Day 9: Gwerro, Who Marched Upon Heaven

A character for my con scenario "Cupid's Henchemen", statted with a simplified version of ICONS. 



Prowess 8

Coordination 3

Strength 5

Intellect 4

Awareness 4

Willpower 5


Stamina: 10

Determination: 2


Powers

The God-Slaying Blade 8

This weapon can wound practically any entity you can think of. The damage it deals is Gwerro's Strength+1. It is unclear if it would work as well in another person’s hands.


The Bronze Which Shields the Heart 5

This beautiful breastplate reduces all harm directed against Gwerro. Harm not specifically directed against him is unaffected. 


Background


There was a time when the relationship between humanity and the gods was one of mutual resentment. The gods saw humanity as ingrates and fools who could not fathom their grand and benevolent plans. Humans saw the gods as imperious and cruel masters, demanding extortionate offerings in exchange for not visiting disaster upon them. 

The one who complained the loudest was a young warchief named Gwerro. The gods might have power, but they did not have legitimacy, he would shout. The gods were getting fat and complacent, and there was no good reason why humanity should not inhabit the Manors Divine. 

Today it might seem far-fetched, but in those days many warriors listened. Many flocked to Gwerro’s banner, and soon they struck out for heaven. 

The gods did not see an attack coming, and Gwerro’s army marched right into the horizon, where heaven and earth meet. The battle was short but fierce. When the fog of war cleared several gods were bleeding, and one was dead. (Admittedly, Kmorik was a minor god of fermentation, and the process seems to work fine without them). The human warriors had been crushed like insects. 

The battle did change the relationship between gods and humans to some extent. While some gods became vindictive, others learned moderation from their wounds. 

Today Gwerro is ambivalent about his legacy. He sees the hubris of his attack on some days, while basking in his accomplishment on others. After all, his brave assault did change the world. 



There are three rumors about them. What are they and who believes it?


1: If only we had not failed Gwerro we would be inhabiting the Manors Divine now. I, for one, would follow him into battle. Certain adventurous youth believe this. 


2: Gwerro was a mighty fool. He does not deserve to be a revered ancestor. Only the tight-fisted who would rather keep their offerings could possibly believe this. 


3: Gwerro is assembling a new army. This one is made up of revered ancestors. Hopeful ancestors often embrace this rumor. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

31 Character Creation Challenge Post-Mortem

  My creativity really had some peaks and troughs this time. More troughs than peaks, really. My plan lasted all of a week, but it wasn’t much of a plan. I chose  Black Powder & Brimstone  because it was a new twist on a system I know well (Mörk Borg), and writing these slightly cartoonish Central European horror characters is quite easy for me. I chose  Cthork Borg  for the same reason, and because I enjoyed making characters for con games with it. Terror Target Gemini  was new, fun and colorful, and was burning a hole in my pocket. It was a joy to make some morally dubious adventurers. By Dawn They All Were Dead  is my own rudimentary system, and it’s nothing if not simple. The characters were the usual conflicted or tragic ones I make for con games. I love superhero games, but I practically never get to play them. I particularly enjoy supervillain groups, and wonder how the Absorbing Man, Mr. Hyde and the Porcupine and the rest of them get along...
Read more

Day 29: Akkara Shaaf (for Sorcerously Advanced)

Image
  We'll end the month with some characters for the posthuman fantasy rpg Sorcerously Advanced. In Kornhaime, where you’re from, the grindstones are bigger than castles. You worked your fingers to the bone in the immense mills, until one evening when a voice seemed to beckon you from one of the grain silos. It told you that the time of drudgery was over, if you wanted it. A great Gift had been given to the world. On that day you took your freedom, while your masters were reeling from the rush of power suffusing humanity. In those heady moments, everyone was equal. In some places the enslaved had their revenge, but in many others the cunning rulers found ways to keep their hold on power.  Kornhaime is still the breadbasket of the world, but now the stones are worked by magic. Your people wanted freedom, but not too much. They were scared to slip their chains completely. You left them with both tenderness and contempt in your heart.  Now you walk the world, entering people’s...
Read more

Day 27: Faustino Jargal, for Sufficiently Advanced

Image
Faustino Jargal is here undercover on behalf of all mankind. All mankind, starting with their own sliver of it. Faustino is a spy for the space ark Darga, a Spacer ship. Spacers are the remnants of those who set out from Old Earth but never found their forever home. These surviving ships have since built dozens of new vessels, sending them off at greater speeds towards more distant worlds, or even other galaxies. Darga is one of these ships.  The Dargans are Survivalists, and believe that posthuman entities, such as the Tivoli Aggregate, are essentially alien gods. They are an overwhelming threat to humanity, unmoored from any sane limitations or beliefs.The Dargan Survivalists know (or think that they do) that any information that reaches the ‘gods’ can be sent back in time, potentially ruining thousands of years of human progress. This makes them very secretive and quite paranoid. Not being known is central to survival.  Faustino is the next step. Since birth they have been ...
Read more