Khotar
Description
Khotar is a Fahryte deity who stands watch over the passage between the living and the dead. He is depicted as a towering figure, standing at eight and a half feet tall, with long gray hair and a beard, both tied tightly and neatly. He has strikingly pale skin, nearly ghostly in the light. His most distinctive feature are his silver eyes, clouded with cataracts, rendering him blind to all but the truth of the world. His imposing frame and aura of judgement make him an embodiment of both protection and the finality of death. Khotar is deeply revered by those who enforce law, execute justice, and hunt the undead. His presence is said to loom over the icy wastelands, watching for transgressions of natural law. Khotar is a silent judge and an unwavering sentinel, believed to dwell on the borders of the afterlife, ensuring that no undead or soul unjustly tarries in the mortal plane. His followers see him as the final arbiter of truth, trusting his cold, impartial gaze to guide their actions, especially in matters of law and death.Personality
Khotar is a deity of unwavering focus and stoicism, embodying the cold, impartial nature of judgment. Unlike many deities who might express joy, anger, or sympathy, Khotar is largely emotionless. He does not revel in the suffering of the guilty nor does he show kindness to the innocent; he is simply a force of balance, ensuring that justice is served and the natural cycle of life and death is maintained. His blindness to all but the truth makes him nearly impossible to deceive, and those who serve him must accept that there are no shades of gray in Khotar's eyes—only truth and falsehood. He is stern and resolute, favoring those who follow laws and respect the balance of life and death. While other gods might be swayed by devotion or offerings, Khotar is only concerned with the actions of his followers, particularly how they deal with matters of justice, law, and the undead. His satisfaction comes not from worship but from the upholding of the laws that he oversees. Despite his cold exterior, Khotar does have a sense of protection over his followers, particularly those who act as executioners, lawkeepers, and undead hunters. To these, he is a distant but watchful guardian, offering his favor in times of need, especially when they confront forces that would disrupt the natural order.Abilities
Powers
Khotar’s abilities revolve around his dominion over truth, judgment, and the cycle of death. His silver eyes pierce through lies and deception, granting him and his chosen followers the power to see hidden truths and perceive the undead in ways others cannot. Those in his favor may briefly share in this vision, enabling them to track down liars, criminals, and unholy beings that seek to disrupt the natural order. As the Guardian of the Gates, Khotar also holds sway over life and death itself. His influence can keep the souls of the dead from rising, ensuring that the boundaries between life and death are respected. He is often called upon by his followers to help banish the undead or prevent necromantic powers from taking hold. His icy powers are another key aspect of his abilities. Khotar's presence brings with it an intense, unnatural cold, and he can freeze enemies or create frost-bound barriers. He can imbue his followers with resistance to the cold, making them nearly impervious to the freezing conditions of the Fahryte lands and capable of enduring the harshest winters.Combat
In combat, Khotar is a force to be reckoned with, utilizing both his judgment and icy powers. He wields a massive glaive forged from enchanted ice, which shatters the bones of the guilty and freezes them in place. His attacks are slow but deliberate, each strike carrying the weight of final judgment. His glaive is said to cut not just flesh but also the ties that bind a soul to the mortal plane, severing undead from their unholy existence. Khotar also commands packs of spectral wolves, which he sends to hunt down those who try to escape his judgment. These creatures appear as frost-covered phantoms, attacking relentlessly and freezing their prey in place. He can summon these spirits to assist his followers in battle, overwhelming enemies with numbers and unrelenting cold. When cornered, Khotar can unleash a blinding flash from his cataract-covered eyes, stunning and freezing opponents in their tracks. This ability makes it impossible for the guilty to escape, as they are immobilized by the freezing cold and forced to face their judgment.Possessions
Frostbane
Khotar’s primary possession is his glaive, known as Frostbane. Forged from the purest enchanted ice, Frostbane is a weapon of immense power, capable of freezing anything it touches and shattering through the toughest of armors. It is said that the blade carries the essence of finality, cutting not just through flesh but also the ties that bind souls to the living world. Khotar uses it to enforce his judgment on both the living and the undead, ensuring that none escape the fate they deserve.Mantle of the Packleader
Khotar also possesses a mantle of snow-white fur, taken from the hide of a legendary arctic wolf, which is said to embody the soul of his most faithful companion. This mantle provides Khotar with protection against all elements, particularly the cold, and grants him the ability to command packs of spectral wolves. When his followers are in dire need, he can lend the mantle's power to them, allowing them to summon the spirits of wolves to aid in battle or watch over their paths.Realm
Khotar’s realm, known as the Fates of Eternity, exists on the edge of the afterlife, where the souls of the dead pass through to their final resting place. It is a land of endless ice and snow, where towering glaciers form a labyrinth that only the dead or those guided by Khotar’s wolves can navigate. The Gates themselves are massive structures of frozen stone, guarded by spectral wolves and wolverines that ensure no soul escapes back to the mortal realm. Within this realm, time moves slowly, and the cold is eternal. Those who visit without Khotar’s blessing are doomed to wander in the frozen wilderness, their bodies slowly succumbing to the cold. The realm is not one of suffering but rather of stillness and waiting, where souls prepare for their final judgment.Relationships
Enemies and Allies
Khotar’s allies are few, as he is a solitary god focused on his duties at the Gates. However, he maintains alliances with deities of law, judgment, and death, particularly those who enforce the natural balance of life and death. Gods of nature, particularly those who rule over the cold and harsh environments, respect Khotar’s role and occasionally seek his guidance or intervention. His enemies are primarily gods of necromancy, chaos, and deception, who seek to disrupt the natural order. Khotar holds particular disdain for any entity that attempts to cheat death or use the undead to extend their influence. He is often called upon to counteract their influence, and his followers regularly hunt down those who practice necromancy or defy the laws of life and death, whether to create undead such as liches or to bring back a beloved companion from the dead.Worshipers
Khotar’s followers are primarily lawkeepers, executioners, and hunters of the undead. They see him as the ultimate arbiter of justice and strive to emulate his cold impartiality when enforcing laws and delivering punishment. Among the Fahrytes, his worship is common but typically not done with particular vigor, instead being seen as something that must be done to pay respects, regardless of actual wishes. Khotar is also worshipped by those who live in the coldest, most remote parts of the world, where his influence is felt most strongly. These worshipers often offer sacrifices of food or slain animals, believing that Khotar will protect their souls and keep their ancestors from rising as undead.Symbols
The primary symbol of Khotar is shown as three circles wrought from silver, a metal considered toxic to the undead. The upper circle represents the heavens, the lower circle representing the damnation of sinners, and the central and largest circle represents the mortal plane. Wolves, wolverines, and snowy owls are also considered sacred to Khotar, and their images are commonly seen in the homes and temples of his worshipers.Notable Worshipers
History
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