Qoz, the Hermit

Qoz in Karel

Qoz has become a figure of ultimate evil within Karel. The empire believes its foundations are stronger than stone and its reign will last until the stars die. Myths of a creature whose rousing makes the planes themselves quake eats at the heart of Karelagne national pride. Karelagne clergy frame all evil acts of the humanoid heart as inspired by Qoz, who dreams cruel intentions into the minds of evildoers.

Qoz in Ayris

The mythos of Qoz has hardly made an impact in Ayris. This intangible, cosmic warning has no place in a society where coin is king.

Qoz Among the Drakes

Pirates, superstitious to the last, often invoke the name of Qoz when they curse. “Qoz take you,” one might say. “Teeth a’ Qoz,” another may curse. “With you ’til Qoz wakes,” a loyal pirate would swear to a captain, and a stronger promise isn’t to be found across the Expanse. “Quit pokin’ Qoz and leave the captain be,” a concerned pirate might spit to a junior crewmate inviting disaster by fussing with their irritable captain. “Raising Qoz” is sometimes said instead of “raising hell.” Countless other minor epithets abound on pirate ships. Particularly superstitious pirates who catch themselves habitually invoking the Hermit-Devourer’s name may hastily append “may it never wake” to the end of an oath. Even the fearless Captain Ralph Terrecks was once overheard before battle roaring, “Get out there and raise Qoz!” before turning his head to the deck, and mumbling “mayitneverwake” into the back of his hand.

The Sullen Hermit of Deep Earth is said to lurk at the bottom of the aether, dreaming of a time when it will rise again and hunt. Qoz and its kin, the feather stars, were the scourge of countless astral civilizations in ancient times. Though none of the giant, island-crushing feather stars remain, legends of their destructive power are still sung across the sea as heralds of the end. Their periods of wakefulness are filled with nothing but devouring, until they fall back into hibernation. Qoz, their progenitor, sleeps longest, and hungers deepest, for its appetite is roused best by the flesh of gods. Its featherlike appendages are said to be broad as the arms of galaxies, and each strand of feathers made of crystalline matter harder than diamonds. Qoz is never forgotten, but often said to be a thing of myth, for none who have seen it rampage survive.

Qoz is depicted as a feather star with arms that shine like a swirling galaxy. The Karelagne, who personify Qoz as evil, paint a cruel face from the stars in the galaxy’s center. Clerics of Qoz are rare, but cultishly devout, and typically wield the domains of Arcana, Death, Grave, and Twilight.