Kord

The Brawler

Kord is the god of Athletics, Sports, Brawling, Strength, and Courage.
Kord is depicted as a hugely muscular man standing nine feet tall, with a red beard and long red hair. He wears a fighting girdle made from a red dragon's hide, gauntlets from a white dragon's hide, and boots from a blue dragon's hide. He wields the greatsword Kelmar in battle; he also carries an ordinary two-handed sword that he may wield in one hand while Kelmar is dancing.
Kord is sometimes depicted by his urbanized faithful as a more civilized athlete or wrestler.
Temples to Kord often resemble arenas filled with practice spaces and galleries where combat can be observed. They may also include baths, gymnasiums, trophy halls, and statues of Kord. The largest of Kord's temples is in the Champion's District of Keymouth.
Kord has a tendency to go into berserk rages in the heat of battle from which he cannot be roused by anyone. In such a fugue, he will attack friend or foe alike.

Divine Domains

Chaos, Competition, Good, Luck, Strength.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Kord's symbol is an eight-pointed star composed of spears and maces.

Tenets of Faith

Kord's followers are urged to scorn cowardice and taught that the strong and fit should rule the weak. To Kord's faithful, a leader's best quality is bravery. Kord loves physical contests, and this inspires many barbarian tribes to use non-lethal sports as a method for resolving disputes. Because battle claims the weak and cowardly alike, there is nothing to lose by seeking battle; indeed, battle determines who is most worthy of life, and ensures a place at Kord's side after death. Those who flee from battle are often publicly excommunicated.
Kord is a popular deity, and his followers are found throughout the lands.
Those berserkers who follow Kord favour the broadsword.
Kord's faithful often undergo tests to prove their strength, such as winning in a gladiatorial arena, climbing a mountain, or slaying a mighty dragon.
Kord's clergy don vestments of bright red, white, and blue, although they may not duplicate the exact pattern that Kord wears on his girdle, gauntlets, and boots. They may not wear dragon-hide armour unless they are literal descendants of Kord himself.
Kord's clergy are chaotic neutral about half the time, chaotic good about a third of the time, and chaotic evil one sixth of the time. They are expected to be leaders, and they help train those under their charge to become stronger. They organize athletic competitions and eagerly participate in challenging athletic activities. Doubting the physical fitness of a priest of Kord is considered a grave insult to them, and they will go to great lengths to prove themselves. Their favoured weapons are the greatsword and the bastard sword.
Kord's clerics may be chosen after winning some athletic competition or, conversely, occasionally they are particularly sickly and weak people who a cleric of Kord notices craves strength enough to be worth training. All initiates must undergo extensive strength training, including calisthenics and other hard physical exercise.
Kord's rites are kept brief, usually lasting no more than a few minutes. They are joyous, dancing ceremonies held at the end of a battle or some lengthy feat of strength. Services often feature members of the church proudly reciting their physical accomplishments and glorious victories. Songs of praise to Kord honour the deity by listing battles fought in his name.
Prayers to Kord generally involve rhythmic clapping and chanting, the louder the better. Many of the syllables in these chants exist solely to maintain rhythm and rhyme, rather than to add meaning. Examples include "Ah re, ah ree, Kord the Mighty..."
Oaths and epithets related to Kord include "May fate see your blade shatter!", "By Kord's sword!" and "By the blue boots of Kord!"

Divine Classification

God

Religions

• Hold of the Sea Princes

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Gender

Male

Kord's Symbol by Unknown