Karnor - Bastion of Iron Will

God of Struggle • Survival • Unbreakable Resolve

Who is Karnor

Karnor is the Bastion of Iron Will—the god of struggle, survival, and unbreakable resolve. Where Aelthar wrote law and Sarephine gave it feeling, Karnor forged it in pain and triumph.

> He is the roar in the throat of rebels, the weight in a warrior’s limbs, and the unbending shield that stands when all else breaks.

Born in the first war between gods, Karnor wasn’t created—he endured into being. His followers say: “Strength is not given. It is taken. Then it is earned.”

Domains & Spheres of Influence

> Karnor’s crucible of hardship tempers the strongest wills.

• Strength — Power of spirit and conviction beyond mere muscle.
• Endurance — Survive what others cannot; pain is the forge.
• Resistance — Empower the oppressed to keep fighting, even when doomed.
• Sacrifice — Victory through suffering; glory wrought by scars.

Divine Symbol

> A jagged circle torn by a vertical thorned line—will made manifest.

The Circle — The world or the flesh under trial.

The Line — Will cleaving through adversity.

The Thorns — The price of defiance.

Glyphs of Karnor

Karnor’s marks are harsh and direct—physical enhancement, resistance, and martial clarity. Lower tiers bolster resilience; higher tiers transmute suffering into raw power.

Tier 1

Ferros — “The Unbreaking Eye”

Form: Single eye encased in concentric half-rings, pierced by a central pillar.

Effect: Grants extreme resilience—toughened skin, reinforced bone, quicker wounds closure.

Use: Warbound initiates, forge walls, knuckle tattoos of prisoners.

Malor — “The Blood Oath”

Form: Downward triangle over a droplet, bisected by an arrow.

Effect: Borrows another’s blood to channel their vitality and fury; risks fractured mind.

Use: Ancestor-blood vials, battlefield rites, grim second winds.

Tier 2

Auctoritas — “Weight of the Unbroken”

Form: Dense core within a constricting oval.

Effect: Anchors presence—steadies allies, unnerves foes, dulls pain by sheer will.

Use: Commanders, bodyguards, last stands.

Spinarum — “The Crown That Endures”

Form: Thorned stump or halo with pointed flares.

Effect: Prevents collapse—stand through mortal wounds until the glyph fades, then agony returns.

Use: Elite champions, doomed defenders.

Tier 3

Incendra — “The Pyre Within”

Form: Thorned spiral rising into flame.

Effect: Ignites inner reserves—pain and rage fuel a fiery second wind at great risk after.

Use: Desperate warriors, final gambits.

Tier 4

Spinae Veritas — “The Thorned Truth”

Form: Vertical spear of spirals branching into fractures.

Effect: Transmutes every wound into power—grows with suffering, risking self-annihilation.

Use: Legends and warnings of unstoppable but doomed champions.

Worship & Rituals

Arenas & Forges: Trial grounds where only the strongest endure.

Endurants: Followers who earn Karnor’s favour through brutal trials (seven days dragging iron, fasting with wounds, duels without mercy).

Tattoos: Each glyph is earned, branded only after a feat of endurance.

Role in the Facture War

Karnor held the line when gods fractured:

- Defender: Stood against Nehra-Tun’s horrors for a decade.

- Chain of Unity: Forged warriors bound by linked glyphs.

- Last Bastion: Fell beneath Aelthar’s collapsing citadel—his bones rose into a mountain, his will still burns.

Sacred Sites

- Forge of Ash-Vow: Volcanic pit where weakness is burned away.

- Crucible Labyrinth: Blood-stained maze that only the steadfast navigate.

- Bastion of Iron Tongue: Silent stronghold of Endurants whose suffering becomes legend.

Where Is He Now?

- Beneath the Mountain: Slumbers under the bones of his own sacrifice.

- Echo in Warriors: His iron will awakens in those who refuse to yield.

- Myth Forged in War: Some say he is legend given form by endless conflict.