The North War Wind is Death, who is and who wields the Black Sword that separates and ends all things. No god is as feared, for the grim lord of the North Wind is the end of all things. He is there when each life ends, and his is the blade that kills men and horses alike, the ruler of all swords and the master of killing. His followers are a terrible and necessary lot, bound by oaths as strong as the iron blades they carry.
Once, the North War Wind was not the Lord of Death, but merely one of many Wind Brothers, nameless and unimportant. He learned to fight, seeking his own power and nature, but this was not enough. He secluded himself in the Gate of Introspection for a year and a day, entering the Dark Place beneath the world. There, he found the Black Sword, the true and ultimate power: Death, which no god had known. He emerged from the Dark Place and showed this terrible thing he had found to Grandfather Mortal, the oldest human.
Grandfather Mortal died, and went into the Dark Place beneath the world, the Underworld. Every man who has ever lived now must follow him. North War Wind saw the power of Death and swore to use it responsibly, for it could destroy the world and could end all things. He saw that nothing was beyond its terrible power.
Unfortunately, the Black Sword would not remain his to command. West King Wind saw the power his brother had found, that he had risen to become the mightiest of all warriors, for he could kill. West King Wind envied this power, and he sent the Whirlwind Fool to steal it, that he might permanently end his enemies. He used it without caution or thought, and this released the true Death into the world. Men and horses and gods began to die and to kill.
North War Wind saw his brother’s deeds and the terrible pain they had brought. He saw the shadow of death upon Yu-Kargzant and felt the end of all things come into existence. He reached into his own nature and swore an oath, severing himself from the Wind Gods and his ties to family. While he is still the lord of the North Wind, he gave up all power over the Air, for he could not be kin to West King Wind any more. He set out, then, to recover the Black Sword, whose shards had been spread across the world, bringing death with them.
Everywhere he went, North War Wind separated the living from the dead. He took the dead into the Underworld, in the Dark Place where Grandfather Mortal had gone. With each dead soul he sent into the Dark Place, he gathered a shard of the Black Sword, until at last he had enough to make a new Black Sword - smaller, lesser, but possessed of much of the power the original had. The smallest dead souls were easiest to send on, but some were more difficult, stronger, and gave North War Wind trouble. Still, he eventually found them all and sent them on, and he completed his Black Sword, which was his true essence. In his travels, he befriended the Good Death, Golden Bow, and the Bad Death, Basko. They became his left and right hands, dividing the living and dead apart and setting them on the right path.
Having achieved this, he set out to confront West King Wind, who had caused the problem. West King Wind was in the midst of proving his worthiness as khan, and he demanded his former brother obey him. North War Wind would not, and showed him the Black Sword and the terrible nature of Death. He killed West King Wind, and that is why West King Wind could pass into the Underworld to go and find Yu-Kargzant.
Only after West King Wind’s return with Yu-Kargzant did North War Wind acknowledge his worthiness, for he had made right what had gone wrong. The world had ended, but the Lightbringers had brought it back, returning with the Dawn. And so, North War Wind swore an oath to obey the khan of the gods, but never again to be kin. He would obey the Truth and the Law, but death would come for all. Yu-Kargzant looked upon this oath and accepted it in the name of the world.
Now, North War Wind stands as the ultimate and final power, the wielder of Death. He is feared by all, but nothing can exist without meeting him any more, and by his power the span of a life is measured. He is a figure of terror, but also of honor, of courage, and of truth. He does not slaughter without purpose, and he teaches the First Herd how to wield the Black Sword of Death so that it will not destroy all.
Every tribe must honor North War Wind, for he is present in every weapon, particularly swords, and his honor binds every oath sworn, even those to other gods. His power suffuses that of every warrior cult, and all warriors must honor him. However, few dedicate their life to Death, and the Cult of North War Wind is not large. Every tribe has members, warriors who are expert in the act of killing and nothing else. They will die before they break their oaths, and they are grim figures, the Living Deaths who make others uncomfortable but whose unbending honor and matchless skill in battle make them vital.
