The Toll of Deep

## Brief History and Ethos

The writings of the Royal Basin will teach you that in the days before the coming of the comet there were the old magics of the Skagriagaard and the Zoranethi, the Giant Kin and the Angelus. When the comet came it bought with it the first of the changes, the new magic, the source of magic; source magic. From source magic through the belief of others the three Gods of old were born: The first was Kalarin a goddess founded in the forges of War, battle goddess: The light of the Heavens. The next was Malice the made being created of spite and sin wickedness founded of one man's ambitions to rule the lands: The Dark One. The last was the balance, weaver of order and bringer of the peace, founded by need and necessity and a call for common ground: Tremalian the Grey. As they rose to the heavens so they gave Focus to the power of the Source. Focus Magic was created and so, powered by the belief of their followers and a pact made with Fae of Eidelos they prospered.

For many hundreds of years they ruled the heavens and the stories of their followers, the Angels and Archangels and indeed even the Gods themselves are many. Epic Legends when all powers strode the lands and did battle, causing so much devastation that the great Tharinos’ was called in which all powers were as equal and the Gods could be called to answer for their actions. Eventually however the eyes of Malice, inspired by the will of the Torakaylin family line, turned to the control of the lands of the Basin and beyond and it called upon its General Gabrak to lay waste to the other great churches in its name. It was in these great Pantheonic Wars that the Gods of this time were destroyed and the Gods that we know and venerate today where born.

This is the religious rhetoric that those Churches, The Clergy and the Pantheon of the last era's faiths are founded and provides a baptism of fire for eight of the nine faiths that walk the common path. Things are not so simple for we of the Church of the Kraken, a God who has been part of the pantheon for no longer than a handful of years, a God not risen by the hand of his followers. The story of the Kraken is not found in the Royal Basin, nor are his histories readily available to the burgeoning faith that is establishing its power along the Coasts of Iron Stone Bay. The truth of the origins of our powers are difficult to divine but fragments of our history do exist and it is through the knowledge of what has been passed down by our predecessors that we are able to continue with any direction during the infancy of our faith.

According to the teachings passed down from the Zoranethi the power of the Kraken was born into the world before the coming of the comet when the land was only human and they were divided into the Clans they call Earth Tribes. There were seven Tribes that lived upon the land but there was also one that lived upon the sea and they were the mightiest of the Tribes for they had mastered the brutality of the Sea and risen above the petty squabbles that followed the way of life on the land. This tribe were called the Zoranethi and even then in the days before the Gods the name that they gave to their Chieftain was Kraken, those that served the Kraken and had mastered the magics and the skill at arms were Reaper Seers, those that could glimpse the future through magics were the seers and the Krakens greatest warriors were Reapers. Already, through the teachings, we can see that in truth, the formation of the Church can be found thousands of years ago in a wisdom that has been lain down and never refuted.

The Zoranethi had called upon forces that were ancient to other worlds but new and proud and powerful in this and having seen their diligence and their purity the powers chose to teach the Kraken their arts and in turn he would teach them to his followers. The Lady of the Deep Blue Ocean taught the Zoranethi how to brew the most powerful potions that could heal the most horrific wounds or transform a dying body into a new and virile one. From the Angelus the Kraken received the Eye of Fate that allowed him to see great swathes of the future and guide his people fairly and accurately to greater things. The Zoranethi decided that it would be best if it shared this power with the Earth Tribes of the Land and came to the shores of these people to bring its gifts to those that dwelt there but in sorrow this almost led to their destruction.

The Earth Tribes were led by the blood fuelled and insane clan called the Skagriagaard. This group of chosen soldiers were owed a great debt by the people of the land for they had gone forth and battled a great enemy for them that could have destroyed their leader Skagridd but he had prevailed. The Skagriagaard, upon their return from battle, had seen that they were now the most powerful of the Tribes and had chosen to enslave the others; any who opposed their rules were mercilessly slain. When the Kraken bought his people to the shores of the land he saw the plight of the people and tried to aid and assist them but the wicked Skagriagaard brought their dark Blood Magics against the Zoranethi and there was a mighty battle. Whilst the Skagriagaard were victorious upon the land the Kraken bought the Oblivion of the Deep to their warriors that dared the Sea.

