The Bloodborn
Structure
Structure: Loose but Deadly
The High Chainlord – Current leader, holds power until killed or abandoned by Vit'khari.
The Blooded – Champions who have slain a dwarfs in combat.
The Scarred – Common devotees, marked with ritual wounds.
Tenets of Faith
The Six Iron Tenets
1. "The Curse is a Gift." Your flaws are Vit'khari’s whetstone—they sharpen you. To resist them is weakness. To revel in them is strength. 2. "Dwarfblood is Sacrament." Killing dwarves is holy work. Their screams pleasure the War-Father. 3. "The Strong Rule, the Weak Serve." Challenge your betters. Kill them if you can. If you are weak, die usefully. 4. "Scars are Prayers." Cut your flesh in Vit'khari’s image. The more you bleed, the closer to godhood you become. 5. "Kurxang’s Hand is a Lie." The curses came not through Kurxang, but from Vit'khari. The Cursemaker is just the forge. The War-Father is the smith. 6. "The Last War is Coming." One day, the giants will break their chains. Until then, keep fighting.Worship
Chaos as Worship
The Red March
: Not an organized campaign—sporadic, savage raids throughout the year. Any giant can declare a Red March by spilling dwarf blood on Vit'khari’s symbol. Raiders keep a skull from each kill, threading them onto iron necklaces.Scarring Rites:
Followers cut their flesh to mirror Vit'khari’s stretched form. The more scars, the closer to godhood.The Feast of Broken Chains
: A captured dwarf is tortured until they curse their own gods. Then, the giant who took them eats their heart raw. III. Practices to Uphold the Tenets 1. The Blood Oath: To join, a giant must spill dwarf blood on Vit'khari’s symbol. If they hesitate, their own kin execute them. 2. Trial of the Scarred: A priest carves Vit'khari’s runes into the initiate’s chest. If they scream, they are branded a coward. If they laugh, they are given a weapon. 3. The Chainlord’s Ascension: When a leader dies, any Blooded may claim the title. They must kill a rival and burn a dwarf alive as offering. 4. The Red Sermon: Before battle, a priest cracks open a dwarf’s skull. The warriors drink from it, then charge.Priesthood
Leadership: The Ever-Changing Chain
No single ruler holds power for long—strength is fleeting, betrayal is inevitable.
The current leader is called the "High Chainlord", but titles vary (e.g., The Shattered King, The Bloodspeaker).
Succession is decided by combat, assassination, or divine omen (e.g., a storm giant struck by lightning is "chosen").
Underlings scheme constantly, knowing today’s ally is tomorrow’s rival.
Type
Religious, Cult
Parent Organization
Deities
Location
Related Species
Comments