The Kraken

---

The Kraken (Crack-en), The Oblivion of the Deep, is an ancient power from long before the time of the Gods that we have become familiar with in the Royal Basin. Once he was followed doggedly by the Zoranethi but now he has cast them aside and is empowered by the beliefs of the Codex Eaölfs and those other mortals that now follow him. Most who travel the waters of the Oceans fear and respect the Kraken; ships crews often sacrifice some of their cargo or pre-prepared chests of gems and coins in the hope that the Kraken will spare them on their journeys. The folk of the Greater Teeth, call you them Free Trade Alliance or Pirate, have been worshipping the Kraken in such a way for generations and have learnt well what the Sea can give or take if the Kraken is not properly given obedience. Controllers of Sea Ports, harbours, merchants, all those that have some reliance on the Sea be they Terrefians, followers of the Tao or Naedites all give their respect to the Kraken.

The Kraken, despite being a recent addition to the heavens, spends much time in contest with both Terref and Bethylak with regards to the rights to travel across the oceans and the power of fate respectively. Whilst the powers in question both agreed that they would cede some of their power to the Kraken at the first Tharinos the reality is very different. The Kraken contends daily with the followers of those faiths who thwart his at every opportunity. The Kraken however is famously both patient and wrathful and those deities that would test his power are no doubt in for some later calamity. That said the Kraken is not a malicious God he just represents the dangers of the vast and merciless Ocean; endless, eternal, deep and chilling. The Kraken understands that the Seas will one day wear down the land and that all those that dwell there will eventually be his.

None have ever seen the Kraken as anything other than a great beast from the depths, tentacles and huge black eyes peering out of the gloom. His Archangels and Angels are made up of the drowned and are known to carry great ships lanterns on long, long hooked poles to light his way in the deep waters.

Dogma

The Krakenite faithful are still establishing their true outlook understanding what the Kraken is and the virtues that he represents but as yet have not gained a great deal of experience surrounding how the Divine and the Mortal interact. They understand that the sea is a savage and unforgiving place and that those that travel upon it must be taught to expect to pay perhaps the ultimate price for daring the Krakens domain. The Kraken controls tides and the moon, the mists and the realms below not mention being the patron for sailors and the drowned. These elements mean that those who seek success had best pay a fair and reasonable price in goods or respect or learn that the Krakens Heart is as cold as the depths to which they will soon belong.

To say that the sea is the be all and end all of the Krakenite faith would be very misleading, there are certainly two sides of the coin at work here. The Priesthood takes the role of burdens very seriously and with it hidden things. Since becoming part of the Clergy of the Royal Basin they have chosen to embrace the nations burdens as best they can, ostensibly so that they can better fit into the society that they have come to belong to. They have become part of the world that seeks for that which is lost, takes up the burdens of others and fights for the overall good of the Clergy and ergo the Royal Basin, it is fast becoming part of the mantra of the Church.

“Speak the name of The Kraken and fear that he will hear you; his name is the fear of the wind and the waves and the storm and the calm. Dare his realm and know that you will end your life here but that what you seek is worth the price.”

From the Lore of the walls of the temple of Kalamone

Archangels

Angels of Power

Servants

The Kraken is served by a number of Lesser Powers that can also be worshipped by Priests and Ley Followers, these powers have fallen under the remit of the Oblivion of the Deep over the years and given their power to increase his strength.

The Demi Power Orgoora

“That which is given to the Kraken is his to do with as he wishes, he may tempt you to the Oceans depths to seek it but he may seeking your own life rather than hoping to return a treasure. Such is the burden of things”

Orgoora was once a successful Captain in the Free Trade alliance who followed the power of the Sea Hag, the power behind the Salt Druids of the Greater Teeth. She had mastery over many of the rituals that controlled the waters and used them to her advantage when acting towards her true nature as a Pirate, scourge of the Seas and mistress of Mayhem. Her main use of skills was to sail the waters late at night, obscuring the Moon with thick mists until she was ready to strike at vessels lost in the Dark. Such was her obsession with Kraken even then, before he was a power, that she would cast many of the treasures that she took into the ocean as a gift to the Zoranethi deity. Many of the treasures and the magics of the world were cast to the Kraken and remain lost to this day. When the Kraken was given the right to the heavens so he took with him many powers and Captain Orgoora was one of them.

