Nox, the Lord of Knights

The Armor of Sacred Stones

Nox is known as the God of the Stone Guardians and is the last child of the Orakiah Pantheon.
He is considered the god of knights, statues, and virtue.
Throughout his many travels, Oranok would find himself battling powerful foes to test his might. Despite his many victories, he would still suffer grave injuries as fragments of his earthen form fell to the lands below. But one day, a knight of stone burst forth from one of these many boulders. Awakening at the heart of a village under attack, he rushed to their aid and was honored as their champion. Following his victory, the knight now known as Nox ventured forth to gather the fallen fragments of his father, using each one to carve new guardians to stand watch over mortalkind.

Appearance

Many like to debate the nature of Nox's true form. On one hand, there are those who simply accept him for what he is: a knight clad in armor made of stone. On the other, none have ever witnessed what might hide underneath the armor. Most have simply come to accept the former, which often come in different shapes. While certain depictions wear a full set of plate, others might wear fur and leather but always with a helmet to keep his face hidden. Select elements may be made with cloth or wood but the majority is also carved from stone.
He'll often bear a crest upon his shield or cloak, sometimes his own or another divine symbol, other times that of the culture who worship him. From within his helmet glows a faint shimmering light, commonly thought to be his eyes but sometimes believed to be his true form: a body woven from mana itself. While he always wields a sword and a shield, their shapes can differ between his depictions but often retain a similar size, his shield almost tall enough to cover his entire body.

Personality

Nox is well known for being a noble soul, sworn to his oath of protecting those who look to him for safety. Any settlement in which his statues are erected are believed to know lasting peace. The only exceptions are those carved without a special type of stone, or if his foes are those in service of a deity more powerful than him. The latter comes from never challenging those who stand above him, which has lead many to lift him higher with their prayers in the hopes that he might become one of the strongest gods.
His vigilance is said to come in two forms: an aura of protection during the day and heading out to do battle at night. Only in the most dire times are his statues said to come to life before mortal eyes, his divine presence otherwise strong enough to harm those under his care. Although he isn't described as knowing true love for those who look to him for inspiration, he'd gladly offer his own life if it guarantees the survival of others. While this merely leads to the destruction of one of his statues, it's still said to take a toll on his divinity.
Nox lives by his oath and asks others to pledge their own if ever they seek his protection. Along with paying their respects on a regular basis to provide him with the strength to channel his divine aura, the most famous pledge is to never attempt to reveal what lies behind the armor. Anyone who attempts to do so will see his statue shatter in a flash of light, their own bodies burning up from the radiance. As punishment for allowing such transgression to take place, Nox instead curses the settlement to be left without divine protection of any kind, caring little for those who can't respect the oaths and services of a knight.

Abilities

Nox is an expert in martial combat while his armor said to be almost impenetrable. Despite his stone form, he can be incredibly swift in his strikes and maneuverability on the battlefield, always choosing to shield his allies over striking his enemies. Any who fight at his side are blessed with divine inspiration and valor, empowering their own attacks and shielding their bodies and minds from the influence of evil.
While he isn't known to wield a lot of arcane prowess, he does command the power to unleash waves of heavenly light to smite his foes or heal his allies. His kinship with the earth also grants him a degree of mastery in shaping the land around him to better defend his allies and keep his enemies at bay. His most well known ability is to continuously remake his own armaments, any damage to his armor or weaponry quickly restored to avoid anyone seeing what lies beneath.

Worship

Humans and high elves are those best known for their reverence of Nox. Military academies commonly have one of his statues at their center, others used to fend off towns and cities across their nations. Unfortunately, due to the required materials to make a true guardian, many villages who'd otherwise turn to Nox for protection may not receive his full attention. While some rely upon their own defenses and offer these statues to the truly vulnerable, others are known to be greedy to abuse the oaths sworn by his followers.
Although many like to pay homage to Nox for his services, regular prayers and respect aren't enough to be considered one of his followers. To do so, one must pledge themselves to his cause, swearing an oath to stand up for the weak and strike down evil wherever it may rise. Many knights and paladins are sworn into his service, some serving as guards and soldiers while others travel between settlements in search of wickedness to smite. These people are often first to step forth in times of need and are quick to rally those behind them, rarely taking kindly to those who disrespect their sense of justice and order.

Commandments

• Serve and protect. True honor comes to those who devote themselves to others.
• Victory is its own reward. True valor requires no coin or praise.
• Never give up. True courage guides the heart of the soul who never bends.

Notable Relations

Allegiances

• Ashnard - Nox is widely believed to have served Ashnard directly in the past as his most devoted champion, refusing to accept his share of the master's draconic hoard.
• Loren - Although Nox may take up the sword during the starlit hours, he has faith in Loren to uphold her oath eternal and considers her his equal in nobility.
• Laressa - Many believe Laressa once served as a squire for Nox, teaching her the values of knighthood in her quest to seek her rightful place across the World Tree.

Oppositions

• Camus - Few tales are as inspirational as that of the noble dragon slayer, one derived from the long forgotten battles between Camus and Nox in ages past.
• Jayle - Patience is one of Nox's strongest virtues, yet his stoic demeanor fades in the presence of liars and cheats, few so brazenly as Jayle himself.
• Saligia - Despite his acknowledgement of all souls possessing a potential for virtue, Nox maintains a disdain for Saligia's charge as a queen of sin and the fiends who embrace it.

Divinity

God of the Stone Guardians

Title(s)

Sentinel of the Slumbering Stone
Knight of the Silent Vigil
Earthen Vanguard

Moral Compass

Oath & Goal

Symbol

Stone longsword /w emerald pommel

Phrase

Forever salute the eternal guardian

Reputation

Honored

Presence

Exclusive

Plane

Ryllium

Realm

Vault of the Ancients