Korax the Dominator

Darkness, Death, Evil, the Undead, and Monsters

The Codex of the Dark Star, a.k.a. The Black Book

A black many pointed star with a handsome male face in the center

From the Codex of the Dark Star -   Of his father Eoa's children, Korax was born first into the world.  Eoa showed love to both his children, but soon learned that of them, only his son could he rely upon as he ruled over all of the High Races.  His daughter preferred frivolity over duty, leisure over responsibility.  Eoa counted more and more upon his firstborn son Korax to lighten the burdens of ruling.   At the end of his long life, an ailing Eoa called both his children to his side.  In front of his deathbed, he had placed two chests, one made of silver, the other of iron.  Clea rushed to take one, but Eoa waved her back, sternly reminding her that her brother, as firstborn, shall have first pick.  In that moment, Clea hated her brother Korax, and forever after worked to thwart him, for such was her jealousy and spite.    Korax approached the chests.  He asked his father, "What is in the chest that is silver?"   "Power," answered his father.   "And in the other?"   "Duty."   Korax intoned, "I will always choose duty."  He opened the iron chest and found his father's crown, and became the second ruler over all the High Races.  And the High Races throughout the world rejoiced, for they had seen how Korax had become wise and just as learned by his father's side.  Clea did not wait her turn, but took the silver chest and her father's crystal wand.    While Korax ruled wisely and well, Clea wandered and squandered the vast power of the crystal wand.  Rather than use her power to help the people, she instead indulged her every whim, going so far as to cast a mountain into the sky, merely for daring to cast its shadow over the pool where she had chosen that day to bathe.  Korax watched as his sister slipped further and further from the path of the righteous.   The High Races came before him.  They had seen their numbers dwindle, as a lesser race rose in their stead, and they were afraid they would falter and perish from the world.   "Save us, O great one!" they begged, and Korax promised to do everything he could.  He studied magic and mysteries, nature and sciences.  At last, he came upon a solution that would reinvigorate the High Races and make them even more powerful than they had ever been.  Grateful to their sovereign lord, the High Races readily agreed to participate and join themselves with Korax's magic.  And those that melded themselves with the power that was Korax rose up greater than they had been, and bowed before their lord and worshiped him.  In that moment, Korax felt the flow of the divine touch him, and he truly became a god to his people.   Clea learned of his ascendancy to godhood and reacted with her usual spite and jealousy.  Taking her father's wand, she broke open the earth and called forth a horde of monsters in an attempt to stop Korax from healing and improving the people.  While Korax sent envoys to his sister to explain what the wonders his magic had wrought and the happiness of the people, Clea cared not for their prosperity or happiness, but wanted only to destroy what she could not control.  She sent her minions forth to battle the legions of Korax, and worked to turn even the hearts of his own children against him.  So great were her lies that many turned away from their rightful lord.  So twisted were Clea's servants that even when Korax sought to cure them through his magic, they remained sullen and violent.   All consuming was the power of Korax, but he chose not to use it against his sister, for he loved her as a brother should and did not wish her harm.  This mercy allowed her to sneak into his palace and wickedly attempt to murder him.  As he dodged her attacks, he could not keep his power restrained further, and his energies cracked the world.  A loving brother, he held Clea close to shield her from its life-taking power, and now Korax holds her still, so Clea may never harm another creature out of her spite.

Most peoples of the Lands of Legend consider Korax to be the principal evil god of their world, responsible for the creation of most of the monsters that roam and kill.  Among the sentient of these monsters, especially the savage and vicious of them, Korax is revered as the "Dark Father" and his priests claim he will come again in glory to raise them up to rule over all others.