Hakkon Wintersbreath

He Who does not Eat Elk

The God of Winter, War, and Protection from Harm. He is, like all the gods, worshipped across the continent, but his servants are most numerous in Thera. Hakkon is worshipped in dozens of different ways and is often depicted in just as many. He maintains some common tenets and values, but these are wildly available for interpretation.

Divine Domains

War, Nature

Holy Books & Codes

Predominately oral traditions.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

A bear's face.

Tenets of Faith

Death is unavoidable. Whether it is in a blizzard alone or warm in the safety of the home is your choice. Protect what you love. Be ferocious but respect that which must die.

Holidays

The Day of Rest - Roughly the second week of winter when bears would go to hibernate, worshippers rest and will not leave the home as to emulate the bear. The Day of Awakening - In spring, when bears emerge from hibernation, followers of the Bear will work the day even if they normally wouldn't.

Physical Description

Body Features

He is depicted as a hybrid of a polar bear and a humanoid, though regional variation allows him to be depicted as other species of bear as well. In addition, when carved into stone alongside other gods, he is often shown to be a head taller than the other gods. Most interestingly, the elves depict Hakkon as female, for he is as ferocious a protector as is the mother bear protecting her cub.

Facial Features

Almost universally depicted as blind in one eye, though the specific eye varies.

Identifying Characteristics

Priests will often wear at least some fur on their clothing. They will also wear pants regardless of cultural norms.

Specialized Equipment

Clerics of the Great Bear will likely carry an axe of some variety and thick leather armour. They also carry shields regularly.

Mental characteristics

Education

The training of shaman of the Bear begins at an early age. Often a senior priest will come upon a young child and bring them under their care. This may happen in a variety of ways, and there is no generally accepted method for this process. Once brought into care, the cub will memorize various oral legends and magical rituals. After 10 years of companionship and training, the cub will set off to find a home of their own. Priests study a variety of skills including natural medicines, divinations, and martial skill. Some bears attend schools that focus more on the their martial aspects. These bears will later go to military establishments and become healers, soothsayers, and even officers. These war bears tend to be more social and friendly, willing to drink and eat with newly made friends and just as quickly ready for a wrestling match or grapple. Inversely, bears who focus more on the natural aspects tend to be more reclusive. These bears tend to stay in small villages and find easy work, or they might shun humanity altogether and hide themselves deep in the natural world, making friends with nymphs, druid circles, and the fey. Some say they seek the legendary ArchPriest of the Bear, who became so enlightened he took the shape of a bear.

Employment

War bears are likely to find work in barracks and military camps, acting as healers or officers. Their knowledge of protective magics and capability to fight for themselves makes them a highly valuable addition to any company or garrison. The more reclusive bears sometimes find work in small villages, working as go-betweens for the lay-folk and the spiritual world. They also sometimes ally with druid circles.

Taboos

It is considered sacrilege to kill or eat the meat of great elks which provide so much for the Therans. Although, this taboo is more cultural than religious for the Therans. More widely, if an oath of protection is given under Hakkon's name, no harm shall come to the recipient. To harm someone under that oath is considered one of the greatest sins possible.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Worshippers of the Great Bear come from a variety of backgrounds. Druids and rangers make up a majority of congregations of the Bear. Barbarians and fighters also find many of Hakkon's teachings agreeable as well.

Religious Views

Priests of Hakkon Wintersbreath do occasionally interact with the agents of the other gods. The shamans tend to be slightly standoffish and wary of others but can be warmed to after time. Pelor: Hakkonites see Pelor as an ally to be kept at arms length. Pelor is often associated with summer while Hakkon is associated with winter. Both are important aspects of the natural cycle but diametric opposites. Bear shamans acknowledge Pelor's light but find the evangelical nature to be off-putting. The Morrigana: The bears are very wary of the witches. Her delving into the arcane puts bears at unease for they do not understand why anyone would seek understanding into things that are not a part of this world. Bears can respect their secrecy and solitude, but they always suspect they are scheming.

Mannerisms

Hakkon's priests are often distant and standoffish to outsiders and strangers. They are protective of themselves and their companions, often snorting or grunting in displeasure. A simple way to earn a Hakkonite's favour is a gift of food or drink, as to share food is seen as a invitation into the space of a host. If you give food and the priest still refuses, you would do well to back away slowly and calmly.

Divine Classification

Greater God

Religions

Alignment

Lawful Neutral

Honorary & Occupational Titles

He Who does not Eat Elk (Theran), Lord of Axes (Radian), The Great Bear (Dwarven), The Mother in the Sky (Elven)

Children

Gender

Priests can be either gender

Eyes

Icy blue in one eye, blind in the other

Character Prototype

His voice would be James Earl Jones.

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