The Years passed and the Kraken came to ponder whether he would at any time be able to save the people of the land from themselves, for he had taken this burden upon his shoulders. Using the Eye of Fate he sought the moments that were to come and the outcome of his actions. According to the writings that we have discovered in ancient temples it is now that many of the scrolls of The Moon were written regarding the future of not only our people but also the outcomes of those that populate all of Daer Akmir. The futures that he saw wreathed devastation across the land; they prophesied the coming of the Comet, the rise of the Gods and the many wars that were to come but in none of them did he see the Zoranethi overcoming the ignorance of the folk of the land, at least not for many millennia. What afeared him the most was the coming great change that he saw among the mortals of the world, one that would see them changed into strange subservient beasts that would go on to serve the arrogant Skagriagaard in their feasting halls. Although, despite his power, he could not prevent what was to come he could, he decided, protect his people to an extent and so he put into action a plan that would see them come to greatness one day in the distant future.

As the Skagriagaard fled to their safe havens in the coming face of the Cataclysm that was to come so the Kraken placed many of his followers, those that are now us, safe below the world, a slumber until such time as he was ready to awaken. To those ready to carry their own burdens he offered a choice; remain unchanged by the coming darkness, become my followers truly, be as the drowned, undying, eternal and watch over your brethren the sleepers and when the time comes return to the deep and give them grace to awaken. So it was that the most faithful of the Reapers and the Seers and the Reaper Seers came together in one great ceremony under the Moon and gave the sleepers to the Mists and prepared themselves for eternity. It was in that night that the Zoranethi became the legend that they are now as, during the ceremony, they were betrayed by an unknown power from the beings called the House of the Moon and as the Comet came streaking through the sky they were transformed into not the heroes that would save us but the Undead Eaölfs that the histories revile.

Here the histories of the world must be consulted for we know little of the time of the Zoranethi any longer, we the writers of these words have slept through their corruption and we emerged untouched by their taint. The Zoranethi are known to have worked to help create the Daemons that we all fear so alongside the Kaytaar of legend. And yet it is known that they were forced and that their actions eventually led to the fall of that group. It is known that they worked alongside the Challengers of the Codex of War to bring a death to the world but that they eventually betrayed them causing its collapse. Their plan all along? It is known that they worked alongside the most wicked of the Fae in the form of the Gloamings but led them to their demise. Much of what they did may seem wicked and brutal but they were for sure lingering under a great curse and perhaps were at all times fighting that corruption. In truth they should be hailed as heroes for if they had not chosen to be eternal we would all have been as touched as they were and out fate sealed. Did the Kraken see that future but choose to keep it hidden? We can only assume that he did for the good of us all.

Throughout this time the Kraken was worshipped by the Zoranethi and his faith travelled to the Greater Teeth and to the shores of the Eastern Coast of Daer Akmir and perhaps as far North as Helgath. This preparation involved the building of many great temples to aspects of the world itself (Time, Fate and Knowledge for example), places that we still seek to this day. However we often clashed with what are now the Churches of the Day as our Undead Counterparts were persecuted, sought out and cut down. Indeed many of the floating islands that we used for transport were destroyed and all seemed lost. Then one day, when the world was ready the last of the Zoranethi were awoken from their slumber during the Tharinos of 2011ppw called from their rest by the Great and revered Fae Lord Plaguemantle. This is one of our Holiest Days and marks the rebirth of the faith that we now hold dear as the humans of that first tribe stepped into the light and received the gifts of the comet and became the Codex Eaölfs. It was here that the Kraken was first summoned to the assembly of the Gods at Tharinos and made his legendary address to the peoples of the lands, the Archangels of Soul Anchor and the Gods of Tharinos.