The followers of Orgoora have made it their duty to return that which was given to the sea back to the Church, the belief runs that the gifts have been the Krakens long enough that now they are his. Indeed many of the relics and artefacts have altered their being over the years and now represent the needs of the faith of the Kraken. Many have dreams and visions that lead them to those long forgotten wonders and, more, the gifts of many other Captains that have cast treasures and wonders beneath the waves The Holy Symbol of Orgoora is a pair of Twin, Black Seahorses.

The Demi Power Korvillian

“The voices of the dead never leave the living, the burden can never be forgotten.”

Not much is known of the actual origins of Korvillian or “The Korvillian” as she is sometimes known. The most common story of her existence is that she is a drowned sailors whose brother or husband or perhaps even son survived the same calamity that claimed her life. Her voice was first heard by the weeping widows who stood on the dockside of Rendrith lamenting the loss of those who died in the ill fated wreck of the Blue Bolster in 1422. Those that stood and wept heard the voices of their loved ones saying one final goodbye and whispering the secrets that they would otherwise have been buried with. Since that time Seers have been making contact with her for hundreds of years and now she has been taken by the Kraken and elevated to a new roles.

Followers of Korvillian are called upon for several reasons; they are specialists in speaking to those that have crossed the waters controlled by the Kraken in the past. They are able to allow loved ones to speak to their departed or Captains that wish to learn what errors took place to lead to a previous Captains death. Their efforts are never cheap but they do allow the ways of the Kraken’s Oceans to be utilised with greater ease.

The Holy Symbol of Korvillian is a skeletal Seahorse.

The Demi Power Kazosh

“You may run from the destiny laid before you but it will seek you in the realm of dreams and make you nought but nightmare.”

Kazosh was once one of the Zoranethi, a survivor who was present during the change between mortal and Undead. During his time as a mortal he wished for nothing more than to survive and join the sleepers but his position as a seer meant that he was one of the retinue that was part of the ritual but his moment had been prepared for. In his efforts to escape the transformation he worked certain druidic charms and rituals about himself and in doing so did indeed make himself immune to the wishes of The Kraken. Instead Kazosh escaped but soon realised that he could not interact with the real world and could only manifest in the dreams and Nightmares. The Kraken allowed Kazosh a return to his Pantheon but he is little more than an extension of The Krakens will and is the entire source of all of the power of Dreams and Nightmares that the Kraken possess. Whilst his name is whispered he is somewhat of an anathema and seen by few as a true part of the faith. His links to the Zoranethi past make him somewhat inaccessible.

The Holy Symbol of Kazosh is an embossed purple seahorse.

The Demi Power Kules Varth

“The Deep speaks of loss and life, if you can bear to listen”

How Kules Varth came to be is not something the ancient being has spoken of but he is known to have existed within the realms of the oceans for at least as long as any on the teeth can remember. His known history is one of ambition, domination and ultimately of decline. Although not part of the deific pantheon he has aspired to greater godhood by rising above known powers, sought greatness through the power of the Codex of War and sought power through alliances with other great beings like himself. This path brought about his apparent end in the final stages of the Codex of war when he took alliance with the Champions of the Codex and while travelling with them through the depths of the ocean was confronted and cast asunder by Shen Gong the Destroyer. In recent times he was re-discovered by Guildsfolk in the deep oceans bereft of purpose and with a fraction of his once great strength. He was persuaded to leave his realm of Deep servants and ancient craft and seek a place within the Kraken’s greater domain and has been willing to offer up his knowledge and service of his creatures to cement this alliance. The Holy Symbol of Kules Varth is a shattered crown.