Raxan, the Dissonant

(a.k.a. Bozuk-Irade)

"The one known as Bozuk-Irade is dead. Do not confuse me with him, or you will find yourself in much the same predicament."

- Raxan abandoning his past

Raxan, also known as Bozuk-Irade (called such in Louistas or Ghal'Guun), is the hobgoblin god of conquest, discipline, self-reflection, and respect. He embodies the courage and bravery soldiers exhibit during warfare and the willpower to resist bloodlust. Under him, the wild are tamed, the weak are strengthened, and the fearful are emboldened. Those who have not seen the terrors of war pray to Raxan for the perseverance to withstand it, and commonfolk pray to him in the hopes he will shield their families’ homes from destruction.
Since his ascension, Raxan has always had a profound presence of mind and stubbornness that drove him to take on challenges much bigger than himself. Like most members of the goblinoid pantheon, Raxan admonishes cowardice, though he is considerably less harsh compared to his former peers. His arduous times among the goblinoid pantheon has opened his heart to the cowardly and weak, and he has since taken on the role of a patient yet stern mentor.
Raxan is fond of festivals and typically manifests avatars during them, always appearing as a gray or black suit of armor that never gleams. The horns adorning his helmet are striking and intimidating, befitting his role as a leader. When he speaks, his voice is deep, clear, and almost booming. He carries himself with self-respect, pride, honor, and authority, never tolerating sloth and exhibiting a fiery temper when disobedience tries his patience.

Raxan's Influence

Raxan’s will is said to reside in the hearts of all warriors, strengthening when in the heat and haze of battle and vanishing when the final blow is dealt. For war captains, Raxan represents the trust they share with their soldiers, the unwavering faith in life or death that victory and glory are assured. When the call to war beckons, Raxan reminds his followers to remember the people—the nation that they fight to protect. Those who fight only for themselves in war are to be treated with scorn.
Motivations for war vary, and Raxan has seen countless perspectives in the battles he has overseen—most being those his people have started. In Raxan’s eyes, war is cruel, and it turns the unsuspecting many that facilitate it into war machines. Raxan believes that contentedness with murder is a slippery slope to a massacre. To never be content with bloodshed, to always show self-restraint when necessary, is the true mark of a warrior.
A warrior is not a warrior for the battles he participates in but for the means he goes to battle and the struggles he endures. A man who draws his blade to sate thirst for vengeance or anger is a murderer, not a warrior. Recently, however, another interpretation of Raxan’s word has emboldened commonfolk as well. The poor and needy who tirelessly work until their hands are raw and their bodies beg for rest have a true warrior’s spirit. The young who stand at the gates of their town in the way of an oncoming army to protect their families have a true warrior’s heart. The men who charge into battle to free another nation’s subjugated people have a true warrior’s compassion. Strength is relative; strength is universal. Never let this strength cloud judgment. Power is meant to protect oneself and others, not harm them. 

Worshipping Raxan

Raxan believes actions speak louder than words. Outside of times of great peril or moments before a newly-formed army rushes out to battle, Raxan does not often speak directly with his followers. Those who desire Raxan’s favor must make themselves someone worthy of honor. They need not have held a blade in their life, but they must show they have the strength to do so when the time calls for war.
Churches have provided explanations as to why Raxan’s depictions look so fearsome compared to his peaceful temperament, and it is widely believed that what mortals perceive as Raxan’s armor is a representation of the necessary evils that come with war. Soldiers must go against their morals for the sake of doing good, even if it means committing evils. The greater good should always be one’s primary concern, even if the path to that greater good is painful. One who never strays from this path of clarity becomes the closest to Raxan.

Myths of Raxan

Child of Warfare.