The Kraken was accepted, although the control of Fate was disputed by Bethylak and the mastery of the Sea by Terref. In the end she agreed to what was below the waves to fall to him and Bethylak agreed to moments to come if he gave up the Eye of fate an action that he agreed to. The Kraken accepted all restrictions placed upon him by the powers of the heavens, as one would expect and finally made his way into the Basanic Pantheon replacing the Devourer as the last of the Dusk Pantheon. This was the first day that the Toll of the Deep was recognised as an establishment and the offer made by the Silverlight family to build our first temple in the Port that was under their construction in the Ironstone Bay shelter of Silver Quays. From here the Faith has spread across the Royal Basin although it has not been without the burdens that are to be expected as much as the success that were foreseen.

In the early years of the Church the Zoranethi that had followed the Kraken for so long refused to end their watch and attempted to join the forming Clergy. For reasons that we can only presume are for their failure to comply to his wishes they were excommunicated and cast from their faith. Despite their removal and consequent declaration of hatred to the Toll the dogma of hatred towards the Kraken that they have instilled over the years is found in most societies, guilds and churches; something that we have yet to overcome. We have also had to battle against the jealousy of many of the followers of the faiths as they attempt to overcome the anger that they feel as we create new opportunities for ourselves and begin to spread our belief into areas that they control. Poverty, limited access to property, persecution and limited impact at Clergy meetings have been problematic however we have been accepted as the final Church of the Dusk and we have the power to go forward.

The more mainstream Churches have, over the years, developed new outlooks as they strive to meet the demands of the people that they serve. It has been a mainstream struggle between the old guard and the new thinkers and in recent years the new thinkers have won through. Whilst many would point to the actions of the old "Dark" Churches that brought us together it is clear that the new order of the Clergy: The Churches of Dawn, Day and Dusk would not have become prevalent had it not been for the Holy Order. The Dawn Churches, Yarrianne, Naed and Tiberius represent the dawn of life when we are fresh and full of life, naivety and energy. The Day; Bethylak, Terref and Ekimelahw, represents the middle of our lives when we have become wise and wealthy and live more ordered lives. The Dusk shows us as we approach the end of our lives, when our burdens have weighed heavily upon us, we are wearied and tired and death is but a corner away on our journey. This aspect of our faith is represented by the Churches of the Kraken, Notelexus and Rayvahn. Thus the coming together of the faiths has occurred and we hope that this unity will be reflected inwardly to all faiths that have shared a schism such as ours and that it will one day be for the best of us.

Despite adversity the Church has developed well enough in a short time and has formed under the leadership of our first Drowned Priest; Canoth. The mainstay of the Church remains Codex Eaölfs but the other races of the Basin are gathering to join them after many positive actions taken in the past few years: The Church of the Kraken has proven pivotal in the recent crisis that the Torakaylins put in place in Karrid Ren, as is rumoured to be the new home of the Clergy, providing assistance by one of our first Holy Warriors Strom Lowinbrow. Through the power of the faith thousands of souls were saved and returned to their rightful place. Equally that same worthy was responsible for the rise of our Angels and Archangels who have now processed in front to the Clergy and made their way to Soul Anchor to join the battle of the banners and properly administer the actions of the God and his followers. These are truly times of burden, hidden things and above all progress for the flock that serve the Oblivion of the Deep.

The Clergy have long been the ruling body and government of the faiths of the Royal Basin. At times it has been severely understaffed, particularly in the periods when the Churches of the Devourer, Notelexus and Rayvahn were left awash in the wilderness. In recent years the Clergy has been in constant debate and argument but in 2014 the decision was made to appoint a full head and re-establish the Azure Table to sit with the Golden Table of the Royal Basin. Initially the vote seemed likely to be in favour of Sebastian Blackthorn to rule the table in the name of the Church of Rayvahn but it was Yarriannes Mirelle Silverlight who won the majority vote and became the new leader of the Azure Table. Now the Azure Table/Clergy begin a time of rebuilding and unity that will bring a new and prosperous time for all faiths and a togetherness that we hope will endure a thousand years of Basanic life.

