| Grak |
Stop the Press! This Isn't Right! |
Grak Other Titles: God Under the Mountain, Maw, Judge, Glory, Iron Father Associations: Fire, Sacrifice, War, Violence Associated School: Battle Core Values: Defiance, Strength, Glory, Conquest, Independence
War
The Truth of Grak is more than his enemies may suspect. Rather than being a mindless god of destruction, Grak’s teachings lead his Chosen to have strength enough to forsake the gods, one and all, and to cut their own wounds into the world. To be strong and to earn respect is to be free of gods, kings, coins, and slavery. Thus, Grak pushes his worshippers ever forward, to grow stronger, to defeat everything that rises up against them. And once a follower of Grak dies, if they come to the God Under the Mountain, they did not learn the lesson and Grak devours their Spark whole. Grak is an unlikely god of independence, and a harsh one at that. Those with great strength, and great will, who learn the failings of the gods and deny their slavery, have walked Grak’s Road of Pain, and are only then considered adults to the brooding Wargod. While religious worshippers from every sect understand the nature of divine paradoxes, it is often pointed out that Grak worship makes no logical sense. A god who demands that his supplicants obey his wishes that they follow no gods? At this, the secular can only shake their heads and label the entire business of worship as madness. Grak himself fights for the Three, not out of corrupt malice, but because the odds are against him and that makes the struggle glorious. That he wishes revenge for his imprisonment is also of prime importance to this god. Indeed, Grak is the rebellious ally within the Dark Three. Grak has been known to brew his Stormmead and drink wildly with the Soldier before their children meet against each other in battle, for while Grak hates the slavery the Sept confuses for guidance, the Soldier has proven himself to be a wily and worthy adversary, and has earned a grudging respect from Grak. Grak stands against all the gods, though first he will pick his teeth with the bones of the Sept before turning on Nox and Darkness. Despite his rebellion, Grak has served his role as War Leader for the Three without second thoughts. Sidebar: Songs of Grak It is sung that when Grak dreams, he dreams of new monsters and horrors from which the chosen may earn glory. When he awakes, he finds that these nightmares have taken form, and harass both Sept faithful villages and Darkness’ enclaves alike – and then he laughs with great mirth. Mortals know this as thunder, but the chosen of Grak know this is a sign that he has dreamed, awoken, and that a new chance for glory is near. It is sung that Grak slew the progenitor of the Sept, Illumitas. It is sung that Grak defeated both the Knight and the Soldier, but spared their lives and thus cursed them with eternal shame. The Chosen sing that Grak delivered the stroke that killed Vargainen and sank it beneath the seas. It is sung that Grak wounded the Great Dragon, and sent it back to its cave in the night sky. Forever afraid to return again. It is sung that Grak’s chosen were the berserkers that smashed the gates of Nalbendel, and terrified the defenders into sudden suicide rather than to have their limbs hewn from them and slung as trophies. <end sidebar>
Personality and Behavior
Grak does what he wants when he wants. There is no being that Grak gives dominion over him, not even Darkness or Nox. The Dark Three function because it amuses Grak to work with them, he seeks the challenge of defeating the Sept and relishes being outnumbered by them. In all things Grak seeks the greatest challenge and therefore the greatest glory. Grak does not fight his own Chosen because they must first prove they will be a challenge for him. That is a privilege earned through a lifetime of battle.
Physical Appearance
Grak’s depictions are usually of a barbaric mortal. He can be portrayed as human, goblin, orcish, or wolvish. Always glorious in victory, ringed by black lightning. Statuaries or graffiti are often splattered with fresh blood, and have trophies of war piled about them. When he appears before his faithful he is generally a strong male in his mid-30s. He typically has an unkempt appearance with some amount of wild hair. His clothing is generally tattered and minimal. He covers himself in a mixture of warpaint and blood spatter. At all times he is armed, often with several weapons at once. Grak dons armor only for the most serious of occasions such as going into battle with the Soldier.
