Background for MOTW character

For those that don't know I play DND and other TTRPG. I'm in a Monster of the Week game and I play a Eldritch Being from the ocean (akin to a leviathan or kraken) named Tehom.

He is almost as old as the earth itself, he first came onto the surface around what would be considered the Biblical time period. He has a proper form, huge and all tentacles, but on the surface he takes on a human form (which has two version, one is fully human and the other is a human body but with a squid-like face as you can see in the art below). He's a Spellslinger by the rules of the game. The game is set in modern time and he works as part of a organization called "The Catalogue" which deals with anomalies, non-human people (like Tehom) and cryptic's to determine if they are a threat (like a cryptic FBI). He works with two coworkers, a werewolf and a human possessed by a computer spirit. I love my squid boy, he's basically a Eldritch Being who doesn't understand technology and loves to learn about humans.

Fun fact, his name Tehom is Hebrew and it refers to two things. One the ancient primordial waters of the Earth before God created humans, and two the waters that God will part for humans to pass through when the End Times come. I spent forever trying to find the right name and this one is just perfect!

This is the backstory I wrote for him, where he came from and why he left his home for the surface world. It's a tragic tale but he's the better for it. And yes he talks how I write him, which is fun to both play and write.

First piece of art by HoMArtworks, second one is from a Picrew but I unfortunately don't have the link.

I was considered what you would call a general of sorts. I wasn’t the lowest rank, but I soon learned that I wasn’t as high rank as I was made to think. It took time for me to realize they considered me disposable, a simple person they could use then throw away and replace at their whim. For a while I was content with this thinking it was the best I could do, all because they said I was special and meant for great things. I was to be a part of the Great End, to herald the coming of Darkness and Endless Stars. And maybe I was, still am, but it doesn’t matter either way because I wasn’t able to be myself, not truly. Forced into a box and forced to listen to their terrible opinions on humans.

But one day the Elders came to me with a mission, I was to work with Egra (his human name) who was many levels above me, on a special mission. On the surface. I had never worked on the surface before, only observed it from afar. I had also only observed humans from afar as well, never actually spoken with one. But Egra was to work with me on training for a surface visit, meaning I must change my form and create a human body. It was hard work, first I learned to change my body into that of flesh and blood but in the water, then learn to breathe above the water. My first time in the open air was unpleasant, lots of coughing and gasping breaths with lungs I was unaccustomed to, then shaky legs that at first felt unnatural. There was lots of practice on learning to talk, how to pronounce human words and speak as they do, it was a strange sensation but I got used to it. Egra said one's human form came naturally, the features just magically appear. And he was right, without thinking I took on the form of a young human with short warm brown hair, wide sea green eyes and sharp features. A kind face one would naturally trust. It was strange seeing myself as such but after a bit I started to like it, how I looked. It all took many moons to get but I’m a fast learner and soon I was walking, breathing, talking and behaving as a human, well enough to please Egra and the Elders. I still don’t know why they chose me, maybe it was fate.

Soon it came time for the mission, the only thing I was told was that we were to visit a human village, make friends with the people there and retrieve an item the Elders wished to acquire. I asked Egra about the item and was told it was a stone of magic, but nothing more. I was to try and befriend a human named Issac who supposedly had the stone and get it from him. I preferred not to use violence and Egra begrudgingly allowed it as long as in the end I completed my mission. 

I had practiced well enough, we both blended in with the humans. We posed as travelers passing through, needing a break for a few days as my master Egra was old and needed to rest. It gave us time to befriend the humans and me time to learn about them and their customs. And oh what a time it was! There was so much to learn! The sound of laughter, the feeling of fabric as it was being weaved, the taste of lamb and spices, the softness of a child's hair when I would pat their heads as they gathered around me and held my hand begging to come play with them. We would gather around the fire in the evening and listen to them tell stories, tales of the Gods, of magic and shadows in the night. My mind was filled with so much new information. As for Issac it was surprisingly easy for me to make friends with him, he had a openness I hadn’t experienced before. It felt natural for us to talk of life and the world, I came to discover I had too much to learn. I didn’t realize it but we quickly became genuine friends.