### Code of the Clergy and the Azure Table

* The Clergy stands above the individual churches with regards to the following issues:
* Ratification of any new Church Policy
* Ratification of any change in Church Dogma
* Ratification of any policy that crosses the Golden Table
* Expenditure of Azure Table Resources
* Identification and direction of Divine Law
* Interpretation of the words of the Gods at Tharinos

#### The Clergy expects

* Full respect to all other faiths that stand within the pantheon of Dawn, Day and Dusk
* The adherence to both Divine and Mortal Law
* To show adequate respect to the laws of the Clergy and the members of the Azure Table that uphold them.

#### Code of the Church of the Kraken

* The Church of the Kraken has long been persecuted and vilified it is our burden to accept the sins of our past and ensure that the future's way is paved with the truths that the Church represents.
* If a member of the faith comes to you with a weight that sits upon their shoulders then you must at one point help them with that burden but at the same time ensure that they are capable of bearing the burden for themselves.
* It is the duty of the Church to say the words of the dead for sailors lost at Sea in the duty of the Kraken. This duty in particular should never be ignored.
* Those that sail the seas are all the flock of the Kraken whether they realise it or not and should be treated with the respect that such a stalwart deserves at all times.
* The Zoranethi have been branded as traitors to the faith of the Kraken and are to be hunted down and exterminated at all times.
* The realm beneath the waves is much larger and full of more life than the lands above; it is our duty to continuously explore, understand and record the knowledge of that realm.
* Much of the lore of the Kraken has been lost to adversity and the past, the Krakens relics, artifacts and wisdom are our legacy and must be sought and recovered at all opportunities.

## The Deity - The Kraken -

**Deity:** The Kraken - The Oblivion of the Deep -

**Aliases:** Tzi Tzain: Krole, Zumatakan: Procuth, Lairdan-Gan: Prain, Yuirfarvallen: Stallakor, Iron Blood: Tir, Rock Hand:  Qule, Granite Heart: San Govor, Gnomish: Drauhn, Orcish: Tulven, Fae: Lord Codex

**Divine Seat:** The Bitter Reef

**Afterlives:** The Hidden Home, The Halls of the Drowned, Twilights Strength and Burdens Rest

**Foes:** The Zoranethi, The Kaytaar, Many Daemonic Houses, Many Tiberiusites, The Skagriagaard.

**Symbol:** A Seahorse with Shield and Spear

### Portfolios:

**Major**: The Realm Below the Sea, Moments to Come, The Moon and Burdens.

**Minor**: The Drowned, Sailors, Tides, Mists and Hidden Things

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 preprepared 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.

### From the Lore of the Walls of the Temple of Kalamone

*"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"*

## Archangels and Angels of Power

**Norvek**: Archangel of The Realm Below the Sea: Dealing with the fate of anything that dwells or ends up beneath the waves including vessels, life and offerings and how they affect the Krakens Realm. A Priest that has called upon Norvek to be their patron is responsible for calling to the powers and the greatest of the Krakens Realm, communicating with him directly and allowing the flock greater access to his powers

**Ol-Mahy**: Archangel of Moments to Come: Dealing with the power of reading the future that the prophecies of the fates may be attempted and the outcome of those futures. A Priest that has called upon Ol-Mahy to be their patron is responsible for interpreting fortunes and prophecies, granting visions of the future and assisting their flocks in understanding the will of their Gods and the foretelling granted to them.

**Blood Throat**: Archangel of The Drowned: Dealing with the passing over of all those that have drowned beneath the waters of the oceans and whether or not they will be returned to the realm above and their voice heard by their loved ones again. A Priest that has called upon Blood Throat to be their patron is responsible for those that drown beneath the waves of the Ocean and their passing on to their heavens. Equally the burdens of passing on that knowledge to their family members.

