The Fire God

Gor is father to the Goran race. All breeds of Gorans can trace their bloodline to him. Scholars argue on his exact nature in the formation of the Goran nation but what is clear is he held sovereign control of it for the last thousand years.

   Those foreign to the nation claim Gor is but another Immortal using fire as a trick, but Goran disagree. Gor has been known to lead armies into battle while covered in flame. He burns the corrupted as he stands in the effigy flames with them and drinks exclusively Fire Breath admittedly sweetened with honey.

As if to make a point of his patron element, Gor sleeps on a molten throne. At all hours rotating staff from all sections of Goran government follow Gor. Officially, his word is law and they are merely trying to listen but conversation does go two ways. The Moulders closely monitor his physiology weighing and testing him. Long ago, Gor ordered an edict that they were to train him to be the strongest in the nation. Seeing as all Titans and many Uroks still can outclass him in raw muscle, he has not reached his goal and therefore must continue the training. The Mini Light discuses matters of justice giving him the specifics on any and all unusual cases. Gor casts judgment and they use his word as basis for all future judgments. A representative of the Right Arm of Gor is always present, giving updates and taking commands back to the battlefield.

## **Combat**

> *“Look at that fat one; at least his shoulders are safe!... Why are they lighting him on fire?”* -Ashed mercenaries at what is now a Necropolis State
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Although rare, Gor can be seen in battle. All historically recorded battles that Gor has participated in were with overwhelming Goran forces and advantageous conditions. Laughably top heavy, Gor resembles a juggernaut from the shoulders up while leaving his body open to attack. In combat, the only armor Gor dons is an unusually large helmet and oversized pauldrons, both of which are attached to a metal chest harness that has been forged directly to his body. Ashed mercenaries have been known to mock this choice of armor due to its poor combat design, lack of viability, and what it limits in dexterity. Gor purposely designed this armor to prevent one thing, the ability for the enemy to knock him out. His Immortal physiology will prevent all wounds but, if the enemy can disable him then he will likely be captured. Gor wields the massive war hammer Purge.

## **Purge**

The Heart of the World was refined into a ultra dense metal and put into a massive warhammer. It is believed that his warhammer weighs over 500 lbs. Without the touch of flame the hammer holds an ever present heat. Gor has said that Purge posesses the wrath of the True God and none other then himself are worthy or wielding it. Only an immortal can safly use the hammer. Not only does it destroy the spines of the mortals that attempt to wield it mutates their bodies. Foes and friends merely exposed the might of purge die within 60 days. Purge is transported within a lead linned cart directly to the field. Mortals are warned to not even gaze upon Purge or risk death.

## **Appearance**

On first sight all can tell this man is father of the Goran race. Clear of all hair one can clearly see overly-developed facial muscles and wrinkle lines as if one were to stare into the sun all day for a lifetime. His skin looks like a Broken Kingdoms tourist to Tradepass Isle after a day in the sun. His body resembles an overly-muscled, overweight, short Urok, standing merely 6 foot in hight.

## **Immortal Freeing**

“A hundred thousand may die to see the freedom of but one Immortal. They can repay that debt a hundred thousand times.” - Gor, God of Fire

Far from the actions of many Immortal nations, Gorans actively seek freedom for Immortals. In times past before the rule of the Fire God, when the Goran tribes came across an Immortal, this was not true. The Gorans once were among the most malicious to Immortals, imprisoning them in embarrassing or torturous conditions. The Fire God was but one of many of the Immortals captured and punished in this way. Thanks to devout followers of the Fire God, he was freed and eventually took rule of the nation. During the Revolution of Fire, the Fire God, now Gor, traveled to all previously-occupied Goran territory freeing any Immortal that may have been imprisoned. Those who did not support Gor's rule were punished in the exact same manner that the Immortals were punished. Regions without imprisoned Immortals were purified by flame, the punishment the Fire God was forced to endure. To this day, the Broken Chain acts to free any and all Immortals in the world.

