BEHOLD: THE CRUCIFIED KING
as written in the gospels of the new testament
A messenger from Heaven, a prophet of the Highest, the Son of God: a child destined to be a humble servant of Man is born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph of Nazareth in the city of Galilee. In anticipation of their King of the Jews, the wise men of Jerusalem sought out king Herod, who demanded to know where the child was kept whenever the men should return. But return they did not - for the angel Gabriel warned them of Herod, and warned Joseph as well, who took the child Isho and Mary to Egypt while the king slayed every infant from the city to the coast.After Herod’s reign ended, the family was once again safe in Galilee, where the child grew and flourished, learning the trade of his father, a carpenter. When the boy was twelve, he traveled with his parents to Jerusalem for Passover, and unbeknownst to them, he sat in the temple speaking to the healers and preachers long after Joseph and Mary had left. They returned days later, grief-stricken, to find their son conversing with the men in a way not even they could fully comprehend, and Isho said to them:“Why have you come for me? Do you not know that I must do my Father’s work?”And still, they took him home, where he remained for nearly two decades as a carpenter in Galilee.When the time finally came for Isho to be baptised, he went to Jordan, where John the Baptist had been visited by God, telling him of the coming of his son. And though John begged to be baptised by Isho himself, it was his duty to perform the act. He saw the Holy Ghost inside of Isho as the man rose from the water, and before he could utter another word, Isho was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit, where he fasted for forty days and forty nights, resisting Satan’s temptations. All the while, king Herod threw the Baptist in prison.Isho then left Nazareth to preach, traveling to the city of Capernaum by the coast, where he asked the brothers Andrew and Simon Peter, and John and James of Zebedee, to cast down their nets and become fishers of men. And they did so, following him back to Galilee, where the prophet gathered more followers: Nathanael, whom he noticed previously studying the Torah, and his friend, Philip.He taught, preached, and healed in the city before bringing his disciples to the mountain to give his sermon, instructing his followers to be kind, compassionate, and to love their enemies like their friends, for even the most damned soul is worth saving. When they descended from the mountain, Isho cured a leper, calmed a tempest, and drove demons out from men and into swine, causing great astonishment in the masses that believed not in his divinity.The Pharisees watched him closely in Galilee, where he called the tax collector Matthew to his side and ate with the publicans and sinners. And even on the Sabbath, despite the city’s laws, Isho healed the townsfolk with his faith while the Pharisees condemned him as one with Satan.As news spread of the Lord Isho, come to take away the sins of man, the repentant flooded the streets as they begged to be saved. Isho, wishing to lead as many people to Salvation as possible, bestowed his Twelve apostles with the Spirit that dwelled inside him, sending them out to the far reaches of the land to heal, preach, and forgive anyone who would have them.
THE END IS NEAR...
All prophets must die. To carry the burden of man's sin on one's shoulders is a difficult task, and one that holds no glory during life. A mortal body given to the divine must be destroyed to return to Paradise, and what better way to go than by the hand of a friend? A broken king, a lost Messiah - to believe is not enough.A betrayal. A denial. An arrest; a trial. Flogged and beaten, a cross carried through the sand. Three nails, two thieves, and one crown of thorns for the King of the Jews."My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
LAMB OF GOD
ISHO NAZARENE
ISHO: The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua, which is based on the Semitic root y-š-ʕ (Hebrew: ישע), meaning "to deliver; to rescue." [x] Isho (īšōʕ) is the Eastern Syriac pronunciation of the Aramaic and Assyrian form of the name of Jesus Christ. [x] Both the Western and Eastern Syriac Christian traditions use the Aramaic name ܝܫܘܥ (in Hebrew script: ישוע) Yeshuʿ and Yishoʿ, respectively.