**Talayos**: Archangel of Sailors: Dealing with the prayers and fates of sailors, their journeys on the waters of the oceans, the gifts that they present to the Kraken and their returning favours. A Priest that has called upon Talayos to be their patron is responsible for the welfare and advancement of those folk that travel the oceans of the world in the name of the Kraken and those that leave behind.

**Maykhoss**: Angel of Tides: Dealing with the power of the tides on the vessels that traverse the oceans the power of the seas as they meet land and the hope of those towns that huddle along the coastlines in fear of the Ocean. A Priest that has called upon Maykhoss to be their patron is responsible for the spreading of the power and belief of the Kraken and to make sure that it is upon the crest of the flow of power within the Royal Basin. Quite literally the Ebb and flow of the Krakens Power.

**Aravosh**: Angel of The Moon: Dealing with power of the Moon on the race of the Codex Eaölfs, the secrets hidden by the Moon and its power over the Oceans. A Priest that has called upon Aravosh to be their patron is responsible for the knowledge that was once held by the Zoranethi and the wellbeing of the Codex Eaölfs and passing this information to their flock to ensure equality in all things.

**Soltedur**: Angel of Mists: Dealing with the voices hidden in mists, the concealing abilities of the Mist, the haunting nature of mists and the breath of many creatures from the deep. A Priest that has called upon Soltedur to be their patron breathes the breath of the Kraken and is responsible for concealing the flock of the Churches and the vessels that carry the Priests in times of need and distress.

**Daymoss**: Angel of Hidden Things: Dealing with both the seeking and recovery of and the placement so as not to be found of hidden things. A Priest that has called upon Daymoss to be their patron is driven by the will of the Kraken to seek that which is lost by the tenets of their faith and to protect and hide that which is most valuable to the Church and to their followers.

**Jurgen:** Angel of Burdens: Dealing with the taking on of burdens and seeing them through from their beginnings to their end and drawing strength from the experiences of carrying them. A Priest that has called upon Jurgen to be their patron is responsible for ensuring that the burdens of the Church are carried by its followers and that, equally, the burdens carried by the followers of the Church can be overcome and that those that are receive their reward.

## 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 Goddess Orgoora

**Known Powers** – That Which is lost, the light of the Moon and concealing mists

**Allied Powers** – The Kraken, Kazosh and Korvillian

*“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 Goddess Korvillian

**Known Powers** – Those that sail the seas and those that drowned

**Allied Powers** – The Kraken, Kazosh and Orgoora

*“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 Krakens Oceans to be utilised with greater ease.

The Holy Symbol of Korvillian is a skeletal Seahorse.

### The God Kazosh

**Known Powers** – Nightmares, the Sea, the Zoranethi and Blood Magic

**Allied Powers** – The Kraken, Korvillian and Orgoora

*“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 Power Kules Varth

**Known Powers:** Deep Denizens, Rebirth, Craft of the Sea, Ambition

**Allied Powers:** The Kraken, Korvillian, Loathar Urath

*“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

### Day to Day Activities

The Church are still in their infancy and perhaps the role of the bulk of their followers is still to be seen but there are strong leaders that have risen up to lead the way of those below them. The hierarchy of Priests is reasonably unchanged from the times of old, at least the names are the same: The Church is led by the Seers who are purely the spiritual arm of the Church, relying mainly on the power of their belief and the protection of their Reapers, they rarely utilise mortal tools to defend themselves and drive the faith forward. Seers are few, very few in number and find their support among the much more numerous Reaper Seers; trained in the arts of combat and the Focus arts they are without the purity of the Seers but more than capable as Krakenites. Finally the Reapers are the Holy Warriors of the faith and though there are but a handful they are powerful indeed and many consider their power borne from the Mantic skills of the Kraken himself.

The Church have many responsibilities that they are still finding their way with that favour both the priestly and the municipal parts of their functionality as a body. Many Krakenite facilities can be found in boatyards or associated buildings and many of the priests either come from those walks of life or are, by proxy, obliged to learn them. As such Krakenites are often involved in the creation of sea going vessels, their blessing and the training of those that would sail in them. This is a source of respect and income for the Oblivion and is a priority task for the followers it is often coupled with the Priests observations over these vessels, speaking of their moments to come and when best those that sail upon them would want to make wills or perhaps when best to invest in transportable goods, again this comes for a fee.