## **History**

### Crafting the Mold

No records or accounts are available for how Red came to this world, only those of the impacts he left upon it. The land was desolate. A series of sharp mountains divided the land. In the times long before the rise of civilization, Red made contact with a group of nomadic humans with sloped, wide brows, wide, flared noses, thick, full facial hair, pale skin, and short limbs. After some time, they learned to accept him and even follow. Red was able to create fire, which frightened his new fellow tribesmen. The lands were sparse and cold. Desperate for food, the tribe hunted down a race of ape that lived in a dwindling section of the forest. Red's immortal body gave the tribe advantage, however, numbers of tribesmen were lost. Some young apes hid in the nests of the now-fallen adults. Red held pity on the small creatures. Acting in contrary to the views of the fellow tribesmen, Red took in the young apes. As the tribe traveled, Red planted all seeds of fruit and berry bearing plants encountered. Sapling trees were tied to branches to give them support as to survive the early years. Growing fond of his tribe, Red had children with them. The apes grew eventually grew strong. On occasion, they took to having tribesmen mounted on them to negotiate difficult terrain. After some time, the tribesmen learned Red's language. In their newly acquired tongue, Red explain how to breed the apes for use. Only the most submissive and useful apes were given breeding rights. The overly hostile ones were euthanized. Through passage of time, the tribe grew large. The tribe divided into many smaller groups to better scavenge. Unable to grow older, Red watched as his own children left to pursue their own lives and survive another day.

When the trees and bushes begat fruit and flowers bloomed, other tribes saw the new-found fertility of what later became the Red land. A well-traveled tribe that was covered in mysterious markings eventually encroached on the land of flowers and fruit. The marked ones were the first to draw blood. With signals of smoke, Red summoned his tribe and was able to push the invaders back through a natural mountain pass. All tribal leaders selected a location in the north at which to rally if the land was ever invaded again. When the marked ones had passed, Red sent his tribe away as he began to move stone. Each tribe of Red's returned in time to examine his work. The divide was slowly filled and a guardian Red stood watch to protect his land and his children.

As the land grew more fertile, the challenge of hunting and gathering began to fade. The various tribes in their visits with the eternally young Red would leave the ill, the weak, the children, and the elderly, as they all had known Red. Many had him as an ancestor. Red understood how to care for them better than any others of the tribes. Trees were eventually harvested and used to build permanent structures in this divide. Tribal custom eventually became to leave all non-hunter-gatherers at the divide.

### Rise of the Apprentice

As the cycles continued, some tribes would return less and less often. Others outright stopped coming to the pass in the mountain. Red could feel the need for his tribe to have a leader that lived in the land with them, that guided them in the fields. Of the youths that lived in the village Nathol stood taller than the rest. One could easily tell he was very intelligent, however he had an aggressive streak, fighting other children to prove he was greater than them. More than once, Red had to intervene to keep the peace. Red sympathized with him; when Red was young, he was aggressive too. This may just be some of Red's bad blood stirring aggression in an otherwise peaceful people. With rage came power. With power one can rule. Red trained Nathol, telling him to never hold back. The world would never hold back with him. Education was one of Red's greater focuses, paying particular emphasis on animal husbandry and how it can change a creature over time, breeding for traits desired and not allowing the undesirable to breed or, worse, kill them. Using the apes as an example, Red was able to show how they have become more docile. Nathol learned well and was surprisingly able to produce ideas that Red had never thought of. With Nathol at Red's side, the tribes would be united again.

After some time Nathol returned with a group of ape riders. The riders were the leaders of the splinter tribes of Red's people. Nathol grew strong. He had developed wrinkles and scars that come with age. Nathol rode to Red and demanded that he be the sole ruler. He claimed Red had grown distant from the tribe, that Red could no longer meet the needs of the tribe because of this obsession with the wall. With the resources that Red sat on, Nathol said he could have built a powerful tribe that could rule all of the land. With an army of ape riders at his back, Nathol made a strong case. Red was ferocious about this child questioning his right to rule his own people. Many of the men surrounding Nathol were once children he raised in the village or even children or grandchildren of his own. He was using them to assert dominance on Red. In a moment of pride, Red challenged Nathol. Red claimed that Nathol was but a baby in comparison to him. His knowledge in no way could compare to his own. Only the most powerful should rule to the tribe. If Nathol was not mentally superior to Red, then to rule he must be physically superior. Only the strongest can lead the tribe. If Nathol was too weak to slay Red then he could not rule. Allowing his arrogance to get the better of him Red, toyed with Nathol, physically exausting him while beating him in the process. It was an act to show the tribesmen that Red was more powerful than them all. Red could not muster the strength to kill him. In Red's eye Nathol was his child gone corrupt. When broken and beaten, Red threw Nathol over the wall and exiled him. The riders swore their loyalty to Red and rode back to their respective tribes.

