> [!infobox]+ Kord > <div class="infobox-coat-of-arms"> > <div style="text-align: center; padding: 5px;"> > <div class="character-name-container"><div class="character-main-name">Kord</div><div class="character-epithet">the Storm Lord</div></div> > </div> > </div> > <div style="text-align: center; padding: 0.2em;"> > <img src="KordSymbol.png" alt="Kord" style="max-width: 250px; height: auto;" class="internal-image"> > </div> > <table class="infobox-table"> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Province</td><td class="infobox-data">God of Battle, Storms and Competition</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Alignment</td><td class="infobox-data">Chaotic Neutral</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Symbol</td><td class="infobox-data">Four bolts of lightning radiating from the centre of a shield</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Holy Day</td><td class="infobox-data">Day of Challenging, 9^th Bloom</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Type</td><td class="infobox-data">Greater <a href="Deities.md" class="internal-link">Deity</a></td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Home Plane</td><td class="infobox-data">Kord dwells among the roving settlements and battlefields within the rugged and glorious realm of <a href="Ysgard.md" class="internal-link">Ysgard</a>, where struggle, victory, and celebration shape the landscape and those who reside there.</td></tr> > <tr><td class="infobox-label">Divine Champion</td><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Bertie Lizard.md" class="internal-link">Bertie Lizard</a></td></tr> > </table> ### About Where thunder booms and conflict rises, prayers to the Storm Lord are shouted into the maelstrom. Revelling in all tests of strength, Kord blesses those who prove themselves on the battlefield. Worshiped by athletes and warriors all across [[Aeborhia]], he exalts those whose force of spirit and desire for victory call his attention. He brings tumultuous storms over land and sea, and those who wish for clearer skies offer their praises and prayers to appease him. ### Depiction Within his temples, Kord is shown as a quintessential [[Humans|Human]] warrior, often nude with a beard and long, curled hair. As the epitome of muscle and strength, most art depicts the Storm Lord in a stance of dominance, and perhaps wrestling a terrible beast. While Kord is commonly seen as a [[Humans|Human]], a devout follower of the Stormlord and core member of the famed [[Group 8274]], [[Bertie Lizard|Bertimus Maximus]] recounts how he saw Kord as a [[Lizardfolk|Lizardman]] when the god appeared to him in vision. ### Divine Domains Many of the Stormlord's clerics are granted powers of Tempest or War. ### Holy Day Kord's holy day is the Day of Challenging, which is celebrated on the ninth day of the second month. The Day of Challenging is one of the most raucous holidays in [[Aeborhia]], and thousands of spectators attend the sporting games and arena fights to root for their favoured champion, particularly the champions fighting in the name of the Storm Lord. ### Commandments of Kord - Bravery above all. There is no glory in cowardice. - Strength is the path to greatness, but greatness is the responsible use of strength. - The glory of the Storm Lord lives through your own glory on the battlefield. ### History - #### The Age of Founding When the gods arrived on [[Aeborhia]], Kord chose not to create straight away. He instead watched the creations of the other gods. In time, he saw that the mortals had no fighting spirit when they were defending themselves against the none stop assaults of [[Primordials]]. He revealed himself to a group of farmers in what is now central [[Zeshana]], imbuing them with his fighting spirit and honour in battle. These farmers went on to become his first followers and great warriors. Creating a city at the base of [[Storm Mountain]]. The location of Storm Mountain and the city of Kord has been the topic for many archaeologists. With many believing that it was ruined in the [[Dawn-War]] or the [[Age of Founding|Schism]] and that it may house troves of relics and writings of the Stormlord. Kord created the plane of [[Ysgard]], a three-layered plane of battle, honour and glory. On the top most layer, also names Ysgard, Valiant Hall sits. A hall where warriors fight each day and drink all night. During the [[Age of Founding|Schism]], Kord fought alongside many warriors against [[Betrayer Gods]]. Kord's biggest battle during the [[Age of Founding|Schism]] was against the Strife Emperor, [[Bane]]. Kord and his warriors fought for days against