Ketos, The Lord of Storms

"From the mountain’s peak, his fury roared, As waves crashed high and thunder soared. The storm he wields, fierce and free, No chains can bind, no man can see."

— from the Saga of Storms

Ketos, the Lord of Storms, embodies the untamed fury of nature and the primal force of the tempest. Depicted as a mighty warrior surrounded by swirling clouds and crackling lightning, Ketos represents the storm—wild, unrestrained, and awe-inspiring. His tempests are both destructive and renewing, a force that cannot be controlled but commands deep respect. For those who follow him, Ketos symbolizes independence, personal strength, and the relentless pursuit of freedom.
In his divine form, Ketos appears almost unclothed, wearing only a simple loincloth, revealing his powerful, chiseled body as a testament to his immense strength. His skin is the color of storm clouds—dark, swirling greys—and his eyes glow with the searing light of lightning. His wild, curly hair flows like a tempest, wreathed in arcs of electricity that crackle around him. The storm itself seems to wrap around his body, thunder and lightning never far from his presence. Ketos strides through the chaos of the elements with a primal, effortless grace, reveling in the raw, uncontained power that defines him.

The Sacrifice During the Rebirth

During the Rebirth, when Tavomia was ravaged by divine conflicts and natural upheavals, Ketos made a profound sacrifice to protect his people, the Stoneborn. As the world fell into chaos, he used the full extent of his power to shield them, sealing the Stoneborn within their mountainous homeland and holding back the violent storms that ravaged the land. His immense strength ensured their survival, but it came at a cost.
Drained by this effort, Ketos could no longer maintain a physical form. Instead, he became one with the storms themselves, forever swirling around the mountains of Khazadan. Though many Stoneborn perished during this time, they emerged from their homeland to help rebuild Tavomia. Today, Ketos’s presence can still be felt in every gust of wind and clap of thunder, a reminder of his sacrifice.

Lord of the Sea’s Fury

Though Ketos is primarily worshiped by the Stoneborn, his influence extends beyond the mountains to the treacherous seas of Tavomia. Sailors often invoke the Lord of Storms during their voyages, offering tokens and prayers before embarking on dangerous waters. These offerings, while made with hope, are not expected to placate Ketos. His respect is not easily earned through tribute; only those who show strength in the face of the storm may be spared its full fury.
Sailors understand they cannot control the storm, but by honoring Ketos, they hope to gain fleeting favor, enough to endure the tempest. Captains who brave the most dangerous routes often seek out Storm Wardens to join their crews, believing these clerics can harness the storm’s power and guide them through it. While Ketos remains indifferent to empty prayers, those who sail with strength and resilience earn his respect, surviving where others fall to the sea’s wrath.

Wardens of the Storm

Among the Stoneborn, the clerics of Ketos—known as Storm Wardens—are revered as living embodiments of the tempest. These warrior-priests do not placate the storm; they command it, engaging in a constant struggle to harness its wild power. To channel Ketos’s energy is to wrestle with the storm itself, a battle of will and strength.
Storm Wardens demand Ketos’s power through sheer force of will, using it to protect their people and stand against threats to their freedom. Respected and feared, they epitomize resilience and defiance, always ready to unleash the storm's fury when provoked.

The Tempest's Mark

Though Ketos no longer walks in physical form, his power still flows through the storms and into his clerics, but this connection comes at a cost. This Divine Taint, known as the Tempest's Mark, alters those who channel Ketos’s power too deeply, as the raw force of the storm begins to reshape their very being. Some clerics develop stone-like skin, their hair crackles with the energy of a gathering storm, and their eyes flash with the cold, distant light of lightning. As their bond with Ketos deepens, they become increasingly attuned to the fury of the tempest, able to feel the rhythm of the winds and hear the rumble of distant thunder before it strikes.
However, the more power they draw upon, the more volatile this connection becomes. Storm Wardens often find their emotions surging, their temper quickening like a brewing storm, and their passions as fierce and unpredictable as the tempest itself. As the Tempest’s Mark takes hold, some clerics begin to lose themselves to the storm, their bodies hardening like stone, their minds swept away in a whirlwind of fury.
While the Tempest’s Mark is a symbol of Ketos’s favor, it is also feared. Those who succumb entirely to the storm’s power may find themselves consumed by it, becoming more storm than mortal, their spirits carried away on the winds, leaving behind only the raging elements as a reminder of their once-great strength.

Rites of Strength and Storm

The Stoneborn honor Ketos not through traditional rituals, but by acts of endurance and resilience. Their most significant ceremony is the Trial of Stone and Storm, a coming-of-age rite where young Stoneborn must survive a storm alone in the mountains. Only those who return unbroken are recognized as adults, worthy of carrying the storm within them.
Outside the Stoneborn, Ketos is acknowledged in subtler ways. Farmers and sailors invoke his name through sayings and superstitions to ward off destructive storms. Whether these invocations are effective or not is uncertain, but for most, Ketos is a force to be respected rather than worshiped, a looming presence in the sky and sea.