North War Wind’s Rider aspect is depicted as a plain and simple man bearing a black sword. His skin and hair can be any color, but his body is rarely particularly detailed compared to the sword, which is always long, straight and detailed. Often, he also carries a horsehair war banner. He is often accompanied by ravens or wolves, and he is always dressed as a warrior. In his Mount Aspect, North War Wind is a bone-white horse with black eyes and a black Death rune upon the forehead, wearing the saddle and barding of war.
North War Wind is the source of the Death Rune, and it is his strongest power. He also is associated with the Truth Rune, but his power over it is much less, focused on oaths and honor more than anything else.
DEATH: North War Wind is the master of Death, and he has broader power over it than any other god. Initiates have been known to use the Death Rune to destroy undead, terrify enemies, sense the power of undeath, force the dead into the Underworld, sever souls from bodies, cut through anything, fight with swords, fight from horseback, increase the chance of victory in battle or war, destroy weapons or armor, or kill living things. Those strong in the Death Rune tend to be brave, ruthless, and grim.
TRUTH: North War Wind’s power over the Truth Rune extends to honor and oaths, but to little else. Death is true, but not particularly inquisitive. Among other things, initiates have been known to use the Truth Rune to swear and uphold oaths, to sense lies, to detect ambushes, to raise morale among warriors, to sever relationships or familial ties, to fight to the death, or to find traitors. They never gain powers related to knowledge, save for knowledge of undeath and how to defeat it. Those strong in the Truth Rune tend to be honest, loyal, and direct.
North War Wind opposes the runes of Illusion and Life.
North War Wind severed his familial linkage to the Air Gods and the powers of the wind, and his greatest allies do not lie among his former kin. Rather, they are Golden Bow, the Good Death who stands at his right hand, and Basko, the Bad Death who stands at his left hand. No other god truly names North War Wind as friend. He is sworn to serve and obey the rightful khan of the gods, an oath witnessed and accepted by Yu-Kargzant himself, but he is held at a distance.
North War Wind’s enemies are more distinct. He fights equally against most enemies of the First Herd, reserving no special hatred even for Chaos. They are merely enemies to be slain. His special hatred is reserved for Unlife, the powers that maintain the body after its soul has departed. He names as his worst enemies Chaos gods such as Vivamort Vampire-King, the necromancers of Castle Orathorn, and demonic forces such as the hated troll god Zorak Zoran, who stole some of the power of the Black Sword, kills blindly and without care, and raises the dead with his demons.
The cult of North War Wind organizes itself into warrior bands, each led by a priest. While many are members of a tribe, others are independent mercenary groups. The structure of both is the same. Each is independent of the others, so rank within one band does not automatically translate to authority over another, particularly if those bands belong to enemy tribes.
All members of the cult are sworn to obey the orders of those above them in their warband, and those that belong to a tribe also swear to obey their khan. They are severed from the traditional ties of family, and are forbidden to have children or adopt children. Death is not permitted to make life. It is rare for a tribe to possess a large warband, though in areas where the undead are particularly rampant, it has been known to happen.
Mercenary warbands tend to travel widely, selling their services on a major scale. They have been known to show up fighting for clients in Prax, Kralorela, Pelanda, or even as far south as Dragon Pass and the Holy Country. Some go even further. Most organize out of monasteries which, in truth, are more like small forts. These are places of martial training, grim preparation and often no supporting villages, unlike most Pentan monasteries. They support themselves on pilgrims from the tribes and from selling their services as undead-destroyers and mercenaries, instead.
Priests of the North War Wind are known as Swords. The leader of a warband is the Great Sword, also known as the Warleader. If there are more than ten members of the warband, its hierarchy will require lesser Swords in service as well. The lowest rank of Sword is the Ten Sword, who commands ten members of the cult. Above the Ten Sword is the Hundred Sword, who commands up to ten Ten Swords. Each Hundred Sword (and the Great Sword) will also typically have two bodyguards, known as a Swordman and Shieldman, chosen from the ranks of the cult.
There is no true center of the North War Wind cult, as each warband is independent. However, all revere the secret cave which they claim was the place North War Wind emerged from the Underworld, bearing the Black Sword, Death. Not all agree on where this cave is, and several sites within Pent are claimed to be it, including the Hellcrack. Most North War Wind monasteries are constructed to resemble a cave in design. All battlefields are sacred to the cult, for North War Wind is everywhere there is battle.