NAZARENE: Nazarene is a title applied to Jesus, who, according to the New Testament, grew up in Nazareth, a town in Galilee, now in northern Israel. [x]FAMILY
Birthdate: December 25th (31 years old)
Parents: Mary of Galilee and Joseph, son of David
Siblings: James, Jude, Joseph, SimonAPPEARANCE
Standing tall (5ft11/180cm) and proud, Isho can be seen from a mile away by nothing else other than the crowd that follows him. His olive skin is tanned caramel by the sun, which he protects underneath his keffiyeh and robes, and his toes stick out of his sandals beneath. Isho's black, coily hair is carefully braided and tended to by his apostles, and his beard is neatly trimmed every morning. His tired eyes are brown, with darkened bags underneath, and his palms and the soles of his feet are calloused and rough. He prefers to keep his appearance simple, donning only jewelry gifted to him by friends, and ties the waist of his robes tight around his thin body (68kg/150lbs) with a blue, tasseled rope.PERSONALITY
+: Compassionate, loving, grateful, forgiving, thoughtful, pacifistic, charismatic
-: Arrogant, egotistical, serious, condemnatory, tactless, rigid, morbidAlthough Isho is compassionate and gentle on the inside and out, he can seem arrogant and egotistical to those who do not accept him immediately as the Son of God. He preaches relentlessly and lacks both tact and humour more often than not, leading him to be taken as quite serious. When comfortable or with close companions, the mask does lift, allowing him to laugh and be joyous, but it can come down again just as quickly, giving his guests emotional whiplash. While he is slow to anger, biting his tongue and turning his cheek whenever possible, he can still find himself frustrated and disappointed, and is not afraid to tell someone that they have wronged him. Still, he offers forgiveness whenever possible and, above all, he does not judge a person's character based on their actions. Isho is willing to suffer immensely for his people and will work himself to the bone to help others, going so far as to give the clothes off his back to someone in need.RELATIONSHIPS
Because Isho has been given life by God in order to spread His Word, it is only a distraction for him to take the hand of another in marriage. That, however, does not stop him from engaging in Earthly pleasures, and he has many friends and lovers all throughout Israel and beyond. All of his apostles are considered dear friends, with John, Andrew, and James being his closest confidants, and he is often visited by Mary Magdalene. John is his most beloved disciple, and he seeks the mortal's company regularly. Even Judas, when lonely enough, seeks Isho for companionship. The Son of God is also infertile.THE TEMPLE
Built in the span of three days - or, actually, a little over a year - the temple can be found near the sea of Galilee, northeast of Nazareth. It is an impressive building made of wood and stone, crafted by hand by Isho, his father, and other local carpenters. The temple is three stories high, with large, shuttered windows on the front that allow in sunlight. A stream runs through the property, keeping the garden out back lush and green, and the water that passes through is deemed holy.First floor: Up the stone stairs are large, wooden double doors that lead inside to a hallway, with smaller doors to either side. On the left is Peter and Andrew's room, whereas on the right is John and James Zebedee. The hallway opens up to a huge room, whose floor is covered in ceramic tile. Immediately on the left is a carved, stone basin of holy water, and four pillars are found in a square spaced evenly near the center of the room, which can be seen going all the way up to the third floor. Continuing left is the dining table, and in the far left corner is a doorway that leads to the kitchen. Following the back wall is another set of double doors that leads to the gardens outside, down a smaller set of stone stairs. In the far right corner is a staircase, and near the left wall there are many comfortable couches and chairs. The center of the room is completely open.Second floor: There is a balcony in the shape of a square running around the inner perimeter, which one can peer over to see the first floor of the temple. The first door on your left is the room of Philip and Nathanael, and after following the balcony, the remaining rooms belong to Jude and Simon, and then Thomas and Matthew.Third floor: The final floor has no balcony and is the most private. On your immediate left is the last of the apostles' rooms, belonging to James, the brother of the Lord, and Judas. On both the front and back temple walls, there are windows, and the master bedroom is located along the leftmost wall of the temple. Isho's room is taken up primarily by an oversized, hand-carved bed that is placed against the back wall, and he has a dresser to the left of the door and his desk to the right. In the near left corner is his wardrobe, and next to his bed are two tall bookshelves on either size. The far left corner has a door that leads to the bathroom, a very sunny room with both a shower and a bathtub as well as a toilet and sink.
THE TWELVE
JOHN
the beloved
The one whom he loved dearest - John of Zebedee, brother of James, has a special place in the Lord's heart. Every intimate detail of his existence is uttered to John, who in turn, offers his comfort and companionship in any way he knows how. A careful and quiet man, with the honour of resting his head upon the Lord's chest, and trusted with the most important tasks, along with the apostle Peter.
ANDREW
the first
With his brother Simon Peter, Andrew was the first apostle called to follow the Lord. In the temple, he spends much of his time preparing meals for the Messiah and his apostles, as well as handing out food to their guests in need. Though he is sometimes overlooked in favour of his brother, he is well-liked and a much appreciated addition to the group.
SIMON PETER
the foundation
The brother of Andrew, known as Cephas or Peter by the Lord. A fisherman, whose faith wavered so much that the water he walked on began to swallow him up, and would his Saviour three times after Isho was taken away. And yet, he who truly believed: blessed by the Lord, and one of his closest companions, always curious and not afraid to ask him questions. He would later be the foundation for the Christian church, never again letting his belief falter.
JAMES
the martyr
Along with his brother, John, and Simon Peter, James completes the trio that is the Lord's closest circle. Prone to aggression and anger, he looks to his Messiah as a figure of calm, and he acts as a bodyguard when he deems it necessary. A small part of him is jealous of his brother's relationship with the Lord, but James knows that his faith runs so deep that he would put his own head on a stake for his God - he needs no pleasures of the flesh.
PHILIP
the chosen
Sought out by name to follow Christ, Philip became a staunch believer in the Lord very quickly. He was first a disciple of John the Baptist, already prepared by him for the coming of Christ and more than willing to leave his teacher for his new master. Like Peter, he has many questions for the Lord, but his belief is unrelenting despite his thirst for knowledge and understanding. He is half Greek and preaches in either tongue, and he is quite close to his friend and companion Nathanael.