Bringers of the Storm

Clerics of Ketos who venture into the world are driven by a desire to challenge oppression and protect freedom. These adventurers carry the storm within them, always ready to unleash its power when necessary. They are seen as unpredictable allies, following their instincts and acting independently.
Storm Wardens fiercely defend their comrades but are known for their independence. They fight not for glory, but to uphold the freedom Ketos embodies, using the storm's might against those who seek to dominate or control.

Ethos of Ketos

Ketos’s teachings emphasize strength, independence, and resilience in the face of adversity.

• Embrace the storm within and without. Face challenges head-on and harness your inner strength.
• Stand against tyranny. Protect freedom and use your power to defend the weak.
• Value personal strength above all else. Seek independence, and never bow to oppression.

Ketos’s alignment is Chaotic Neutral, reflecting his untamed nature and belief in freedom without regard for rigid laws or control.

Domains and Worship

Clerics of Ketos draw their power from the Tempest and Protection domains. Worship of Ketos is less about formal rites and more about embodying his principles through action—strength, resilience, and defiance in the face of adversity.
His presence is felt wherever the wind howls and thunder roars, and his followers embody the storm, ready to unleash it against tyranny.

Tales for Storytellers

The following adventures provide opportunities for players to explore the power and chaos of Ketos.

• The Thunder’s Call (Low Level): A mountain village is under siege by unrelenting storms. The adventurers must discover whether a rogue Storm Warden is responsible and restore balance.
• Isle of Storms (Mid Level): An island in the Isles of Mist is perpetually surrounded by violent storms, and no sailor dares approach. Is it the resting place of the legendary hammer Vorruk’thal.
• The Peak of Fury (High Level): The adventurers must scale the peak of Khazadan to charge a powerful item during a storm, but storm-born creatures and perilous elements block their way.

Titles: Lord of Storms, The Tempest
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Domains: Tempest, Protection
Symbol: A silver lightning bolt
Favored Weapon: Warhammer

The Voice of Ketos

"His footsteps bring thunder, his laughter shakes the sky, and his voice rides upon the wind."
In ancient tales from the Age of Gods, Ketos's very presence was said to bring distant thunder, and his laughter echoed through the crash of wind and lightning. Even today, it is believed that his voice can be heard on the wind before a storm. Sailors and Storm Wardens alike claim to have heard his deep, booming voice in the howling gales, offering cryptic warnings or challenges to those bold enough to listen. While these whispers are fleeting and difficult to understand, many believe that he speaks only to those worthy of his attention, urging them to embrace the storm or face its fury.

Path of the Storms

"There is no taming the storm, only becoming one with it."
Among the wild and untamed warriors of Tavomia, few are as feared as those who walk the Path of the Storms. These barbarians are not just mortals—they are living avatars of Ketos’s fury. Born to the mountains and hardened by tempest, they channel the storm’s chaotic energy, not only in battle but in every aspect of their being.
Initiation into this path is no simple trial. Prospective warriors must face the raw fury of the elements, standing alone atop mountain peaks as the storm rages around them. It is said that when lightning strikes, the soul of Ketos himself touches them, leaving them forever changed. In battle, these warriors are unstoppable forces, their strikes crackling with the energy of the storm. They embody chaos, feared for their destructive power and admired for their unyielding will.

The First Storm Warden

"He stood alone against the storm, and in his defiance, Ketos granted him power."
In the Age of Gods, the first Storm Warden faced the fury of Ketos on a desolate mountain peak. Unyielding in the face of the god’s wrath, he stood alone as thunder roared and lightning struck. In recognition of his defiance, Ketos granted him the power to command the storm, forging the legendary hammer Vorruk’thal, the Wrath of the Tempest.
The hammer was said to be lost to time after the Warden’s death. According to legend, wherever Vorruk’thal lies, storms still rage around it, as if guarding the mighty relic. Many have sought this fabled weapon, believing it holds the key to channeling Ketos’s power, but none have returned with proof of its existence.

Children of the Storm

"We do not break. We do not bow. We are the storm."
The Stoneborn are known throughout Tavomia as the Children of the Storm, a title that captures their essence. Forged in the fury of Ketos’s tempests, they are a people of unmatched resilience. Stoic and steadfast, they endure the constant onslaught of storms in their mountainous homeland. Their hearts beat in time with thunder, and their veins pulse with the force of the wind.
Though slow to anger, those who provoke a Stoneborn face the storm’s full wrath. Their rage is as relentless as a hurricane—merciless, unyielding, and destructive. The storm lives in their blood, and once unleashed, no force can stand against them. To challenge a Stoneborn in the height of their fury is to court destruction, as many have learned too late.

Storm Wardens at Sea

"Sailors know the sea is fickle and the storm uncaring. But a Warden aboard? That, my friend, is the best hope we have."
In the treacherous waters of Tavomia, sailors know no man can control the storm, but some have learned to command it. Storm Wardens, the warrior-clerics of Ketos, are highly sought after by captains for dangerous voyages. When tempests rise, most ships can only hope to endure—unless they have a Storm Warden aboard.
Hired for survival rather than superstition, these clerics’ connection to Ketos allows them to wrestle with the storm. While they cannot control it, they can stand against it, parting the winds and guiding the ship through the fiercest squalls. Though no guarantee, a Storm Warden’s presence often means the difference between life and death on the high seas.