### Day of Fire

Years later, on a day that would forever be marked in history, the land began to tremble. No member of the tribe could react as molten stone began to rain down. The divide that once protected Red's people now functioned to siphon all this liquid stone to the village. It only took moments for Red and his people to be consumed by the molten stone. Red felt the massive pressure and heat but was still unable to die. The stone consumed Red; even his lungs were filled with stone. After days of attempting to move, Red succumbed to his fate. His eternity will now be a prison of stone.

What had become a familiar pain of desperate thirst and hunger was Red's sole companion. Time began to degrade his eternal body. His muscles shrank as they adapted to his pathetic condition. Somehow, the screams of his people never left him. In a nightmare, Red began to thrash, which loosened a stone. A small change, but a change in what Red thought to be his new prison. Red continued to slowly chip away at the stone. Clawing away with his unbreakable hand at the ever softening stone, Red earned his freedom. Finally, at the surface, his body begged for air that it was denied for so long. Air still did not come. His lungs had been filled with gravel, soot, and solid stone. The best his frail body could carry was a few steps followed by falling unconscious. Red traveled north very slowly. If any of his children were left alive, surely it would be at the rally point. Red found only the bodies of his kin and a few marked tribesmen. It appeared as if the Marked Ones used the time of weakness and confusion to ambush his people. Red knew his body was too frail to fight and, if captured, a prison made by man may be able to hold him longer than that of stone. Red knew in his heart the right thing to do would be to seek revenge and kill the Marked Ones. Too much fear was in Red's heart. They could turn his eternal existence into torture. In Red's eyes, there is no worse fate.

A mere husk of his former self, Red limped north. Thoughts of those he failed kept his mind drowned in depression. Unable to forgive himself, Red attempted suicide many times on his personal death march north. Unfortunately his body continued to prove eternal. All the attempts did was begin to dislodge or crush the stone still inside his chest. Even then the majority of the stone remained firm.

### The Tribe of Flame

The jungles grew thicker and land wetter. Encountering a group of smaller, brown-skinned people, Red felt joy that he had not experienced since the loss of his own tribesmen. They were very primitive, not unlike the group he first met in this world. Overcome with the need to hear another human's voice, Red approached the humanoids. This tribe had already discovered the miracle of flame and made good use of it. In an act of self-defense of his people, a larger tribesman brandished a flaming stick at Red. Knowing all too well the kiss of flames, Red grabbed the branch by the flames and winced at the pain. The tribe took this as an omen and escaped. Left alone with nothing but the flame Red contemplated his eternal existence, until sunrise when he woke he discovered what appeared to be offerings around him and a woman with a painted face. Before he could act, she left. Not sharing a language, Red took this as a sign and followed. She led him to a primitive village at the base of a mountain. There, she pointed to the fire and back to him. His hand twitched as he realized what she was gesturing. Although Red's body could not burn, it in no way dampened his sensation of burning. Red approached the flame and touched it as he had done before. The villagers fell to their knees. The painted woman walked over to Red. In one unexpected motion she pushed him onto the flame. His body still weak, he could not resist. Seated in the fire, Red looked back to see the painted woman also kneeling. Casually yet desperately, Red left the flame.

Life returned to what Red would consider normal. As his fellow tribesmen were always impressed with his mastery of flame, Red took a role that related to it. Red had always been interested in the shaping of metals and the need for it was quite evident. The beasts of the jungle had grown strong and plentiful. A small foundry was crafted. Red took to mining the local mountains on his own. On occasion, a helpful villager would assist him. Red made an effort learn their language, however remaining mute. As always, Red had a weakness for women. In what he would consider no time at all, Red could see evidence of his bloodline throughout the tribe. Making all efforts to stay out of politics, as it may have been Red's leadership that lead to the deaths of his former people, Red consumed his life at the forge. The village was always overjoyed to see him shape metal with bare hands. Red had unknowingly taken position in a small pantheon that consisted of animals, natural elements and himself. Surrounding villages shared similar beliefs. Red seemed to drive a stone-age based pilgrimage to his forge. A shaman was never too far away from him, each one attempting to extract divine lore from Red. With ash, gravel, and stones baring his airway, Red could not deny his divinity, nor did he seek to. Red enjoyed having the status. The people enjoyed having a token of worship. It consequently made Red's life simple when he decided to take on mates. The forge eventually took up as much as one third of the entire town. People of many tribes sought out Red to learn the ways of shaping metals. Life was finally stable.