NATHANAEL
the healer
As another disciple of John the Baptist, Nathanael is a long-standing student of God, who was so diligent about his learning that Isho took notice of him reading the Torah. And though on the outside he seems steadfast and stubborn in his ways, he is more gullible than he would like to admit, and his opinions are easily swayed. He is more judgmental and aloof than many of the other, more humble disciples, and often needs Philip to keep him in line.
THOMAS
the traveler
As the resident wanderer, Thomas finds great fulfillment in exploring new places and bringing the Word to people who would otherwise never be Saved. He is perhaps the most cultured of the group, and speaks a wide assortment of languages. Light of heart, he is easygoing and enjoyable to be around, and his charming personality is enough to turn most people into converts.
MATTHEW
the collector
Plucked out of the streets of Galilee, Matthew denounced his sinful career as a publican to devote his life to God. He is logical and shrewd and deals better with matters of the law than the heart, leading him to be the planner of the group. As one of the most highly educated apostles, his opinions and ideas are always considered by the Lord.
JAMES
the brother
Related by body and blood, and perhaps a little lost as the youngest brother, James followed his sibling with an undying curiosity that only a brother could have. He is deeply cared for by Isho and the other apostles, who all treat him like a member of their own family and try to keep him out of trouble. However, he is not usually given the privilege of sitting in the Lord's inner circle, and he still finds himself wrestling with his faith, silently scrutinizing Isho's decisions and wondering when it will all come crashing down.
JUDE THADDAEUS
the forgotten
The meek and humble are all but forgotten. A farmer by trade, Jude finds himself feeling like an outcast, a nearly-silent disciple who spends countless hours studying and examining the Word of his Lord in order to understand his many riddles and parables. But silence is admirable when one's actions are pure and good, and no corruption can find those who live only to please.
SIMON
the zealot
Not all of the Lord's disciples found it so easy to turn the other cheek, and wrath is a sin that Simon can't seem to shake. A zealot before their time, and liable to break the teeth of anyone who might dare propose that the true leaders of the world are those that govern from the cities and not from Heaven. As opposed to James, who acts out in retaliation, Simon will throw the first punch and ask for forgiveness later.
JUDAS ISCARIOT
the thief
The thirteenth star. The traitor. The one hated by generations to come. A lover of the Lord, and his greatest critic. Before Isho found Judas, he was nothing more than a thief, living on the streets and profiting off of other people's foolishness. He is the quickest to anger, the first to call out the Lord at any sign of hypocrisy, and the first to jump ship when things get difficult. And even so, he finds comfort in being an apostle and would follow Isho to the very end - even if that means betraying him.
THE WRITER
MOUSE
AGE: 22
PRONOUNS: They/them
TIMEZONE: EST (UTC-5)Thanks for coming to check out Isho's information! I have based him around the canon of Matthew, in terms of his history, although I write his personality closer to that which can be found in John. I am not a biblical expert and I expect to get some things wrong, so if you see that I am blatantly misinterpreting canon, feel free to DM me and give me a heads up on whatever I might have missed.I write Isho in a mash-up of both modern day and the biblical era. He uses a cell phone, but he cannot name any famous figures from after his death; he engages in current events but does not drive a car. Because he stays at the temple the majority of the time, interacting with modern day characters doesn't tend to be a problem, and I will make things up on the fly if need be.I decided to call him Isho because I wanted him to have a name that more closely resembled what he would have been called during his life. This means, however, that he will not respond to the name Jesus or Christ (until after his crucifixion). He does not know what Christianity is, nor any other religion created after his death. If he is shown a picture of himself on the cross, he will merely be perplexed as to why the man looks so similar to him.I debated about whether or not to write Isho as an actual divine being, rather than a crazed, charismatic man who only thinks that he is the Son of God, and I decided that it would be more interesting to write him as being legitimately divine. He has a direct link to God, but God does not always have his eye on Isho, and therefore Isho's divine powers are not always available to him. God will not let him be killed, but any other form of violence against him may happen at any time. When he interacts with other divine beings, God will protect him from severe harm.Isho has great power when it comes to mortals - he can completely heal everyone except the dying and dead, can calm and soothe them with his touch, and can give them strength and other blessings. I do not like to godmod, so if I am writing with you and you do not want his powers to work, you are free to write that they failed - my explanation for this will always be that God was not watching and did not grant him his divine power at that moment.I have few limits and am happy to write most plots. Smut will only happen in DMs, and I do prefer to fade to black. Any extreme violence should be discussed prior to infliction in DMs, but I am usually okay with almost anything, unless Isho has already been through some very traumatic injuries recently. I am always happy to plot with new people, and if I drop your thread, I promise it was an accident! I work 10 hour days and rarely get the chance to look at my phone, so if you catch me during my work week, I will probably only be replying selectively.Thanks again for reading, and happy writing! I look forward to seeing you on the TL!