In a more sedentary role, for there are so few Krakenites, those that wander the lands and the sea are given the task of seeking the hidden things of the world, particularly those lost to the God. Their return to the Seers is of great importance to the faith as is the wellbeing of those souls that enter the realm of the Kraken. Prayers for the drowned and insuring that their immortal soul reaches the appropriate place in the heavens is a difficult burden for the Priests to undertake. Many souls become lost in the realm below and the followers of the Oblivion and for those that seek them it is a dangerous journey that is taken, spiritually upon a Ketch with room for the Priest and the soul that they are to return.

### Holy Days

It has been a busy time for the followers of the Kraken since their God rose to prominence and they have marked their calendar with several powerful days that are celebrated with usual Krakenite sombreness.

**The Call of the Deep** - This is the day that the Kraken rose to power and is celebrated each year in the individual places of power across the Royal Basin and the Greater Teeth. Those Priests will come together and join in a prayer of thanks for the gifts that the Kraken has given them. They then take voyage in their Krakens Ketch out into the harbours or deeper waters of the Sea with offerings that they have collected over the year to give to the Kraken. At this time they will accept a burden from the Church that they are expected to have carried to its conclusion, those that succeed are supposed to receive visions from the Kraken at this time. Often this ceremony is marked by the Krakenites wearing the clothes of those that have drowned and takes place on the twenty fifth day of Sunsdusk.
**The Lighting of Lanterns** - This day marks the moment that the Angels and the Archangels rose from the depths in a great ceremony in which over a hundred followers of the Kraken were drowned to give faith to them. They came forward carrying great storm lanterns on long moor poles and gave their voices to the choir of the heavens. This action took place on the twenty fourth day of Earthwane in the year Quintus IV (2014ppw) and at the time of this writing has yet to have the parameters of the Holy Day organised.

### Major Centers of Worship

In the time of the Zoranethi very, very powerful temples to the Kraken were built, according to our lore, atop some of the strongest crossing points of Ley Lines in all of Vaklam. The secrets of these locations are lost to us along with the location of the floating islands and whatever other edifice the Zoranethi constructed for over three thousand years in his name. We are aware that the Zoranethi are reported to have had a vast Empire that spanned parts of the oceans and the lands that are unmapped, uncharted by the Royal Basin but we have yet to learn of them. Of all of the ancient strongholds we only know of one that has survived and that is the home of the Holy Temple of the Azure Order in the Great Desert where one of the original Zoranethi, somehow, still worships the God to this day.
Since his rise the Church has not been idle and we have chosen as our Holy Buildings boathouses, shipyards and the like that will serve both the God and our Faith as its basis of strength for years to come. The major home for this power can be found in Silver Quays where, under the auspice of the Silverlight family, we have been gifted the rights to build and to prosper. Equally in the great edifice that is Karrid Ren a great wing dedicated to the Kraken has been constructed and is currently the home of the Drowned Priest of the Faith. Finally each Priest is expected to construct a Ketch (a small two masted vessel) of the Kraken that is to be their Holy place upon the sea. Traditionally these ketches have room for the Priest, one other soul and all of the burdens that they both carry.

### Priestly Vestments

The traditional garb of the Church of the Kraken is of the poorest material; hempen or sack cloth robes and hoods tied with string belts at the waist. Only the Holy Symbols of the Kraken are allowed to be well crafted and defined at these times. Generally a Krakenite will wear sensible clothing designed to work in or to sail in when not at worship. The Clergy have demanded that the faith designs a more suitable attire for wearing at important functions and ceremonies but so far the suggestion of the clothing of the drowned has been deemed distasteful. Undoubtedly as time passes the attire of the standard Krakenite will develop.

