Exalted Noob Question: Why Does Everyone Hate Desus?

[Leliel]

You see, I do not own many Exalted books, and as a result, I have no idea who this guy by the name of Desus is, and why he seems to be the equivalent of Godwin's Law for many people.

So tell me: why, exactly, does everyone hate the guy? Is he a Deathlord's servant or something?

[Morandir Nailo]

I'll probably get ninja'd here, but I'll add what little I know.

Desus was a First-Age Solar (he was Lilith's mate; dunno if you know about her or not, but she's a Lunar from the FA who's still around). Swan, the signature Eclipse, carries Desus's shard.

Back in the First Age, Desus was basically borderline sociopath who would do anything to increase his own fame and power. He is known for having treated Lilith quite cruelly in their time together.

Mor

edit: on the matter of Deathlords, there is a theory floating about that the Deathlord known as the Silver Prince (aka the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water) might be Desus. The two don't match perfectly, but there are similarities as I recall.

[Justyn]

Back in the First Age, Desus was basically borderline sociopath who would do anything to increase his own fame and power. He is known for having treated Lilith quite cruelly in their time together.

That is one hell of an understatement.

Desus didn't just treat her cruelly, he beat her. This isn't the kind of wife beating that we think of in our world: he beat her so badly that she miscarried. And he did it more than once. On top of this, he brainwashed her into believing that it was her fault that he beat her. The brainwashing was so severe that if anyone tried to explain the situation to her, she would go berserk and kill them.

Makes sucker-punching and blinding Oliphem look kinda tame in comparison.