### Reunion of Blood

One morning, invaders took the town. The invaders were disturbingly familiar. They were red haired, had thick, full facial hair, pale skin, short limbs, rode apes, and bore unusual makings. They were Red's people and not at the same time. A man larger than the rest and covered head-to-toe in these makings dismounted his ape and declared himself Gor, owner of this land in Red's original language. With a gesture, multiple warriors were sent to Red, stone blades put to his throat. Gor declared that they test him. The blades were pushed into the flesh merely to glance off or chip. Gor smiled, announcing to his men that they had captured the Great Betrayer, killer of women and children. Red was shackled in his own foundry, waist deep in liquid metal. Red was still unable to speak to deny their claims. This was it. Final eternal punishment for his failure to protect his people. Red never forgot the screams. Helpless, Red was forced to watch his old people enslave his new. The new were forced to operate the forge to punish the heresy of worshiping Red. Eternal pain was Red's life: mental, physical and emotional pain.

The faithful never stopped prayers to their god of flame. Red could watch the twisted ways of the invaders. They captured and bred his people in the exact way he taught them to domesticate animals. Marks were etched into their backs same as the Marked Ones. Leaders from foreign lands were placed to keep order. When the patrols were less active, his people approach him and told him their prayers. On occasion they were punished before him for this. He sat on his molten throne with glossy eyes but alive. They do not feed him but, he lives. Red escaped from this pain in his mind. Unable to sleep or eat, the overwhelming pain always pressing on him, Red began to truly believe in the faith of his people. He was no monster; he was a god, a god that was set forth to protect his people.

### Apprentice named Gor

Many years later, the rule of Gor was in question. Multiple religions had formed in the south. The largest religion was built on the original Gor. When the tribes were small and scattered, little food grew. The beasts had been hunted until they were gone. Marked One elders spoke of a land with many plants and animals. All one must do is go to the pass in great mountains. There, a monster lived. No matter how many years passed, the monster was at the pass and stopped all those who sought to enter the land of food. A man appeared one day to the people under the mountain’s shadow. He knew more than most elders and learned the language of the people. One day a neighboring tribe attacked the Marked Ones. The man was able to defeat them with ease. When they accepted him as one of their own they performed a ritual of cutting him and placing soot in the wound. A king was made and he was given the name Gor. This was the Marked Ones term for guardian. This man challenged the tribe's leader for the right to rule. In combat, the old leader was slain. The newcomer was named leader. Gor traveled and united all tribes under the mountain: the Marked Ones, the black foot, the root munchers, and the bone pickers. Promises of unending food and water were made to lure more to follow. Those that willingly followed Gor were call Rbas. In the language of the people under the mountain's shadow, that meant loyalty. All those that would not follow were beaten or killed. Gor lead them all around the mountain. Gor declared that it was a sign of their victory. The great mountain exploded and fire rained from the sky. Men from the many tribes attempted to flee. Gor and his Rbas kept them in order. In the north, Gor lay a trap. When the people from the rich lands arrived, his Rbas rolled boulders down followed by an attack while they were in the panic. Knowing who the leaders were, Gor killed them one by one. Gor lead all the tribes to the rich lands, killing all those opposing him and assimilating the others. This is how the Goran nation was born.

