Kratos

Kratos, the Lord of War, is the patron of weaponsmithing, loyalty, courage and, most prominently, the act of war itself. Despite having sprung from one of the wounds of Dagon at the conclusion of the First Battle, Kratos is accepted as a grim necessity in most human cultures and tends to only be prohibited in regions where the worship of Vortumnus, his rival, is dominant.

Kratos is a deity of great dichotomies. He encourages great passion among his followers, but also demands strict discipline. He is a bloody god of war, yet also serves as patron to those who create weapons of war. Despite demanding the deepest of loyalties from his followers, he does not discourage his warriors from fighting in the name of other deities, even those he stands in opposition to. He does not encourage war for its own sake and recognizes the need for periods of peace... though typically this is viewed more as a time to prepare for future wars rather than a lasting state.

Kratos

God of War

Descriptive Info

Gender: Male

Avatar: Khagresh the Dark, Therod Bloodeye, Baldr the Brave

Consort(s): None (though he was seduced by Selene, Goddess of Beauty, and begat Erato, God of Love)

Allies: Cthos, God of the Underworld; Alecto, Goddess of Pain (sister); Bellona, Goddess of Wealth; Mulciber, God of the Forge; Podarge, God of Destruction and Drowning; Thallos, God of Strength; Tisiphone, Goddess of Vengeance; Zelos, God of the State; Phlegethon, God of Tyranny; Fides, God of Oaths.

Foes: Dagon, God of Fire and Evil (father); Vortumnus, God of Honor; Clementia, Goddess of Mercy; Innus, God of Friendship.

Spiritual Info

Rank: Major

Nature: Harmonious

Ethos: Malign

Major Influence: War

Minor Influence(s): Courage, Weaponsmithing, Loyalty

Symbols

The symbol of Kratos is a gray two-handed sword piercing a white skull vertically. Steel is, of course, the most important metal, though the ruby is the most important stone. Yarrow, or Woundwort, is the most significant herb and is the central ingredient of many poultices and potions made by those of the Church capable of doing so. Five and ten are the two most significant numbers of the Church, and most military units will be arranged with these numbers in mind.

Dwelling Place

The Citadel of Iron

Servants

Gadreel, the Warbringer, is Kratos' chief lieutenant and an Archangel, but he is also served by Balor of the Evil Eye, K'Ordun the Heretic, Lord Marakus the Bold, Lord Dunvar the Black, Lord Croven the Wise, Lord Karga and a multitude of other past heroes of his religion.

Doctrine

No information available on the doctrine of Kratos

Mission

No information available on the mission of Kratos

Geography

No geographic information available on Kratos

History of the Church

No historic information available on Kratos

Organization

No information available on the Organization of the Church of Kratos

Garments

Adherents to Kratos wear gray, black and red garments, including their armor. The more fearsome the outfit, the more respect a follower has, unless he has not earned the right to in the eyes of his peers. Each warrior of Kratos also wears trophies and medals from past battles on his armor, including scalps, teeth, plates of armor from his enemies or anything else significant. Crusaders are required to wear red somewhere on their person, Clerics must wear gray, Champions black, Myrmidons maroon or blood red, and Men-at-Arms wear red and black stripes to signify their station.

Religious Practices

No information available on the religous practices of the Church of Kratos

Customs

The followers of Kratos obey the Rule of Steel, the ancient text which details the proper conduct of a warrior on the battlefield and in life. The Rules of Steel dictates that a follower of Kratos may never back down from a fight in one-to-one combat, but may order his men to retreat from a battlefield should more than half his troops be dead or dying. It also details the conduct of a mercenary; the basic tenant of which is that a follower of Kratos must obey the letter of any contract he makes for war, unless his contractor betrays him. If his contractor does betray him, he must be willing to give his life in his attempt to kill his betrayer. The dearest tenant of the Rule, however, is that a warrior must constantly test himself in battle to be of any worth. A follower of Kratos who has not fought and defeated an enemy in at least a years' time (five years for Clerics) must move to a new Battalion and seek conflict there. If a follower of Kratos is dishonored or seriously fails to follow the Rule, he must throw himself on his sword if he has any hope for redemption in the afterlife.

Followers of Kratos must tithe to the Church once a month. If spoils were won in battle, a fourth of these spoils must be given to the Church.

Taboos

Failure to follow the orders of one's superior, whether it be on the battlefield or in the halls of the Chapterhouses, is one of the most grievous sins listed in the Rule of Steel. Those who disobey are tried and executed if found guilty of a crime. Conversely, obeying a command that is cowardly or dishonorable is also a sin against Kratos, as warriors are expected to be able to make the distinction. Cowardice in battle is, of course, similarly proscribed, and conditions under which a tactical retreat is allowed are very exacting.

Followers of Kratos must carry their chosen weapon, preferably one they forged themselves, on their side at all times (keeping it within arms' reach when carrying a weapon, such as during sleep, is acceptable). If their weapon should break, they must atone for the sign of failure as prescribed by their confessor. While ranged weapons are not forbidden to the followers of Kratos, those who rely over-much on such weapons are considered cowardly and must atone if they seek the good graces of Kratos.

Champions of Kratos are forbidden to fail in combat. Should they fail to defeat an enemy in one-to-one combat and survive, they must throw themselves on their sword (before their colleagues kill them) if they have any hope of pleasing Kratos.