Show spoiler

Long ago, the summer region of Louistas, led by the Marhu (goblin for “emperor”), was thrown into war due to the subservient kings’ greedy natures. This myth holds that the descendants of the Marhu eventually formed the upper class of Prostesa’s Ghal’Guun, where an individual from one of the Rhu’Shen branch families captured Raxan’s attention with his profound sense of righteousness and goodwill. Raxan agreed to train this hobgoblin in the hopes they would use his power to bring humility and mercy to Ghal’Guun’s cruel society. As a result of Raxan’s actions, a society devoted to his word left Ghal’Guun instead of staying to remake it, fleeing to Illwurn, where a new hobgoblin society thrives.

Raxan’s First Love.

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In this myth, Raxan (still named Bozuk-Irade), on behalf of Maglubiyet visited Ghal’Guun to discuss with the current Lhesh plans to overtake Quina, Prostesa’s northwestern country. Lhesh Mekladomi Rhu’Shen had fallen in love with him, yet she had been countlessly rebuffed by Raxan. However, Raxan’s superior saw an opportunity to strengthen the troops of Ghal’Guun with divine blood, and it had long been decided that Raxan needed to see use beyond simply that of a tool. And so, Raxan found himself married to her, though it was tumultuous and doomed to fail, as Raxan could not bring himself to love her. Mekladomi was later killed by an undiscovered party, an act that turned Raxan into a scapegoat. There have been rumors of a lost child of Raxan among Ghal’Guun, though it has not been named and is likely dead.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Symbols - The Creator Deities by Levodoom

Tenets of Faith

• When war beckons, answer.
• Remember who you fight for; never fight for vengeance or for yourself.
• If the path to peace shows itself, follow it. Seek it, even if it eludes you.
• Never become content with bloodshed. Practice diplomacy.
• Let your actions speak for you.
• Protect those who cannot protect themselves, and do so with pride.
• Remember that your soul is to the Prime Material. Protect it, and it will protect you.

Divine Classification

Intermediate Deity

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Voiceless Veteran 
 The Traitorous 
 The Dissonant 
 The Lesser

Currently Held Titles

• Northern Star

Cleric Domain 
 Death; Tempest; Peace; War

Raxan's Goals

Raxan views godhood as a means to pass on his teachings to those in need of guidance. This aligns with Aevinu’s view of divine responsibility and accountability, in which individuals that possess godlike power must set an example for those that do not. Due to his experiences with the goblinoid pantheon, Raxan has developed the intuition to sense the beginnings of warfare. Understanding that the age of peace Aohiri has enjoyed for so long is rapidly coming to an end, Raxan struggles against fate, fearing that this war will be one with irreversible consequences. He has encouraged his people to act for the sake of camaraderie and peace, hoping that his efforts will lend to the restoration of Aohiri’s peaceful age.

Divine Relationships

Raxan’s will could be thought of as an extension of Aevinu’s paternal instinct, seeing all life as something sacred and worth protecting. Raxan has internalized the Creator God’s wishes, shouldering yet another burden upon his back to make the world a better place to live. The respect Raxan has for Aevinu is unmatched, and he sees Aevinu as the one that gave him the opportunity to redeem himself following his crimes against humanity. Since his ascension to the status of an intermediate deity, Raxan has devoted every ounce of his being to protecting the world that Aevinu cherishes. No doubt if it were to be destroyed, Raxan would deem himself a failure.
Upon his rise to power, Raxan became a faithful follower of Maglubiyet. He was inspired by The High Chieftain’s strength and, having never made decisions of his own accord, obeyed Maglubiyet’s word without question. Under Maglubiyet, Raxan’s natural battle prowess was heightened beyond belief. Though he did not excel in terms of sheer might as Nomog-Geaya did, he showed great versatility with any and all weapons, a skill that either granted him an advantage over his opponents or placed him on equal playing fields. And though he was never quite skilled with magic, he was able to identify the effects of a variety of spells on sight and react accordingly. It was not until his only wife perished that he came to his senses and developed a sense of individuality. Having spent enough years beyond Maglubiyet’s influence, Raxan is torn between despising him and respecting him.