Craton, the Lode Lord

I serve in her stead, and at her desire.

— Craton, The Lode Lord

Though Craton serves as the Stoicheion elemental god of earth, he is not one of the original Stoicheion Children. Instead, he inherited the mantle of godhood from Nimrilye, The Earth Shaper.
Craton served Nimrilye during Achoti Mache - War of the Sisters as her most trusted general and Valakos, leading her armies against her sisters, including Adriel, The Eternal Flame.
As the world began to crumble beneath the might of the Sisters' warring, it was Nimrilye who sacrificed the most to protect the world and save Mikrios, the Soul Dreamer, youngest of the Children and the Sisters' beloved younger brother. Just as the elemar unleashed in Achoti Mache seemed about to overwhelm Mikrios and destroy the physical world, Aether, The Kindler, came to Nimrilye and whispered in her ear - sharing divine knowledge and offering a way to save Mikrios and the world itself.
Together, the Sisters created the Divine Aegis, centered on Mikrios' Cradle which Nimrilye crafted from her own body. The Sisters also spread the Divine Aegis to protect their mother, the Lady of Night, while she slept guarding over her sleeping son, Mikrios.
Unfortunately, creating the Cradle greatly depleted Nimrilye's power and left her gravely weakened. In her diminished state, Nimrilye called upon Craton, her Valakos Sword of Earth, to take up the mantle of the god of elemental earth among the Stoicheon Children. Craton, the Lode Lord, begrudgingly agreed. The oldest accounts seem to indicate that Craton only agreed on one condition, but they offer only speculation on what Craton may have asked of Nimrilye.
Craton now sits among the Stoicheon Children as their equal and one of the innate elemental forces of the cosmos. Though not a direct descendant of the Lady of Night, Craton is still one of the most ancient and powerful beings in existence and has been known by many names throughout the ages, though most commonly "The Lode Lord". Sects which worship only the elemental powers of the Stoicheion, rather than their aspects or actions, know him only as Avnir.
Worship of Cranton is uncommon compared Kyma or Adriel, but his followers are devoted.
Craton, along with most the Stoicheion gods, was cut off from the material plane by the Divine Aegis. Even so, elemental energy can still leak through the Divine Aegis at times, but only in smaller amounts. Thus, the raw power of the Children is prevented from entering the material plane.
Though sealed beyond the Divine Aegis, Cranton still works to safeguard Nimrilye's creations, especially the dwarves who were forced to flee the Elemental Plane of Earth in the chaos of Nimrilye's fall and creation of the Divine Aegis. Craton keeps watch over the deep places of the world. The Divine Aegis does not block the his ability to peer, should he choose, into the material realm through the gifts of the earth present on the inside of the Divine Aegis, whether that be the stone pillars of mighty halls, unforged ores wherever they may be, or even the shining gemstone on a noble woman's neck.
Craton is served by his Valakos; Obsiraf, Sword of Earth, Tarian, the Shield of Earth , and Lutu, the Voice of Earth. According to Craton's worshipers, Nimrilye created Craton and Lutu from the same slab of living earth, and as such are considered to be twins with complementary abilities - Craton embodies strength while Lutu epitomizes wisdom and intellect.

by Devon Cady-Lee

Alignment: Lawful Neutral Portfolio: Elemental Earth Symbol: The Heart of Stone

Spirit Lord by Mateusz Wisniewski