Raxivort (RAKS-ih-vort)
(Lord of Xvartkind, Master of Rats, Night Flut terer), CE lesser god of Xvarts, Rats, Wererats, and Bats
Raxivort is the patron god of the xvarts. He also acts as a patron of wererats, bats, and rats. His symbol is a fiery blue hand.
Raxivort resembles a xvart of great hideousness (even for a xvart). His skin is bright blue and his eyes glow with orange light. He wears silken garments over blue chainmail, all of which shimmer as if aflame. He carries small, bladed weapons such as knives and daggers, as well as his falchion, the Azure Razor. Raxivort can also take the form of a rat or a giant bat.
Raxivort was formerly Graz'zt's Master of Slaves. They parted on extremely bad terms, and remain deadly foes. Raxivort controls the hordes of vermin that infest the streets of Zelatar, Graz'zt's capital city.
Raxivort's realm, the Black Sewers, is in Pandesmos, one of the layers of Pandemonium.
Raxivort teaches that might makes right. If xvarts are not strong enough to prevail, the proper course of action is to retreat, and return with enforcements. He advises patience, and advocates any means—lying, cheating, theft, enslavement—to survive. With patience, one can still triumph in the end.
Most of the Night Flutterer's worshipers are xvarts, though wererats and werebats occasionally also revere him.
Shamans of Raxivort wear special stilts that elevate them to a height of five feet. Over these, they wear long black robes and a mask of gold or gilded copper. The stilts are worn only on ceremonial occasions. Their chief duty is to ensure their own survival and that of their tribe (in that order).
Raxivort's worship is illegal in most lands, even those of Iuz. There are likely temples to the Packmaster of Rats in the Duchy of Berghof, the Bone March, and the Pomarj. A large temple to the Night Flutterer is rumored to exist in the Drachensgrab Mountains.
Sapient beings are sacrificed to Raxivort whenever such are available.
The days most sacred to Raxivort's cult are the xvart mating seasons, on Growfest 4 and Brewfest 4. Both days are known as Raxivort's Orgy.
Long before the Baklunish-Suloise Wars, before even the beginning of the elven calendar, Raxivort was a mortal xvart somewhere in the Flanaess. By his wit and strength, he rose to rulership over all xvartkind. Desiring still more power, he made pacts with beings of the outer planes, eventually contacting Graz'zt. Raxivort proved himself to his new demonic master, and was eventually rewarded with the position of Master of Slaves.
Only recently, after lengthy and apparently faithful service, Raxivort betrayed his master. When Graz'zt was least prepared, he struck, attempting to seize control of Graz'zt's layer of the Abyss, and the two entities warred for several months. Ultimately Raxivort called a truce, and made off to Pandemonium with much of Graz'zt's treasure.
Today Raxivort dwells in a realm called the Black Sewers in Pandesmos. He sends swarms of rats to Graz'zt's capital city, while Graz'zt sends assassins to kill his hated foe.
Raxivort (RAKS-ih-vort) is the god of all xvarts—a short, blue-skinned goblinoid race found in the Bandit Kingdoms, old lands of the Horned Society, Bone March, Pomarj, Verbobonc, and the eastern Vesve Forest. Raxivort was the greatest general of his race, taken in by the demon lord Graz'zt and granted abilities by his lord. After centuries of serving as Graz'zt's Master of Slaves, Raxivort looted the demon's armory and claimed his own Abyssal realm. While he can take the form of a great rat or bat, his natural form is that of a strong but ugly xvart wearing silken garments over blue mail. He carries the fal chion Azure Razor, favors throwing blades of various sizes, and creates fans of acidic fire from his left hand (thus, his symbol is a blue flaming hand). He combats most other nonhuman gods and avoids demons entirely.
Xvarts are the inheritors of the world. They and their rat, wererat, and bat allies will destroy their enemies, particularly the goblins and kobolds. With cunning, numbers, and small allies, the xvarts will overwhelm all opposition. Like Raxivort himself, fire and knives are the tools of the xvarts against their hated foes. Those who can take the shape of rat or bat are doubly blessed.Most clerics of Raxivort are xvarts, although some rat- and bat-creatures worship him as well. The less militaristic clerics search out old ruins to find stores of magic and weapons that can be brought back for their tribe. His clerics are more open-minded about and less fearful of humans than other xvarts, and they serve as negotiators or diplomats when humans are encountered.
Domains Animal, Chaos, Evil, Trickery; Weapons falchion(m), dagger
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