The next most important holy site to North War Wind, after the sites that may or may not be the Cave of Death, is the Dead Place, which is where the North War Wind severed his ties to kin. The Dead Place is always guarded by warriors from the monastery established near it, for it is plagued by ice demons formed from the winds that once served North War Wind, before they were taken in by the hated Winter Wind, Valind.
The monasteries serve as home bases for the mercenary warbands, of course, and most are constructed near to areas plagued by undead - an unfortunately common problem in Pent.
All initiates of North War Wind must have the Death Rune at 1W or higher and must be sponsored by an existing member of the cult. After proving their combat skills to their local Great Sword, they must then undergo the special cult initiation. Members must uphold any oaths they swear, regardless of circumstance, regardless of who they may be forced to kill. The cult, rare among Pentan cults, does accept non-human members, as well.
All initiates must perform the Severing, as North War Wind did. By doing so, they are legally removed from their family line and may not serve any other god, even if they do not become devotees. During this initiation rite, they wander the Gods World, searching for the Black Sword’s power. When they find it, North War Wind blesses them with a gift, but makes them swear a geas, an oath they must uphold in all things.
Members of the cult are legally considered to be dead. They may not inherit property nor own anything but what they can carry, but are unable to be prosecuted for any killing they commit while under orders or when bound by a sworn oath to do so. They must uphold the Oath of War, and if they violate this or any of their other oaths, they will lose all of their magic. Their bodies, after death, cannot be reanimated or made undead, and cannot be resurrected by any means. Conflicts within the cult are generally handled via dueling.
The Code of War which all members of the cult swear to is this:
Typically, this is interpreted to mean that a proper duel can only occur between members of the cult, and a duel challenge from anyone else may be ignored unless they are known to be as honorable as a member of the cult. The terms of a duel are considered to be inviolate once agreed on, and any terms agreed to are acceptable. Anything which is not explicitly ruled out by the terms of a duel is permitted, save for the interference of outside parties. Most warbands forbid duels to the death without permission from the Great Sword or, if they are sworn to a tribe, the khan.
North War Wind is generous with those who swear themselves to him, but his price is dear. His gifts are always specific breakout abilities based on the Death or Truth Rune, and each also comes with a taboo, known as the geas.
Gifts can be very powerful, though they apply only in relatively narrow circumstances. Gifts of North War Wind have included:
The Blade of Pain: While wielding the magic sword gifted to them by North War Wind, all wounds caused by the initiate are terrible and do not heal naturally. The geas is that the initiate may not withdraw or retreat from any conflict.
The Silent Knell of Treachery: The initiate can always sense assassins or traitors to their sworn khan or any other person they are sworn to bodyguard. The geas is that they may not speak, save to make vows or oaths.
Living Vengeance: The initiate names an enemy that has harmed them in the past, such as an enemy tribe, and swears to defeat them utterly. They cannot lose in battle against that enemy. The geas is that they must kill any person that is of their sworn enemy they encounter, without exception, and may not drink alcohol nor eat meat.
Other gifts and geases are of similar power and breadth. The more potent a gift, the more binding the geas.
The cult performs special rituals in the Death Week of each season, as on these days the world is closer to to the Underworld than at other times. These days are chosen to offer sacrifice, swear new oaths and perform Heroquests. Beyond this, however, no day is considered more sacred than any other, for Death is always present in the world.
The exception to this is local - warbands may celebrate the forging day of specific swords which have proven themselves to be holy weapons. All swords are holy to North War Wind, but a sword made with great skill which slays a mighty foe or serves well against undead may be named sacred, given a name and made a part of the local cult’s rituals. These swords function as mobile shrines and are deeply coveted by warbands.
Every tribe offers up worship to North War Wind before going to battle, as do all warrior groups and even bandit gangs, even if none are members of North War Wind’s cult. Prayers for victory or to be spared in battle are common, and the rituals of North War Wind are often violent and intimidating, usually involving ritual duels, either wrestling or with weapons. Sacrifices are typically of black animals, and never of plants. Sometimes swords or armor are offered up as well. Very rarely, North War Wind will demand a human life, and this offering must be performed by the priestesses of Gor Gorma, for the Swords are not permitted to choose who should be slain for their god.
