Drox - God of Light

Domains

Light, fire, passion, hope, protection, sacrifice, revenge, vigilance

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Name & Titles

Drox, The Sun Dragon, Eldest, Morninglord

Appearance & Depiction

Drox has always stood out among the other Arch Gods - The Eight Arms because he is the only one which true form is not humanoid. His true form is a majestic dragon with scales made of pure light. He is known to take humanoid form as a perfected version of a dragonborn often with jade scales.

His nature is very two-sided and no one can predict which stance he will take on an issue as he often has his own agendas and reasoning behind his choices. This is very much reflected in his twin sons; Angra - God of Chromatic Dragons, and Ahura - God of Metallic Dragons which are evil and good in nature respectively. 

His first-born was his daughter, Nox - Goddess of Night which was manipulated and corrupted by Zhintos - God of Death, which managed to turn her from neutral natured to pure evil. Nox became the Goddess of Darkness & Night and every time Drox rests or is distracted, Nox awakes and covers the world in night.

Paintings

Artifacts & Weapons

The First Morning Star When in his humanoid form, he often wields a morning stars comprised of a small star of pure light. Warriors following the teachings of Drox wield morning stars most of the time as a tribute to their god.

Symbol

A sun with 12 sunrays, one side light, the other dark. The sun in general is often used as a symbol of Drox.

Worshippers

In dragonborn communities, Drox is revered as the pinnacle of their evolution, seen as both a creator and judge. Ceremonies involve elaborate displays of light magic and draconic dance.

In other communities, Drox symbolizes hope and renewal, with prayers centered on dawn and light-themed festivals.

Ways of Worship

Ceremonies & Rituals

• Sunrise Vigil: Followers gather at dawn to watch the sun rise, offering prayers for Drox’s protection and guidance. They reflect his two-sided nature by balancing joyous hymns with solemn meditations.
• Nightfall Banishment: During eclipses or long nights, worshippers perform rituals with prisms, light magic, and chanting to weaken Nox’s influence and restore Drox’s light.
• Chromatic and Metallic Union: A unique ceremony where dragonborn and other scaled creatures honor Drox’s twin sons by blending colors of the spectrum and forging temporary truces between traditionally opposed groups.

Daily Devotions - Lighting a candle in Drox’s honor before taking a difficult step or decision. - Wearing jade pendants to signify their faith and channel Drox’s unpredictable wisdom.

Purification Rituals - After battles, Drox’s clerics might perform rituals to cleanse areas tainted by necromancy, ensuring no lingering corruption remains. - In death rites for the faithful, the bodies of the deceased might be burned or bathed in radiant light to prevent reanimation.

Dedicated Orders

• The Radiant Blades: A militant arm of Drox’s faith, dedicated solely to hunting and eradicating the undead. They are often paladins, clerics, or warriors wielding weapons blessed with Drox’s light, ensuring that undead creatures cannot rise again.

• The Sunwatchers: A secretive group of spies and assassins targeting necromancers, liches, and cultists of Zhintos. They operate in the shadows but carry the light of Drox to strike down threats before they fester.

Training and Oaths Initiates into these orders might take an oath under the dawn's light, swearing eternal enmity toward the undead. Their training involves: - Learning to harness holy magic that specifically targets the undead. - Studying the weaknesses of undead creatures and necromantic rituals. - Carrying fragments of Drox’s light (through enchanted gems, blades, or tattoos) to bolster their resolve in the face of darkness.

Temples of Drox

Architecture

Drox’s temples embody his celestial and draconic essence: - Towering spires carved to resemble dragon scales that catch the sunlight and shimmer with a dazzling brilliance. - A massive central atrium with an enchanted prism or crystal skylight, refracting sunlight into multicolored beams across the temple floors. - Statues of Drox in both forms: his radiant dragon form and his humanoid perfected dragonborn shape.

Dual-Sided Design

Reflecting his dichotomy, temples might feature two distinct wings: - The Hall of Radiance: Illuminated and golden, a space dedicated to healing, prayer, and hopeful ceremonies. - The Chamber of Reflection: Dimly lit and serene, focused on introspection, understanding Drox’s unpredictable nature, and exploring the balance between light and shadow.

Functions

Drox’s temples could serve multiple purposes in your world: - Sanctuaries: Places where the misfortunate seek refuge from the dangers of the world or from Nox’s rising darkness. - Houses of Knowledge: Libraries and observatories where priests and scholars study the phenomena of light, celestial bodies, and Drox’s teachings. - Halls of Justice: Temples often double as courts, with priests serving as arbiters, meting out justice in Drox’s name. - Training Halls: Temples devoted to Drox serve as training grounds for those who aim to hunt the undead, with specialized arenas featuring mock battles against necromantic constructs.

Ritual Spaces

Certain chambers of the temple could be reserved for special rites: - Eclipse Rooms: Designed to allow shadows to play across enchanted walls, symbolic of the cosmic battle between Drox and Nox. - Sunfire Altars: Magical altars where powerful prayers or sacrifices create rays of light visible for miles acting as lighthouses, guiding travelers through the dark.

Philosophy

The Eternal Feud: Priests of Drox teach that Zhintos - God of Death is the eternal adversary of the light, with the corruption of Nox being one of his greatest transgressions. They use this story as a rallying cry for vigilance against necromancy.

Sermons on Balance: Some sects might interpret Drox’s duality as a warning to never underestimate the dangers of darkness or to understand that light must always actively fight to hold its place against corruption.

Stories & Fables

The Prism of Truth

Summary: In this tale, a mortal king beseeches Drox for aid, as his kingdom is falling into chaos due to lies and treachery among his court. Drox gifts the king a radiant prism, which can separate truth from falsehood when held in sunlight. However, the king, consumed by ambition, begins using the prism to exploit and blackmail his subjects. Enraged by the betrayal, Drox shatters the prism, scattering its fragments across the world. These shards are said to be hidden in places only the virtuous can reach.

The Twin Blessings

Summary: This fable explains how Drox’s twin sons, Angra - God of Chromatic Dragons and Ahura - God of Metallic Dragons, came to embody evil and good. Drox gave each son a gift at their birth: the chromatic child received his boundless ambition, and the metallic child received his radiant compassion. But Drox, being unpredictable by nature, did not guide them in how to use these gifts. The tale serves as a cautionary tale about balance and responsibility.

The Shattered Dawn

Summary: In an epic battle with Nox - Goddess of Night, Drox’s light was temporarily extinguished, plunging the world into an age of darkness. However, a single mortal, a blind musician, kept faith in Drox’s return. She composed a hymn so beautiful that it reignited Drox’s light, breaking the darkness and restoring day. This tale is often retold as an allegory for hope and resilience in the face of despair.