Drukha
(a.k.a. The Earth Shaker)
Drukha manifests as an enormous, imposing figure of overwhelming physical presence and primal power. His skin appears as living stone interspersed with crystalline growths that catch light in blinding flashes when he moves suddenly, with deep fissures running across his surface that widen when his anger grows, revealing molten core beneath. His face combines orcish features with aspects of ancient megafauna—a prominent brow ridge like an overhanging cliff, tusks resembling exposed mineral veins, and small, deep-set eyes that glow with geothermal heat. His proportions seem impossible, with arms and torso exhibiting exaggerated musculature that suggests the ability to wrestle mountains into new positions. Instead of hair, his head and back feature rocky protrusions resembling mountain peaks or the armored plates of prehistoric beasts. He typically wears minimal clothing crafted from treated mammoth hide and metal plates hammered from meteorites, adorned with trophies from legendary feats of strength—fragments of shattered mountains, weapons of defeated champions, and tokens from natural disasters he has personally withstood.
Worship of Drukha centers around physical might, territorial dominance, and survival through unyielding resistance. His followers include tribal champions, siege warriors, those who perform great feats of strength, and communities living in mountainous or geologically active regions. Devotional practices involve strength competitions using impossibly heavy objects, endurance tests against environmental extremes, and the ceremonial moving of large stones to create monuments visible across vast territories. Many adherents practice "stone fasting"—ritualistic consumption of mineral-rich clays and rocks believed to harden the body from within, sometimes resulting in distinctive crystalline growths on the skin considered marks of the god's favor.
Sacred spaces dedicated to Drukha typically exist in geologically impressive locations—mountain peaks, impact craters, or regions shaped by massive landslides. These areas usually feature "Strength Stones"—massive boulders that followers attempt to lift, move, or break as demonstrations of their devotion and power. Surrounding these challenge objects, tribes construct "Endurance Circles"—ritual spaces where warriors subject themselves to extreme conditions such as exposure, thirst, or crushing weights to prove their worthiness. Most sacred to Drukha's worshippers are "Tremor Points"—locations where tectonic activity creates regular earth tremors, believed to be the footsteps of their god walking beneath the world's surface. At these sites, shamans can communicate with Drukha by interpreting the patterns of seismic activity, receiving guidance about tribal migrations, upcoming conflicts, or impending natural disasters.
Throughout the year, followers observe ceremonies tied to geological events and tribal contests. The most significant is the "Mountain Measuring"—an annual gathering where champions from different tribes compete in standardized feats of strength and endurance, with the outcomes determining hierarchies and resolving territorial disputes without full-scale warfare. During these events, tribal leaders undergo the "Earth Eating," consuming specially prepared clay tablets inscribed with territorial claims or alliance terms, physically internalizing these agreements with Drukha as witness. For communities facing invasion or displacement, war chiefs perform the "Immovable Standing," a ritual where they symbolically root themselves to the land by burying their feet in specially prepared earth while reciting tribal histories connected to the territory, believed to invoke Drukha's protection and strengthen their resolve to defend their lands. In times of desperate need, shamans may attempt the dangerous "Core Reaching"—extreme rituals involving volcanic heat, crushing pressure, or other geological forces that often result in permanent physical transformation or death, but are believed to establish direct communication with Drukha's consciousness when successful.
Divine Domains
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