Osiris
Name: Osiris
AKAs: Asar
Status: Vampire
Character background: When one speaks of ancient gods and legends most people usually think of the Greek and Roman gods. They are, after all, the most known and recognized gods of the ancient world. What is not known by most is that the origins of these gods can be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians and their gods. Most people know about the Egyptian gods, they are after all the second most recognized group of deities in the world. Their legends are known and studied around the globe. Most everyone knows about the legend of Osiris and Seth. However, what they do not know is what Osiris was before he was murdered by his brother and more importantly…how far Seth would go to be rid of his brother.
In the beginning Osiris was the god of nature who symbolized the cycle of vegetation. Upon his birth he was named the 'Universal Lord' and named as the successor to his father's throne. Once his father retired Osiris ascended to the throne and ruled Egypt with a fair and gentle hand. He took his sister, Isis (the mother goddess), as his queen and therefore began his rule. He taught humankind how to make bread and wine and oversaw the building of the first temples and statues of the gods. He also built towns, and laid down just and fair laws. Once Egypt was civilized he set out on a great journey, civilizing each country that he came to.
When he returned to Egypt after this great and successful journey many festivals were held in his honor. His younger brother, Seth, grew jealous of his popularity and hatched a plan to get rid of Osiris. This is where the commonly known tale picks up. Seth kills Osiris, puts his body in a coffin and floats it down the Nile where it washes up in what is now modern day Turkey. Isis found out where the body was and went to retrieve it. She brought it back to Egypt and hid it in a swamp. Seth found out where it was hidden and stole it, this time chopping the body into 14 pieces and tossing it into the Nile.
Isis once again searched for her husband. Once she had found all but one of the pieces she reconstructed his body and performed a magic ritual whereby she restored Osiris to life. Osiris was by now so disillusioned with his brother that he decided to retire to the underworld and reign over the judgment of the dead.
This is where the tale usually ends in modern literature. However, there is more to tell. Around 3100 BC there was a young man who lost the love of his life. Desperate to bring her back he went to see the Priest of Osirirs. The priest informed the man that there was nothing to be done. Undeterred, the young man visited each God's temple in turn searching for a way to bring his love back from the grave. The last he visited was Seth's. As the priest listened to the young man's words the voice of the God Seth came to the priest and told him to tell the young man of a ritual that would summon the god Osiris from the underworld. From there the man could ask that his love be restored.
Hopeful with word of this news the young man prepared the ritual and called the god Osiris from the underworld. Unfortunately, when he asked Osiris to restore his love he was told that she had already been judged and that nothing could be done. Worse than this, from the moment that Osiris was summoned nature began to turn on itself. The crops rotted in the fields, the waters of the Nile receded and the once fertile lands around the shores turned to sand. Realizing his mistake the young man tried again and again to return Osiris to the underworld, with no success…and the god was unable himself to return. In desperation to put right what he had made wrong the young man went to see the Priest of Osiris once again.
The priest, though disappointed, informed the young man that there was a way to put right what was wrong but it would cost him his life. Having lost everything else, including his honor, he agreed. His life was forfeit so that Osiris could be bound to his body and his powers over nature (which were throwing the world into chaos) were bound. The natural world was once again returned to normal but the God of the dead never would be again.
While the transformation was a success, there were unforeseen side effects. Osiris could no longer venture into the sunlight. The purity of his brother Ra caused his now unclean skin to blister and burn uncontrollably. In order to maintain his now human form he was forced to 'feed' from the blood of other humans, steeling their lives just as his had been stolen years before.
It was soon discovered that the God Seth had placed a spell on Osiris before he was summoned, preventing him from being returned to his domain. Seth had used the grief of one who had lost his love in order to bring the most heinous of curses on his own brother. There was nothing that could be done to reverse it, however, so Osiris was cursed to walk the earth in darkness for the rest of all time.
It was soon discovered that Osiris had the ability to pass his curse onto others through his bite. This horrified him, but the damage was already done and could not be reversed. Thus the first Vampires came into existence.
Knowing that he could not stop from feeding on mortals Osiris chose to sleep, hoping that death would overtake him as he slept and that he would awaken back in his own domain. So he slept, for years. However, when he awoke the hunger was so fierce that he could not control himself. Realizing that this was not working he prayed to Isis, his wife, asking her for some kind of reprieve. The best that she could do was to alter the way that another was cursed, making it so that he had to give them his blood as well in order to pass the curse onto them.
However, this did not lessen the loneliness he felt. Knowing of his feelings she compelled a young vampire to come to him, to ease his pain if only for one night. The young woman was soft and willing and it had been so long since he had felt another that he took her willingly and indulged in her charms. When he awoke the next morning she was gone. He never knew what happened to her, nor did he know that Isis had blessed her with his child that night.
Again he became lonely and wandered the world, deciding to use his time to learn of what the world had become. During his travels he ran into a werewolf who had a taste for destruction. Osiris was immediately drawn to the were as he reminded him of his son Horas, but the were was less than hospitable and a fight ensued. Osiris won the fight and the werewolf was then bound to the god. They traveled together for a while but soon went their separate ways with the agreement that should Osiris ever need the were he would come.
Around 50 BC Osiris found himself back in Egypt, amazed at what his homeland had become. While there he found a young woman who stirred his desire, bringing a lust to life that he had not had for centuries.
She seemed to return his affections and became enamored by the seemingly young man who visited her every night. In no time she was pregnant, and on the day she was to give birth Osiris begged of his grandfather Ra to allow him to attend the birth. Knowing what Osiris had been through Ra agreed and slipped from the sky long enough for Osiris to attend the birth of his child. However, shortly after the birth it was evident that the young woman would not live. Knowing this Osiris took the curse that he had been given and passed it on to the young woman. Isis, although jealous, allowed this because she knew that she could not be there for her husband and he needed someone.
Knowing that he could not leave his new daughter unprotected he called the werewolf to come and watch over her, binding the were to her so that the were would always be aware of her and know if she was in distress. With that done and his new companion by his side he once again walked the earth, observing what his 'children' had become. He was not happy with how many of them were behaving so he decided that something must be done. After much contemplation he decided that rules and laws must be set forth for his 'children'. Seeing what had happened to the world under one ruler he decided on a group of rulers called a Council. He chose the members himself from those who had been the first recipients of the curse. Thus, the first Council and the 'rules' were laid in place.
Not long after the Council was conceived Osiris once again traveled back to Egypt, this time to bid farewell to his beloved Isis. The world had stopped believing in gods and goddesses and as such her power was waning and with it her life. As her essence dissipated she informed him that he had another child, a boy whom he had never known of before. Her last act was to tell Osiris where he could find his son.
Instead of grieving he chose to find his son, embracing the final gift that his loving wife had given him. He spent a while with his son, learning of him and become close to him. However, after a time the demands of the council once again took his attention and he had to return to his responsibility.
It soon became apparent though that his responsibility came at a price. He was growing tired, his long life having taken a toll on his body. However, he knew that he had to stay among his people in order to retain the order that was necessary to keep their existence a secret.
Upon much contemplation a way to do this and still allow him to rest was found. One of the originals was chose to be his 'stand-in' and his consciousness was merged with Osiris'. In order to keep up appearances his new love remained with his stand-in and the once mighty god Osiris slept.
Since that time he has awakened only once to feed and to release his 'stand-in' and find a new one. His body is hidden deep underground and protected by his son.