Brekendahl

The patron God of Breoa is a sailor. Brekendahl loves the waves. On his ship made of whale bone he sails the sea of Glass. Legend says that Brekendahl is looking for something on the sea but has never told anybody, not even his Saints, what he searches for out on the waveless sea. When Brekendahl appears he usually takes the form of an olive skinned man in his early forties. He has a thick beard the color of tar with sand loose within its knotted cyclone. An eye patch, made of whale skin, covers his right eye. The god is adorned with the bones of sea serpents. Brekendahl wears a crown made of shark’s teeth which is said to be able to predict the weather. The god also always appears with his trusty battle axe, Whirlpool. Eye witnesses have said that the axe floats in water, can call down bolts of green lightning from the sky, and a mere touch of its magical steel can freeze a man solid.

Worshippers

Brekendahl is boastful. He loves celebrating his many deeds and therefore loves nothing more than a loyal worshiper. Shrines, temples, and cathedrals dedicated to Brekendahl can be found across Breoa. It is tradition that a new Jarl builds one of these worshiping centers to Brekendahl to gain his favor as their new reign begins. This has varying levels of effectiveness but the tradition still persists to this day.

The god also encourages his followers to gain power. He routinely anoints many clerics, paladins, and even some warlocks (although they are kept a secret from the public). This has the unfortunate side effect of Brekendahl’s power being heavily split. Few of his clerics ever cast a spell higher than second level, even after years of training. The effort, skill, and favor needed to gather more of Brekendahl’s limited power is immense.

This has led to some worshipers of Brekendahl, known as the Dark Wolves, hunting down other followers. After killing one, they take that follower’s power. This has not gone unnoticed by Brekendahl but the god is hesitant to stop them. A Dark Wolf is usually an extremely talented individual and if they dedicate their life to raiding or helping the citizens of Breoa, Brekendahl reasons that perhaps they are more deserving of his power. Although the situation is tense, many watch to see how the inevitable disaster will unfold.

Relationships

In summary, almost all the other Material Gods of Ramesh hate Brekendahl. However, for many decades, the god has simply not cared. His country of Breoa is, in his own words, a frozen hellscape. Even the imperialist nation of Zell refuses an invasion attempt. The estimated number of casualties was thought to be too high.

But now, the political winds across Ramesh shift with the rise of the Lotus Mother. Arket now pushes the other nations to hold onto their power. With this new danger comes an even deeper hatred of Breoa’s already pressing raids. Thoughts begin to swirl about ending the Breoan threat once and for all.

After generations, Brekendahl and the nation of Breoa is finally looking for allies.

History

Brekendahl was said to have been born thirty years before the fall of the Republic. During his early life, Brekendahl sailed along the coast of modern day Breoa raiding. However, over time, he came to love the people and the land. At the time, warlords ruled over much of the area. Over the course of ten years, Brekendahl set out on his quest to defeat the warlords of the frozen lands and unite the people under one banner. Progress was slow for the man. Despite besting many warlords in battle, for every one he slew, two more arose from the chaos. Eventually, from his capital city of Razzia, Brekendahl began projecting power across the region. Brekendahl married the daughter of a warlord who bent the knee to him. This warlord became the first Jarl from clan Haukr. The daughter, named Breoa, became the love of Brekendahl’s life. Eventually the man would name his entire kingdom after her.

However, right after the fall of the Republic, the local warlords began to get nervous. With such a seismic shift happening in the world, they became concerned about their own holdings. One moment of weakness and Brekendahl’s raiders would be knocking at their doors. Therefore one warlord, known only now as the Serpent, convinced the other warlords they needed an ally. Out onto the sea they sailed before coming across their quarry, a kraken. They pledged their loyalty to the beast in exchange for its help in killing Brekendahl. The kraken agreed but only if the warlords made pacts with it. With more convincing from the serpent, the warlords agreed. It was then that all became warlocks of the Kraken. The Serpent snuck into Brekendahl’s palace one night, a year and a day after the bargain was struck. In the darkness, he kidnapped Breoa. As he fled out to sea, Brekendahl awoke and began to give chase to the warlock. The warlock ran across the surface of the water as Brekendahl rowed a boat behind.

Then, as the water became deep, the Kraken surfaced from the depths. However, despite all seeming lost, Brekendahl raised his mighty axe and lept at the beast. Only two accounts were ever documented about what happened next. They came from Breoa and the Serpent. Both say that Brekendahl fought like an animal. For every strike the Kraken delivered, Brekendahl returned two more. While the details are unclear, a few things are known. One, the Kraken eventually drowned the mortal beneath the waves. Two, in this moment, Brekendahl’s body drew in the aether of the surrounding sea and he ascended to godhood. Three, after cutting out the Kraken’s right eye, the beast escaped Brekendahl along with the Serpent.

Now divine, Brekendahl carried Breoa back to the palace. With the Kraken defeated, the warlocks fled Breoa, unable to fight Brekendahl. Now a god, Brekendahl established his new nation. For the last seven-hundred years, Breoa has continued to stand. Yet, the old enemy is not dead. Sailors will tell you the Kraken still lives. It hunts in the Northern Sea, near the edge of the ring, and takes ships who have lost their way. The warlocks remain alive too, many twisted by the Kraken’s magic to extend their lifespans far past what is natural. They all continue to plot against Brekendahl and seek to make Breoa their own once again.