Belos

King Belos I live by your grace and the strength of my own convictions, make me the essence of great glory, rich splendor, shielding honor, and the strength of spirit to aid those on their journey to reach the afterlife.

— A popular prayer of the faithful of Balos

BELOS (CN) Greater Power. King of the Ocean, Sheildlord of the elements, god of fire, lightning, thunder, storms, earthquakes, hunting, archery, travelers and merciful death.

Belos was originally depicted as a brutally fit-looking muscular man of tanned rubicund complexion, with ice blue eyes like those of the coldest winter. Born out of Ishtaranna's romantic tryst with Solon Aelfeayr he was first called Ullinn in the old tongue or Ollerus in modern common. After the Godswar he would emerge transformed into Belos, the great chief, King of the Ocean and his mother's champion. Appearing now as a 60 foot tall, heavily muscled red-haired and bearded four armed man dressed in golden plate mail and dark furs holding a glorious shield in one hand, a massive trident in another, with his bow and arrows of lightning and yew at the ready in the rest. Once long ago Belos was the greatest hunter and archer of all the Igigi, the shield who traveled the northern winter seas and stood for honor, splendor, and glory. As time passed his power waned, overshadowed by the designs, intentional or not, of his eventual stepfather Anulil's influence. Soon others who reminded Anulil less of his consort's affairs grew more prominent while Belos would wane. This continued through the ages until Belos' own hunting companion Zeuthor, the treacherous Kalilith, the morbid Orcus and even the much younger Ishtakles threatened to challenge him. Forced just to survive Belos would rise up to the challenges and take advantage of all the opportunities afforded him during the Godswar. Answering his mother Ishtaranna's call to arms he would go on to prove to the realms his outstanding strength and skill in his new position as her champion and his role as the hunter of gods. With the strategic guidance of his mother's wise counsel, he would emerge from his many battles with victories. He would even take his mother's place to lead the forces of Anulil against the Chaos Bringer when she was exiled for a time. The strength and rawness of his engagements became legendary. His actions in those times transcend Belos into his resurgent form as the essence of promised greater glory, the richness of splendor, shielding of honor, and the spirit of those who aid the dying hurry on to their journey into the afterlife. The stories are many that tell of how Belos raised himself up to become more than a wintering power but into his own as the god of fire, lightning, thunder, storms, earthquakes, hunting, archery, the Sheildlord of the elements and master of the Ocean. By the end of the Godswar, and many of the stories, he would be rewarded with a place at the side of his stepfather and half brother be married to Queen Platacia and become King of the Ocean. As the days of the gods walking the world ended and immortals passed from the mortal world he would remain standing next to the King of the Gods to travel the many worlds as he had traveled the whole world and be recognized along with Maruuk and Anulil as the mighty Warriors Three. Druids are counted among the clergy of Belos and his priests have traveled far and wide across the globe to spread the legendary stories and establish holy sites anywhere the Ocean meets the shore or overland routes cross throughout the world. As the centuries have passed the mortal call to glory, splendor, honor and a swift death have taken root in those from the commoner to the highest of noble warriors. Northern raiders looking to find gold and glory, the hunter praying for a shot that strikes true to the heart of raiding invaders, from the traditions of the first men who live on the windswept grasslands to the warrior king descending upon those grasslands to burn them the followers of Balos cross all lines and recognize no titles. Shrines, menhirs, temples, and churches have become more numerous wherever traveling routes meet or people gather though they only loosely associated with each other. Holy Warriors of Belos tend to be more wild and raw than most of the other powers. The church has even counted the fire burning within the hearts of those chanelling barbaric rage as a happy sign that Belos is present.

BELOS (CN) Greater Power. King of the Ocean, Sheildlord of the elements, god of fire, lightning, thunder, storms, earthquakes, hunting, archery, travelers and merciful death.

Type

Religious, Pantheon