Hrodi
The Black Horseman of the Dark Court
Lord Hrodi
They rode into the village one after another. A white rider, beautiful and pure, then the black rider, and rotten and shadowy. We knew they went by other names but to us, they were Sower and Reaper. I recall one judgement day, the Reaper stretched out his right arm and let his scales display our fate. This was never special, we would always prepare for the riders' arrival, even celebrate if the Sower would gift us a secure harvest. But that day, where I thought we would be gifted by the Gods, the terrible secret of my wife and her group of "knitters" was uncovered. That day we felt the wrath and judgement of the Reaper. That day I watched the riders, one white one black, return from whence they came with a wagon of our harvest. That day I lost my Gryla, my family, my village, my life. That is why I am here.
Physical Forms
Hrodi's natural form is a white wyvern.
The Black Horseman
As the Black Horseman, Hrodi will be depicted as a young man. This form is very tall at 6'5" and has a wide-chested build, with skin as black as coal, and stormcloud grey eyes and hair. Hrodi wears a dignified uniform covered in strange patterns and glyphs of bright orange. He carries weighing scales and rides a black horse.
The Hungry Beggar
As the Hungry Beggar, Hrodi will be sallow and sunken. Bones protrude out of sagged and withered skin, usually swollen at the joints. His skin, hair, and eyes are pure grey and his stomach is hollow, allowing ribs to pierce outwards.
During times of great famine, Hrodi was also known to take the form of a Hungry Beggar to meddle in the affairs of mortals. In this depiction, Hrodi will seek alms from passers-by. To those that are most generous, Hrodi would always ensure they would not be as affected by the famine as those that surround them. Hrodi is not a God of Luck however, nor even of Light, and so those "blessed" with a lack of famine will suffer the malicious wrath of those around them, starved to madness.
Worship
Tenets of Faith
- Those that try to tip the scales one way in favour, will find an entirely new problem arise.
- Nothing can be kept secret forever.
- Appease the cruel to ease the pain.
Personality
Motivated by pure equality in all aspects of life. Hrodi believes that this can only happen by encouraging the evil of the world to prosper and punish the overly successful. Anyone above or below average will suffer the consequences. Before the corruption of the Twilight Cataclysm, Hrodi had an attraction towards Olawa whom he worked with. However, after the Trickster God caught wind of this secret, Hrodi was cursed to never act upon his desires of the Goddess of Harvest.
Dominating and short-tempered personality. Hrodi can be incredibly violent especially those that he has a vengeance against. This helped if mortals attempted to prevent him taking the Gods' tribute, where Hrodi's choleric nature meant he was prepared to become instantly hostile to those that approached him. Even to other Gods, Hrodi could be an especially cruel being. Never allowing even a simple mishap to be forgotten and always turning the slightest mistake against him as a grudge or vendetta.
History
Before the Twilight Cataclysm
Son of Drakastar, God of Decay, and birthed from Rans, Goddess of Fertility. It is understood that Hrodi was conceived after Rans was brutally raped by the Lord of Decay, thus giving Hrodi the domain of malice too, while his twin brother Vikaw, God of Disease, was gifted the domain of rape.
Hrodi is often referred to as being a Dark Lord, especially with his Realm being in the Underworld, but in many legends he is said to have worked closely with the Gods of Light before the Twilight Cataclysm, especially Olawa, Goddess of Harvest. Myths comment on how Olawa and Hrodi would ride up to a settlement together, weighing their scales of judgement on the populace. If the locals were seen as worthy, Olawa would grant them a bountiful harvest. If unworthy, Hrodi would take their harvest as punishment and tribute for the gods, cursing the land with infertility and famine.
The Ruin of Gort
Hrodi's celestial realm of Gort used to be a bountiful haven where the fertile soil could grow all the crops he would take as tribute from the peoples of Terralba. This all changed when as tribute, Hrodi decided to cut down an orchard tree which unbeknownst to him, was planted by the great Dragon Los herself. Enraged that one of her own Gods would destroy something of hers, she punished Hrodi forever. Gort was transformed into a freezing and gloomy wasteland. The soil turned barren and nothing could grow anymore, leading to Hrodi to build a Vault that would keep the crops safe from his realm's infectious famine.
War of the Gods
In the War of the Gods, Hrodi was fully corrupted by the Dark Court and sided with his father and brother in the formation of the Sect of Plague. This secret order of Gods were the front-line commanders of the Forces of Darkness, tasked with swiftly crippling the supplies and positions of the Forces of Light. Hrodi's assignment was to sabotage the food storage and supplies of the Overworld, aiming to starve out the Gods of the Hall of Worlds.
After the Twilight Cataclysm
After the Twilight Cataclysm, Hrodi escaped entrapment in the Void by riding his black steed down to Terralba and now hides amongst the Kingdoms of Men as they slowly forget of his worship and existence outside of myth and legend.
- Parentage: Drakastar (Decay) and Rans (Fertility)
- Twin Sibling: Vikaw (Disease)
- Half-Siblings: Kreavoru (?), Sidite (Excess)
Children
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