### Fire God, Gor

Defeated in single combat by a challenger to Gor's leadership, a new Gor had been declared. This Gor had a far greater interest in faith. In the south, most did not accept him as Gor, though he won in legitimate combat. To prove the legitimacy of his rule Gor, set forth to further defile the monster of his people’s legends. The time spent in the liquid metal had done one thing for Red. The stones in his airway had finally been fully liquified and removed. On first sight, Gor spit on Red declaring him a corrupted beast. Having not spoken in over a century, Red clawed at his own mind to form words. “Haw did you ta-k pow er.” Gor and his own people were shocked as it had become common knowledge the Great Betrayer and false god of
flame was a mute. Gor proudly declared he defeated the last Gor in combat. “I chall-onge you.” First Gor examined the emaciated figure. The gaunt face, protruding cheekbones, any and all muscles were lost. Gor was developed and powerful, his arms thicker than most legs, his knuckles calloused from beating enemies and inferiors. Comparing this creature to himself was laughable. Such a pitiable wrench would never have the right to challenge him. Laughing at the pathetic creature that simple northerners called a god, Gor accepted. Almost feeling pity, Gor then commanded for the punishment to begin. A section above Red was opened and liquid metal began to pour upon the betrayer god. The same chains had held Red at this seaside village for years. Corrosion had set in and the chains became weak. With the additional of heat from this act of mockery the chains shattered. Molten metal covered the whole of his body. Red looked straight up into the flame and drew in the fire. Red spit in Gor's face. Muscles unfamiliar with moment guided him as he crawled from the forge atop Gor, Red's body a prison that could never be broken retained the heat of the forge. Gor's flesh bubbled and spit then caught aflame from the sheer heat of Red's presence. Red, hardly audible above the sound of the boiling Gor, stated “You are coor rupt ed. I, the god of flame, will purify you.” Red looked to the guards that escorted Gor. Each with a look of terror on their face. “Would any one like to challenge Gor?” Red was nothing but bone. This
wraith of a corpse, his eyes told the tale. A steely look of one who’d experienced horrors beyond this world. None could muster the courage to deny Red the rite of Gor.

### During the Revolution of Fire

Red took the position of Gor. The faithful from the many years surrounded him praising him. All the southern riders had a look of horror on their faces- all but one of Gor's Rbas, a strange man with near white blonde hair riding a wolf. This man was laughing. Red ordered all southern men be rounded up in the center of town. Pointing to the smoldering corpse, Red demanded who it is they follow. Each that refused his right to rule were tied and dragged to the forge. When Red got to the blonde man he offered himself to serve Gor, a mantle Red had not been used to wearing. Gor accepted the foreign man's request. Others began offer themselves. All that did not yield in service of Gor were thrown into the forge that he dwelt in for so many years. Their bodies did not last as long. Red declared that the people would no longer be ruled by the Goran- that one day they shall lead the Goran. They will be the Rbas from now on and that the old Rbas are noRbas. They were eventually known as the people of flame and seeded the ancient Order of Flame, as they kept worship of the Fire God strong over the many years. Red could not accomplish what he needed on his own. He needed men who knew the empire to guide him. The blonde man that went by the name Ulfsark was taken as Gor's right hand. Ulfsark agreed to guide Red and teach him the ways of his people. He was a foreigner who called himself a former Woag. He claimed to have been exiled because his people were too weak. Ulfsark wished to serve a strong warrior and Gor was legendary. In the north, the grand ruler was the Eternal Warrior who united the tribes and gave them order. Ulfsark said that this warrior was too weak to control his people and each tribe still did as it pleased. Fearing how in the past Red had already lost control of his people, he agreed to Ulfsark’s tutelage in leadership. Together, Red and Ulfsark built a plan to conquer the many tribes of the south and unite all of his people once again. To do so they needed food, men, and weapons. Using the village as a base would not be sufficient. Other villages were needed to support the war. Red found an elder that had been praying to him since he was a child and gave him control of the village. This elder was able to outwit the invaders and kept the faith strong. Red instructed him to keep the invaders’ ways because they were needed to defeat them. The elder knew no other ways and continued to run the village in support of the new Gor.

Village to village Gor rode. In the lands of fire, most would bow; others would burn. Those that did not support the rule of the new Gor would be purified by flame. In the process, the fire god would stand with the traitors in the pyre and burn alongside them. Only the god of flame would emerge. This caused the faithful to the god of flame to join the cause. Ulfsark trained Gor and his growing army in the primordial fighting ways of the Woag. Gor slowly grew into greater health, but was always weakest and slowest of his warriors. Most of the jungle had been unified under the banner of Gor in under a year. Gor rode south with his army claiming the lands he had long ago abandoned. In the south, Gor was met by two strong factions. One of which worshiped the old guardian of the past as an ancestral god that was taken by misfortune and flame. The other held a strong hatred for the monster of the past that followed only strength and was loyal to Gor. Messengers told of Red's victory over Gor and armies headed south. The Red Men saw this as a sign of the return of their patriarch; the Goran saw this as an omen of doom. The betrayer god has returned to rule the land. With an army, faith, and the support of a large faction in the south, Red retook his homeland.  A new Goran people were reborn.