It’s shameful to admit, but I tricked Issac to give up the stone. He had found it on the beach one day and, thinking it pretty, brought it home and was saving it for something special. Perhaps to sell if his family came upon tougher times, sometimes the crops could be unpredictable. But I convinced him to give it to me, so that I could sell it somewhere for a very high price and send him the coin. I had always been told I was charming and trusting. It made my stomach twist and churn, like the choppy waters of a stormy night. I did not know why it made me feel awful. That and combined with Egra’s side comments to me late at night about the humans, which gave me much concern. I felt like something was off but I could not place why.

The sun was just starting to set the sky turning shades of pink, purple and orange. I met Egra near the water, upon a stone cliff close to the village but away from any prying ears. I informed him I had acquired the stone, that our mission was a success and that we could go home! Surely the Elders would be proud of me, doing what I was told and not a drop of blood spilled! Egra congratulated me on doing my part and now he must do his, a flat expressionless look on his face. I did not understand, but as I tried to make sense of his words he stepped forward raising his hand. Too late did I recognize the sigil for fire that he traced in the air, too late did I try to reach out and interrupt his chanting. Before I knew it the whole village burst into flames, too quickly and harshly for anyone to run away. I don’t know if my mind was playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn I heard Issac’s screams on the wind. I tried to rush forward to do what I could, a good water sigil should put out most of it. But Egra stopped me, holding me back with a powerful grip, pulling me closer to the edge of the cliff. Tears I had never felt before ran down my face, I couldn’t understand how my body did that without me commanding it as I had to do with most other things. Egra tore the stone from my hand then threw me into the ocean to “cool off” with no smile or feeling of remorse. I let my body sink slowly, the water and sorrow enveloping me. 

Suddenly it was replaced with the fire of anger, righteous anger. I changed back and swam straight to the Elders, not listening to anyone trying to stop me. I screamed, demanding to know why such violent action was taken. Surely the humans had done nothing wrong, that there was no reason to punish them. One Elder spoke, saying the stone was filled with ancient magic and they were fearful the human who had found it had taken control of the magic, so they couldn’t take any risks.

“EVEN IF THAT WERE TRUE THE CHILDREN MUST SUFFER AS WELL!?” I screamed.

They said I must calm down, that Egra and I had finished our task and there was nothing to be done. But I could finally see they did not care for humans in the slightest, claiming to do things for all of creation but that was a false promise as was my place in their ranks. What great and mighty protectors of the world, to sacrifice with such inconsideration. False lies all of it. I couldn’t take this anymore, I refused to be a part of something like this. I would not burn down any more villages, create no more storms, wreck no more ships and CERTAINLY not stifle my love of learning and wish to grow just to please those that did not want the best for me. I figured if I kept going like this they would banish me so I did the task for them. I left. I already knew how to change into human form and how to fit in, so I swam and swam until I was too tired to swim anymore, my echoing cries rippling through the dark waters like a herald of sorrow. If a human heard it they would cower with a fear they could not understand. For we are the fear at the Beginning, the source of the things in the dark.

After resting I took my first steps upon land as a free man. Free to go where I wished and do what I wanted. It hurt to leave behind that which I knew, the friends I had. But this is what I had to do, I couldn’t and wouldn’t be a part of that anymore. To this day I do not know if my parents, if you could call them that, found out why I left. Most likely not, they were probably fed lies. But I have no familiar connection to them so I do not care either way. 

I traveled back to the now burned village, no one was alive. I said a prayer to the Old Gods in their deep slumber, hoping they would honor my wish that these innocent lives would go on in peace. Then I gathered my courage and walked away, to wherever my feet took me. A whole world to explore.

I never left the Sea, I can’t fully and don’t want to for she is a part of my soul. But I left behind a life and people that stifled the joy in my heart. It took many years and much hard work to forgive myself of the guilt, to realize it wasn’t my fault and for all my wisdom I couldn’t have known what would happen. No longer do I awake to the screams of Issac on the wind, the smell of burning flesh. It is in the past, so long ago it might as well have been another life. I have lived so much in the end it doesn’t matter. I know who I am and that is all I need to know.