### Church Leaders

The Church is still developing; the traditions are being assembled but the role of High Priest or Drowned Priest has been established. The most pious of the faith was determined to be a Codex Eaölf, Canoth, who was drowned in the shallow waters of Silver Quay in the latter part of the year two thousand and thirteen. Giving his life to the Kraken it was returned to him by his own followers and he was given reverence to the first Drowned Seer:

**Canoth - Archimandrite -**
**Race**: Codes Eaolf

#### Background

According to the teachings passed down from the Zoranethi the power of the Kraken was born into the world before the coming of the comet when the land was only human and they were divided into the Clans they call Earth Tribes. There were seven Tribes that lived upon the land but there was also one that lived upon the sea and they were the mightiest of the Tribes for they had mastered the brutality of the Sea and risen above the petty squabbles that followed the way of life on the land. This tribe were called the Zoranethi and even then in the days before the Gods the name that they gave to their Chieftain was Kraken, those that served the Kraken and had mastered the magics and the skill at arms were Reaper Seers, those that could glimpse the future through magics were the seers and the Krakens greatest warriors were Reapers. Already, through the teachings, we can see that in truth, the formation of the Church can be found thousands of years ago in a wisdom that has been lain down and never refuted.

The Zoranethi had called upon forces that were ancient to other worlds but new and proud and powerful in this and having seen their diligence and their purity the powers chose to teach the Kraken their arts and in turn he would teach them to his followers. The Lady of the Deep Blue Ocean taught the Zoranethi how to brew the most powerful potions that could heal the most horrific wounds or transform a dying body into a new and virile one. From the Angelus the Kraken received the Eye of Fate that allowed him to see great swathes of the future and guide his people fairly and accurately to greater things. The Zoranethi decided that it would be best if it shared this power with the Earth Tribes of the Land and came to the shores of these people to bring its gifts to those that dwelt there but in sorrow this almost led to their destruction.

Canoth was born as a human approximately thirty years before the great ceremony of the Zoranethi and placed into slumber by the will of our Lord the Kraken. He served his time as an alchemist and acolyte to the Great Reaper Seers of the temples until the call to enter stasis occurred. After that he slumbered along with the rest of his kind for thousands of years and dreamt the dreams of the Kraken, whilst other Priests speak of comfortable sleep and kindly dreams he speaks of violent portents and dangerous foretelling. These dreams and nightmares still plague him, long after his indentured sleep, but he will not speak of the truths that he holds to in his twilight hours.

When the Eaölfs were awoken he was one of the first to gaze upon the world and feel the sun once more upon his face. He was greeted by the Lord Plaguemantle who led us from our slumber and still holds a great deal of respect for the Faes council. Since the Church rose he has been at the helm in one way or another, foresight and intelligence have married to make a great wisdom inside the Eaölf but he is not used to the world in which he lives. The Basanic society that has developed in the last two thousand years has made him feel vulnerable and naive whilst the development of trade to require money rather than a barter system has placed his church in a vastly weakened position. However Canoth is hard working and willing to learn.

He did not waste his first four years and despite opposition by the Church of Terref and to some extent the Church of Tiberius he has developed strong ties with the Clergy. He forged early friendships with the Church of Naed, who would protect his peoples freedoms and the interests of his Church and cultivated the respect of the other Churches of the Dusk whose pantheon he would be speaking for. In those four short years his faith grew quickly in numbers and he moved his own home to Karrid Ren in order to more closely have the ear of the Clergy and to seem willing to obey their tenets. However he expressed a great need to lead not only the Church but his people which has led to their being some questioning of his intentions. Not from within the Oblivions faith but by the Terrefian voices that sought to undermine the system.

The clergy of mid 2014, using Terrefian voices of their own, managed to end the corruption of their Church and involvement with the Church of the Kraken and Canoth began to open negotiations with them via the Clergy. Canoth began to grow as a person, up until this point he had been working his way through the ranks of his own faith. He had managed to make the position of Quartermaster but other Priests were overtaking him, ones that he considered more meritous and yet he had not promoted himself above them. Canoth was used to being part of a larger organisation that looked after the various members of it and in the Clergy, now that he was meeting less resistance, he found faith and he found backing.

