The Sword-Lord

He is the Lord of Battle and the Master of Strategy.
He is one of the few deities of the The Divine Precept that are not widely considered a benevolent figure, being a sponsor of knightly orders, and marauding raiders in equal measure.
That being said, even with this complicated role, any standing army, mercenary company or town guard is likely to utter the occasional prayer, so that the Sword-Lord may look favourably upon them.

Divine Domains

As battle incarnate His dogma is simple: He is the God of War and Battle. He does not care much for lofty ideals of just conflict or the like, He simply represents fighting in its purest form.
He is known as the blood-brother of Kord, and many of their clerics find a natural kinship.
While He is an entity of war, He is also the patron of strategists, and cunning in battle pleases Him. In spite of this altogether mercenary nature, He is known for being a protector god as well, favouring those that protect their allies and those that cannot defend themselves. For this reason, striking out against those that cannot defend themselves is harshly punished by the Sword-Lord.

Holy Books & Codes

In short, the Sword-Lord's following is not the most formalized faith in the known world.
His teachings, formalized in the Codes of Combat, detail the tenants of honourable combat, defining the expected rules of a formal duel, as well as the proper code of conduct when engaged in battle.
While these rules are fairly unrestrictive, they do dictate that one should accept surrender unless doing so would put one at a great disadvantage, and that one should not do harm to those that cannot defend themselves unless the need is too great to ignore.
These loose rules make followers of the Sword-Lord a varied lot, which becomes even more apparent when one considers that many worshippers of the Sword-Lord are inducted into the faith on the battlefield, rather than through formal schooling. For this very reason, the codes of combat exist mainly as an oral tradition, with great variance.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

He is known by many symbols, depending on location and context. Many use the symbol of a flaming sword as His mark, though He is also associated with a cracked tower shield, and a knight wearing red armour, with bulls horns on his helmet.

Tenets of Faith

• To be fearful shatters ones resolve. Therefore, never be fearful.
• Never back down from a fair fight.
• Respect and uphold the codes of combat in all things

Holidays

The Proving takes place on the 8th-11th of Suntear's Bloom. Here, in the heart of winter, worshippers of the Sword-Lord go on a hunt, looking for a worthy challenge to overcome. Those that fail to do so before the night of the 11th are shunned by their peers, until they make amends for their failure, as dictated by a senior cleric of the Sword-Lord.

Worshippers

With the dangers that exist in the world, worshippers of the Sword-Lord come in all shapes and sizes, with most professional soldiers making the occasional offering. That being said, truly devoted servants of the Sword-Lord are marked by their steely focus and utter fearlessness.
In particular, the following holy orders stand out:

Strifechasers

This order is considered radical by most, even by some more moderate worshippers of the Sword-Lord. They live for battle, and they find themselves on an eternal, almost obsessive hunt for glory in battle. Most new members die within a few years, but those that persevere often gain fame or notoriety for the reckless abandon by which they pursue the next great challenge.

The Aching Legion

A life of servitude to the Sword-Lord takes it toll on the body. Eventually the old wounds renders one unable to pursue glory on the battlefield, and so some worshippers find other ways to serve. Instead they join the Aching Legion, a philosophical movement more than anything, where the retired warrior settles down, mentoring and training new warriors, so that they in turn may honour the Sword-Lord in battle.

The Red Knight & Lord of War

Divine Classification

Greater Deity

Religions

• The Divine Precept

Alignment

True Neutral

Realm

Ysgard

Domains:

• War
• Protection