Shao Kong

“*Natural harmony is a lie- I exist*.”- Shao Kong

Some gods create, spread the faith of their words to better their followers, erect temples and monuments and speak scripture for their people to follow- Shao Kong is not one of those gods. Fury has existed for as long as the natural world has and his words are as fundamental to life as birth and death. Where things exist there will be conflict. Diplomacy is unnatural and peace is a product of labor and sacrifice. The natural state of the world is one of blood and bone- severed limbs and crushed organs. Strength rules the land, the sea, and the sky above, and all of it bows to Shao Kong. Though bowing will yield them nothing- the Beast of Blood and Bone desires it naught- he wants nothing- he simply fights.

He fights against everything, especially when any one force within existence becomes too strong. He’s been known as a force of nature that lashes out against anything that threatens to disrupt the even conflict of existence. The more forces that remain equal in power along the axis of alignments the more conflict there is. He fights to maintain conflict itself without preserving any one side.

He needs not create miracles or spread the word of his domains for his presence to be felt. Whenever a bird rips a fish from the lake, or predator chases prey, the truth of his dominance reigns supreme. The adrenaline of combat and the fight for survival belong to him- and whenever they’re felt you might as well be pumping the blood of The Savage One through your veins. He needs no temples for all the natural world is his cathedral. Slaughter is his ceremony, blood his wine, marrow and flesh his feast- and everyone hungers.

The followers of Shao Kong must look to the natural world to find his teachings. They must observe the struggle for survival- and would do best to live it as much as they can. His followers tend to leave society behind in favor of a life where they “feel alive” as opposed to the slow stagnation and suffocation of the peace of society. When the world fell behind and the great Calamity ruined the land many were left without the guidance and skills to survive. Yet life went on and the fight for survival was never more clearly shown as the one truth above all others more than then. Since the recent reclamation of the land and the rebuilding of stability his followers have wavered- yet many attempt to bring his teachings back to society- though their effectiveness is often diminished in favor of peace and harmony. It’s only a matter of time before the weakness rots them from within and they’re forced to pay the price that nature demands. There is no substitute for strength.

Rocs hold a special place as his own creations. The vicious birds represent his wrath and fury in the purest context as predators of the sky- winged kings that always hunt in pairs to strike down the foes of Shao Kong. They appear above battlefields and are seen as signs of a fortress falling or as an ill omen for whoever is favored to win a conflict. Tribal chiefs often view a headdress of roc feathers as a necessity when waging a war for survival against another tribe. It is best to watch the skies and listen for the war god's call.