Wesley's Glorantha Site III > The God's Plane > Magical Keywords

Ratakar
God of Murder

-by Wesley Quadros

Ratakar is the son of JagaNatha, birthed when the High Gods defied her and robbed the Gods of Old of their sacrifice. After his birth there was strife within communities across Pelanda. It became so violent that people killed people whom they knew. This was called murder and it became more and more common throughout the land. Even after the High Gods returned that which they had stolen Ratakar stalked the land and none was safe from him. He prompted husband to kill wife; Father to kill son; and priest to kill his god.

Ratakar has no favoured weapon and no favoured victim - the very act of murder is his domain. Ratakar slew NiTuros with a knife of darkest obsidian. He killed Durbadab with an iron axe. Vesket the Blue Eagle was felled by a feathered dart while UleArti was strangled in her sleep.

To many, he is an aspect of JagaNatha, the Avenger. Among her worshippers, he is the spirit of retribution for disobedience.

Organised worship of Ratakar is rare; he is an enemy god to every pantheon in Peloria. Most people propitiate him. Those that do worship him, closely guard their secrets and brothers. Each shrine has their own subcult and hero that they worship. Each shrine has a preferred way and reason to kill. Some see it as their duty to give souls to their dark god; some exercise their skills; some do it for profit; some for devotion to a Lord or priest; and some for the pure joy of killing.

Magical Keyword

Requirements:		An sworn oath to guard the existence of the shrine and the identity of one's brothers. The oath is witness and warded by Ratakar himself. Prospective members are tested exhaustively in the years before their admittance into the group.
Abilities:		Myths of Ratakar, Remain Motionless, Control Breathing, Insidious Advice, Lie
Virtues:		Ruthless
Affinities:
	Fuel Strife	(Furious Strength, Explosive Temper, Sow Discord, Fan Anger)
	Murder	(Dance in Shadows, Death Unseen, No Evidence, Innocent Visage, Scale Obstacle)
Worshippers:		Secret bands of assassins and killers across Pelanda. Ratakar is a popular god among some Dart Competitors, especially those from Spol.
Otherside:		Ratakar's secret Cavern of the Lost is somewhere on the flanks of Mt Jernotius in the Jernotian Realm. From there his worshippers journey through Pelanda spreading death and distrust or carrying out JagaNatha's vengeance.
Holy Days:		Ratakar's High Holy day is The Day of Murder, 10/day, 7/week, 1/season (Freezeday/Death/Fire Season), the day that Ratakar slew Bright Face, the Bad King. Worshippers gather in their temple and make bloody human sacrifice to their god.
Other Connections:		Where they know of each other, worshippers of Ratakar maintain a professional courtesy towards Fjordauri for though they give him a different name, the Lunars still worship the son of Natha.
Disadvantages:		Ratakar is a enemy god of every pantheon in Pelanda. His worshippers are feared and hunted.

Subcults

Ratakar's subcults and herocults very from place to place. Many revolve around a particular style of killing, particular reason to kill or a particular victim to kill. Examples include Ratakar the Garrot, Ratakar the Avenger and Ratakar the Regicide.

Ratakar the Knife

Followers of The Knife believe that the short blade is Ratakar's chosen weapon and the most efficient way of killing. They practice fighting with, throwing and making knives. Like most followers of Murder, they will kill with anything that comes to hand but prefer to use a knife.

Abilities:		Craft Knife, Knife Fighting, take two more abilities related to knives.
Affinity:
	Death by Knife	(Critical Strike, Surprising Reach, Adder Strike, Lightning Throw, One-to-Three, Enchant Silver ritual)
Secret:		*Dagger Dance* (The worshipper enters a trance-like state where he becomes one with his blade and attains perfect control of his body. Can be used to augment any use of Death by Knife)

Ratakar the Strangler -by Kevin McDonald

This subcult teaches that killing with bare hands is the most sacred form of murder. They believe that if a practitioner gazes into the eyes of a victim during "sacrifice" the soul of the departed becomes his slave on the Other Side. Because of the similarity in method of killing, Stranglers are occasionally confused with Thanatari. Few survive to spread this blasphemous slander.

Abilities:		Strong Hands, Strangulation, Unarmed Combat
Affinity:
	Suffocation	(Stalk in Silence, Steal Breath, Ensnare Limbs, Leap to Throat, Crush, Terrible Gaze)
Secret:		*Take Life ritual* (This secret ritual allows the Strangler to steal the soul of a victim, who then serves in the Other Side. He may exchange this life for his own if he is later slain)

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December 17, 2001

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