Eternal Protector (DEATH): The Eternal Protector is the aspect of North War Wind that is sworn to service. When Yu-Kargzant returned to life, the Eternal Protector knelt to him, for Death had been defeated, and swore to defend the innocent, protect the weak and strike against any monster that threatened the First Herd. The followers of the Eternal Protector emulate this aspect to wander the land, defeating evil, slaughtering bandits, and fighting against enemies of the Pentan people. They are able to use the Death Rune to defend others, hunt monsters, and avenge the innocent.
Nergui, the Nameless (DEATH): It is said that the hero who became Nergui, the Nameless, was the sole survivor of a tribe plagued by vampires and undead. She was only a child, and no one was left alive to initiate her in the ways of her people or to ask her what her true name was. Her horse dragged her, barely alive, to the doorstep of one of North War Wind’s monasteries. Her life was dedicated to the eradication of the undead, and she ascended to the side of her god slaying the vampire who had led the assaults on her people, a mighty warlord serving the dark god Vivamort. Those who follow Nergui give up their old names to become as the dead, hunting undeath wherever it lurks and destroying it. They are able to use the Death Rune to track undead, destroy the power of Unlife, or sense the presence of undead.
Temur Black Blade (DEATH): Temur Black Blade was a son of the god Tepekos, a craftsman and smith who became enamored with the Black Sword. He sought to recreate it with his hands, for no man nor god had forged the Black Sword. Eventually, he left his kin to swear himself as a follower of Death, that he might achieve a true understanding of the nature of weapons and killing. The swordsmiths of the cult of North War Wind have studied his ways, and while they cannot match the cult of Tepekos for general skill, the power of the swords they make is undeniable, and many legendary blades have emerged from their forges. Followers of Temur Black Blade may use the Death Rune to forge weapons, enchant swords, and repair weapons.
Devotees must have the Death Rune at 11W or higher. Because the North War Wind demands all initiates forsake other gods, they are somewhat more common in the cult than in others, for the price is not so dear. However, all devotees are required to accept at least one new gift and geas from the North War Wind.
Black Sword Master (DEATH): The North War Wind is the greatest swordsman ever to exist, for he is the Black Sword as much as he is the man and the horse. When he goes into battle, he always strikes true. If he is in a state of purity, any who are struck by his blade die instantly, and even if he is not, they will always die without aid. He can cut anything, and his sword shatters any lesser weapon that it blocks or is blocked by. The Black Sword demands honor, however, and North War Wind is sworn to bodyguard his khan and, should the khan be in danger, the Black Sword Master will die in the khan’s place.
Kill Everyone (DEATH): Death cannot be bound. It bows only to the cosmic law of honor. When North War Wind first took up the Black Sword, he set out to travel. To everyone he met, he shouted: “Fear me not, or you fear Life itself!” Everything that feared him, he killed. None was spared - not men, nor trolls, nor dragons, nor Chaos. Nothing could stop him. It was only when he met one who did not fear death - some say it was West King Wind, some Kargzant, some say only Yu-Kargzant was unafraid - that he stopped. Regardless of who it was, North War Wind could only stop when he found someone who loved life and did not fear death.
Lord of Victory (DEATH): Where Pole Star is the mastery of strategy who leads from behind, North War Wind is the master of battle, leading from the fore. When he assembled his Hundred Swords, he led them into battle and could not be defeated. Nothing could defeat him and his forces in battle. However, he spared no foe, took no prisoners, and sacrificed everyone that somehow survived facing him in battle to Death itself. While in this state, he could not become pure, and eventually he was forced to submit to Pole Star’s strategic genius when he was left without foes to fight and run ragged by fatigue.
Unlike most gods, North War Wind has no servants to punish his followers when they break their oaths. Instead, he deals with them personally. Those who become oathbreakers by violating the Code of War are placed under the Swordbreaker curse. This shatters any sword they hold in their hands.
Those who violate their oaths have their gifts taken from them, losing their power until they atone, though their geases still apply - if anything, more strictly than before. Those who violate a geas lose all magic of Death and Truth completely.
Atonement can only be granted by the god himself, and North War Wind will not be satisfied easily. A Sword can identify through omens and divination what North War Wind desires from a cursed apostate, however.
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