Now feeling comfortable and secure he took on the role of Archimandrite and began to experiment with the doctrine of his people. No-one had set down the laws of the God before and he took to the role of shaping his church with the help of the Priests in Karrid Ren. Then disaster struck for the neophyte Church Leader when, without any warning or seeming reason the then Primus Mirelle Silverlight disolved the Clergy and left Canoth feeling abandoned and without hope. The Church of the Kraken began to fall into decline but then in late 2015 Karrid Ren gained a new occupant called Sennig and Canoth found his way again.

Sennig has helped Canoth gain some level of stability and dignity whilst guiding him through the never ending changes that are faced by the Clergy on a month to month basis. Together they have gathered the priests of various faiths, during the absence of the clergy, to talk, debate and discuss the ethics and direction of the Church of the Kraken. Canoth has gained a lot of wisdom from Sennig and is set heavily on the path of the Focus and Gatestone and in fact ensured that it was one of the faith of the Kraken that enjoyed the first draft of the new prophecy bringing draft. Canoth is very proud of the fact that he is considered by many to be among, if not the, first disciple of Sennig and that he has been pivotal in the development of what is thought to be the future of the faiths by those in Karrid Ren.

He has caused some consternation in his support of the Eleven citing his own churches alienation at the start of its career. His thinking is still very out of time and he cannot help but try and support the underdog. His views have gained great support among the Followers of The Focus and his sympathies are becoming their sympathies. The whole of Karrid Ren looks like they are with Canoth and he sees a future for the Krakenite faith here. The removal of the power of the Clergy and yet more changes to how things are run since the death of Abraham Wingates has further made him disillusioned with the way that things seem to be done and he is giving serious consideration to leading the Church away from this arrangement. For the moment he stays where as he does not want to rock the boat but that is all.

### Articles of Faith

As a Krakenite there are some clear guidelines that are to be followed; as a Holy Warrior or Reaper you should follow the code below. This code is the guidance by which you set examples to the world that you strive to protect, a Reaper is the shining example of the faith, one who is given great power by the Oblivion and to break their tenets would be to break favour with the deity and lose not only the power that he has gifted but more, the very purity of their souls. Following these tenets are a guideline to how piety works and how.

#### Tenets of the Reapers

* You will preserve the Church of The Kraken and his tenets, bowing to those Pure of Faith and obeying his enlightened in all things.

* You will seek actively for the secrets of the Kraken should it not interfere with your duties to the Oblivion, the flock that it protects or the Kingdom that it serves. Should you find information pertaining to the location of such items you will pursue them at the first opportunity.

* You will seek and destroy the Zoranethi, enemies of the faith of the Kraken, at all costs, you must not leave them to prosper; like weeds they will return until their roots have been destroyed.

* You are responsible for anything that the Church is given to protect and hide from the world; should such a burden be placed upon you that secret and that which it protects is yours to defend.

* You are the voice of the drowned; if at any ceremony that calls them forward they have tasks left undone it is your burden to complete them. A Seer or Reaper Seer will bless the tasks if they are deemed worthy of the Kraken.

* You will aid and assist those that sail upon the waters of the Oceans and the Oceans only. You will bless their journeys if the tithes be paid and seek any vessel blessed by the Kraken to discover its fate should it not return.

* Any prophecy written under the Moon is the correct way of moments to come and will be well interpreted and obeyed.

* You are the tide upon the land, the tide represents the change in things, the spread of the sea and the strength that we exert upon the land. As the tide you will continue to spread our influence and power and build a strength that we can find succour from.

* You will accept any burden that is placed upon you without complaint and carry it, however some burdens may be cast aside if they have no power to strengthen you by seeing them through unto their end. Any Seer of Reaper Seer can absolve you of the burdens that you carry.

* You will make an offering of worth the Kraken each time you cross or enter his domain.