Todore (tō-DOR'-āy)
Todore (he/him/his) is the Deity of Conquest. He falls under the Divine Domains of Ambition, Confidence, Darkness, Death, Destruction, Might, Pain, Passion, Tempest, Tyranny, War and Zeal.
History
Todore was born of the fears early mortals had of being conquered or destroyed by outsiders. As fear increased through The Divine Wars and as some mortals sought his power for themselves, Todore's power and ego grew. In his arrogance, he took a force comprised of his followers and demons he recruited to his side and launched a siege on Glaedsvellir, the realm of the original God of Justice. The god's son, Valirand, launched a counterattack and pinned Todore's forces between the two gods. Finding himself suddenly at a disadvantage and looking for any means of regaining control, Todore sought out and stole a dragon's egg from where it had been hidden by Hou and, with his cruel powers, Todore caused the egg to give birth to the corrupted dragon Dreggael, then used the fell dragon's power to breach his enemy's defenses. Valirand was taken by surprise, and reacted too slowly to prevent Todore from defeating his father in battle. Valirand moved against Todore decisively, sweeping through the god's forces and coming face-to-face with his enemy. It is said that the sounds of their battle rang out across the Planes for days, neither deity able to gain the upper hand. Eventually, however, Todore's focus faltered and in the opening Valirand dealt such a destructive blow to Todore that the latter was banished back to Dyre and reduced to a Fallen Deity. Dreggael fled in his wake and for millennia remained safely hidden in the fallen god's realm. Thousands of years passed and a wizard named Weldra the Cruel uncovered a method for restoring a Fallen Deity to power. She convinced an orc that she was an emissary of a powerful god who could lead him to domination over the land and together, they slaughtered hundreds of orcs in sacrificial battle. Weldra completed the ritual and Todore rose once again as a Deity. Though his champion, Vogroth, and Dreggael were each defeated in turn, Todore has regained his station and can once again exercise greater influence on the Material Plane, portending future wars.Personality
Todore is a wrathful and relentless god, demanding his followers constantly exceed themselves. Though he is more than willing to grant mortals power in order to further his goals, he is just as willing to abandon them if they outlive their usefulness. Todore is not the most cunning deity, but he is not easily deceived, either. This stems in part from his complete distrust of all others, causing him to have tenuous relationships even with those who share his goals. Todore is particularly dissatisfied with the current role of the gods, bound as they are by the treaty that ended the Divine Wars. He had no say in the terms of the treaty, defeated as he was, and seeks any way he can to undermine or escape the restraints it places upon him.Appearance & Aspects
Todore most often manifests an avatar as a fifteen-foot tall humanoid in sharp black armor. His horned helmet hides his face in shadow, but sinister red eyes can sometimes just be made out when his temper flares. He sometimes wields a two-handed scimitar with a black blade except for its red edge.Relationships
Valirand
Since their battle ages ago, Valirand and Todore have been sworn enemies. The two of them and their followers remain constantly vigilant, watching for any moment when they might gain an advantage and turn on each other again.Followers
Todore's worshippers are known as Thorns with his High Priests referred to as Blades. They delight in subjecting others to their will and think the more people you have subjugated, the more favorable will be your position with Todore. Worship of Todore is merely tolerated in most societies, knowing that to oust his followers would be to invite the god's wrath. Notable followers include:- Vogroth Tuskblood, Todore's most recent champion.
- Weldra the Cruel, a nagpa who sensed an opportunity for herself in the dark god's ambitions.
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