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The Cold Rider)
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Demigod
The Shadow Lord, The Usurper
Aliases: The Cold Rider (Anuire) The Night Walker (Rjurik), The Darkling (Khinasi)
Symbol: A cloaked figure on a black steed
Alignment: NE
Portfolio: Undead, the Shadow World, deceit
Domains: Charm, Death, Evil, Magic
Favored Weapon: Skeletal touch (unarmed)
The Cold Rider is figure of mystery – a malignant will given body and form in the spirit world. The Cold Rider is seen only as a dark horseman who watches travelers from a windswept hilltop before turning away. He doesn't directly attack intruders, but those who encounter him end up meeting the most dramatic and iconic manifestations of the Shadow World's evil. The Cold Rider is malevolent, but may not yet be consciously so; no traveler has ever reported a conversation with the Cold Rider, but it might be that he only speaks to those that are doomed to never return to the sunlit world again. The Cold Rider appears in the Shadow World as he wills, drawn to extremes of evil or good, and leaves doom in his wake. Over the centuries, he has grown stronger and personalities, powers, and memories are to be appearing that support his worshipers claims that the Cold Rider is Azrai reborn.
Worshipers claim that the Cold Rider is the direct heir of Azrai's evil and many worship the Cold Rider as the new face of Azrai. There is no widespread organization devoted to the worship of The Cold Rider. Each church maintains its own doctrines and rituals, but those that follow the old ways of Azrai's church have found the greatest success.
Clerics of The Cold Rider pray for their spells at varying times, but most often in the deepest dark of the night. Holy days and celebrations also vary from temple to temple, but often involve the sacrifice of a human soul. If a devout worshiper, the subject is often raised as a free-willed undead; the souls of enemies of the faith are instead allowed to make their way to oblivion but their bodies are raised to forever serve the temple. Most established temples have their most holy ceremonies on the Eve of the Dead, for it is on this day that the veil between life and unearth is at its nadir.
Dogma: The Cold Rider is Azrai reborn. He is the voice of darkness, the harbinger of doom, and the living incarnation of the perverse ironies and corruption of the Shadow World. Sacrifice for him, so that he may gain strength, and reclaim the world that is rightfully his.
Relationships: The Cold Rider's will is unknown. If he is truly heir to Azrai's evil, then surely he will seek out the goblins, beast-men and Vos to once again support him.
