Xarakses

Aliases	Blood God, Scarlet King, Lord of Blood
Portfolio	Conflict, Conspiracy, Deception
Race	Mistlord
Status	Alive
Realm	The Blood Isles
Symbol	Bloody hand print
Cult	Various

So swung the dagger, spilling blood, bringing glory over time.

So swung the dagger, cutting harsh and cutting deep.

So swung the dagger, bringing the death that I helped reap.

So swung the dagger, blade piercing my back where I could not see.

So swung my dagger, cursing traitors...until I realized...

The traitor was me.

"Blood for the Blood God." A prayer. An invocation. A battlecry. A curse.

Those five simple words have accompanied the rise and fall of countless across the fields of history. This mantra pays homage to one of Ransera’s most controversial deific figures, Xarakses, the Lord of Blood. He is the Conspirator. The Scarlet King. The Master of Murder. The Father of Lies. Long is the list of titles given to the mighty and powerful Mistlord of Blood in both revulsion and reverence. Xarakses is regarded universally as a dark figure in Ransera’s history. He is a deal maker, a herald of upheaval, war and conspiracies. He is the King of the Infernals and is always willing to offer power for the price of one’s soul. As with all Mistlords, Xarakses did not partake in the creation of the mortal world but he has certainly taken delight in toying with it and its inhabitants. When the mortal races think of the embodiment of insidious and ingenious evil, they often do so with Xarakses in mind. For make no mistake, Xarakses is not a benign entity but he is not necessarily a torturous one.

Perception

Whenever there is a story or bit of folklore involving deals with a dark Infernal, it inevitably is tied to Xarakses. The Lord of Blood and Deception is cunning and has an unfaltering fascination with the mortal soul. As the Lord of Conflict, Xarakses is invoked as a god of vengeance, murder, and bloodshed which suits him just fine. He is universally feared and those who entreat him to forge a dark bargain typically only do so out of desperation or out of a very dark ambition. Despite the many stories testifying to Xarakses love of bloodshed, he is not a deity commonly associated with open acts of war and aggression. Xarakses is a dealer in the dark who prides on cloaked conspiracies, subversion and cunning malevolence.

A bargain made with the Blood God will be paid in blood and the Scarlet King always gets his due. Whether that is immediately or at an opportune time, one can seldom tell with Xarakses. The Blood God is patient. He takes pleasure in drawn out conflict. The more scheming, bloodshed and upheaval, the better. Despite this, Xarakses is not fickle. He will always honor a deal made according to the terms of the deal itself but he is no fool either. It is on the mortal engaging with him to be aware of the Blood God’s nature. Earning his favor is no easy feat. It is rarely given and once given, it is kept only by proving that one has the wits and wherewithal to keep it. There are many who vy for the Scarlet King’s attention, he does not give it idly.

All in all, mortals are very aware of Xarakses dark nature. That does not stop many from interacting with him or his servants. If one can summon him or one of his Infernals, the power they can offer is often substantial but it comes at a great cost.

Xarakses is reputed to have a bitter rivalry with Streolon. He is known to engage with Myshala frequently and is said to outright hate Malgar, the Dragon God of Suffering.

The Blood Isles

Beyond the veil of the Land of Nod, far into the Aethereal Sea, there stand the Blood Isles. Four islands of indeterminate size upon which stand four gothic inspired cities. The denizens of these cities that are native to the Blood God’s realm are known as the Infernals. Devils of power ranging from very minor to being revered as lesser gods in and of themselves, they spend their days living in squalor or splendor depending on their status. The levels of courtly intrigue at play among the powers of the Isles is legendary with feuds that have spanned centuries. Many glorious and enigmatic wonders can be found dotting the Isles including treasures, unique resources, and even secrets that are tightly bound by the power of dark bargains. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly depending on one’s perspective, the Blood Isles are one of the easiest of the Shrouded Realms for mortals to get to.

Stories tied to Xarakses

The Dranoch

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Xarakses is tied to the existence and creation of the blood and soul feasting Dranoch. The exact details of how or why are lost to history, perhaps purposefully so, but the hallmarks of the Blood God’s touch is in everything the Dranoch represent. Despite this irrefutable truth, the Lord of Blood does not seem particularly active in the lives of the Dranoch. Whatever the reason, it leaves many to wonder what are or were his motives and what is he hoping to see come to fruition?

The Fall of Silor

Of the stories tied to Xarakses, this is perhaps one relegated to pure speculation rather than actual truth. Related to his hand in the creation of the Dranoch of Sil-Elaine, there are those who believe that he had a hand in engineering the fall of the ancient elven kingdom that once ruled in supremacy over Turoth. Largely these stories are considered mad ravings of elves who have lived too long under the oppression of the Dranoch but perhaps, in some small way, there is a kernel of truth to them…

Religious Factions

Xarakses has no singular religious faction that he patrons. Rather, the Blood God is known to have a variety of fanatical cults that dedicate worship to him. It is not uncommon for him to pit these fanatics against one another in order to see who comes out on top.