by Ethan "JB" Goldman
“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.”― Voltaire
“War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your government's decisions by force. The purpose is never to kill the enemy just to be killing him . . . but to make him do what you want him to do.”- Robert A. Heinlein
Behold the Mighty King of Metal. Rawonam is the god of War, a domain that has many claimants but none who have earned it as Rawonam does. Nowadays the god, like many, has faded in prestige, suffering from his own neutrality. The god does not manifest problems like Dionin does to sustain his image, the god does not rain blessings like Gaia. You do not HAVE to face him, you don't NEED to beg him… you simply obey him, unknowingly and unquestioningly.
Oh? You do not? You are a free thinker? Outside of the worship of such things. Look down at your shirt, notice the symbol emblazoned upon it, the mark of your nation. The Flag of your tribe.
How many have died for that flag, how many more will die tomorrow? Vorainess is, at the time of this inscription, at war with three different fronts, one that crosses eras, one that crosses dimensions, and one that crosses borders but is also a war that the king warred longer then nation itself existed and also the Erl King is a alien god so its kinda all of them at the same time?
“Oh but Baptise, I am not in Vorainess, I’m in Chimeron”. Okay so you’re merely at war with two interdimensional murderkings? Maybe you're independent, have you ever stepped afoot a Dreamliner? Have you ever fought the Aberrant Gate, did you ever step upon a viper? If so, you have seen war, you just are not kin to the banners it is fought for.
There is only war. Look upon the spell books, how many of them dictate the preservation of food? Weaving clothes? Constructing Bridges, anything not directed at the logistical optimization or continuation of war?
It’s not many, it may not be there at all. Rawonam’s worship does not need new altars, new sacrifices. He has those, he needs no loyalty. He has yours.
Because, here’s the thing… Rawonam won. He won aaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way back in the Ascension War. Not that there ever was any doubt. After all, he was in the name.
Buuuuuuuuut I am not here to give the Boars sermon, you are welcome to doubt. I am here to tell you WHY you'd worship then, not why they don’t need it.
War is ever present in our world, but we mix these and mistake them for slaughter and play. Rawonam knows the difference between honorable combat, and combat as a joke, a game. Rawonam knows the difference between War and an Extermination that isn’t going as well as you hope it would. War is a negotiation, not the failure to do one. War has rules of engagement, but practical rules, rules that exist to allow the enemy to surrender to you. If the enemy does not trust there is a alternative between fighting to the death and surrendering, they will never surrender, and your edginess will only cut yourself.
I bring this up because this is where Rawonam differs from Khorne. Khorne ISN'T war, he's the blood god. War is not the nectar of his nature, but the vessel it is held in. Khorne believes in discipline and power but not kindness and mercy.To kill the unarmed brings no glory, but to Khorne does not detract, it is offal, organ meat that may be slaughtered as reward for cracking the skull of the army. Avoiding the army is cowardly. Deception is cowardly. Khorne does not believe in Honor as pragmatic, he does not believe in honor as virtuous. To Khorne, to fight with honor is to fight honestly, to never trick a stronger foe to a death you should not have managed.
Now you might think Arius is the god of Truth and Battle. And he is, but as you can see gods mean different things when they say the same words. Arius is self reflecting on one's one nature, so one goes to battle knowing what they are fighting for, why they are fighting for it, and does so anyway. Khorne is the Truth OF Battle, not the battle for Truth, Khorne is the honesty of knowing your opponent is a fully sentient individual with hopes, dreams, loves that they are willing to die for, and admitting, to yourself and the world, you really just don't care.
But Rawonam DOES care, because War IS diplomacy, those truths of the enemy are tools, leverage that need to be acknowledged and harnessed for a swift victory.
Rawonam cares so much about the diplomacy of war that it is incorporated into his very worship. Any who seek love under Rawonam’s shield will endure great hardship and pain. But, unlike the punishment of Gaia and the Dark One, if you were to surpass these trials you will be rewarded.
When you marry, Rawonam brings suffering upon you, and when you surpass Rawonam’s efforts, you are afforded his blessing. This is not a punishment, this is a WAR, between love of your god, and love of your life. You either break, and return to Rawonam with a tattered relationship, or Rawonam breaks. And if you best Rawonam, well you can best anyone.
Except Orlando that guys wily, but what can you do?
Granted I am talking a lot about the logistics and psychology of war to describe a God who championed Shane, an individual who cared so much about these concepts that anyone who honors him loses the ability to read.
But that's the difference between the Officer and the NCO isn’t it. The Officer does all the thinking and hand wringing and pencil pushing and the NCO has to accomplish all of it.
Rawonam offers success in War, and opportunities to prove yourself. If, and this will never come true, there are no opportunities to fight, no causes worth fighting for except to fight itself, Rawonam will personally provide you with a Deathless War, a fight with the God himself through storm and stampede and woe until you prove the iron in your blood.
Rawonam is a mountain, moreso the a leader. His faith is a challenge to prove yourself with. But while Rawonam is a distant god, he’s not an unaffectionate one. When people follow the gods of battle, it’s for a challenge, to prove themselves. Like the mountain, you climb it because its there and you can look down at the world below and smirk.
The Boar is the same. He's in the landscape, but you don't SEE The mountain when you are close, you see a incline, its a uphill struggle and people don't REALLY care if you reach the top…
But only the Boar knows the view, and maybe, if you are brave. You might too.
Mantra 4: No one’s going to care if you don’t care. Manifest your own challenges. Boast of your own accomplishments. Showcase your piety, so that people understand, if not WHY you value, but THAT you value at all. The Gods are a color, paint with them.