Avatars of Grak
The first avatar of Grak was the Dellin leader Rannigar who united the tribes to make war on Nalbendel. He died in that battle but is remembered in glory for bringing the downfall of the city-state. Most recently a minotaur was selected as an avatar of Grak who called themselves ‘Grak’. For years they lived in the mountains fighting any who wished to prove themselves worthy of Grak. None survived. It was vicious and could cut down nearly all who faced it with a single blow. In time it gathered a horde of goblinkind and brought them into the Freelands for battle. It took many to even weaken it. In the end it was cast away by the Helix of Maplewood to an unknown destination. At this time no one knows if it still lives and if so what condition it is in.
Worship of Grak
Prayers to Grak are found in the scars of his Chosen. Every wound earned and given is a prayer to the Iron Father. A battle cry, or perhaps a command for Grak to ‘Witness!’ is all the War God requires. Fires and sacrifices are dedicated to his name by warlike people everywhere: orcs, kasvaks, tribesmen, snow goblins, and hunters of glory. Grak demands that his faithful carry axes, hammers, or spears as tools, for these tools are also weapons. Thus, a stone worker or logger or spear-fisher may use his tools and turn them into weapons. No one is ever unarmed. Everyone can fight. Always. Worshipers of Grak the Destroyer are complex and varied in their faith to the Iron Father. While some worshipers are truly evil warriors who wish to fight and kill any who cross their path, many are simply fighters motivated to face overwhelming odds, who find glory in combating worthy opponents and pushing their bodies and minds to the breaking point. Strength and fortitude are valued above all else, as strength and persistence beget power and glory. The worship of Grak differs from the worship of the Soldier in motivations more so than actions. A soldier of the Sept seeks glory on the battlefield, but obeys their god in an effort to help their fellows. A warrior of Grak helps only themself, and cares only for personal glory. Worship of Grak is most often seen in the Tribelands, and to a lesser extent the Terran Reavers, though his followers can be found anywhere that personal ambition and power through effort are valued. The true Iron Sons and Daughters are not daggers in the dark, no. They are the first into battle. Their war cries reverberate endlessly in the hearts of the defeated. “Witness!” is the last thing often heard before all goes black, Grak’s followers hope that the God of Glory takes notice of their awesome prowess. Following Grak means seeing those around one as a stepping stone – even Grak himself. The most battle-tested of Grak’s followers will take a pilgrimage to the mountains of the Tribelands seeking to find the most true challenges. Some among the followers of the Seven consider worship of Grak to be the least offensive of Dark Three worship. Grak worshippers are violent to be sure, but you generally know its coming. The danger to this is that when you get enough Grak worshippers together in one place they have a tendency to form a horde and those hordes see conquest as the most logical progression to prove their might. Often these Grak worshipers are judged on their actions rather than their worship. Most are not so accepting, there are plenty of places where worship of Grak is a capital offense.
Places of Worship
Temples to Grak are carrion-ridden battlefields, blood-muddied gladiator pits, war-paint drawn from the veins of the conquered, or a harness of fetishes and war trophies worn about the shoulders of the chosen. Deep within the Tribelands looms the Mountain of Grak. A black mountain, unadorned by snow, it is said that this is Grak’s hall. That Grak alone has the courage to dwell on the face of Novitas and spits on any mystical or divine agreements to the contrary.
Expectations of Chosen
Those Chosen by Grak embody these principles more than any other. They seek conflict so that they can prove their worth. This doesn’t mean they challenge everyone they meet (though some might) it generally means that when they see someone they think will provide a worthy challenge they will do everything they can to provoke conflict so they can win it. The weak (who are most people), especially civilized people, don’t demonstrate any challenge as such aren’t worth fighting unless it is necessary. To betray Grak is to die of old age, to surrender, live in comfort, or accept slavery over oneself. There is no penance for this betrayal, ever.
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