the same. One does not become the other. What of the creatures called Void-turned? Many are under the assumption they’re possessed or become Void things leading many in my field to believe that we can become them. I applaud the demonstrated will to learn in any subject, it was I admire most of you. It is what separates you from Void-borne; you can learn and change. But to answer your question, I will be blunt: they are wrong. What you see is akin to a disease. They are not possessed in the way you think. Corrupted? Yes. Corrupted to the core of their DNA. This engineered disease does not “turn” a man into a void creature. It rots the mind like many natural diseases that deteriorate the fragile neural networks, but the difference is that whomever infected the individual can control the deterioration effectively making them a slave. **It’s a disease? Engineered? Your statement has so many implications…** Extract what you will from it then. Yes, it means you can create a vaccine to defend yourselves, but this disease functions more like cancer, and there will never be a cure for such an ailment. **There wouldn’t’ be a cure? How?** I know you’ve no background in biology, [sighs] so, I must abridge this to an extreme. The disease of the Void-turned is based off their own generic makeup. Once infected, the virus morphs to control them. However, death is never intended, common, but seldom have I seen an infector’s virus truly meld into the victims as to not kill them. Hypothetically, a cure is possible. However, to cure every infected individual, one would need just as many panaceas. **You mention earlier how we differ from Voids, and it is what makes us “special”, as you say.** Humans can learn and change. You are dependent on it. Adaptability is very important for organisms from your pocket of existence. Voids do not possess that. They do not “learn” exactly, few do, and it is a complex subject matter I still observe. They appear to absorb information, but never truly use it. You know of the Greater Voids, at least those the andeamer fear. Of all them, the only one I have truly witnessed to “learn”, that is to absorb information and then use it to change outcomes would be Hismael Hamariel. The great heart-stealer is one those whose meddling is merely fun. She learned how to make her victims suffer more. **Can you learn?** [laughs]I want you to revisit that question and think just a bit harder. I am not of the Void. Yes, I can learn, adapt, change, just as you. It is how I sit here, upon a throne in my world with hundreds of legions of servants beneath me. **Those Voids loyal to you, can they learn?** Some. My second, Ronove, is just one. The first. It took centuries, perhaps longer, but he can. He is my favorite lieutenant. I took him from being a scuttling little insect rushing away from being crushed under the sabatons of another and I showed him how to walk, now he is a god in every sense. **I’ve seen his name before, rarely. He is often attributed to being a servant of Mïzäirn.** You rarely see the names of those who have not caused suffering. And you often see my and Mïzäirn’s spheres overlapping. **You’re supposed to be the Greater Void of the shadows and secrecy, yet you’re forthcoming.** I know what you think, but don’t say: only if I am telling the truth. No, I cannot read minds; I have existed a very long time. The sphere of the encroaching darkness was assigned to me by the andeamer who, just as I, see only the methods and not the goals. I do not blame them, and I won’t bother to correct them. **Why would you not correct them when you’ve already shown me so much?** That is how I fit into their mythology. It is their interpretation to events, who am I to say they are wrong? **Well, given that you are very real and witnessed what they believe to be true why not tell them exactly what happened?** What makes you think I am an unbiased source? Do you know what else the andeamer think of me? They also know of my wrathful nature. There is not one voice in existence that ever tells the truth. **You said every creature has its goals and those are known only to them. What is your goal then?** You will live to see the ends, but now it’s time for you to wake up.