Kar, the Falling Star

Name

Kar, the Falling Star

Domains

War, Military, Martial Arts, Comets

Alignment

Low

Story

Kar is not the original machine-god of war for Dia. He and the others do not talk about what happened to Whitt, the first god of war although it was during the tense God-Heresy event. Instead of being granted his domains by Talon, Kar's introduction was literately as he fell to the surface as a great comet. Scholars feared such a great object falling from the sky was certain to lead to certain doom, but instead of a massive impact the light of the god vanished as soon as she touched earth. Instead she appeared in every temple of Whitt all at once, explaining to the high priests that she had come in the now-absent Whitt's place. Like Whitt, Kar is a god of war and the military arts, and leads in much the same manner. Unlike Whitt however, she often takes a much more direct approach to conflict, often disquiesing herself as a common soldier in the moments before battle and joining without the benefit of their divine powers. Any soldier that can slay the god in fair battle is often offered a chance to become a champion of her order or granted a boon.

Kar does not do much to alter the course of wars across Dia, which are normally on a very small scale compared to the godless ancestors. Instead, she performs more as a surgeon, sending her champions to skirmishes to on the edges of a battle to change the fate of a handful of defenders or an otherwise lost attacking force. The reason for such interference is often unknown, as Kor does not provide much reason behind her decisions and like any military general, is not in the habit of explaining herself to her charges.

Glyph

Kar's glyph is three lines pointed downwards but angling towards each other. Near where the lines would meet is a circle drawn over them, meant to represent the god falling to Dia

Appearance

When they take mortal form, Kar appears as usually either a Human or Kur woman in light armor and an overlaid leather harness containing dozens of knives, spikes, bolts, and short handheld weapons. Even when disguised as a soldier, her preference for close in combat shows and those who have survived her mention her particularly dangerousness with the dagger or short sword as well. Some depictions of the god also show her glyph on her face as a tattoo or warpaint, but it isn't clear if this is a freedom chosen by the artist or an actual trait of the god.

Patronage

Kar chooses her champions from the ranks of elite military units, generally by joining battle against them. Champions report having faced a particularly dangerous and well trained opponent in the middle of a conflict, one who seems to be searching even as they kill. When she finds one she deems worthy, she fights them to determine their commitment and skill. Nearly everyone who faces her dies, but those who impress her are often brought back from the brink of death and offered a lifetime in her service as well.

Life as a champion is often both straightforward but also a little murky. The god does not often explain why she sends her champions out on certain missions and its never clear what missions are for training versus an actual objective. There is also no favoritism or loyalty to be shown to previous nations or employers the champion may have belonged. A man may have pledged to Salendor in his previous life, only to be sent amongst his former peers as an avenging angel the next day. Kar doesn't care.

Retirement

Surprisingly, retirement for champions of Kar is somewhat normal as retiring from any other job. If the champions makes it to their designated century of service, she removes her blessing that prevents aging and the champion often settles down to a sedate life minding a garden or attending her temple as a lay person. They still maintain the skills learned in her service however, and more than one renegade has been brought down by what they thought was a defenseless old man or woman.

Favors

Kar doesn't maintain a coin system per se, but she does sometime hand out silver or gold arm rings as a gift for going above and beyond in her service. These aren't normally traded out, but the priests are able to verify geniune arm rings from the goddess from mortal copies. The clout demonstrated by such a gift may be leveraged in favors from the temple or sometimes even local blacksmiths if the champion would agree to sign a statement of sponsorship for the blacksmith's weapons. Who wouldn't want to buy a sword from the same source as the war god's chosen?