hordes of [[Goblins]] commanded by Bane, with the battle ending as Kord banished him to the [[Abyss]] with a well placed hit with his mighty Warhammer. - #### The Age of Arcanum During the [[Age of Arcanum]], Kord had little to do with the magocracies that sprouted. He instead focused on the regular people that did not wield magic in their normal lives. With wars being few and far between, Kord brought forward the spirit of competition to mortals, creating the Day of Challenging. This day was a time for people to compete against each other in sporting matches, arena fights and athletic events. He made his home in a solitary mountain in northern [[Klioslane]], his most devout followers braved the storm in his name and met him there. He bestowed boons to those that made it to him and swore themselves to his service. - #### The Dawn-War During the [[Dawn-War]], Kord fought many battles against the betrayers. Rather than directly targeting a specific [[Betrayer Gods|betrayer god]], Kord assisted his kin when required. He stood beside [[Pelor]] many times in the [[Crusades of Dawn|Second Crusade of Dawn]], sealing [[Tharizdun]] and banishing [[Vecna]]. His final battle in the [[Dawn-War]] however, was against the Spider Queen [[Lolth]] in the northern regions of [[Zeshana]]. Loth's daughter [[Eilistraee]] had been caught guiding [[Elves|drow]] out of the [[Underdark]] so they could be free of her torment. [[Lolth]] unleashed her full power on her daughter, taking out thousands of years of grief and madness on her son's killer. Kord arrived to the battle with his devout warriors and faced [[Lolth]] in single combat, just before she could slay her daughter [[Eilistraee]]. They fought for what seemed like hours, neither of them gaining the upper hand. This stalemate was eventually broken when [[Corellon]] arrived and pinned [[Lolth]] to the ground, allowing Kord to pierce her heart with his Thunderspear, banishing her to the [[Demonweb]]. - #### Post Dawn-War After the [[Dawn-War]], with the [[Betrayer Gods]] sealed away, Kord joined the other [[Prime Deities]] in leaving the [[Material Plane]] for good. He left a Storm Giant in charge of his [[Mead Hall of Kord|mountain hall]] in [[Klioslane]], this giant being descended from the children he had with a lover a thousand years ago. When he left [[Aeborhia|the world]], he retreated to his plane of [[Ysgard]], a land of warriors and challenges, sitting at the head of the Valiant Hall. In the year 3004 PD, a warrior named [[Arnbjorn]] from [[Vogkerd]] in [[Zeshana]] led a rebellion against the tyrant, [[Erik the Cruel]]. After his victory, a statue of High Jarl [[Arnbjorn]] was erected in the [[Vogkerd]] temple district, standing at the same height as Kord and [[Erathis]]. ### Modern Worship of Kord Kord, the Stormlord, is revered by warriors across [[Aeborhia]], often alongside [[Erathis]] by soldiers who fight in service to organized nations. His worship is most visible in feats of strength and glory - arena battles, gladiatorial contests, and any test of might are dedicated in his name. The greatest site of his faith lies at the base of the [[Mead Hall of Kord]], where the small town of [[Kordistan]] thrives. Founded by [[Bertie Lizard]], the Storm-Herald and Champion of Kord, the town serves as a refuge for pilgrims who attempt the perilous journey to the [[Mead Hall of Kord|Mead Hall]] itself. The trek, an unassisted passage through hundreds of miles of frozen blizzard, is considered the ultimate act of devotion to the Stormlord. Most who make the pilgrimage rest for months in [[Kordistan]] before turning back, the town echoing with tales of valour, thunderous laughter, and the ever-present challenge of strength. The structure of Kord's worshippers is basically non-existent. Leaders of temples sometimes give themselves the name of 'Priest', in some cases where the following is large, they may even use the title 'High-Priest', but none of this is controlled or standard. ### Known Worshippers of Kord #### Champions - [[Bertie Lizard]], the Storm-Herald - Champion of Kord, founder of [[Kordistan]] and member of [[Group 8274]]. #### Other Worshippers - Skeg † - High Priest of [[Vogkerd]] and a founding resident of [[Kordistan]], died in the [[Battle of Rexsall]] in 3036. - Magic Dave † - A founding resident of [[Kordistan]], died in the [[Battle of Rexsall]] in 3036. - Jarl [[Arnbjorn]] - Former champion of [[Erathis]] and Jarl of [[Troistan]], led the rebellion that led [[Zeshana]] into it's current structure under [[Erathis]] and Kord. - [[Pauline Lizard]] - A founding resident of [[Kordistan]] and wife of [[Bertie Lizard]].